Fred, Author at Packing for Seven

Jose’s 13-Year Old Growing Up Trip: Nashville, Tennesee

July 23, 2018 | by: Fred | Big Family Trips

20 Shares

For Jose’s 13-year-old growing up trip, we went back to Nashville where the family had traveled just about 8 months before for the eclipse (which we didn’t get to see)! Jose loves music, so this trip was entirely music themed! We can’t wait to see the musician Jose becomes when he grows up. He’s so good already! Day 1: Traveling to Nashville, Touring Around & Seeing Phil Vassar and Adam Rutledge in Concert Jose and I got up real early…

Bear’s 13-Year Old Growing Up Trip: Las Vegas & Grand Canyon

July 22, 2018 | by: Fred | Big Family Trips

Pin20

20 Shares

For Bear’s 13th birthday, I took him away on the most amazing 3-day adventure-packed trip to Las Vegas and Grand Canyon. It was awesome and along the way we did and saw so many things. Most of this post is packed with pictures and just a few words from the trip. I’m glad we had the chance to build this memory together! Day 1 – Flying to Vegas and Touring Around! On day 1, Bear and I got up early…

Spirit Airlines Review: Our Experience Has Been WAY Better Than Expected

June 22, 2018 | by: Fred | Product Reviews

Pin3

3 Shares

Note: This was last updated June, 2018 after our most recent flight with Spirit. If you search for airline reviews online you’ll find no shortage of bad experiences, unresolved complaints, and stories that are just downright absurd. Of course this is no big surprise. When everything goes as planned, we usually don’t take the time to tell people about it. But when an airline experience goes poorly, we want to let the entire world know just how bad it was. I think…

10 Awesome Things to Do – St. Thomas & St. John, US Virgin Islands

May 22, 2018 | by: Fred | Itineraries & Stuff To Do

Pin5.64K

5.64K Shares

Looking for ideas to fill up your trip to St. Thomas and St. John? You’re in the right place! Here’s 10 things we loved on our big trip that we think you should definitely check out while you’re there! If you want a full line-up of things to do in St. Thomas and St. John, including a number of restaurants we loved, check out our one week itinerary for your next USVI trip! 1. Drake’s Seat & Magens Bay, St.…

Eight Days in St. Thomas and St. John, US Virgin Islands

May 20, 2018 | by: Fred | Big Family Trips, Stuff About Us

Pin19

19 Shares

The Trip at a Glance Trip Dates: Jan 31 – Feb 7, 2017 (8 days) Cities: Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas; St. John Air Transportation: Spirit Airlines Ground Transportation: Budget Rental Minivan Lodging: Independent Rental on Cowpet Bay Excursions: Coral World Sea Turtle Encounter; VI Eco Tours’ Mangrove Lagoon Tour, British Virgin Islands Tour (by catamaran); National Park Service Reef Bay Hike Beaches: St. Thomas: Magens Bay, Cowpet Bay; St. John: Trunk Bay, Maho Bay, Cinnamon Bay Touring Companies: Bad Kitty / Calypso Tours,…

Honeymoon Beach Review – St. John, USVI (Including VI Eco Tours’ Watersports Package)

August 6, 2017 | by: Fred | Unique Experiences

Pin81

81 Shares

Honeymoon beach is an idyllic white sand beach inside of Virgin Islands National Park on St. John, USVI. It’s less populated than the very popular nearby Trunk Bay and it has comparably clear water. Snorkeling is actually much better at Honeymoon than Trunk, despite Trunk having a marked underwater snorkeling trail. Honeymoon has beautiful fringing reefs on both the left and right sides of the beach that are set in shallow water and perfect for snorkeling. On Day 5 of our 2017…

Luray Caverns & Skyline Drive Day Trip with Kids (100+ Pictures!)

May 28, 2017 | by: Fred | Maryland and Surrounding States

Pin624

624 Shares

This year, Kim’s annual girl’s getaway weekend fell on the Memorial Day holiday, and so right now she and the gals are in Ocean City, MD enjoying some much deserved R&R. That means I’ve got the kids for another day trip adventure! Last time Kim was away the six of us went to Cedar Creek and Belle Grove National Historical Park in the Shenandoah Valley, Virginia to obtain their NPS Junior Ranger badges. On our way there I saw signs for Luray Caverns, which looked…

Mangrove Lagoon Kayak, Hike, & Snorkel Tour Review – St. Thomas, USVI

March 25, 2017 | by: Fred | Unique Experiences

Pin341

341 Shares

The Tour at a Glance Location: Mangrove Lagoon – St. Thomas & Cas Cay, US Virgin Islands Tour Company: VI Eco Tours Activities: Kayak and snorkel in the Mangrove Lagoon; hike on Cas Cay. Tour Type: Guided Eco-Tour Tour Length: 2.5, 3, and 5 hour tours available. (We took the 3 hour tour.) Ages: Check with VI Eco Tours. It looks like children as young as 2 can be accommodated. Price: Adults $79, Kids $49 (3-Hour Tour) Tour Web Site: Click Here One of…

Cedar Creek and Belle Grove National Historical Park: Day Trip with Kids & Junior Ranger Program

March 19, 2017 | by: Fred | Maryland and Surrounding States

0 Shares

Continuing the kids’ and my tradition of taking day trips while Kim is away, we headed southwest from Baltimore today to Cedar Creek and Belle Grove National Historical Park in Middletown, Virginia. Cedar Creek and Belle Grove are most famous as the locations of the Civil War Battle of Cedar Creek that took place in October, 1864. We chose this park because it was a natural follow-on to our Monocacy Battlefield Day Trip two months back (both battlefields are central to the Shenandoah…

7 Day Itinerary for the US Virgin Islands of St. Thomas & St. John

February 13, 2017 | by: Fred | Itineraries & Stuff To Do

Pin6.82K

6.82K Shares

Itinerary Highlights Location: United States Virgin Islands (STT and STJ) Length: 1 Week (8 Days, 7 Nights) Good For: Single Travelers, Couples, Familes Main Locations Visited: St. Thomas & St. John Additional Locations Visited: (USVI) Water Island, Cas Cay; (BVI) Virgin Gorda, Norman Island, Cooper Island, Jost Van Dyke Things To Do: Coral World Ocean Park VI Eco Tours’ Mangrove Lagoon / Cas Cay Kayak, Hike, and Snorkel Tour Bad Kitty British Virgin Islands All-Day Catamaran Tour VI Eco Tours Honeymoon Beach Kayak, Paddle Board, and…