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Visiting Monaco Aquarium with Kids

March 12, 2015 by Dana Zeliff 12 Comments

Disclosure: This post may contain an affiliate link & I may have been compensated for my time writing this article.

Visiting Monaco Aquarium with Kids


The Oceanographic Museum of Monaco (Monaco Aquarium) is a fun activity for kids when visiting Monaco.

Dating back to 1910, the Museum Aquarium is one of the oldest in the world. Prince Albert I created the Oceanographic Museum of Monaco to study the collections brought back from his expeditions. It has evolved into an aquarium for visitors to interact with live fish and invertebrate specimens as well as a museum to learn about early oceanographic research.

Monaco Aquarium
Look down when you enter the museum

 

aquarium monaco net

Entering the Monaco Aquarium, you are immediately standing in a massive foyer with regal staircases on each side. Keep walking forward and enter a room enclosed in a huge metal net. You kind of feel like a little fish trapped inside a fishing net.

Aquarium Monaco Presentation

Don’t miss the presentation on Mediterranean and tropical marine ecosystems to the right on the main floor. It’s a nice video with vivid depictions of underwater ecosystems on a huge screen. We were lucky enough to walk in near the beginning of the English presentation. You know, understanding what they are saying is pretty important if you want to actually learn something 😉 It was a nice way to start the tour of the museum and to rest for a bit after having spent the morning wandering around the village.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Kids Travel Picks, Europe Travel with Kids, Monaco, Aquariums, Museums & Zoos, Destinations Tagged With: Day Trips from Nice

Carefree RV Resorts: Free Night Savings

March 9, 2015 by Dana Zeliff Leave a Comment

Disclosure: This post may contain an affiliate link & I may have been compensated for my time writing this article.

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Carefree RV Resorts. All opinions are 100% my own #Carefreelifestyle #becarefree

Carefree RV Resorts Pool

When we eventually head back to the States, we are planning a road trip stopping at some favorite cities and visiting new destinations. We will, of course, visit North Carolina, Florida and California again. BUT we are also planning to explore Texas, Louisiana and countless other states.

One thing about extensive travel is that is can get expensive moving from hotel to hotel.  One way to reduce this cost is staying in RV parks. Luckily, Carefree RV resorts has locations in many of the states we plan to visit.

Carefree RV resorts has a newly launched Lifestyle Program and are making it easy to get social, get energized, and get active with an exciting line-up of activities, events, classes and clubs at every Carefree Community.

You can learn a new language with expert instructors, attending a dance class with your fellow Carefree guests, hit the pool for some aqua aerobics, or prepare a recipe for the annual chili cook-off. This is one RV resort that has an activity available for all interests.

carefree-kids-87be64c9

I particularly like that they have a Carefree Kids program with playgrounds, games and watersports. Select resorts also feature the Carefree Kids summer program which my kids would absolutely adore!

Don’t forget about Fido! After being away from our dog, Bella. We don’t want to leave her out of our next adventure.  Carefree RV resorts are pet friendly, so our beloved four-legged friend won’t miss out of the family fun!

Also, for limited time you can stay 3 nights and get one FREE! Just look for the Start Your Journey with a Passport to Savings offer under the “Special Offers” section for details.

Visit Carefree RV resorts to learn more and to reserve your next vacation.

Where do you want to visit?

  • Florida RV Resorts
  • Texas RV Resorts
  • New Jersey RV Resorts
  • California RV Resorts
  • Massachusetts RV Resorts
  • North Carolina RV Resorts
  • Ontario RV Resorts

Filed Under: RV Trips

February 2015 Expenses in France

March 5, 2015 by Dana Zeliff Leave a Comment

Disclosure: This post may contain an affiliate link & I may have been compensated for my time writing this article.

France Expenses February 2015


February in Nice was definitely more expensive than January.  We had our first full month in France, so our grocery budget tripled.  We also spent more on entertainment – visiting the Monaco Aquarium and purchasing tickets for stadium seating at the Nice Carnival.

We left the beautiful port on the 28th of February and are now spending 3 months just down the street from the famous Negresco Hotel. It’s a completely different feel on this side of town, more residential and traditional.  We opted for a taxi (40€) to get us to the next apartment instead of walking with our luggage.  We need to send A LOT of stuff back with my Mom before our big tour of Europe this summer.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: France, Living Abroad, Travel Expenses Tagged With: Expat in Nice

How Much Does It Cost to Live in France? January 2015 Expenses

February 3, 2015 by Dana Zeliff 24 Comments

Disclosure: This post may contain an affiliate link & I may have been compensated for my time writing this article.

January 2015 Expenses in France


Moving overseas is terrifying.   Most people don’t think they could ever pick up and live abroad, especially with kids. We are sharing our expenses living in France for a year to help you see that your dream can be a reality. While our expenses may be different from what your family would spend, this is what my family of 4 spends per month in Nice, France. How Much Does It Cost to Live in France? January’s data is a little skewed. We were supposed to arrive in France on 1/6, but we had to push back our trip to 1/22 due to family obligations. We still paid 3 weeks rent, and the exchange rate at time of payment was approximately 1.23€ to the dollar.

View near our apartment
View near our apartment

We are staying in a 2 bedroom apartment along the Port of Nice. We wanted a central location for experiencing the city on foot.  We could have rented cheaper accommodations but the locations weren’t as central.

There are 10 days of food which include many start up necessities such a cleaning products, laundry detergent, olive oil, spices, etc. We also ended up eating out 3 times. Our budget allows for 1 meal out per week, so we blew that one this month.

We also spent 45€ for a taxi ride to the apartment from the airport and experienced a bit of a mishap with the tram that cost us an extra 6€.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: France, Living Abroad, Travel Expenses Tagged With: Expat in Nice

The Big Move: France Here We Come

January 20, 2015 by Dana Zeliff 3 Comments

Disclosure: This post may contain an affiliate link & I may have been compensated for my time writing this article.

moving to france
{Pin It}

There is an unimaginable amount of planning, work and expense that goes into an international move.  I mean, moving in general is not an easy feat, but traveling to a new continent takes the move to an entirely different level.

My stomach hurts just thinking about it!

So how did it all get started?

During the summer of 2014, we took a trip to France.  We visited Paris, Bordeaux and Nice to get a taste of the different regions of the Country.   We enjoyed Paris immensely, preferred the quiet area of Saint-Émilion over Bordeaux and absolutely feel in love with Nice.

While in Nice, we just knew we wanted to live there. But how could we make this happen? Could we really move to Europe from the United States? Could we leave our family and friends?

I had always REFUSED to live anywhere but Virginia.  Derrick grew up in California and always wanted go back. “Sorry, you married the wrong women for that” I told him. While I didn’t feel a special connection to the Hampton Roads area of VA itself, it was home. My family lived in Virginia. How could I ever live somewhere without my Mom close by?

The more we talked about it, the more we wanted to make the move. The kids were on board, so it was time to start planning.

First up was to research if we could actually afford to live in Nice.

As it turns out, the prices are quite reasonable. Now, I said reasonable – not cheap.  It is a major tourist destination after all.

We are spending about $700 less per month on a 2 bedroom apartment near the center of town than we spent on a 4 bedroom house in the suburbs. The rent does include all utilities, cable and Wifi so that adds up to a big savings.   Food is also reasonable, if you don’t eat out daily & like to cook with fresh ingredients.

We also sold our home, one of our cars and a majority of our possessions to fund the move. Scary right?

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Living Abroad Tagged With: Nice France, Expat in Nice

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Welcome!

Hi, I’m Dana. Planning a great trip shouldn't mean spending endless evenings scrolling travel forums, watching videos, and sorting through conflicting opinions online.

I've spent years exploring the world with my husband and our two kids, and those experiences shape how I help clients plan their own vacations. Together, we've visited 48 countries across four continents and spent nearly four years living in France.

Whether you're planning a European itinerary, a cruise vacation, an all-inclusive resort stay, or a family getaway, I'll help you sort through the options and create a trip that works for your travel style, interests, and budget. Read More…

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