What vacations did you have planned for 2020? Or is the wound still open and did I just pour salt in it? My family had three vacations planned for this summer that we ended up cancelling. There are worse problems in the world, but it was still a bummer. I love going new places and doing new things! I’m sad we didn’t get to visit Mexico in June like we had planned, or scratch a new state off our USA travel map in July like we had planned, or hike the mountains in Utah in August like I love to do. Despite these setbacks, I am ALL ABOUT making the most of whatever your situation is, wherever you are! I started this blog and my Instagram account because I love proving that you can find adventure and make memories ANYWHERE!
Most of our summer has been spent near our residence in Dallas, Texas. This year has been a little more challenging than usual when it comes to everything coming up with fun things to do as a family. So I was stoked when Magnolia Lodging reached out to me about spending a night at the Hampton Inn & Suites, Dallas/Plano East location! Sure the hotel is only 20 minutes away from where we live, but a staycation is the new vacation, so we were in!
We checked into the hotel around 4:00 pm on Friday afternoon. We wore masks while interacting with staff, used the provided sanitizer getting on and off the elevator, and were grateful for the easy and sanitary process of getting into our room! Our room was stunning, classic, and clean. My boys immediately started running around the room exploring, testing out the beds, climbing on the ottomans, and looking out the windows.
We fit a lot in between check in and my boys bedtime! We played at the putting green, grabbed dinner, played in the pool, showered, and relaxed in bed with Disney on the TV. My husband took care of getting my two year old to bed so that I could have some one on one time with my five year old. We brought his favorite game from home and played it in the hotel room while eating snacks before bed. Usually around 8 p.m. I am rushed trying to get the boys in bed while cleaning up and shutting down our home. It was so nice to have this slow night with my son, without the distractions of usual night time chores! I need to do that more often!
We had a soccer game to get to Saturday morning, but my son would have been heartbroken if we had left the hotel without another round of putting and more time to swim! We slept well and woke up in time to grab a sack breakfast from the front desk and play a while longer. The pool was perfect for my family because the ends of the pool are shallow enough for my 2 year old to play comfortably. One end of the pool even has a splash pad! After another hour of putting and swimming, we packed up and left for the soccer game!
Honestly just that one night away from home felt so refreshing! My favorite part was being able to get one on one time playing games with my oldest. I also loved not worrying about cooking and cleaning up Friday’s dinner and Saturday’s breakfast. My boys thought staying in a hotel was so cool, and told everyone at the soccer game about it. Their favorite parts were the pool and the rolling ottomans in the hotel room. I probably shouldn’t advertise the fun they had with the rolling ottomans! Kids, ya know?
I love doing things like this because it always reminds me that you can catch those vacation feels anywhere! The awe of going somewhere new (even if it’s not in a new city), the excitement of spending a day playing with your family, the luxury of being in a hotel, the laughs and the memories. You don’t have to go far! Plus, if you stay close, you can still make it to your son’s last rec league soccer game on the weekend!
Hampton Inn & Suites Dallas/ Plano East is currently offering some great limited time deals so that you can make similar memories with your family. Check out their website here, and their Facebook page here! Let me know if you have any questions about our stay!
Awesone!
Awesome!