Whale Watching in America's Finest City

I am so lucky to live in such an amazing city.   San Diego has been my home since I was just two months old.  There are SO many things to do here in San Diego!  We are blessed with the beautiful coast, the mountains, downtown San Diego filled with tons of activities, Sea World, the world famous San Diego Zoo, whale watching, and so much more!

From December through April the gray whales make their annual migration from the Bering Sea down to the warm waters of Souther California and Mexico to breed.  One of the largest mammals on the planet, the grey whale mothers find warm shallow bays and lagoons during their massive trip south to give birth to their young.  Gray whales have the longest migration of any mammal, and can be spotted in many places in San Diego during these five months.

You can see the gray whales in their migration at the Birch Aquarium at Scripps (a great place to witness many different kinds of sea life).

You can also see the gray whales at Cabrillo National Monument (where you can also visit the Old Point Loma Lighthouse), and Torrey Pines (where there are many hiking trails with breathtaking views of the ocean below).

San Diego Whale Watching in America's Finest City - An infographic by the team at Marriott San Diego Hotels

Marriott has created this beautiful infographic about the annual migration of the gray whales through San Diego.  Marriott International is a leading hospitality company with over 3,800 properties in over 74 countries and territories around the world.

My family and I LOVE staying at the Marriott on our vacations.  We have stayed at the Marriott Resorts on Kuaia, Hawaaii, in Park City, Utah, in Palm Springs, CA, and already have our vacation booked at the Marriott Resort in Lake Tahoe for this summer.  I can't wait!!  We are huge fans, and love the luxury and service that we receive when staying at the Marriott.

You can also check out Marriott on:

Twitter  /  Facebook  /  Google +

Now to start checking out whale watching tours... January is only a few short days away!

xo, Laura

I was selected for this opportunity by Clever Girls Collective, however all content and opinions expressed here are my own.

Vacation Giveaway to Beautiful Puerto Rico! ($2,000 Prize Value)

This post brought to you by Puerto Rico, The All-Star Island. All opinions are 100% mine.

Puerto Rico is one of those vacation destinations that I have always dreamed about visiting.  From the relaxing beaches, to historic San Juan, to a tropical rainforest, Puerto Rico has everything that you want in a vacation!   It is filled with world-class attractions that will help you Live your own 5-star vacation story in Puerto Rico.   You don't even need a passport or any foreign money- just hop on a plane and go!

PLUS, Keep reading to see how you can win a trip to the beautiful Island of Puerto Rico!!  How amazing would that be?!  A few other bloggers and I are giving away this trip of a lifetime!

My top Must-See's in Puerto Rico:

1.  Bioluminescent bays-   Take a swim or kayak ride in the Bioluminescent Bays and you will light up and glow!  You have to check out the photos online of people doing this, because it's simply amazing!  The glowing is caused by ocean plankton which make a green and blue illumination when disturbed. This is such a unique experience that can't be missed!

2. Visit the Rainforest-  Did you know that Puerto Rico has the only tropical rainforest under the U.S. National Park Service?  It's called El Yunque, and it has a beautiful waterfall and a pool underneath that you can swim in.  You can even hike through the rainforest up to the clouds for an amazing view!

3.  Relax on the Beach-  Puerto Rico has 270 miles of coastline and is featured in the Top 10 Beaches from the Travel Channel.  This includes Flamenco Beach in Culebra, which is often cited as one of the best beaches in the world!

4.  Historic San Juan-  The capital city of Puerto Rico, San Juan is known for its' Old World charm.  It's the oldest city under U.S. jurisdiction, and was founded in 1521.  I would love to visit and walk the streets of Old San Juan!

5.  Camuy Caverns-  The Camuy Caverns run through the third largest subterranean river in the world, and are nothing short of inspiring.  The caverns are part of an underground network of limestone caves and underground waterways, and is one of the most popular natural attractions in Puerto Rico.

Be sure to check out SeePuertoRico.com, and leave a comment telling me why you want to visit Puerto Rico.

Now that you know what a beautiful and exciting place Puerto Rico is, how would you like to win a trip for two?  One lucky winner will win a trip for two to Puerto Rico that includes airfare, a 3-night stay (in one room), and food credit, which is a total prize valued up to $2,000!

Here's how to enter to win!

Entering to win this trip to Puerto Rico is easy!

1.  Leave a comment on this blog post about your favorite amenities in Puerto Rico.  You can find your favorite here on SeePuertoRico.com.

**Examples:  Flamenco Beach, the old world charm of San Juan, etc.!

For additional entries:

2.  Tweet a message about what you would like to do in Puerto Rico, with a link back to this blog post and the hashtag #5StarPR.  Make sure you leave your tweet URL in the comments on this post below so we know you tweeted!  You can also Follow @PRTourismCo on Twitter.

3.  Like SeePuertoRico.com on Facebook.  Leave a comment on this blog post stating that you liked them on Facebook.

Here are the Official Contest Rules if you'd like to read them.  Good luck everyone!!  I can't wait to see who wins this trip of a lifetime to the beautiful island of Puerto Rico!

xo, Laura

A Day at the Hollywood Wax Museum

Sometimes life can get so busy and hectic that you just need a vacation, a chance to escape and get away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life.  A chance to see and experience new things.  Last month my family and I took a quick weekend getaway up to Los Angeles and Hollywood to do just that!  While there we visited the Hollywood Wax Museum for some family fun, and had a great time!  

Hollywood Wax Museum is the longest running wax museum in the United States, and will be celebrating its' 50th anniversary in 2015.  It has also been the most visited indoor attraction in Hollywood since since 1965.  Impressive, right?  My family and I had high expectations, and we were not let down!

The Hollywood Wax Museum has been owned an operated by the same family since 1965.  The Hollywood sign on Hollywood Blvd. has 17 stars on it that represent each of the founder's children and grandchildren, which I love!

My family's favorite part of the Hollywood Wax Museum is that it was designed for interaction.  Instead of just walking by and looking, you are actually encouraged to walk into the open sets and take photos with the celebrity figures, which was TONS of fun for my four kids (okay, let's face it- and for me!).

Even my two year old had to get in on the action on the Titanic!

It's amazing how accurate the wax statues are.  They are so realistic you almost think you're standing right next to the real thing.One minute you're helping the Men in Black protect the country from aliens, and the next minute you're dancing with JLo!

I love that there is a good mix of new favorite celebrities, as well as some of the classics, such as Lucy Ricardo!  I just had to pose with her ;)

Hollywood Wax Museum is continually surveying guests about who their favorite figures are in the museum, and those they would like to see in the museum.  I love that the least favorites are replaced regularly and the museum is updated constantly to give visitors the best experience possible, and to keep it fresh!

My daughter fit right in fighting crime with Charlie's Angels... look out bad guys!

And my son loved sharing a box of chocolates with Mr. Forrest Gump himself.

My husband even had a chance to stare down Clint Eastwood.... now that's something that you don't get to do every day!

And I just couldn't resist taking a photo with these two funny guys.  I remember watching the old black and white Laurel and Hardy shows with my dad, and loving them!

Our family had a fabulous time at the Hollywood Wax Museum, and yours will too!  There are three locations across the United States that you can visit- Hollywood, CA, Branson, MO, and Pigeon Forge, TN.  If you'll be in the area, make sure you add this to your list of must sees!

To keep up with all the latest happenings, be sure to like the Hollywood Wax Museum on Facebook.

Happy travels!

xo, Laura


I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

The Importance of Family Vacations

Think back to some of your most fun, favorite times with your family as a child.  Chances are, some of those times include when you were on a family vacation.  Some of my favorite memories as a child and as an adult are of me on vacation with my family.  So many happy memories!

I am a firm believer in the the power and importance of family vacations with your loved ones.  It doesn't have to be a trip to a far off, exotic land for your family to have fun together and create lasting memories!  My family will be going on a short, but sweet vacation soon to Hollywood, where we will be checking out The Hollywood Wax Museum (you can check out their Facebook page here) for the first time... I can't wait!!

Here are a few great reasons why I believe family vacations are so important...

Vacation to Hawaii

1.  Everyone needs a break.  We all get burned out from the daily grind, and often times a vacation is one of the only ways we can escape and get away and forget about work and a strict schedule.  A vacation should be carefree and fun, allowing you to relax and forget about the stress of everyday life!  When you take a break, you come back stronger and refreshed, and are a better worker (and parent) because of it.

Hiking up to the Mt. Timpanagus Caves two weeks before baby #3 was due

2.  Lasting memories.  My kids LOVE going through our scrapbooks, where I have documented some of our many family vacations.  They often talk about the adventures that we have had, the things that they have seen, and the fun they have had on our vacations.  These are lasting memories that they will share one day with their children, which important.  My kids will know that we loved being with them and spending time with them through our family vacations!

Snowball fight on a last minute vacation to Mt. Arrowhead

Even dad got in on the fun at throwing snow!

3.  Open up Your Eyes.  When you travel with your kids, they are being exposed to new ways of life and new people and cultures, which is always a good thing.  Even if you stay within the U.S., you can teach the kids about different local cuisines, the history of the area, and learn about new locations and activities.  The world is their classroom!

Brother/Sister bonding on vacation

4.  Reconnect.  Family ties can be strengthened and relationships can be made stronger on family vacations.  By doing different activities that are out of the norm, and going outside our comfort zone, we naturally grow stronger as individuals and as a family.  

Vacation mom and daughter time

5.  It's About Time.  One of the biggest reasons for my family to take a vacation is time.  Many times my husband and I are so busy with work, school assignments, church responsibilities, etc. that we don't always have the time to just sit and play with our kids and watch them show us whatever is they want us to watch for hours on end.  While on vacation, there are no emails to read, laundry to fold, bathrooms to scrub... it's all "us" time, so we can focus on each other and taking the time to do whatever it is we want to do, even if it is just relaxing on the beach watching our kids play in the sand!  Sounds nice, doesn't it?!

So what are you waiting for?  Start planning your next vacation today!  With all of these amazing benefits, why wait?  I'll be sure to keep you updated on our family vacation to Hollywood, and share my pictures of us at The Hollywood Wax Museum with you!  Be sure to follow me on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter to keep up!

So what was your favorite vacation and why?  I'd love to hear!

xo, Laura

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.