• Alaska, finally!

    ByKristin family, summer, vacation

    We finally made it. I say that because we originally booked an Alaskan cruise in 2020. We all know how that went, or, rather, didnโ€™t go. We rebooked in 2021, but negative COVID tests were still required to fly into Canada and board cruise ships โ€ฆ and one of my kids tested positive for COVID the night before we were scheduled to leave. So we waited a few days then went to Wisconsin Dells instead. 

    Then we planned other cruises with friends, celebrated our high school graduate, went on mission trips โ€ฆ and Alaska had to wait. 

    But now here we are, finally. 

    We love to travel with our moms and family friends, but for reasons Iโ€™m not even entirely sure about, the trip felt like it was meant for the five of us. That doesnโ€™t mean it was all roses and everyone got along all the time, but Iโ€™m so glad we did this trip in this season of life. 

    This trip was a big one with 13 nights away from home in three hotels each for a night, seven nights on the Ovation of the Seas, two nights in a cabin, and the last night on an airplane. 

    We packed seven suitcases for five of us, and I wish weโ€™d packed less. But I did three loads of laundry after we got off the cruise ship. 

    Ketchikan

    We gained another hour to get on Alaskan time, and then went on our first excursion. We canoed around Harriett Hunt Lake in the Tongass National Forest. After a nature walk, we had yummy local snacks such as clam chowder, berry jam, salmon dip, and hot chocolate. 

    Greg, Cate, and Ben got back on the ship for lunch while Rachel and I shared a crab roll from a local food truck. Then we snacked and shopped at Wardโ€™s Cove, which had a great store for cruise tourists. 

    We ended the port stop with the Great Alaskan Lumberjack Show. Showcasing a competition between a couple of two-man teams, it was entertaining and interactive.

    Icy Strait Point

    This port is near Hoonah, and itโ€™s owned and developed by the native people. Itโ€™s authentic and takes into account the salmon cannery history. We rode a new gondola to the top of the mountain. It was a cloudy day, so views were limited, but it was still pretty. We also went on a walk to a pond and meadow. On the way down, the boss of the gondola hitched a ride with us, and we got to chat with him, which was fun. 

    After lunch and exploring, we boarded a whale-watching boat and saw 18 humpback whales bubble feeding and 4 others breaching. Several in my crew consider the whale watching their favorite excursion. 

    We beat the crowds and took the shuttle into downtown in the morning. We walked to the Sitka National Historical Park, which took us by a marina and beautiful, rocky shoreline. Then we shopped and snacked downtown before heading back to the cruise port. 

    Our excursion took us to the Fortress of the Bear, which is a non-profit facility that cares for orphaned bears. We got to see Alaskan coastal brown bears and black bears. 

    This was maybe my favorite day, thanks to siblingsโ€™ moods toward each other, the weather, and the whole experience. Cate and I decided we could vacation here for a few days, and we talked about โ€œThe Proposal,โ€ even though the majority of the movie wasnโ€™t actually filmed there. But nobody there has tiny dogs because eagles are a real threat to them! 

    Skagway

    Further north, this port looked different than the others with more dramatic mountains and views. 

    We had a tour that took us to learn about and meet sled dogs and through the White Pass to Fraser, British Columbia, Canada. We rode up on a bus and down on a scenic train. So beautiful! 

    We had lunch at the Salty Siren near the port. I continued my streak of seafood at least once every day! 

    Seward to Anchorage

    We got off the ship in Seward, which is a couple of hours from Anchorage. We took a tour that was also our transport. Along the way we stopped at so many great places, including Lowell Point, Exit Glacier overlook, The Inn at Whittier for lunch, Portage Valley, Byron Glacier trailhead, and Alaskan Wildlife Conservation Center.

    Our guide was excellent, and this was a great way to learn the area and get to where we needed to go. We stayed at the Hyatt Place in Anchorage that night and had dinner The Bear Paw Bar & Grill because it was in walking distance, but it also turned out to be delicious! 

    I did three loads of laundry at the hotel, and Rachel swam. Honestly, I wish weโ€™d packed less. We took a total of seven suitcases, but I think we could have done five with no issues if I trusted the laundry situation!

    Palmer

    Just outside of Anchorage, the boys fished on Knik River from the late morning into the afternoon, so the girls and I had our own fun. We went to the Reindeer Farm, lunched at Turkey Red, and got dessert at Vagabond Blues. 

    Then we drove up toward Hatcher Pass before picking up the boys and heading to Denali National Park. We stayed just outside of the park in a cute cabin at Denali Grizzly Bear Resort for two nights. 

    Denali National Park 

    Our first day at Denali National Park was really fun! Itโ€™s so remote that itโ€™s not like Yellowstone or even Glacier with all the people in the summer. Plus we had beautiful weather. 

    We visited the working dogs that rangers use to patrol the park, especially in the winter when so many parts arenโ€™t accessible by roads. Then we did a tour of the background just outside of the park with Denali ATV Adventures. We had a six-seater ATV for just our crew and then two guides in their own ATV and another couple in theirs. It was basically like a private tour, and so fun! 

    After the ATV tour, we happened upon a golf course down the road. Ben really wanted to say he played golf in Alaska, so he and Greg squeezed in some holes at Black Diamond Golf Course. While the girls and I were having a snack on the porch there, a worker asked us if weโ€™d been to the petting zoo. My immediate response was, โ€œRight here?โ€ Yep. Right behind the restaurant and clubhouse was a petting zoo with goats, miniature horses and cows, rabbits, and sheep. So random, but Rachel especially had the best time! 

    That night we went to the Cabin Nite Dinner Theatre at Denali Park Village, which was across the street from our cabin. The ribs, salmon, family-style sides, and berry cobbler were so good! And the show about Denali and what brought people there was funny and entertaining. 

    The next day in Denali, we took a bus 43 miles into the park, which is farther than possible in a private vehicle. I wish we had more time to explore, especially once we got to East Fork riverbed, but we had a plane to catch. 

    Sort of. We stopped at Wasilla on our way back to Anchorage to watch the World Cup game at Tailgaters Sports Bar & Grill. We flew out at 10:45 pm Alaska time and remain confused about what day it is!

    Logistic Recommendations

    • Iโ€™ve probably told you before, but if youโ€™re flying out of the Nashville airport early in the morning, stay at the hotel there. Yes, itโ€™ll feel like a splurge, but itโ€™s worth it.ย 
    • A cruise is the way to see Alaskaโ€™s coast because those towns are beautiful but isolated. But then you should definitely spend a few extra days in the interior exploring other areas. I used a travel agent for the cruise booking, but then I booked our cruise excursions and extra land-based days myself. I enjoy planning trips, though. If you donโ€™t, my girls at Kingdom Seekers Travel can help you with all the things.ย 
    • Get a credit card with good travel perks. I recommend both the Southwest credit card if you fly with even a little frequency and the Capital One Venture card. These help cut the costs in various ways!ย 
    • I also like to book hotels and rental cars through Expedia because that builds OneKey Cash (aka discounts) and allows me to get cash back through Rakuten.ย 

    More travel advice

    Need inspiration?

    *****

    Even though they don’t do the beauty justice, I took a bunch of pictures! You can see most of them on Facebook or Instagram.

    God authors the stories on our porches and wherever we go. If you havenโ€™t already, please subscribe to receive #PorchStories emails with resources and stories like this about every other week.

  • Mele Kalikimaka!ย 

    ByKristin family, vacation

    Day 1 

    After a good night of at least nine hours of sleep for my crew, we woke up ready to have a good day after a messy, hard travel day Iโ€™ll tell you about later. 

    We were picked up at 7 am by a driver for a private tour to Pearl Harbor. Thatโ€™s an advantage of traveling with a party of 16! Yes, 7 am sounds early, but with our bodies somewhere between the time zones, it was fine! And Iโ€™m glad we got to Pearl Harbor early because, like lots of tourist attractions, it got busier as the morning went on.ย 

    We watched a well-written movie about the attack on Pearl Harbor, took a boat to the USS Arizona Memorial, and toured the Missouri battleship, and had a snack because by 10:30 am my crew was hungry! 

    Our driver ended up recommending a HUGE food court at the mall for lunch. Cate and I were pleased with our Fumiโ€™s Kahuku Shrimp choices. Rachel shared a big ole ramen bowl with her cousin and had a crepe. Greg had Korean BBQ. We all rolled our eyes at Ben for his Raising Canes. 

    Rachel was the only one of us with a swimsuit, so Greg put on yesterdayโ€™s clothes, and they went swimming. Ben ended up getting in too, once his cousins arrived. Cate and I explored and tracked our suitcases, which arrived later in the afternoon. Then we changed and got in the ocean.ย 

    Other than Greg, none of us have been in the Pacific Ocean, although Iโ€™ve seen it several times. Greg hasnโ€™t been to Hawaii before, so itโ€™s fun to all be experiencing a new place. 

    We stayed at the Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikiki Beach Resort. Our family of five had two hotel rooms and the cousins had a few others. (Party of 16 total, thanks to my mother-in-law and her Hilton points and status!) Our rooms were in the same hallway, and I certainly wished they were adjoining, but it worked. The resort was decorated beautifully for Christmas, had on-property restaurants, and was surrounded by a village of shops and other restaurants.ย 

    We had dinner at Blue Water Shrimp & Seafood in the village, and it was delicious, huge portions for some of the more reasonable prices weโ€™ve seen around here.ย 

    Day 2

    Mele Kalikimaka! 

    Ben and Greg went golfing on Christmas morning and the girls and I had a slow start to the day around the resort. They played at Ko Olina Golf Club and us girls spent about five hours straight at the beach.ย 

    We went to the Paradise Cove Luau for Christmas โ€” and it was wonderfully Hawaiian. The views, dancers, roasted pig and other food, games, and tattoos made for a fun time.ย Sadly, this luau closed on New Year’s Eve because the beachfront location is being transformed for dining and entertainment options.

    Day 3

    We decided to go to the North Shore on this day. We started with the Waimea Valley, which was a beautiful garden along a path to a waterfall. Several in our crew swam at the base of the waterfall.ย (This was a ChatGPT suggestion!)

    Then we lunched at the popular Giovanniโ€™s Shrimp Truck and other food trucks in Haleiwa. I donโ€™t think Iโ€™ve ever had cooked shrimp that still needs to be peeled, but the scampi was tasty! Definitely a whole experience waiting, but I donโ€™t regret it.ย 

    More waiting happened at the Dole Plantation. We did the maze and train ride. Honestly, not sure Iโ€™d wait again to do them. The Dole store is great though! And we did see the best rainbow of the trip there.

    Meanwhile, Greg, Ben, and some of the cousins went fishing. They got some bites but didnโ€™t catch anything.ย We all came back to the resort and ate dinner there.ย 

    Day 4

    Back to the North Shore! We watched surfers at Bonzai Pipeline and some of our group played in the water and sand. Then we lunched at Haleiwa Joeโ€™s.ย 

    From there, we drove an hour to the Polynesian Cultural Center. My husband loved it, and I honestly could have done without it.ย 

    We ate dinner in the village near the resort at CJโ€™s New York Style Deli. It was quick and good.ย 

    Day 5

    Early wake-up for a day trip to the Big Island! We took a 6 am flight and hit the ground running.

    We toured Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, which was really interesting! Then we were supposed to go on a helicopter tour, but cloudy weather prompted a cancellation.ย 

    We lunched at Coconut Grill in Hilo โ€” and we all loved our food. I had the lobster club, which was unlike anything Iโ€™ve ever had. Hereโ€™s how the menu describes it: pan-roasted to order, a 4-ounce lobster tail basted in our scampi butter, tossed in a roasted garlic cream sauce, Hawaiian grilled sweet bread, and smoked bacon.ย 

    Then we drove around and saw some sites, including Rainbow Falls, massive Banyan trees, Waipio Valley, and Laupahoehoe. Our private tour guide Sue from Show Your Hawaii Tours was awesome!

    We returned to the Honolulu airport around 8 pm and then to our hotel, where we got delicious pizza from Round Table to eat in our room.

    Day 6

    We got a slightly later start today and went for a half-day experience at Kualoa Ranch, which is a 4,000-acre, oceanfront, working ranch where tons of movies & shows are filmed. Cate loved the โ€œJurassic Parkโ€ locations and facts. I particularly loved learning more about โ€œLOSTโ€ being filmed there as well as โ€œLilo & Stitch,โ€ โ€œ50 First Dates,โ€ โ€œSoul Surfer,โ€ and many others.ย 

    We went on a movie sites tour, had a delicious buffet lunch, and then went on an ocean excursion. Our guides were great and the scenery was incredible, and just what youโ€™d expect in Hawaii. 

    Kualoa Ranch wasnโ€™t recommended in my crowdsourcing, but it was my favorite place we went and collectively our group agreed. 

    We got back in time to watch the end of the Racers game and hang out at the beach and pool for our last evening. Cate and I ate Maui Zaui from Round Table pizza โ€” such a wonderful, sweet, savory combo!

    Next time

    So, would I go again? Thatโ€™s been a popular question. In the midst of the vacation, I wasnโ€™t sure. I felt like I was one and done with Hawaii. But Iโ€™ve since decided I would go back and do some things differently. Like stay in a rental house on the North Shore. Or go on a cruise so I can island hop easily. Or maybe go to another island altogether.ย 

    Regardless, this was a wonderful was to spend Christmas, and Iโ€™m thankful my generous mother-in-law cashed in all those Hilton points and gifted us this experience.ย 

    Other notes

    Early Flight

    We stayed in the Hilton at the Nashville airport, and that was a great way to start our early flight! We parked in the garage last night, stayed the night, then walked across to the terminal. 

    Holiday Travel 

    Some people seem surprised we travel over holidays, but, honestly, I like it. The five of us celebrated Christmas on Saturday and had a great day together. Iโ€™d rather make memories & experience places together than buy a bunch of gifts anyway. With extended families, like for this trip, holidays work because most have the same break. Weโ€™ve got elementary through college kids with us, so we have to think about a good time for various schedules. 

    I also talked to my college kid about it and she loves traveling to warm places over Christmas Break. We have traditions, but they may just not look the same from year to year or like another familyโ€™s traditions, and thatโ€™s okay!ย 

    Travel Day

    But, Iโ€™ll be honest, the travel day to Honolulu was hard. Yes, itโ€™s long, but also Cate was sick (maybe with the flu?). I had a head full of congestion and starting feeling worse as the day went on. We got up at 3:45 am CST and arrived in Hawaii around 1 pm, which was 5 pm at home. And our luggage didnโ€™t arrive until the next day.ย 

    Then the rental car retrieval process was S L O W as was the hotel check-in process. We finally got our carry-on bags with no clothes or many toiletries put in our room, found dinner, and stocked up on essentials at Target. Except Cate, who crashed in her bed for the rest of the afternoon and evening.ย 

    The Target was messy and picked over, with very few womenโ€™s T-shirt and shorts options. There were so many sweatshirts, which just didnโ€™t make sense. We ended up with a cart full of a change of clothes for everyone, some pajamas, a bathing suit for Rachel, some snacks, and drinks. And then I couldnโ€™t take the cart out of the Target in an open-air mall, but I didnโ€™t realize the wheels had locked up and kept trying to shove it out!ย 

    Thankfully, Southwest delivered our bags the next afternoon. And the travel home a week later was much smoother all around.ย Except, of course, for that jet lag, which was real and part of our lives for about five days.

    Southwest credit card

    I recently got a Southwest card and bought these tickets with it. We got A boarding for the first time. That means we got on the plane before family boarding and sat in row 9. And I didnโ€™t even have to check in at 5 am the day before!ย 

    Plus, we all checked a bag for free. In addition to TSA Pre-Check, this is a definite worthwhile perk to make traveling a little smoother.ย 

    In addition to the Southwest card, our Capital One Venture Rewards Card gives us back great travel perks, including reimbursing us for our TSA Pre-Check cost, allowing us to book rental cars and hotels through it, and “erasing” travel expenses with our points.

    Other packing tips

    • Travel blankets โ€“ A friend had this Vera Bradley travel blanket that wraps inside itself to be a pillow, and I bought them for my girls and myself before we went to Hawaii. I bought the boys different ones.
    • Packing cubes โ€“ I just couldnโ€™t justify the price of the expensive ones. These had good reviews and seemed like a good place to start. I bought three different colors.ย 
    • Reusable shopping bags โ€“ I really like these because they are thin, basic, and easy to wash. Theyโ€™re great to carry along to separate dirty clothes or move other items if you arenโ€™t staying in one location, which we donโ€™t do on many trips. They also made great beach bags for this trip.
    • Book light โ€“ I read on my Kindle a lot when I travel, but I wanted a book light just in case I wanted to read on the airplane or in the hotel while everybody else wanted the lights out. I like this book light because it charges and doesnโ€™t require batteries.ย 
    • Kindle Unlimited โ€“ I downloaded the maximum number of books included with this subscription so I have plenty of options. I reload it as needed. Yโ€™all know Iโ€™m a fan of the waterproof Kindle Oasis.

    *****

    God authors the stories on our porches โ€“ in every season, wherever we are! If you havenโ€™t already, please subscribe toย  #PorchStories emails to receive them about every other week.

  • Guten tag, Helen!

    ByKristin family, vacation

    We are in an interesting parenting season where our kids all have their own seasons and struggles. Family isnโ€™t always easy, but these are my favorite people, and time with them is a gift. 

    In mid-July, we spent three days in Helen, Georgia, together. Helen is a small, German-inspired town in the Blue Ridge Mountains in north Georgia. 

    We established some new inside jokes, made new memories, and worked through some hard moments. We didnโ€™t have this trip planned at the beginning of the summer, but it felt like the right getaway before Cate goes to college in one month. Sheโ€™s not moving far, but itโ€™s still a season full of transitions!

    Playing

    Hands down, the #TeamTaylor favorite activity in Helen, GA, was river tubing on the Chattahoochee River. And we are glad we went on Friday because that river was a lot more crowded on Saturday. We used Cool River Tubing and had a good, smooth experience. One-hour and two-hour trips down the river are the same price, so unless youโ€™re short on time, spend a couple of hours in the cool Chattahoochee River. 

    For me, my specific favorite moments were watching Ben and Cate tether their tubes and go down the river together. They bonded and navigated well, making my momma heart happy.

    Greg, Ben, and Rachel also did the Georgia Mountain Coaster, which they loved. One time down the track seems sort of expensive ($17 for people 13 and older, $14 for ages 7-12, and $10 for ages 3-6), so Cate and I visited a few nearby shops instead.

    One afternoon, we played at Alpine Mini Golf, which was a great course. But sibling squabbles were heightened and the air was hot, so we should have chosen a better time of the day for all the circumstances. 

    Eating 

    One of our favorite parts of vacation is eating at new-to-us places. We certainly did that this trip โ€” and ate well!

    On our first night, we met my dear cousin-friend Mary and her sweet family at The Troll Tavern and then had dessert from Hansel and Gretel Candy Kitchen. Getting our families together is always fun, wherever we are.

    Ben & Rachel both loved BrickHouse Burgers, Pizza & Pasta best. Rachel and I shared a chicken, bacon, ranch pizza, and Ben had a calzone.

    Cate enjoyed her meals, but liked Bigg Daddys the most. She had shrimp tacos. Ben loved his chicken & waffle there. She also had lots of compliments for the gluten-free pizza at Nacoochee Village Tavern and  Pizzeria. 

    Greg loves a good meal and would rank all the restaurants for you, but his favorite experience was Bodensee. There was fun, live music and authentic German food. Cate, Greg, and I were reminded of our trip to Germany in April 2024, and reminiscing was fun for us. During that trip, we went to Bodensee, which is a lake in Switzerland. I ate spรคtzle at both places!

    I donโ€™t know that I can pick a favorite restaurant. Nacoochee Village Tavern and Pizzeria surprised the most with delicious homemade pizza. I liked the German meals too.

    We also ate at Hofer’s Bakery and Muller’s Famous Fried Cheese Cafe. Weโ€™d recommend any of the restaurants mentioned!

    Hiking

    We went on a couple of hikes near Helen. In the area, there are lots of hiking options, many of which would be much harder than these two we did. We know ourselves and these seemed to fit our criteria. 

    One hike was 1.6 miles each way on a paved trail to a covered bridge at Smithgall Woods State Park. This is a lovely park with lots of trails. Greg and I came before in September 2021, when the field of sunflowers was in bloom. Parking for the whole day at any Georgia State Park is $5. 

    Later in the same day, we went to see Anna Ruby Falls, which is 0.8 mile one way. While youโ€™re on a paved trail, you are walking uphill on the way there and downhill on the way back, but there are resting spots. 

    Sleeping

    We rented a cabin on Vrbo that worked well for our family of five, but it also could have accommodated a couple more people. I was close to downtown Helen, but felt like we were at a wooded retreat. A couple of afternoons, we came back to the cabin to rest in the afternoon, which worked out well because that was definitely the hottest part of the day. 

    Planning

    We didnโ€™t go into this trip with a strict plan. Greg and I have been here before, so there were things we wanted to do with the kids. We also had a list of ideas and a loose itinerary from ChatGPT that gave us inspiration. (Listen, ChatGPT can be your friend for planning trips or even days at certain places. Give the details of who is with you, where youโ€™re going, and what you want to do, and youโ€™ll get plenty of inspiration! We also did this when we went to Universal in April 2025.)

    Traveling

    We like to travel. Give me a house well below our means to live in, so we can spend our money seeing other places and making memories together any day. Even so, here is  a tip for making travel possible:

    Use credit card points. 

    I know Dave Ramsey doesnโ€™t want you to listen to this advice, but as long as youโ€™re paying off the credit card monthly and not acquiring debt this way, you can make good use of your credit card rewards. Our Capital One Venture card has great travel rewards that allow us to โ€œeraseโ€ travel purchases and book through the Capital One website to get deals on hotels and other travel arrangements. More recently, I also got a Southwest card to make better use of airline points and rewards. 

    *****

    Want more travel advice?

    Need inspiration? We loved these trips!