Recently the girls and I had the opportunity to visit Jay Peak Resort, a four season resort in northern Vermont. Just miles from the Canadian border, Jay Peak Resort is situated on some seriously picturesque real estate.
The mountain itself has a summit elevation of 3,968 feet and receives the most snow in eastern North America. With 76 trails on 385 acres, this is the kind of resort that skiers dream about. But Jay Peak is so much more than a great place to ski. It’s a great place for just about any recreational interest…
Before we arrived at Jay Peak, the girls and I poked around on their website to get a feel for what they had to offer. When the girls saw the pictures for The Pump House indoor water park, their eyes just about popped out of their sockets. It looked huge! With lots of thrilling slides, lazy river and hot tubs, the girls were packing their luggage without my having to say boo.
Shannon was particularly interested in trying out the Double Barrel Flowrider. How much fun does that look like? All the joys of surfing on a simulated wave pool. Awesome!
The first thing we did when we arrived at Jay Peak was to check out The Pump House to see if it was as awesome in real life as it was depicted on the website. The best way I can describe it is immense.
Immense and clean. The one thing I get hung up on with indoor waterparks is how clean they are. And I have to say that Jay Peak does an excellent job keeping their water park in tip top shape.
Lots of dry towels. Spacious locker rooms. Clean shower and bathroom facilities. Stuff that parents can appreciate.
There’s also a convenient snack bar with all kinds of kid pleasing foods plus options for healthier eating like salad and fruit. Parents will be happy to know that there is a poolside bar where they can enjoy an adult drink while watching the little ones frolic.
But it wouldn’t be a true visit to a mountain without some outdoor fun, right? After all, we did happen to be there during one of the biggest snow storms of the season. And the girls were itching to go romp around in the white fluffy stuff which hasn’t fallen much in our neck of the woods this winter.
We happened to be there just in time for the grand debut of the new Jay Peak Burton Riglet Park opening. Located at the Mountain Kid Adventure Center, kids can learn the basics of snowboarding in a fun and interactive Disney-Pixar Toy Story themed setting.
Kids are first taught the basics of how to snowboard by first learning balance and weight centering. One they learn the basics, they get to head out to the very exciting Toy Story themed Riglet Park to bust out their newly learned skills!
For little snowboarding enthusiasts, it doesn’t get much better than this. Besides snowboarding, skiing and the amazing Pump House, Jay Peak also has a new Ice Haus indoor skating arena. There’s something for every member of the family at Jay Peak.
Jay Peak has recently invested over a quarter of a billion dollars into property and recreation improvements, but still strives to offer families value and affordable pricing. A lift ticket for Jay Peak is $69 per day and they offer some wonderful package deals that include lift tickets, lodging and water park access.
The girls and I give six thumbs up for Jay Peak Resort. So much fun and so many different things to do. Our only regret was that we stayed only one night. I guess that means we just have to go back!
For more information on Jay Peak, be sure to visit their website.
This is not a sponsored post. Jay Peak did offer us a discount for our overnight stay. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
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When we started planning our family vacation, we spent a lot of time analyzing our options. Traveling with two teens and two elementary schoolers poses some issues. How do you entertain everyone? Not an easy feat.
It didn’t take long for the boys to slip into vacation mode. They are teenage boys after all and the two things they like to do are loaf around and…..
Eat. From slurping down coconut milk, to munching on peel and eat shrimp, the boys quickly got used to an existence they knew nothing about prior to boarding the ship.
Of course the girls were most excited about meeting the Disney characters. This is where the Disney cruise expense is justified….
From the moment you board the ship and right up to your departure, you are interacting with the characters.
Halloween fell during our trip. Instead of trick-or-treating, we took the girls to get glammed up at the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique.
Afterwards we took advantage of the professional photographers that were located all over the lobby. It was an excellent opportunity to catch the girls in all of their Bibbidi Bobbidi glory.
As awesome as the ship is, the ports were an adventure as well.
The one port adventure we scheduled for the girls was a dolphin experience in Cozumel. Both girls were wildly excited with the idea of seeing a dolphin up close….
Shannon embraced the experience and was nothing but smiles.
So, how about the food on the Fantasy? We were pretty pleased. My only goal was to not gain a bunch of weight, so I was delighted with all of the fish and fresh produce.
Did I mention the all you can eat smoked salmon? I think I ate the equivalent value of my cruise in smoked salmon.
And if you didn’t eat enough during your scheduled dining times, there were plenty of options to grab a quick snack. The self serve ice cream station was a ginormous hit with my little ones and big kids alike.
There were plenty of opportunities to make new friends and we did just that. Lots of silliness and giggles all around.
But there were quiet moments too. Time to reflect and appreciate what was given. Also time to reflect on what was not taken away.
Pixie dust has a way of making things shine that much brighter. Don’t you think?
I’m back home after an exciting week at the Food Buzz Festival which was held in San Francisco. I experienced way too much to write just one post. So, this post I’ll share some of the highlights of my trip and tomorrow I’ll write specifically about the festival….
One of my must do activities was ride a cable car. It’s sort of a mandatory activity when visiting San Francisco.
Fisherman’s Wharf is another must see attraction. With lots of shops and restaurants situated on the picturesque San Francisco waterfront, you could spend a whole day just taking in the sights. The people watching is pretty excellent too…
One of my planned stops on the wharf was Boudin Bakery. Known for their classic sourdough bread and other incredible baked goods (try their killer chocolate chip cookies), I didn’t want to leave San Francisco without grabbing a bite at their delicious restaurant.
Actually, I had my first raw oyster ever at Boudin’s. I had a brave moment and tossed back one of their champagne soaked oysters. And while I can’t say I’d eat a tray of raw oysters, I didn’t mind them. It went down much smoother than I expected. Interesting.
But what they are really famous for are their breads. Not just sourdough, but fanciful loaves in all kinds of fun shapes like this alligator. It was like a baker’s Disney Land.
And no trip to San Francisco would be complete without a stop at Ghiradelli! I was desperately trying to look and not buy, but when I was given a free sample at the door, I was a goner.
Now that I think about it, I can’t think of anything Ghiradelli that isn’t killer good. And speaking of killer…
I visited the very infamous Alcatraz. Another must see attraction in San Francisco, Alcatraz is quite the site to behold.
It was quite chilling, but completely interesting to learn about its history and to see with my own eyes a little of what the prisoners experienced. The words I would use to describe it are cold and isolated. A great place to visit, but not somewhere I’d like to stay for any length of time.
I wish I had more time to explore San Francisco. There was so much that I missed. I didn’t have the time to visit Lombard Street or see the Painted Ladies. So, that just means I have to go back. 
Not to mention the museums, the countless restaurants that I would’ve liked to have dined at and I sure would’ve liked to walk over the Golden Gate Bridge. Next time!
Today I spent the afternoon discovering Muir Woods National Monument, a redwood forest preserve located in Mill Valley, California.
In 1908 Theodore Roosevelt declared Muir Woods a national monument. Many of the trees are over 1,000 years old. For over 100 years these trees have been protected and trails have been established so that the public can enjoy their majesty.
It’s hard to not be moved while walking the trails. As you look up at the ancient and towering trees, one feels a sense of reverence in the presence of such natural beauty. In fact, there’s a section called Cathedral Grove where you are asked to be quiet to respect the inhabitants of the forest, as to not interrupt their environment.
The trails can be challenging with steep inclines and descents. Along the trail there are root systems and rocks that make the trails even more challenging.
Muir Woods is the perfect place to explore for young and old alike. You can choose a simple walk through the Muir Woods, or you can take one of the more challenging trails. Either way, it’s a not to be missed California natural attraction that will certainly be inspiring for anyone who visits.
Located at the base of Mount Mansfield in Stowe Vermont, is the luxurious and family friendly 
Upon arrival we knew we were in capable hands. Our trunk which was packed with a giant cooler, many suitcases, and countless stuffed friends was quickly unpacked by the bellmen and transported to our room before we had a chance to blink.
We’ve never stayed at a lodge before, but had chatted about what it might look like during the drive up to Vermont.
There are three hundred and twelve guest rooms at the lodge. From studios to larger accomodations that can sleep multiple families, there’s a choice for parties of every size.
Even though it was August, we still lit that fireplace up. Such an indulgent touch that makes me want to visit again when there’s snow on the ground!
As much as I loved the fireplace, the girls loved the balcony even more. They had so much fun waving at people they didn’t even know.
The first thing the girls wanted to do upon arrival was to visit the pool. They had checked out pictures of the pool on the website before we go there and were duly impressed with the photos.
In various spots around the resort are fire pits where you can sit and enjoy the scenery. A little birdie told me that there are often times s’more making supplies available to the guests.
While staying at the Stowe Mountain Lodge, you should give yourself a little gift by visiting The Spa and Wellness Center. From massages to body scrubs and every pampering service in between, the hardest thing you’ll have to do is choose which treatments you’ll receive.
A few months ago I received a Spa Finder gift certificate, and lucky me, The Spa and Wellness Center accepts Spa Finder! I chose the Vermont Maple Syrup and Brown Sugar Scrub which was all shades of bliss.
The spa has its own jacuzzi tubs in both the men’s and women’s locker rooms. Deep bubbling tubs just for adults.
Not only is the Stowe Mountain Lodge a wonderful place to go as a family, it’s also a wonderful place to go with multiple families. There are accomodations that have up to three bedrooms, so perfect to share with extended family or friends.
Can you just imagine eating pancakes in this kitchen with real Vermont maple syrup?
Ok, so maybe it wasn’t a full fledged vacation. Two nights just weren’t enough to take in all that Vermont had to offer.
And we sort of got robbed of our last day. The weather guy said sun sun sunny all day on Friday, but he missed the mark big time. What he meant to say was non-stop downpours until 2:00pm.
So, we said a tearful goodbye to the Stowe Mountain Lodge, literally. I had talked up our last day as a planned pool day. So, when the rain came down, so did the tears.
Our first stop was a working cider mill where the kids learned about the cider process from tree to jug. The kids were impressed with how many apples it takes to make just one jug of apple cider.
I thought it was especially nice that they offered free cups of cider for anyone who wanted to try some.
In the same shop, you could sample all kinds of maple syrup. My favorite was the dark grade A amber syrup. Once you try this deliciousness, it’s hard to go back to the commercial stuff.
This came home with me. I can just imagine how good this will taste over a roasted pork loin or oven roasted root vegetables.
And thanks to a reader’s tip, I stopped at the Cabot Annex where we sampled all kinds of tasty cheeses. The Cabot Factory was too far of a drive, but this was just enough for us to see and taste.
Conveniently, the Lake Champlain Chocolates shop was located right across the way from the Cabot Annex. More free samples, but this time chocolate. And not any chocolate, the good stuff.
By the time we were done free sampling our way down the mountain, we all felt like little moo cows. Stuffed. We did purchase some fun stuff at the stores. Things we can’t easily get at home. Including this bit of nutty heaven…
So good over toast or straight off the spoon. Not that I encourage that type of behavior. In front of the kids when they are looking anyway.
I’ve lived in New England for most of my adult life, and I really thought I had pretty much experienced all it had to offer.
It didn’t hurt that we stayed at the spectacular 
The lodge is located right next to the Alpine Slide. And yes, I did go down the mountain on a scooter. There are no pictures to prove this, but you’ll just have to take my word.
Even Leela was able to ride the slide on her own. I was worried that she would be terrified, but she surprised me by conquering that fear lickety split.
Close to the Alpine Slide, there is an attractions park. All the attractions were do it yourself physically powered amusements like bungee trampolines, kid’s rock climbing wall, and an obstacle course.
Actually, I was the one with the biggest issues. My heart was in my throat every time they bounced on this thing. I just smiled at them, but in my head I was having a full on mom panic attack.
Towards late afternoon we took a ride up in a gondola to the top of the mountain. Everyone was pooped, and we pretty much just sat down at the top to take in the scenery.
Why I didn’t visit Vermont sooner is beyond me. The Alpine Slide alone would’ve been enough to warrant a visit. I can’t even begin to tell you how much my kids enjoyed that.
When I announced to the kids that I’d be taking them on a mini vacation to Vermont for a few days, they excitedly asked how long it would take to get there. I assured them it would take no longer than four and a half hours from southern Massachusetts.
A full seven and a half hours later, we were finally in Vermont. To redeem myself, I took the kids on the Ben & Jerry’s Factory Tour in Waterbury. Surely some chocolatey ice cream goodness would make it all better.
Four mongo scoops of ice cream, brownies, cookies, gooey fudge and caramel toppings. Oh, and a banana tossed in for the health of it all.
Wait, don’t forget about the gummy bears. Who needs cherries when there’s gummy bears?
6.5 minutes later it was gone. Not a gummy bear left behind.
We weren’t moving too fast after that. We moseyed on over to some adirondack chairs and plopped our cream and sugar filled bodies down to enjoy the sweeping vistas of the Vermont mountains. Quite a sight to behold.
No one mentioned the purse snafu again. Mom was redeemed. Actually, mom was even further redeemed when the kids saw where they were staying this trip. But that is a story that will have to wait until tomorrow.
