U.S.A – Pearls and Paris

pearlsandparis / January 10, 2018

Staycation: Hershey, Pennsylvania

Is it me or does the winter make you want to hibernate? Well my family and I were determined to make the best of the start of the cold season and so we booked two short get aways for the end of November.

Hershey, Pennsylvania is known as The Sweetest Place On Earth!

My family & I, along with my nephew and Ryan’s best friends family headed there for an overnight stay at the Hershey Lodge for a day/night of rides, lights and…. well – chocolate of course.

The ride up is a little less than 3 hours from North Jersey and thanks to Mazda, we drove in style and comfort in a 2018 CX-9. This test drive came at the perfect time since we are in the market for a new SUV. The Mazda CX-9 is a mid-size, three-row crossover SUV that caters to families with seating for seven. The destination possibilities are endless thanks to CX-9’s all-weather capability from its optional predictive i-ACTIV all-wheel drive and class- leading fuel-ef ciency. CX-9 provides a premium driving and passenger experience, courtesy of an award-winning SKYACTIV-G 2.5T engine that delivers excellent performance in everyday driving scenarios and an interior cabin that is pleasing to the sight and touch. This SUV was one of the top safety picks and all the safety features are amazing! Another one of our favorite features is the 3rd row option which is perfect for a growing family.

As soon as we arrived in town we headed to Hershey Park! During the holiday season they transform the park into a Christmas dream filled with lights for their Christmas Candylane event. Theres more than 50 rides open, including 6 coasters, lights, live entertainment and even Santa and his reindeers make an appearance.

After Hershey Park, you are going to want to head on over to Hershey’s Chocolate World where the fun continues. One of my favorite things to do while there is creating your own candy bar. It’s so awesome to see it created right in front of your eyes and you even get to create the wrapper! At Chocolate World you can also catch a 4D movie, go on a tour of the place and do chocolate tasting. By the time we were done the kids were starving so we had to skip the Hershey Sweet Lights but if visiting during the Holidays – it’s a MUST!

We headed back to the Hershey Lodge and checked in. Our room was in the area with the pull up parking which I thought was super convenient.

We settled in and headed to the Bears Den for some yummy comfort food. Once everyone’s bellies were filled we grabbed some board games and headed to the lobby to hang around the fireplace. During the holidays Hershey Lodge is decorated so beautifully and everyone really is in the Christmas spirit. There were a ton of people in the lobby hanging out in their pjs and just having a great time.

The next morning before checking out we spent an hour at the indoor pool complex. All of the kids had the best time and I loved that there was something to do for all of them considering the difference in all their ages (2-14 years old)

Hershey was the perfect destination for a short one night staycation for the kids (& adults). Everyone had the best time and I’m already looking forward to our next visit. When the weather warms up we will be able to take advantage of their outdoor pool complex, mini golf and the basketball/tennis courts.

pearlsandparis / October 17, 2017

Staycation: Pocono Manor Resort & Spa

As much as I love traveling abroad there is nothing like discovering local gems and that is why I love the concept of staycations. I personally am not one to take time off from work to stay home and so the idea of being able to take a short car ride for one or two nights away is perfect. I’ve been wanting to start a staycation series for some time now and hope my tristate readers [NJ, NY, PA + CT] find it useful.

I want to begin this series with an overnight trip my family and I took last month.

Pocono Manor Resort & Spa

Pocono Manor is located in Pocono Manor, Pennsylvania – about 1.5 hours from North Jersey and less than 2 hours from NYC. I’m not sure why it took us so long to venture up to the Poconos. This may have been out first visit but it won’t be our last.

Pocono Manor is a historic hotel which opened in the 1900’s. There are a total of 240 guest rooms and a ton of amenities onsite – three restaurants, indoor and outdoor pool, golf course, spa and various recreational activities. They offer live music on the weekends and a ton of seasonal activities such as horseback riding, hiking, tennis and snowmobiling.

We were in town for the Lantern Festival so didn’t have much time to take advantage of all their amenities but were really happy with the accommodations. The room was very spacious with a pretty view, the game room was a great addition to the property and every staff member we spoke with were not only friendly but super helpful. At the end of the night we were able to grab a drink by the bar to bring up to our room and then enjoy a family breakfast (which was delicious!) before heading back home. It was the perfect little night away! A big thank you to Pocono Manor for hosting us and we look forward to another stay in the near future.

Here are some photos from our stay as well as some pictures of the property and their amenities/activities courtesy of the Pocono Manor website.

pearlsandparis / August 8, 2017

3 Nights in Chicago

Chi-Town, The Windy City, Second City….

Call it what you want but this city [Chicago] is a GEM!

I have spent so much time exploring Europe over the last 5 years that my husband & I decided that we want to spend more time visiting and discovering the amazing places the U.S.A has to offer and CHICAGO was our first stop.

Where to stay?

In my opinion, Downtown is where it’s at. We decided to stay at the Raddison Blu Aqua and it was the perfect choice in a perfect location. We literally could walk to most of what we wanted to see and everything else was just a short 10-15 minute cab or uber ride away. The hotel in general was excellent and they had great amenities which include an onsite restaurant, outdoor and indoor pool, kids pool, hot tub, game room and fitness center.

PC: Radisson Blu Aqua

What to do?

Like with all big cities trying to fit seeing everything in just a short weekend is not only tough but stressful. I always tell people to pick a few places or spots and if you end up seeing more – great! This is a list of the must-see favorites:

1. Millennium Park (Cloud Gate A.K.A The Bean)
2. Navy Pier
3. Art Institute of Chicago
4. Shedd Aquarium
5. The Field Museum
6. Museum of Science & Industry
7. Adler Planetarium
8. Skyjack Chicago
9. 360 Chicago (Formerly John Hancock Observatory)
10. Lincoln Park Zoo

I highly recommend purchasing a Chicago CityPASS.

Your CityPASS Includes:
1. Shedd Aquarium – PRIORITY ENTRY
2. Skydeck Chicago – FAST PASS
3. The Field Museum – VIP ENTRY
4. Museum of Science and Industry OR 360 CHICAGO – EXPRESS ENTRY
5. Adler Planetarium – VIP ENTRY OR Art Institute of Chicago – FAST PASS

What I loved about this pass was everything offered in it were places we knew we would visit during our time in Chicago. We went to all of the above with the exception of the Museum of Science and Adler Planetarium. The Chicago CityPASS is $100 for adults (savings of $113) and $85 for children between 3-11 (savings of $95) – Children 2 & under are free at all of the venues listed above. Another perk of purchasing the pass is the fast pass, priority and express entries you receive. Just to give you an idea of how much time the pass saved, when we went the the Skydeck there was a 2.5 hour wait but it took us a total of 20 minutes to get up to the top since we had the Chicago CityPASS. Not only did we save money with this pass but we also saved time.

Some other things we did while in town were eating pizza at Giordano’s, visiting The Bean both at night and during the day, visiting the Chicago Theatre, spending time in both Millennium and Maggie Daley Park, grabbing treats at Stans Donuts, hopped on the water taxi to explore Navy Pier and went to the Jurassic Park exhibit.

I think the media plays a HUGE part in the bad rep Chicago gets. Every city has areas that are less than desirable but overall this is a city that is so worth visiting. It’s vibrant and rich in culture and history. There’s always events taking place and the food scene is top notch.

Feel free to send me over a DM or e-mail if you have any questions. Also make sure to check out their Tourism page (HERE) as they are a wealth of knowledge and have a ton of information to help you plan your trip.

Here are some of my favorite shots from our time in CHICAGO!

pearlsandparis / July 11, 2017

A Day in Long Beach

Back in March while attending the #WeAllGrow Summit, I had the opportunity to spend a full day with the the Long Beach Convention & Visitors Bureau. Prior to visiting Long Beach for this conference, I wasn’t very familiar with the area and truthfully it never was a location that I thought to visit. Being in town for the conference plus spending the day with their tourism board has totally changed that. Long Beach is absolutely beautiful and has so much to offer.

We stayed where the conference was being held, Hotel Maya. There aren’t enough words to describe how much we LOVED this property. The property is large and has some awesome amenities. The pool and hot tub area have cabanas, a bar and is waterfront. We dined at their on site restaurant, Fuego, multiple times as well as spent some time at their hookah lounge. The view from our balcony was was breathtaking!

Our day with the Long Beach Convention & Visitors Bureau started with a sail along the Long Beach coastline aboard one of Harbor Breeze’s modern and comfortable catamarans. It was an awesome way to see and enjoy Long Beach’s downtown waterfront.

We then hopped on a bus to head to The Museum of Latin American Art (MOLAA) where we got to check out a comprehensive retrospective exhibition by legendary Los Angeles artist Frank Romero, encompassing over 50 years of the artist’s career. His work has powerful and meaningful messages behind them.

From there we headed to the The Aquarium of the Pacific which is the fourth most-attended aquarium in the nation! We started off with a delicious lunch and then had a super fun Behind-the-Scenes Tour. This aquarium displays over 11,000 animals in more than 50 exhibits that represent the diversity of the Pacific Ocean. We were able to feed the fish from the back room and just see how everything operated which was really cool.

The day ended with a helicopter tour!!!! Anthelion helicopters took us on an amazing adventure over the storied Queen Mary, the historic USS Iowa Battleship and the spectacular Catalina Island. This was my first time in a helicopter and it was one of the best experiences.

While we did do a lot in just one day, when visiting I would absolutely break these activities up between two days so that you are able to walk through the museum as well as the aquarium at your own pace and take everything in. I also highly recommend a tour of Queen Mary which is considered one of the most haunted places in America! Click HERE for some additional recommendations on what to do while in Long Beach courtesy of TripAdvisor.

pearlsandparis / March 11, 2015

Key West, FL

Christmas is one of my favorite holidays because it’s when all of my family gets together & nothing is better than good food, good laughs & good company. But for this past Christmas we decided to switch our plans up a bit. Since it was our first holiday as husband & wife – we decided to skip the cold NJ winter and head south for some relaxation in the sun.

We decided on KEY WEST, FLORIDA.

My husband did a short stop there once on a cruise but I have never been and I heard such great things about it that I had to experience it for myself.

Flying into Key West during the week of Christmas was super pricey so we booked a flight to Miami, rented a car (same day pick up/drop off both ways) and drove the 3 hours. I highly recommend this! The drive is not bad at all and the scenery is incredible. This also gives you the option to stop at some of the other keys along the way for lunch or just to explore.

We stopped at Mrs. Mac’s Kitchen in Key Largo.

We split the “Konk” Chowder to start. It was real conch in a rich spicy tomato base. We absolutely loved it. Ryan went for the Captains Caesar with Blackened Fish and I had the Crab Cakes. Both were good. We are huge seafood lovers so while the food was good, it wasn’t the best we’ve had but none the less, it was a very satisfying lunch. I also checked into Yelp while there so I got a free Key Lime Freeze. To say it was delicious is an understatement – this is a must when at Mrs. Mac’s Kitchen.

Upon arriving in Key West, we checked into our hotel: Hyatt Key West Resort & Spa

What drew me to this hotel was its location and how beautiful the grounds were. I felt like we could have the quiet & relaxing vacation we were looking for but all the fun of Duval Street within a 1 minute walk. It was truly the best of both worlds. Being from New Jersey when you think Christmas you think of the cold but the Hyatt Key West had their lobby decorated with a gorgeous tree and even incorporated a fun Elf on the Shelf themed game for their guests which kept us in the holiday spirit.

Here are a few shots of our room.

The room was spacious, super clean and we even had a partial ocean view. You could literally melt into their beds which made getting up in the morning a little difficult, but a comfy bed gets extra points from me. Walking into our room to this wine & cheese/fruit platter was very sweet as well.

Jala Spa is on location at the Hyatt. Unfortunately, we did not get a chance to visit it but I suggest booking all services in advance.

Here are some shots I got from around the resort.

SHOR American Seafood Grill is the Hyatt’s on location restaurant. We dined here twice during our stay and the food was delicious.

Breakfast:

Dinner:

Over all we had an amazing stay at the Hyatt Key West Resort & Spa. Everything was perfect and they have the best staff.

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While in Key West, we had the pleasure of being invited by Casa Marina to experience their Toes in the Sand dinner. Casa Marina is a Waldorf Astoria Resort and upon walking in you see beautiful wood floors and exposed beams and every corner you turn someone is holding a door for you or asking if you need any assistance. Customer Service at this location is certainly not lacking. We were escorted to Sun Sun where we were greeted by the restaurant manager, Sarah, and introduced to our lovely waiter Tony. I knew we would be seated on the sand (hence: toes in the sand dinner) but I was taken back by how beautifully set up the dining area on the beach was.

We looked over the menu and each had a drink while taking in the scenery before the first course was served. I went with my favorite drink, a Cosmopolitan, and my husband had the White Sangria.

Our starter was a Seared Scallop with Corn Polenta in a Tomato Lime Vinaigrette. The flavors were executed perfectly! As a seafood lover I’m surprised I never really got into scallops, but this dish has changed my mind.

For the appetizer, I chose the Mixed Green Salad and Ryan had the Island Conch Chowder. The chowder was very tasty. It was hearty and had some nice size pieces of conch. I really enjoyed the salad. It was light and had a slight tang which complimented the roasted red peppers.

How incredible is this view from dinner?

For the entrée, I went with the Beef Tenderloin and Key West Pink Shrimp and Ryan had the Lobster Brandy Smoked Garganelli Pasta. Both of these were cooked to perfection. The tenderloin was moist and the red wine sauce was delicious. The lobster pasta was by far one of the most delicious pasta dishes I have ever had. I have mentioned on more than one occasion to my husband that I need that pasta in my life again soon!

By this time we were absolutely stuffed but dinner is never complete without dessert and a little champagne on the side. We got to try the Key Lime Pie & Pineapple Upside Down Cake. By this point in the meal I knew the desserts would be good but “good” doesn’t even begin to describe them. The Key Lime Pie was tart yet sweet and that graham crust was perfect! I never thought of myself to be a Pineapple Upside Down dessert lover but this right here is hands down the BEST dessert I have ever had.

Everything about this experience was 5 stars.

From this view…

to Tony, our waiter, who was super knowledgeable about the whole menu and extremely friendly to Alex, the Executive Chef. I loved that Alex made it a point to stop at our table to see how we were enjoying the food. You can tell that he, as well as his staff, cook with love and they really put 100% in the dishes they serve. The next time I am in Key West, I will be dining here again and I highly suggest you do the same when in the area.

Even though we were not able to stay at Casa Marina we did explore the grounds a little and it’s a magnificent property. They have a private beach and 2 heated pools and the rooms are known to be spacious and comfortable. Casa Marina is also home to the al Mare spa which has recently gone through an expansion as well as an upgrade in services.

Here’s some photos of the grounds and rooms:

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When in Key West, Duval Street is a MUST. There are bars, restaurants, shopping and even more bars spread throughout the mile. I loved Fat Tuesdays and anytime I wanted a quick drink to go – this was my spot. Don’t limit yourself to just 1 spot though, bar hopping is a favorite in this area.

My favorite coffee & breakfast place has to be the Cuban Coffee Queen. I promise you – you will not be disappointed! I had the most amazing breakfast sandwich on Cuban bread with a Vanilla Cafe con Leche on the side.

Another super popular place for Breakfast or Brunch is Blue Heaven. We only made it for Lunch but it was absolutely delicious. The bar has strong, tasty drinks and I love that they have live music.

Since we wanted this vacation to be all about relaxation, we only did a few activities. We went to the Butterfly Conservatory. Being surrounded by the beautiful butterflies was an amazing experience. I did find it a little on the pricey side but it takes money to be able to up keep the environment for the butterflies so it wasn’t too bad.

My favorite activity of the trip was fishing with Tortuga Charters! We had the absolute best time and caught so many fish. The staff is really helpful and at the end of the trip they prepare your fish so you can bring it to any local restaurant to have it cooked. It was a great feeling to be able to sit down for dinner and eat what you just caught a few hours before. Across from the Tortuga boat on Conch Harbor Marina is Dante’s. This is where we went and they prepared our fish 3 types of ways and included sides. It was so delicious and really affordable.

I absolutely LOVED Key West. It’s truly the Caribbean of the US.

Have you been before? What are your must do activities or restaurants in the area?

Click HERE to see what Trip Advisor recommends.

If you have any questions or need more suggestions when planning your own Key West trip, do not hesitate to contact me! E: pearlsandparis@yahoo.com