Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge

I love Disney World when staying at one of their better hotels, like Animal Kingdom Lodge. Animal Kingdom Lodge allows you to experience a tiny piece of Africa without going, a little piece of what Disney does best, create magic.  Here, it's worth it to pay a little bit more to get a view of the animals in the savannas.  On this trip, I was alone for work and loved waking up each morning to giraffes, zebras, and flamingos outside my window.  Both of the restaurants, Jiko and Boma, are two of my favorites in Disney World. Jiko is best for a Big Night Out and Boma for their brunch buffet.

Lobby

Looking out from the lobbyThe lobby is soaring with a huge mud fireplace, objects made in Africa, and floor-to-ceiling windows giving you a great view to the tropical savannas, with over 30 species of wildlife to see.  You also have the option to sign up for the Wanyama Safari to get up-close to to the animals if you're staying at Animal Kingdom Lodge, which is an additional fee.

Standard Room

Loved the wallpaper in the bathroom

A Disney Greeting

Morning view

If it's your first time going to Disney World and you have kids, I just came across a new e-book called The Busy Family's Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World by Jeffrey Merola.  He's a teacher in upstate New York but has spent 140 days at Disney World over the past 15 years, researching and writing the book especially for families looking to get the most out of their visits. I don't have kids, but I still enjoyed reading it for his great tips.

Girl's Trip to the Florida Keys: Sunset Key Guest Cottages

I NEED time alone with just girlfriends!  Many of my best friends don't live near me, so sometimes we'll plan trips to catch up.  One of these trips was a summer visit to Key West, 90 miles from Cuba, with a swinging party scene.  We felt a little too old for that scene, so we rented bikes, had cold drinks by the pool, great dinners, and of course, talked!  When we started wilting under the August heat, we took a boat over to Sunset Key Guest Cottages for lunch.  The island of Sunset Key felt cooler and a million miles away from the spring break vibe of Key West.  Without leaving the U.S., it felt like we were on a private Caribbean island. 

A Guest CottageLunch was alfresco dining at its best, with an unbeatable view of the Gulf of Mexico as we enjoyed Sunset Key shrimp, crab cakes, salads and tropical fruit.  We had taken a vacation from our vacation, the frenetic pace of Key West, and it was just what we needed.

Each of the one to four bedroom cottages has amazing ocean views and I loved the brightly colored designs and home-away-from home feel. 

I'll definitely be going back to Sunset Key Guest Cottages for this view.

My friends Kira & Carrie with me!