Sunshine-n-Wine

Adjust list according to your own needs. Clothing Swimsuits Swim cover-ups 7 prs underwear Workout clothes Dresses Bras Socks Shorts Capris Dressy shirts Tank tops Sleepwear Pashimas Jewelry Hat Clothing Swimsuits 7 prs underwear Workout clothes T-shirts Dress pants 2 dress shirts 2 ties Socks Shorts Polos Sleepwear Jacket Hat Shoes Flip-flops Sandals Water shoes Sneakers Dress shoes Gear Camera Batteries Phone Charger Snorkel gear Sunglasses Beach bag Meds Garlic tabs Ester-C Ibuprofen Tums Gas-x Immodium Eye drops Benedryl Bandaids Antibiotic salve Toiletries 2-in-1 Shampoo Razor Shave gel Deodorant Lotion Sunscreen Aloe Vera Toothbrushes Make-up Facewash Dental Floss Brush/comb Hair scrunchies Off Bug spray Odds & Ends Diff size ziplock baggies Hand sanitizer Garbage bag (dirty clothes) Book to read Cash & Ones Excurs. Confirm. printouts Chewing Gum Sewing kit/Safety pins

We cruised on the Legend out of Tampa in May 2011. Overall, the boat was fine.  It's a little outdated, but the food and service were very good.  Carnival allows you to take one bottle of wine per person, which I highly recommend that you take advantage of if you drink wine. I did a ton of research on cruise critic and trip advisor, and here's what we did: Cozumel: Took an $8 cab (for 4 people, one way) to The Money Bar .  Ordered some drinks and nachos, grabbed some lounges under an umbrella and snorkeled for free right off their ironshore.  The water was beautiful, although the reef was nothing to write home about.  While we were there, several paid tour excursions dropped their snorkelers off right where we were.  If you need to rent gear, the cost is $14 per person.  DH and I took our own. We had a great time here and spent $35! Belize: Used CaveTubing.bz , and had a fabulous time with them.  Jenny and Vitalino Junior (son of the own...

The hubs is orginally from NOLA, so I've been quite a few times.  This past weekend, though, we brought another couple with us so we could show them the city.  This trip was the first time that we have ever stayed downtown.  Here's a rundown of what we did and where we went: We stayed for 3 nights in the Royal Sonesta , booked through my husband's corporate travel resource = we saved a ton of money.  The hotel is beautiful and right on Bourbon Street.  We were lucky enough to get a courtyard room on the 4th floor, which meant that we didn't hear the outside noise.  The room was a nice size, and the bathroom was great, too.  Two things to keep in mind if you decide to stay here: 1) There is an extra person charge when there are 4 people sharing a double room ($80 per night) and 2) SUV parking (we have a Ford Escape) was $36 per night valeted.  Another tip: The Royal Sonesta's underground parking garage has two entrances (one on Bienville, th...

We just got back from a short weekend in Siesta Key for a friend's 30th.  She and her husband had booked the Bay Breeze house at Banana Bay Club, Waterside Villages, for a group of us.  The house sits on the Heron Lagoon and next to the community pool.  There are kayaks and canoes available for guests as well as a dock with chaise lounges over the water.  Bay Breeze is somewhat outdated and worn, but it's a vacation rental so you can't expect perfection.  The hubs and I slept on the pull-out couch, which was not particularly comfortable.  The house itself sleeps 8 comfortably and has a stocked kitchen with utensils and cooking- and baking-ware.  You will need to bring your own beach towels.  Next time we stay in Siesta Key, I'm going to look for other lodging options.  http://www.bananabayclub.com/ We ate dinner at the Boatyard Waterfront Bar & Grill and sat in the inside patio area.  The band was located near us, and it was so lou...

The highlights of St. Augustine (in my opinion) are: Fort Matanzas - recommend paying for admission into the fort and taking your time walking around.  It really is a neat, historical place. The Dow Museum of Historic Houses is one of my favorite places.  It's a walking tour through 200 year-old homes and sites, and each house has its own story and displays.  Plan for about an hour or so, and it's easy walking distance from downtown's main parking garage (by the fort). The Fountain of Youth is overrated.  Very disappointing. Old City House Inn's restaurant is fantastic.  Quite pricey, but well worth it.  Just thinking about the brie makes me drool! http://oldcityhouse.com/restaurant/ We usually stay in the Double Tree off of I-4 and drive in for the day. If you go during July 4th (we made that mistake one year), it's HOT, humid, and VERY crowded.  Take a picnic, some chairs or a blanket, and grab your spot for the fireworks next to the fort....

Our newly purchased annual passes go through September 2012!  Looking forward to getting back into these parks (we had WDW annuals last year).  So, here is a quick rundown from the local perspective of both parks and City Walk. A couple general tips: You are allowed to take backpacks with you, so pack wisely (bottled water, rain ponchos, and snacks).  There are free lockers available for rider use to store bags, hats, sunglasses, etc. when you are going on a ride that doesn't allow you to "carry on".  If the parks are busy when you are there, take advantage of single rider lines - you will be able to stand with your party until you are put onto the ride, and sometimes you actually end of up sitting with another member of your party. Universal Studios Newly added to the park is the Rip Ride Rockit, from which I had a headeache from about 1 minute into the ride until a week later.  I'm from Ohio and have been on old wooden coasters from both Cedar Point and K...

Please remember that I am a local, so the information contained here will not have hotel information. The Parks - General information to keep in mind: Disney allows you to carry in backpacks, so pack those wisely.  Bottled water, rain ponchos, and some kind of snack (cereal bars, fruit, nuts) should make your visit much more enjoyable (and affordable). Epcot - Geared toward adults, Epcot offers the most diversified entertainment experience.  World Showcase is home to restaurants and shops from around the world, but for some of the nicer restaurants, you may want to make reservations ahead of time.  Electric Umbrella is our favorite fastfood spot due to the reasonable prices for burgers and fries and the option to refill your soda before leaving.  For a healthier quick eat, the cafeteria-style options in The Land are great. If you plan to go on Soarin', head to The Land as soon as you get into the park.  You may be able to hop right on, but if you can't, gr...

I have been inspired by so many others' blogs and have gleaned so many wonderful ideas, that I felt the need to start a blog.  I will not use it for posting the ramblings of my day, rather it will be a platform for sharing information about vacation spots, obscure but fantastic wines, literature, and other snippets that I feel can benefit others. Happy travels, savory sips, and relaxing reads sent your way!