Atlantica Mikri Poli Crete

We stayed at the Atlantica Mikri Poli resort in Crete and it was an amazing experience. This family-friendly all-inclusive resort had a free children's club, nightly entertainment, pools and their own private area of the beach.

After arriving at the hotel and checking in at reception,you can re-hydrate with drink and snacks while waiting for the golf cart to take you and your luggage to your room (the resort is on a hill so it's a much appreciated service). If you stay at the main hotel building you can just take the elevators up. 

Kids loved the slushies they could get at the snack bar! It didn't take long for them to see it was included.

The staff at the resort were friendly and helpful. The cleaning staff were efficient and even provided some panels on the kids beds so they wouldn't roll off.

For tired parents needing some relaxation, the amazing Aegeo Spa offers relaxing Cretan massages. The spa area also has a hot tub, saunas and pools.

Sauna time needs to be booked for private use of the saunas.

The variety and quality of the food was great. We could always find something tasty at the restaurant. Kids always had something to eat. Staff were helpful with questions on allergies. Unfortunately, no dairy-free ice cream was available at the restaurant.

When it's hot out, the best is to cool off with a swim. At the resort, you can find 2 main pools, and an additional kids pool area and one for the water slides.

In the spa area, there are 2 additional pools, one indoor and one outdoor. The Spa pools however, are for 16 years and up.

Feel like a snack? There were 2 snacks bars, one by the main pool and one on the shops level. You could find, wraps, cakes, ice cream and an array of drinks.

On location there are also 2 shops and a fish spa. Hours vary.

Outside the hotel there are a few shops along the main street, for clothes, summer shoes, souvenirs, swim toys, and a couple of restaurants as well.

The hotel has a private beach with multiple sunbeds! 

The Children's club had drop-off options from 10-12:30 and 3:00-5:30pm. Teachers spoke different languages from Polish, German, English, French and even Swedish.

Craft time, swimming at the kids area, and taking them to the hotel's private beach were among the activities!

Evening entertainment took place in the outdoor stage and consisted of games, music, comedy shows. Of course, it began with music and game time for the kids!

It's truly a wonderful place for a family or couples stay. If you're looking for an all-inclusive resort vacation that offers delicious food, an amazing spa, a private beach and pool time, check out the Atlantica Mikri Poli in Crete! You won't be disappointed.

Don't forget your snacks!

Atlantica Mikri Poli Crete

Crete, Greece

Check out their website for more info

Denny's restaurant Vancouver

We have so many childhood memories stopping at Dennys for a dinner break during road trips. When we saw that Kids eat free on Tuesdays, we had to try it!

Denny's offers North American dishes, sandwiches, burgers, salad and all-day breakfast.

The mozzarella sticks and marinara sauce were just as good as we remembered.

Kids enjoyed the Kids meal options like the chicken tenders and fries.

You can even choose All-day Breakfast and customize your own "Grand Slam" meal!

Grandparents can choose from a Senior menu with cheaper prices too. On Thursdays, seniors get 15% off. 

We have had friendly customer service on our Denny's visits. It helps make for a great dining experience with the family.

If you're in the mood for some all-day breakfast, want to take a night off from cooking at a place the whole family will enjoy, or celebrating your birthday (free birthday meal 🥳), visit a Denny's location near you!

Don't forget your snacks!

Denny's Restaurant 

1759 W Broadway, Vancouver, BC V6J 1Y2

Check out their website for more info

Things to do in Lanzarote

We visited Lanzarote, in the Canary Islands in the month of October and had a lovely time in the sunshine and warm weather!

If you're planning to visit the island, here are some ideas of things to do during your stay!

Beach day

The kids enjoyed playing at the beach closest to where we stayed! There are few beaches that you need to drive to.

Shopping

Lots of snacks and souvenirs to choose from. We like collecting a small souvenir whenever we travel.

Hike a volcano

There are different volcanos to hike up! We went to Montana Roja! Beautiful views of the island.

Scenic drive

We did several drives, one to the northern part of the island and back which was harder for the kids. Shorter ones to see the Black Sand Beach were more doable.

Eat some delicious food

Sunrise/sunset stroll

We loved doing early morning or evening walks along the boardwalk. That's when the temperature was cooler and most people were still snoozing or already doing other evening activities. 

Scuba diving 

There are more than few dive shops around the island. If you're interested in trying scuba diving that's possible but also if you have been certified, you can check out the islands dive sites. We dived with Bonito diving. This shop is in Flamingo Beach.

Visit Timanfaya National Park

Read more about our visit to Timanfaya 

We stayed on Lanzarote for 2 weeks and really enjoyed the warm weather and sunshine 🌞 We have such great memories from our trip!

Don't forget your snacks!

5 items to bring to the beach for kids

 

We had some beach time during our recent Fall trip and it was so great to just watch the kids enjoying themselves.

One loved the water (running from the waves) and the other loved the sand! The Mommy just sat and took photos, had snacks and got some sun.

Our hotel was just a few minutes walk to the beach, so I brought a small bag with just a few items. There were also some restaurants and supermarkets along the boardwalk. It wasn't a remote beach we had to trek to.

We didn't need sand toys, the kids just enjoyed digging in the sand with their hands.

Here are 5 items to bring when spending some time at the beach with kids:

* Water bottle

* Sunblock 

* Snacks

* Sarong or towel to sit on

* Change of clothes for kids

If you have a bag, add some,

Waterproof bandaids

In case kids are worried about their "Ows" before splashing in the water.

I limited the time out at the beach since the sun was so strong. I didn't want the kids to get overtired and need me to carry them up the hill back to our hotel.

We rinsed before going inside and then kids both wanted a warm bath in the tub ;) 

If you're planning to escape winter with a trip to a warmer place, enjoy your beach time!

Don't forget your snacks!

Sea to Sky Gondola Squamish

We visited the Sea to Sky Gondola in Squamish (Sḵwx̱wú7mesh) which is located about an hour from Vancouver! It was our first visit and a really great day trip to do with the kids.

If you're visiting on very hot summer day, remember to stay hydrated and stay in the shade when possible. 

The Sea to Sky Gondola is about a 12min ride up 885m above sea level with incredible views of Howe Sound and the coastal mountains. 

Tickets for the gondola aren't cheap. We went with a one day family ticket that's good for 2 adults and 2 kids. Kids 5 and under are free of charge. If you're local, you can even get a year pass. 

At the bottom, before you take the gondola, there's a gift shop, bathroom and a little kids play area. 

Kids played while we sat and watched the gondola!

When we went, there was also a food truck with drinks and ice cream called "Praguery". Unfortunately, the ice cream wasn't dairy-free but the chimney cones were vegan! The toddler loved the cinnamon sugar soft chimney cones which were warm and fresh from the oven! 

 

You can refill your water bottles or buy a cold drink at the Restaurant/Cafe at the top of the mountain! The kids loved that we could get ice from the ice machine! 

You can sit outdoors on the deck and take in the views or indoors. There is a small kids "busy" corner in the indoor seating area.

At the top of the mountain, when you get off the Gondola ride, there's a summit lodge and kids play area. 

There are many different trails you can also walk around and see the views.

We also stopped by Shannon Falls which is a short walk from the parking lot of Sea to Sky Gondola or park at the Shannon falls parking lot and walk about 10min to see the falls.

If you're looking for a great day trip from Vancouver, check out the Sea to Sky Gobdola in Squamish (Sḵwx̱wú7mesh).

Don't forget your snacks!

Sea to Sky Gondola

36800 BC-99, Squamish, BC V8B 0B6

For more info check out their website

Praguery Ice Cream Truck 

Check out their website for more info

Greek snacks in Rhodes Greece

 

During our Fall trip to Rhodes, Greece 🇬🇷 , we were so lucky not to have to worry about what to eat. It was our first time experiencing the all-inclusive option at a resort. 

After our trip, we can understand why families choose the all-inclusive option! It was so convenient to pick the kids up from kids club and take them right away to eat lunch. No waiting after ordering, just lining up to grab food.

During our trip, we were also able to try a few different Greek Snacks!

There were the Greek cream puffs, called Soudakia, pastries filled with custard. They were sometimes served plain and sometimes with icing.

We also tried delicious Greek Baklava sweetened with honey!

Loukoumades, or fried donuts, was another snack we found in Greece.

Greek ice coffee is also quite popular in the warm weather. A nice cold drink is a nice way to cool off! 

If we were craving potato chips, we could easily head to the hotel gift shop to grab some!

We had a wonderful stay in Rhodes, Greece and enjoyed all the Greek desserts and snacks! We will definitely be back!

Check out my blog on the whole Tui Rhodes trip!

Don't forget your snacks!

Elite Grand Hotel Norrköping Sweden

On our road trip, we stopped for a night in the city of Norrköping. The city, which is south of Stockholm, used to be considered a major hub for Sweden's textile industry before textile production became irrelevant (in Sweden).

We really enjoyed our stay at the kid-friendly hotel, the Elite Grand Hotel. Located next to the Motala River, this elegant hotel is centrally located and the customer service was pretty great!

It's always nice when hotels offer tea and coffee all day for their guests and Elite Grand Hotel did just that :)

While the grown-ups check into the hotel, the kids can sign themselves in by standing on a stool and writing their name on a notepad at reception. 

Kids received a bag with some playing cards, stuffies and coupon for ice cream which was a popsicle in case kids have a dairy allergy. 

The room had one sofa bed for the kids to share which worked out perfectly for us. The complimentary breakfast buffet included various kid friendly items and even Vegan waffle mix to use to make Heart Waffles!

We had a lovely stay and the hotel staff were very helpful with ideas for which places to stop in the area as we continued our roadtrip.

If you're looking for a family friendly hotel in Norrköping, check out the Elite Grand Hotel! We would definitely stay again!

Don't forget your snacks!

Elite Grand Hotel Norrköping 

TYSKA TORGET 2, 600 41 Norrköping

Check out their website for more info

TUI holiday at Atlantica Aegean Park

This was our second time booking a Tui resort holiday to a warmer climate but it was the first time grandparents joined us on the trip. 

Why people stayed in all inclusive resorts was something I really wondered about before becoming a parent! After becoming a parent, I realized why these places are so great for families! Especially with young kids AND aging grandparents coming along. 

Details

• One week all-inclusive with TUI to Rhodes, Greece. 

• Trip was taken during Fall break, late October to early November. 

• We flew Aegean airlines and most if not all, of those onboard were also staying at our resort.

Popular kids cartoon character Bamse and Captain T and the "Bamse kids club" with the evening dance activities for kids was a huge hit! Grandparents enjoyed watching the kids dance. The kids made sure to finish dinner most nights so they could see the show. 

Atlantica Aegean Park is a TUI Blue hotel located at Kolymbia Beach on Rhodes. To get from the airport, buses were waiting at the airport exit. When leaving the hotel to go back to the airport, shuttle buses picked us up at the hotel.

Good

• 2 separate rooms - one for us, one for the grandparents 
• Rooms faced Pool side 
• Exercise classes available 
• Kids club 
• Kids entertainment 
• Kids pool
• Buses took us from airport to the resort
• Allergy substitutions 
• Very friendly and helpful staff
• All inclusive includes 1 free dinner at each of the resort restaurants 
• Condition of the hotel was pretty good for it being the last week of the season
• There was a water park that was free to visit with slides and a kids splash area!

Snack bar offered greek iced coffee 

and slushies all day.

Would have been nice to have

• More Greek food options
• Kids club stayed indoors instead of walks outside for example
• The flight was 10pm at night so by the time we arrived it was early morning and kids were cranky and exhausted 😩 
• They gave out sandwiches but unfortunately they were all cheese and ham and with allergies we didn't eat most of them.
• The wristbands didn't work at the sister hotel (with the water park) for any snacks.
• It was missing a spa with a sauna and jacuzzi. There was spa services like Massages and facials but not much else. 

Excursions

The hotel is located next to a couple of small shops but not much else. You can walk along the beach to get to another area and it was nice being right by a beach.

There was also a hiking trail up a mountain that you could do for an incredible view of the island.

Atlantica Aegean Park also offers daily excursions to different parts of the island that you can sign up for.

There is scuba diving nearby. Check out my past blog on Scuba diving on Rhodes.

Overall, we all had an enjoyable time at Atlantica Aegean Park! We enjoyed pool time, the fitness classes, water park, walks and scuba diving. 

The grandparents visited a few towns and did some shopping. The kids loved the Bamse kids club and evening entertainment! It was great not to have to worry about what's for dinner or any cleaning for the week! 

We visited on the last week of the season but the hotel grounds were in great shape and the staff was friendly and always attentive. We especially appreciated the allergy alternatives they had for my little one. 

We would definitely visit again!

Don't forget your snacks - The snack bar by the playground was always open for snacks like Gyros and fries!

Atlantica Aegean Park

Βρυξελλών, Kolympia 851 03, Greece

Check their website for more information