Efficiency's Safe Money When Traveling

Coffee in your room is not only a convenience, but it can save you money and time when you're traveling.  Some hotel rooms have in room coffee, but you can't count on it.  Look for Efficiency's when you travel that have in room coffee makers, small dorm type refrigerator, and a microwave.  There are several good frozen options you can pop in the microwave for a quick bite that again saves you time and money when traveling.  Particularly if you're between locations and wanting to roll out of bed early in the morning and drive a full day.  You can easily have breakfast and dinner in your room.  Lunch of lunch meat cheese and yogurt will easily fit in the fridge, saving you money from eating every meal out.  Springhill Suites by Marriott is our favorite of these efficiency's when traveling.

Additionally they all have a sofa and desk so you don't have to sit on the bed when relaxing.  The sofa is a sleeper sofa if you have others traveling with you.  AND, they have a free breakfast of fruit, cereals and hot eggs etc in the lobby if you want to eat quickly before starting out.

Take efficiency's up a notch when you reach your final destination.  This is an efficiency kitchen area where we stayed in Aruba at Marriott's Surf Club.  Above are dishes and glassware and some reasonable storage if you don't over shop for supplies.  To the right of the kitchen is the bathroom and entrance into the well equipped quest room/efficiency.  Because all Marriott Time Shares (and many Springhills) have grills at the ready, it's possible to grill out and have a nice meal vs a costly dinner out.

And with either something you've tossed in the microwave or cooked on the grill you still have a place to sit and to eat on your balcony

or inside.  Might be hard to see as this was the morning we were checking out.  But the TV on the dresser is across from the bed, table and chairs next for your computer and or eating, with door to your private balcony.  The bed, unmade since it was our last morning prior to check out.

And you still have a view.  You also have a sleeper sofa which I neglected to get a photo of.  So, paying a bit more for an efficiency's saves you money eating all meals (like you would with a regular hotel room) out...and is less expensive then a larger condo unit.  After all, you have most of the comforts of home...and who's going to be spending much time indoors anyway?


Haven't traveled to many places that start with the letter E, but Effingham, Illinois , and the burial place of Edgar Allen Poe

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#9 start with 511

Palm Desert California

That's me dressed for dinner in the desert at Marriott's Palm Desert at Shadow Ridge.  You start out warm in the desert thus the sleeves and cool shoes and skirt, but it's always good to have a sweater to put on after the sun goes down...it can get cool very quickly in the desert.   We were heading out that evening, though we generally fixed our meals in since we had a full kitchen. (it's the day for D in the A-Z challenge)

Looking from the living room into the dining room and kitchen beyond with the door on left where you enter.

You can eat in the kitchen or on the nicely sized patio/balcony as we did most nights.  The balcony is large enough to accommodate 4 at the table and has a chaise lounge for relaxing during the day.

It's easy to prepare a fabulous meal like the steak, grilled potatoes and veggies and bread with the convenience of the grills between most buildings.  Nice view too.  We often would have the prep done, take it with our cocktails down to the grill and enjoy the sun setting over the mountains while we were cooking dinner.

You know you're in the desert by the abundance of cactus, and in some cases pretty cactus flowers.

Master suite has nice king bed, and soak tube with bathroom and shower area beyond.

Living room with entrance onto the balcony with a sleeper queen sofa if you need more sleeping space beyond the quest suite/2nd bedroom.

The quest room/2nd bedroom is queen/king (can't remember) with sleeper sofa, small table on the right, kitchenette which is where I was standing to take this photo.  It too has an entrance to a balcony..a separate one with table for 2.  The two bedrooms are separated by the common areas, kitchen, dining room, and living room.  Very nice with 2 balcony's in case everyone in your party doesn't get up at the same time.

Fun sculptures throughout the landscaping that serve again to remind you that you're in the desert.  The kids loved sitting on them.

Colorful Mosaic ones too. 

Kids also can enjoy the miniature golf course, or adults can practice their putting.

Jack Rabbits common desert wild life are abundant in late afternoon and early evening.

Awesome place to play golf...not though for the faint at hard.  Look at the area hubby's in...grass up to his knees.  The greens are nicely manicured, but if you're off the greens....again you're reminded you're in the desert.

Beautiful grounds the course in the middle with the villas/condo's on each side; but you can see it's a wide open area, not crowded.  I was laying down on the ground to see what the ball sees, when I took this photo lol.

A wonderful resort, we've been there several times and always enjoyed ourselves.  Take HUGE amounts of sun-screen regardless of what season you go.

The blogs search window is top left, should you want to see more about this resort from other trips.

And in keeping with our A-Z challenge, here's more D posts for you.

Daniel Boone, my childhood Hero
A Turtle Play Ground in Dog Town, St. Louis
Drayton Hall South Carolina

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#5, mixing up number, start with 506

Crystal Cove in Southern California

Here we are day 3 of the A-Z challenge.  Before we get started, let me ask if you like the collage?  Normally I post one picture after another, but wondered if this presentation when there's so many photo's works?

We're at Crystal Cove State Park Historic District, a National Registered Historic Place in California.  Newport Coast, California.  Hubby and I visited there last month.

Crystal Cove is a small, old style beach area.  Back in days when people threw up little shanty's to give them protection from the sun, and maybe a place to spend the weekends, cook out on the beach ...like the movies of old surfers.  There's not alot to do there, but it's good for a day, maybe two if you're staying in the area.  You can walk the beach a bit before it's interrupted by rocky in-passable area's where the beach is no more.  The waters too cold to enjoy a dip in the ocean; though you do see a few small children run in and out to be quickly immersed in a big towel Mom and Dad have at the ready.  There's only 2 small places to eat if you're willing to wait, and wait in line.......AND once you do, be prepared to pay twice or three times what it's worth.

Some of the area has been rehabbed into cute little cabins, though much remains to be done in the next phase.  This area has a history, a dark period for our country regarding the Japanese who used to successfully farm the area before The War.  That is a story though for a later post.  Then there's the military story that took place here, also for another post.

Many movies have been filmed here, Like Herbie, Beaches (see the photo with the fence), and before that the silent movies.

Here's a video showing the area also.  Though, having priced the cottages (some don't even have private bathrooms), at $200.00 ish a night; I think she makes them sound much nicer then they are.  Physically getting here, to Crystal Cove requires parking your car across the 6 lane Coast Highway and paying to park, then walking through the tunnel that goes under the highway.  There are lots of steps and ramps so if you're not able to walk a distance easily, that can be a problem  You can get your parking fee wave by spending at least $15.00 in one of the 2 restaurants there...and with things being pricey, that's not hard to do.  You can also purchase a park pass and take a shuttle to The Cove.

We enjoyed it because it's unique.  I would not though say- it's a destination.

 


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#13 start with 1916

Bluffton and Beaufort, Two B's in South Carolina

 Showing you some of the highlights you can expect to find if your tour Bluffton and or Beaufort, South Carolina.  Here we are for the A-Z post.

You see a walking map of the historic area in Bluffton, a great lunch with wine to enjoy also in Bluffton, or kick back like hubby with a favorite beer in either of those fun cities.

Take a buggy ride or horse drawn narrated tour, enjoy the old houses and beautiful hanging moss and gardens throughout the cities.  Don't miss the historic grave yards or beautiful old churches.

We've toured Beaufort both on foot and in a horse drawn carriage guided tour.  Personally we preferred to walk on our own.  Bluffton is smaller and so easy to access via shoe leather express.

I've written 7 posts with more detail for those wanting more specifics about traveling there:
Beaufort
Bluffton

Both are an easy day trip from Hilton Head, South Carolina.  Both are quaint, interesting and very historical.  Neither one would be a good option with small children, in my opinion.  Too many things you can't touch, too much to listen to, too much walking.  

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(#11, start with 1909)

Aruba

I've gotten into this A-Z April Blog Challenge late in the game with this blog, thus this post will be brief in order to meet the deadline.  This is Claudia, cutest, friendliest, best known bar tender on the whole island.  We've enjoyed happy hours with her 2 years running and are looking forward to our next trip in the fall.  If you look at the sidebar, in the cloud area you'll see I've posted about Aruba 6 previous times.  I still have plenty to say and will be posting more.

No, happy hour isn't the reason to go to Aruba, but it's always the highlight of our days there.  It's an easy international location to visit.  They like Americans, everyone is friendly, it's easy to get around, you do not need to transfer monies or speak the language.  They all speak Enlish among multiple other languages.  Claudia here is from Columbia, so she speak 3 or 4 languages.

Sun, Surf, Beach, and being barefoot...............all day long.  Heck, there's a few places you're encouraged to kick off your shoes if you have them on for dinner even.  We love it there, are anxious to return.  In the meantime....take a virtual trip and click on the above link.

Tomorrow will venture somewhere with a B

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(17, 1888-1902)