Hotels: Hampton Inn – Anchorage, Alaska
While in Anchorage, Alaska we stayed at the Hampton Inn at 4301 Credit Union Dr, Anchorage, AK 99503. Once we arrived at the airport in Anchorage, Alaska we called the hotel shuttle which comes by every 10 to 20 minutes 24 hours a day. I think we had to wait about 10 minutes which the kids thought was “forever” in the cool drizzly mist outside the airport, but it wasn’t bad. We just were not used to the cool rainy temperatures in the summer being from South Carolina plus we were tired. It was 5:00 am our time back home. The 4 hour time change had us a little bit off schedule and even though we napped on the plane it wasn’t like a full nights sleep!
The Hampton Inn was a fairly quick drive from the airport and the driver was pleasant. There was only one other couple in the van with us. We were able to check into the hotel, settle into our room, shower, and crash for a few hours before getting up and heading out on the town. It was wonderful getting a hot shower and crashing into a comfortable bed after being up over 30 plus hours.
Why did we choose Hampton Inn? There are multiple reasons, but here is a handful that swayed our family in the direction of going with Hampton:
- We are Hilton Honors Members – a lot of time when we (mostly Jake) travels for work the nearest hotel is Hampton so we tend to stick with the Hilton line
- Quality and service at the Hilton Hotels is pretty consistent
- Clean Rooms
- Comfortable Beds – we have slept in a variety of rooms / beds over the past 16 years of our marriage and Hilton beds typically more comfortable then other hotels that we have been at while traveling. A good nights sleep can make a huge difference on the following day!
- Swimming Pool – most of the Hilton’s we have been at have either an indoor or outdoor pool which is always a hit for the kids
- Continental Breakfast – decent and predictable breakfast (which is especially convenient when traveling with a family member that has food allergies or food intolerances) Not all the Hilton hotels have continental breakfasts, but all the Hampton Inn’s we have stayed out do have breakfast which is always a benefit when you have a hungry family every morning
The Hampton Inn not only had shuttle service to/from the airport, but also to several spots around Anchorage. After some sleep and a good breakfast we were ready to hit the town and explore Anchorage. We were the only ones on the shuttle at that time. We asked the driver for recommendations on “must see” places to visit, shop, eat, and tour while we were in Anchorage (especially since we were only going to be in town 1 day, we wanted to squeeze in everything we could during our time there).
After we asked the question the driver took the time to pull over the van in a safe location, got a map of Anchorage out, started to circle and draw an outline of where we need to go that day, how to get there, and a variety of activities from sight seeing, shopping, tours, and great local places to eat or visit. We did EVERYTHING recommended that morning, except 1 of the restaurants and that was only because we got hungry earlier than we expected and stopped to eat prior to getting to the restaurant which was delicious too!
It was thoughtful and AWESOME having that 2 minute explanation and highlights of the town. It gave us a clear path to follow throughout the day without wasting time wondering around and trying to figure out what to do. We left the hotel at 9 am that morning and didn’t actually get back to our home to start getting ready for bed until almost 11 pm that night. Thankful that Hampton Inn hired good drivers who go the extra mile. It made our day in Anchorage fun, memorable, and enjoyable for the whole family. We got to see a lot more with his assistance then if we had just roamed around on our own. It made it more efficient and we got to pack more into our one day of Anchorage than we ever anticipated.
I would definitely recommend that Hampton Inn in Anchorage if you are looking for a place to stay. It is not the one downtown Anchorage but in the suburbs. It was clean, family friendly, and a great place to stay. It was the first hotel we had been in that had crayons and postcards that the kids could color in with crayons in the lobby and mail out. Which was a neat “extra” piece for families traveling with kids.
Travel & Vacation: Homewood Suites & Paddington Movie (Atlanta, GA)
Swimming at the pool
On a recent trip to Atlanta, Georgia we stayed at the Homewood Suites. The girls were begging to go swimming so on the first day we were there we wrapped up early and headed back to the hotel so they could swim. It was in the high 70’s that day, however, they had just filled the pool a couple days before we arrived so the water was freezing cold. Both kids got into the pool, but Brina was done after a few minutes. Karlie stayed in a little longer, although it wasn’t much fun swimming by herself. The entire time we were at the hotel we didn’t see one other person in the pool….I wonder why?!
Since we scrapped our pool time activity we decided to look for some other activities that we could do together that night. We headed back to the room to re-group and figure out what we wanted to do that evening. While the girls got dressed Jake and I made dinner in the hotel room. It was nice having one with a fridge, sink, dishwasher, microwave, and oven so we could eat at the hotel!
Jake found a movie theater nearby where you can get movie tickets for $3 each and they were showing some good kids movies so we decided to check it out. It was only a few miles away inside a open shopping mall and market. We chose to watch the movie Paddington with the girls at the Venture Theater.
It was a cute movie. I seriously cannot remember the last time our family went to the movie theater so this was a special treat for the kids. Usually it is so expensive just to go to the movies so we usually wait until it comes out on video. It was a nice activity for the four of us and only cost $12! The kids enjoyed the movie. Jake and I had a couple good laughs too. Thankful for a fun evening with the family. Sometimes even the best of plans don’t go as expected so it’s always a good idea to have a Plan B.
Ready for the movie to start
Karlie is focused
Our kids typically don’t sleep in very late so one morning after breakfast we spent some time playing games until the place we were going to that day opened. During the evenings after dinner if we had time and everyone wasn’t too tired we would play some card games too. It’s always a good idea to bring card games because you never know when you’ll have a few minutes of down time to relax and have fun.
Karlie relaxing on the couch at the hotel.
Brina setting up the game
It didn’t take them long to crash after a fun filled day in Atlanta!
The “Travel and Vacation” series is an insight into our trips together as a family and ways we relax. Life is short and we were thrilled to have the opportunity to build memories with family and explore of of the most amazing places during our time away. Explore with a good attitude, look for fun, and it will be an awesome trip jammed packed with positive memories. It is refreshing having some time away from the regular routine. Make it a once in a lifetime opportunity to meet new people and learn. You just might see or try something new that takes your breath away!
Travel & Vacation: Dry Erase Board Notes
Karlie’s dry erase board note to Jake
In case you already haven’t noticed our family LOVES to travel. Occasionally when Jake travels for work the rest of us get to tag along with him. A lot of times his days are long and we don’t always get to see him throughout the day. On our last work trip I told the girls to bring their dry erase boards and markers so we could “leave Daddy a note” for the day. If he came back to the hotel room and we were not there he could see our notes, know what we were up to, and hopefully feel the love that we were sending his way. It is not always possible to know when he may have a moment to run back to the room and if we are across town we cannot make it back in time to say “hi” so this is a little way to let him know that we are thinking about him even though we couldn’t be there to give him a hug in person.
During this recent trip all of us were up with the sun at 6 am every morning and off in our separate ways shortly thereafter. Sometimes it would be midnight or later before we reconnected again. Several times Jake also left a note on the back of the dry erase boards for us which the girls loved. If he had a few minutes and knew that we would be getting back really late he would prep dinner for us so we could make it quickly while the girls were showering so they could eat, relax for a few minutes, and crash in bed.
We ate all but one breakfast and dinner in our hotel room. All our lunches we packed in our backpacks and would eat whenever we were exploring for that day. To help with the preparation and meal plan we brought a hot pot (yes, like the ones you use in college) to make our meals. We were able to make some good, quick, healthy, and inexpensive meals in our hotel room like sloppy joes, mac-n-cheese, chicken & rice, soup, and more! It was nice to relax together at the end of the day before hitting the bed.
Every time we left for the day each girl would get out their dry erase boards and leave a note for Jake. I would add an note to the bottom or side of each of their notes. They had a lot of fun doing this for him and looked forward to it every morning.
Brina’s note to Daddy
Karlie letting Daddy know we are going to check out the animals!
Brina’s note to Daddy with a variety of colors.
Karlie’s note that includes a “heart family” of all of us. Cute!
Brina’s note with hearts and letting him know to have “fun and do a good job”!
Brina’s note to Dad with my note to the love of my love.
Jake’s note letting us know he prepped the meal and all we had to do is add water and boil.
Sweet note from my Handsome man!
Note from Karlie with her and Daddy as heart people.
The girls love their Dad so very much. It is precious to see how they enjoy not only doing little things for him, but also how excited they get to spend some extra time with him. Thankful for a husband who works so hard to provide for our family. He takes good care of all of us and always makes each of us feel special. He is thoughtful, generous, and kind. Even though he works hard he always makes a point to spend time with us as a family. I am blessed in many ways.
If your spouse travels and you go along with them you can easily do this for your spouse as well. It was super simple, but made everyone feel more connected throughout the long days apart. I hope that it made Jake’s days a little bit brighter.
Vacation & Travel – Pausing in Reston, VA
Relaxing at the hotel and watching the traffic for a few minutes while we figure out our evening plans!
We arrived at our next stop Reston, Virginia! Thankfully, it wasn’t too far to drive from Colonial Williamsburg and the traffic was really good. We had reserved our hotel room in advance at Weston, however, by the time we arrived they didn’t have any more of our size rooms so we got free upgrade to a suite with two rooms and a refrigerator which was really nice.
So happy to be hanging out with these 3 people, my sweet family!
Brina socializing while Karlie finds a place to lounge and catch up with her current book!
Cool open area in downtown Reston area. A bunch of kids were riding bikes, skating, and playing in this covered area. They also use it to host community concerts.
Hanging out by the water fountain after walking through the downtown area.
We finally decided on Clydes restaurant after walking through the downtown area. It was a nice family restaurant and we were seated in the western style area with lots of horse memorabilia and pictures so they girls thought it was great!
Road Trip Tips – Pack 1 Outfit Per Day for Each Family Member in Ziploc Bags
All packed up and ready to go!
We are all packed up and ready to go on our long 40 plus hour road trip! Thankfully, the kids travel so well. We have a blast on the road exploring various places.
This particular road trip included different stops each night for a week before we got to our final destination where we would stay several days before heading back home. As we were discussing how to pack for the trip my husband suggested packing our clothes in ziploc bags in one suitcase. In the suitcase we had a row of bags for the girls (both of their outfits still fit into one ziploc bag), one row for Jake, and one for me. On top of the rows we had a couple extra shirts and items for Jake and I in bags on top. There were also 2 bags with everyone’s swimming suits and 2 bags of pj’s.
When we stopped each night we would pull an outfit out of the suitcase for each person and put it into a backpack with all our toiletries. We had everything we needed in one backpack each night when we stopped whether we were staying at a house or hotel. We didn’t have to bring in any suitcase or make multiple trips because it all fit into one backpack. It was so simple, easy, and worked perfectly for our family! It made the overnight stays so much more efficient for our entire family.
Our suitcase completely packed with a weeks work of outfits for everyone in the family.
Packing this way took a little more work as we packed, but it worked so well it was totally worth it since we were at a different place every night the first week of our road trip. If we were just going to one place for the entire vacation it would still be easier to pack regularly, however, this will be our new way to pack when we are doing road trips with a number of stops. I found that if I packed the clothes and bags in the evening while we were watching TV it only took a little bit to get it done. We did pack a couple spares bags for each person (just in case or rain or something unpredictable). If you are looking for a simple and easy way to pack for a family on a road trip we highly recommend you pack one outfit per day for each family member in ziploc bags! While on vacation you will have more opportunities to relax and enjoy your vacation, take those pictures, and create special memories!
Starting off with a BANG….
Neat pictures - parts of airplanes at the Marriott. We left for our exciting cruise vacation late on a Friday afternoon. We were all packed, loaded in the van, and ready to go only to discover the van would not start. Oh BOY! Not again, the van has already been in the shop two times in the last couple of months. After a quick call to Jake I tried to explain the situation to the girls. They were in tears because they were super excited about starting their vacation together with friends while we were on the cruise.
We decided to all head back inside and have fun while waiting for Daddy to come home. We read a couple books together as we were waiting. Brina picked out a book about a Ballerina and Karlie picked out “The Empire’s New Clothes”. After reading the books we took a few minutes to snuggle and talk. We did a few extra chores around the house then Jake was home. Looking back it was nice to have a few moments of quiet and relaxing time together before leaving. He was able to jump start the van and away we went only a little over an hour off schedule.
We got the girls settled into their new home for the week. They were excited about spending their vacation with friends and had been looking forward to it for a long time. Jake and I started our first leg of our trip together as a couple. The van was a little quiet without the girls giggling and talking in the back but we enjoyed our time together.
On the way we stopped at Flying J for a potty break and to pick up a snack for breakfast the next morning at the airport. We were flying out early and getting checked in and through the security could take up any extra time so we wanted to be prepared. We had a quick but nice supper at Arby’s. It is always smart to bring coupons on vacation with you because you never know where you might stop to eat. It is amazing how much you can save over the course of a trip by using coupons.
The roads under the bridges were still icy from the snow storm earlier that week but we made it safely to Atlanta and checked into
for the night. They have a wonderful program we have used several times where you park your vehicle at the hotel and they drive you to the airport which costs less then parking even in the long term parking at the airport. You can park even if you are not planning on spending the night at the hotel. This was the first time we used it and spent the night. Since we spent the night our parking was free for a week and it was still less then parking at the airport. Plus with the flight leaving early in the morning we wanted to make sure we were at the airport on time. Marriott had a shuttle going to and from the airport every 15 minutes making it convenient to catch a ride when you wanted to leave for the airport. We did all the planning for this ahead of time and reserved the room and parking online. Love being able to get things done before ever leaving on vacation. Many other cities provide this service as well so it may be worth checking into before you fly the next time if you cannot have someone drive you, it really has saved us a lot of money over the last few years.
Jake and I had a wonderful couple hours to relax before getting a good nights sleep. We don’t have a TV in our room at home so we surfed the channels for a few minutes and ended up watching “Bill Cosby’s Himself”. I had never seen it before, for an example of the show click here. It was nice to relax together and just laugh listening to Bill Cosby. We had no where to be until the morning so we relaxed!
A Vacation To Remember series is a reflection on our recent trip and ways we relaxed. Life is short and we were thrilled to have the opportunity to build memories with family and explore of of the most amazing places during our time away. Go with a good attitude and looking for fun and it will be an awesome trip jammed packed with positive memories. It is refreshing having some time away from the regular routine. Make it a once in a lifetime opportunity to meet new people and learn. You just might see or try something new that takes your breath away!
