Escape to Paradise: voco St. Augustine, Florida

This post is sponsored by IHG Hotels and Resorts but all views expressed are my own.

Quality time is one of my top love languages and getting the opportunity to surprise my husband with a romantic getaway for his birthday was the icing on the cake for me! We visited the beautiful city of St. Augustine, Florida, located just 4.5 hours out of Columbia, South Carolina. St. Augustine is one of the oldest cities in the United States with a rich history and offers many opportunities for exploring.  

We opted to lodge at the voco located in the Historic District just a few miles after crossing the beautiful drawbridge. The hotel is even better in person with a unique design - from the outside, it looks like a private cruise ship with a rooftop area for you to catch city views. You can expect a quiet stay with only two floors and less than 200 rooms! The name voco, which means ‘to invite’ and ‘call together,’ originates from Latin, representing the brand’s thoughtful and playful nature and ability to offer meaningful connection.  in the Historic District just a few miles after crossing the beautiful drawbridge. The hotel is even better in person with a unique design - from the outside, it looks like a private cruise ship with a rooftop area for you to catch city views. You can expect a quiet stay with only two floors and less than 200 rooms! The name voco, which means ‘to invite’ and ‘call together,’ originates from Latin, representing the brand’s thoughtful and playful nature and ability to offer meaningful connection.  

Amenities

Like most IHG Hotels and Resorts, voco has a business center. There is also a gym, rooftop pool, and bar on-site! The hotel design is very modern and luxurious - I love how the rich navy blue and gold pair together in their branding!  

We spent a few hours hanging out on the rooftop, enjoying the views and relaxing in the pool - this space is truly top-notch! 

Rooms 

I love a good room! On most vacations, I spend time outside the hotel, so it doesn’t matter about the room. My main focus is that it is comfortable and in a good location for my desired attractions. This time, I got both; a great place and an even better room! The layout was very open and clean, with a comfortable bed and walk-in shower! I enjoyed the personal touches of having water readily available for free! 

On Saturday morning, we woke up to live music from neighboring restaurants - it was a treat!  

Attractions 

There is so much to do in St. Augustine, and the hotel is centrally located so that you can do it all! Spend a day at the beach (Vilano Beach or St. Augustine Beach) as we did, take a trip to the Alligator Farm, or even hit Anastasia State Park to see all the exciting wildlife. There are trolley rides and guided tours in the area for all the history buffs.  

Dining 

Foodies rejoice! You will not be disappointed by the options of food in the area. There are several restaurants within walking distance that you can enjoy or simply take a short drive over the bridge for more options, but there is something for everyone and every occasion.  

Overall, we had a fantastic time, and I can’t wait to return! It’s a great escape that’s not too far of a drive from our local area! On our next visit, I plan to stay an extra day to enjoy more tourist attractions. 

Helpful Tips to Plan Your Wedding Abroad

Getting married is a trend that is certainly on the rise right now. If you feel as though you want to take that next step, then this guide will help you to make sure that you do not overlook any special details while also helping you to make the most out of things such as choosing your venue and even your destination.

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Choose your Destination

If you have wanted to get married abroad for quite some time, then you may have a list of all your ideal destinations. That being said, you need to start thinking about the type of wedding you want to have too. Do you want things to be traditional or do you want them to be very stripped back and informal? If you can think about things such as this, then you may find that you are able to give yourself the experience that you have been dreaming of all this time. If you are set on a beach wedding, then it is vital that you plan it according to the climate at that time of the year. For example, you do not want to have a beach wedding if it is monsoon season.

Check Legalities

When you have the destination pinned down, you then need to check to see if the marriage is going to be recognised legally. In a lot of countries, the answer would be yes. You should however get in touch with whatever embassy you need, in advance to make sure. You have to make sure that the marriage is going to be legal in your chosen country as well as the country you live in. If you want to make the most out of your wedding, then consider hiring people who are local to the area to play your wedding. This could be a DJ with PartySounds if you live in Australia, or it could be a caterer who is in New York if that is your wedding destination. If you can think about things like this, then you’ll find it easier than ever to get the best result overall.

Find a Venue

When you are set on wherever you can get legally married, you then need to take the time to find the venue that is suited to your big day. Remember that you will most likely only get married once in your lifetime, so take the time to speak to the owners of the venue and also make sure that you think about the usual costs involved. Ask about sleeping arrangements, the languages that are spoken by staff and anything else. If you can do this, then you will find it easier to plan everything out and you will also be able to put your mind at ease about the big day.

Hire a Wedding Planner

What is better than having someone who is local, planning your wedding? Hiring a local planner is always a good option purely because they know the rules and they also have a lot of local connections too, so don’t overlook this if possible.

Is New York Calling You? Consider These Things First

Ah, New York, New York. So good they named it twice. This is arguably the greatest city on earth -- it’s certainly difficult to pick one that’s better than the Big Apple. It just offers so much -- you’ve got culture, opportunities, energy, and, well, just about everything else. It’s these qualities that attract people to the city. And if you’re reading this, then you might be drawn to experience it for yourself. Some people go out of sheer excitement, but most go for a reason. I visited once when I was younger and — it was a lot for my young soul! So is it right for you? We’ll take a look at some things to consider before making the move.

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Is It Good For Your Career?

New York can most definitely be good for your career, but it’s not as if it’s good for all careers. If you want to work in finance, healthcare, or marketing, then yes, it’s a city that might just take you to the next level (just remember that standards are extremely high here). The mistake is thinking that it’ll be good for career advancement no matter what you do. That’s not the case! If you work in tech, for example, then you’d probably be better looking elsewhere.

Do You Want To Live In The City Or Just Near It?

Even if you decide that New York will help push your career forward, that doesn’t necessarily mean that you have to embrace every element of the city. Some people think that they have to live the whole Sex and The City New York dream, but that’s not the case. You can live right in Manhattan or Brooklyn if you want, but that’s not your only option. You could also look at williampitt.com and look at properties in Fairfield, CT. This is a charming and picturesque city that has none of the ‘big city’ feel of New York, yet it’s only around an hour away from Manhattan. That means that you’ll get to enjoy all the benefits of the Big Apple without having to live right in the middle of it. 

Do You Know People Who Live There?

Frank Sinatra sang that if you can make it in New York, you can make it anywhere. It was a good track, but it does provide something of a heads up about the city -- it’s tough. As such, it might be useful if you know a few people there since they help show you the ropes and help with networking. If you don’t know anyone that lives there, then you’ll need to ask yourself whether you’re competitive enough. You have to really work hard to carve out a life for yourself. 

Are You Ready For An Adventure?

Finally, ask yourself this -- are you ready for an adventure? Moving to New York -- and staying there -- is not always a walk in the park, but it can be highly rewarding. If nothing else, it might be a case of, ‘if you never try, then you’ll never know.’ Throw yourself into the move, and just see what happens. 

Birthday Trip to Greenville, SC - Holiday Inn Woodruff Rd.

This post is sponsored by IHG Hotels and Resorts. All opinions are my own.

Birthdays are a big deal to me and they always have been. My parents made sure to make birthdays special in our home - naturally, I followed suit. I believe everyone deserves to be celebrated and with COVID-19 hitting so hard last year it was impossible to celebrate in-person.

My husband, Cleveland, turned 40 last year and we didn’t get to celebrate with the surprise party we had planned. He works so hard and gives so much to his family so I knew I had to make it up this year.  We visited the beautiful city of Greenville, South Carolina #yeahthatgreenville and stayed at the new Holiday Inn on Woodruff Road. Hubs was all smiles so I know I did a great job planning everything.

If you’re considering visiting Greenville, South Carolina and don’t want to stay downtown consider staying at the Holiday Inn on Woodruff Road. This location was perfect with a shopping center nearby and tons of restaurants to choose from. You’re in the center of it all and you’re only 15 minutes from the downtown area.

Holiday Inn is honoring the IHG Clean Promise to help keep you and your family safe. All staff wore masks and hand sanitizer stations were available throughout the hotel.  You have the option to check in digitally from the IHG app or at the front desk where there is a barrier between yourself and the person checking you in.

Our room was perfect, just enough space for the two of us. We enjoyed a king size bed with a couch, working table, and spacious shower. The hotel included everything you would need, indoor pool, fitness center, work station and bar.

Travel Tip: Always check the hotel amenities! Indoor pools are my favorite, especially when I travel with the kids. The rain won’t stop their fun.

When traveling, especially for quick trips, I like to put two things on my “must do” list. For me it's an activity and nice sit down dinner. Since we were celebrating Cleveland’s birthday, I chose an activity that I knew he would love. We visited Lemans Karting - it's a short 20 minute drive from the hotel. LeMans Karting is a large indoor race track suitable for the whole family (children ages 8 plus). He loved it.

For dinner we visited Rick Erwin’s West End Grille - the food was delicious! West End Grille is located downtown and perfect for a night out. It’s one of the highly rated steakhouses in Greenville. I enjoyed their 7oz Filet Mignon topped with the Truffle Chive Butter and Creamed Spinach. Cleveland surprisingly didn’t choose a steak and went with the Company Crab Cakes. We gave it 5 stars across the board from the customer service to the food. Our visit was perfect!

I couldn’t have planned a better time away. It was so nice to take a break from work and home life.

Are you ready to plan your next trip? I know I am but this time we plan to take the kids. IHG Hotels and Resorts have a robust portfolio of properties to fit your needs! With 100s of locations and properties to fit every budget you won’t be disappointed. 

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Let's Start Traveling

Within the last two years, I’ve found that urge to travel! I’m over things - I want to begin exploring the world. I can’t remember the last time I’ve really left the state for a real vacation. We had a huge trip planned for Disney World back in April of 2020 and COVID-19 happened so that wasn’t instantly canceled. Before then, we went to Great Wolf Lodge, in North Carolina - so not too far from our home state of South Carolina. My husband and I also ventured to Georgia for our mini honeymoon but that’s not far enough, lol! 

I’ve had the not so fun conversation with my children about providing them with less toys and materialistic things and giving them more experiences. I believe that they will remember a trip much more than they will a doll or new Lego set. And while I’m not saying, I will no longer give gifts, I truly want to give more experiences.

We have a few small trips coming up and I’m excited about them. I can’t wait to share them with you. In the meantime, I would love to know where some of your favorite family vacation spots are on the East Coast!

My Travel Wishlist

I’m a tropical girl! I love the water but I’ve never been to such a beautiful place. So here are some of my dream vacation spots. 

Maldives

Have you seen the pictures??? Omg, the water is so beautiful. Just give me a week in paradise. 

Kaua’i, Hawaii

I’ve heard so many good things about Hawaii that I can’t wait to go. Crystal clear water and sandy beaches are totally my vibe. 

Costa Rica

Need I say more?! 

The world is mine for the taking and yours too!

Happy Traveling!