Amy @ The Q Family

Keystone Ski Resort with Kids: Wonderful Stay for Family at River Run Village

January 20, 2012 By Amy @ The Q Family 2 Comments

With the amount of family ski trip posts, I hope you won’t get bored about this. We have so much information to share about our first family ski trip experience that I know other families who are thinking about it will find useful. Seeing that we don’t live in the Northern part of the country, planning a ski trip is a daunting task and it’s not cheap. However, with good pre-trip planning, you and your family can enjoy family ski vacation on a budget.

Lodging Options in Keystone Ski Resort are Endless

On our Keystone Ski trip, we stayed at the River Run Village condominium. For first time visitor, choosing the right accommodation to stay with your family can be overwhelming. Keystone Ski resort offers various type of lodging from vacation home rentals, condominiums, bed & breakfast and inn.

For family vacation, I found that renting from condominium type lodging is the best value. Not only, we have extra space for all the ski equipments, we also have kitchen that we can prepare breakfast, lunch or even dinner (if we have energy left after a long day of skiing) to help save on family ski vacation.

Inside the Dakota Lodge

Within River Run Village, there are multiple buildings for accommodation. We stayed at the Dakota Lodge that is right in front of the brand new Dercum Square outdoor ice skating rink. Unlike hotel, the setup for rooms in Dakota Lodge is more apartment type with separate living room, dining room and full kitchen. After picking up our ski equipments, the extra space came in handy. If you stay in a small room, there is also locker to put your ski equipment on the first floor.

Deluxe Mountain-Inspired Decoration

Our 2 bedroom condominium is beautifully decorated with mountain-inspired theme. Each bedroom has comfortable bed that we fell asleep as soon as we hit the pillow. All standard amenities, towels, soap, shampoo, hair dryer, are provided. With 3 flat screen TVs in our unit, everyone (for once) doesn’t have to fight over what channel they want to watch. And yes, internet connection is FREE and fast. I have to say though that with a full day of skiing, I hardly touch my computer except to check out our photo from EpicMix.

River Run Village: Great Location for Family

Within Keystone Resort, there are multiple areas for lodging. The River Run is a PERFECT location for families especially ones with beginner skiers. With its central location right at the base of River Run Gondola and the Summit Express chair lift, we don’t have to take a bus or get in a car to get on the slopes.

The Keystone Ski & Ride school and the Ski rental facility are also within walking distance from the River Run Village making it’s a breeze to pick up our ski equipments and drop kids off at their school.

All in all, the stay at River Run got a thumb up from Miss J!

Thank you Keystone Ski resort for providing our family with complimentary accommodation, transportation and some dining during our stay.

Filed Under: Colorado, Hotel & Resort Review, Ski Tagged With: blogsherpa, Colorado, Denver, Family Adventure, family ski trip tips, family travel, Family travel Keystone CO, Family Trip, Family Vacation, Family vacation in Keystone CO, hotel review, Keystone, Keystone CO, keystone ski resort, keystone ski resort review, Keystone with kids, Resort Review, Rocky Mountains, ski accommodation, ski lodging, ski with kids, Travel with Kids

5 Simple Ways to Make Family Air Travel Less Stressful

January 17, 2012 By Amy @ The Q Family Leave a Comment

Family vacations are a time for making lasting memories with the ones you love, however getting through the airport – past the gift shops and fast food restaurants – to your flight and on your way to your destination can be stressful when you have kids in tow.

Whether you’re heading to the mountains, beach, or grandma’s house, flying doesn’t have to be a dreaded hurdle to leap over on your way to vacation bliss. Follow these mom-tested family air travel tips, and you and your little ones will be airborne and on your way to having fun in no time.

1. Check-in with your airlines before you leave

Most airlines allow passengers to check-in for their flight and print their boarding passes at home, and some even offer the option of check-in using your smart phone. By checking in ahead of time, you and your family will avoid standing in a long line for your boarding passes, which is tedious for anyone, but it’s especially difficult for antsy little ones. If you don’t have a printer or forget to check-in prior to arriving at the airport, you can also use a self-serve kiosk to speed up the process.

2. Travel light

If possible, limit what you and your family brings on the trip to what will fit in your carry-on baggage. Most airlines allow each passenger one small piece of luggage and one personal item, such as a purse, small backpack, or laptop case. Tell kids that they will have to carry their own bag for the trip, so that they don’t pack more than what’s necessary. Carrying on your bags will also save your family money since most airlines are now charging fees for checked luggage. If you have to check luggage, make sure to find out your airline’s baggage limits prior to departing, since the rules vary by company. Also, make sure all bags – especially children’s – have an identification tag, whether they’re being checked or not.

3. Fuel up

Have your family eat a meal or substantial snack prior to leaving for the airport.. This is especially important if you have kids who tend to get grumbly tummies when flying. Eating beforehand will help you avoid unnecessary trips to the airport food court where the options tend to be unhealthy and pricey. If you’re going to be airborne for an extended amount of time, pack a healthy snack for your family to eat while they’re en route. You may also want to bring empty water bottles to fill once you’re past airport security, so you can avoid purchasing drinks near your gate or on the flight.

4. Be prepared for airport security checkpoints

This can be one of the most stressful parts of traveling with children since it requires showing IDs and getting through the x-ray machines. The Transportation Security Administration is required to screen everyone and their bags, regardless of age, so be prepared to show your family’s IDs and know what you can and cannot carry on to the plane. If you are traveling with an infant, you must carry him/her through the x-ray machine. You cannot leave the child in their stroller or carrier. Some good news about security checkpoints is that the TSA now allows travelers ages 12 and younger to leave their shoes on through the security checkpoint, so no more wrestling with shoelaces before and after screenings!

5. Reserve your airport parking

Online sites, such as Airport Parking Reservations, now allow travelers the convenience of pre-booking their airport parking space. With these sites you can check rates and availability for any type of parking you’re looking for – whether you prefer a garage space, covered lot, outdoor parking, or valet service. By reserving your parking space ahead of time, you save time and money, and you don’t have to stress about searching for a spot once you arrive at the airport. Plus, a reserved spot is extremely helpful if you and your family are running late for your flight or if someone has to use the bathroom!

So what other tips you have to help reduce stress on family air travel?

Filed Under: Travel Tips

Denver with Kids: A Room with A-Mazing View at Homewood Suites by Hilton Denver International Airport

January 13, 2012 By Amy @ The Q Family 8 Comments

During our recent family ski vacation in Colorado at Keystone Resort, we spent a few nights in downtown Denver before heading up to the Rocky Mountain National Park. I have been searching for family friendly accommodations that is also within our budget in Denver. Yes, many online forum recommended staying in downtown Denver. But, with kids in tow we actually like to stay out of downtown in the area where we don’t have to worry about finding or paying for parking. We also prefer to have grocery stores within driving distance.

Those factors lead us to Homewood Suites by Hilton Denver International Airport. We have stayed at various types of accommodation and Homewood Suites by Hilton remains one of top family friendly hotel in our opinion.

Convenient Location to Explore More of Denver

With the convenient location near the Denver International Airport, we were able to not only enjoy exploring downtown Denver but venture out to other surrounding area. The hotel is right by the interstate highway that lead to other cities like Colorado Springs, Aurora and Golden.

There are many chain restaurants like Outback Steak House, Ted’s Montana Grill or Applebee’s nearby which make it very convenient for us to grab a quick meal or have a special dinner night. If you want to get your own groceries and cook in the room, there is Safeway within short driving distance.

AMAZING View from the Room

The majestic view of the mountain range as a backdrop to Denver is one of the best feature of this city. Homewood Suites Denver International Airport took advantage of the view. Our room is facing the mountain and I never got tired of waking up to this view. Now I understand why Denver residents are so active. The mountain just beckons them to go out and enjoy wide range of outdoor activities

Extra Space with Everything You Need and Want

When travel with kids, we try to avoid staying at a typical hotel room because of the space. That’s why I love Homewood Suites by Hilton. With a suite room, we have extra space so we won’t be on top of each other. We all know how sibling love each other so much that they can’t invade each other personal space. The two-bedroom suite provides ample space for us to relax at the end of the day and gives us privacy from the kids with separate living room and kitchen area.

After spend the day doing what you do, it’s nice to know that you can rest easy in a bedroom that is clean and comfortable. The room is spacious and has a flat screen tv that allowed me to kick back and watch my shows while Mr. Rojo and the kids watched their shows on the other tv’s. We definitely don’t get this at home. Did I mention the view from the room? Oh yes. I already did. Just wanted to make sure you got that point.

As a geek family, internet connection is something we ~~need~~ prefer. And it’s nice to have free internet connection at an acceptable speed to catch up with family and friends online at the end of the day. Mr. Rojo is the crazy one who always likes to check the speed. He never tells me the numbers but he had a big grin on his face after testing the speed and proceeded to go watch his online videos.

The kitchen is small but efficient. We didn’t cook any meal in the room but it’s nice to be able to have a full size refrigerator to put our drinks and fruits for late night snacks. The full service of the hotel included them putting the dishes in the dishwasher for you and running it. It’s something that I didn’t even know that they do. It’s nice not to have to worry about too much cleaning when travelling because I know many of my friends don’t like staying in VRBO because they don’t want to clean when they are on vacation! Well, at Homewood Suites you get the best of both world, the space of the VRBO and the service of the hotel.

Perfect Amenities with Family in Mind

Other services and amenities from Homewood Suites are also perfect for family. We love the complimentary hot breakfast, the type where you get real scramble eggs, make your own waffle and enjoy hot coffee.

The indoor swimming pool is perfect for kids to use up those energy from a long day of travel or for parents to get a quick me time at the hot tub. The exercise room looks very nice… yes, look nice because admit it we are not gonna exercise during our trip. I’m exhausted most of the time at the end of the day because of the thin air of Denver… or.. is it because I’m too lazy to exercise. You pick.

Great Value for Budget Conscious Family

Yes, you might not be in the middle of downtown Denver. But I don’t see the benefit of staying in downtown. We would have to pay for parking fee and most hotels in downtown will cost more. The saving itself is totally worth an extra drive. It’s also not so bad when we have a great view to drive to downtown Denver when we want to explore.

At the time of our visit, room rate ranged from $99-$250 (based on date and availability). The extra space, free parking, complimentary breakfast, free internet connection and convenient location make Homewood Suites by Hilton Denver International Airport a great option for family who want value without sacrifice the luxury. Make sure to check out hotel special for any promotions or discount rate.

Disclosure: We received media rate from Homewood Suites by Hilton Denver International Airport. This post is based solely on my experience and my opinion without any outside influence. I will not write about a place we will not stay ourselves.

Denver Hotel Review

Filed Under: Colorado, Hotel & Resort Review Tagged With: blogsherpa, Colorado, Colorado with kids, Denver, Denver vacation, Denver with kids, Homewood Suites Denver, Homewood Suites Denver review, hotel review, Travel with Kids

Blissful Moment at Family Ski Trip

January 6, 2012 By Amy @ The Q Family 6 Comments

Even though we have been back for more than two weeks, I still can’t help but remember all the precious memory we had at Keystone Ski resort.

The morning at the River Run Village was busy with the sound of ski pants rubbing each other, the clicking noise of the ski boots on the street, the sound of exciting kids to race down the slopes and the cheerful greeting from happy employees at Keystone resort.

It’s those moments that I am thankful and appreciate the opportunity we have as a family to be able to enjoy and experience it. Born in a tropical country in Thailand, if you would have said one day I will ski down one of the best ski resort in the Colorado mountains, I would have laughed at you. But now, we are planning our second ski trip for this year to ski resorts near Atlanta. (yes, we do have some in North Carolina area) The snow might not be as powdery or even real snow at all but I know the thrill and excitement of going down hill will probably be the same!

Filed Under: Colorado, Ski Tagged With: blogsherpa, Colorado, Colorado Ski vacation, Denver, Family Adventure, Family Ski vacation, family travel, Family travel Keystone CO, Family Trip, Family Vacation, Family vacation in Keystone CO, Keystone, Keystone CO, Keystone with kids, Rocky Mountains, Ski vacation with kids, usa

A Look Back to Family Travel 2011

January 4, 2012 By Amy @ The Q Family 9 Comments

Although we are a few days into 2012, our recent family trip to Keystone resort is still fresh in our mind, the first ski experience on one of the best family ski resort in Colorado. So to keep up with our tradition, we have our review post looking back to our family travel last year. It was a fun year!

January: Snow in Atlanta

It’s not often or should I say NEVER that Atlanta metro area will get seven inches of snow in winter. So it was a real big treat for our kids to enjoy snow tubing (home-made style) at our own backyard. The snow storm in Atlanta shut down the whole city a whole week. For adults, the cabin fever started to set in but for kids it was like an unexpected winter break!

February: Indoor Water Park fun

We went up to Sevierville, Tennessee to help celebrate our friend’s birthday. An indoor water park at Wilderness in the Smokies is a great year round fun where kids (and adults) can enjoy swimming, sliding, surfing and more in the heated environment even in the middle of winter.

March: Mickey Memory with Disney Social Media Mom

This month we drove down to our familiar vacation spot in Orlando to attend the Disney Social Media Mom 2011 where we learned, laughed and connected with bloggers. It was our first time staying at the Disney’s Grand Floridian Spa & Resort and it was an experience we won’t easily forget. Mr. Z also experienced a big kid ride and hooked on the roller coaster now!

April: Fun in Atlanta at Georgia Aquarium

In Spring, we stayed close to home and enjoy local attractions in Atlanta like the Grand opening of new Dolphin Tale show at the Georgia Aquarium, the beautiful day at Piedmont Park for the Dogwood Festival

May: Birthday Celebration at Disney’s Animal Kingdom

This year we took another trip down to Orlando to celebrate Mr. Rojo’s birthday at the Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge. We hardly stayed at the Disney’s resorts previously because our family has a timeshare in Orlando but year 2011 we stayed in not just one but two property! And I have to say I understand why people keep going back year after year!

June: Summer fun in Seattle & Vancouver

Our big summer trip this year was a two weeks trip to Seattle and Vancouver. It was a business/family trip combo. I attended TBEX 2011, the Travel bloggers conference, in Vancouver and we also enjoyed family vacation in Seattle.

July: Family Reunion in the Ozark & Side trip to St. Louis

Our first family reunion was planned at the YMCA of the Ozark. It was wonderful for kids to meet and play with their cousins. We also took a little detour to visit St. Louis, MO. A fun day but not nearly enough to discover this gem in the Midwest.

August: Back to School

Summer time flew by when you had so much fun. Before we knew it, the kids were back in school. Yes, here in Atlanta we go back to school in August!

September: Myrtle Beach on Labor Day

Now, that kids are in school, we have to work around school holidays and take advantage of every holidays we can get. So we planned a short break during Labor Day weekend to visit Myrtle Beach. What a fun place for the whole family! We found that Myrtle Beach is not just a place for fun time at the beach or various family entertainments like MagiQuest but we could also enjoy nature like Kayak tour.

October: Fall Family Camping

In October, we had our first fall family camping trip with a group of our friends at Redtop Mountain Park. It was beautiful even though a bit too cold for this tropical girl. Kids, on the other hand, had no problem with the cold temperature at night when they had the whole park to explore. The water in the lake was too cold for anyone of us to dare going in. But we knew it will be a great place to camp again in the summer.

November: Legoland Florida

During the Thanksgiving break, we went to visit the recently opened Legoland Florida. Mr. Z was beyond happy to be able to ride in EVERY SINGLE ride at his height. Miss J loved being a big kid who could take her little brother on the ride without us. Ah!! A theme park where kids rule!

December: Ski & Snow at Keystone Ski Resort

Our last but certainly not least family trip of the year was one of the memorable one for our whole family. It was their first time on ski and my first time learning to ski. One word, AMAZING trip! We certainly enjoyed our whole experience during our trip to Denver & Keystone. This will certainly be a place we would love to revisit again in the future.

Wow! I didn’t realize how much we have traveled this past year until I started this post. It certainly has been a blessing for us to be able to continue our love of travel and adventures. We are thankful for the opportunities we have been given and hope we will continue to be able to travel as a family in 2012. Here to more travel in 2012!

Filed Under: Camping, Canada, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Missouri, Ski, South Carolina, Tennessee, Vancouver, Walt Disney World, Washington Tagged With: family travel, Family Vacation, Vancouver

Keystone Ski Resort with Kids: Outstanding Ski School for Family

December 30, 2011 By Amy @ The Q Family 17 Comments

Learning to ski has been something I have been afraid to commit to since my first experience 10 plus years ago when my friend encouraged (ok.. maybe pushed) me downhill on the slippy slopes in New England. It wasn’t a pleasant experience that has scared into my mind since.

So when we first planned our family ski trip to Keystone Resort this winter, the first thing I checked was the ski school program. I don’t want Miss J and Mr. Z to have the same experience. Fortunately, we have picked one of most family friendly ski resort in the Colorado mountains.

The Keystone Resort Ski & Ride school has a great system and programs that make this nervous parent feel at ease.

Easy & Efficient Ski Rental

We took a bit longer to get our ski rental gear ready with our bulky ski-ready jacket and pant. But the process in itself was easy and quite efficient even during the busy winter season in Keystone Resort. After register our family members to their system, a knowledgeable attendant quickly measured our feet size and found our ski boot. Then we went to the next station to get our ski binding. Then off to the cashier to pay for the rental.

Private Lesson

There are several lessons for you to choose from. Group lessons, private lessons or family private lessons are all excellent option for beginner or even more experienced skiers. On the first lesson, we took family private lesson with the most AMAZING and patient instructor ever, Mrs. Kim Hesh Olson. So if you plan to book private lesson, make sure to ask for her!

After we were all set, Mrs. Kim took us up the gondola ride to the mid station to start our lesson. We started slowly by learning how to put our ski on, glide on one foot and move around.

With high altitude (it’s called a mile high city for a reason, we were at least 8,000 feet above sea level), we took it easy on the first day. There were several breaks for us and the kids. The learning area at mid station is also used by Ski & Ride School children lessons where we saw kids as young as 3 years old enjoying their lesson.

By mid day, the high altitude had hit Miss J hard so I took her down and rested while Mr. Rojo and Mr. Z continued their lesson. By the end of our first private lesson day, Mr. Rojo and Mr. Z had already learned how to turn and went down green slopes a few times!!

If you have never ski before, I would highly recommend taking private ski lesson. The cost might seem high from the price tag but you can have up to 6 people in your private group. So if you have a group of friends who have similar skill, private lesson will be the way to go.

Children’s Ski & Ride School

The process of checking in our kids to their lesson couldn’t be easier. We arrived at the Ski & Ride school at the River Run village about 20 minutes before the class. After confirming our registration and our information (including our phone number so they can contact us in case of emergency), the kids were tagged with their class information and personal information.

The school will take care of fitting and getting kids’ ski gear ready. We didn’t have to worry about getting their gear since we already had our ski rental from yesterday. Even if you didn’t have your rental from previous day, the school will take care of providing proper gear for them in the school. You don’t have to do anything except dropping them off with proper outfit and on time.

Kids were assessed and put into group of similar age and skill level. Since Miss J missed half her private lesson the previous day, she started in Beginner group while Mr. Z moved to Green group. The instructor also paid close attention to kids’ skill level so that they can adjust the group accordingly.

The ski & ride school has several separate learning area. They went up to the Summit station on top of Dercum Mountain in another learning area. So we were able to see them in their classes a few time. It’s amazed me to see Miss J who was still fighting her high altitude sickness participated and enjoyed her lesson with her new friends. Mr. Z had a blast learning more advance skill and racking up his points on EpicMix on his several runs that day.

The school also provided end of day lesson review and recommendation. As we picked them up at the end of their lesson, the instructor gave us detail information on how they did on their lesson including runs & terrain and what they can work on.

It’s true that kids are fast learners. So I know it’s a great idea to put them in ski school instead of continuing with private lesson with us because by day 2 our skill level within our family has already varied. The least athletic one in the family, I still need a lot of coaching and hand holding while Mr. Z is more comfortable with Green slopes. The boy has no fear and already start talking about Black diamond.. Ha.. He will have to find someone else to take him down that path!

If you are thinking or planning a ski trip for your family, I would highly recommend checking out Keystone Ski & Ride School for your kids (or even yourself). There are various type of lessons and discount for different packages.

Thank you Keystone Ski resort for providing our family with complimentary accommodation, ski lessons and lift tickets during our stay.

Filed Under: Colorado, Ski Tagged With: blogsherpa, Breckenridge and around, Colorado, Colorado Ski vacation, Colorado with kids, Denver, Denver with kids, Family Adventure, family travel, Family travel Keystone CO, Family Trip, Family Vacation, Family vacation in Keystone CO, Keystone, Keystone CO, Keystone Resort, Keystone with kids, Rocky Mountains, Things to do with kids, Travel with Kids, usa

Holiday Happening at Keystone Resort this Winter

December 27, 2011 By Amy @ The Q Family 5 Comments

We recently just came back from our first family ski trip to Keystone Resort in Colorado. One word, AMAZING family vacation!! My kids couldn’t stop talking about how much fun they had at the Ski & Ride school and already asked about going back there again. If only, we have unlimited fund to fly to Denver, we probably would do it in a heartbeat.

Visiting Keystone Resort during winter time is a guarantee fun for the whole family. Keep in mind that it’s the high season for most ski resorts in the area. So be prepared for crowd and busy slopes. We were there just before the busy season started so we didn’t experience much crowd. However, our private ski instructor told us that in the next few days there will be more people on the slopes.

But don’t let that prevent you from planning your next family ski trip to Keystone resort though. There are plenty of other fun activities in the resort to keep everyone happy.

Festive Holiday Lights

We stayed at the River Run village (which in my opinion is a perfect location and there will be more in-depth review later). The main street in the River Run village is a great place to walk around especially at night with all the festive lights.

The Keystone Kidtopia Snow Fort

We were lucky to be there at the grand opening of the Keystone Kidtopia Snow Fort. The Snow Fort is the ultimate playground for kids in the snow. With slide, wall ladder and tunnel, our kids had so much fun they didn’t even care about the sub zero temperature we had.

Kidtopia is family friendly programming that Keystone Resort offers to family during the peak family vacation throughout the winter. The fun activities are offering throughout the week or the weekend with kid-friendly activities including movie night in the village, live entertainment, interactive arts and crafts, family dining and more.

Outdoor Ice Skating at Keystone Lake

Like spending a whole day learning skiing was not enough, we managed to enjoy more outdoor fun at the largest Zamboni-maintained outdoor ice skating rink in North America. The outdoor rink is HUGE. It fits not only a huge Christmas tree in the center but a hockey rink on the side as well. It was Miss J and Mr. Z first time on the outdoor rink and they couldn’t get enough of the fun.

Along the lake, families can also enjoy the ice sculpture of Santa and his sleigh. It’s a great place to have family photo for the season. Just make sure you hold on to the little ones because the ice sleigh is pretty slippery. :)

Chocolate Village at Keystone Lodge & Spa

After the ice skating at the Keystone Lake, we stopped by the lobby of Keystone Lodge & Spa and was treated to the awesome display of Chocolate Village where over 2,500 pounds of chocolate have been crafted into miniature alpine village, a working chocolate gondola, a cascading chocolate waterfall, 6 foot tall white chocolate Christmas tree with chocolate presents.

So if you are looking for great family winter vacation, I would highly recommend check out Keystone Resort and start planning. We had a lot of fun and there are more posts about our visit.

Thanks to Keystone Resort for hosting our family and covered some of our dining and activities cost. But as always this post is based solely on our own experience and opinion without any outside influence.

Filed Under: Colorado, Ski Tagged With: blogsherpa, Breckenridge and around, Colorado, Colorado with kids, Denver, Denver with kids, Family Adventure, family travel, Family travel Keystone CO, Family Trip, Family Vacation, Family vacation in Keystone CO, Keystone, Keystone CO, Keystone Resort, Keystone with kids, Rocky Mountains, Things to do with kids, Travel with Kids, usa

Orlando with Kids: Great Family Value Stay @ Residence Inn Orlando International Drive

December 2, 2011 By Amy @ The Q Family Leave a Comment

Our recent trip to check out the brand new Legoland Florida, we have found yet another great family hotel that I know many of my readers will love. Legoland Florida is in Winter Heaven which is about 40 minutes away from Orlando. There are several hotels in Winter Heaven but we chose to stay in Orlando area because there are just many more choices to choose from for dining and non-Legoland activities.

Convenient Location

This trip we chose to stay at Residence Inn Orlando International Drive which is conveniently located just off I-4 exit by Universal Studio so we didn’t have to go through a bunch of stop lights to get to our hotel. To our surprise, we were just a couple blocks away from one of Mr. Z’s favorite McDonald of all time. This McDonald has one of the largest Play area and also services gourmet menu like pasta, ravioli and other cook-to-order food.

Nearby there are also other options for many restaurants. But for me, I love that it’s less than 5 minutes from the Whole Food Market. When traveling with family, grocery shopping can save us a lot of money. And Whole Food Market also has hot food bar that you can pick up healthy food on the go.

Plenty of Room for Everyone and More

Walking from the lobby to our room, I already felt that this place is different from typical hotels. The setup is more like an apartment complex than hotel building, giving us a feeling of coming home than checking in to a hotel. We walked through the courtyard to our 2nd floor room. It also doesn’t hurt to have such a beautiful blue sky during the time of our stay.

Once we got inside, I couldn’t stop the squeaking of joy from my kids. You will think they have never seen a hotel room before. In fact, they have been to all types of accommodation ranging from 2-star hotel, vacation rental home, resort and luxury hotel. But what made them so excited to see was the loft in our 2 bedroom penthouse suite.

The room is definitely setup for a couple families to share the room or large family. With one queen bed on the loft and 2 full size bed in another bedroom, we were not on top of each other.

Cook Your Own Meal

With full size kitchen equipped with everything you need to cook your own meal, it’s a great option for family who looks for way to save on a vacation. Even if you don’t want to cook, I found that when we eat out we always have left over. It was nice to be able to pack it and save it for the next meal.

Family Favorite Features: Free Wi-Fi, Waffle and Swimming Pool

So I asked my family to pick one of their favorite feature from Residence Inn Orlando International Drive. Miss J couldn’t get enough of going up and down to the loft. It was one of her favorite part. Hmm.. No wonder she always talks about building her own tree house. I think she just loves to be above the ground.

For me, as a travel blogger I love that they have free internet access during our stay. It’s nice to be able to catch up with my show online after a long day in the park. It’s sad to be excited to this small thing but it’s something that’s matter to me.

Mr. Z loved the swimming pool. They had a blast in a pool with our friends. It was a beautiful day and we had the pool to ourselves all afternoon. They even took another dip in the pool on the departure day. It’s also good to know that their pool is heated!

Mr. Rojo loved the waffle station which is part of the complimentary breakfast. What make it even more special was that you could make mini-waffle or normal size waffle and you could also add chocolate chip or blueberries to create your own waffle. Now, that’s the kind of waffle I love!

Overall, we had a great stay and will definitely consider staying here again in the future. We were hosted by Residence Inn Orlando International Drive but when I checked the rack rate during my stay it was very reasonable considering all the extra we had like internet access, complimentary breakfast, full kitchen and friendly staffs!

Thank you Residence Inn Orlando International Drive for hosting our family for a weekend.

Filed Under: Florida, Hotel & Resort Review Tagged With: family travel, Family Trip, Family Vacation, hotel review, Orlando, Orlando with kids, Residence Inn Orlando International Drive, Residence Inn Orlando Review, Review of Residence Inn Orlando International Drive, Travel with Kids

The Apple Does Not Fall Far from the Tree

November 30, 2011 By Amy @ The Q Family 2 Comments

It’s no surprise that Mr. Rojo is the man behind the scene in our family. He is the one who always captures the moment during our trip. (even though we haven’t posted many videos yet). But I think the travel bug or to be more precise the photography bug has bitten on our little travelers as well.

Miss J has been practicing her composition that she learned from our Seattle Photowalk tour and I have to say she has a great potential!

Mr. Z, on the other hand, took after Mr. Rojo in video and learned how to use our little video cam rather quickly. I’m pretty sure our family look rather funny when people saw us with each of our own equipment.

I love seeing how my kids capturing their trip thru their lens.

Filed Under: Family

Snow & Ski Fun with Kids at Keystone Ski Resort, CO

November 29, 2011 By Amy @ The Q Family 6 Comments

Keystone Ski Resort

Living in Atlanta doesn’t allow us with much time or opportunity to enjoy snow sports like skiing or snow boarding. The closest we have gotten to ski was snow tubing a few years ago in Tennessee. Even with that, we can see how much fun the kids had and we know when opportunity comes we would love to be able to take them to a proper ski resort where they can learn to ski and enjoy fluffy white snow.

This upcoming holiday break, we will be able to enjoy a great family vacation at one of the most family-friendly ski resorts, the Keystone Ski Resort. I don’t have first hand experience with Keystone Ski Resort *yet* but I have done some research both online and offline and found that Keystone Ski Resort has what many families are looking for on their winter vacation.

Keystone Resort Ski School

Going on their website, it’s easy to see how much they want to help parents create a trip of a lifetime for their family. The website is easy to navigate with plenty of information to help planing your trip. But I have to say I felt overwhelmed at the choices we can take as a family. Here are some fun family-friendly winter activities we plan to enjoy on our upcoming visit beyond Ski lessons of course!

Keystone Kidtopia Snow Fort & Family Weekends

Kidtopia Snow Fort @ Keystone Resort

The Kidtopia is back for another season of fun for family. The Snow Fort is one that I have been waiting to experience after reading about my friend Kara from the Vacation Gals raved about her past experience with her kids. I can’t wait for us to play in a maze, sit on the Kidtopia throne, climb atop snowy towers and much more. It’s also good to know that this unique playground is open as late as the lifts are for the ultimate ending to a great day at Keystone.

During peak family vacation periods throughout the winter, Keystone Resort is also offering family activities throughout the week or weekend with special activities designed just for families including, movie night in the village, live entertainment, interactive arts and crafts, family dining and more. Check out Kidtopia page for more detail on dates & events.

Tubing at Adventure Point

Snow Tubing at Keystone Resort

As one of the first activity we had experienced as a family a few years ago, I know we will enjoy going down the snow tubing at Adventure Point on Keystone Mountain. New this year! Every Thursday is Disco Tubing night- to go along with the Kidtopia festival the Disco Tubing continues even when Kidtopia is not in session.

Ice Skating & Ice Hockey

Ice Skating & Ice Hockey at Keystone Lake

Now that Miss J and Mr. Z learn how to skate, we have been frequent visitors to our local ice skating rink. However, there is nothing more magical than ice skating outdoor. The Ice Skating rink at Keystone Lake boasts the largest Zamboni-maintained outdoor skating rink in North America. (Can anyone tell me what Zamboni-maintained mean?)

Also brand new this year, we can also skate at Dercum Square Ice Rink. This new 7,200-square-foot rink in River Run offers day and night skating along to music piped in from an overhead sound system. All skating is free, with the only exception being if you rent skates at the rink.

Snowshoeing at Keystone Nordic Center

Snowshoeing at Keystone

Another new experience we are looking forward to trying our hands (or feet) on is snowshoeing. I have heard that it’s not as hard. Just strap the proper gear and off we go. We will see about that.

Horse Drawn Sleigh Ride

Keystone Ski Resort Horse Drawn Sleigh

The signature experience at Keystone is one not to be missed. The horse drawn sleigh ride will provide enjoyable 20 minute ride through a snow covered valley to a historic ranch homestead. Once at the homestead, sit back and enjoy the cowboy tunes performed by one of local guitar players, while wranglers prepare and serve an authentic cowboy dinner. Doesn’t this sound like one of the best memories of family winter vacation in a making?

Whew! I think I will need more than a week to enjoy all the activities they have at Keystone Resort. And we haven’t touched on adult-only activities we could enjoy yet!!

Filed Under: Colorado, Ski Tagged With: family travel, Family travel Keystone CO, Family Trip, Family Vacation, Family vacation in Keystone CO, Keystone, Keystone CO, keystone ski resort, Keystone with kids, ski with kids, Travel with Kids

Photo Friday: Enjoy the St. Louis Arch View

November 11, 2011 By Amy @ The Q Family 2 Comments

Family trip to St. Louis will not be completed without a visit to the Arch, the landmark that stood tall above all other building by the Mississippi River. We had only 1 night in St. Louis as we were on our way home from our family reunion.

Mr. Z enjoyed laying down and viewing the Arch from the base. I loved the space where they could run wild.

See other travelers’ Photo Friday from Delicious Baby.

Filed Under: Missouri Tagged With: Saint Louis, Saint Louis MO, St Louis, St Louis MO, St Louis with Kids, St. Louis Arch view

St Louis With Kids: Quick & Easy Lunch @ Imo’s Pizza

November 9, 2011 By Amy @ The Q Family 4 Comments

Pizza has been a staple food in our household. On a busy school night when I ran out of idea or time to cook, I typically gave in and picked up from our local pizza.

During our quick jaunt to St. Louis this past summer for our family reunion, we got a taste of St. Louis pizza style. After a quick search on Yelp & TripAdvisor, it seems Imo’s Pizza is one of the best choice.

Imo’s Pizza is the local chain that serves up original St. Louis style pizza. They have several locations in the area so it’s very convenient for us during our visit to the City Museum (one of the best and most fun museum EVER and I promise to write about our experience soon). We took a short walk from the City Museum to Imo’s Pizza Downtown on Washington.

The place looks bright and clean, perfect for a quick bite. We ordered at the counter and waited for our food.

For Miss J and Mr. Z, they will only eat Cheese pizza so Cheese pizza it is. I have to say I’m in love with St. Louis style pizza. The super thin, cracker-like crust pizza with Provel cheese instead of mozzarella that is cut into square pieces made it easier for the kids to enjoy. Plus I am not a big fan of thick crust to begin with so this pizza style satisfied me without making me felt too full.

We tried toasted ravioli which unfortunately I wasn’t fast enough to take picture before it was gone! We also ordered cheese sticks which was a big hit for the kids as well.

Overall, it was a great lunch before we headed back home. Definitely a place to visit if you love pizza.

Check out other travelers’ food around the world from WanderFood Wednesday.

Filed Under: Food Around the World, Missouri Tagged With: family travel, Family Trip, Family Vacation, Imo's Pizza St Louis, Saint Louis, Saint Louis MO, St Louis, St Louis MO, St Louis with Kids, Travel with Kids

Camping With Kids: What to Bring on Fall Family Camping Trip

October 26, 2011 By Amy @ The Q Family 8 Comments

Fall is my favorite season because the weather is in perfect temperature and there are so many family friendly activities to do around town. We normally stick closer to home during Fall. Plus now that both kids are in school, it’s harder to plan a vacation trip.

One of fun family activity that we love to do and wish we can do more often is camping. Family camping is an easy, affordable and fun that anyone can enjoy. I would like to put a disclaimer here that I’m not a camping expert. But I love to share our experience from the newbie’s point of view.

Camping in Fall, I think, is the best time to camp, especially for first time camper. I always think it’s easy to warm yourself up in the cold climate than cool yourself down in the heat. Yes, you might pack a little bit more but it’s doable especially if you are not planning a backpacking camping trip.

Here are our list of Essentials on our Fall Camping Trip with Kids

Family Tent:

We purchased the biggest tent we can afford. For our family of 4 we bought 8 person tent. I think it’s the best thing to do when you have kids. It gives them more space to move around and plenty of space to put all our stuff inside the tent. We didn’t buy the best tent but just cheap version at Walmart. If it’s your first time camping and you are not planning to go camping in extreme weather, I would suggest to buy cheap tent or rent one from REI to try it out.

Sleeping Bag:

You will need a sleeping bag per person in your family. Make sure you choose sleeping bag that is appropriate to your camping style. Again, we are not talking about extreme weather camping in the Q Family so I pick the one that is not too warm for our area. I figure if it gets too cold, we can always bundle up with more clothes.

Sleeping Pad:

A must for your camping trip. This is one item that I think worth investing in because a good night sleep will make your camping experience so much better. We used to bring inflatable mattress. One word of advice – DON’T! It’s not as good as sleeping pad and much harder to setup and pack.

Flashlight or Lantern:

It’s not only a source of lighting at night time for you but a great toy for kids to entertain themselves at night time. Kids can play with their shadow and explore nearby campsite with their flashlight.

Footprint or Tarp:

In order to protect and prolong the life of your tent, footprint or tarp is highly recommended. It will help keep your tent from rock or branch. We bought a tarp that is a bit larger than our tent and use it as a mat so kids have place to take off their shoes before entering our tent as well.

Camping Stove:

Cooking at the camp can be easy or complicated depends on your style. We have been camping with a friend who didn’t even bring any stove or any cooking items and we have also been camping with a family that brought everything except the kitchen sink with them. For us, the Coleman Two Burner Stove is a perfect middle ground. It is small and compact enough to bring with us and provide us with enough space to make a quick meal like bacon in the morning or boil water for noodle at lunch.

Extra Blanket:

During fall camping, the weather at night can drop to as low as 30-40 degree. So make sure that you bring enough blanket or extra jacket. I found that one of those snuggi blanket that you saw on TV is really great. It helps keep the blanket on the kids throughout the night.

Outdoor Chairs:

At camp, you will be doing a lot of sitting around and enjoy the company of each other and nature. So a camp chair is a must.

There are many items that you can bring with you to camp especially if you just do normal camping that you don’t have to carry all your stuff to the camp sites. These are just essential items that we know we will need on our trip.

What are your essential camping items?

Filed Under: Camping, Family Tagged With: camping with kids, family camping, family travel tips, Family Trip, Family Vacation, Things to do with kids, Travel with Kids