noun. a strong desire to travel
Check out places we’ve explored to inspire your next family adventure.
Martha’s Vineyard, MA
When? June 2024
How did we get there? Ferry from Woods Hole, MA to Oaks Bluff, MV. You can go as a walk-on that day or reserve a space for your car months in advance! It’s a scenic 45-minute boat ride. https://www.steamshipauthority.com/
What did we do? Cobblestoned roads wind through Edgartown, lined with historic mansions and upscale shopping. Strolled by the colorful gingerbread cottages in Oaks Bluff then rode the Flying Horses Carousel (my youngest got the golden ring!). Photo-op at East Chop Light House then swam at East Chop Beach. Our friends had an OSV (over-sand vehicle) permit to drive on miles of secluded beach…incredible!!
https://www.btbmv.com/https://www.edgartownbooks.com/
The Florida Keys
When? January 2024
How did we get there? We rented a car in Ft. Lauderdale and drove down to Duck Key, which was our home base. It is supposed to take 2.5-3 hours but be cautious of traffic. It’s a 1 or 2 lane road so if there’s an accident, you are stuck! There are gas stations along the way so don’t fret. I had no idea how many islands comprise the Florida Keys…800! Watch for the names as you cross over them!
Where did we stay? In a condo at Hawks Cay Resort on Duck Key. Central locale, nice amenities, friendly staff.
**Family Favorite: BEST KEY LIME PIE sold at the Hawks Cay Marketplace in the refrigerator section!!
What did we do? This was a trip I took alone with my 3 kids…I had never been on a faraway trip with my kiddos and it was truly special. It was also my birthday and I have always dreamed of swimming with dolphins so that’s what we did!! AMAZING!! We spurlged and did the Royal Swim, which I can’t say enough about–once in a lifetime memory! We also went on a snorkeling trip, which was slightly less colorful than other places we’ve been. The boat left by docks in front of our condo so it was super convenient. We ventured down to Key West and window-shopped along Duval Street, took a selfie by the Southernmost Point Bouy, and visited Judy Blume’s bookstore (I’m a teacher…need I say more!). Sunsets are spectacular so make dinner reservations outside!! FYI not many sandy beaches, which I didn’t realize.
https://www.georgiescoffee.com/ We started every morning with a visit to this cafe!
http://www.sswreck.com Nice view, good food, fun atmosphere.
GREECE (Island of Zakynthos)
When: June 2023
How did we get there? Fly into Athens then Aegan Airlines to the islands
Where did we stay? VRBO. We LOVED our villa and the owner was extremely helpful, even arranging our boat excursions. The caretaker was around daily for anything we needed, to fresh towels to suggesting nearby restaurants. The view was incredible and had the most secluded, gorgeous beach just minutes down the hill. Caution…there is a steep hill to access the set of villas and our car was not goo so my family had to exit the car so my husband could get it up the hill!! It still makes for a funny story 🙂
https://www.vrbo.com/10851844ha
What did we do? Beach, swim, eat, repeat. We ventured to the famous Shipwreck Beach, but were not able to set foot on land due to erosion. However, our captain took us to other remote spots with the most spectacular, secluded beaches. This really is a must-do! We also head to the Blue Caves, which are unlike anything I’ve seen. The water truly shines blue due to the light hitting the limestone-incredible! Another day we drove down to Cameo Island where the wedding scene in Mama Mia was filmed. There’s a picturesque footbridge taking you over to the tiny island (There is a small fee). It was very busy when we were there so we didn’t swim but took pictures of the beautiful views.
Being Greek Orthodox, it was important to us to visit the relics of the Walking Saint, St. Dionysius. This was beyond a memorable moment for all of us. The Saint Dionysios Zakynthos Holy Orthodox Church is located in a busy port so there are lots of delicious seaside restaurants and shopping galore. Our last day we headed to the ferry to get to our next island, Kefalonia. Once we arrived in Agios Nikolaos, they informed us the boat was cancelled for the entire day due to choppy seas. We were stuck! We had to return our car and had no place to stay as our villa was booked. However, it turned out to be one of the best parts of our trip. Talk about Greek hospitality…we walked around the ferry terminal asking locals if they knew of a room available for the night..sure enough, there was a small hotel in this tiny town with 2 rooms for us (A family of 5 can be tough to travel within Europe as the rooms are typically made for only 2 people). Full disclosure, my husband is Greek American and speaks Greek so he navigated this! We fell in love with this area. It had a small but beautiful beach with free lounge chairs and some shaded area which was perfect for my fair complexion, cute boutique shops and wonderful seaside restaurants. Since we were stranded here for 2 days, every local knew us! We were treated like family. We discovered this magical hotel a short walk from town with a restaurant with a view like no other, Nobelos. They even have a beach to use. We all agreed we’d be back and stay in Agios Nikoloas.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Navagio_Beach
https://www.greeka.com/ionian/zakynthos/sightseeing/agios-dionyssios-church/
the Essentialist Family 