What We Spent on Spring Break

Cost of family travel is a common topic among parents. And this recent article in the New York Times definitely got the family travel blog group I'm a part of buzzing. In it, $4,500 is given as the cost of a "budget" trip for spring break.

Say what?! I don't know about you, but $4,500 and "budget" don't belong in the same sentence as far as I'm concerned. So I thought I'd take a look back at what our trip to Florida for spring break last year cost our family of four.

I outline our expenses below. You'll see that we spent well under $2,000. And by no means did we keep a tight watch on our wallets while there. We ate out often (at least once each day, usually at sit-down restaurants). We still went to major attractions, like the Lowry Park Zoo in Tampa. And we stayed in a 2-bedroom condo across from the beach. I didn't even really think of this as a budget trip. 

In fact, this was the most expensive trip we took all year. The rest of our travels in 2012 involved driving, staying with family, or both. So we were comfortable taking on the expense of this vacation, knowing that our other travels were significantly less.

COSTS for 2012 Trip to Madeira Beach, Florida

DAY 1

Dinner out at sit-down restaurant:                                                                                        $50
Groceries:                                                                                                                                  $103
(included diapers, wine, beer and beach toys in addition to food supplies)

DAY 2

Toll at Fort De Soto Park:                                                                                                          $0.50
Lunch at sit-down restaurant:                                                                                                  $45
Dinner (pizza take-out) :                                                                                                            $14

Day 3

Expenses at Farmer’s Market:                                                                                                   $10
($5 for 2 empanadas, $5 donation for balloon animal)
Lunch at sit-down restaurant:                                                                                                    $32
Dinner at sit-down restaurant:                                                                                                  $60

Day 4

Zoo admission:                                                                                                                              $48
Lunch at zoo cafe:                                                                                                                         $27
Seafood dinner take-out:                                                                                                            $48
Ice cream:                                                                                                                                      $10

Day 5

Lunch at sit-down restaurant:                                                                                                     $35

General

Equipment rental:                                                                                                                         $48
(Included jogging stroller, baby swing and pack n play. $48 is after I used a $20 gift card.)

Rental Car:                                                                                                                                      $306
(included 2 car seats for 5 days)

Vacation rental:                                                                                                                             $406
(2 BR, 1 bath condo across the street from beach for 4 nights)

Flight to/from Indianapolis/Tampa for 3 people + 1 lap child:                                               $538      
1 checked bag:                                                                                                                      $40 ($20 each way)

TOTAL:                                                                                                                                             $1820.50

You spent HOW MUCH to take me to Florida?

Ways we saved:

·        Free fun at places like Fort De Soto Park and hours spent on the beach across from our condo.

·        A trip to the grocery store meant we always ate breakfast at the condo and the adults had an adult beverage each night when kids were in bed, instead of drinking at restaurants or bars.

·        We stayed across the street from the beach instead of beach front. We also only stayed 4 nights instead of a full week. With kids so young, we find this is a good length of time. Plus, my husband doesn't have to use as many vacation days and we can take additional trips throughout the year.

·        Our condo did not have a pool, which was a huge price break when comparing similar properties in the area.
 

·       My parents dropped us off and picked us up at the airport, so we had no parking expenses.

Ways we splurged:

·       We rented car seats, a stroller, pack n play and baby swing. We also checked a bag. I despise lugging stuff through the airport and it was much easier to have those items waiting for us upon arrival.

·       Our 2-bedroom condo. We avoid staying in hotels for more than just a night or two because our kids are so young. Everyone sleeps much better this way.

·       When pricing flights, there were several options that had one stop which were $50-$100 less than the direct flight we booked. But it was so nice to have my toes in the sand within hours of leaving Indy.

·       We love to eat out when on vacation, so while we could have had more lunches and dinners at our condo, we enjoy trying out great restaurants in the area.
 

You can't put a price tag on memories like this.

 

This post is a part of Travel Tips Tuesday at Walking on Travels and Suitcases and Sippy Cups.

 

Then and Now: 2013 edition

I love the way photos help us mark the passage of time, particularly when it comes to the growth of young kids. One of the things I hope to do now and then on this blog is show, in a visual way, how our adventures change as the Arrows grow older. I've done this before, but now that Little Arrow is in the mix, it's even more fun to look back.

In 2011, my husband captured this moment during our trek to the pumpkin patch at Nienabers Farm Market.

Fast forward a year during our return to Nienabers, sit on the same bench, and replace that big pregnant belly with an 11-month old. (We also got a new camera... huge difference!)

At the 2011 Indiana State Fair, Big Arrow couldn't get enough of Little Hands on the Farm, especially feeding the pig.

He was still pretty enamored with the pig in 2012 (and was also willing to wear the hat and apron they provide).

All while Little Arrow observed intently, quietly plotting his pig-feeding tactics for the 2013 fair.

During our 2011 trip to St. Petersburg, Florida, I relaxed on a beach chair at Fort De Soto Park and watched these two play in the water.

In 2012, I still watched these two play at Fort DeSoto.

I just did it from a beach blanket while nursing Little Arrow.

I can only imagine what 2013 will have in store for us and how quickly our lives and travels will change. Thankfully, I'll always have pictures to help me remember (particularly because the sleep deprivation and constant toddler chasing means I hardly recall what I ate for breakfast...)

Thanks for joining me on a little walk down memory lane!

This post is a part of Photo Friday at Delicious Baby.

Artsy Travel Memories

Just like I can never pass up a photo opportunity with a beautiful flower, there's rarely a piece of public art that I walk by on our travels that I don't snap a picture of. Perhaps I just appreciate their stillness, when I'm usually trying to grab a shot of a running 3-year-old or a baby who refuses to look at the camera and smile.

But I think these beautiful sculptures, statues and landmarks are worthy of their photo moment. Here are a few of my favorites.

Found outside the Field Museum on the grounds of the Museum Campus in Chicago:

In downtown St. Petersburg, Florida:

Outside the University of Michigan Museum of Art in Ann Arbor, Michigan:

I only wish I knew more about these pieces. But did I mention the 3-year-old and the baby? Doesn't leave much time for delving into the finer points of art history as we walk around.

Speaking of not having much time, we're off for a week on the lake in Michigan next week (the first of two trips this month to our neighbor state to the north!) I won't be blogging until we get back, but I'll try to update Facebook and Twitter with tales of our adventure there, so be sure you're following.

This post is a part of Photo Friday at Delicious Baby.

St. Petersburg Saturday Morning Market

One of the benefits about returning to a place year after year is it helps you mark the passage of time (as if the wrinkles and graying hair weren't enough). My three trips to the St. Petersburg Saturday Morning Market illustrate the point well.

On my first visit, I was 7 months pregnant with Big Arrow. I wanted to order food from every single stand I saw (I resisted and settled for a single empanada).

My husband and I could leisurely chat with vendors without being pulled along. There were no strollers, no worries about hungry kids or overtired babies. We definitely traveled to the beat of our own drum. I think we spent nearly 2 hours at the market that morning, listening to music and making a few purchases.

That drumbeat changed to the pace of a toddler on our next trip to this St. Petersburg farmer's market. Fortunately (or unfortunately), Big Arrow had woken up way too early that morning, so he was content to rest in his stroller as we walked through the market. Coffee and tea were our first stop. Did I mention he had woken up VERY early? But like most kids that age, the only way he was happy was if that stroller was moving. I think we wrapped up our trip in 20 minutes.

He did like those same empanadas though. Maybe he remembered them!

This year, we tackled the market with Big Arrow mostly on foot and Little Arrow in a carrier. Little Arrow missed most of the excitment, snoozing away. But we found that at nearly 3, Big Arrow's attention span and interest in the market was much improved. He petted baby chicks at one stand. He marveled over the Balloon Guy (and even got a blue doggie balloon to call his own). And once again, we noshed on those delicious empanadas.

I have no doubt we'll visit the market again someday. It'll probably involve chasing Little Arrow from booth to booth.

I sure hope that empanada stand is still there.

If you enjoyed this post, you might also be interested in our 2011 Trip to Tampa/St. Petersburg, our 2012 Trip to Madeira Beach or our walk around downtown St. Petersburg (where the market is held). I also wrote these tips for visiting a farmer's market with kids.

If You Visit:
St. Petersburg Saturday Morning Market
1st Avenue between 3rd and 4th Streets, downtown St. Petersburg
9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Street parking is available throughout the area.
Insider Tip: Come hungry. Unlike many markets where I live (where produce stands dominate), the market in St. Petersburg has a lot of hot, prepared food vendors ready to offer you breakfast or lunch.


This post is a part of Wanderfood Wednesday at Wanderlust and Lipstick.

Lowry Park Zoo: Tips for More Fun!

During our trip to Tampa/St. Petersburg, Florida in March, we woke up one morning to cloudy skies and cooler temperatures. I flipped on the television to see if there was any hope of the weather turning into a beach-friendly day. Instead I learned that weather reporters in Florida think mid-60s is cool enough to hunker down at home with sweaters and hot chocolate.

But being tough Midwesterners, mid-60s seemed like ideal zoo weather. So off we went to the Lowry Park Zoo in Tampa. When we were able to park directly in front of the entrance, I had a feeling we might have the zoo all to ourselves even though it was a weekend. This proved to be correct until later in the morning, when the temperatures warmed up and the sun came out. But we had a wonderful two hours of quiet, with lively animals and friendly staff. Here are a few tips if you plan a visit:

• Go early. This is true at every zoo. In general, animals are much more active first thing in the morning.
• Interact with staff and volunteers. We learned a lot about the babies born at the zoo, the different temperaments of each animal, and we were even able to tell Big Arrow the animals' names because of the friendly folks who work and volunteer at the zoo. It seemed that almost every major exhibit space had someone standing around ready to answer questions and it really heightened our experience.

• Grab a zookeeper schedule. We picked one up at the entrance, and we were glad we made time to watch one of the zookeepers feed the penguins (which included a little presentation and an opportunity for Q & A). Some of the information was lost on Big Arrow, but older kids would benefit even more from this type of interaction.

• Dine inside at the Garden Grille. There were several food stands around the zoo, but we decided to grab lunch on our way out. There's a food court near the entrance/exit, and it is a clean, air conditioned space with healthier options. (A full listing of the zoo's dining options is available here.)
• Don't miss the manatees. Even though we are frequent visitors of zoos (read about our experiences at the Indianapolis Zoo, Louisville Zoo, and Fort Wayne Children's Zoo), I have never seen a manatee in person before. Because manatees spend much of their time eating, you're just about guaranteed to catch them chowing down on some lettuce, which is pretty fun for kids to see. I was equally as mesmerized, I couldn't get over how many manatees there were (seemed like at least a dozen!)

• Go on a dreary day. This is one of the most popular zoos in the country so I would imagine it gets rather crowded, particularly on the weekends. As it were, we had the place to ourselves for much of the morning. If it does rain, there are several buildings you could duck into to ride out the weather.
• Most of the rides are free! No doubt, zoos can be an expensive outing for a family. Add in extra expenses like rides, and it can be a budget buster. Fortunately, with just a few exceptions, the rides at Lowry Park are free and you can ride all day.

• Save even more with reciprocal membership. If you're a member of a zoo closer to home, see if they're listed here, and you'll save on admission.

If You Visit:
Lowry Park Zoo
1101 Sligh Avenue, Tampa
Open 9:30-5 daily.
Adult admission is $23.95, kids 3-11 are $18.95.
For other ideas on how to spend your time in Tampa/St. Petersburg, you can read my trip reports here and here.

This post is a part of Travel Tips Tuesday at Suitcases and Sippy Cups and Walkingon Travels.

Return to Caddy's on the Beach

The highlight of our first trip to the Tampa/St. Petersburg area of Florida as a family in 2011 was dinner at Caddy's on the Beach. So on our first night of our return trip back in March, we wanted to eat dinner somewhere that screamed, "YOUR VACATION HAS BEGUN."

Done.

While Caddy's is somewhat adult-oriented (lively bar, loud live music, etc.), it's a great spot to take the kids. Just sit outside at one of the picnic tables, and your little ones can play in the sand while you wait for you food or to pay the bill.

In fact, we brought Big Arrow's beach toys with us and he quickly planted himself under the table in his own personal sandbox. (After a long flight keeping two young kids happy, my husband and I were happy to let him entertain himself for a while so we could enjoy some adult conversation.)

I love a place where you can kick off your shoes and bury your feet in the sand. Or in this case, put your Crocs right up on the table.

Afterall, don't let shoes get in the way of a beautiful sunset.

This post is a part of Wanderfood Wednesday at Wanderlust & Lipstick, Photo Friday at Delicious Baby, and Friday Daydreaming at R We There Yet Mom?

Trip Report: Madeira Beach

Holy smokes, time flies when you're caring for two little ones all day (especially when a certain 2-year-old somehow gets the flu, despite having had a flu shot, and loses 3 pounds in a week... yeesh.) Anyway, while I have lots of stuff to write about and share, time keeps passing me by.

So before the specifics of our trip to Madeira Beach, Florida, get even fuzzier, I thought I better sit down and write up our trip report. It's our third time visiting this area of Florida (near Tampa/St. Petersburg), and we did a little mix of our old favorites and new sites.

Day 1: Arrival in Madeira Beach

We touched down at the Tampa airport after an uneventful direct flight from Indianapolis in the late afternoon. Once we got close to our rental apartment in Madeira Beach, we noticed that both Arrows were sound asleep in the backseat. So I ducked in the grocery store and stocked up on food, diapers and beach toys for the trip. Then we got settled at our place and headed out to dinner.

Naturally we wanted to get as close to the beach as possible on our first night there. So we hit up Caddy's on the Beach, a spot we knew was amazing from our last trip to Tampa/St. Petersburg. It was spot on again. Probably our best night of the trip, as we finished eating just in time to watch Big Arrow play on the beach as the sun set.

Day 2: Fort DeSoto Park

We headed straight to Fort De Soto Park. We played in the sand at this gorgeous park for several hours. Once we had worked up a sufficient appetite, we headed to Crabby Bills for lunch oceanside. That afternoon, the boys napped while I sat on our deck and read a book. Later, we headed back to the beach, this time directly across the street from our apartment.

We had totally worn out both Arrows with all that fun in the sun, so we ordered a pizza from DeLosa's Pizza in nearby Johns Pass and ate on our deck. Another relaxing evening.

Day 3: Downtown St. Petersburg

We drove to downtown St. Petersburg in the morning to visit the St. Petersburg Saturday Morning Market. It was busy as usual, but we had a wonderful time wandering from stall to stall, sampling treats along the way. Big Arrow loves this market for all the fancy dogs that the locals bring. He even got a balloon dog from the Balloon Guy this year.

From the market, we took a long walk around downtown St. Petersburg. This is a great little city, situated right along the water with a marina, pier, shops, cafes, etc. We made a couple of quick stops to let Big Arrow run around and feed Little Arrow. We had a quick lunch and then went back to Madeira Beach for naps.

My husband headed back to the beach with Big Arrow late in the afternoon, while I let Little Arrow rest some more. We ate dinner right next to our apartment at Lisa's Cafe and then took the Arrows on a walk for some ice cream at Johns Pass.

Day 4: Lowry Park Zoo

We woke up on our last full day of the trip to cloudy skies and cooler temps. But while a Florida weatherman might think of 65 as "very chilly" (his words, no joke), we Hoosiers certainly do not. So we headed to the Lowry Park Zoo in Tampa. Perfect decision... the cooler temperatures kept the crowds away and it seemed as though we had the entire zoo to ourselves. I'll definitely be writing more about our morning there.

After a quick lunch at the zoo, we again headed back for naps. That evening, we walked back to Johns Pass for takeout dinner and relaxed in our apartment for our last evening of vacation. It was a great time to do laundry, pack up, and let the Arrows unwind before the flight.

Day 5: Heading for Home

My husband took Big Arrow to the beach for one last romp in the sand before our flight home. I let Little Arrow take a nap while I read on the deck. Once we finished packing up, we headed to the Conch Grill for lunch.

Before we knew it, we were boarding our flight back to Indy.

This trip was a good introduction to traveling with two little ones. It was a nice mix of sightseeing, beachgoing, and long walks, but with plenty of time for both boys to rest.

So long, beach! Hope to see you again next year!

This post is a part of Photo Friday at Delicious Baby and Friday Daydreaming at R We There Yet Mom.

Madeira Beach on Dwellable

Barefoot on the Beach

Is there anything cuter than baby feet on a beach? I *may* have gotten a tad carried away capturing Little Arrow's adorable toes on a trip to Florida a couple of weeks ago. Can you blame me, though?

Don't you just want to pinch those chubby thighs?

Not to be outdone by his little brother, here are Big Arrow's feet (in action, of course, like any self-respecting 2-year-old).

This post is a part of Photo Friday at Delicious Baby.

Look down.

About a year ago, I did a Photo Friday post with pictures I took while looking up. This time around, I thought I'd share a few snapshots from times I've looked down. (Well... sort of. No one wants to see a bunch of pictures of my feet, right?) Enjoy!

Looking down at the red bricks that mark the path of the Freedom Trail during our trip to Boston last summer.

Big Arrow spinning down a slide at a playground in Redington Beach, Florida, during our trip to St. Pete last February.

Taking in a holiday performance by a local school group when we visited the Indiana State Museum in December.

This post is a part of Photo Friday at Delicious Baby.

Redington Beach on Dwellable

10 Tips for Planning a Florida Trip

You'll be hearing a lot about the Sunshine State around here over the next few months, as we're heading back to Florida in early March. Since I've now planned at least a half dozen trips to this part of the country over the last 10 years or so, I thought I'd share a few tips I've learned along the way. Just in time for you Spring Breakers!

1.) Pick a general area or city in Florida to explore. There are so many regions of this state worth a visit that it can be a bit overwhelming. There are many ways to go about making this decision. For the past few years, we've focused our search on areas where we can fly direct. Or you can look at driving times from your house if you plan on road tripping. (For example, from my house to Panama City Beach, the drive takes a little over 11 hours. If we drove to Miami from here, it would be 18 hours. A pretty big difference if all you care about is sticking your feet in the sand.) Or there may be a particular attraction (cough... Disney World... cough) that you know you want to see. Regardless, picking your homebase is a good first step.

2.) Decide on lodging. I like to do this before booking flights because depending on the time of year, you may struggle to find a place to rest that suits you and your family. If you're traveling at peak times, hotels might be full. Or if, like us, you like to visit in the winter, it can sometimes be hard to find a rental property that rents by the night since there are so many monthly rentals at that time of year. I like to be sure we can find a place to stay in a particular area before I book a flight there. I can always change course or switch weekends if we come up empty in our search.

3.) Plan ahead. Because of Florida's popularity as a vacation destination, I find that it's best to make reservations and not "wing it." This includes purchasing tickets for popular attractions, booking a place to stay, renting a car, etc. If there are things you can do in advance, it's usually a good idea especially if you're visiting at peak times.

4.) Connect with the local tourism bureau. I do this whenever I'm planning a trip, but I'm usually really impressed with those in Florida. Because their economy is so tied to tourism, you'll likely find these organizations to be really professional and accommodating. You can even find great suggestions on things as simple as a favorite lunch spot. (We would have never discovered one of our favorite restaurants in Tampa, Bricks of Ybor, without Visit Tampa Bay's recommendation.)

5.) Consider renting equipment or beach supplies. Since I travel with young kids who often need specialty, bulky equipment (like a pack n play for sleeping or high chair for eating), we prefer to rent these items instead of dragging things to the airport. A trip to Florida might include renting a jogging stroller for walks on the beach or a cabana for sun protection. (If you're visiting the Tampa/St. Pete/Clearwater area, we had a good experience renting from Beach Family Rentals.)

6.) Check the weather. Unless you visit in the summer, when it's 99% likely to be hot, you may find Florida weather unpredictable. It can be cool at times, especially in the evening. So even though you've looked forward to hot sun for weeks, be sure to throw in some long pants and a jacket or two in your suitcase.

7.) Have some rainy day plans. It often rains down there, for at least part of the day. So be sure to research some fun things to do that don't involve parking yourself on the beach. Nearby movie theatres, museums, aquariums, etc. are good things to keep in mind.

8.) Don't forget nature. The beach is great, and no one loves spending a day there more than me. But Florida is also a place of outstanding natural habitats, some of which may be completely different than where you live. Take advantage of an opportunity to get up close and personal with these unique landscapes. (In other words, there's more to Florida than The Mouse.)

9.) Think through your beach needs when packing. If you plan to spend the bulk of your vacation at the beach, keep in mind that you may want to pack a few items you don't normally bring on a trip. The Delicious Baby blog had a great post about packing for a trip to Hawaii, many of these apply for Florida also. And a couple of unique finds on Pinterest that I plan to throw in my bag for our upcoming trip include:

Source: realsimple.com via Nicole on Pinterest

• A shower cap to keep the sand on your shoes from getting all over your bag. (Although I admit that finding some sand at the bottom of my purse a few weeks after a trip to the beach always makes me smile.)

Source: bigyoshop.hu via Nicole on Pinterest

• I never know what to do with essentials like keys, money, etc., when we go to the beach since I know I'll want to wander a bit from our beach blanket at times. I love this idea for repurposing an empty sunscreen container. Not foolproof of course, but a lot less tempting to a potential thief.

10.) Order seafood or fish at every meal. (Oh... maybe this is just something I do when in Florida.)

This post is a part of Top 10 Tuesday at Oh Amanda.

Clearwater Beach on Dwellable

Bella Habana Restaurant in St. Pete Beach

My husband and I have spent the last week or so arranging a return trip to the St. Petersburg area of Florida. This trip is becoming a yearly tradition, as we'll now have traveled to this area 3 of the last 4 winters. Call it our cold weather pilgrimmage to the sun and sand (also known as "how I get through Indiana winters").

Naturally we were discussing what attractions and restaurants we might return to, and Bella Habana made the list. It's a Cuban restaurant in St. Pete Beach that we visited on the last night of our trip last year, and I think if I close my eyes, I can still feel the cool breeze as we sat on their patio watching the sun slowly set.

This area of Florida has a large Cuban population, so it's a must that you sample some of the cuisine while there. I went for the crab empanadas, while my husband couldn't resist the traditional Cuban sandwich.

We decided to order the sweet plantains on the side, and they were also delicious. We couldn't get Big Arrow to believe us when we said they were just like bananas and give them a try, but that just meant there was more for mom and dad to devour!

A few other memories stand out from our dinner at Bella Habana.

Like the sangria.

And Big Arrow's great behavior as we enjoyed the large patio.

Insider Tip: The restaurant is known for its live music, which I'm sure is great and fun, but if you visit on a night when there's no show, you may get the patio all to yourself like we did.

And our sunset stroll home along the beach.

Florida, from your tasty food to your breathtaking landscapes, it's no wonder I just can't quit you. Can't wait to do it all over again in March!

If You Visit:
Bella Habana Restaurant
5905 Gulf Boulevard, St. Pete Beach
Insider Tip: Skip the toasted Cuban bread as a side item... it's just your average garlic bread.

Want more information about our travels to this area? You can read my St. Petersburg trip report here. Or read my reviews of two other family-friendly dining options in the Tampa/St. Petersburg area:

• Bricks of Ybor
• Caddy's on the Beach

This post is a part of Wanderfood Wednesday at Wanderlust and Lipstick.