Sandy Applebee

Spring Break in Minnesota, North Dakota, and Wisconsin

Spring Break in Fargo, North Dakota; Bloomington, Minnesota; Duluth, Minnesota; and the Chippewa Valley of Wisconsin – sounds like a dream, right?! My midwestern-native husband didn’t exactly jump for joy when I said I thought we should spend Spring Break there but my kids were ecstatic once they learned of the indoor theme park atContinue reading “Spring Break in Minnesota, North Dakota, and Wisconsin”

The Ultimate New England Road Trip Honeymoon

Iconic lighthouses on magnificent cliffs, fishing villages, mountain resorts, lobster fresh from the boat, history, baseball, and breweries summed up our honeymoon through New England. We planned this trip beginning in NYC, then going up the coast of New England, and then down the middle ending back in upstate NY which would allow us toContinue reading “The Ultimate New England Road Trip Honeymoon”

From Colorado to Wyoming and Two Feet in Nebraska

This trip marked the first time went intentionally went on vacation someplace colder than home. The beautiful town of Estes Park, CO at the entrance of Rocky Mountain National Park is a dream come true. All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. Stephen King, The Shining Our flight arrived early in theContinue reading “From Colorado to Wyoming and Two Feet in Nebraska”

NOLA & the Gulf Coast in October

I wasn’t sure this trip would happen. Louisana and the Gulf Coast were hit once again with a devastating hurricane at the end of August 2021. We were prepared to wait until the area had more time to recover from Hurricane Ida but I joined a NOLA Travel Tips Facebook group and I read severalContinue reading “NOLA & the Gulf Coast in October”

Dec 26th in New York City

December 26, 2021 was the second time I’ve been to NYC the day after Christmas and my 8th day trip overall to the Big Apple. I think it’s my favorite time to visit – the Macy’s window displays never disappoint and there’s something special about the Christmas season in NYC. New York is a workContinue reading “Dec 26th in New York City”

New Mexico Labor Day Weekend

New Mexico is called the Land of Enchantment for good reason. As the nation’s fifth-largest state, it is so much more than a desert. In fact, I have never been to a state where the landscape changed so frequently, depending on which direction we were headed. The geographic diverseness, rich culture, and ancient historical sitesContinue reading “New Mexico Labor Day Weekend”

Deep Creek Lake, MD

We started going to Deep Creek Lake, Maryland in 2019. It’s a two-hour drive from Frederick County, Maryland but feels like a world away from the rest of the state. It quickly became an annual family tradition where all six of us spend some great quality time together, and it is one that we lookContinue reading “Deep Creek Lake, MD”

Our First Visit to Outer Banks, NC

The Outer Banks of North Carolina, also known as OBX, is a popular summer vacation destination among DC/MD/VA families for its expansive and quaint oceanfront beaches, wild horse population, history, and delicious food choices. The 200-mile string of barrier islands covers nearly the entire coast of NC and OBX is really just a string ofContinue reading “Our First Visit to Outer Banks, NC”

Great Wolf Lodge and Colonial Virginia

I love Colonial Williamsburg and I wish my kids did too. They just don’t get excited at the idea of going to walk around all day in the middle of summer looking at historical sites. But the promise of going to Colonial Williamsburg AND Great Wolf Lodge for the weekend was good bargaining power. IContinue reading “Great Wolf Lodge and Colonial Virginia”

Louisville, KY and Santa Claus, IN

I often ask my girls what their favorite trip has been so far. My oldest always says Disney but my 7-year old says Kentucky – hands down. I think it was the horse race where she fell in love with “Natalie’s Charm” and the Derby pie that formed this opinion. Heaven must be a KentuckyContinue reading “Louisville, KY and Santa Claus, IN”