Switzerland - there's more to it than just great chocolate

Zurich, Switzerland

Instead of flying into one of my regular cities in Europe, this time I flew into Zurich.  This was my 1st time to Zurich, not my 1st time to Switzerland.  Last time I was in the lake town of Lucerne, very different experience than Zurich.  Why?  Zurich is a much larger city and easy to get around by using public transportation.

Most tourists will stay in the Old Town, but I stayed near the airport for convenience as I only had 1 afternoon and part of the next morning to see the town.  It was easy to take the shuttle to the airport and then a train into town.  The train station is pretty big, but easy to find your way and there were lots of helpful informational booths.  The price of a one day ticket was less than $10, versus a $60 taxi ride from the airport (1 way).  Here's a picture of the outside of the train station.

Leaving the train station, I walked through the modern side of town.  The river separates the city between the modern and the Old Town.  There was lots of high end shopping stores, nice restaurants to enjoy, or cafe's to sit to have a cup of coffee and people watch.

Next, I made my way across one of the bridges to the Old Town.  The Old Town is everything you would think Switzerland would look like. Cobble stone streets, odd shaped buildings, local merchants selling tourist gifts and pedestrian friendly walking areas.

All the streets lead you back to the train station, so it's difficult to get lost.  That's a good thing when you only landed a few hours ago and you're fighting jet lag.

I stopped at the train station to complete the VAT tax forms and back to the airport for my hotel.

What would I recommend to do if you only have 1 or 2 days in Zurich?  Definitely consider taking the train into town and see the sites before you collapse at your hotel.  A couple of others suggestions would be to:

1.)  Take a bus to see Mt. Piatus for gorgeous alpine panoramic views.
2.)  Make an appointment at a spa.  Switzerland is known world wide for their spas.  One that I recommend is The Dolder Grand Hotel & Spa.  Here's just 2 photos that I took while visiting this spa in October.  So lucky that the weather that day was 68 degrees and look at the views!  The level of customer service in the spa was absolutely 1st class.  They made it difficult for me to leave and head back to my airport hotel (affordable, but simple) unlike the options available at this hotel.  Not only did I enjoy a few hours at the spa, I also had dinner and drinks in their "American Bar".  

Happy Traveling!

How do you improve an old classic?

Disneyland - Space Mountain "Ghost Galaxy"

If you have the time and ability to travel to Anaheim before October 31st, I recommend spending some time at Disneyland.  I've been to Disneyland more times than I can count, but never around Halloween.  

I just got back and wanted to share how Disneyland changed an old classic which actually improved the experience!  You can imagine that at this time of year, Disneyland is decorated for Halloween with all the typical decorations and that the Haunted Mansion is updated for the Tim Burton movie, but something I didn't expect was the update to Space Mountain.

They added a new and surprising element to Space Mountain.  For a short time through Halloween they renamed it Space Mountain Ghost Galaxy.  What's different?  Typically Space Mountain has a 70's vibe of what we thought space travel would be like.  You can faintly see the tracks and other rockets because they have florescent lighting that illuminates as you race by each other with beeping noises that supports the 70's theme.

Disney found a way to make the ride completely black, no lighting at all.  They changed the music to a creepy and scary soundtrack.  As you climb up the track in pitch black, a devil ghost is projected on the walls of the ride which makes you feel as if this evil ghost is chasing you.  It's intense as you get distracted on what's the next twist and turn of the ride to ask, "when will that evil ghost show up next?"  As you continue to race in the dark, the ghost's claw tries to grab you, then the evil eye is staring at you tying to see if it can get a glimpse of you....it's thrilling.

At the end of the ride you realized that you experienced something different and thrilling, only to hope that you can get 1 more fast pass to ride it again before the end of the day.

Hope you can make it there and experience it yourself before it converts back to the original.

Happy Traveling!

Why wear the pin?

I would be remiss if I didn't take a minute to talk about Disney's customer service.  I mentioned in the Anniversary blog about the Disney employee who gave us the pin when checking into the Grand Floridian Hotel.  I had already been told by the customer service rep when booking the vacation online that I should take one of the pins and wear it, so I happily explained it was our Anniversary.

What I wasn't prepared for was the level of customer service the employees would show us by wearing the pin.  Such a simple thing that made a typical vacation into something really special.

Everyone who greeted us from the hotel staff, to the theme park staff to all the transportation employees in between would congratulate us on our milestone Anniversary and ask us if we were having a good experience.  Wearing the pin also came with perks.....who knew?

During our meals, the waiter would surprise us with a dessert or glass of champagne.  There was one special event that I really wanted to share.

One night, we ate dinner at the California Grill (top floor of the Contemporary Hotel) around 5 PM.  We went back to our hotel to change and hit some of the rides at the Magic Kingdom at night.  We only had a couple of hours before the fireworks show at 10 PM.  The restaurant had invited us back to see the fireworks from the rooftop facing the Magic Kingdom.  This is something special that they do if you eat dinner at their restaurant, and we didn't want to miss it!

Wouldn't you know that we got stuck in the fast pass line for Space Mountain.  It took an incredible 45 minutes to get through the line and then the ride.  When we stepped out of the building and into Tomorrow Land we could see all the guests lining up in front of the castle to see the 10 PM show.  We had 15 minutes to run through the park, get on the monorail to the Contempoary Hotel, make our way to the 2nd floor to access the elevator to the top floor.  They have an elevator that shoots you straight up to the 15th floor where the restaurant is located.

This would be our one and only chance to see the fireworks show and I didn't want to miss it.  Have you ever gone the wrong way when all the other people are trying to get to something?  It takes a lot of bobbing and weaving to avoid the traffic, not to mention the strollers.  As we made our way through the crowds in the dark, I could hear the employees say, "Happy Anniversary".  We started to laugh that even when we were running past the employees, they would still remark on our pins.

When we finally got from the monorail to the hotel, my heart sank because it was 9:59 PM and I knew that there would no way for us to make the final stretch of the run in 1 minute.  As we made our way around the corner from the escalator to the elevator my breath was taken away by what I saw waiting for us.  It was our hostess in the elevator holding the door open as she said, "I knew you would make it back, I've been waiting for you."  She whisked us up to the 15th floor, escorted us outside the restaurant on the rooftop to an unbelievable view of the fireworks show.  It was if Disney was waiting for us to arrive and then queued the music.  The restaurant has speakers located outside so we could hear the narrator and music.  Here's one of the photos we took that night.

Leave it to Disney to continue to raise the bar on what makes excellent customer service really outstanding.  

Happy Travels!

Walt Disney World - gain special access

Have you heard about the new wrist bands available at Walt Disney World?  Here's a picture of what they look like.  

What makes them so special?  Everything if you're a Disney fan, an organized planner and travel veteran or just a person who likes to save time & money.  Who doesn't like that?

This year we took advantage of these new wrist bands offered at WDW and wanted to share what makes them so special.  Before you even leave your house, the wrist bands arrive customized with the color you've pre-selected and your name.  You can go online and load them with the following information:

• Flight information - the Disney shuttle is waiting for you to transfer you from the airport to the WDW hotel.  No need for a rental vehicle that will only sit in the hotel parking lot.
• Hotel reservations - When we arrived at the Grand Floridian the bands contained our hotel reservations.  They scanned our credit card and this allowed us to use the band to charge anything and everything back to our hotel bill.
• Hotel room key - we didn't have to carry a separate key for the room.  The band was our room key.  We just put our wrist in front of the door pad and it unlocked our room.
• Park passes - no need to have a park pass/ticket.  The band was loaded with our hopper park passes - we just went directly to a special line to enter and leave the park.
• Fast pass to rides:  We pre-selected 3 fast pass rides a day.  We got to ride all the new rides along with our favorite rides that we didn't want to miss.  We literally ran past 2 hour lines of guests to jump directly on the ride.  No wait time!  During the Summer months and Florida heat, why would you want to waste time standing in long lines?
• Meal plan:  We purchased the deluxe meal plan so the band contained our restaurant reservations.  We jumped from park to park to enjoy lunch at one place and dinner somewhere different.  From the Brown Derby for lunch to dinner at Epcot's Monsieur Paul's restaurant in France.  Don't want to carry a wallet or purse?  Great - because you don't have to!  We just scanned our wrist band and the restaurant had our reservations, deducted our meal from our plan and we charged the drinks to our hotel bill.  The meal plan gave us a crazy number of "snacks" which we used for cold bottled waters throughout the parks at the kiosks.  The employee just scanned our band and deducted the water - no need to have anything else with you.
• Photos:  no need to take a camera.  When the employees took our photo throughout the parks they scanned our bands and added the photo to our Disney plan.  When we got home all the photos were available to us online.
• Buying souvenirs:  Anything we purchased - we charged to our bands and had them deliver the items to our hotel room.  No extra charge!  We didn't have to carry bags of stuff around with us, loading and unloading them from each ride.  Hands free - no stress - JUST FUN!!! 

These bands made everything easy & enjoyable.  Question is..."When will the other Disney Parks get them?"

Happy Traveling!

Celebrating a milestone anniversary?

Like most modern couples, it's difficult to come up with new ideas on ways to celebrate a milestone anniversary.  It's not like generations past where you give each other paper, silver, crystal, etc.  Now days we like to travel - to get away from the hustle and bustle of our regular working lives and find a way to reconnect.  What better way to do this than travel?

This Summer we decided to take advantage of Walt Disney World's 30% resort stay discounts.  It had been over two decades since we stayed on property and thought why not take advantage of the discounts.  

Here's what we recommend if you plan to travel to WDW in 2014 - 2015:

1.)  Stay on the property - why?  

• They have a Disney Destinations airport transfer system in place.  They bused us directly from the airport to the Grand Floridian.  No extra stops - directly from the airport to the hotel check in.  No need to a rental car - saving you money and time.
• We got extra park hours.  They allow you to get in early or stay later than the other guests.  For us - getting into Animal Kingdom an hour early meant we got on all the rides during the first 1 - 1 1/2 hours of the park opening up to us.
• Convenience:   When it started raining, we jumped on the monorail and went back to the hotel to rest and try again in an hour.
• Modes of transportation: We took the monorail into the parks in the morning and then a boat back to the hotel.  On one morning we took a bus to the Animal Kingdom directly from the hotel lobby to the park.  No extra stops!!  Saving travel time means more time in the park!

2.)  Wristbands:  WDW now offers a customized wrist band.  For the organized traveler, it's the way to go.

• These wristbands can be loaded to include your hotel room key, contain your meals plans, restaurant reservations, fast pass rides and so much more.  Next blog will contain everything you need to know about the wrist bands.

3.)  Have fun:  Try to hit the parks in the morning to enjoy the rides before it gets too busy.  Make dinner reservations for somewhere nice where you can get dressed up and celebrate.  At night, go back to the parks and see it in a completely different way!  The rides feel different when it's dark.  

Build time to enjoy the amenities at the hotel.  Each of the WDW resorts are different.  Find the one that fits you best and what you like to do!

4.)  Consider purchasing the meal plan:  I know, I wasn't sure about doing it either.  Would there be restrictions so I couldn't use it the way I wanted to?  There wasn't!  We enjoyed fantastic lunches and dinners each day.  We ate at some of the best restaurants Disney had to offer with all the perks of staying on property.  

When we checked into the hotel they asked us if we were celebrating anything special.  In our case it was our anniversary.  They gave us each a pin and encouraged us to wear it.  Why?  Disney employees went out of their way to congratulate us and make our time a special one.  The customer service was really special.  Blog worthy to mention.

What if Disney isn't your ideal way of celebrating an anniversary?  My suggestion is to set planning time aside to select a travel destination that's right for you and your partner.  Just spend time planning it before you get there, so when you arrive all you have to do is relax and enjoy each other.  

Happy travels!

Great buddy golf trips

Las Sendas Golf Club - Mesa, AZ

If you're a golfer like us (and you probably are if you're taking time to read this) you've seen the Top 100 course lists by the big golf magazine's that come out every year. I'm going to add our two cents worth and make some suggestions for buddy golf trips to take and provide some "birdies" and "bogey's" about the different places we've played and hope you'll be able to take the information and pick the best golf trip for you and your buddies.

1st destination...Phoenix AZ.
Each year the lists hit the news stands, I'm always surprised when I don't see two or three courses from Arizona on a list. Always considered a great golf destination, there are several, and I'm talking 30 to 40 courses within an hour and a half of downtown Phoenix, that are flat out great courses. There are a few that are at the top of the list.

 1) Troon North. Two extremely nice courses, great staff, food and 19th hole. With all the golf trips I've been on I can't see how it doesn't rate a top 50 public course in the US? It's in North Scottsdale and runs in the mid $250 range during winter and early spring so that could be a drawback. If you can stand the heat, summer rates go down to a much more reasonable price at all the courses in Arizona. Some are less than half the winter rates. Tee off early and drink a lot of water if you're going there during summer.

2 ) We-Ko-Pa, Just east of Scottsdale. All the best of desert golf! No homes on either of the 2 courses and some stunning desert views, very challenging, great design and layout. All the best things about golf and there is a hotel/Casino next to the course. Don't be fooled, these courses are not "resort" courses that have giant fairways and flat greens. They are very challenging and really give you a "fix" for desert golf. Around $225 during peak winter season. Again, summer discounts are great but be wary of the heat. Lot's and lot's of water and try and get a very early tee time.

3) TPC Scottsdale. I find it a "one time" must because if you've watched the Waste Management tournament on TV, playing 15, 16, 17 and 18 is a pretty cool experience. The course itself is not so much desert golf and the fairways and greens are not all that difficult but for a one time thing, it's worth a $300 investment to play the last four holes. Again, once, then try some of the other great courses in the area once TPC is off the "to do" list.

4) So many other great courses. Get online and check out Las Sendas, The Boulders, Gold Canyon, Grey Hawk, Wildfire and, well, you get the point. My favorite outside the above three is Las Sendas Golf Club. A Robert Trent Jones Jr course in East Mesa (Less than a half hour from the airport) that is beautiful, well maintained, has a very nice 19th hole with a nice menu, happy hour and great staff. The peak season rates are about $140 per round and they have crazy good prices in summer and early fall. The farther away from Scottsdale the more likely to find decent prices but again, it gets really hot...And, I mean really hot starting the end of May through end of September.

Where to stay? If you're flush, stay in Scottsdale at one of the resorts. They have everything from expensive to really, really expensive. If it's just a bunch of dudes doubling up in a room to save some money for after golf activities, then find a national chain close to where you're going to play and go that route. If you can afford it, stay at a Scottsdale resort...They're quite nice.

After golf activities? If you're young or young at heart, there is a nice bar/restaurant scene near Arizona State University when school is in session. If you're tastes are a little more mature (but not much) check out Old Scottsdale. Great food scene and nightlife with free golf cart rides to keep things safe and help you get back to the hotel after a night of fun.

Catch a late flight out of town and play The Phoenix Raven. Once done, it's only about 10 minutes to get to the airport on a weekend.

Next up for buddy golf trip suggestions...This year US open site, Pinehurst, North Carolina.

Desert vacation - Scottsdale, Arizona

Finishing our blog series on the top 5 cities to visit is # 5 - Scottsdale Arizona.  It's the perfect city to visit when you want to get away for 3 days...why?

First is the weather!  The weather in Arizona ranges from warm to hot.  I prefer the month of March for a few reasons.  Depending on where you live, March in Arizona will have better weather than where you live.  Make sure to check the average temperature in Scottsdale before you book your flight.  You'll want to verify that you're not traveling during the hottest AZ months (July & August) if you're not used to it.

Second are the resorts!  There are a ton of terrific options for hotels & resorts.  Pick the resort based on what you plan to do.  Check out the resorts on Scottsdale Road.  These resorts are so nice that you may not want to leave the property!  They have great restaurants, bars, usually a spa, and terrific pools.  Yes, you can swim in AZ in March!

If you're going to Arizona to play golf, make sure you find a resort near the courses you want to play.  Driving time in the Phoenix/Scottsdale area can be a factor.  If you are not planning to play golf, I highly recommend staying near the Old Town Scottsdale area so everything will be in walking distance.  I've found some of my favorite shopping places in Arizona.  Don't miss the Fashion Square Mall!  Park at the Neiman Marcus store as they offer free valet parking in the garage.  Important to keep the car cool and you don't have to hassle to find a spot yourself.

Third reason is Spring Training for baseball.  Even if you're not a baseball fan, you will enjoy the experience in March.  The stadiums are great and you can get lawn seats pretty cheap.  My favorite stadium is Salt River Fields.  Beautiful complex where the Diamondbacks and Rockies play their Spring Training games.  They have terrific food options (not just peanuts and popcorn) including gourmet treats and Sangria's for $10.  Best part, at this stadium, they bring the food to you.  It's really nice so you don't waste time standing in lines trying to get food instead of enjoying the game & sunshine.

Salt River Fields - 2014

Happy Traveling!

# 4 - San Francisco Bay Area, California

Our 4th favorite city, is the San Francisco Bay Area in California.  Part of the reason why is because it's where we grew up, met and eventually got married.  But why should you like visiting the area?

San Francisco is a beautiful city on the ocean, so there are great views in every direction.  There are two areas in the city that I enjoy most:  Union Square and Pier 39/Fisherman's Wharf.  I really enjoy spending the day shopping and eating in the Union Square area.  It has everything in walking distance - from high end shopping to affordable.  If I'm not in SF for shopping, then I want to be a tourist and there's no better place to do that than Pier 39 and Fisherman's Wharf.  You can't take a bad photo in this area.  On the left of you will see the Golden Gate Bridge, in front of you will the Alcatraz and to the right will be the Bay Bridge.  

Where to stay?  I personally feel that it's too expensive to stay in SF.  I prefer to travel up north to the town of Sonoma.  There's a quaint square in the center of Sonoma with LOTS of restaurants, bars and somewhat affordable hotels.  I'd launch from Sonoma to do a little wine tasting; either Alexander Valley or Napa Valley.  I prefer Alexander Valley, but you can't go wrong with either area.  It's too much to do both, so you should pick based on the wine you like when you're home.  

For me, I prefer the Coppola Winery.  It's not just a winery!  It has wine pairings, a restaurant and pool area.  You can spend the entire day at just this one winery.

Changing rooms at the pool - Coppola Winery

After you've had your fill of wine tasting, the next place that I would travel to and finish your vacation is Bodega Bay.  You'll be right on the Sonoma Coastline.  The water is too cold to swim in, but the views are gorgeous!  Try to stay 1 night in this area.  Have a romantic dinner at one of the many ocean front restaurants and enjoy the view.  The next morning you will find it just a short drive back to SF to head back home. 

Happy Traveling!

Las Vegas - what does it have to offer?

I've blogged about Las Vegas before and probably will again.  So why do I name it #3 on my top 5 cities to visit around the world?  Las Vegas still has an old perception out there for most people.  The perception is that all there is to do is drink and gamble.  That's NOT the Vegas that I love to visit.

Where to stay:  
Spend a little more money on the room.  I know, most people will tell you to go cheap, but I DO NOT recommend that.  You want to stay in luxury while you're on vacation - why wouldn't this apply in Vegas too?  I personally like the Palazzo Hotel.  Not only is the hotel really nice, clean and all rooms are suites, it's on the corner where there is a TON of stuff to do in walking distance.  I like to pick a hotel that has it all so I can stay on property - Palazzo does.  

What to do:
Make dinner reservations at some of the best restaurants anywhere in the US.  All the top chefs have made Vegas their second home.  Take advantage of this!  Eat really well.  Another reason why I like to stay at Palazzo is they give you a coupon book and it includes discounts to many of the 5 star restaurants.  It's a who's who of top chefs.

My personal favorite restaurant is next door at the Venetian called Bouchon.  Thomas Keller is famous and his restaurant  - AMAZING!  You won't see it by walking around - you have to take the room elevators, but it's worth it.  I always feel like I'm back in a French Bistro looking at the chalkboard of yummy options.  If you cannot find time for this, catch his outside walk up window where they sell Macaroons.  The french ones, not the coconut version.  :) You won't be able to stop at just one cookie.

Next thing I do is make sure I see 1 show while I'm there.  I've learned over the years to not preplan this part of the vacation and that's tough for a natural planner to do this.  Trust me, use the TIX 4 Tonight business.  They sell tickets for same day and next day shows at 1/2 price off what you would pay at the Casino/Hotel.  They have a spot across the street from Palazzo (at Fashion Show Mall).

Best ways to relax?
1.)  Spa appointment - My personal favorite is at Bellagio.  You have to order a treatment to have access to the spa, but is it worth it!  Once you're in - you can enjoy the entire day in the spa.  
2.)  Pool side - If you stay at a nice hotel, they will also have a nice pool.  It's great!  All the nice hotels have umbrellas if you go during the Summer months.  They will also have multiple pools so you're not fighting for space with the kids.  At the Pallazo they have a special adult pool and all the amenities that you have in the hotel are available poolside.  You drink and eat your afternoon away while enjoying the pool and sunny weather of Nevada.

One last reason why I love to go to Vegas?  They are constantly building and rebuilding - always focused on the customer and making sure you have a terrific time.  Why wouldn't they - they want to come back.

Happy Traveling!  

"What happens in Amsterdam - stays in Amsterdam?"

When I tell people that I enjoyed visiting Amsterdam, most Americans give me a funny smile and say "I'm sure you did".  I've never been a person who did drugs or drink beer, so I usually say, "why?"  Amsterdam, good or bad, is known to be a little bit of a Las Vegas without gambling.  Meaning - "What happens in Amsterdam - stays in Amsterdam?"

I found the city to be quaint, charming and beautiful.  The first thing my husband enjoyed is that we could speak English.  I loved how the water intersects with the streets and throughout the city beautifully.  The city uses water taxis to get around.  I highly suggest getting a hop on - hop off pass.  The city looks very different from the water AND the locals use bikes......LOTS of bikes.  It's a little terrifying to walk the streets as a pedestrian because of the constant sound of bells that you're in someones way!  No joke!!!

Two of my favorite museums are located in Amsterdam:  Rijksmuseum and the Van Gogh museum.  What I love about the Rijks is how different it is than any museum in France.  It's mainly Dutch work which includes furniture and doll houses.  I left the museum really feeling like I got a glimpse into the culture.  Most museums are filled with art from all over, but this one focuses mainly on the art of their country.

The Van Gogh Museum surprised me.  It's filled with multiple sunflower paintings - who knew that Van Gogh painted the same scene in so many different colors?  I found it sweet that his brother kept all the pictures and letters Van Gogh wrote him.  It was very touching to see the family love and connection.

Another great thing about Amsterdam is that it's so close to everything.  Don't forget you can easily take a train to Paris, Brussels, or even to Germany.  It's easy to arrange and safe to travel on.  Just don't leave your bags unattended.  

One last suggestion, if you have time, try to take a dinner cruise.  They will start in a small canal and work their way to the ocean.  Not only do you get to see a different part of the city, you can enjoy some of the best seafood around.  The seafood is fresh and delicious.  Most desserts include a little Belgium chocolate - what could be better??

Happy Traveling!!

Our top 5 favorite get a ways

We love to travel and we get asked all the time what are our favorite destinations.  After much thought, we've decided to dedicate our next few blogs to spotlight these top 5 destinations (so far).

#1 - Paris, France

#2 - Amsterdam, Netherlands

#3 - Las Vegas, Nevada

#4 - San Francisco Bay Area, California

#5 - Scottsdale, Arizona

There were three other locations that were closely edged out of the top 5 for various reasons:

#6 - New York City, New York - didn't make the top 5 due to how expensive it is.  Not only are the hotels pricey; eating, shopping and entertainment can cost you $1,000 a day.  Too much for our travel budget.

#7 - Santorini, Greece - Love the views and location, but once you get there it's kind of isolated.  If you're looking for a romantic and quiet get a way - then it's perfect.  I personally enjoy seeing shows, eating at fine restaurants and visiting museums, so it's not my favorite location, but loved the views.

#8 - Anaheim, California - You can't beat the weather, beaches, and Disneyland, but the top 5 offer SO much more!!

Watch for our next blog - we'll describe our top 5 locations.

Want to escape the Winter weather?

This Winter has been one of the coldest in recent history, but Arizona continues to experience gorgeous weather. March is the perfect time to visit Arizona, not only because it will give you a break from your routine, enjoy 70 - 80 degree warm Spring days, but it's also Spring Training time for baseball.

Several of the baseball teams pick the Phoenix area as their Spring Training home.  There are lots of stadiums that you can visit, but I prefer The Salt River Fields.  Home of the Colorado Rockies and Arizona Diamondbacks.  Why do I like this stadium, let me show you while I tell you what makes this stadium the best.

1.)  The food - they have all the usual game food items; popcorn, peanuts, etc.  But this field also has a restaurant and the concession stands bring the food to you while you enjoy the game!
2.)  Sangria - it will run you $10.00, but it's a pretty large serving.  My favorite is the red, it's not as sweet as the white.
3.) There's not a bad seat in the place.  I especially enjoy the lawn seats at $9.00.  You can see the lawn seats in the photo above.

Where to stay while you're here?  Make sure to verify where the stadium is 1st as the drive between stadiums can be anywhere from 20 - 45 minutes away.  Most are around the Scottsdale area and I suggest staying in a hotel in Scottsdale.  There's lots of restaurants, bars and shopping all within walking distance.  When you're not at a game, you'll want to be able to get around town easily and don't forget your swim suit...it is Arizona after all!!

Happy Traveling!

Looking for the perfect Thanksgiving get away?

Ready to get away from the craziness of the Thanksgiving and Christmas season?  Well, you may be surprised on where I recommend that you travel to.  Las Vegas! Yes, I know, most people think of Vegas in the Spring/Summer to enjoy the heat of the desert and to lay by the pool.  Think again!

Las Vegas is pretty quiet, for Vegas, during the Thanksgiving week.  You can get the same rooms for 1/2 the cost and it's NOT crowded.  You can get dinner reservations to all your favorite places, get terrific seats at the best shows and feel like you have the hotel/casinos to yourself.  And to me the best part is that you'll be there when Black Friday begins.  Vegas is known for the world class shopping and what better way to enjoy it than during the biggest sales of the year!

Here are a few photos of the GORGEOUS Palazzo/Venetian.  It's our favorite hotel because all of the rooms are suites, so we have plenty of space to spread out. Plus the staff understands how to provide outstanding customer service.  We've stayed in this hotel for the last 6 years and every trip is memorable.

Outside of the hotel

Can you see the outdoor ice skating rink?

Look at how they decorate the inside of the Canal Shops.  It's absolutely beautiful.  Tourists stop all day long to take a photo in front of the waterfall.

Waterfall in the middle of the shopping!  

Take a ride on a gondola.

Happy Traveling!