Delicious Steak and Seafood Dining at the Boathouse Restaurant

The Boathouse Restaurant and Marina Deck is located on 506 West Rio Grande Avenue in Wildwood New Jersey. This restaurant specializes in gourmet seafood dishes, perfectly grilled steaks, homemade soups & salads and pasta.

They offer indoor and/or outdoor deck seating giving you some of the prettiest views in the area. The sunsets are absolutely gorgeous here, so if you're planning on stopping by for dinner, try to arrive around sunset. Trust me, if it's a beautiful weather day, you'll LOVE seeing the sun set while you're here.

If you love fine dining and gourmet food, you'll find their prices to be affordable for what you're getting. If you're expecting under $10.00 per plate, well, then this place is not for you. When we dined there last, I got the Surf & Turf (delicious) and it was priced at $44.00. My husband had the Steak & Cake (a steak paired with a crab cake) and that was priced at $33.00. If you know the prices of gourmet seafood (not cheapo stuff), you'll know that these prices are affordable!

The restaurant is extremely clean and their employees are super friendly & very helpful. They all had a smile on their face the day that we had visited. On top of that, we were seated immediately and about 20 to 25 minutes after we placed our orders, our food was hot & on our table. Now...that's what I call fantastic service!

We love to enjoy our meal out on the deck or inside near a window where we can get a great view of the water and the boats that are coming and going. Even on hot days, there is usually a nice breeze coming off of the water to help keep you cool. The views here are gorgeous and for that alone, we love dining here when we visit the area.

You can visit Boathouse Restaurant's website online to check out their menu, to get driving directions and to view their hours of operation. When we visit the Stone Harbor, Wildwood and/or Cape May areas in south New Jersey, this is definitely one of our favorite restaurants to visit.

Note: You can click on each photo in this travel feature which will open it up in a new browsing window and in an enlarged size, so that you can view the details up close.

BYBLight Portable Camping Lantern

My family loves being outdoors. We spend a lot of time hiking, walking, going camping, boating, fishing, hunting and all sorts of other things that families typically enjoy in the great big outdoors! Luckily for us, we live in an area of the country that we can typically enjoy outdoor activities for 7 months out of the year.

Over the years we've reviewed quite a few different camping lanterns and in our opinion, you can never have enough! They're great for outdoor people like us...but they are a must-have item for every home in the world. Why you might ask? Well, during power failures and emergencies using a portable camping lantern is a LOT safer than burning candles! Think about all of those summertime thunderstorms and wintertime blizzards & ice storms when you lost electrical power for several hours or even days at a time! Having a variety of battery-operated lanterns on-hand is a must for everyone!

Recently we received the BYBLight Portable Camping Lantern to review for all of you. This lantern features 300 Lumen and is water-resistant. One of the things I appreciate about this particular camping lantern is that it's light-weight and super compact in it's size. It's great for travelers who don't have a lot of extra space available to them and great for apartment dwellers and RV'ers too!

It features the latest in COB technology and specular reflection design. It's small in size, but gives off super bright and powerful light! It can be used indoors and/or outdoors. When not in use...it collapses down to a very compact size for storage.

When you want to use the lantern you simply pop it open. If you open it the full way up...you get the brightest light. You can open it up halfway and get less-bright light. There are two metal carrying handles which double as hanging hooks so you can hang it up while using it. In other words, you can carry the lantern, sit it on a table-top or hang it up from a hook or tree limb.

I think it makes a great gift for anyone and if you love to go camping, hiking or just love to spend time outdoors, this portable lantern is for you!

Disclosure: Shelly and Sam received a complimentary lantern from the sponsor of this post. No monetary compensation was received. Regardless of receiving a complimentary item, their thoughts, words and opinions on this product are 100% honest & unbiased. Your thoughts and opinions may differ. 

Philly Brick Fest LEGO Convention

As a child, I can remember playing with LEGO building blocks with my brother. He had hundreds upon hundreds of those building blocks and had them all neatly organized by size, shape and color. He would sit for hours at a time building different things and some of the things he built were pretty incredible. I think for most of us, we can remember playing with LEGO'S as a child.

Last weekend we had the opportunity to attend Philly Brick Fest LIVE 2017 which is a LEGO Convention that was held over 4 days. This convention and event attracts thousands of visitors from all over the area. We met people there who were visiting from Florida and another family that made the drive from Chicago, just so they could attend.

The convention features LEGO builders from all over the world! These fans and artists build some of the most incredible things with the LEGO building blocks, things that you just have to see to believe! You'll see huge displays of famous buildings and interactive displays where you and the kids can get involved. Some of the exhibits are on the smaller side, but most are quite large and extensive.

Some of the life-sized models are really incredible to see and they do draw large crowds of fans. What's really cool is that the artists and designers are on-hand and you can ask them questions and listen to their presentations to find out how they came up with the design and how long it took to build it. It's got to be some tedious, and time-consuming work!

You'll find some really huge displays that feature some of your favorite and popular movie characters: Jurassic World, Star Wars and Back to the Future to name just a few.

There is a LEGO gaming area where you can challenge a friend or family member to a fun game and a mini golf course that will surely excite the children...there is a LOT to see and do at Philly Brick Fest! Looking to buy? There are all kinds of different LEGO shopping opportunities!

This was our first time attending a LEGO convention and we had a great time! We would love to visit another Brick Fest next year too! From now through the end of October 2017 you can find the Brick Fest being held in different areas of the country: Pittsburgh, Buffalo, Charlotte, Houston, Sacramento, Austin, Scottsdale, Baltimore and more!

If the convention comes to a location near you, we highly recommend that you take the family and go! It makes for a great afternoon and when planning your visit...I do recommend that you block off at least 2 hours of time, so that you can see and do many of the activities that they have to offer. You can find out more information and obtain their touring schedule by visiting the Brick Fest Live LEGO fan website online.

The Top 5 Best Tennis Events to Attend in 2017

Sports lovers are loyal followers and will travel to attend their favorite tournament or game. It is not uncommon for people to save their money for years to attend the Super Bowl, World Series, or NBA Finals for example. For tennis lovers, there are many events and tournaments that make it to the top of bucket lists. This article will share 5 of the most popular tennis events that one must attend in 2017 if they are truly a tennis connoisseur.

The US Open

This tennis match is an annual event that takes place on the last Monday in August in New York City. The tournament lasts for two weeks and consists of five event championships; men’s and women’s singles, men’s and women’s doubles, and mixed doubles to name a few. There are also special tournaments for seniors, juniors, and wheelchair players. This tournament is one of the oldest in the world with the first match taking place in 1881. Since 1987, the US Open has been the third of four final tennis major tournaments that make up the Grand Slam. The other tournaments in this series are the Australian Open, French Open, and Wimbledon.

The French Open

Otherwise known as the Roland Garros, named after a famous French aviator, the French Open is a major tennis tournament that takes places over a two week period in late May and early June. The tournament takes place at the Stade Roland Garros in Paris, France on clay courts. This tournament is the second of four annual tournaments in the Grand Slam. It is important to note that out of the four tournaments, the Roland Garros is the only one to take place on clay courts. Out of all the tournaments, this one is considered to be the most physically demanding in the world. This is due to the slow-playing surface of the clay and the five-set men’s singles matches that take place without a tiebreak in the final set.

Wimbledon

The Championships, also known as Wimbledon is the oldest of all tennis tournaments in the world. Also known as the most prestigious tournament, tennis lovers and regular tourists also flock to the famous stadium year round to get a look at the historic place. With many Wimbledon travel package options, it is easy to plan your experience.

This tournament has been held in Wimbledon, London since 1877 and is played outdoors on grass courts. This is also one of the four Grand Slam tennis tournaments that take place annually. Wimbledon takes place in late June and early July. In true british form, the tournament has strict traditions such as dress code for competitors as well as Royal spectators in attendance.

Australian Open

This tournament is held annually in two weeks in late January in Melbourne, Australia. One of the oldest tournaments, with the first starting in 1905, this set of matches is the first of four in the Grand Slam. This match consistently has very high attendance records, occasionally attracting more spectators than the US Open. The first of the tournaments to offer indoor playing should the weather be bad, the matches can take place on courts inside or outside due to the retractable roofing system at the arena.

Fed Cup

While not one of the popular Grand Slam tournaments, the Fed Cup is still very popular among tennis fans and attracts a great deal of people annually. Well known as the best tournament for women, there are also men’s tournaments now as well.

Classic Diner Fare at the Capitol Diner in Harrisburg

The Capitol Diner is located at 800 Eisenhower Blvd. in Harrisburg Pennsylvania and is a short hop off of Interstate 76 and Interstate 81 and 83 are close by. The diner is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. They serve breakfast, lunch and dinner and if you're looking for a place where you can order breakfast at any time of the day or night, this place is it.

They are your classic diner offering up the standard diner fare, but a LOT tastier than most other diners in the area. You'll find delicious chicken dinners, meatloaf, steak, seafood, wraps, salads, soups and all kinds of hamburgers and veggies. The lunch menu & dinner menu are typically the same.

If you're looking for the best breakfast in the area, Capitol Diner is the place to go! Locals and travelers RAVE and RAVE about the breakfast that is served up here! You'll find biscuits with gravy, eggs, ham, bacon, omelets, pancakes, waffles, grits and other breakfast-style foods.

The diner is extremely clean and the service is fast & friendly. They have a large dining room with table & chairs and then a separate section that houses your classic-style diner booths. If you're traveling with the family, they have a nice kid's menu too! Prices are affordable and you get really hearty portions with every meal.  You'll find this place crowded at most times of the day, but even during those crowded times, your wait is minimal and your order is served up super quickly and hot.

If you're traveling through or just visiting the Harrisburg Pennsylvania area, the Capitol Diner is a great place to visit if you're looking for the classic diner fare at a reasonable price!

Must-Have Travel Essentials for Children

Spring is here and it's time to sit back, relax, and try to survive traveling with children. Luckily, we have compiled a list of travel apps and travel accessories that are helpful for parents and entertaining for kids. Whether flying long distance or taking a road trip, be sure to download and pack the items below:

Roadtrip Bingo
iOS + Android (free)
Roadtrip Bingo allows kids to check off things they spot while on a trip. Similar to the old licence plate spotting game, this app also includes options for airplane travel as well.

FamilyTime Dashboard
iOS + Android (free)
Kids have a tendency to wander off. Better to be safe than sorry, and download FamilyTime Dashboard. Prior to leaving the house, install the app on your mobile device and their phones or tablets. The app safely monitors your child’s location, as well as any Internet or smartphone activity.

GetBeen
iOS (free)
Rather than trusting on an unreliable restaurant reviews in unfamiliar cities, GetBeen to see your friend’s restaurant, hotel, and amusement kid-friendly suggestions on all of your travels! Using GetBeen you can explore what’s nearby, and discover what your friends recommend, and share your experiences. No more frantic Facebook statuses asking for restaurant recommendations in the middle of nowhere, with GetBeen you'd have your friends opinions at your fingertips.

TravelOn Hand Soap Sheets
$10.00
These pocket-sized biodegradable sheets are a must-have when traveling with children. Easier to carry than a bar of soap, these paper-thin soap sheets dissolve almost instantly in water, giving you a handful of cleansing suds anywhere. TSA compliant and biodegradable, the palm-size container holds 50 sheets.

Here WeGo
iOS + Android (free)
Toddlers can be the most impatient road trip buddies ever. Avoid hearing the common phrase “are we there yet” by downloading Here WeGo. Rather than wasting all your data getting directions to your travel destination, this app provides detailed turn-by-turn directions for over 100 different countries that you can download and access offline, making it a great app to help avoid data fees. Here WeGo also offers directions for various forms of transportation, including car, bike or public transportation and updates prices, traffic conditions, where to park, for any drive.

Activity Bags
Another great idea is to make your own child-theme'd activity bag that is filled with coloring books, colored pencils, crayons, word search puzzles, crossword puzzles for kids, handheld electronic games, books, writing paper, dry erase board (tic, tac, toe and hangman games) and of course...non-messy snacks!

King's New York Pizza in Gettysburg

Heading to Gettysburg? Looking to dine on some of the best New York style pizza you've ever had? Just want some casual American food? If so, we highly recommend King's New York Pizza located on 226 Steinwehr Avenue in Gettysburg Pennsylvania. Don't let the name "pizza" fool you, they serve all kinds of delicious foods!

King's Pizza offers all kinds of different Italian foods in addition to their delicious pizza. You can dine-in or order take-out. This is a family-friendly pizza restaurant that does not serve alcohol, however, you are welcome to BYOB.  With that said, every time we've been there we saw NO alcohol which is really nice if you're traveling with small children.

Their extensive dining menu includes appetizers, soups, salads, pasta specialties, house specials, seafood & fish, subs & sandwiches, desserts, beverages and of course...PIZZA! We have personally enjoyed their pizza, breaded mushrooms, bread sticks, buffalo wings, onion rings and steak & cheese subs over the course of two trips down to Gettysburg. On one occasion we dined in and on the other, we ordered carry-out.

They are open year-round and 7 days a week. Their hours vary depending on the day but basically they're open from 10:30 AM to 10 PM and have on-site parking and there is street parking nearby. They are located within walking distance of the Lincoln Train Museum, Gettysburg Heritage Center & Museum, the Gettysburg Diorama and Soldier's National Cemetery.

While their food isn't the best food we've ever had, it is surprisingly very good. In addition, they have a super large menu with a wide variety of items available, so there is something for everyone. Finally, we found their prices to be extremely reasonable for what you get. King's Pizza is definitely a place you want to check out if your in the mood for casual Italian food.

Luci Inflatable Solar Lights - Great for Travelers

We do a lot of traveling and when we travel, we like to take extra lighting along with us. Hotels & motels have power outages often and even with generator back-up, you don't get the lighting that you need. If you're traveling by car or going camping, you can always use additional lighting for emergencies or during the dark nighttime hours.

A few months ago I received a complimentary portable solar light to review for all of you. One of the things we love about the Luci Inflatable Solar Lights is that it's indeed inflatable! You collapse it when not in use (takes up very little room in your backpack or luggage) and then inflate it when you need it.

When we are traveling outdoors...we will set the inflatable lantern/light outside during the daytime hours so that it charges up via the sun. Then when evening rolls around, you can turn on your portable lantern when you need additional light. This particular inflatable light has 3 different light settings (low light, high light and a flashing light) and it super easy to operate with the push of a button.

When it comes to inflating it...it took me less than 2 minutes to blow it up and trust me, my lungs aren't too great at my old age, so I bet you could get it inflated in less than one minute. The top of the light has a little carrying strap or you could use that strap to hang it up. Since it's made out of plastic, it's water resistant which makes it great to use at the lake, poolside, while boating, fishing, etc.

These solar lights are perfect for those of us who travel a lot, go camping and/or hiking, spend time out on a boat, at the lake, etc. When we aren't traveling, we like to use it poolside! It floats nicely on top of the water and gives us additional lighting during the evening hours. Finally, I love that the kids can use these solar lights and I don't have to worry about them dropping them and breaking them. They're as light as a small beach ball, so they weight next-to-nothing!

You can find the Luci Inflatable Solar Lights available for purchase at Gander Mountain retail stores and online. Personally, I think this product is fantastic and now we want to get a few more!

Disclosure: We received a complimentary product to feature in this blog post. No monetary compensation was received. Regardless of receiving the product, our thoughts and words are 100% our own unbiased opinion. Your thoughts may differ.

7 Family-Friendly Things to See and Do this Summer in Hershey

Heading to Hershey Pennsylvania this summer? If so, you'll find hundreds of different things to see and do while you're there. What's really great about visiting Hershey is that this "sweet place" is really geared towards families, so the majority of the activities you find here are family-friendly!

Here are 7 Things to See and Do this Summer in Hershey

The Kissing Tower at Hersheypark

1. Hersheypark - is the ONLY large amusement park in south central Pennsylvania and lucky for you, it's located right in downtown Hershey. This fun amusement park has numerous roller coasters, water rides, kiddie rides, bumper cars, swings and all of those classic rides you find at a large amusement park.

Hershey's Chocolate World

2. Hershey's Chocolate World - is an indoor attraction and a great one to visit on a rainy day or extremely hot day during the summer. Admission is FREE to get in and one of the main attractions is FREE, but the other activities will cost a fee. You can grab something to eat & drink while you're there and do a little shopping for Hershey's candy and souvenirs.

The Hershey Story Museum

3. The Hershey Story Museum - is an indoor museum that encompasses two complete floors. This museum is all about the legendary Milton S. Hershey and how Hershey Chocolate came to be. Some of the exhibits here are hands-free and many of them are children-friendly. After you've toured through the museum, you can grab a little something to eat from the cafe or shop in the museum's gift store for candy and souvenirs.

Hershey Gardens - Butterfly Atrium

Hershey Gardens & Butterfly Atrium

4. Hershey Gardens - is a gorgeous botanical garden that also includes a children's garden and butterfly house. Admission is reasonable and you can leisurely take your time scrolling through the beautiful gardens and make sure you stop into the new butterfly atrium that was added last year. You'll see all kinds of colorful butterflies flying around and you can get up close and personal with them. 

Adventure Sports in Hershey

5. Adventure Sports in Hershey - is a short drive outside of the downtown area. This place is open seasonally and offers miniature golf, bumper boats, go-karts, laser tag, batting cages and an indoor game arcade. If you're looking for a light lunch or dinner, you can grab that in their cafe along with some delicious ice cream too!

ZooAmerica North American Wildlife Park

6. ZooAmerica North American Wildlife Park - is connected to Hersheypark, but it's open year-round. This zoo is on the smaller side and features animals from all over North America. You'll see river otters, various owls, birds, bears, Canadian lynx, skunk, various snakes and reptiles, wolves and more! Once you've toured the zoo, you can do a little souvenir shopping in their small gift shop.

Indian Echo Caverns

7. Indian Echo Caverns - is a short drive outside of the downtown area and located in Hummelstown. These limestone caves are open-year round and open to the public for guided tours. On the property you'll find picnic pavilions, a gift shop and a small pen of goats that the kids can visit with along with a playground where they can burn off some steam. 

Indian Echo Caverns - Hummelstown 

You can find extensive reviews on each one of these attractions located in Hershey Pennsylvania right here on our travel blog under the Pennsylvania category. In the coming weeks, we'll be publishing an extensive 18+ things to see and do in Hershey list on the blog that will also include some "adult" activities too! 

Note: All photos in this travel feature are clickable. Click on each photo to have it automatically open up in a new browsing window and in an enlarged size.

Family Fun at Lake Tobias Wildlife Park

The Lake Tobias Wildlife Park is located in Halifax Pennsylvania and has been open for business since 1965. The park has a safari tour, zoo exhibits, a petty zoo and a fun playground for the little kids. It's a family-owned business that welcomes over 170.000 visitors every year.

Every summer my family likes to get together and plan a day trip up to Lake Tobias Wildlife Park to visit with all of the animals. Since we plan these family outings, we like to pack a picnic-style lunch and pack our lunches with beverages into a cooler. Then...once we're done visiting the park, we can enjoy a picnic lunch as a family.

When visiting the wildlife park and zoo, you'll find all kinds of exotic animals living there. You'll see lions, deer, bears, alligators, snakes, turtles, lizards, goats, buffalo, tigers, camels, several species of monkeys & primates, cranes, elands, zebra, ostrich, peacocks, tree sloth, kangaroos, peacocks, birds and many more! Out of all of the zoos and wildlife parks in south central Pennsylvania, this one really offers you a nice variety of species to see and learn about.

When visiting, we try to plan our visit during a weekday when it's less crowded. On the weekends, they can get really crowded and lines can form. If you really want to experience this place at a leisurely pace, then I highly recommend planning a weekday visit. In addition, we prefer visiting late spring, very early summer or early in the fall with the temperatures are really nice & comfortable.

Every time we visit, we plan to be there for an entire afternoon. We recommend allowing a minimum of 2 1/2 hours in your schedule if you plan on seeing and doing all of the activities that the park has to offer. Since we normally visit as a large family group, we typically plan on visiting the park for 4 hours before heading back home.

There are rules and guidelines when visiting the park and you need to make yourself aware of them (via their website) before you plan your visit. They don't want you bringing in your own food and beverages, unless it's for a baby or small child with special needs. In addition, I do recommend that you bring along hand wipes and hand sanitizer, so that you can clean your hands as you go along. As soon as you return to your vehicle, you'll want to give your hands a good overall cleaning.

We love visiting Lake Tobias Wildlife Park in Halifax Pennsylvania and every year it has become a family tradition to visit. If you're going to be visiting the area or live in the state of New York or New Jersey, it's a great day trip to plan with the family. If you're going to be vacationing in Lancaster, Hershey or Harrisburg Pennsylvania, Lake Tobias Wildlife Park is within a 2 hour drive of Lancaster and a 1 hour drive from the Hershey and Harrisburg area.

Note: All images in this travel feature are clickable. Click on each image and it will automatically open up in a new window & in an enlarged size, so that you can view the smaller details.

Must-Have for Travelers: Powramid Air Power Center and USB Charging Station

Whether you’re traveling for business or pleasure, or may have an important meeting or conference to attend, chances are you’re going to need to power up your electronic devices. Fortunately, Accell has some great power solutions that are absolutely perfect for those who love to travel.

Let me introduce you to the Powramid Air Power Center and USB Charging Station by Accell. Before I get started with my review, I want to openly state that we received this product (complimentary) to try out and feature here on our travel blog.

Powramid Air Power Center and USB Charging Station Features:

* Ideal for home, office or travel.
* Round, flat design, featuring 6 adapter-spaced outlets.
* 2 USB charging ports feature smart chips to provide a combined 2.4A of fast charging for USB powered devices, including mobile phones, tablets and portable music players.
* Skid & Scratch Resistant Base.
* Green LED Power Indicator Light.
* Blue LED Surge Protection Indicator Light.
* 1080 Joules Surge Protection.
* 15 AMP Circuit Breaker.
* 5 Year Connected Equipment Limited Warranty.
* Available in white or black.
* Affordable with a MSRP: $35.99

When we travel, we travel with a lot of electronics! We always have at least one laptop and one tablet along with us. Then we mix in our video camera, our digital camera, 2 cellphones and an iPod. We travel with no less than 6 devices at a time! When we arrive at our destination, we're lucky if we can find two empty outlets in our hotel room and rarely do we find any USB charging stations. Yes, USB charging stations are becoming more common, but 80% of the time, we don't find them in our hotel rooms.

We recently took a weekend trip and took along our new Powramid Air Power Center and USB Charging Station along with us. We plugged it into an outlet in our hotel room and at the end of each day, we plugged our electronic devices into it. I really like how well this thing is designed and it was able to easily fit our power-packs that are attached to our charging cords. I also like that it's shaped flat like a flying saucer and I was able to slide it underneath the desk, so it was out of the way.

Another great thing is that it's fairly light-weight and compact in size. You can easily tuck it into an overnight bag, piece of luggage, a briefcase or a backpack when traveling. Each of the 6 adapter outlets are adequately spaced out, so that you can get 6 devices plugged in and charging. On the side of the unit is where you'll find the two USB charging ports which are fantastic for charging up our digital camera and our video camera. This thing is amazing!

We travel a lot and let me tell you, we won't be leaving home without our Powramid Air Power Center and USB Charging Station! Now that we're home again, we plugged it into an outlet in our home office and really love that we can charge up our devices quickly and that everything is charging up in one particular place, instead of all over our house. Now that's what I call being organized!

You can learn more about ACCELL by visiting their website online. You can connect with the company on Facebook too.

Disclosure: We received a complimentary Powramid Air Power Center and USB Charging Station from ACCELL to feature in this blog post. No monetary compensation was received. Regardless of receiving a complimentary product, our thoughts, words and opinions are 100% our own.

5 Foods to Defy Post-Flight Dehydration

During the summer and early fall seasons, Sam and I do a lot of traveling for both business & pleasure. One of the things I've always disliked about traveling is how dry and itchy my skin gets. Sometimes it's the dry air in the hotel that we're staying out, sometimes it caused by not drinking enough fluids and at other times...it's the sun that causes my skin issues. Regardless of the causes, there are ways to combat those issues when you fly by following the advice of Dr. Calapai, D.O. as outlined in his article below. Read on.

It’s officially the dog days of summer and people are taking to the skies for vacation and business travel. You know the drill. You’re given some peanuts, the drink cart makes a couple of rounds and before you know it it’s wheels down. You're regretting not drinking more water during the flight and feel your skin tight. However, drinking water on a longer flight is a double-edged sword, if you don’t your entire epidermis dries up; if you do your lower body retains the liquid. So how can you fly without the ankle swell or the skin dehydration?

Dr. Christopher Calapai DO, an anti-aging and stem cell expert and long time health advisor to the New York Rangers hockey team, tells us which 5 foods will help to fight the dryness. Let's take a look at them now.

1. Watermelon

“Watermelon is one of the most hydrating foods there are,” says Dr. Calapai “Its a great alternative to plane snacks which have large amounts of sodium, which in turn make you more dehydrated.” Pack big thick slices in a large plastic baggie and take them in your handbag, they won’t be taken away at TSA and will help you avoid the salty peanuts.

2. Cucumbers

“Cucumbers are about 96 percent water,” says Calapai “They also contain no saturated fat or cholesterol and are high in Vitamin B6 which helps in the production of serotonin which is the brain chemical that controls mood.” You can slice them or cube them and also bring them along in a baggie or small container. Try making small cucumber-watermelon bites, they are pretty delicious!

3. Strawberries

When the airplane cookies come around say no thanks and reach for some strawberries instead! “Strawberries have the highest water content of any berry, 92 percent to be exact,” shares Calapai “You can enjoy the tart-sweet flavor without consuming too much sugar.”

4. All-in-One Salad


The type that needs an actual meal to feel satisfied bring along a salad. Add tomatoes, juicy chicken, plenty of lettuce and goat cheese. Lettuce is 96 percent water and tomatoes are 94 percent water. Go easy on the salt when seasoning your chicken and grill it or steam it instead of frying it to retain moisture. Make up for flavor and texture with some goat cheese! All the ingredients stay good at room temperature most of the day and there’s no heating required when it’s time for lunch/dinner.

5. Coconut Water

Ok so you can’t totally avoid drinking liquids! “Coconut water is low in calories and high in naturally occurring hydration replenishing electrolytes, which regular water does not contain. It’s a better option than sports drinks which have artificial flavors and more calories,” advises Dr. Calapai. After you’re past security grab a bottle of coconut water from any of the airport mini-marts.

Dr. Christopher Calapai, D.O. is an Osteopathic Physician board certified in family medicine, and anti-aging medicine. Proclaimed as the "The Stem Cell Guru" by the New York Daily News, Dr. Calapai is a leader in the field of stem cell therapy in the U.S. His stem cell treatments have achieved remarkable results in clinical trials on patients with conditions as varied as Alzheimer's, arthritis, erectile dysfunction, frailty syndrome, heart, kidney and liver failure, lupus, MS and Parkinson's. He has worked with Mike Tyson, Mickey Rourke, Steven Seagal, and Fox series Gotham's, Donal Logue; he was a medical consultant for the New York Rangers. Connect with him at www.drcal.net.

Family Fun at Adventure Sports in Hershey

Adventure Sports is an entertainment complex located at 3010 Elizabethtown Road in Hershey Pennsylvania. If your visiting the Harrisburg, Hershey or Lancaster areas, we highly recommend that you plan an afternoon or evening visit to Adventure Sports!

Adventure Sports has all kinds of fun attractions and activities for the entire family to enjoy. You'll find a miniature golf course with several beautiful water features & obstacles, go-karts for racing, batting cages to improve your swing, outdoor laser tag course, bumper boats to help cool you down, an arcade loaded with video games, a golf driving range and a small playground area for the kids.

Let's start with their super fun 18-hole miniature golf course which is the best in the central Pennsylvania area, at least in my honest opinion. A lot of this miniature golf course is in a wooded area, so there is plenty of shade to escape to during a hot summer day. One of the things that really impresses me with this mini golf course is all of the beautiful water features! You'll find a man-made creek running through the center of it, along with waterfalls and water fountains at various other spots. It's really beautiful to see.

When you're playing miniature golf...most of the holes are family-friendly. On the day we visited, we had a 7 year old and a 14 year old along with us. They did just as good as the adults when playing with the adults averaging 2-3 Par per hole and the kids averaging 4-5 Par per hole. They were semi-busy when we were there so it did take us an entire hour to get through the golf course.

After we were done there my 14 year old nephew wanted to try batting some balls in the batting cages. He had a lot of fun putting on his batting hat, grabbing a bat and hitting several balls. Those balls do come at you pretty fast, but he did a great job chasing them down.

Once done there...we walked down over the hill so that we could all get out on the race course with the Go-Karts. There is a machine located nearby that you put your money it and it will dispense tickets for the Go-Karts and/or the Bumper Boats. I believe we paid $7.00 per person (7 tickets are needed, so that's $1.00 per ticket), you then hand your tickets to the ride attendant.

Luckily for us, when we got to the Go Karts it was ONLY my family that was racing. Yay! So, we had 6 of us out on the race course racing around. On the day we were there, we had about 10 minutes in total time. Sigh, for the $7.00 price per person, I wish it was a little longer to make it more affordable for families.

We then headed over to the Bumper Boats and I have to admit, the kids really loved doing this! Again, you'll need 7 tickets (at the time of this blog feature) per person, unless it's a younger-aged child who is riding as a passenger, then you can do 1 ticket for the small child (passenger). Before getting on this ride or the Go Karts, make sure that everyone reads the posted rules & guidelines. They want everyone there to remain safe!

On the day we were there...it was 93 degrees (late Summer of 2016) and having the cold water hit ya felt really good! I'm not sure how long you get exactly on the Bumper Boats but in my opinion, it felt longer than when we were on the Go-Karts. These Bumper Boats are a lot of fun for the entire family!

We thought about playing Laser Tag on the day we were there, but to be honest with you...the bugs were terrible while we were there. After already spending 2 hours there on a hot afternoon, we were bit up from mosquitoes and two of us had bee stings. Ugh! We opted to skip the laser tag and headed indoors.

Inside they have a decent sized video arcade with all kinds of arcade games. You'll also find the very small bathrooms in the arcade area and the indoor cafe where you can find some hot food, cold beverages and of course...Hershey's ice cream! The kids orders ice cream cones and the adults got cold beverages. Their food and beverages were decent and everything we had tasted good.

If you're bringing toddlers along for the day...don't worry, they have something there for them to do! There is a "play area" with a large wooden choo-choo train that the kids can climb on and play. This is FREE for the little ones and doesn't cost any money or ride tickets. There is a little gazebo nearby that parents can sit down and watch their little ones play.

Overall, my family had a great time visiting Adventure Sports in Hershey Pennsylvania. This was the third or forth time we've visited this entertainment park and every year it gets bigger & better. I do suggest that you bring your own insect repellent to keep the bugs away, your own sunscreen and bottled water to make your day a whole lot better. Have some fun!