Wine and Spirits Travel

We had a good night’s sleep at the Fairfield Inn on Fair Oaks Farm s in Indiana. The room was quite spacious for three adults, an 8-year-old, and an 11 lb. yorkie who was a bit excited to have three different beds to chose from. Breakfast is included at the hotel, and it was a nice buffet. We filled up on eggs, bacon, and waffles, and explored a little before heading outside. It was another cold day, so we dressed warmly. We went to check out the Igloos, a highlight of the Forest of Lights celebration. They are considered part of the Farmhouse Restaurant and are just outside those doors. They were heated and quite cozy. We were just supposed to go in for hot chocolate, but we were so comfortable we decided to stay a little longer for Mimosas, cheesecake, fries, and smoked brisket chili. When it was time for us to go to the Pig Adventure (you get times for tours when you purchase your tickets) we went to the bus. There are many different packages available, or you can buy individu

  I had never heard of Fair Oaks Farms when I fellow travel writer suggested it to me. When I found out it was a complete destination just an hour and a half away from Champaign, I quickly made arrangements to take some friends, a willing to play eight year old, and my dog, Teddy  The name may be familiar to you if you drink Fairlife milk or protein shakes. This is much more than a farm, though, it’s a full destination, and we took advantage of anything it has to offer. The first thing we did when arriving was check into the hotel. There is a Fairfield Inn on the property so once we parked, we didn’t have to get into the car again until it was time to go home. The building was even set up to look like a barn, but on the inside it was all about a modern hotel. Our suite was large, with two beds and a pullout couch. Aubree took the couch. Teddy tried his best to join her. We had a microwave and refrigerator in the room, and an indoor pool downstairs. After we got our thin

I have always enjoyed trips initiated by a resort. This has been especially true since I’ve been dealing with health issues and don’t do a lot of walking. I can bring my scooter into the place and use it wherever needed – without having to worry to get me (and it) in and out of the car. Great Wolf Lodge in Gurnee, Illinois , is made for those of us who like an all-inclusive experience in one place. There is never a need to get into your car, whether it’s Band-Aids, lunch, or activities you are looking for. A lot of the experience at the Illinois Great Wolf Lodge is about bringing the outside in – with the exception of the weather. The outdoorsy experiences and décor make you forget that you are inside a resort. After a hearty breakfast, Brittany, Kyler, Shaun and I toured the lodge, checking out the various suites (they have ones that are even big enough for 12) with the management and those from the public relations firm. Then we were off on our own. We

Don’t get the headline wrong, I’m not one of those people who believe you make a resolution you’ll have more money and “poof,” it appears! I do believe that you have to do something to get something back, but it doesn’t have to be that difficult. I’ve gone through many “cash back” sites and applications. Whether it was selling clothing and old electronics, or using coupons, scanning barcodes, and filling out rebate forms. I’ve added it up to a lot of time, effort, and aggravation. I once spent days of emails and phone calls over a guy I sold my laptop to on eBay. He insisted there was a defect I hadn’t mentioned, and I should refund half of the price. I finally told him to send it back because I gave him a more than fair price. Suddenly, when he realized he wasn’t getting money back, I didn’t hear from him again! This is why I like Dosh . It’s a set it and forget it app. (Of course, if you do go in and click through before you shop you can also earn additional cash.)

It was day three in Branson and I continued to enjoy this Missouri city with my friends Marsha, Brittany, and Amanda. Our first stop for the day was at an attraction new to the city this year, Bigfoot on the Strip.  We thought it would be a quick stop, but we soon realized there was so much to do (and eat) that it was fun for the day. Bigfoot, a joint adventure by three locals, who also happen to be in the food business (more below), is an adventure park with unique activities to keep kids and adults occupied and having fun. Brittany and Amanda took off for the maze immediately. It was nothing like you’d find at chuck E Cheese. This one required a lot of climbing and crawling, with stops in a tall water tower and the opportunity to jump onto a trampoline-like pit. Before checking out anything else, we stopped for lunch at Bigfoot’s food trucks, Big Ds BBQ and P arlor Pizza Wood Fired Pizza . It was a unique and delicious alternative to a snack bar.