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family travel

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FALL for the East Coast – Captain’s Quarters Resort is An AMAZING Family Destination

RJ turned three 2 weeks ago and we desperately wanted to get out of New York. We’re trying to step our travel game up so when we got the opportunity to head to Myrtle Beach for the weekend it was a fast and obvious YES! 

We set out on our road trip EARLY Thursday morning and arrived at Captain’s Quarters Resort that evening. It was a LONG trip but we were immediately excited to get out of the car. No one was more excited than RJ especially since he had some birthday loot waiting for him once we got to our room. 

IMG_2121 from Tanay Howard on Vimeo.

I’m going to admit I’m a habitual trip checker and I researched everything up and down when I’m headed on a trip. I was sooooooo happy with our hotel choice and I knew after a good night’s sleep RJ was going to be EXCITED to check out the pools. Captain’s Quarters boasts an impressive 15 water features and we tried just about all of them! Myrtle Beach still has beautiful weather at the end of October so we were able to enjoy both the indoor and outdoor water features which RJ LOVED. 

Everything at the resort was super kid friendly and they truly pride themselves on being the friendliest resort on the beach. This was our first birthday trip, our first trip as a family of four and our first long stay away from home all together and I couldn’t have been happier with our stay at Captain’s Quarters! 

Fast Facts About Our Stay – Captain’s Quarters Resort Myrtle Beach, SC

  • We stayed in an Angle Oceanfront Suite. The view was beautiful (see below). Captain Quarters has a variety of room accommodations to fit families of various sizes. Accommodations can be checked out here. 
  • Level 6 Entertainment Center hosts a variety of games, 20 AMF lanes of bowling and a bar. We fully took advantage of the fact that each guest receives a free game of bowling per day!
  • Captain’s Quarters has several dining options. Our favorites were Loco Gecko, and the Vista 9 buffet-style breakfast. I’m bummed we didn’t get a chance to get a window seat because the view up there is amazing! 
  • The back of the room key is a discount card to a lot of local places around Myrtle Beach. Though by the time we realized this it was our last day, and the boys randomly got a cold so we took it easy most of the day. Check out all the places it can be used here. 
  • Fall and Spring are the best times to visit Myrtle Beach as the ocean waters are warm and inviting, the sunshine and ocean breezes are abundant, and there’s more elbow room on the beach.

Where was your last family getaway? Have you been to Myrtle Beach?  

My family and I were provided complimentary accommodations by Vacation Myrtle Beach to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed belong to LifewithTanay. 

November 6, 2017 By
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Avoid These 5 Common Mistakes When Applying for Your U.S. Passport

Disclaimer: I am by no means an authorized agent to issue US Passports, I am solely speaking from experience based on everyday encounters. For authorized, professional information please visit travel.state.gov or your local passport acceptance center. 

I hear people applying for their passport all day and person after person comes in ALL day asking the same questions and making the SAME mistakes. ALL of the instructions are on the form when applying for your passport but most people get intimidated because there are quite a few pages and paragraphs of instructions. I don’t have a long intro for this post to make it sound good I’m basically about to tell you the most frequently asked questions/mistakes I hear all day and the answers to those questions. 

 

1. Fill out your passport application using BLACK INK only. 

It’s literally like the first thing the application says after “Application for US Passport” and still its one of the most common mistakes. No it won’t be ok if you use blue ink. Yes it really does matter. Especially now more than ever the lines when applying for your passport are LONG and you WILL get sent to the back of the line with a blank form to fill out again. Don’t waste your time. You can also fill it out online ahead of time and print it out at travel.state.gov.

2. The bottom part of the first page that says STOP…. really…. STOP. 

That portion of the front page has to be signed and completed in front of an authorized passport agent. I promise they don’t need your help. Do not sign ahead….or you will again, be filing out another passport form. 

3. If you’re a minor applying for a passport, BOTH parents must be present. 

The only exception to this rule is to have written, notarized consent from the other parent and it must be signed the same day. You can check out form DS-3053 here for the complete rules regarding circumstances like these. For special circumstances such as sole custody, death of a parent etc., proof must be provided. 

4. Renewal forms are for adults over 16 years of age only! 

If you were issued a passport and you were under the age of 16 at the time it was issued, you have to go through the process as if you were obtaining a new passport. Point blank. Even if you still have your old passport. 

5. You must check online for the appropriate fee for your application! 

There is a separate passport fee and execution fee. Both can be found here. This is the most updated way to get the appropriate fee for your application. 

 

Dassit! So now, where are we headed? xo.

June 2, 2017 By
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5 Instagram Accounts That Will Ignite Your Family Travel Wanderlust

For some reason this post was a lot harder to write than it should’ve been. I really had to sit and question, where are all the black family travel bloggers? If you do a quick search of the hashtags #familytravel or #familytravelblogger the lack of melanin is all up and thru there! I was slightly disappointed and for a minute I questioned if we’re still so busy buying Jordans and “doing it for the gram” that we STILL aren’t providing our children with experiences when it’s becoming even easier to find inexpensive ways to do so. 

Anywho now that my short little rant is over I have to say I’ve been bit with the wanderlust bug. Of course now, I’m 8 months pregnant and I can’t go much of anywhere so I’m hoping this baby comes a little early so we can fit in a late summer trip. But while I’m waiting these families on Instagram are giving me all the feels and reminding me that #blackfamiliestravel. 

1. @themomtrotter

Aiden: "Mom, can you take a picture of me under water?" . With the weather in the 80's yesterday, this guy spent all day in the pool. —- He starts his summer swim lessons next month and is super excited about it 🏊🏊🏊 —- Do you know how to swim? Do your kids know how to swim? And At what age did they learn how to swim without floaters? . . . . . . . . . . . #GoProHero4 #GoProKids #UnderWater #LosAngeles #HomeSweetHome #SummerReady #KidsSwim #JetsettingKids #FamilyGo #FamilyAdventure #TravellingFamilies #FamilyTravel #FamilyTravelBlog #TravelKid #ToddlerTravel #KidsTravel #TravellingWithKids #TravelWithKids #TravelKids #KidsWhoTravel #ThingsToDo #OneStateAtATime #FamilyOnVacation #WorldSchooling #TakeYourKidsEverywhere #ShowThemTheWorld #HaveKidsWillTravel #WeAreTravelMums #TakeTheKids #BringTheKids

A post shared by K @ theMOMtrotter (@themomtrotter) on

2. @thepreciousmommy

3. @thetravelingchild

4. @seejettfly

5. @heathergd

Loved the bright colours on the streets of #Cascais #art #instaart

A post shared by Heather Greenwood Davis (@heathergd) on

Are you following any of these beautiful traveling families? Who are some of your favorite family travel bloggers? 

May 4, 2017 By
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