Travel

Explore The Alley at Belleair Bluffs!

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post on behalf of The Alley at Belleair Bluffs; however, all thoughts and opinions are my own. Please see my disclosure policy)

I recently had the amazing opportunity to explore The Alley at Belleair Bluffs here in the Tampa Bay area with my friend Marsha from Plate Girl. Located at 596 Indian Rocks Road in Belleair Bluffs, FL, this hidden gem is home to many cute, yet quaint stores that are filled with vintage and eclectic pieces as well as clothing and even delicious food options.

I actually visited this past Saturday, November 30, which was Shop Small Saturday. What fun it was for me as we toured some of the stores, and to hear from each owner as to how they began their business. It is evident to me that each owner really understands their business and takes pride in what they are doing! Everyone was so friendly and made me feel welcome!

We began our tour of The Alley at The Astoria Pastry Shop. This European Bakery has everything from homemade pastries to custom cakes, and they serve delicious ILLY coffee. We had the most delicious cappucinos and sweet treat that helped us get our day off to a great start! The Astoria Pastry Shop is so charming, and they offer both indoor and outdoor seating. It is the perfect stop for coffee with a friend, or you can pick up treats for the go!

Our next stop along the way was Petal and Vine Garden & Marketplace. This store offers exquisite floral arrangements, delectables and unique gifts. There are gift ideas for everyone on your gift list! I especially loved meeting Petals the Deer! This deer is a staple at Petal and Vine and they had him all decorated for the Christmas holidays! Whether you need fresh flowers, a gift for a friend, or a few new items to spruce up your space, be sure to check out Petal and Vine Garden & Marketplace!

Our next stop along the way was Victoria’s Parlour. This shop is unlike any that you have ever been to before and offers everything from paintings, jewelry, oriental rugs, buttons and so much more! The owner, Victoria, has a great love for oriental rugs. In fact, both her parents and grandparents were in the rug business! She has many photos of her family from years gone by showcasing their love of the rug business. Victoria also takes great pride in her button collection. You would not believe the collection of buttons that she has! I highly suggest that you stop by Victoria’s Parlour to see what goodies that she has to offer!

After Victoria’s Parlour, we headed over to Lemon Tree Vintage Market. This adorable store offers refreshed and repurposed furniture, the cutest home decor, gifts, clothing and more! I love all the cute lemon pieces! If you need a gift for that hard-to-buy for person, be sure to check out Lemon Tree Vintage Market. They offer something for everyone!

I thoroughly enjoyed our next visit along the way at Jewel Antique Mall. This mall houses over 10,000 square feet of antiques, collectibles and treasures from over 30 dealers! If you have been searching for that special something, chances are that Jewell Antique Mall has it!

We also stopped along the way to check out Reloved Resale Consignment and Shabby 2 Chic. If you are into vintage clothing, jewelry and shoes, then Reloved Resale Consignment is sure to be your new favorite stop! In addition, they offer new and designer items as well. I found a gorgeous Talbots Black Velvet Blazer on the clearance rack for $1! I also scored from the 50% off sale and purchased a brown leather Coldwater Creek jacket for only $12! If you have unwanted clothing and shoes, you can drop it off here and they will consign your items for you!

Shabby 2 Chic is such a wonderful store and I love their mission! They support single moms through Shepherd’s Village with all of the donations and items that they receive. They have the cutest designer clothing and shoes at unbeatable prices!

After all of the walking around, we needed a snack and drink so we headed to Belleair Market. Belleair Market is an establishment in the area and they are known for their selection of cigars, wines, Cuban sandwiches, snacks and so much more. The owners bought this an old convenience store six years ago, and it is now a favorite stop for so many in Belleair. I love how they take Cigar Boxes and repurpose them into gift boxes! They also offer homemade family meals like meatloaf and goulash for those nights you don’t have time to cook, as well as WonderRoast Fresh Rotisserie Chicken (one of the only left in the area) and fully catered meals for holidays or special gatherings. Belleair Market has it all! I had a delicious chicken salad sandwich made from their fresh rotisserie chicken and it was so delicious!

Our last stop along the way was at Pallet Creations and More. This is the home to the She Shed and my friend Marsha’s space, Plate Girl. They offer stunning pieces of repurposed furniture, home decor, collectibles and more. Marsha’s space at Plate Girl is filled with plates, glassware and so many other collections. She definitely has an eye for finding gorgeous and unique pieces. Be sure to stop by and check out all the gift and home decor ideas!

No stop to The Alley at Belleair Bluffs is complete without a visit to Provence Art & Antiques. This space specializes in antique furniture, vintage accessories and creatively repurposed artisanal pieces. The garden out back is stunning. I felt like I was in a Hallmark Movie as everything was so lovely and quaint! The owner even grows fresh rosemary out front, and she was kind enough to give both Marsha and I some. It smells heavenly!

Some other shops that we did not have time to visit in The Alley are: Urban Nest Stationary, Orchid Interiors, Kay Keeling’s Art Adventure, Collum’s Antiques, Chloe’s Decor, Lady Angelo’s Art and Jewel Cafe. I will definitely be going back to explore these places for myself!

Are you ready to go and check out The Alley at Belleair Bluffs for yourself? I have some exciting news! This Friday night, December 6, from 5-9pm, they are hosting a Winter Market! There will be vendors, live entertainment and holiday specials! Pile the family in the car and head over for a fun evening, and get some holiday shopping done while you are at it! Be sure to let them know that Heather from My Sweet Savings sent you!

The Home Depot: Rockland 3 Piece Hardside Spinner Luggage Set Only $114.98 Shipped! (reg. $480)

(All posts may contain affiliate links or sponsored content. Please see my disclosure policy)

Tis’ the season for fall trips and traveling! If you are like me and have had the same luggage for several years, it is definitely time to upgrade! I have been wanting to get a hard side spinner suitcase, as I have heard really great things about them. I have found an amazing deal on not one, but three pieces! Today only, The Home Depot (crazy place for luggage, right? ) is offering the Rockland Sonic 3-Piece Hardside Spinner Luggage Set for ONLY $114.98 Shipped! (reg. $480) Yes, THREE pieces for that amazing price. And, there are so many beautiful color options to choose from! If this set isn’t your thing, there are lots of other great options on sale as well!

GO HERE to take advantage of this offer.

TIP: Buy each family member their own color of luggage so that you can easily keep track of everyone’s belongings. This is especially helpful when flying and cruising!

The Great Myrtle Beach Condo Giveaway Contest!

(All posts may contain affiliate links or sponsored content. Please see my disclosure policy)

If you are anything like our family, we love the beach. There is nothing like a relaxing vacation with just the family at the beach spending time together and enjoying all that the beach has to offer. What if you and your family WIN a Condo in Myrtle Beach valued at approximately $100,000, or you could take $50,000 CASH Prize? What do you think about that? I am not kidding!

I have never been to Myrtle Beach, but it is actually on my list of places to go. We live about 7 hours away, and I have heard that it is gorgeous there. I think that our boys would really enjoy it too! In fact, it looks like the perfect family vacation getaway location as there is something to do for everyone! Choose from attractions, water sports, dining, shopping, gold, entertainment and so much more!

ENTER TO WIN YOUR VERY OWN BEACHFRONT CONDO

Vacation Myrtle Beach is Giving Away an Oceanfront Condo, valued at nearly $100,000 (or $50,000 CASH, winner’s choice)!!! One lucky winner will own this condo (this is not a timeshare).

Win this beautiful Oceanfront Condo and Change Your Life! Vacation Myrtle Beach, one of the largest providers of family vacation accommodations in Myrtle Beach, SC, is pleased to announce the launch of The Great Myrtle Beach Condo Giveaway contest, which features the grand prize of a furnished oceanfront condo at The Caravelle Resort located in Myrtle Beach, SC, valued at nearly $100,000 (or $50,000 CASH, winner’s choice)!!! One lucky winner will own this condo (this is not a timeshare). Other lucky winners will receive a 7-night stay or a 3-night stay at one of Vacation Myrtle Beach’s oceanfront properties.

The newly renovated, oceanfront efficiency condo offers room for up to four guests and includes a fully-equipped kitchen. In addition to its prime Myrtle Beach location, the resort provides convenient access to all of the area’s major attractions, restaurants, and things to do. Families and couples enjoy a wide variety of on-site amenities including an indoor pool, a block-long poolscape complete with a large pool, whirlpool, lazy river, kiddie lazy river, kids’ pool, poolside bar, and plenty of relaxing deck options. In addition to everything you need for fun in the sun, the resort offers an array of dining options as well as an opportunity for rejuvenation and relaxation at its on-site spa.

The Great Myrtle Beach Condo Giveaway sweepstakes is now open for entries.

To enter or for Official Rules and more information about Vacation Myrtle Beach properties and deals, please here: https://woobox.com/hsfeoo?source=usfam

I hope that one of you will WIN this gorgeous condo from Vacation Myrtle Beach!

Rockland 3-Piece Hardside Spinner Luggage Set Only $112.71 Shipped! (reg. $479)

(All posts may contain affiliate links and/or sponsored content. Please see my disclosure policy)

Tis’ the season for summer vacation and traveling! If you are like me and have had the same luggage for several years, it is definitely time to upgrade! I have been wanting to get a hardside spinner suitcase, as I have heard really great things about them. I have found an amazing deal on not one, but three pieces! Today only, The Home Depot (crazy place for luggage, right? ) is offering the Rockland 3-Piece Hardside Spinner Luggage Set for ONLY $112.71 Shipped! (reg. $479) Yes, THREE pieces for that amazing price. And, there are so many beautiful color options to choose from!

GO HERE to take advantage of this offer.

TIP: Buy each family member their own color of luggage so that you can easily keep track of everyone’s belongings. This is especially helpful when flying and cruising!

How to Get LEGOLAND® Florida Discounted Tickets

LEGOLAND® Florida and Florida Prepaid have partnered together to encourage Florida families to support their children’s imagination all while saving for their college education! This post is sponsored by Florida Prepaid College Plans. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Please see my disclosure policy.

Now through April 30, 2019, which is the end of the Florida Prepaid Plans Open Enrollment, not only can you save $30 off your admission fee when you use Florida Prepaid Promo Code SWEET19, but you will also score LEGOLAND® Florida tickets for HALF-OFF! Yes, you read that correctly! 50% off LEGOLAND® Florida tickets! It’s time to start building your child’s future all while having fun where “everything is AWESOME!”

How do I get my discounted LEGOLAND® Florida tickets?

Any family who enrolls in a prepaid plan during this Open Enrollment season will receive a 50% discount on LEGOLAND® Florida tickets for their family! (3 tickets only, including beneficiary)

When do I need to purchase my LEGOLAND® Florida discounted tickets by and when will I receive them?

If you enroll in a Florida Prepaid plan, you can expect an email with more information on how to access your LEGOLAND® Florida discounted tickets after Open Enrollment ends. Your tickets must be purchased by October 27, 2019.

With Florida Prepaid College Plans, Starting is Believing!

With a Florida Prepaid College Plan, saving for college is simple and stress-free. While your kids are focused on their LEGO® creations, you can make sure they are prepared to attend college and pursue their goals. Now is the time to prepare for their future education!

You can learn more about Florida Prepaid College Plans HERE.

Don’t forget to use Florida Prepaid College Plans promo code SWEET19 to save $30 on your enrollment fee!

Be sure to follow Florida Prepaid College Plans on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube to stay up to date with information on open enrollment, tips and promotional offers.

Do you Still Have Questions About Florida Prepaid College Plans?

Be sure to check out my posts HERE and HERE that will give you more details and information on Florida Prepaid College Plans.

Review of LEGOLAND Discovery Center Atlanta + Savings Coupon!

Disclosure: My family and I were provided with complimentary tickets to LEGOLAND Discovery Center Atlanta in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Please see my disclosure policy)

My family and I were recently traveling through Atlanta during the holidays and had the wonderful opportunity to visit the LEGOLAND Discovery Center. Believe it or not, LEGOLAND Discovery Center can be found on the third floor of Phipps Plaza, one of Atlanta’s most prestigious malls. LEGOLAND Discovery Center is the ultimate indoor LEGO playground with 2 rides, 10 LEGO build & play zones, a 4D cinema & much more! Since my boys are huge LEGO fans, there were super excited when they found out that we were going here!

The first thing that you will notice when you enter, is a fun exhibit all about how LEGO bricks are made. You can even go on a behind-the-scenes Factory Tour to discover how LEGO bricks are made! This is fun for all ages!

From there, we went on the Kingdom Quest ride. This indoor ride is all about capturing the Princess! Hop aboard your chariot on the Kingdom Quest ride to rescue her.This ride is suitable for children ages 4+. I rode with Brady our youngest, while my hubby went with Drew our oldest. They both thoroughly enjoyed as we were able to shoot targets throughout the ride.

Our entire family loved the LEGO 4D Cinema! While we were there, The LEGO® Movie™ 4D A New Adventure was showing featuring Emmet, Wyldstyle, Benny, MetalBeard and Unikitty. It was so cute and had real effects like water, wind and more! There are several features available and they have new bricktastic news in store for 2019!

There are lots of other things to see along the way at the LEGOLAND Discovery Center, including Miniland. This was my personal favorite! It features Atlanta landmarks all built by LEGOS in day and night settings. In fact, Miniland is made from nearly 1.5 million LEGO® bricks, with moving cars and trains, so even the smallest spectator will feel like a giant! It is so cool!

Other things to do at LEGOLAND Discovery Center include: Merlin’s Apprentice Ride, Pirate Adventure Island, Duplo Village, LEGO Master Builder Academy, Earthquake Tables, LEGO Friends, LEGO Racers: Build and Test, and the Ultimate LEGO Ninjago Experience. These activities are sure to keep your little ones busy for hours. They even have their own cafe which features beverages, snacks and other delicious foods. I noticed that their prices were very reasonable too!

No trip the LEGOLAND Discovery Center would be complete without visiting the LEGO Store! They offer LEGO sets, plush, toys and more!

Overall, we had such a fantastic time at the LEGOLAND Discovery Center in Atlanta, and I would highly recommend it if you live in the area or you are passing through! There is definitely something for everyone in your family! Right now you can save $5 off one (1) walk-up full price admission ticket! Get the details of this offer HERE. Use code 1040.

Be sure to follow LEGOLAND Discovery Center on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to stay up-to-date on all the latest promotional offers and bricktastic news in store for 2019! LEGOLAND Discovery Center has several other United States locations as well as locations in select countries. You can GO HERE to see the entire list of locations.

Busch Gardens: FREE Preschool Card for Kids 5 & Under!

(All posts may contain affiliate links or sponsored content. Please see my disclosure policy)

Many of you have been waiting on this……Well, it’s back! Busch Gardens is once again offering their FREE Preschool Card for kids five years of age and under!

Limited-time offer: Kids 5 and younger can enjoy FREE admission to Busch Gardens Tampa Bay and Adventure Island throughout all of 2019 with the Preschool Card. There’s never been a cooler time to be a kid!

Must register online. Not available at the park.

Redeem your Preschool Card by visiting a Busch Gardens Tampa Bay or Adventure Island ticket window and present all of these:

Your registration confirmation
Your child’s birth certificate or travel passport
Your Florida resident ID

Does not include free parking, separately ticketed events or other discounts

Experience the Rescue, Rehab & Release Efforts at Clearwater Marine Aquarium + Tampa Bay Resident Special!

Disclosure: I was provided with complimentary tickets and a tour to Clearwater Marine Aquarium in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Please see my disclosure policy)

I often feel that living here in the Tampa Bay area of Florida, we sometimes take for granted the most remarkable attractions that we have right in our back yard. One such example for my family and I is Clearwater Marine Aquarium. I cannot believe that we have never visited this remarkable facility until this past Saturday.

Many of you may be familiar with Clearwater Marine Aquarium as it has been made famous by Winter the Dolphin. She is the bottlenose dolphin with a prosthetic tale, and her story and experience have been portrayed in The Dolphin Tale and Dolphin Tale 2 movies. Winter, along with her dolphin friend Hope live at Clearwater Marine Aquarium where they, along with many other animals are taken care of by volunteers, trainers and staff.

During our visit to Clearwater Marine Aquarium, we were given a personal tour by Allie. Allie is one of the many volunteers who give of themselves to help in the rescue, rehab and rehabilitation efforts which is the Aquarium’s number one mission. Once you step into the Aquarium, you can see why it is so easy to immerse yourself into the world of marine life rescue!

Our tour started with a stop by the animal hospital. We were able to see right into the area where animals are brought when they are sick. They have an actual surgical suite and triage where the sick animals are brought to receive treatment from the trained veterinary staff. The care given to these animals truly is remarkable! In the window, were little containers with items that they had pulled from turtles. Many turtles are brought here because they have swallowed huge fishing lines. The veterinary staff is able to remove them and to rehab the turtles. The picture below portrays just some of the reasons why animals are brought to Clearwater Marine Aquarium. Look at the wall of Sea Turtles that the Aquarium has brought back to rehabilitation!

From here, we moved along and saw the kitchen where they prepare the food for the animals. They have huge freezers filled with food, and staff are there very early every morning to prepare healthy and delicious meals for the animals. Some of the animals will eat pounds of fish each day! One of the fun facts that I learned on our tour…they feed Jell-O to the dolphins, otters and pelicans to help them with their fluid intake. How cute is that?

We loved meeting Thelma and Louise two Nurse Sharks on our tour. Did you know that Nurse Sharks are actually bottom dwellers? This means that you will more than likely find them “resting” on the bottom of the ocean floor during the day since they are nocturnal animals. Nurse sharks can grow to be as long as 13 feet and weigh as much as 330 pounds! Wow!

Of course no trip to Clearwater Marine Aquarium is complete without seeing Winter and Hope! It was hard for me to get a good picture in the lighting, but here is Winter playing! You can see where her tail is cut off. In the photo below you can see Winter’s prosthetic that attaches to her tail. This has greatly helped to aid in her rehabilitation! If you have not seen the Dolphin Tale and Dolphin Tale 2 movies, they are a must! These movies will tell you the story of how Winter was hurt and brought to the aquarium for rehabilitation. Since our trip on Saturday, my boys have watched both movies twice!

We also got to meet pelicans Ricky, Tyndall, Skylar and Matthew. Pelicans are such beautiful creatures!

The aquarium is in the middle of a huge renovation! If you visit right now, you will see that they are in the process of giving Winter a new home! There will be a new rescued dolphin complex, dolphin observation window and much more! You can see more details of the expansion HERE.

As you walk around the aquarium, you can’t help but feel the love that the everyone has not only for Winter, but for all of the animals as well. If you have never visited Clearwater Marine Aquarium, I highly suggest that you plan a trip in the very near future to see what their mission of rescue, rehab and release is all about! You will not be disappointed!

I want to send a huge thank you to Allie and the staff at Clearwater Marine Aquarium for making our trip so enjoyable! They also gifted our family with 2 huge bags of stuffed animals, books, mugs and other goodies that we have been loving! Thank you!

Tampa residents, I have one sweet deal for you! Clearwater Marine Aquarium (CMA) is showing appreciation for their Tampa Bay neighbors!

To show appreciation for local residents, CMA is featuring a special admission offer for the month of September. This offer applies to residents of Pinellas, Hillsborough, Hernando, Citrus, Manatee and Pasco counties. Click HERE for more details.

$14.99 – Adults
$9.99 – Kids 12 and under
FREE – Children 2 and under

In addition, September 22-23 and 29-30 CMA is celebrating with Hopetember. YOU can give hope to the community with the RCS Pinellas Food Drive benefiting people and pets. Bring a non-perishable canned food item, or canned or dry dog or cat food to benefit RCS Pinellas and receive discounted general admission.

Discounted admission for Hopetember:

$12.99 – Adults/Seniors
$9.99 – Kids 12 and under
FREE – Children 2 and under

This is a great time to visit CMA if you have never done so! My boys are already asking me when we are going back!

Be sure to follow CMA on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter to stay up to date on all of the latest news and promotional offers!

$50 Off LEGOLAND Awesomer Florida Annual Pass!

(All posts may contain affiliate links or sponsored content. Please see my disclosure policy)

WOW! If you and your family have been waiting on a deal for LEGOLAND passes and you are Florida residents, now is the time to take advantage of this deal! Right now we can get $50 off the LEGOLAND Awesomer Annual Pass for LEGOLAND® Florida and Water Park! With this amazing deal it is just $99 per person! The regular price is $149! GO HERE for more details.The offer will be valid from 10 a.m. May 18 through 11:59 p.m. May 20, 2018 or while supplies last. Offer valid for purchase of new Awesomer Annual Passes only. Offer cannot be applied to previously purchased passes or pass discount offers or combined with any other promotional discounts. Online only.

The LEGOLAND Awesomer Annual Pass includes:

12 months unlimited admission to Madame Tussauds Orlando, SEA LIFE Aquarium Orlando and LEGOLAND Discovery Center Atlanta

Free Standard Parking

Discount on dining, retail, LEGOLAND Hotel and Beach Retreat stays

Discounted guest tickets to LEGOLAND Florida

Admission to Special Events at LEGOLAND Florida

Collectible LEGO bricks

LEGOLAND e-newsletter (exclusive invitations, previews and more!)

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