Vacation Photo Gallery Wall

Sometimes the simplest ideas are the best one, and today I am sharing an easy decorating idea with you. I have always been a fan of hanging family photos as artwork, but creating a vacation photo gallery wall is my new favourite DIY.

Since my husband and I have had our boys, we have taken a few major family vacations. During our trips, I always make a point to get a special photo (of the five of us) commemorating the trip.

Recently, I decided to frame them all, and hang them in our hallway. I even added a little label with the year of the trip (so that we don't forget).

Note: My hallway is too narrow to get a "front on" picture of my gallery, so they don't look straight... but they actually are. lol

This little "family trip" gallery wall was easy and inexpensive to put together, and it brings me great joy every time I walk by it. My boys are loving it too!

I can't wait to add a new photo to my gallery when we travel to Florida again this May.

♥
Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

You can find more family travel ideas here.

Top 10 Things to Buy for your FAMILY CRUISE

Our family just finished our first cruise, and I was super-worried about keeping my family of 5 organized in a tight space. I did a lot of research before packing for our trip, and I made sure to purchase the items that people recommended. Today, I am sharing my favourite 10 items that you should definitely buy before you cruise (and MORE useful items to remember to pack). You may be able to find some things locally, but I have also included some Amazon links in case you want to just order everything online. (The links are affiliate links, so if you use them, you I will receive a small commission at no additional cost to you... thank you!)

1) Clear Shoe Rack - I think the best thing I bought before my cruise was a clear shoe rack. The staterooms are small, and a clear shoe rack is a great way to keep organized. I filled ours with the items we needed to have easily accessible: sunblock, medications, towel clips, Ziploc bags, sunglasses, charging codes, earphones, water bottles, bathing suits, etc... Here is a link to the one I purchased.

2) Magnetic Hooks - All the walls and doors in the staterooms are magnetic, so it only makes sense to make use of this space for storage. We used our hooks to hang hats, bags of jewellery, lanyards, schedules, etc... Here is the link the hooks I ordered... and they worked perfectly.

3) Lanyards - Your sea pass card is something you are always going to want to have with you on your cruise. It holds your dinner show reservation, and excursion information, it allows you to charge things to your room, and it's your ID for getting on and off the ship. A lanyard is a convenient way to carry it with you and make sure you don't lose it. You can get your sea pass "hole-punched" at guest services, or you can get a lanyard with a plastic sleeve. (I've heard some people recommend the plastic sleeve because sunscreen can cause the ink on the seapass to smear.) I purchased mine at the dollar store, but I love the cruise-themed ones you can find here.

4) Rubber Ducks - I know this might be a strange one, but if you have kids (and even if you don't), hiding rubber "cruising" ducks is a fun activity. You can read all about it here.

5) Backpack or bag for excursions - Backpacks are perfect for excursions, and for packing items that you may need on the days you are getting on and off the ship (when you may be a few hours without your luggage). You can fill a backpack with everything you need (e.g. a bathing suit, sunscreen, change of clothes, snacks, ID, phone, etc..). I love the lightweight version here because it would be easy to stuff in a suitcase.

6) Ziploc bags - Ziploc bags are fantastic for many things. We use them for packing wet and dirty items and for packing items in suitcases that could possibly leak (like shampoo, sunscreen, etc...) They are also great for packing food for excursions. We always packed snacks like bread, peanut butter, and pastries when we left the ship.

7) Towel clips - Cruise ships and beaches can be windy, so towel clips are great for securing towels to chairs. You can also use the clips to keep the curtains closed in the stateroom (and the light out). You can purchase towel clips online here.

8) Water bottle - Insulated water bottles are great for on and off the ship. There are places on the ship to refill water bottles for free on the ships, and keeping hydrated while at sea is very important.

9) Travel size containers - Saving space in luggage and in the tiny stateroom bathrooms is a great idea. Leaving full size bottles at home is easy if you use travel size size containers. 

10) Hanging clothes dryer - The bathrooms in the staterooms are small, so clothes dryers can be really helpful... especially when you are travelling with a family. We used ours to hang bathing suits to dry and for drying items that we washed out in the sink.

These are my top 10 items to buy for a family cruise, but here are some MORE items you might want to purchase and pack before you get on a cruise ship: 

• folder for important paperwork (e-ticket for the way there, boarding passes for the cruise, cruise documents that mom sent, itinerary for the cruise, e-ticket for the way home, travel insurance info, copies of birth certificates and passports)

• small container of laundry detergent (for washing out small items in the sink) and a Tide stick

• night light or small flashlight to put by your bed... because the staterooms can get pretty dark

• sea bands (if you are worried about motion sickness)

• power bar / surge protector (for extra plugs for hair dryers, curling irons, and charging devices)

• pop up hamper or mesh laundry bag

• waterproof phone case

• snacks and snack containers

• sunscreen... because it is very expensive on the boat

• goggles and snorkels

• baby wipes

• fanny packs

• first aid kit (containing tylenol, benedryl, band aids, etc...) - These items are very expensive on the ship, and it might not be convenient to get them when you need them, so be prepared.

• wrinkle release spray... as irons are banned on cruise ships

• poo-pourri spray... helpful when sharing the close quarters of the stateroom bathrooms

• sticky notes...helpful for leaving notes for other passengers in your room. Small magnetic white boards work well too.

• highlighters... to highlight the items on the ship's daily schedule that you want to take advantage of

• cash in small bills for tipping

• game for passing time in airports... we like Skipbo because it is easy and fun to play, and it is portable

• reusable straws... which are great for people that aren't fans of the paper straws used by the cruise ship

• bluetooth speaker to stream music

• hats for excursions

• battery operated candles to provide a calming atmosphere in the room or on the balcony

Have you taken a cruise with your family? Is there one item you found really helpful? Did it make my list?

I really did find these items invaluable on our family cruise. I hope you find my list of 10 things to buy for your family cruise list helpful!

♥
Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

Cruising Ducks

Have you heard about "Cruising Ducks"? It's a fun activity started by a 10 year old girl named Abby. Basically, you purchase rubber ducks, make little tags for them, and hide them in any public place on a cruise ship. People love hiding and searching for ducks! Keep reading to learn everything you need to know about cruising ducks.

The goal of this activity is to spread some joy and see how far the ducks travel and where their journey might take them. People hide the ducks on cruise ships, and the people that find them are invited to keep them or re-hide them.

Want to play?


To hide ducks:

1) Buy some ducks. You can use any type of rubber duck. I got these ones at my local dollar store.

2) Write your name, date, and where you are from on the bottoms of the ducks with a Sharpie.

3) Attach tags like the ones I designed below. (You can also add a unique hashtag if you like and ask people to use it when posting. It makes it easier to track your ducks.)

4) Hide the ducks. The only rules are that they must be hidden in public spots, you can't hide them in stores, and you can't throw them overboard.

To download the tags I designed: click on the picture of the tags below, right-click, save it to your computer, and print it like a regular 4x6 photo.

Aren't they adorable?

To search for ducks:

1) Look for ducks on your cruise ship. When you find one, take a picture of the duck, and post it to the Cruising Ducks facebook page.

2) Keep the duck you found or hide it again! If you hide it again, consider adding your name and city to the tag or bottom of the duck. It's fun to see where the ducks have been.


These are the ducks I purchased and tagged for my boys and their cousins to hide. 

Buying ducks is great, but you can also get creative and make your own. Look at the cute duck keychains I made for my boys and their cousins to take on our cruise. They were simple to make, and I love that they are flat, don't take up much space, and are easy to pack. What do you think?

My boys were successful duck hunters too. Look at their haul! The smiles say it all, don't they?

Have you ever been on a cruise? Did you hide or find any cruising ducks? I think it's a simple way to have fun and spread a little joy, don't you?

♥
Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

Follow East Coast Mommy on Facebook for more DIYs and ideas for easy and inexpensive family fun here.

And you can find more family travel tips and tricks here.

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9 Reasons to Visit Gatorland

Last month our family vacationed in Florida, and because it was our 5th family trip to this location, we wanted to try something new. After some research, and because we had never seen a real alligator, we decided to go to Gatorland*. We didn't know what to expect, but we loved it! So, today I am sharing our visit with you... including 9 reason to visit Gatorland.

1) Shows - There are some really entertaining shows at Gatorland. The "Upclose Encounters Show" lets you see snakes and spiders up close, the "Gator Jumperoo Show" gives you the opportunity to witness alligators being hand fed, and there is a fun alligator wrestling show. 

My boys and their cousins loved the shows... and they even had a chance to get their pictures taken with some of the actors.

2) You can hold a baby alligator. For an extra fee, you can get your photo taken with a snake and a baby alligator. I was happy to get a rare photo of all five of us, and my boys felt pretty cool holding a real alligator.

3) You can meet (and feed) a giant turtle. For a small fee, my boys were able to get up close and feed a real giant turtle a piece of apple from a stick. How cool is that????

4) You can take fun pictures with your family. My boys and their cousins loved playing around and taking some silly pictures with alligators!

6) You can feed alligators. As you come through the gates, you can buy some small fish and feed the alligators. My boys thought it was pretty cool to feel the alligators pulling on their ropes.

7) You can see lots of alligators. If you want to see alligators, Gatorland does not disappoint. You will see white alligators, big alligators, small alligators, and baby alligators. There are LOTS of alligators.

8) You can see more than just Alligators. Gatorland is not just about alligators. There are birds, goats, spiders, snakes, turtles, and more. There is something for everyone!

9) You can go on extra adventures. For an extra fee, you can go on the Stompin' Gator off road adventure or The Screamin' Gator Zipline. We didn't take advantage of these attractions, but they looked fun!

Have you ever been to Gatorland? If you are planning a trip to Florida, I highly recommend going with your family. It's reasonably priced, and your kids will love it!

♥
Gina Bell (aka East Coast Mommy)


*Disclosure: I was given complimentary and discounted tickets in exchange for my truthful review of Gatorland. As always, the opinions on this blog are 100% my own.

5 Reasons My Family Loves Medieval Times

My family first visited Medieval Times Orlando* on a trip to Florida two years ago, and my boys loved it! So, when we were planning our trip this year, my boys insisted that we go again. This dinner show really is a lot of fun, and if you haven't had a chance to visit, you should give it a try. Not convinced? Keep reading... because today I am sharing 5 reasons why my family loves Medieval Times.

1) You get to visit a castle. Seriously... how cool is that? You can also visit the Medieval Village (with real 11th century artifacts) prior to the show.

2) It is quality, family-friendly entertainment. It's always fun to find an activity that can be enjoyed by all ages, and Medieval Times fits the bill. It really is entertaining for everyone.

3) You get to eat with your hands. This is a highlight for my boys... and I like that someone else prepares the meal and serves it. It's always a bonus when mom gets a break from making dinner... and no one complains about what is being served! 😀

4) There is a lot of action. The show is full of royalty, knights, fighting, jousting, and horses. It's action-packed and fun!

5) You can cheer on your knight. The crowd is included in the show and encouraged to cheer. Everyone is assigned a knight which makes it fun. (Our "red knight" didn't win, but we did get to meet him at the end of the show and get our picture taken with him.)

Have you been to Medieval Times? If you haven't visited, you should. Your kids will thank you!

♥
Gina Bell (aka East Coast Mommy)

*Disclosure: I was given complimentary and discounted tickets in exchange for my truthful review of Medieval Times. As always, the opinions on this blog are 100% my own.

10 AWESOME Reasons to Visit LEGOLAND

We recently returned from a family vacation to Orlando, Florida... and (for the third time) my boys insisted on visiting LEGOLAND*. If you have never taken your kids to LEGOLAND, you definitely should. It is always a highlight for my boys, and my husband and I enjoy it too. Still not convinced? Keep reading... because today I am sharing 10 reasons that you should go to LEGOLAND with your kids.

1) It's not as crowded as some of the other parks... and the lines are shorter. Of course, wait times depend on the day that you visit the park and the ride you are trying to get on; however, we have found that wait times at LEGOLAND are usually shorter than the other parks we have visited. To minimize wait times, I recommend getting to the park early and heading directly to the back of the park where the roller coasters are located. On this visit, we headed straight to the NEW virtual reality roller coaster, and there was very little wait time.

2) There is a LOT of cool stuff built out of LEGO. Throughout the park, there are tons of awesome things made from LEGO, and MINILAND USA is fantastic. There are amazing scenes made from over 32 million LEGO bricks, great photo ops, and interactive buttons to push.

3) You can make your kids wear fun t-shirts. I always love the opportunity to dress my kids in special shirts when we visit theme parks. It makes the pictures look fantastic, and it helps me to keep track of the kids as we move through the park. This year, my sister and I purchased bright orange shirts that said, "Everything is awesome... when you are with your COUSINS!" Aren't they great?

4) You can save money on tickets. In the past I have purchased discounted tickets at Costco, you can sometimes find coupons online, and you can always save money if you book in advance. 

5) You can build your own minifigures. Building minifigures is always a highlight for my boys when we visit LEGOLAND. You can mix and match LEGO minifigure body parts and accessories to create unique minifigures... and you can buy a three pack for a very reasonable price. It's a lot of fun!

6) You can trade minifigures. You can trade the LEGO minifigures you buy from the park, and/or you can bring minifigures from home. (Just make sure you have a full minifigure... including a hat or hair.) You can trade with workers that have minifigures on their name tags, or you can ask the workers in the stores if they have a tray of "trading" figures you can see.

7) LEGOLAND has cool shows. There is a 4D movie that is a lot of fun, and there is a cute live action show that includes water skiing LEGO people. Check the park schedule for times to make sure you don't miss them.

8) Your kids can drive a LEGO car. The LEGO driving school is always one of my boys' favourite rides. I wish I was small enough to drive a LEGO car!

9) The rides are awesome... especially the LEGOLAND virtual reality roller coaster. LEGOLAND has a number of fun rides and roller coasters. They even have a virtual reality roller coaster. You wear virtual reality goggles while you ride, and you feel like you are really moving through a land made of LEGO!

10) The water park is awesome! This was our third visit to LEGOLAND, but it was our first visit to the water park, and we LOVED it. There is a wonderful play structure, a wave pool, water slides, and a lazy river. If the weather is nice, plan to make the water park part of your day. (Keep in mind... the water park isn't open every day, and there is an extra fee... so plan accordingly.)

Have you been to LEGOLAND? If you have kids, and you are planning a trip to Orlando, you should check it out. It really is a fun place to spend some time with family.

♥ 
Gina Bell (aka East Coast Mommy)

*Disclosure: I was given complimentary tickets in exchange for my truthful review of this park. As always, the opinions on this blog are 100% my own.