cavalletta's Passport
 | Been to 372 Attractions |
 | 205 Reviews |
 | 138 First to Review |
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Send a ComplimentAbout Me & My Family
We're a globe trekking, fun-loving family always planning our next adventure. From art museums to alpine skiing, we're ready for anything.
Our Family's Travel Personality
adventurous, curious, relaxed, simple, independent, energetic, spontaneous, sophisticated, easy_going, scheduled, artsy, social_butterfly
We Just Got Back From
Visiting Tybee Island, Georgia. The lighthouse tour and beaches are a family favorite!
Our Favorite Vacation Spot
Wherever we go next....thanks to Trekaroo, I always have a great group of reviews to help me plan a fantastic vacation!
A Place We'd Love To Visit
During the winter, anywhere with snow and easy airport access :-)
Favorite Vacation Memory
One of my favorite vacation memories was seeing my daughter splashing in the Boca Beach Club kiddie pool.
Also, the first time she saw snow in Park City, Utah at the Park City Mountain Resort. She's still talking about ski school years later!
Visiting Cancun! We recently visited Miami and explored South Beach, South Miami and Coral Gables. We also visited Innisbrook Golf Resort and Spa near Tampa Bay, Florida. Be sure to read my reviews about the resort and their Indaba Spa. What an amazing experience!
Also, a holiday in France (wonderful home exchange--thanks for the ideas on Trekaroo!)
Worst Travel Moment With My Kids:
Dangerous weather conditions or any other unexpected airport delay.
Security delays at the airport!
Websites I Like:
Spooky Sights and Sounds in Florida
As fall arrives, spooky festivals and fun can be found crawling all across the Sunshine State. Whether you prefer to kick back and enjoy the fall colors with a festive country fair or get your heart racing at a spooky haunted house, there's something for you! So, get ready for Halloween season...Florida style.
36750 U.S. Highway 19 North
Palm Harbor, Florida
Comment:
3rd Annual Innisbrook Haunted Hollow
Friday, Saturday, Sunday Nights • October 28 – 30 • 6 – 9PM
ORDER TICKETS:
Adults: $15 • Children (under 10): $10 • Children under 4: FREE
Call 727.942.200 for Tickets
*Identify your PTA when making your Family Pass reservation & your PTA will receive a $5 donation.
YOU’LL SCREAM WITH DELIGHT AT THE SPOOKTACULAR HALLOWEEN ACTIVITIES AT INNISBROOK’S FAMOUS LOCH NESS MONSTER POOL!
*More activities, same family friendly pricing
*Expanded Haunted Hollow Trail – 12 creepy creature scenes & ghoulish sounds
*Poolside Dive-In Movie – Halloween favorite clips & episodes
*4 ghouly crafts & wicked carnival games
*Glow-in-the-dark putt putt
*Costume contest 12 & under – starts at 6:45pm
*Free popcorn
*Haunted winding waterslides & night swim
*Laser tag (additional charge)
*Souvenir werewolf pictures (additional charge)
*Food & beverages (additional charge)
Innisbrook’s Haunted Hollow Trail is created in partnership with Lolain Dobbs of KLA Productions.
reviewed on: June 18 2011
"Innisbrook is a natural wonderland! "
Situated on over 900 beautiful acres on Florida’s Gulf Coast, this world class golf resort is an ideal vacation destination for families of all ages and sizes. Having undergone a major renovation in 2008, the resort sparkles in harmony with its natural surroundings. With so much to see and do at the resort, we knew we would have a great time even before we arrived. We were right!After driving past the welcoming guard gate, we felt transported to a whole new world. The beautiful natural landscaping is a perfect balance with the well groomed golf courses and two-story stone-front buildings. As golfers, we were thrilled to see the PGA tour’s popular Copperhead course almost immediately after driving on property but more on the golf courses later.
Signposts clearly pointed us to the Osprey Clubhouse to check in. We were happy that our check in process was handled so quickly! The friendly front desk staff and bellmen offered plenty of helpful hints and made suggestions on which activities to try first. We were given a comprehensive list of Innisbrook activities and programs, a separate weekly activities listing, and a map of the resort. Did I mention that the resort is 900 acres and beautiful? It’s worth repeating!
One of my preschooler’s favorite resort amenities was the uniquely named “horizontal elevators.” Rather than going up and down like a traditional elevator, Innisbrook has a fleet of air conditioned white shuttle busses available whenever you call for one – 24 hours a day. What a treat! We, actually the bellman, unloaded our car once and left it parked in the shade throughout our stay. It was a pleasure being whisked to the restaurants, tennis courts, spa, golf courses and nature trails rather than relying on our car.
ACCOMMODATIONS
We were thrilled with our spacious one bedroom suite. It was very clean and featured a newly remodeled kitchen and bath area. The flat-screen TVs have game ports and a good assortment of channels. High speed internet connections kept us connected to the outside world. The full kitchen is a welcome treat for families who enjoy cooking on their vacations. The beds are very comfortable and the living room couch pulled out into a bed. There are plenty of washers and dryers available free of charge (bring your soap or buy some there) in each building as well as ice machines. This resort would be ideal for large families and family reunions because of the variety of room sizes available. Visit the Innisbrook website to see the room and suite layouts.
ACTIVITES AND CAMP NESSIE
My preschooler heard that there are FIVE POOLS at the resort and made it her mission to swim in all five. Her favorite is the kid-friendly Loch Ness Pool which gets its name from the shape of the pool. This zero-entry heated pool has splash fountains, a small beach area and toys for digging in the sand, a waterfall, a net for pool volleyball and even two water slides. Fortunately, there are plenty of lounge chairs and shady spots for kicking back and a grill to order simple but tasty food and drinks. Towels and some pool toys are available, at no charge, when you check in at the Loch Ness pool and changing rooms are nearby. The lifeguards are watchful and courteous. The “Dive-In” movie was a hit with kids and parents alike. It was a relaxing way to wind down for the evening…under the stars while lounging poolside. Also at the Loch Ness pool area, there are family crafts (some fees required) and free games offered each afternoon. We had a blast playing whiffleball and creating some special handmade souvenirs. My preschooler is still proudly wearing her tie-dye shirt that she made at Innisbrook.
One morning, we decided to rent a Surrey bike so the whole family could tour the resort grounds together. We were given a nature scavenger hunt card and set off to explore the property. It was easy to see all sorts of birds, fox squirrels and flowers as we leisurely pedaled around. When we saw something we wanted to explore more, we hopped off the bike and took a look. You can also rent standard bikes and tandem bikes by the hour.
Complimentary and fee based resort activities vary by season but we had a blast playing basketball, shuffleboard, outdoor volleyball, put put mini golf, frolicking on the playground, strolling along the Nature Walk and participating in the afternoon games at the Loch Ness Pool. If you want to venture to one of the world’s most amazing beaches, then hop on the complimentary beach shuttle to Honeymoon or Caladesi Island. There are two separate departure and return times each day but reservations are recommended.
The Camp Nessie and Kids Night Out programs are wonderful ways for parents and kiddos to spend some time doing things on their own. At Camp Nessie, my preschooler had so much fun creating all sorts of art projects, building castles, playing games and swimming at the Loch Ness Pool that she wanted to stay just a little longer. It was reassuring to see her interact so well with the program staff. They are the best! Thanks to the Camp Nessie program, I was able to relax and play golf knowing that my preschooler was being engaged in all sorts of hands-on activities with trained and caring staff members.
GOLF, TENNIS AND SPA
As mentioned, Innisbrook is home to four of the most amazing golf courses. The PGA tour visits the resort each year for the Transitions Championship and LPGA Legends Tour Open Championship. The rolling hills are nothing like a typical Florida course and make for an amazing day of golf! We had a blast taking our preschooler on the 9-hole Fox Squirrel Golf Course (part of the North and South courses) but she did not last long. She wanted to go back to the Loch Ness Pool and slides! The Copperhead and Island courses were a bit beyond our current skill level but are incredible to see. Fortunately, we were able to play the more forgiving North and South courses on other days as she was enjoying activities at Camp Nessie. I had one of my best rounds of golf on the North Course and have the scorecard to prove it! Perhaps, it was the beautiful scenery and fox squirrel that helped me stay focused? The four courses are designed to be challenging for a variety of skill levels and all are absolutely beautiful.
The Tennis Center offers 11 Har-Tru tennis courts, a pro shop and three racquetball courts as well as daily clinics and a variety of Junior and Summer Camp programs. After participating in a tennis clinic, it was easy to arrange an energizing doubles game on the well-maintained courts.
There are rental clubs and tennis gear available if you left your gear at home. If you’d like to brush up your skills, there are daily golf and tennis clinics as well as the world class Golf Institutes for more intense training.
Be sure to read my other review about the Indaba Spa at Innisbrook here on Trekaroo.
DINING
Even though the rooms have wonderful kitchens, we could not resist the wonderful variety of food offered at the resort. There are four restaurants, a gourmet market and sports bar all offering flavorful menu items at reasonable prices. The Market Salamader Grille chef creates incredibly delicious meals with unique flavors and combinations. Each meal was a pleasure and I wondered if I could recreate the tasty dishes at home. The chef puts his own skilled twist on familiar favorites and also offers incredible regional treats. Rest assured, you can find kid-friendly menu items as well but there’s plenty to keep the adults happy, too. From the steakhouse to the Grill at Loch Ness, we enjoyed every bite! The wait staff was knowledgeable, friendly and efficient. Dining here was not a coat and tie affair but we felt comfortable dressing up just a bit in our casual resort wear. A real post golf treat was relaxing on the outdoor patio at the Osprey Sports Bar which overlooks a golf course. We saw an osprey nest and watched in wonder as the adult ospreys tended to their hatchlings. What a way to end a great day on the links!
Even though there are plenty of activities to keep any member of the family busy and on the go from morning to night, we left Innisbrook feeling totally relaxed. Who knew paradise could be found only 30 minutes from Tampa International Airport? Consider yourself informed! Now, go find out how wonderful Innisbrook is first hand. You’ll be glad that you did.
Disclosure: I received a complimentary two night stay at the Innisbrook Resort. This review is my honest opinion of my experiences. The resort did not request or require that I express a particular point of view.
3325 Trieman Blvd. (US Hwy 301)
Dade City, Florida
Comment:
Visit Ergle Christmas Tree Farm's PUMPKIN PATCH! Join the fun -- ride the train, enjoy some ice cream, and find the best pumpkin ever! OPEN daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Don't miss the baby goats!
reviewed on: November 29 2009
"Great variety of u-pick goodies!"
This family farm has plenty of u-pick blackberries, strawberries, blueberries and veggies as well as a small farmers market with goodies already picked. They also sell a wide variety of fruit trees for planting in your own home garden.CHRISTMAS TREE FARM REVIEW
After visiting the tree farm website, we were really looking forward to making the drive north to Dade City to choose and cut our family Christmas tree. We drove past rolling hills (in most parts of Florida, hills are a rare find) and pastures and arrived at the bustling tree farm. There is a small field of Florida friendly trees ready for choosing and cutting. After exploring the fields, we noticed that the trees would not hold ornaments due to the dense foliage and also the light branches. So, we walked over to their covered tree lot which was full of beautiful trees fresh from North Carolina and Michigan tree farms. There are plenty of helpful staffers ready to assist families with their dream tree search. They all gently discouraged cutting our own tree since those trees do not hold ornaments well. We chose a lovely Frasier Fir tree and the very helpful farm hands quickly prepared our tree for the journey back home. They shook off the loose needles, bagged the tree and even wrapped the stump in plastic so the sap would not get on our car. Overall, the experience was interesting but I doubt that we would make the 50 mile drive for a tree that we could have easily bought at a tree lot here in town. Happy Holidays!
705 Channelside Drive
Tampa, Florida
Comment:
GHOSTS OF THE GREY LADY
HAS BEEN RESCHEDULED
Due to the American Victory Ship going to Dry Docks, the Oct 21 and Oct 22 events have been rescheduled for Friday, Nov. 4 and Friday, Nov. 11.
reviewed on: August 27 2009
"Great tour and fun special events"
If you want to step back in time aboard an amazingly well restored 1940s-era merchant cargo vessel which served during World War II and the Korean and Vietnam wars, then climb aboard the American Victory Ship! You can easily explore nearly the entire ship including the cargo holds, radio room, hospital, galley, bridge, engine room, crew cabins, chartroom, lifeboats and cargo equipment. This visit would be a great history lesson for your teens! There's an onboard museum where you can see pictures and uniforms and other interesting details of what life at sea was like for these sailors. The admission fees are reasonable.The volunteers are very friendly and share all sorts of wonderful personal stories which really help the ship come alive through their words. Take the time to listen to their tales...you'll be glad that you did!
