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Travel Tuesday: New Orleans, Louisiana

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This past April I got to take a fun trip down to New Orleans, and it is finally making it to the blog. New Orleans is known for Mardi Gras and Bourbon street but it is also rich in history, cuisine and culture. I was able to take Willow with me and there is tons of kid-friendly places to help entertain little ones as well. We stayed in the heart of the city at the Windsor Court Hotel (which I highly recommend). It is walking distance to many places including the Aquarium, bar, restaurants and the River Walk. Here are some great activities to see and do while you are in The Big Easy.

Dress and Shoes: c/o William B Friends

  1. Grab a Trolley Car on Canal Street 

This is fun for the whole family! Grab a Trolley Car starting at the end of Canal Street and take it 7 miles to the New Orleans Museum of Art. The passes are only $1.25 (yes you heard me right). They are so sweet about accommodating strollers for the kiddos too. You get to sit back, relax and enjoy the ride.

 2. Audobon Aquarium of the Americas 

This Aquarium is truly amazing, and you feel like you are submerged beneath the sea with their walk-through tunnels full of sharks, rays and sea turtles. They have live feeding times, with educational sessions explaining all the sea creatures in the aquarium. Willow even got to touch the sting rays!

Quick Tip: If you arrive and the line is long, sneak over to the theater and buy them there. Just a little secret to get the fun started!

Dress and Shoes: c/0 William B Friends    

   3. Stroll The Riverwalk

The Riverwalk is located right next to the Mississippi River, and offers many activities. Including steamboat rides, a full marketplace mall for amazing shopping and many restaurants.

Quick Tip: We stopped by the Crazy Lobster for a moscow mule. The laws in New Orleans actually allow you to take your drink in a to go cup and walk around in public. The only stipulation is that it must be in a plastic glass! Enjoy!!

Shirt, Jeans, Shoes: c/0 William B Friends

4. Beignets

Beignets are a must when in The Big Easy. They are these delicious little squares of dough, that are fried and covered in powder sugar. No joke…this was my first stop when I got to New Orleans. But the real question is Cafe Du Monde or Cafe Beignet. Cafe Du Monde is a historic staple for beignets, opening its doors in 1862 and usually always has a line out the door. The other option, that is also extremely satisfying is the Cafe Beignet. They have three locations, that boast an old school diner vibe, and usually there is no line.

Jeans, Shirt, Tank Top, Jeans, Shoes: c/o William B Friends 

5.  House of Blues

With concerts, live music and burlesque shows scheduled Tuesday through Saturday, you can’t go wrong with a night out at the House of Blues. It hosts some of the cities best live music performances and they even have a Gospel Bruch on Sundays!

 

Honestly this list could have been filled with over 100 restaurants, and activities but that wouldn’t even scratch the surface of things to do in this beautiful city! I hope this little cheat sheet helps you plan your next trip to New Orleans. Where are you traveling to this summer??

 

Thank you to Windsor Court Hotel and William B Friends. 

Photography by Kellie Binnings

5 TIPS FOR TRAVELING WITH A TODDLER

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Everyone knows traveling with small children can be an anxiety ridden adventure (or let’s be honest, a total nightmare). It’s difficult to be stuck at 30,000 feet trying to console your children while random strangers stare at you! So to avoid some of those feelings, it’s a great idea to really prepare ahead of time in multiple ways to get your family ready for any trip. Hopefully some of the tips I share below will help any parent avoid a tantrum in flight, and instead having you sitting pretty (maybe even with a glass of wine). Here are my top 5 tips to help you all have a stress free journey.

      1. Help Your Toddler Prepare For Travel. Prep your toddler with the news that you will be flying to some amazing place (like Nana’s house, lol). The last time we flew with Willow we explained to her that we were flying to see her Nana, and that we were taking a magical airplane. I went and bought her a toy airplane so she could see all the parts of the airplane. Toddler’s minds are extremely literal, so referencing all the parts of the plane (such as, “this is where the captain sits”, “here is the door we will walk through”, “you can see out of all of these windows”, and “here are the wings”). We brought her airplane with us and she had so much fun pointing out each of the areas of the airplane when we boarded.

    1. Plan Activities Ahead Of Time. As we all know from experience small children have a small attention plan. Someone once told me to plan my flight in 30 minute increments with a new activity each half hour. So for my 3 hour flight, I had 6 activities for Willow. I brought old toys and some new toys (just for the element of surprise, knowing she would be more occupied with something new). I also put her toys in a  small rolling backpack, so she felt like part of the grown ups walking through the airport rolling her own travel bag. She has one similar to this ONE. I packed her coloring books, stickers, small puzzles, dinosaur figurines, reading books, etc.

  1. Bring the IPAD/DVD Player. Yes, I know, don’t judge me just yet. I am not saying stick your kid in front of an IPAD all the time to keep them entertained. What I am saying is that flying is an exception, and if all else fails it is better to have some movies and apps downloaded already to keep your little one entertained. It also saves you from trying to bring your entire toy chest with you to keep your toddler distracted.
  2. Hand Sanitizer/Wipes/Essential Oils. I usually rarely use hand sanitizer on Willow and always prefer soap and water. But I always take these with with me when I travel, to help avoid catching nasty bugs. I mean who knows who was in the seat before you and what they did on their flight. So I always try to wipe down the seats, arm rests and tray tables with sanitizing wipes before we sit (this is what pre-boarding is for!). I also have Willow use hand sanitizer prior to eating on the plane and as needed. I add this Immushield on the whole family, it has 8 essential oils to help boost the immune system.
  3. Be Seriously Organized! I like to keep separate pouches to organize items I will need on the plane, like these Mommy and Toddler Things bags. They have a large label, and allow me to easily pull them out when needed. Here is what I always recommend bringing/doing:
    1. Protein Filled Snacks (thinking mini PBJ, nuts, bars)
    2. Sippy Cups, Bottles
    3. Suckers (if your child is old enough for take off and landing to help with ear pressure).
    4. Medications you may need.
    5. A change of clothes in case of accident (for you and your little one, plus a baggy for any soiled linen)
    6. Check if your airline has pre-boarding (trust me some don’t) and let the airline staff at the desk know you would like to pre-board, and then be ready at the desk when boarding starts.
    7. A pillow or soft animal your child can use to comfort themselves.

Good Luck! I hope this was helpful and it’s smooth flying for you all! If you find your self stuck in a full on tantrum, remember breathe deep, know that this flight WILL end, you WILL exit the aircraft and most likely NEVER see any one of those people ever again!

XOXO

Photo Credit: LiveStyled Shop