Universal Studios Orlando - Tips for a great vacation!

Universal Studios has a lot to offer for a family vacation.  It is fairly economical in the realm of theme park vacations and a great time for kids of all ages.  Between the two parks at Universal Orlando they offer several rides for children under 40 inches as well as numerous "thrill" rides for the older kids. 

We started planning our vacation by looking online and pricing various "discount" sites.  My best advice: skip the hours of online pricing.  Contact Universal directly or use your local authorized Universal Studios Vacation planner.  This service is free and in the end we received the best package for the price directly from Universal.

Tip: Stay in one of their onsite hotels that offers a Universal Express Pass™.  The pass can cost up to $89 per person/per day and pays for itself in time, convenience, & fun.  You also get to enter the park an hour early which can decrease wait time for the few rides that don't take the express pass.

Pay for your park tickets/vacation with American Express.  If you use your American Express to  pay for your vacation package and/or park tickets your family will be able to utilize their private lounge in the Universal Studios Florida Park.  The lounge is open from 12-5 everyday, it is air conditioned, and offers FREE water, light snacks, and cell phone chargers for guests.  We planned all of our water breaks around the lounge hours and saved a lot of money on water and snacks.  Tip: The "secret" lounge is hard to find.  The lounge is located next to Shrek's souvenir shop with a very small sign on the door.  Using your American Express in the park will also get you discounts on other purchases such as food and merchandise.

We stayed at the Loews Portofino Bay Hotel located onsite.  This is one of the deluxe hotels that offers a free Universal Express Pass™, early park admission, complimentary water taxi to the park, and priority seating at several restaurants.  The free water taxis are very easy to use and run all day every 20-30 minutes.  There are also rickshaw taxis that are a fun ride for the kids.  Make sure you have a few dollars because, while the rickshaw taxi ride is free to ride, the drivers are working for tips.

Riding the rickshaw is about 5 minutes faster than the water taxi

Where to eat:  While we are generally "foodies" on vacation we were very tired every night and enjoyed most evening dinners in our room from Sal's Market Deli located at the Loews Portofino Bay hotel.  Sal's has the best prices so the restaurant is generally busy.  They were able to accommodate our youngest son's food allergies and most evenings we enjoyed a brick oven pizza to go.  You can even pick up a reasonably priced bottle of wine to enjoy in your room after the kiddos are in bed.

Our package included breakfast on two mornings at each of the Harry Potter themed restaurants Three Broomsticks & The Leaky Cauldron.  Our meal "plan of attack" was to eat a filling breakfast,  take advantage of the American Express lounge chips & granola bars in the afternoon, and enjoy a nice dinner.  Universal CityWalk® is filled with great restaurants and we managed to slow down one day for a much needed sit down lunch at Jimmy Buffet's Margaritaville.

The Parks:

Universal Orlando has two parks on site, Universal Studios Florida and Universal Islands of Adventure.  We had a three day dual park pass and we spent an entire day at each park and then visited both theme parks on our last day taking a last ride (or two) on our favorite attractions.

A few of our Favorites Rides:

Transformers 3D™ - Super fun 3D thrill ride.  Makes you feel like you are in the middle of a Transformers Movie.  Great fun for the whole family (including our 4 year old) and this ride was Express Pass friendly.

Meeting Bumblebee

Despicable Me Minion Mayhem™ - Who doesn't love Minions?  This was THE favorite of our four year old and Express Pass friendly so we were able to ride "the Minion ride" multiple times.  As you exit there is usually a character photo opportunity with a dancing Minion.

Despicable Me Character Meet n Greet

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter Diagon Alley™ - This was one of the main reasons we chose Universal Studios for this trip.  It is amazing; when you enter Diagon Alley you feel like you are transported to the Diagon Alley in the movie.  Make sure to choose a magic wand from Ollivanders™ wand shop.  There are several interactive "wand practice" locations in both parks where the kids can use their wands to do things like move objects and turn on water fountains.  Tip: A dual park ticket allows you to ride The Hogwarts™ Express to the Harry Potter feature at Universal Islands of Adventure.  But you'll have to get through platform 9 3/4 first!

The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man^® - Another high tech 3D fully immersed theme ride located in the Islands of Adventure Theme Park.  At one point you can almost reach out and touch Spiderman on the front of your ride car. 

Flight of the Hippogriff™ - This is a fun family friendly roller coaster located in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter Hogsmeade™ in the Islands of Adventure Theme Park.  The height requirement is only 36" with an adult.  This ride is eligible for the Universal Express Pass. At night our thrill seeking four year old enjoyed riding this roller coaster several times in the dark.

If your dream is to ride a Nimbus 2000, check out the Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey™ located in Hogwarts Castle.  This ride requirement is 48" and our oldest son's favorite attraction.  Parents beware: It's a wild ride with a lot of motion - be cautious if you tend to experience motion sickness. Tip: Most rides with height restrictions offer "Child Swap" areas where parents can take turns enjoying the ride while the other stays with the younger child(ren) in the child swap room.

All of the rides and attractions located in Suess Landing™ are family friendly and a nice attraction for families with small children under eight.  Our favorite was The Cat In The Hat™ ride that takes you through a Dr. Suess book page by page.  Best of all, it is air-conditioned.  Ice cold.  The weather was hot during our visit and we rode this ride several times when we needed to cool off and slow our pace.

Suess Landing™

Overall we loved our Universal Studios Orlando Vacation and will definitely return.  We stayed 4 days with a 3 day park hopper pass.  We spent one day enjoying the pool area of the Loews Portofino Bay hotel.  The hotels features a very nice tropical style pool with a free water slide.  There is also a separate kiddie pool and splash area suitable for babies and toddlers.  Tip: We found we were too tired after a day at the park to enjoy an upscale restaurant experience. "Pool day" is a great day to make evening reservations at one of the nice restaurants located in Universal CityWalk®.

A few more tips:

Wear comfortable shoes.  Looking back I would wear some type of water sport tennis shoes or sport sandals with a comfortable strong sole.  I had to break down and purchase different shoes during our trip.

Get the Universal Express Pass™.  Most of the rides are eligible for the express pass and we noticed a significant decrease in ride wait times.  The pass allows for unlimited use everyday on each express pass eligible ride.  This allowed us to enjoy more rides, more family time, and a decreased need to feel rushed walking to the next ride.  Most of the time if the wait was 45 minutes in the regular line we waited 10-15 minutes tops.  When you break down the cost of the free Express Pass each guest receives by staying onsite it makes sense to upgrade to one of the deluxe hotels.

Enjoy a free show.  We tried to think of ways to slow down during the day and we stopped to enjoy the Beetlejuice Graveyard review.  It was a fun show and a great way to take a quick rest.

We really needed a show rest!

Beetlejuice!

Get the park pass protectors/lanyards.  I tried to save money by carrying our park tickets and fast passes in my pocket.  Big mistake! I lost one set the first day and had to waste time at guest services getting new passes.  It is much more convenient to scan your express pass at each ride with the pass protector lanyard. 

Wear Cargo shorts/pants.  Make sure someone in your party wears cargo pants or shorts.  Purses and bags are not allowed on any ride.  This comes in handy if you need to carry larger items (we carry an epipen).  Try not to carry a purse or large bag unless absolutely necessary.  Sometimes fashion has to go out the door for convenience!  *If you must carry a bag or purse there are lockers available outside most of the rides as well as stroller parking areas located throughout the park.

Purchase the Amazing Picture photo package.  Ours cost around $60 and included unlimited picture opportunities at the park.  You will receive a bar code card  that allows you to walk up to any park photographer and have your picture taken with various characters or backgrounds.  Download their Amazing Picture App and within 10 minutes you will see that picture in the app on your phone.  If you visit a photo station they will add dates and special effects for you.  It is really that simple! You can download the pictures, email them, and share on social media.  This also saved us from carrying an extra camera.  And... you'll get pictures like this:

I hope you enjoy your trip to Universal Studios Orlando as much as we did.  We can't wait to go back. Please feel free to add your tips, comments or questions below!  Happy travels!

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St. Louis Family Weekend Getaway

St. Louis, MO often receives mixed reviews as both a city to live and a family vacation destination.  St. Louis is actually a great weekend getaway.  Especially for mid-westerners within driving distance of "The Lou."  There are tons of FREE and low cost activities for children of all ages. 

Gateway Arch

We stayed at The Cheshire which is not only family friendly, it is also pet friendly.  There is a parking garage on the lower level and parking is very easy.  We were not charged for use of the garage during our stay.  The Cheshire has three restaurants on the property, The Restaurant at the Cheshire, Basso Italian themed restaurant, and The Market at the Cheshire gourmet sandwiches.  This hotel offers a convenient location near the Zoo and Forest Park Museums.  They also have a small outdoor pool and there were usually other children playing in the pool.

Pool at The Cheshire

FREE and low cost St. Louis Family Activities:

Compared to other cities we have visited St. Louis has a tremendous amount of FREE activities for families and kids.

St. Louis ZOO - FREE!  That's right enjoying the Zoo is FREE for all ages.  Parking in the Zoo Parking areas costs $10-$15, however there is plenty of free parking in Forest park.  If you don't mind a short walk you can find free roadside parking.
 

Art Museum - FREE!  Located in Forest Park.  Almost all of the exhibits here are free.  On many Sundays from 1-4 pm they offer "Family Sundays" that include children's art activities, family tours, and storytelling.  Check their website for a current list of events.

3-D Art Activity

Art Museum

City Garden - FREE!  This was one of our absolute favorite stops.  The City Garden is located in Downtown St. Louis and offers a free splash pad and wading pools for kids.  Pool monitors are on hand from 10am - 8pm.  During the week there are several food trucks in the area offering a wide variety of ethnic and comfort food.  The day we visited City Garden there was a small band playing jazz and blues in the park area.   Adults are generally not allowed in the pool (accept to accompany infants/toddlers), but be prepared to get wet!  Also, we received a parking ticket downtown so make sure you check your parking meter.  Tip: in the morning it is mostly families with small kids.  Older kids and summer camp programs often arrive by bus in the late afternoon. Bring your own towels and lawn chairs or picnic blanket. 

City Garden Splash Pad

Gateway Arch - $3 Admission - Several FREE days are offered throughout the year.  A trip to the top will cost $5-$10.  There are several nice walking paths on the Arch grounds.  As you walk up to the base of the Arch you get an idea of the massive beauty of this structure.  The Museum of Western Expansion, located inside the base of the Arch, is free and includes a Lewis and Clark Exhibit. There are gift shops and a theater located in the Arch base.  Tip: On the weekends the line to ride a tram to the top is long.  Your best bet is to try and visit mid-week.

Other notable free or low cost activities in St. Louis:  Missouri History Museum  Museum of Transportation   St. Louis Science Center   City Museum   Delmar Loop Planet Walk

More museums, activities, and sights available in St. Louis:  Explore St. Louis

We dined at several Family Friendly Restaurants during our stay in St. Louis:

Restaurant at the Cheshire - $$$ Located on the Cheshire grounds children are welcome.  It is an upscale restaurant and they did not have an official child's menu available during our visit.  We were able to find something the kids could eat and we really enjoyed our experience there.  They also have a nice wine list.

Blues City Deli - $  Located in the Soulard/Benton Park area, this is a very popular Deli.  Expect a fast moving line.  Outdoor seating is available in the summer.  The po-boys and other sandwiches are very good and they offer a selection old-fashioned soda for the kids and a nice craft beer selection for adults.

Wonton King - $  Located in a row of Chinese and Asian style restaurants on Olive Boulevard this was a fun find during our trip.  They advertise "Hong Kong Style" Chinese food and are known for having the best Dim Sum (savory dumplings) in the area.  The service was great and the prices are inexpensive.

Sauce on the Side - $  Located near the City Garden in downtown St. Louis featuring Calzones.  They have a nice selection of salads and specialty Calzones stuffed with just about anything imaginable!  They offer both standard and very unique selections at a reasonable price. 

For our family St. Louis was a great getaway.  We spent 4 days exploring this city and found so many activities to enjoy we will be planning a short trip again in the future!  Please feel free to comment or share your favorite family activities in "The Lou."

Helpful Links
Wonton King
Blues City Deli
Cheshire Inn
City Garden
Sauce on the Side
St. Louis Zoo 

Grand Cayman with Kids - Tips for a great Family Vacation

Grand Cayman is a beautiful place, mostly known for scuba diving, however this island can be a fantastic family vacation destination.   We have visited Grand Cayman several times and stayed in a different area of the island during each visit.  There are many reasons to vacation in Grand Cayman including a relatively low crime rate making it safe for a family (or even a lone traveler) to explore the island at will.  This and the beautiful sandy beaches have made Grand Cayman one of our favorite family holiday destinations.

How to get to Grand Cayman: Delta has flights with connections through Atlanta and American Airlines has flights connecting through Miami.  We have flown both airlines to Grand Cayman.   
Tip: when coming back into the USA getting through customs in Atlanta is much faster and easier especially when traveling with young children.

Where to stay:  Generally, the most economical option is to stay in a condo with a full kitchen and laundry facilities.  We choose to stay in condos because we can cook most of our own meals and pack less clothing.  Homeaway.com and VRBO.com (vacation rental by owner) have been excellent resources for booking privately owned residences.  There are also property management companies who offer short term vacation rentals.  We have rented Condos in  the East End, West Bay, and South Sound areas of Grand Cayman Island.

East End:  On our first visit to Grand Cayman we stayed in a Condo on the East end of the island about 45 minutes from the airport.  (*Note - although the Island is not very big, the speed limits are only about 25mph in most areas.)  You can sometimes find better rental rates on privately owned Condos located on the East End of the island.

The East End is the "quiet" side of the Island.  If you like to be away from the busy tourist areas, this side of Grand Cayman is probably more your speed.  You will need a rental car as you will most likely have to drive to swim-able beaches, restaurants, and grocery stores.  We stayed in The Paradise Villas Unit 1.  Many of these are privately owned and rented through Homeaway.com and VRBO.com.  Our favorite part of this villa was the cascading pools.  They are each a different depth with the smaller pool being perfect for our young toddler.  Many of these units have a beach view (across the street) but the beach is very rocky and not good for swimming.

Rum Point, one of the best family beaches on the Island, is only about 15-20 minutes from The Paradise Villas and we spent many days there.   You do not need to bring your own chairs or umbrellas to this beach.  Arrive early and you will find plenty of beach chairs, hammocks, and shaded areas.  There is a restaurant and small "beach bar" as well as a cute little store with souvenirs, bathing suits and other "forgotten" travel items.  You can rent kayaks and jet skis at Rum Point as well as book various excursions including glass bottom boat tours and snorkeling trips.  The water at Rum Point is generally calm and perfect for young children to try snorkeling for the first time.

Hammocks at Rum Point

View from Rum Point Beach

East End Pros: Quiet, close proximity to Rum Point, plenty of good restaurants.  Cons: you will have to drive to restaurants and beaches.

TIPS when staying on the East End:  Definitely rent a car.  Car rental is very easy at the Airport.  All of the major rental companies are just across the street from the Airport within walking distance.  You must be careful as they drive on the LEFT side of the road.  Stop at HURLEY'S grocery store just south of Georgetown at the roundabout near Grand Harbour on your way to your Condo.  Hurley's has a better selection than any of the smaller stores on the East End and they get fresh fish delivered daily.

West Bay:  We stayed in West Bay at the North West end of the busy Seven Mile Beach tourist area during our second trip to Grand Cayman.  This area of the island is currently our favorite place to stay.  West Bay is close to the restaurants and activities in Seven Mile Beach, but outside of the busy tourist areas.  Our condo was near Cemetery Beach, a great snorkeling site with shore access.  If you don't mind staying just off the beach, you can save a little money renting a condo behind the direct beachfront properties and utilizing a beach access walkway.

During our entire stay the beaches near our condo in West Bay were fairly quiet.  You will need to carry your own beach chairs and umbrella with you.  Most condo owners provide these items along with beach towels, snorkeling equipment, and a few beach toys to renters.  Be sure to ask what beach items are available for guest use when booking.


What to do in West Bay Grand Cayman?  Hang out at the beach building sand castles and give snorkeling a try!  Our entire family enjoyed snorkeling at the beach almost every day.  Depending on your child's swimming level, kids of all ages can learn to snorkel.  You do not need to swim out to a reef to enjoy snorkeling, there are plenty of fish, rocks, and shells for young kids to enjoy looking at just a few feet off the beach.

View from the Beach near our Condo

Kayak provided free by the Condo owner

Snorkeling!

Beach Snowman

Tips when staying in West Bay:   You don't necessarily need to rent a car as there are plenty of Taxi's available at the airport.  Both in Seven Mile Beach and West Bay you will find restaurants within walking distance of most hotels and condos.  Renting a car, however, is fairly reasonable and very convenient.  Kirk's Grocery store, located on the North End of Seven Mile Beach near West Bay, has the better selection of goods and fresh fish on this side of the Island.

South Sound:  On our most recent trip to Grand Cayman in August of 2014 we stayed in South Sound at the Caribbean Paradise Villas and rented through Caymanvillas.com.  This was an easy transaction. Their office is located right next to the Airport making check-in and check-out a breeze.  August is considered "off-season" and we were able to obtain a fabulous price on both the condo rental as well as airline tickets.  We found South Sound to be a convenient central location to visit our favorite places in Cayman.  Our condo was near Hurley's grocery store which has an excellent fresh seafood department.   In fact during this visit the manager at Hurley's gave us a Hurley's Advantage card to take advantage of special offers and discounts for locals.


Where to Eat on Grand Cayman Island
Here are a few family friendly restaurants we enjoyed during our visits to Grand Cayman. However, almost all restaurants in Grand Cayman offer some type of meal options for kids.  During high season, consider calling ahead for a reservation.

Tukka - Located on the East End with ocean views.  We sat on the deck overlooking the water and saw a shark "fishing" for it's own dinner about 20 feet away on the shore.  Very exciting for the children!  Kids menu available.  Tip: Sit outside weather permitting.

Bombay Chopsticks - A fairly small Asian/Indian fusion restaurant located on the East End.  We arrived on New Years Day when almost all grocery stores and gas stations are closed.  Bombay Chopsticks was open on the holiday and we found the staff to be friendly and accommodating.  Tip: If you are staying on the East End Bombay Chopsticks offered local delivery.

Morgans Harbour - Located in West Bay, this restaurant is on the pricey side.  We enjoyed a fabulous dinner and they have an excellent wine list.  This restaurant came highly recommended by the Condo owner.  A bit too pricey for repeated visits but definitely worth dinner at least once during your stay.  Waterside seating available and they offer a kids menu. Tip: A lot of ex-pats dine here.  Consider making a reservation prior to arrival.  *This Restaurant was listed as closed on our last visit in August 2014.

Heritage Kitchen - A tiny restaurant located on Boggy Sands road in West Bay.  We noticed this was a place many Caymanian's visit and order take-out dinner.   You'll dine on picnic tables overlooking the ocean.  They offer a changing menu of mostly local seafood specialties.  We found the prices to be extremely reasonable and the food is good.   Tip: Try the conch fritters.

Heritage Kitchen

Sunshine Grill - Located inside Sunshine Suites Resorts on Seven Mile Beach.  They are known for their fish tacos and family friendly pricing.  Because many tourists find this restaurant both good and reasonable it gets very busy.  Tip: Arrive early to secure a table.

Alfresco's  - This little restaurant has one of the best views of West Bay beach.  Family friendly with daily local seafood specials.  The service at Alfresco's was excellent.  Our server doted on our children making them both feel very special.


Other Things To Do in Grad Cayman:  Grand Cayman offers many activities and excursions for people of all ages.  Your kids may enjoy The Turtle Farm, swimming with the dolphins, an underwater adventure on Atlantis Submarines and much more.  Our children are young and perfectly happy at the beach so we generally opt out of spending the extra money on tourist activities.  Camana Bay shopping center frequently has free or low cost family friendly events.  While we were there Camana Bay had an area set aside for kids to build with large Styrofoam blocks, children's story time, and visits with Santa.

Visit with Santa at Cabana Bay

A few important tips:  Almost all stores and many gas stations are closed on Sundays and all holidays.  You will need to shop for your grocery needs on Saturday.  If you arrive on a Sunday or a Holiday you will be able to find plenty of open restaurants for dining.

Driving is on the LEFT side of the road.  It will take a few days to get used to the steering wheel being on the "passenger" side of the car.  The island is filled with round-a-bouts so be careful of your directions.  We found ourselves taking the wrong "exit" off the round-a-bouts several times during the first few days of driving in Grand Cayman.

Don't park your car directly under a tree.  They say there are more Iguanas than people on the Island and your car will be quite messy with both Iguana and bird droppings in a very short time.

Do purchase fresh fish at either Hurley's or Kirk's Markets.  According to one of the locals we spoke with these grocery stores get first pick of the best fish each day off the dock.  Try Wahoo or Red Snapper.  Tip: We enjoyed our leftover fish in seafood omelets the next morning for breakfast. 

Do purchase a cheap flash light for night time beach explorations.  You will see a lot of crabs, turtles (depending on the season), and snails out at night.

Grand Cayman has a low crime rate but you still need to practice common sense and lock your car and hide your valuables out of site.

Each adult can bring in 4 bottles of wine and one bottle of liquor.  Due to the high cost of importing almost all goods are 25-50% higher to purchase in Grand Cayman.  If you like to enjoy a glass of wine with dinner bringing a few bottles with you will save you money.  Tip:  Double bag and wrap your bottles individually with bubble wrap to prevent breaking in your checked luggage.  You can also purchase a bottle of wine or liquor in the Duty Free shop during your layover in Atlanta or Miami and carry it on the plane.

To save money on both airfare and accommodations consider traveling to Grand Cayman just after high season ends at the beginning of May or just before the season begins during the first two weeks of December.  High season is from December 15th - April 30th.  Hurricane Season is from June 1 - November 30th.  You can find many deals and specials during the summer months.  Be prepared for possible rain during that time.  Purchasing trip insurance will give you piece of mind in case of cancellation due to a hurricane threat.

Feel free to post your comments or questions in the area below.  Enjoy your family vacation to Grand Cayman!


Helpful Links:  Rum Point   Cayman Activity Guide - Snorkeling   Bombay Chopsticks
  Tukka 
Heritage Kitchen
Alfrescos   Atlantis Submarines  Camana Bay Events  Turtle Farm

Cayman Villas