Marla and Bill

Where we stayed:   

We said:   

We arrived in Camden, Maine and immediately checked in at our B&B, the Hawthorn Inn.  The Inn was wonderful and convenient.  We were able to park our car and walk to all of our dinners as well as touring the town.   

Our room wasn’t ready so we were upgraded to a suite located in the tower at the top.  We really enjoyed our stay in the Hawthorn Inn.  Maryanne was a gracious host.  She took great care to make sure all the guests were introduced to one another. This made for lively conversation at breakfast, which, by the way, were wonderful, and featured wild Maine blueberries.  Maryanne’s lunch and dinner suggestions were surperb.  We paid $165.00/night, and would definitely stay there again.  

We got the upgrade to this room because the other one with a king bed wasn’t ready.   

 The pitch of the roof did encroach on sitting up in bed, but it really wasn’t a problem for us, since we had the sitting area.  

 The sitting area, off the bedroom, was actually in the tower and offered a great view, much better than this picture!!   

 Obviously, the bathroom, which was really much bigger than this photo shows.

Marla and Bill

In past posts we had mentioned a wonderful cruise that we had taken up the east coast.  We had had such a wonderful time and loved the areas sooooo much that we decided to take more time and drive the same trip.  We didn’t have time to go up into Canada this time but will do so in the future. 

Our first stop when we arrived in Newport, RI  was the Carriage Inn Bed & Breakfast.  

Actually it is in Middleton, not far from Newport (its only 1 1/2 miles to downtown),  and is centrally located for the other activities that we had planned.  It also helped that the price was very reasonable ($129/night), and, they had a continental breakfast.  We found the Inn’s furnishings to be a bit tired but very clean, with spacious rooms. The staff was very friendly and offered wonderful suggestions for dinners. And not being right in the middle of all the hustle and bustle of downtown Newport made it a bit easier to relax. However, when we did drive into town, parking was an issue. It was actually easier to walk!    

We would definitely stay here again.  

The Albemarle Inn B&B: image from flickr by Anoldent

Where we stayed: 

She said:  

We arrived at the Albemarle Bed and Breakfast right before the BIG snowstorm.  Many people cancelled out for the weekend, so we were given our pick of the rooms.  We selected the one that had a big bedroom with a sitting porch.  The bathroom was a nice size with nice amenities.   It was late afternoon; we settled in and because there was no one there for the social hour, we were brought a tray of wine and fruits and cheeses and crackers.  All in all very comfortable and FUN!! 

This was our bedroom.    A bit much don’t you think???  I did need a ladder to climb into it.   It was also very comfortable!  The breakfasts in the mornings were very good and there was always an abundance of food.  A great way to start  the day! 

He said: 

I must admit, I’m getting to enjoy B&B’s more and more. The Albermarle Inn was perfect! And since there was only one other guest, it felt as if we were at our own home. It is located among a quiet residential area that is convenient to just about everything in Asheville. Outside of the Grove Park Inn, which, incidently is just up the road, this is THE place to stay when visiting Asheville.

St Francis Inn B&B

Where we stayed:   

She said:   

This is where we stayed in St. Augustine, and  I have to say that we really enjoyed our stay.  We chose the St. Francis Inn mainly because of all the amenities, and the price seemed very reasonable.  For two nights, we paid $268.00 and received a 10% AAA discount!   The amenities included a gourmet breakfast, a social hour with beer, wine and appetizers, AND a homemade desert time from 7:30 to 9:00!! AND much, much more!      

St Francis Inn B&B

He said:   

I found the St. Francis Inn via a B&B website. Aside from its obvious charm, reasonable price, convenient location and historical significance, truth be known, we chose it because of the free St. Augustine Lighthouse tickets it offered! Marla is nuts about Ghost Hunters TV, and the lighthouse episode is one of her favorites!    

The Inn dates back to 1791 when the original home was built on the property. I’m not sure how much, if any, of the building exists. The property went through an number of owners, building revisions and expansions.  It wasn’t until the early 20th century that it took its current name of the St. Francis Inn. Every person we encountered at the inn was very personable and helpful, creating a most welcome feeling. Without a doubt, we’ll stay here next time we visit St. Augustine.     

Where we stayed:

She said:

After our trip to Disney World with the “adorables”, we decided to spend some down time in the Florida Keys, particularly in Marathon.  Bill explored everywhere to find the perfect place to stay.  He had a hard time coming up with something that was within our budget and “nice”.  I think he found a gem in the “White Sands Inn“. 

As you can see it is right on the beach.

Very clean and appealing. 

Here is Bill at the pool, not very big but clean and nice.  It was almost 80 degrees, and the rest of the country was freezing!

Cute little boats for our use.  Also outdoor grills.

This was our room. Very spacious with a microwave, little refrigerator and coffee maker.

The other side of the room.  The price in February was $140.00/night.  My sister and her husband stayed there right after us and they also really liked it, but do not recommend it during Spring Break.  It is a great bargain for college kids, and noisy!

He said:

I’m a firm believer that one need not stay in an expensive spot to relax. Actually, sometimes the expense can make it fell less relaxing. We knew we just wanted to loll around the water somewhere warm, so I searched the Internet for some spots that were on the water, but weren’t what would be considered luxury accommodations. The White Sands Inn fit the bill nicely and it cost about half the going rate at the larger, more amenity conscious establishments. We had the ocean less than 100 feet directly out our door, a clean, air conditioned room, wireless, a flat screen TV and a pool. This was all we wanted – and needed. I would definitely recommend this spot.

The French Quarter: image from flickr by 2Eklectic

Where we stayed:

She said:

We stayed in the French Quarter section of the Port Orleans Resort this time.  It was very nice. Amy from “Ears of Experience” arranged our package which included 6 nights at the French Quarter,  5-day “Magic Your Way Park Hopper” tickets, a $500 gift card which we used for meals plus a $25 gift card from Amy for using “Ears of Experience”.  All for $1,600.00.  Amy also made all of our dinner reservations and sent us a package with all of our day to day happenings.  She offered suggestions on how to navigate the parks and what to look for in each park.  You have to use Amy if and when you go to Disney World!

Room in the French Quarter:image from Flickr by 2Electic

This was a typical room at the French Quarter.  We had a small refrigerator and coffee maker in the room.  We cut a lot of cost, and time, by stopping at the grocery store ahead of time and buying breakfast items.  We bought yogurt, cereal, juice, high fiber snack bars, small waters to carry in the park, and paper bowls and plastic spoons and we were set!!!

Pool at the French Quarter: image from flickr by Olaf

Here is the fun pool at the French Quarter and there also was a small pool for the little adorables.      

The Clam Shell Waterfall: image from flickr by 2Electic

Isn’t this a fun little waterfall??  The kids loved all of the little alligator statues all over the grounds.      

Here’s the oldest “adorable” enjoying hot chocolate in the dining area (it was a little chilly)!  They had wonderful pizzas, salads, soups, chili and sandwiches.  You could also take the boat taxi into the Village for something different.  The Village has many stores and restaurants to enjoy, and the boat ride is fun and different.  You could also walk to Riverside portion of Port Orleans for other different meals.  I loved the salads there!!

He said:

For me, the only lodging criteria one needs to consider is the pool! Unfortunately, to avail oneself of the most elaborate and fun pools, moderate or deluxe lodging must be chosen. Otherwise you simply get a basic, but large, pool. And although it seems difficult not to spend all one’s time in the parks, actually, a day at the pool is not a bad thing – for both the parents and the kids. There are, of course, speciality drinks that make the day even more enjoyable!

The Phoenix X

Where we stayed: 

She said: 

We stayed in one of the condos in this building.  We found out about these units from my sister Sharon and her husband Tim.  The “in” season for Orange Beach is in the summer.  Its so hard for me to grasp that this is the expensive time.  It really is an ideal location in which to live, because the weather is pretty good all year round.  Winter is, therefore, the “off” season, and that is the time we stayed.   

You can rent a 1 bedroom unit (with its own laundry) in the winter for about $120/night.  The price will go down the longer you rent, and I’m sure,  in this economy, prices are negotiable.  They have many social activities for the “snowbirds”, and those include golf,  potlucks,  bridge, social hours, quilting anyone??, and more.  Bill and Tim did participate in the golf outings, and Sharon and I mostly did our own thing.  Be forewarned, the weather at this time can be “chilly”, but I could walk the beach, play golf, and venture to nearby attractions. 

He said: 

Brett Robinson Realty handles a large group of condos and houses for rent. The monthly rates are very reasonable and some of the buildings are really quite nice. Ours was very adequate, but wasn’t one of the newer ones. We opted for a 3 bedroom unit as we thought my daughters might make it down. Unfortunately, they didn’t, but the added cost was marginal compared to extra room we had. As Marla mentioned, the temperatures sometimes do not get out of the 40′s, making golf and strolling the beaches a bit chilly to say the least. But there is a good amount of sunshine and, if the winds stay down, outdoor activities are possible on most days.

Orange Beach, Alabama: image from flickr by divermasterking2000

Where we stayed:

She said:

We arrived in Orange Beach, Alabama after 12 hours of driving along I-10 through Louisiana and Mississippi.  It was a little boring, except for a few interesting places where we were on a bridge going over miles and miles of swamp.  I was wondering if I would see an alligator,  but I didn’t.  That was the only thing of interest. 

As you can tell from the picture, Orange Beach is miles  of condo buildings interspersed with restaurants and some shopping areas. 

The beaches, however, are the best. From Panama City, Florida on through to Gulf Shores, Alabama, one finds the Gulf of Mexico lapping at mile after mile of sugar white sand. 

Beach in Orange Beach

There are miles and miles of beautiful white sand.  We mostly walked the beaches and ate in many, many restaurants!

He said:

Before meeting Marla, I was considering this area as a possible permanent residence. I love the beaches and water and, the winters are mild enough to play golf 12 months a year. But Marla’s allure and Colorado won out, hands down!

View from Dave's house

Where we stayed:

She said:

Lake Travis lies below Bill’s high school friend’s home in Briarcliff, Texas. The setting provides truly magnificent vistas!

Briarcliff is located about 30 miles NW of Austin, Texas.  Lana, Dave’s wife, had a meeting in Dallas so Bill, Dave and I hung out together for a couple of days.   This picture shows what a special place Lana and Dave have in Briar Cliff.  This next picture shows what a popular place it is!  

We were sitting on their front porch enjoying the wonderful view, when Dave threw some corn on his lawn.  It was fun to see some deer come up to the house, but I was shocked when about 20 deer showed up for the party. He’s had as many as 30.   They will sometimes come up on the porch!  

There were about 3 bucks. 

He said: 

What a great spot. Dave and I have kept in touch throughout the years, but this was the first oppotunity I’ve had to visit him since he moved to Texas over 10 years ago. The next time won’t take so long! Enjoying champagne and feeding the deer while catching up on grand kids and recent endeavors while taking in the scenery is about as wonderful as it gets. And maybe next time we’ll play some golf on Willie Nelson’s course! He lives just over a hill and his course can be played by residents. Its only 9 holes, but who knows, we might get to see Willie himself!

The Woodrow House B&B

Where we stayed: 

She said: 

We arrived in Lubbock, Texas and had reservations at the Woodrow House Bed and Breakfast.  We stayed one night and the room was $85.00.  We were directly accross from Texas Tech.  I have to confess that my heart was sinking as we drove into town and went through a pretty crummy section of town.  The B&B was just past that section and I was very happy when we came upon the college area, and found our B&B.        

                                                                                                                                                                                                Our room was the “50′s” room. It was a little bit cluttered with all 50′s paraphernalia and knick knacks on every piece of furniture, which, made it hard to find a place to put our things. There even was an old sewing machine serving as a table! Dave, the owner, made a stained glass figure of Buddy Holly on the door to the deck. We were warned not to be frightened during the night when we saw his image in the door. Even with this warning, I still was startled! 

                                                                                                                                                                                                 The owners, Dave and Dawn, were very nice and very accommodating. They are both former Red Raiders who decided to stay in Lubbock after college. The Woodrow House was designed and built for them as a B&B so they could enjoy the atmosphere of college life the rest of their lives. Not a bad idea! Our breakfast in the morning was cozy. Instead of sitting in the dining room, Dawn had us sit at the island kitchen counter while she cooked – kind of like a “chef’s table”. Breakfast was yummy, down home eggs, pancakes, ham, toast and fruit. 

Where We Ate: 

He said: 

Dawn recommended Cafe J, which offers an interesting blend of French and Southwestern cuisines, for dinner. It was literally right next door. This was perfect since the short walk wouldn’t limit our effort to wash away the dust from our drive! Our meal was very good. I had a seared ahi tuna dish and Marla  had sea scallops.  The prices were in the 20′s, so not cheap, but it was enjoyable and worth it.