Category: trip reports

Seoul Day 2: Hanbok rental, Gyeongbokgung Palace, Gwanham square, Hongdae cafes

Background In July 2023, our family visited Seoul, South Korea! This has been at the top of our family wish list for a few years. In the last few years, k-drama watching for Jenn has made it jump higher on the list. We visited in late July and combined this trip with a Hawaii visit and 5 days in Japan. This post covers our second full day in Seoul and visits Gyeongbokgung Palace, Gwanghwamun Square, and Hongdae Cafes. Read all of our 2023 Korea/Japan posts at the following links: Seoul, South Korea: Flights, Logistics, and Hotel Info Seoul Day 1: Myeongdong, Namsangol Hanok, Seoul Tower Seoul Day 2: Hanbok rental, Gyeongbokgung Palace, Gwanham square, Hongdae Seoul Day 3: Gangnam Area, COEX Aquarium, Myeongdong Night Market Kyoto, Japan: Flights, Logistics, and Hotel Info Kyoto Day 1: Higashiyama Temples: Maruyama Park, Yasaka Shrine, Kiyozdemeru Osaka: Nintendo World at Universal Studios Japan and Osaka Dotonbori Kyoto Day 2: Arashiyama River Cruise, Monkey Park, Bamboo Gardens, Kyoto Day 3:Aeon Mall, Nishiki Market, Pokemon Center,Gion Matsuri Gallery Kyoto Day 4: East Kyoto Temples: Philosophers Path, Nanzeji Temple Day 2: Hanbok rental, Gyeongbokgung Palace, Gwanham square, Hongdae cafes Hanbok Rental Hanbok Rental: This was one of the highlights of our trip! We rented outfits for 2 hours and walked to the palace across the street. We used a company called chambok. Outfits were 10-20 each for the 2 hours and it also came with some small hair decorations. The ahjummas were so sweet and helped us pick our outfits and get dressed. Ellie was a princess and Carter loved dressing up as a magistrate. From here we walked half a block to the palace Gyeongbokgung Palace Gyeongbokgung Palace: The palaces have free entry if you’re wearing a hanbok outfit. About a quarter of the visitors were wearing hanboks. It was so fun people-watching and sightseeing while dressed up. The palace was gorgeous, although busy. There are a few short guard changing ceremonies at different times throughout the day. It was hot hot hot and we didn’t time a tour or get a lot of context but it was fun to walk through the buildings and take pictures. We only stayed about an hour Gwanghwamun Square Gwanghwamun Square: Right across the street from the palace, there’s a small square with large statues. Gwanghwamun Square is mainly known for its two landmark statues? The King Sejong the Great of Joseon and Admiral Yi Sun-shin. Its a popular spot for K-drama films including memories of the alhambra where the statues come to life in a VR game. Very fun! From here, we caught a taxi to Hongdae (This was a 30 minute drive) Hongdae Cafes Hongdae Cafes: This neighborhood was so fun! On the main streets, there were tons of cute shops and activities. We stopped for a fantastic lunch of grilled meat that was really cheap. Per the recommendation of a friend, we stopped at 2 cafes. The first was a meerkat cafe where you could pay a fee and pet animals such as racoons, kangaroos, and meerkats! FYI, you had to be 7 to play in the meerkat room and Ellie was too young. We still had fun watching and seeing the other animals. We also went to a harry potter themed cafe! It was a little pricey as drinks purchases were required for each person. There were several floors of sights to visit and some cute visuals but only a small interactive robe section and the kids weren’t familiar with Harry potter. The hongdae atmosphere was really fun with lots of people hanging out including some dancers in the streets. There is also a cooking show called NANTA that was recommended on many of the blogs I read. Itaewon dinner: Near the hotel, we had some pork cutlet and pastries at a shop near our hotel. If we had more energy, it would have been great to go out to one of the night markets to explore but we were pretty tired. More Asia 2023 Posts Read all of our 2023 Korea/Japan posts at the following links: Seoul, South Korea: Flights, Logistics, and Hotel Info Seoul Day 1: Myeongdong, Namsangol Hanok, Seoul Tower Seoul Day 2: Hanbok rental, Gyeongbokgung Palace, Gwanham square, Hongdae Seoul Day 3: Gangnam Area, COEX Aquarium, Myeongdong Night Market Kyoto, Japan: Flights, Logistics, and Hotel Info Kyoto Day 1: Higashiyama Temples: Maruyama Park, Yasaka Shrine, Kiyozdemeru Osaka: Nintendo World at Universal Studios Japan and Osaka Dotonbori Kyoto Day 2: Arashiyama River Cruise, Monkey Park, Bamboo Gardens, Kyoto Day 3:Aeon Mall, Nishiki Market, Pokemon Center,Gion Matsuri Gallery Kyoto Day 4: East Kyoto Temples: Philosophers Path, Nanzeji Temple

Seoul Day 1: Myeongdong, Namsangol Hanok, Seoul Tower

Background In July 2023, our family visited Seoul, South Korea! This has been at the top of our family wish list for a few years. In the last few years, k-drama watching for Jenn has made it jump higher on the list. We visited in late July and combined this trip with a Hawaii visit and 5 days in Japan. This post covers our first full day in Seoul and visits to Myeongdong, Namsangol Hanok, Namsan Seoul Tower, and more. Read all of our 2023 Korea/Japan posts at the following links: Seoul, South Korea: Flights, Logistics, and Hotel Info Seoul Day 1: Myeongdong, Namsangol Hanok, Seoul Tower Seoul Day 2: Hanbok rental, Gyeongbokgung Palace, Gwanham square, Hongdae Seoul Day 3: Gangnam Area, COEX Aquarium, Myeongdong Night Market Kyoto, Japan: Flights, Logistics, and Hotel Info Kyoto Day 1: Higashiyama Temples: Maruyama Park, Yasaka Shrine, Kiyozdemeru Osaka: Nintendo World at Universal Studios Japan and Osaka Dotonbori Kyoto Day 2: Arashiyama River Cruise, Monkey Park, Bamboo Gardens, Kyoto Day 3:Aeon Mall, Nishiki Market, Pokemon Center,Gion Matsuri Gallery Kyoto Day 4: East Kyoto Temples: Philosophers Path, Nanzeji Temple Myeongdong We started our morning by taking a cab to the Myeongdong area. This area had lots of cute shops and sites to see. Near the Myeongdong cathedral, there was a small market selling veggies and cute art. Around this area, there are tons of cosmetics shops as well. We stopped by some convenience stores for snacks and also had some delicious bingsu (shave ice) at one of the cafes. Namsangol Hanok Village Namsangol Hanok: Namsangol Hanok Village is a replica of a traditional Korean village that was built in the 1970s. There is a small pond and lots of houses to look at. When we visited, there were some “yard games” to play with. During other times in the year, they also have other cultural programs such as arts and crafts and tea ceremonies. N. Seoul Tower Cable Car: This is a fun and scenic way to get to the tower, and the views from the cable car are great, although a little squished. Note you can’t take strollers but you can leave them at the bottom for a round-trip ride. At the top, there’s still a few steps so be prepared. Seoul Tower: The views were spectacular in all the directions. It was crazy seeing how many people call Seoul home. There were some love locks on various bridges which was fun to look at although we didn’t purchase any. You can pay to go up the tower itself but the views are great from the base. I love look-outs and this was an awesome spot. Lunch: Near the bottom of the cable car, we found a great restaurant that served cheese-filled pork cutlet. So good! Hotel and Dinner Hotel time: With kids, down-time is so important. For a few hours, we played by the pool, enjoyed some Nintendo switch time and the adults went down for drinks at the hotel bar Dinner: We walked to a nearby fried chicken restaurant a few minutes from the hotel. So good! More Asia 2023 Posts Read all of our 2023 Korea/Japan posts at the following links: Seoul, South Korea: Flights, Logistics, and Hotel Info Seoul Day 1: Myeongdong, Namsangol Hanok, Seoul Tower Seoul Day 2: Hanbok rental, Gyeongbokgung Palace, Gwanham square, Hongdae Seoul Day 3: Gangnam Area, COEX Aquarium, Myeongdong Night Market Kyoto, Japan: Flights, Logistics, and Hotel Info Kyoto Day 1: Higashiyama Temples: Maruyama Park, Yasaka Shrine, Kiyozdemeru Osaka: Nintendo World at Universal Studios Japan and Osaka Dotonbori Kyoto Day 2: Arashiyama River Cruise, Monkey Park, Bamboo Gardens, Kyoto Day 3:Aeon Mall, Nishiki Market, Pokemon Center,Gion Matsuri Gallery Kyoto Day 4: East Kyoto Temples: Philosophers Path, Nanzeji Temple

Family Beach Weekend: Our Free Stay at Hyatt Place Panama City Beach 2023

Trip Motivation In May 2023, Our family wanted to enjoy a relaxing beach vacay in Panama City Beach for 2 nights (Memorial Day weekend). We had a wonderful time enjoying the beach and pool at this new-ish hotel and would definitely come back again! Driving: Nashville to Panama City Beach: 8 hrs The closest beaches to Nashville are on the Gulf of Mexico, specifically the coasts of Florida and Alabama. You can make it here in 7 hours! Just close enough for a weekend trip and perfect for a 3-day weekend. Check out and this post for tips for road trips with kids. There are numerous options along the coast for every type of beach vacation. We have family in Pensacola and have made family trips over 10 times with kids as young as 1 month old. A few years ago, we took a minivan full of friends to a wedding in Grayton Beach on 30A. Nearby, we also visited Orange Beachin AL. From Nashville, you’ll take I-65 down through TN and AL towards Montgomery and then, depending on which area of the gulf you’re heading towards, you’ll cut down on smaller highways to get to the beach. See this post here for a few of our favorite stops on this well-traveled path that make the long drive with kids more fun. Hyatt Place Panama City Beach We spent 2 nights at the Hyatt Place Panama City Beach. The hotel is about 20 minutes from the airport and right across the street from the beach. We paid $0 out of pocket thanks to our credit card perks! Hyatt Place is a lower brand but the hotel is great for families as it has space with a pull-out couch and free breakfast. When sleeping with kids, extra space to spread is always a great perk. Chase Sapphire Preferred Apply Here Chase Sapphire Reserve Apply Here Chase Hyatt Apply Here You can earn Hyatt points from Hyatt stays, the Hyatt credit card and Chase points, which can be transferred to Hyatt. Learn more about points here. Between the beach and hotel activities, we filled our days full. Read on to learn more about what to do in this cute city. Beach Time The water temp was still a little chilly but that doesn’t stop our kiddos! They loved the sand, and adventuring out for sand dollars and shells. We spent several hours playing and relaxing on the beach. It was very convenient to the hotel where there were showers and bathrooms nearby. Pool Time Our hotel had a fantastic heated pool. This is one of the reasons we planned this trip! Although it was advertised as a lazy river, it was really a fantastic pool with a small area with currents. lol. There was a zero entry area and a lot of space to spread out. We packed goggles and dive sticks and had a blast. My favorite kind of vacations involve pina coladas and sitter-vising. Virgin with cherries for the littles. Other Activities We took a break from the beach on one of the days and went to Wongo Adventure to play a round of mini-golf. This was in walking distance from the hotel! There were also go-karts, carnival games, small rides, and lots of fun things! Eat, Eat, Eat! Hotel breakfast: Our kiddos are becoming spoiled from hotel breakfast! This hotel had a free breakfast buffet for all guests and it was a step above typical hotel food. Loved the waffles and breakfast burittos! Lunches and Dinners: We weren’t too impressed by the hotel offerings for lunch and dinner. We enjoyed the poolside drinks but the food could use some work. Along the main street, there are tons of choices for yummy seafood and other delicious options. Our favorite spot was Shuckums right next to the hotel. Crab legs and fried shrimp! Yum! We also drove to a nearby strip mall and had some fantastic burgers at Craft Bar. Other Panama City Recommendations Gulf World Marine Park Shipwreck Waterpark Shell Island Boat Tour Pier Park Final Thoughts This was a quick trip but so much fun!

Washington DC Itinerary with Kids- Our Favorite Museums and Activities

Trip Motivation In March 2023, we flew to DC for a week of museums, US history, cherry blossoms and so much walking. The kids were 5 and 8 and this was a perfect age to see all the amazing sights. This post has details on our itinerary and recommendations for museums. If you’re planning a visit to DC with kids, read on! For more on our flight and hotel logistics, head to this post here. Guide to Setting an Itinerary 3 day itinerary to DC? 4 day visit to DC with kids? Week-long itinerary? We were in DC for 4 full days and 2 half-days. We had collected a long list of recommendations from website searches, facebook groups, and past visits. I put them into an excel list and started categorizing items as must-do/like to do along with ticket requirements. I then tried to map out the must do items together by location so we weren’t criss-crossing the city. We hit a lot of sights but also maintained a good amount of down-time and wandering-time. Something to keep in mind that walkable might mean 15 minutes, but multiple walks can be really tiring so close-by areas need to be grouped as much as possible. Even with our organizing, we took over 20,000 steps each day! Ok Let’s get to it! Day 1: Museum of Natural History Day 2: Museum of American History and Air and Space Museum Day 3: National Building Museum and Memorial Walk Day 4: National Zoo and Pool Time Day 5: US Capitol, American Indian Museum & National Portrait Gallery Day 6: National Postal Museum Day 1: Museum of Natural History We arrived in DC in the afternoon and checked into our hotel. (See more here) The hotel was located near the White house and the west side of the national mall sights. For lunch, we went to Elephant and Castle for some yummy shepherd’s pie and pizza pie to celebrate pi day. The Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History has a lot to offer kids of all ages. We spent around 2 hours here. Here are a few highlights: Gem and mineral collection: Over 10,000 gems, including some of the most famous diamonds in the world, such as the Hope Diamond. Ellie loved the colorful gems. Hall of Mammals: Lots of cool action poses from various mammals big and small. The Africa area even had some ambiance music going. We spent a lot of time learning facts in this section. Dinosaur Fossil Hall: 200 dinosaur fossils, including a Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton. Butterfly Pavilion and Insect Zoo: This exhibit is a beautiful and peaceful place to relax and enjoy the company of butterflies. There are over 1,500 butterflies from all over the world. Free on Tuesdays! After the museum, we relaxed at the hotel, including dinner and TV time. We also decided it would be really fun to watch the Night at the Museum sequel that took place in DC! Day 2 Morning: American History Museum The Smithsonian Museum of American History was my personal favorite of the museums we visited. It is a great place for kids to learn about the history of the United States. There are many interactive exhibits that will keep kids engaged and learning. It is so varied and has so many cool things to see. 3 floors and over 50 exhibits. We spent around 3 hours here. Some of our favorite spots include Entertainment Nation: Sports, Celebrity, Movie artifacts and more are all featured in a really cool new exhibit. You can see R2D2, Ruby’s slippers, famous costumes, and so much more. So cool! Spark Lab: This was a mini science museum with hands-on stations to build a pinball machine, learn about weaving, code some music and do some cool stem activities. There was also a small toddler play area next door but our kids were a little too old. Perfect for the under 5 crew (We don’t have any of those anymore!) The Star-Spangled Banner: Here you can see the flag that inspired the song and learn about the history of the United States and the symbolism of the flag. First Ladies of the United States: Ellie and I are a sucker for pretty dresses. Jill Biden’s inaugural dress (and mask!) are featured along with Obama, Clinton, and over 100 gowns. There are also really cool displays of China dishes and other artifacts. American Democracy. We walked through this area quickly and wished we could have spent more time here. It was really interesting to read about the history of the founding of the nation and how voting and comprise has helped shape our current country. Day 2 Afternoon: Air and Space Museum After lunch (Bi Bim Bap at Rice Bar!), we spent the afternoon at the Air and Space Museum. This was a little bit of a walk but we required reservations for this museum and this was the day with the best times. The National Air and Space Museum is undergoing some remodeling and is going to be even bigger and better later in 2023. Even with half the exhibits closed, we still spent 2 hours visiting. This museum requires reservations! This is the busiest museum in the whole country with half a million visitors a year. There’s info on the first flight, history of commercial flights, space, and even some star wars ships! Some highlights include The Wright Flyer: The first airplane to fly successfully is on display in an exhibit by the entrance and the story of the first flight was presented in a really cool way. Carter loved this area and reading about the trial and errors of the first attempts. Planets Gallery: Ellie’s class is really into space and I always love putting it into perspective just our different and far other worlds are. Destination Moon: This exhibit brings you into history and shows what scientists were thinking at the time of the planning and flying. Looking back, its so crazy that we put people