Just two years ago, my family wasn’t anywhere near ready to tackle a big international trip. The thought of a long overseas flight compounded with schlepping my kids around Europe frightened me. But, it’s amazing how much things can change in just a year. Last year, my husband and I realized that we are ready […]

Planning future vacations makes me happy. I’m not alone. Studies show that many people derive more happiness from planning a trip than actually taking the trip. Because of that, I could never surprise my family with a major trip by telling them on the way to the airport. I want the joy of anticipating and […]

During my family’s recent trip to Florida, we drove from the Daytona Beach area to St. Augustine, Florida, twice. St. Augustine is the oldest city in the United States, founded in 1565. Prior to our vacation, I had read so many good things about visiting St. Augustine. Since we were just a little over an […]

On my family’s recent extended trip to Florida, we stayed three weeks in a beachfront condo rental in Daytona Beach Shores. This was our second time renting through HomeAway/VRBO. The condo is almost 1900 square feet with three bedrooms and three full bathrooms. It has a two-week minimum rental period, and we paid about $136 […]

Recently, my husband and I both applied for the new World of Hyatt card by Chase to get more Hyatt points. This card is one of the few Chase cards that is not subject to 5/24 restrictions at the moment. Although we’ve converted Chase Ultimate Rewards points to Hyatt for award stays in the past, […]