City ❀ Country ❀ Beach
Do you remember the movie “Home Alone?” Macaulay Culkin played Kevin in this popular Christmas movie. He was accidentally left alone at home while the family went on vacation, but that’s not the main focus of the movie. The main focus of the movie is …
When your vacation is long over, make sure to keep your memories alive for years, if not forever, by following my 10 pieces of advice. Let’s face it. It’s hard to remember everything all the time. I like to do these things because when I’m …
San Diego has everything you need for a fantastic family vacation! Pair it with Comic-Con and you have an unforgettable experience!
Our vacation started with making sure we did not forget anything at home by completing our Ultimate Alphabetical Packing List (available by subscribing to my email list). Our two teen boys were especially excited about this trip because they love a lot of the TV shows that Comic-Con was presenting, especially all things MARVEL.
After making our arrival and getting comfortable at our hotel, Hyatt Regency Mission Bay & Spa, we made a plan of what other activities downtown we would do besides Comic-Con. My husband and boys had tickets to Comic-Con for Thursday, Friday & Sunday. I, however, had tickets for Thursday & Sunday. So, that left me alone for an entire day on Friday to do whatever I wanted! We also planned something to do for all of us on Saturday. Saturday tickets seem to go the fastest because the most popular stars do panels on that day.
First, I will talk about everything we did regarding Comic-Con first and then everything we, and I, did in San Diego.
If you’re going to Comic-Con expect to have a lot of patience and go early. You can’t go to Comic-Con and expect to sleep in. The lines are going to be long unless you spend the night outside and there are people that do that. This was my kids & I first time, but my husband has been here before and he knew what to do. One big tip of advice I can give you is ALWAYS to keep your badge on. Everywhere you go, security will be looking for your badge and what kind you have. There are press badges, VIP badges,
Remember this!
Come inside with us!
Before you head inside, I recommend you do this before you leave your hotel room, go with a plan. You want to make the most of your time especially since you paid so much for the tickets! There is A LOT to do here so plan ahead the things you really want to do or the people you want to see.
One great thing is that you cannot get lost inside. It is easy to navigate once inside because all the aisles are numbered. Be prepared for crowds, but you can always split up and meet up easily inside. Check out the places we made it to inside.
With the much-anticipated film upon us, we decided to take a peek at this booth. It was very cool! Here at Comic-Con all the booths are exceptionally decked out.
There is not a shortage of cosplay characters here at Comic-Con, especially this one here in San Diego! If you want to dress up, go for it! If not, it’s ok. I’m sure you’ll find your favorite characters here nonetheless. Some resemble their costume to the tee! One of the biggest we experienced was at the Marvel stage!
Our boys were super excited to preview this. They were able to spend some time playing this new game.
There are too many cool things to show you that I chose some of our favorites!
Yes, there’s more!
I don’t know how you can miss it, but outside the convention center, there is a lot more to see, do & experience. Many are totally free, but again, plan carefully because you could be wasting your time in a long line for something you don’t really care for. Again, here are our top picks from
This was one of our trip’s highlights because we not only got to meet Greg Grunberg from “Star Wars” & “Heroes,” but we also got to talk to him and he was very personable. He played the drums in the band and he gave our oldest son his drumsticks at the end of the evening. We had told him that our son is also a drummer and he called him out in public! We were in the front row sitting down and if you ever want to hear them, they do
We decided to check this out because it was a brand new psychological horror series on Hulu streaming service. It was very creepy!
My husband is a huge Tom Clancy fan and they had a few blocks blocked off for this promo. Because it looked really enticing we went and stood in line for a while. We missed the virtual zipline experience. However, we did get some cool swag! When we got home, we binged watch the entire season 1. Yes, it was THAT good! I highly recommend watching the series and you can on Amazon Prime.
There are all kinds of activities you can do on the outskirts of the convention and we came upon this one. I am a Coke girl by heart (Cherry Coke Zero to be exact), but we decided to give this a try. It was surprising and I’ll leave my answer at that.
If you’re a Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson fan, how can you not at least check this out! This new movie came out in April 2018 and we were there for all the new cool stuff about this movie.
Admit it! Even if you’re scared of sharks, they are still fascinating! It is cool to see them…on TV and movies that is. We were there for all the action & some free headgear! It brought out the silly in us.
This is a TV show that we have been watching prior to coming to Comic-Con so we were thrilled to see it here. It’s a comedy with Kristen Bell & Ted Danson on NBC.
For a list on how to prepare for your Comic-Con San Diego trip, check out my post What You NEED To Do To Prepare For Comic-Con San Diego. Also, if you’re looking for a great videographer/stop-motion animator check Eric Beaton out at Beaton Films. He created the following short film for us prior to our Comic-Con San Diego trip:
San Diego has many things to do, but since we come from Florida we are used to great beaches. Now, I’m sure San Diego has awesome beaches, and we were told they did as well, but we wanted to experience other places unique to San Diego. Our top three are right here.
This is an attraction on its own. You can spend an entire morning or afternoon right here. You can shop, wine, and dine. We loved the old town feel mixed with new town vibes.
We have a fantastic zoo in Tampa Bay, Florida and we also have Busch Gardens, but how can you NOT visit the famous San Diego Zoo?!? I visited this one by myself because this is the day that I did not have a Comic-Con ticket. Although I was by myself, I had a fantastic day because I got to see a lot of this zoo and the weather couldn’t have been better. These are some of my favorite shots of the day.
The USS Midway Museum is a fantastic way to spend the day and get an educational opportunity for kids. Actually, it’s an educational opportunity for everyone. Furthermore, there is plenty to see here and stroll through so make sure you have an entire afternoon to do this.
View atop the USS Midway
If you’ve been to San Diego and/or Comic-Con San Diego, what was your favorite thing you saw or did? If you’ve never been to either, what is one thing here that you would love to experience?
If you have a specific question about this post, please email me.
I don’t know about you, but when I’m traveling I don’t really keep track of what I’m eating. Or at least, I don’t care to. You’re on VACATION! You shouldn’t have to think. Anyway, while you’re at home here are the courses you can take …
If you’re in Las Vegas, make sure to stop by this famous chef’s restaurant located on the Las Vegas strip. It is inside the Tropicana Las Vegas Casino Hotel Resort. It’s a great place to hang out with your friends, eat delicious food, and possibly even …
I am honored to be nominated for the Versatile Blogger Award. I love the support that the blogging community has for each other. We are here to help each other, bring light to those that are deserving, and help those are just starting up to be successful in their endeavors. I want to thank Lynnette @ Life Without A Roadmap for nominating me. Please check out her blog because it has a little bit of everything and how you don’t have to be stuck on one path, but you can live life without a roadmap!
I have created my own VBA button only because I love photography and this photo says it all. I am a tropical girl and the beach is the place I love the most, aside from being at home with my family.
The VBA is an award to bring recognition to those who we love to follow, who inspire us when we read their blogs, and who are our virtual friends.
Here is what the WordPress site for the Versatile Blogger Award says it is:
When you consider nominating a fellow blogger for the Versatile Blogger Award, consider the quality of the writing, the uniqueness of the subjects covered, the level of love displayed in the words on the virtual page. Or, of course, the quality of the photographs and the level of love displayed in the taking of them.
Honor those bloggers who bring something special to your life whether every day or only now and then.
I was born in the U.S., but both my parents were born & raised in Costa Rica. When they moved here, they only spoke to me in Spanish at home. I learned English while attending Kindergarten. Learning two languages as a child is a blessing. I am now a Spanish teacher as well as a travel blogger and Spanish has come in handy countless times.
When I walk into a room full of people, let’s just say I’m not the life of the party. I like to meet new people, but I keep quiet until I’m put in a small group. For those that really know me, I am not quiet. I’m actually goofy and I speak my mind when necessary. A lot of times I’m blunt, but I am also sincere, loyal, and tenderhearted. I’ve been told that last one from many people actually. You can read more about being an extroverted introvert in this great article.
It took only one trip to Hawaii for me to fall in love with it. In 2011, our family visited Oahu & Maui. There was just a special vibe when we landed. This had been my dream trip for so long and when I realized I was there, my heart was jumping for joy. The land, people, and culture are absolutely beautiful. For our 20th wedding anniversary, my husband and I went to the Big Island. We hope to visit the island of Kauai at some point in our future!
I was brought up in a Spanish culture so, of course, these were cooked a lot! These are basically a staple in Costa Rica. I love them best sliced like in this photo, browned on both sides on a skillet with some butter, and then salted. A plantain looks a lot like a banana. The difference is a banana peels easy and can be eaten as is. On the other hand, a plantain has a thicker peel. It should be cooked. Desserts can also be made from plantains. There are also green plantains that, in my household, are cooked with black beans and are cut as chunks, not slices.
I grew up in California. One day my parents were at the L.A. airport and my mother told me she saw John Wayne, “The Duke.” She went up to him and he held me as a baby. I’m not sure if she asked him to or he asked her if he could hold me. I like to imagine exactly how that happened and him holding me, but nonetheless, I think that is so cool!
I can do all kinds of work around the house. Vacuum, dust, do laundry, wash dishes, but when it comes to ironing…I just don’t. I’d rather throw something wet in the dryer with what is wrinkled and voila! That is why I buy all my husband’s dress shirts that only say “wrinkle free” on the package. If it doesn’t say that, I don’t buy it. When I do attempt ironing, I look like a novice and sometimes it comes out looking worse than when I first started.
Our family dog’s name is Athena. She is a very smart dog that knows when to be a big baby and when to be a guard dog. She knows some special commands, but the one that is the most important is a special word that she knows in Spanish that redirects her to us. This command is used only in case of emergencies. We’ve had to use this command twice; once when she escaped our backyard and once when her leash broke while we were walking her. We give her an “extra” special treat when she obeys this command! She is a great family dog!
If you have a specific question about this post, please email me.
1. Laura @ Frugal For Luxury
2. Crystal @ Crystal M McCann
3. Jenny @ Traveling Party of Four
4. Lori @ Maps, Memories, and Motherhood
5. Priscila @ Pry’s World
6. Linda @ Linda On The Run
7. Tricia @ Born to be Boomers
8. Jess @ Moms in a Magical World
9. Susan @ Just a Sunshine State of Mind
10. Erika @ Wine Dine & Be Fine
11. Zippy @ Champagne Living
12. Nicole @ A Trip With a View
13. Stacey @ Seeking The Weekend
14. Kristi @ Way Beyond The Norm
15. April @ Minivan Adventures
I am humbled to be nominated for The Sunshine Blogger Award by my fellow food, culture, and adventure blogger Daniela Frendo from Grumpy Camel. Just over a year ago, I started this adventure of travel blogging. Although, it has been a huge learning curve (viral …
Since we are Hilton Grand Vacations members, we booked Hyatt Regency Mission Bay Spa & Marina through them. However, you don’t need to be members of any establishment in order to stay here. You can book directly from Hyatt Regency’s website. If you want the …
This post contains no advice from any medical perspective. These are solely my opinions.
If you’re like me, I have “vacation anticipation.” It’s a term that means you just CAN’T WAIT until your vacation and everything you do that leads up to it makes you have a high state of euphoria. Whether you’re the type of person that plans out a full itinerary or not, you may still have this.
If you ever have taken a vacation, you most likely know what I’m talking about. Here is a checklist. If you answer yes to all 3 of these, then you have what I call “vacation anticipation.”
How did you do?
So, what makes us have this euphoria now versus any other day of our life? Here are my collection of thoughts. You may experience one or more than one of these.
Can you relate? Well, I’m a mom and if you’re a mom, you can relate to a lot of these! A vacation to me is a time to do three things.
Do you experience this euphoria? What has been the best vacation you’ve ever taken? What do you look forward to the most when you get away? I would love to hear all about it!
If you have a specific question about this post, please email me.
Filled with soul and character, Memphis has everything you want to make this city your next vacation destination with our 10 best attractions for everyone. Our home state of Florida has tons of things to do, but on this road trip, we decided to join my …
