City ❀ Country ❀ Beach
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If you’ve never been on a cruise and just want to try one out, I highly recommend going on the Margaritaville at Sea cruise where it’s 5’oclock all the time. It’s Jimmy Buffet’s themed cruise and it is so much fun! If you do your research you might run into pros and cons, but as someone who has cruised with Disney, Royal Caribbean, and Carnival, I will attest that this was a great, short, and fun cruise and I highly recommend it! It is smaller overall from other liners, but it has all the bells and whistles you’ll love.
The Margaritaville at Sea cruise only does 2 night/3 day cruises and they do have sailings throughout the week. They also have many affordable packages. The down side is that you do need to read what’s not included because you will pay for taxes, fees, port expenses, fuel charges, gratuities, and valet. I call these musts. Then there are extras like soda, bar beverages, casino, excursions, specialty dining, and phone calls. On our cruise, aside from the musts, we paid for one soda package and one cell phone device to make calls.
If you are either an educator, military, police, or first responder, make sure you check out the Heroes Sail Free program! You will get a free cruise per year, minus the musts and extras. I got approved as an ACSI valid certificate holder and substitute teacher!
Let me start at what we did at the port of Grand Bahama. You do not need to make any excursions directly with Margaritaville at Sea cruise unless you really want to. When we arrived at the Grand Bahama island (the only port Margaritaville by Sea docks at), there are many locals who you can tell what you want to do/experience. Since we live in Florida and only 10 minutes to the beach, we wanted to explore the island and what Freeport has to offer.
Unfortunately, Grand Bahama was still recovering from the destruction of many hurricanes. Therefore, tourism is their main source of income and Bahamians want you to experience the best that the island has to offer. It made sense to help them directly, so along with two other couples who also wanted to see the island, we hired a driver. The driver we hired for our city tour guide was Pamela. She was super friendly and knowledgeable.
Pamela made stops throughout our tour so we could get off to visit the beaches and shop. One of those places was a small beach in which the locals poke a hole in conch shells, remove the meat inside, and throw the conch shells back. We were allowed, by Pamela and legally onto the ship, to take a conch shell home!
Another stop Pamela made was at a small lighthouse at a beach. It was so tranquil there. There were benches facing the ocean that I could have been at for hours!
This marketplace was fun to explore because you could shop and eat here. It’s not as busy here as you may think because they’re still rebuilding from hurricanes, but nonetheless, the vibe here is welcoming and fun.
As you can see Pamela did an amazing job taking us through the island. It doesn’t stop there! We went through taino beach (the t is not capitalized) and got off at Pirates Cove to check it out. This is a beautiful beach with food, shopping, and beach activities. In fact, this is where both my husband & I tasted conch fritters for the very first time. I have to be honest. I wasn’t a huge fan. They were crispy, but it was just ok to me. They kind of reminded me of hush puppies.
As soon as you debark the ship there is a restaurant in which you can feed sharks. The sharks are not in a special tank. They are in the ocean swimming around. They hang out there because they know they get fed by the tourists. Although we did not feed them (ask inside the restaurant if you want to do this), we were just mesmerized by these creatures. It also makes for a great picture spot!
We stayed in room 6146 which is on the 6th deck. Excitedly, we were surprised with a free upgrade to an ocean view room! The cabin didn’t feel cramped at all. It was clean and the décor was beautiful. Our cabin steward was very nice as well. He greeted us every time we saw him.
It was meant for us to be on the 6th deck because it was appropriately named the Flip Flop deck. I literally wear flip flops all the time! I thought to myself “The Margaritaville at Sea cruise was meant for me!”
This was our itinerary for day 1. However, I’m sure these change with every cruise.
We were one of the first ones to board the ship so this gave us ample time to take photos of the ship and we even had a private tour of the spa! We were very happy to see that the ship was so clean and beautiful.
The food on board was very good! There are a few places you can eat. There are some things I would recommend and some I would not.
One place you will want to visit time and time again is the buffet. We ate breakfast and lunch there. There is something for everyone at the buffet. From salad bar, pasta station, hot foods, soft serve ice cream machine, drinks, to desserts, they have it all. In my opinion though, the desserts were much better at Fin’s than at the buffet. For dinner, we went to Fin’s (the fancier dining room where they serve you).
Fin’s restaurant is a must. All the food was absolutely delicious, including the desserts! I will strongly recommend to go to the second seating as opposed to the first seating because the service will be much quicker on the second. We went to the first seating the first night and we were there 2 hours! It took a long time between each dish to come to our table. When you order, you tell your server everything at once including the dessert. The starter will come out first, then the soup or salad, next the entrée (this is where you can pay additionally for entrée enhancements if you so desire to, but we didn’t because it wasn’t necessary), then dessert.
If you are a soda drinker, you might want to get the soda package in which you’ll get a choice of refillable cup. You can walk up to any bar and they will refill it for you. My husband chose the shark head! I wish they had a parrot head. It would just make more sense. The other choice was an alligator.
The ship also has a pizzeria called Frank & Lola’s. You have to pay for the pizza. However, they do have 1 complimentary slice per person, but you’ll only get one slice once you’re in line. You’d have to wait for them to make more pizza before getting a second slice. We waited 25 minutes for just one slice! It wasn’t worth it so we didn’t go back. And why pay for pizza when you can go to Fin’s for a delicious sit down dinner?
The coffeeshop and liquor-infused ice cream were also not free. But, they are available if you’d like to go. This is on the same floor, next to the pizzeria.
There is entertainment all throughout the Margaritaville at Sea cruise. You will pass at least one thing happening on the way to wherever you’re going. There is never a dull moment. There are two things that I say you shouldn’t miss. The first one is the sail away party and the second is the main show that happens on the second night called “Tales From Margaritaville: Jimmy’s Ship Show.”
Like I mentioned, there are many other kinds of entertainment and these are a couple of others that we enjoyed.
Overall, I highly recommend that if you’ve never been on a cruise and you just want to try one out, I highly recommend going on the Margaritaville at Sea cruise where it’s 5’oclock all the time. Even if you are a seasoned cruiser, go!
If you have a specific question about this post, please email me.
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Joseph’s Tea Room is a unique & beautiful restaurant experience for any occasion especially for a girls get-together such as a bridal shower, baby shower, gift for mom, or child’s party. I took my mother to Joseph’s Tea Room as a Christmas gift for brunch and we both absolutely loved it! If you’ve never been to a tea room, you’re in for a treat here.
The color scheme is the first thing that drew my attention. I love the colors they chose because it reminds me of a seaside escape near the French side. The outdoor sitting area also makes it feel this way to me. It is very inviting.
When you walk in the first thing you see is the layout. This place is bigger on the inside than what you can see on the outside. If you wish, you can purchase their own products that are displayed and yes, they have tea! A lot of thought & effort was put into the tiniest details such as the floor (who would have thought to make a custom floor?) and the border in the dining room.
Welcome to the dining room! Once again, the decor is coordinated with the color scheme, wall art, teal chairs, and fresh roses! I said fresh roses! Most places you go to have fake flowers, but not Joseph’s Tea Room. Oh, and did I mention the crystal chandeliers? Gorgeous!
The place settings are top notch. I especially loved the small teacup spoon! They also have an array of tea pots (see behind us in the photo) so delicately displayed and used for their delicious teas. They have a multitude of teas to choose from!
The Food
The food deserves its on section because it was so delicious and beautifully displayed. The first thing that comes out are the pots of teas. Hot pots of teas are chosen by you and each person gets their own pot! This is a great way to taste more than one kind of tea. See what I mean about the spoon in this close up shot?
Next is a berry delight salad with a raspberry vinaigrette dressing. It was fresh and delicious!
Lastly is the masterpiece! The 3 tiered serving stand comes with your choice of 1.5 sandwiches for each person (bottom level), savory bites & spreads such as scones (middle level), and sweet bites (top level). I am a foodie and at first thought I didn’t think I would get full, but that was not the case at all! In fact, we had a few leftovers to enjoy further at home.
If you want something unique, beautiful, and different than your usual restaurant experience, I recommend trying Joseph’s Tea Room. Joseph’s Tea Room is especially a great for a special occasion. Go ahead. Check them out. And best of all, you’ll be supporting a small business!
To make your reservation (not required, but recommended) click here.
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Silver Dollar City in Branson, Missouri is the mecca for family fun. It is a theme park based on all things from the 19th century. It is a one-of-a-kind park because it has an attraction like no other theme park has, Marvel Cave. Silver Dollar City has thrilling rides, time period shows, beautiful shops, and friendly & helpful employees. Come along on our tour of fun at Silver Dollar City theme park!
Entrance
The fun at Silver Dollar City theme park begins at the entrance. As you arrive you are greeted with a water tower clock that really operates. What I loved about this park is that they built it around the natural beauty of the trees and mountains. This park is great on a hot day because there are many shady areas and stores to visit!
When we arrived we went to the Hospitality House and we made a donation to the cause that Silver Dollar City supports in exchange for our entrance. They help children in need in their community.
Birthday’s at Silver Dollar City!
If you have a birthday within a week or so of your visit to Silver Dollar City, you will get a birthday freebie! You have to go to the General Store to receive it. I won’t spoil what it is!
Navigating the Park
It is very easy to navigate the park because of the way it is laid out. First of all, on the ground of the park are bright signs leading you to places you may want to go to next.
Secondly, there are also sign posts with many of the attractions, rides, restaurants that you are looking for.
A third option, and I highly recommend this, is downloading the official mobile app of Silver Dollar City. You can access everything from here: tickets & passes, rides & wait times, show schedule, dining, craftsmen, shopping, exploring the park map, and what I liked the best was highlighting only those attractions, rides, & dining you want to visit. It’s a personalized plan for your fun day!
Shopping
The fun at Silver Dollar City continues at the stores! I loved them! There were so many to see and the products are top quality. Many are hand-made unique gifts! We bought a few for gifts others and for us to keep as well! One of my favorite stores was a quaint Christmas shop. It will put you in the Christmas spirit and it doesn’t matter what time of the year you’re visiting!
Dining
Since you saw photos of taffy and pickled bologna, I thought it was fitting to continue our tour of Silver Dollar City with dining options. Aside from fantastic sweets like fudge, taffy, assorted copper kettle candies & chocolates, and pickled foods, there are lunch and dinner spots to satisfy everyone’s appetites! There are also many tables outdoors.
We ate dinner at the Rivertown Smokehouse and it was really good. The platters include one or two meats, 2 sides, and a roll. Sandwiches, salads, and kids meals are also available. I especially liked their baked beans!
Employees
I have to mention the employees only because we have never received such friendliness and helpfulness than at Silver Dollar City. We were literally standing in front of the park sign routing our course and we had two different employees (not at the same time) come up to us and offer help. The retail employees were also very knowledgeable about the products in their stores.
One employee that stood out was a gentleman by the name of Mark that was our tour guide for the Marvel Cave attraction. I will highlight Marvel Cave at the end because we thought it was the BEST part of the park! Mark was super knowledgeable and was very safety conscious of the group. He made the tour so much fun with adventurous music clips, lights, and history behind the cave. Scroll & read through to the bottom to learn all about Marvel Cave. It truly are the employees who make the experiences come to life!
Rides
Silver Dollar City has rides for every type of thrill (or non-thrill) seeker. Personally, I don’t do rollercoasters, but our oldest son does. For him, the scarier the better. He said they were all great, but his favorite was Powder Keg.
Another rollercoaster is Wildfire. Check this video out!
Water rides are always great on a hot day. These are the kind of rides I love! Check these out!
This is the American Plunge water ride. Both the Mystic River Falls and the American Plunge rides are a lot of fun! If you rent a locker for the entire day (best option) and have a change of clothes, you don’t have to worry about walking the park dripping wet (and you will get wet)! Or, you can ride the water rides early in the afternoon and dry off as you walk around the park. This is best on a hot & sunny day.
These are a few more rides.
Shows & Experiences
This is where I truly believe Silver Dollar City stands out from the rest. The 19th century theme continues throughout the shows & experiences. From the blacksmith to the Wilderness Church, from the Grandfather’s Mansion (fun house) to the Saloon show, all of these make you feel like you’re in a different era.
Saloon 
The Showdown at the Silver Dollar show is the theme park’s longest running show since 1973. It truly is a classic and I really hope they stay for many years to come. It is funny, dramatic, action packed, and will keep you on your toes. You can even order a real drink from the bar! The pre-show begins outside the saloon with a real married couple capturing your attention and preparing you for what is to take place inside. The couple is as cute as can be and they make a great team!
Marvel Cave 
And now for the BEST part of Silver Dollar City theme park! Marvel Cave is unique because this is NOT a man-made cave. The theme park was built around it! You will literally descend nearly 500 feet below the surface. There is a part at the beginning of your tour that you have to be able to stoop low because there are many entrances and tunnels like that. You should wear good fitting shoes and, in my opinion, you should be comfortable in dark, tight spaces. Our tour guide, Mark, was absolutely wonderful. He was knowledgeable and made our experience so much fun! For more super interesting history on Marvel Cave visit here.
Not recommended for guests who may suffer from a fear of heights, visual impairment, difficulty with depth perception, claustrophobia or have a history of seizures. Guests will experience a one-hour walking tour which includes 700 steps and a difficult climb to exit. There are wet, dimly lit walking surfaces, enclosed spaces and narrow passages which require stooping, bending and twisting. The exit is a 3-minute cable train ride. Loading and unloading the train requires negotiating stairs, low overhead clearance and varied walking surfaces. Guests must be able to participate with limited assistance from companions. Guests must be able to traverse uneven walkways and steps. Guests must be able to maintain an upright and seated position with control of their upper torso, head and neck while on cable train. Guests must be able to brace and grip handrails with one functioning hand/arm.
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Overall, our family loved Silver Dollar City theme park and we would absolutely love to visit again one day. Make sure you visit and check it out for yourselves if you’re in Missouri! And if you’re visiting during the Christmas season, check out this Complete Guide to An Old Time Christmas at Silver Dollar City!
If you’re looking for great BBQ in Missouri outside of Silver Dollar City, make sure to stop at Hickory Log Restaurant & Lounge. The ribs, especially, are delicious! Check out other Missouri posts below!
If you have a specific question about this post, please email me.
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