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Author: Macy

Travel

Why We Decided To Use A Travel Agent

ByMacy March 6, 2014February 4, 2016

I am a planner. I plan pretty much every aspect of my life, and while it drives everyone around me crazy sometimes, I just can’t help it. So when it was brought up to possibly use a travel agent for a trip to Jamaica, I didn’t really know how to feel. Dave and I went…

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What To Pack For Carry On Only Travel – Kids & Teens
Travel

What To Pack For Carry On Only Travel – Kids & Teens

ByMacy February 19, 2014September 14, 2024

Are you attempting to travel with carry-on suitcases only for an upcoming trip? And while planning that, are you struggling to know what to pack in a carry-on for a teenager or younger children? As a lifetime overpacker until recently, I have learned the ins and outs of what is truly needed for all lengths…

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macyvolpe
Listen For The Lie [suspense] Bess: ⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ Macy: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 
Rating System:  ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ = excellent ⭐️ = skip it  ✨ = half star  This read takes you on a journey to help Lucy discover what happened to her best friend on the night of her murder, which is now the topic of a hit True Crime podcast. All while Lucy is revealing things about her own life and piecing together details she couldn’t recall about her best friend.  Bess:  I have to admit this one stumped me - there were so many twists and turns, which I loved! However, as a reader who loves to solve a thriller, I felt there should have been more lead up and context clues to the final reveal. Even as we gained context into the past through the podcast episodes, it didn’t feel like enough for a reader to unravel the mystery of who killed Savvy.

Macy: This was a good read! It has an interesting writing style which explores the past, present and a podcast. I was invested in the characters and didn’t start to put things together until close to the big twist being revealed. Worth the read if you are mysteries!  
Austin is a great destination for a weekend trip!  Though the book takes place in a small Texas town, Austin is mentioned a few times! Activities: 🪴Explore Zilker Metropolitan Park. 🦍Spend the afternoon at the Austin Zoo. 💐Smell the roses at Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center. 🤳🏼Go on a mural crawl!  🌮Eat at Torchy’s Tacos and 🍗Terry Blacks  🦇And of course…watch the Austin bats! 

Follow @pattons.with.passports and @macyvolpe - two travel moms making the most of their PTO.  Books that Inspire Travel | Travel Books | Beach Reads | Book Review | Book Club | Books about Austin #bookreviewblog #bookreviewersofinstagram
🎆 New Years Eve in EPCOT 🎇 FIRST: There is 🎆 New Years Eve in EPCOT 🎇 FIRST: There is so much I want to share - and it won’t fit in a caption. If you want *ALL* the details, tips and tricks, comment “NYE Epcot” to get the link to the blog post sent in a message! SAVE FOR THIS YEARS NYE PLANS!! Have you ever thought about ringing in a new year in a Disney park? I’m here to tell you- DO IT! We had a blast at EPCOT- a once and a lifetime type of experience. _____ Spoiler alert- Magic Kingdom for NYE is epic too…and you can DO BOTH in the same year! More on this next week! ——— Think dance parties, non-stop excitement, and the typical vibes of EPCOTx10! All day it felt like core memories were being made. It just felt so neat to experience. How was it any different than a normal park day? Let me explain! ✨ Silent Disco. We’re huge silent disco fans, all three of us always have a blast. It was so fun to sing, dance and laugh in the World Showcase of EPCOT. ✨ DJs. Three additional DJs were setup throughout the world showcase- Japan, Italy and China. They were all great! The crowds were manageable, especially in Italy! We walked along the side and were able to get to the front with plenty of space. The DJ pumped out smoke “bubbles” which were a huge hit. ✨ Some festival booths were still open. Festival of the holidays ended the day before, but we were able to partake in some of the food and drink booths! ✨ NYE Countdown. There really isn’t a reason to have a view of the lake, we thought there would be a big show but it was mainly fireworks and a countdown. We could have been anywhere in the park and enjoyed this! ✨Crowd. It feels wrong to say this because every year could be different BUT the crowds didn’t feel crazy. It was that of a usually busy park day, nothing insane. ✨tips & tricks on the blog!✨ comment “NYE Epcot” for the link!
MUST save tips to make the most of your Epcot day MUST save tips to make the most of your Epcot day ✨ 8 tips for Epcot & why it’s the best for families: ⭐️ Read the Festival Schedule. Not all festivals are created equal, and you have a few to choose from! We love Food & Wine (late summer to mid/late fall) and Flower & Garden the most (spring). The festival food booths change for the festivals but also the decor around the park and the scavenger hunts. ⭐️ Determine your entrance and plan your route. Depending on where you are coming from, you will either enter between the UK and France or the main entrance at the front of the park. If you’re riding a resort bus, parking in the parking lot or riding the monorail you will arrive at the main entrance, if you are taking the skyliner, or walking from Boardwalk, Beach/Yacht Club or Swan/Dolphin, you will arrive at the World Showcase entrance. We prefer the World Showcase entrance, but if it’s your first trip- aim for the main entrance! ⭐️Arrive early! EPCOT has a lot to offer, but the rides aren’t the biggest draw. Therefore, if you arrive early, you are likely to get to all the rides on your list. Keep in mind, at this time the greatest ride of them all- Cosmic Rewind, is virtual queue or lighting lane only, so you’ll need to get that at 7am. The rest of the rides will have longer wait times in the afternoon but shorter in the early morning and later evening. ⭐️ If you like thrill rides- Cosmic rewind is a must! Again- it’s VQ or Lightning Lane only right now. ⭐️ Think ahead for eating. Don’t just eat the first thing you see, Epcot has endless options for a meal or a quick snack. ⭐️ Take a leisurely walk through the pavilions in World Showcase. We usually do this early in the day when it’s nearly empty and a few more times later in the day. Every country offers a unique experience! ⭐️ Meet characters. There are many characters to meet in Epcot, and a few of them you can only meet in this park! ⭐️ Head to the playground! There are a few playgrounds or areas to run around within the park. Our three faves are outside of Connections, at the end of Mission Space, and near the Encanto show. Disney family, WDW tips, Disney travel tips
Our trip to Disneyland ✨ It was so much fun se Our trip to Disneyland ✨ It was so much fun seeing another Disney park, especially during Halloween! We loved: ✨ Oogie Boogie Bash ✨ The swinging Ferris wheel (even though I started to panic on the way up!) ✨ The details at our resort, Pixar Place ✨ Churros! ✨ Avengers Campus and Cars Land ✨ Meeting characters we haven’t met ✨ Belle grabbed Ollie’s hand and took her on a walk around the castle ✨ Ollie’s first time on Space Mountain- she loved it! ✨ The Nightmare Before Christmas overlay in Haunted Mansion And of course, having another amazing vacation with Emily and Isaac!!
Save so much TIME when you do this! Ready to wal Save so much TIME when you do this! Ready to walk from Cabana Bay? We LOVE being able to walk from our resort to theme parks- and Cabana Bay is perfect for that! So where can you walk from your room at Cabana Bay in Universal Orlando? Practically anywhere you may want to go! 🚶A less than 10 minute walk on your private pathway to Volcano Bay 🚶Cross over the pedestrian bridge to walk through Lowe’s Sapphire Falls resort to get to: ✨ City Walk ✨ Islands of Adventure ✨ Universal Studios Orlando These three walks will take you to a private security entrance, and the walk is around 30 minutes, but could be faster than a bus or boat. Universal hacks, Orlando parks, universal studios Orlando
We had the best time in DISNEYLAND! Ready for our We had the best time in DISNEYLAND! Ready for our thoughts in comparison to Walt Disney World? They actually have more differences than I thought. PROS of Disneyland ✨ Proximity of both parks ✨ Proximity of all three resorts to the parks ✨ Toon town! ✨ Avengers Campus. I had read that it wasn’t actually that cool, but I thought it was perfect! ✨ Variety of rides in Fantasyland- these were so much fun! ✨ Variety of characters ✨ Fun shows and entertainment options CONS of Disneyland ✨ Security process. WDW has scanners for everything, DL hand checked every bag which took forever ✨ Limited Magic Band access. ✨ Crowd/Line management. Multiple rides have outdoor qeues which clogged up the already small pathways. ✨ Rides being down. This could definitely have been a coincidence, but at one point every “big” ride in California Adventure was down for at least an hour. This caused crazy lines at even the smaller, less popular rides. We can’t recall this happening in WDW but I’m sure it could. ✨ Space for hanging out/eating. We were constantly stalking people eating to find a seat- there were never enough tables available at quick service spots. And there are no places to chill like the “hub grass” in Magic Kingdom. ✨ Early acesss for resort guests isn’t everyday, at both parks. The schedule changes for which park gets early access, and none of the times worked out for our trip which is a bummer. Overall, it was fun to experience another Disney park all together! Can’t wait for the next one! And these are just our experiences- I’m sure it changes throughout the year. Let’s go to Disney, Disney tips and tricks, Disney world or Disneyland
After staying at every Walt Disney World resort, I After staying at every Walt Disney World resort, I can confidently say that our favorite quick service is at the Polynesian. ___ Real quick: If you want to know all the things about all the Disney resorts- check out my ultimate Walt Disney World Resort Guide. ✨ Comment Resort Guide for the link! ____ Capt Cooks ranks #1. For breakfast, lunch and dinner. Plus coffee from Kona Island on the second floor of the lobby. And Dole Whip from Pineapple Lanai. Then both pool bars are great too! A very close second is the quick service options at the Riviera Resort! Disney family, annual pass holders, Walt Disney world resorts
The Lost Bookshop [Historical Fantasy] Bess: ⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ Macy:  ⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ 
Rating System:  ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ = excellent ⭐️ = skip it  ✨ = half star  The Lost Bookshop by Evie Woods is a captivating dual-timeline novel set in Ireland, blending magic, mystery, and the love of books. The story alternates between two main characters: in the present day, Martha, a woman whose life feels stagnant, discovers a hidden and mysterious bookshop that only appears when someone needs it most. In a parallel timeline set in 1921, we meet Opaline Duplessi, a young woman who loves books.  Bess’s thoughts: Absolutely spellbinding! I’m not always a fan of multiple narrators as I feel it can be hard to get multiple voices right but this book proved me wrong. I loved how social issues and historical events were woven into the fantastical plot.

Macy’s thoughts: It was a good book with multiple timelines and themes, and was weill written with the various details. It was interesting and captivating but also had a few loopholes. If you keep that in mind, it’s still worth the read!  
The best plan to have after reading this book is a week vacation exploring Ireland. I highly recommend following this itinerary:  Day 1 & 2: Dublin  Day 3: Kilkenny & Rock of Cashel
Day 4: Ring of Kerry
Day 5: Dingle Peninsula
Day 6: Cliffs of Moher Day 7: Galway  If you have a few additional days, I recommend spending 2 days in Northern Ireland!  
Follow @pattons.with.passports and @macyvolpe for family travel recommendations and tips and our book review series, books that inspire travel!  Books that Inspire Travel | Travel Books | Book Review | Book Club | Books About Ireland #bookreviewblog #bookreviewersofinstagram
Don’t take a family road trip without reading th Don’t take a family road trip without reading this first! Since moving to Florida we are often in the car exploring nearby cities, and other areas of the East Coast or taking the trip back to Maryland to visit family. These are the items we pack whether we will be in the car for 3 hours or 13 hours! 🚗✨Here’s your must-have packing list to keep things smooth and fun! 🧳 ✔️ Roadside Emergency Kit: First aid, bug spray, sunscreen, flashlight, jumper cables—be prepared for anything!
✔️ Chargers: Keep those devices powered up with external chargers and all the cords you need.
✔️ Snacks & Drinks: Stock up on easy, non-messy snacks to avoid extra stops (and hangry kiddos!). We usually bring a small cooler with sandwiches and water. 
✔️ Comfort Items: Pillows, blankets, and favorite toys for a cozy car ride.
✔️ Essentials: Plastic bags, extra clothes, umbrellas, and even a paper map. You never know! 📝 Don’t forget to read the full blog post about what to pack, how to plan your road trip, and what to do to prep your car for the drive! And grab my free Family Road Trip Packing List—link in bio! #FamilyTravel #RoadTripReady #packinglist
Oogie Boogie Bash ✨🎃 can’t wait to see wha Oogie Boogie Bash ✨🎃 can’t wait to see what Halloween in Disneyland is all about!
Josh and Hazel’s Guide to Not Dating [Rom Com] B Josh and Hazel’s Guide to Not Dating [Rom Com] Bess: ⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ Macy: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 
Rating System:  ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ = excellent ⭐️ = skip it  ✨ = half star  The story follows Josh and Hazel and their hilarious and sometimes awkward journey as they embark on a series of blind double dates, each setting the other up with someone else. However, these dates consistently go wrong, leading them to spend more time together. As their friendship deepens, they start to realize that maybe their perfect match has been right in front of them all along. Bess’s thoughts: I am a sucker for a good friends to lovers romance story. I thought this book was the perfect mix of light hearted entertainment with seriousness. I was rooting for Josh and Hazel the whole time, even though I really enjoyed the terrible blind dates they set each other up on! 

Macy’s thoughts: This was an emotional rollercoaster for me. It was sweet, real, fun and full of depth. I loved Josh and Hazel and, like Bess, felt myself cheering for both of them throughout! 
If you want to tour the area where Josh and Hazel reside, let’s head to Oregon for the perfect fall adventure!  Fun activities for the family:  Hiking at Multnomah Falls - 40 mins from Portland you will find Oregon’s tallest waterfall. The 2.4-mile round-trip hike to the top of the falls offers stunning views of the Columbia River Gorge and the surrounding forest. Kayaking on the Willamette River - rent kayaks minutes from downtown and see a mix of incredible wildlife and beautiful views of the bridges.  Where To Stay: The Heathman Hotel @heathmanportland Royal Sonesta Portland Downtown @royalsonestaportland 

Follow @pattons.with.passports and @macyvolpe for family travel recommendations and tips and our book review series, books that inspire travel!  Books that Inspire Travel | Travel Books | Book Review | Book Club | Books About Oregon  #bookreviewblog #bookreviewersofinstagram
Us as WDW girlies packing for DIsneyland like it’s in another world… Do I pack ears? do they wear ears? Do I pack a loungefly or are they not a thing there? Will I need this fan? What about this cooling towel? Do I have to apply body glide or no since it’s only two parks? Honestly, most of this is a joke but we definitely had the thoughts while packing 😅 can’t wait to show Dave and O Disneyland! It’s been over 15 years since I’ve been there! Is there anything we should look out for?
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