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Girl Gone Travel

Girl Gone Travel

North America, Travel
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July 10, 2010

Elmo, Roller-coasters, and Churros- Busch Gardens, Williamsburg, VA

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On the next stop of our 2010 Road Trip Adventure, after a day of activities in Washington, DC and an awesome couple of nights at Alexandria, VA, we made our way to Williamsburg, VA.  I had hoped that we would able to stay longer so that we could go to Colonial Williamsburg, but we only had one day. And that day was all about Busch Gardens Williamsburg.

I had made the mistake of mentioning to my boys that we would be going to a “really awesome park” two days beforehand, so for the days till then all three were tormenting me about it. Finally, the day arrived and all my kids were excited beyond words.

We slept in that morning, so started our day a bit later. But this turned out to be a great thing because the temperatures have been insane. But because the temperature was so high, it managed to keep a lot of people away, which meant we almost owned the park! The lines were minimal which of course meant we could ride favorite rides over and over.

While my husband and the oldest enjoyed the crazy roller-coaster rides such as the Griffon and the Loch Ness Monster, the little ones and I spent most of our time in Sesame Street Forest of Fun cooling off in their water area, and taking pictures with our hosts  Elmo, Ernie and Bert, Cookie Monster, and others. This little-kid friendly area also had rides, and it was great that my boys were able to enjoy so many of them.  Limits for most rides seemed to be between 42′ to 46′ tall. Once you get in the park, find a measuring zone and your kid will be given a color coded wrist band which lets those managing the rides know right away if your child can get on without having to measure them each time.  You also get a list to go with the color coded band that lets you know which rides your child can get on. It was here, at this Forest of Fun, that my little ones rode their first roller-coaster, all by themselves!

Even though there were some where the kids could not get on, there was plenty for them to do. Another great little-kid friendly section in the park is the Land of Dragons, where kids can enjoy getting lost in the large tree house, get wet in the sprinklers, and ride on the kiddie rides perfect for their size.

When it comes to food, I can’t say it’s all really great. Hamburgers, fries, chicken fingers, hot dogs. The most variety we found was in “France”, at Trapper’s Smokehouse, where they offer BBQ ribs, grilled chicken and corn on the cob.

And as far as treats there are plenty to be found. On this trip I introduced my kids to churros.  I know it’s odd that they haven’t had any before, especially with us being from New York City and all.  But, it was here, at Busch Gardens Williamsburg that I introduced my little ones to the sugary, cinnamon covered treat. And needless to say, they loved it!

We stayed in Busch Gardens till the fire works that are part of there Illuminights celebrations, which will take place from now till August 22, were done. We managed to ride Le Scoot and get soaked 5 times in a row, and didn’t start making our way out till everything closed down and the crowds started making their way to the park gates.

As we walked out, my kids with their mouths covered in churro delight, my 3 year old looked back and said, “Good-bye Elmo’s place. I wuv you!”, indicating that this adventure was indeed a success.

For more information on Busch Gardens Williamsburg admission, hours, and more, please visit their website.

*Disclosure: This is not a sponsored post. Complimentary admission was provided courtesy of Busch Gardens Williamsburg. The views and opinions expressed here are strictly my own. For more information please refer to the disclosure page.

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Carol Cain

Brooklyn native Carol is happiest when on an adventure, whether close to home or farther away. She is a small business owner and travel writer. In addition to creating Girl Gone Travel, she is the Founder and Principal of Brave World Media, a social media marketing, communications, and branding agency. She's mom to three wonderful sons and wife to a handsome Irish/Scot. She lives, works, and plays in the beautiful Finger Lakes region of NY.

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2 Comments
  • Sherri
    August 8, 2010

    Hi Carol,

    Thanks for the great info about Busch Garden. I now know to bring swimsuits for kids. We plan on going in the next few weeks.

    Sherri

    Reply
  • Water Fun at Sesame Place, Langhorne, PA | NYCity Mama
    September 19, 2010

    […] our visit to Bush Gardens in Williamsburg this past Summer, my little ones have not stopped talking about wanting to see Elmo and […]

    Reply

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Hi! I'm Carol! I am an award-winning travel blogger, a keynote speaker, and the Principal and owner of Brave World Media, a social media marketing, communications, and branding agency. I a wife to a handsome Irish/Scot and a mom to 3 sons and 2 puppies. Welcome to my blog where I share stories of my travels and professional public relations insights and advice. Thank you for reading and for your support!

Carol Cain

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If you are a foodie traveler, Madison, WI is a des If you are a foodie traveler, Madison, WI is a destination for you. This list of good eats were all within close proximity to each other and spots we made time for during our short weekend visit. So definitely note that this doesn’t even begin to cover the tip of the iceberg, but makes a good starter list!

📍@ShortStackEats in the heart of Downtown Madison is clearly a UW favorite. Loved their pancakes! We thought it was a pricey for breakfast, and only offered drip coffee, but the scene was fun, food was good, and service was friendly.
📍@SardineMadison is a waterfront French bistro that has stood the test of time (we’ve been coming here since we lived in Madison!). It can feel very corporate some nights, but their Happy Hour and brunch are definite highlights and it’s a really nice dining experience overall.
📍@EatattheAudrey impressed us! It’s not your usual “hotel restaurant” and I would say it easily stands alone as an eatery worth checking out in Madison. Great breakfast options, cozy vibes, nice bar, and good service!
📍@RamenStation1124 good, affordable ramen.
📍BlindShotSocialClub We really loved this spot for brunch (sorry, was enjoying the company and totally spaced out on capturing food images!). Golf fans will love hitting the putt here (you can reserve a private room too), and what I though was most cool was the delicious and wide selection of non-alcoholic cocktails to choose from. This place is a total vibe!
📍@StringsRamen is a chain, but I have to say it is some of the best ramen I have had in a long time. I especially loved how you can choose your ramen but heat level but also by Japanese region which allowed us to taste a couple of new flavors!
📍@Parthenongyros has been around awhile (hubby recalls coming here during his college years!) and was voted #1 take out in Madison! Though we indulged inside and away from the snow. A delicious, quick bite when strolling around State Street.

And again, this is just a starter list. There is so much more to eat and enjoy in this top foodie city! What other spots would you add to this list?

#madisonwi #foodiegram #foodiedestinations #goodeats @destinationmadison
I love to travel. It has always been important to I love to travel. It has always been important to my family. My parents got my first passport weeks after I was born. They couldn’t afford to travel like I do now, but they understood, as immigrants, the absolute privilege that comes attached to having that shiny blue American booklet and they wanted me to have it.

I was yet again reminded of my privilege when my travel back home on this last trip was delayed over 24 hours. I have a village in place to make sure my kids were ok. Having my own business meant I didn’t have to report in to anyone, and was still able to work remotely so none of my clients were inconvenienced by it. Though the airline covered our hotel and food, we never worried that we couldn’t do it ourselves otherwise. While we were annoyed, we weren’t stressed.

So while I love to travel, and I love sharing my travels with you, I acknowledge that being able to do so, and dealing with the consistent travel disruptions so prevalent today without worries is a privilege…one that started with a little blue booklet that gives me more access to the world than some others do.

And I want us all in this travel space to be reminded of this. Of how lucky we are. Of our privilege to access and time and money.

So let us travel with grace and awareness. Let us remain rooted in reality and perspective. Acknowledging that our escapism isn’t one so easily accessible to others. Understanding that this is also why local stories have as much value as those to exclusive destinations, if not more. And, never forgetting, especially in the travel influencer and media space, that were it not for hosted campaigns and paid-for travel opportunities, most of us wouldn’t be able to afford the lifestyle we so beautifully curate online.

It doesn’t matter how often you travel, or how far. Just that hopefully you will be able to gift yourself the experience of doing so and experiencing something new.

#travel #travelmedia #travelinfluencer #wheretonext
As I work on compiling all the good eats I experie As I work on compiling all the good eats I experienced in Madison, WI, I have to ask: what is your favorite meal of the day, and where did you experience a highlight of the same?

I am a huge fan of breakfast. This beauty was a blueberry pancake order from @shortstackeats. Pancakes are not a big thing for me, but these were pretty perfect. I am craving them still. 🥞♥️

#madisonwi #goodeats #travelingfoodie @destinationmadison
We got back on a plane! Here are scenes from a qui We got back on a plane! Here are scenes from a quick trip to Madison, WI - my first time back in 14 years! Though we were here for family matters, we did take a moment to explore a bit of what used to be a place we called home.

We couldn’t do anything else until we drove around Lake Monona, where we once had a home, and took in the wintery views (there is an epic 13.2-mile trail that loops around the lake that is worth exploring if you visit!). Though our time was limited, we were able to enjoy some of it along State Street exploring the shops, eateries, the FREE @mmocamadison, and the beautiful architecture of the WI State Capitol Building (the Dane County Farmers Market will soon pick up again - Saturdays, April 15 thru November 11, 2023 around the Capitol Building and it is one of the best farmers markets anywhere!). 

We booked a room at the @hiltonmadison Monona Terrace to be within walking distance of all the downtown fun (tip: for a room with a lake view make sure to book at the upper levels above 10th floor for an unobstructed view of Lake Monona). 

Madison, WI is a skip and a hop from the Finger Lakes so this short and sweet visit didn’t feel difficult at all. And we absolutely loved the winter scenery and seeing what has changed (a lot) since we lived here.

Stay tuned for my list of where we ate!

Have you ever been to Madison, WI?

#madisonwi #weekendgetaway #wisconsin @destinationmadison
The joy of that first sip of the day. #randommom The joy of that first sip of the day. 

#randommomentsarethebest
I think my husband enjoys it, but still can’t be I think my husband enjoys it, but still can’t believe how easily I’ve been waking up in the early mornings since our last trip. Not sure how to shake it, or if it’s temporary, but here it is: the rare sighting of me up and moving early in the day. Am I a morning person now? Has travel ever permanently changed any of your habits?

#morningperson #lifeinthecountry #newme <-😂

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