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Travel

Florida Keys Travel Diary

Happy Monday Ya’ll! The most highly requested blog post is here: Florida Keys Travel Diary. I will be taking you along today on where we stayed, what we ate, and what we did during our stay.

Where We Stayed

We stayed at Cheeca Lodge & Spa in Islamorada, Florida. This resort was absolutely beautiful & the staff was amazing. Everywhere on property was a picturesque scene from palm trees to stunning ocean views. Our room overlooked the ocean and one of my favorite parts was the soaking tub on the balcony. I’m pretty sure I had two bubble baths a day and some consisted a glass of wine. The rooms were very airy and spacious creating a very relaxing vibe. A lot of you asked if this would be a great honeymoon option and my answer is YES. Cheeca has two pools, plenty of restaurants on site, a beach to lay out on, a couple walk up bars, and sooo many other amenities. Also, you get free paddle board & kayak rentals while staying at Cheeca. One of my favorite perks of the resort.

Where We Ate

Morada Bay Beach Cafe – We came here when we arrived for lunch and it was truly one of my favorite places to eat. If you like shrimp tacos this is definitely a great option.

Atlantic’s Edge – This restaurant is on property at Cheeca and it was super convenient when we didn’t want to go out to eat elsewhere. Justin and I had the best truffle fries for an appetizer & fish to top it off.

Cafe Moka – BY FAR MY FAVORITE PLACE FOR COFFEE. It is tucked away and gives off so many “boho” vibes. We went here every morning during our trip (literally). A couple iced caramel macchiatos & breakfast quiche did the trick!

Islamorada Fish Company – Some of the best sweet potato tots & tacos hands down. The atmosphere was amazing here and it ended up being a great lunch stop.

Kaiyo Grill – We needed our sushi fix one night & I have to say some of the BEST SUSHI & Key Lime Edamame I’ve ever had. They get super packed so try to get there at a decent time.

Lorelei Restaurant & Cabana Bar – Key Lime pina coladas.. enough said.

What We Did

This trip was a super relaxing one. Majority of the time we hung out by the beach & pool. Justin and I went kayaking one day and snorkeling another. The Florida Keys has so much to offer especially for fishing. It was truly an experience I will never forget and I am looking forward to going back hopefully in the near future. If you guys have any other questions about our trip feel free to reach out.

3 Day Beach Trip Checklist

Happy Tuesday Friends!

Justin & I are driving an hour and a half tomorrow to Gulf Shores to spend a few days relaxing by the pretty blue waters. Luckily one of our favorite hotel spots has opened back up and we are super excited to finally be able to take a little road trip. Anyone who knows us, knows we love to travel and It’s crazy to say we’ve been inside for two months straight. We have been super fortunate to be able to explore new places over the past few years & this time being at home has made us even more grateful for all of the past & upcoming opportunities.

I always get questions about packing for the beach and I wanted to share a few items on my 3 day beach trip checklist. As a blogger, I usually plan all of my outfits out and even if you aren’t a blogger I still feel it is extremely helpful to plan. When shopping for a beach trip, I’m always looking for a couple swimsuits + coverups to last for the days I will be on the beach all day. Here are a few must haves to go in my suitcase:

  • A pair of neutral colored sandals to go with practically anything in my suitcase. Linking my favorite pair of Tory Burch Sandals here & my go-to Target pair here.
  • 2-3 Swimsuits
  • Sunscreen + tanning lotion (click here for a summer shimmer go-to lotion of mine)
  • Sunhat – found this pink one at Target for under $25 and I am so stoked to wear it.
  • Beach Bag – this bag is a great dupe option for the pink Chanel tote & it’s under $70. You can even get it monogrammed as well.
  • Sunglasses – these pearl dupe sunglasses are an amazon favorite and they are under $17.

Having a few essentials is always a good idea especially when you sometimes have a limited capacity on your suitcase lol. I always try to bring a few versatile pieces with me so I can get a few outfits out of one item. I would love to hear your packing must haves. Leave them in the comment section below!

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Smoky Mountains: Travel Diary

Where We Stayed

We just got back from one of my favorite trips with some of our best friends and I couldn’t wait to share all of the details with you all. I received so many questions about our little Airbnb. We stayed in Sevierville, TN about 20-30 min away from Gatlinburg. We didn’t want to be in the main tourist area so as soon as I saw this one, I knew it was time to book our oasis. The last two miles on the way up to the cabin you find yourself winding through the trees on a few steep inclines and end up on top of the hill with a breathtaking view. We ended up cooking dinner a couple of nights and staying in because it was just simply relaxing.

What We Did

Instead of the normal go go go, we decided to stay in a lot and enjoy the view. We went into town a few times to eat lunch & the boys needed to grab a few fishing lures but other than that it was a pretty relaxing trip filled with a bunch of nature. The first morning, my friend and I decided to make a pre-valentines day breakfast for the boys and it ended up being so good! Mimosas & heart waffles sure hit the spot.

After getting ready for the day, we went into town and explored Pigeon Forge a little bit. There is SO much to-do and I wish we would’ve had another week! We ended the night playing games, cooking steak, and relaxing in the hot-tub. It was FREEZING outside so the run from the door to the hot-tub felt like 50 yards lol.

We Went Hiking

Sunday morning we hiked to a waterfall called “Laurel Falls”. We knew it had to be a super popular trail because it took a bit to find a parking space. The hike upwards was about a 1.3 mile totaling 2.6 overall. The bears were hibernating it seemed so I’m glad we didn’t have to worry about that. It felt great to be outdoors & take in all of the scenery for the day. We for sure got a workout out of it. The waterfall was stunning & the boys were able to get some amazing drone footage (can’t wait to show y’all). The decision to bring my fabletics paid off in the end & I loved wearing this set!

Linking this set HERE

Our Last Day

Check out was at 10 am Monday so Justin & I decided to get up/pack and drive to Gatlingburg to see the sky bridge before leaving .We ate breakfast at a little place called “Pancake Pantry” & it was so delicious. Definitely ate our maximum carbs for the week lol. After breakfast, we bought tickets for the ski-lift to get up to the sky bridge and the ride up there was AMAZING. I was honestly a little scared to walk across the bridge because it was SO long but Justin was there by my side & we did it together haha! I would suggest if you are taking a trip here anytime soon that it’s a must. They give you a wrist band so you are able to go up/down as much as you want to. We had such a fun time.

This past weekend was surely one never to forget. If you are wanting to stay at any Airbnb anytime soon, you can use my link to get $$ off of your first stay anywhere!

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Vail Travel Diary

When the word “vacation” comes to mind, all I can think about is a sandy beach with my toes inches from the water. This past week, the word “vacation” became a whole new word for me. We decided to plan a trip to Vail, CO a few months ago. We had enough American Airlines miles to basically get two free round trips (which was AMAZING) if you ask me. If you aren’t apart of the AA ADVANTAGE program, I highly suggest joining or one similar to your airline preference. There are so many perks available for flying & if you play it right you can land round trips!

Outfit Link Here

Flight & Drive to Vail

Neither of us (my fiancé and I) had been to the state of Colorado before so we weren’t really sure what it would be like. In my opinion, this state is so overlooked. When flying into Denver, gorgeous mountains appeared in the distance and little did I know, that was just the beginning of it. As soon as we landed, we anxiously went to grab our bags and take the shuttle over to get our rental car for the 5 days we would be there.The drive from Denver to Vail was about 1 hour and 30 min ( we landed before rush hour ). The drive was filled with windy roads, mountains with snow, tunnels, and cute little towns along the way. We were completely stunned by the beauty of everything surrounding us. At one point, we drove through a tunnel and at the very end of it was a WINTER WONDERLAND. I would drive this over & over again any day. We stopped in a little town called Frisco & took a few pictures by Lake Dillon along the way!

Q. Where did you stay?

A. We stayed at the Grand Hyatt Vail right next to Lionshead Village. This was one of the best & coziest resorts I’ve ever stayed at. At the time being, the slopes weren’t open yet around Vail except in Keystone ( we knew this before going ) but it gave us so much relaxing time and the “nowhere to be” feeling. As soon as we walked in, we were greeted with floor to ceiling windows of the Vail outdoors along with lounging by the two fireplaces. This resort had so much to offer, from yummy breakfast to an infinity pool & an outdoor creek trail for all the runners/walkers. They have daily activities for guest & usually around 4:30-6:30 they had hot cocoa & cookies. One day it was macaroons!

Outfit Link Here
Outfit Link Here

Q. What did you do while you were there?

A. We did a handful of things while we were there. Since it still was “off season” when we went, crowds were minimal. At one point, I felt like we had the whole resort to ourselves. It was a super nice feeling. We went exploring the first day around the resort & into Vail Village for a little shopping and a bite to eat. They had the cutest Starbucks nestled away & of course I had to grab a hot chocolate. Another day, we went to Lionshead Village to walk around to do the same. At one point during the day it started snowing so hard so we ran into a bar & had some nachos and a couple beers! Perfect combo right?! lol. Honestly, it was so fun. The village has an ice-skating rink in the center and I thought that was so pretty & something fun to do!

Justin wanted to go hiking when we were there and I wasn’t opposed because of all of the amazing views. We put on layers after layers and went up Booth Falls Trail. Apparently, this is a super popular trail and we could see why after we hiked up a bit. It was covered in snow & snowing at the same time. Imagine that.

One of our favorite things to do was relax at the resort. The last night we went to the restaurant they have on property, sat at the bar, and had a cheese plate with a few drinks. We sat by the fire & just laughed and talked the night away. I can’t describe how cozy & relaxing this was! This was honestly one of my favorite nights there.

Outfit Link Here

Q. Vail Food Must do’s?

A. We ate at soooo many delicious places during our trip. Our top picks are as follows:

Breakfast: We ate breakfast at the resort most of the time. We would sit by the windows with the breathtaking views and sip our morning coffee. They also had a mini market where you could get all the lattes & cold brews and muffins if you did not want to do a sit down breakfast.

Lunch: Pepis in Vail Village was an amazing lunch spot. It’s an Austrian restaurant and the pretzel bun French dips can’t be beat!

Dinner: Garfinkel’s in Lionshead Village was superrrr great. This was the night it started heavily snowing and we just ran into a bar to have a few drinks. If you’re looking for something more casual, then this is a good place to consider.

Desert: Hot Chocolate at the Remedy bar at the Four Seasons Resort was the most satisfying desert ever. I wrote a whole blog post about it here.

Q. What did you pack for Vail?

A. My packing list consisted of : basic layers, boots (preferably snow or duck boots), beanies, scarves, coats, hot hand warmers, foot warmers, ski pants, heavy puffer etc. Basically all the comfiesss!

Q. Who took your photos & how did you find such a good photographer far away?

A. If I am in need of photos somewhere I am traveling, I usually search the hashtag for example #vailphotographer or #vailphotography. I will then try to scope out someone who stands out to me and has my sense of color, editing style. I am SO THANKFUL I found @mackrophotography. Her photography website is linked here. Not only does she shoot amazing photos but she was the sweetest and knew EXACTLY what she was doing.

Q. Were your toes not freezing during your photoshoot?

A. GIRL YES, but you gotta do it for the gram lol & I didn’t think about shoes for that particular dress (oops). She had a Jeep Wrangler so we kept getting in & out ( I loved her for that hahaha). My toes needed all the heat after from that photoshoot.

Things to know before you go:

  • Resorts have fees so pay attention to them ( valet parking, resort daily fees, breakfast fees etc.). Just make sure you ask before you book your stay! Also incidentals etc.
  • Bring all the layers. You can never have too many.
  • Remember Vail is at a higher altitude if you don’t live in the mountains already.
  • Get a rental car with FOUR WHEEL DRIVE. I’m so glad we did… otherwise I don’t know how we would’ve made it.
  • Parking in Vail is super high so use your resort shuttle to take you places. Some parking garages are free in the off season.

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A taste of the world’s best hot cocoa in Vail

I never imagined writing a blog post about hot cocoa, but here it is. Before heading to Vail, I researched online about must-do’s while we were there and “hot cocoa at the Four Season’s” popped up. It was definitely a food splurge moment but the presentation of them preparing it right in front of you was beyond worth it. There is a bar inside the hotel called “The Remedy” that serves this amazing taste of sweetness. It was snowing outside and seemed like the perfect scenario to sit back, relax by the fire, and sip on hot cocoa. I have a video posted on my Instagram story highlights under “travel” so you guys can see what I’m talking about!


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Disney Trip

Welcome to my Disney Travel Diary

Disney is such a great place for for all ages to have a great time.The first time I ever experienced this magical place was when I was 6 years old. My grandpa retired and decided to take all of us on a fun trip that December. I remember my cousins and I sound asleep and my grandpa waking us up to the sound of pulling my Woody Toy Story doll, “There’s a snake in my boot”. While Toy Story was an obsession, Cinderella was another. Disney has always been something special to my heart and I think you can never be too old for a little imagination right?!

The most annoying thing I get is ” You’re going again?”. UM YES, sorry to burst your bubble but I sure am lol. Traveling is something I’ve always loved and getting to spend time in my favorite places is something I bring to heart. Budget your money right, take time off, and you’re good to go!

Day 1

Top (SOLD OUT) / Joggers / Iridescent Bag / Tory Shoes

We chose to drive to Disney. Living back in Memphis we would always fly, but luckily, living down on the coast cuts a chunk of hours off. Disney is 7 1/2 hours from my house and is not that bad of a drive. My grandparents live next to 30A so we always spend the night there to split up the trip. This was the travel outfit I decided to wear because I always love to be comfy on trips! I get super cold in the car so pants were a must lol.

We stayed 5 nights at Disney’s Pop Century Resort two weeks before Memorial Day (May 11th-16th). I felt like this was the perfect length to stay & the best time to visit the parks during the “Summer months”. There wasn’t really the huge crowd that I am used to and the weather was AMAZING (except for one day where it poured like a monsoon haha) Pop Century has probably been one of my favorite places that I’ve stayed in. Not only is it beyond colorful, kid friendly, and convenient, but it sits around a lake where we watched Disney test out the gondolas during the day. The only slight con I encountered was the bus situation. Every park we went to, it seemed like our lines were the longest. I guess everyone decided to stay at our resort but that’s okay! We still had a wonderful time.

We got to Disney around 4pm on a Saturday. If you check-in on your phone through the My Disney Experience app (which I highly recommend getting) you can skip the front desk check-in and head straight for your room. They will ship the magic bands beforehand so you can access your room. Pop Century was recently updated so the rooms were FANTASTIC and at a moderate cost.

After getting settled and dressed up for the night, we took the transportation bus to Downtown Disney or what they now call Disney Springs. At the resort, they have buses constantly running to each different theme park until they close. We had reservations at Planet Hollywood for 8pm so we had about two hours to spare when we got there. The first thing we did was go on a scavenger hunt for the millennial pink champagne that everyone has been going crazy over. We found it at Amorette’s Patisserie in Disney Springs. It had to be the most expensive glass of champagne I had ever encountered but it was well worth the $20! It came with a Minnie shaped piece of white chocolate on top. You can see below how happy I was lol.

Top/ Shorts

We walked around a bit going through shops, and seeing what else was around before going to Planet Hollywood to have dinner. We stopped by the Coca-Cola store and if you haven’t been there I suggest going. They have a great rooftop area that overlooks Disney Springs & what better way than to share a coke?!

Disney Springs is the place to go if you’re looking for some amazing food, atmosphere, or a break from the parks. Our experience at Planet Hollywood was so fun! Justin had never been and the atmosphere in the restaurant makes you want to stay the entire night. They have shadow boxes from celebrity movie/concert outfits. Justin was dying to get a picture with Adam Sandler’s jersey from Happy Gilmore. See below haha.

Planet Hollywood had a great deal of food and it was YUMMY. It’s just your average American style food and we had nachos to share. They could have fed about four people. One thing I love to order are their french fries. So if you have a taste for anything like that, this place is your go-to. After dinner, we decided to head back to the resort and hit the sheets! We needed rest for the next park day ahead.

Day 2

To me, waking up at Disney is so exciting. The first morning at Disney I am always down to walk and get Mickey waffles that I have been craving for months. For all you Disney fanatics, you know exactly what I am talking about. Justin became addicted after a few days lol. Great TIP: to save yourself money get the refillable mug at your resort which is around $18-$20 bucks. I know it seems a lot but if you are going to be there for a few days it will save you TONS. ALWAYS buy it the first day because I waited a couple.

We decided to plan out our day with Typhoon Lagoon (one of Disney’s two waterparks) then head to Animal Kingdom for the late afternoon. The waterpark opened at 10am and we ended up staying until 3pm. This was our first time at a Disney waterpark and it was so much fun! The wait times were minimum (around 5 min) which was nothing. The Caribbean feel was my favorite. This was a great idea because it was around 90 degrees that day, so water fun was a must!

SWIM

After leaving Typhoon Lagoon, we went back to the resort and got ready to go to Animal Kingdom. Justin & I were beyond pumped because we miraculously got fast passes for Avatar Flight of Passage. Another tip I have is for you to book your fast passes exactly 60 days before the trip (that’s when Disney lets you). When I mean right on the dot, DO IT. You might have the chance to get some of your favorite rides.

If you haven’t taken a ride on Avatar, it is a necessity when coming to Disney. I remember the first time, my friends and I waited 3 hours but when I say it was worth it… IT WAS. Probably one of the best rides out there. Justin was amazed! We ended up riding different attractions through the night and stopped by Flametree Barbecue to grab some dinner. It was DELICIOUS. Our last ride of the night was Kilimanjaro Safari. We rode this during sunset which in my opinion, the best time to take a ride in the safari. Surprisingly, this was my first time and it ended up being one of my favorites!

Top/Skort/Shoes/Bag/Ears

Our feet were worn out after so much walking that day, so we ended the night with Mickey shaped ice-cream and the fireworks at Animal Kingdom!

Day 3

Our third day consisted of Hollywood Studios. This was the day it ended up pouring like a monsoon lol. I remember after being at the park for a couple hours, running and being drenched by the time we got to the bus. We stayed and used our fast-passes till around 1pm (when it started to pour). Once you use all of them, Disney will let you get more in the app so remember that! Also, if you keep checking the app for your favorite rides, some people might cancel fast passes last minute and you could be the lucky one to get them. If you like a yummy sweet snack in HW Studios, there is a chocolate chip cookie big enough for two over by the Incredibles section. It’s called Jack Jack’s cookie. Make sure you get them when they are fresh, otherwise you will be eating a hard cookie lol & no one likes that.

Top/Shorts/Ears

We were going to save Magic Kingdom for a full day but it happens to be my favorite park so we went that afternoon after lunch! It had just stopped raining so the weather was definitely in our favor. We ended up riding Space Mountain a few times and snacked on a Mickey pretzel. While we were there we mainly stopped at the little stands for food because honestly we thought it was the best. Churros, pretzels, cheeseburger spring rolls (the best thing ever) we definitely were not counting carbs that week. How can you resist at Disney?! lol.

Ears/Romper/

Day 4

A day filled with Magic Kingdom was planned for Day 4! Justin and I got engaged back in November so we wore matching shirts this day that I purchased off of etsy. I can’t tell you how many “congrats” we received & we got a free churro out of it! So sweet. Since we only decided to ride a few rides the night before, we planned to stay here all day and ride the ones we didn’t get the chance to. Only of my favorite kid rides is Peter Pan. Luckily, we had a fast pass because there always seems to be over an hour wait for that one. If you want a good laugh, I would suggest going to ride on the Jungle Cruise in Adventure Land. The tour guide is hilarious and it will give you a good chance to sit down & rest for about 15-20 min. Seven dwarfs mine train is another one of my favorites, but you better have a fast pass for that one too unless you have magic hours or after hours at the park!

Throughout the day we decided to not rush and just play it by ear at magic Kingdom. We were beyond exhausted by the end of the day and our feet were over it. I always have a tradition before I leave Magic Kingdom to go in the bakery and get one of my favorite Minnie cake pops. They are the best things you will ever taste!

Another tip.. WEAR GOOD SHOES. I choose fashion over comfort but next time I will have to find a pair that fits both needs.

Shirts / Ears/Shorts

Day 5

Our final day was absolutely the best. We spent the morning at Disney’s Blizzard Beach after sleeping in a bit which is another waterpark that Disney owns. The atmosphere was really neat. Like I said before, this was my first time to this specific waterpark. Justin liked this one better, but I think I liked them both the same because they were different in a lot of ways. This park seemed more for the big kids because of all the different slide heights, but they do have a kid area and lazy river etc. We stayed in the lazy river for about an hour and a half because it was so relaxing. It seemed like no one was at the park this day. It was a Wednesday and we were there until around 4pm. The waterparks are definitely something I will do again. This is a great idea if you want to take a break from the theme parks. We had the park hopper plus option for all four days which includes admission to all theme parks each day and waterparks.

After Blizzard Beach we decided to go back to the room and get ready to go eat dinner and dessert at Epcot. I booked the Frozen Ever After dessert party (this was the first time I had booked one). I’ve always heard that if you were going to book one, do the one in Epcot before the light show. Not to mention it’s an open bar for those over 21 and all you can eat dessert! The experience was worth the money and after it was over, the cast members escorted you to ride the Frozen ride after everyone in the park was leaving. This was super fun because one of my favorite movies is Frozen! haha. I’m for sure still a kid at heart and that’s totally okay, but I recommend this for little ones and adults.

Swim
Skirt/Ears

I’m so glad you guys could read along! Hope I gave you guys some ideas when visiting Disney World. Here are a few extra questions I have received if your curious..

” Who is your fav Disney character?” Okay this one is hard! I love Cinderella but also love Elsa & Ana… but probably Cinderella.

“Have you ever been to Disneyland?” No! I would love to go soon. Also, Disneyland Paris is one of my dream places!

“Are there any Cars themed attractions?” Disneyland I have heard has Cars World while WDW as of right now does not have a lot except one theatre experience in Hollywood Studios. I wish they had more because that is one of my favorite movies as a kid!

“Best places to stay with kids/grandkids” ahhh thats a hard one. Pop Century was very kid friendly and so many families were saying there. It basically depends on how much $ you want to spend and what your resort style is.

“Best time to come to Disney?” Hands down… FALL. The weather is perfect and all of the decorations are so pretty.

Leave a comment below if you have anything you’d like me to answer!

XOXO,

Kenzie

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