Search Results for: blog the sunny side of the street

Sunny Days

Spring break and the living is easy. If your family’s ideal vacation includes bright sunshine, miles of powder-soft sand, cobalt blue water and gorgeous views, then consider the following amazing seasonal escapes: TAMPA This Florida favorite is a prime place to have fun in the sun. Located on the Gulf of Mexico, Tampa is home to endless miles of breathtaking beaches, stunning natural areas and a host of kid-friendly attractions, including the Florida Aquarium. The watery wonderland boasts more than 20,000 plants and sea creatures housed in high-tech fresh and saltwater environments. It also houses dozens of interactive exhibits, including … Continue reading →

Save on St. Patrick’s Day Travel

The luck of the Irish is on the side of frugal travelers this month. Several hotels are offering money-saving deals on St. Patrick’s Day themed packages.  Meanwhile, some cities are featuring holiday fun for the entire family for free, including: California:  Go green in sunny San Diego this year.  On Saturday, March 16th the city will be hosting an Irish bash like no other beginning with a massive St. Patrick’s Day parade.  It features more than 120 marching bands, towering floats, dancers, bagpipe contingents, singers, drill teams, clowns and a variety of other entries.  The parade kicks off at 10:30 … Continue reading →

Budget Beach Getaways

Sure, you can save a bundle by driving a small car to the coast and spending your entire winter vacation living out of tent that you’ve pitched on the beach.  However, there are a slew of other ways you can score a budget-friendly beach getaway without having to go to extremes.   Beach packages are readily available to a host of sunny destinations, including Hawaii, Mexico, California and the Caribbean.  The trick to saving more than a few pennies on these tropical getaways is to have social media platforms work for you.  By signing up for alerts from airlines, hotels … Continue reading →

What To Do about Neighbor Cats

I keep going back and forth on whether or not to let my cats outside.  Cole doesn’t have much interest, but Chrestomanci certainly does.  I know he’d be happiest as an indoor-outdoor cat, but I don’t know that I’d be happiest with him as one, and I don’t know that it’s worth the stress.  One day in the summer when we let him out with us, he wandered off.  He came back a few hours later, just as my husband said he would, but by then it was dark and I was very upset until he showed up again. Another … Continue reading →

Tips for Driving Safely Through the Snow

Winter weather often includes snow. Driving in snow is not the same as driving down the street on a nice, sunny, day. Here are some safety tips that can help you to safely drive through the snow and to avoid an accident, (and the auto insurance claim that would accompany it). Right now, I live in a part of California that doesn’t actually get any snow. This is a great relief to me after growing up and spending my young adult life in the midwest. I’ll be quite happy if I never have to drive through a snowstorm during a … Continue reading →

Parade of Holiday Freebies

Everyone loves a parade, and why not? They are fun, festive, and best of all–FREE! With the holidays fast approaching cities from coast-to-coast are prepping to host a cornucopia of family-friendly parades. The granddaddy of them all is the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City. It is the second-oldest Thanksgiving parade in the United States and attracts millions of spectators each year. However, you don’t have to spend a ton of money traveling to the Big Apple to take in the sights and sounds of these colorful moving spectacles. Rather, gather the kids and grab a piece of … Continue reading →

Snapping Stars

Not Ryan Reynolds, Anderson Cooper or William Levy, the Cuban hunk who just shook his groove thing on “Dancing with the Stars.” Talk about a celestial body. Sizzle, sizzle. No, I’m referring to the stars that illuminate the night sky. Picture this: The other day my daughter and I were taking advantage of the summer-like temperatures with a late evening stroll. Just as we got to the end of our street we gazed upward and saw two separate stars that shone like beacons against the pitch black sky. My daughter immediately wished upon them. Turns out they were planets. So … Continue reading →

Spring Forward

With the price of gas soaring like a bar-headed goose on the loose, you might consider sticking closer to home this spring break. Of course, hanging around in your own neck of the woods doesn’t have to be a death sentence. After all, the United States offers a slew of exciting travel attractions during the first season of the year that your entire family will love attending. For example: Chicago: During the city’s St. Patrick’s Day celebration the local plumber’s union dyes the Chicago River green. The event is followed by the annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade through Grant Park. … Continue reading →

International Irish Fests

Let’s face it; when it comes to getting a real taste of Irish hospitality on St. Patrick’s Day, there is no better place on earth to celebrate than the Emerald Isle itself. If you are looking to go green this March, head to Dublin. The popular tourist town features a number of memorable St. Patrick’s Day activities during its week-long festival, including a massive parade complete with theater troupes, artists, puppets, dancers, and marching bands from all over the world. This year the festivities kick off on March 16th and run through March 20th with a complete line-up of events … Continue reading →

Countdown to Spring Break

This winter has been especially brutal for residents living in the Midwest and along the East Coast of the United States. Snow, ice, and freezing temperatures have been the norm this season as storm after storm has raced across the country making travel a nightmare from coast-to-coast. You bet we are ready for a break… a hot, sunny, snow-free spring break. When I was in college typically the rule for vacations was: “Go home for winter break. Go wild for spring break.” Basically, it meant you would spend winter recess with family in your respective home state and party with … Continue reading →