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Francis Scott Key Family Resort Review ~ Where To Stay In Ocean City, Maryland

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Disclosure: I was offered a discounted rate in exchange for sharing my experiences. Regardless, all opinions are my own.

Francis Scott Key Resort Review

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Right at the end of the last school year, my sister and I packed our kiddos in the car and took off on an adventure to Ocean City, Maryland. My sister and I haven’t been to Ocean City since I was eighteen so we were really looking for some family time! Since our trip involved our children this time around, we knew that we were looking for a fun family place to stay. Are you wondering where to stay in Ocean City, Maryland? Here’s my Francis Scott Key Resort Review!

The number one reason that we chose the beach town of Ocean City, Maryland is because it is only a short 8 hour drive from Cleveland, Ohio. This makes it a great place to visit for a week-long trip or even a short weekend trip. Ocean City is a resort town that features miles of beach along a wooden boardwalk which is lined with restaurants, shops and hotels. The southern end of the boardwalk even offers small theme-park attractions. While this town offers many “touristy” things to do, it also boasts gorgeous beaches and the popular Assateague Island nearby with wild ponies that roam the beaches.

The Francis Scott Key Family Resort is located on Route 50 and just one mile from the beach and boardwalk, across from the Tanger Outlets. What I fell in love with is that this family friendly resort offers a ton of extra amenities on-site while also being a convenient distance from beach activities. In fact, they even offer a FREE shuttle right to the beach, so it’s only minutes away! There is plenty of free parking is available on site, so you’ll always have a place to park.

Francis Scott Key Rooms:
Whether you are a small or large family the Francis Scott Key Family Resort has you covered. They offer rooms small enough for two or large enough to accommodate up to six total guests. In fact their newest cabins will hold even more. My sister and I chose two rooms right next to each other in the New York building. They both had full kitchens and two double beds. I chose the slightly larger room which also came with a pull out couch.  All guest rooms have coffee makers, hair dryers, DVD players and in room safes.

We chose these rooms to save money as we brought groceries with us to cook in our rooms. While we had brought some paper plates, I found it super convenient that plates, pans and flatware were already in our room when we arrived. On top of these, there was also some cooking utensils, dish liquid and coffee for the coffee maker. To make dinners a breeze, we brought along our Crock-Pot and easy breakfast, lunch and dinner meals. There is a grocer store right around the corner from the resort so you could do all of your shopping right before you check-in.

One of the best things about our rooms were the SUPER comfortable beds! When traveling, I always struggle to fall asleep the first night but not at the Francis Scott Key Resort. The beds were so comfortable, I didn’t want to get up and moving the next morning. No worries… it was vacation after all.

Francis Scott Key Resort Amenities:

While the close location to the beach drew me to the Francis Scott Key Resort, it’s the amenities that sealed the deal! This family style resort truly has it all. The Francis Scott Key offers a ton of fun things to do such as multiple pool areas, a playground, a sand volleyball and basketball court, fitness room, arcade, picnic pavilion, DVD and board game rental, washer and dryers and so much more. This amazing resort truly wants you to get the most out of your vacation!

The Francis Scott Key Resort also offers three restaurants and two bars so you won’t have to go far to get your fill. The Shipwreck Cove Bar offers tasty drinks while the Surf Shack Pool Bar also offers snacks such as pizza, wings and ice cream. The Chicken and Ribs Shack fires up their smokers daily and serves delicious chicken and ribs platters along with other tasty treats, while their 50’s style sit-down restaurant, Route 50 Diner serves both breakfast and lunch. Best of all you’ll snag FREE donuts while you wait for your meal!

Caribbean Key Indoor Pool
Since we had beautiful weather during our vacation, we didn’t use the indoor pool as often as the outdoor ones. It was the perfect pool to swim in though after a day of too much sun at the beach. This pool area offers up a volleyball net, spouting whale in the toddler area, dumping buckets, a climb-on log and water slide. This area is decorated with palm trees and island murals and offers a retractable roof that allows the sun to shine in as the warm air breezes through! My middle son who wears jeans on a 90 degree day loved that this pool is also heated. One thing to note in this area is that the hot tub is off limits for children. My boys were disappointed with this so you may want to give your kids a heads up.

If you are hungry or thirsty you can head over to the Surf Shack Pool Bar, located right next to the indoor pool. It offers snacks such as pizza, wings and ice cream  with drinks for both kids and adults. I thought the snacks were great and the drink prices a good value.

Shipwreck Cove
We spent the most time at the newly expanded outdoor pool area called Shipwreck Cove. It is open Memorial Day weekend through mid September and offers up a lot. You can relax around the Caribbean themed pool or enjoy a beverage at the pool bar. The dinghy themed hot tub (adults only) is a great place to relax and unwind and the second floor of the pirate ship has seating and lounge chairs for up to 75. My sister and I had so much fun splashing around in the pool with our kids while also lounging around on the sides chatting and catching up.




Pirate Ship Sprayground
Got little ones? The pirate ship is a designated kids zone. The ship’s slides are ideal for children 4 feet and under though the dumping buckets and water features are fun for all ages. The splashground is a seasonal amenity from mid-June though Labor Day. The Pirate Ship Spray Ground opens weekends weather permitting Memorial Day Weekend 2017 until full time on June 9, 2017. We didn’t visit this area other than to take picture but it looks like a lot of FUN for those of you with younger kiddos!

Peg Leg Putt Putt
If you’re children love to play putt putt as much as ours do, you’ll save a bundle at Francis Scott Key Resort! Challenge the family to a round of mini golf on thier FREE 9 hole miniature golf course. It features beautifully landscaped holes, a bridge over a stream, waterfall, octopus, cannon, skull cave, treasure chest and more. It’s a great course for family and kids of all ages and is conveniently located next to the Shipwreck Cove pool.

Francis Scott Key Family Resort Amenities:
While I’ve listed quite a few things that this family resort can offer there is so much more!

  • Shuttle to the beach – no looking for a place to park at the beach!
  • Free family movies nights complete with FREE popcorn!
  • Free DVD and board game rental for your room
  • Arcade
  • Playground
  • Basketball
  • Fitness Room
  • Volleyball
  • Washer & Dryers
  • Car Vacuuming Center


Things to do in Ocean City, Maryland
While we spent just four days in Ocean City, it would have been easy to spend a week or more (most families do)! When we weren’t enjoying the resort, we ventured out and explored the city. With the beach only be minutes away, we enjoyed building sand castles and and enjoying the sun!

I will highly recommend getting family pictures done if Telescope Pictures comes by on the beach. These strolling photographers ask families on the beach if they want their pictures taken and while I was skeptical at first, I was completely blown away by the price and quality. We were able to get a ton of pictures for only about $6 a sheet. What a deal!

Just a short drive away on you can visit the wild ponies that roam the beach on Assateague Island. We didn’t see any ponies while we spent our day on the beach but did get to see quite a few while we were driving around. Be sure not to get too close as they have been known to bite.

The Ocean City Boardwalk is a MUST SEE too! This three mile iconic boardwalk is filled with stores, delicious restaurants and entertainment. It’s perfect for a morning bike ride (you can rent bikes) or an evening stroll. At the peak of the season there are often performers, sand castle demonstrations and other events. We grabbed a pizza one night and ice cream cones another.

Ocean City and the Francis Scott Key Resort is a perfect place to create lasting memories. This trip with my sister definitely wasn’t the same as the one in our college years … in fact, it was even better!




FUN Things To Do At Castaway Bay

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Disclosure: My family was provided with overnight accomodations to help facilitate this review. All opinions are my own.

My family loves to visit Castaway Bay throughout the year, but our favorite time to visit is the cold winter months. Did you know that no matter the frigid temperatures outside, it’s always 82 degrees inside the waterpark?

Over the Christmas holiday we packed our bags and headed out to Castaway Bay. While driving, our youngest one sheepishly asked how he was going to swim with his broken arm in a cast. If you hadn’t heard, at the beginning of December, my family and I were involved in a bad car accident where his arm was broken. The aftermath of the car accident has been a lot to deal with and we thought a overnight stay would be perfect for our family. How in the world we forgot about his broken arm is beyond me! Thankfully, Castaway Bay has so much to do outside the waterpark too!

Castaway Bay is located right outside the gates of Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio and is an easy drive from Ohio, Michigan and Indiana. This large five-story indoor waterpark has something for everyone in the family; from the toddler area for your little ones to the water roller coaster for those that dare. Castaway Bay’s indoor waterpark features a vaulted wood ceiling in a natural setting of palm trees, huts, inland lagoons and plenty of wet and wild water adventure. The indoor/outdoor hot tub is a must-visit along with surfing the waves in the large wave pool. Safety is important at Castaway Bay and there are plenty of lifeguards to help you keep an eye on your kids.

Castaway Bay Sandusky Ohio 2

As soon as we checked in we took a look at the Island Times newsletter that is posted at the front desk. This daily newsletter shares the waterpark opening and closing times as well as keeps an up-to-date activity log of all the fun things to do during your stay. This includes meet and greets with Peanut characters, storytimes and more. I always take a picture of this with my phone so I’ll have easy access it whenever I need to look at it.

Before exploring the hotel, we settled into our comfy room! Castaway Bay has many room options for both small and large families. We’ve  stayed in the large two-room Tarpon Suite but the last two years we have stayed in the Starfish Bayview. As a family of five, we had more than enough room and we really liked our balcony with a view. My oldest son loves this room for the unique pull-out chair (a chair with a twin pull-out bed). He’s at the age that he wants his own bed and really enjoys that he doesn’t have to share a bed with his brothers. Our room included two double beds, a mini fridge and microwave. This year we brought along out Fire Stick to watch movies before bed which hooked right into the in-room TV.

Because we had extra time, we headed to Quaker Steak & Lube for dinner. This restaurant is attached to the hotel and serves award winning ribs & burgers, plus offers chicken wings with 25 of their signature sauces. It offers a large in-door restaurant as well as seasonal patio seating in the summer. Our waitress was great and our food came out quickly.

The waterpark will keep your family busy but Castaway Bay offers so much more than that! One of our favorite things to do is the meet the Peanut characters such as Snoopy and Lucy. As mentioned earlier, the meet and greet times and locations are listed each day. These loveable characters take their time to snap photos and give out hugs along at all of the events throughout the day.


While we were there, Snoopy came out for a tree lighting ceremony. It was too cute and got us in the holiday spirit. We also came down to the lobby later that evening for storytime. Most of the kiddos who were there dressed in their jammies and cuddled on the couches while listening to the story, The Night Before Christmas.

After storytime, we stopped in at Ebb & Eddy’s Deli. Located near the front lobby, you’ll find sandwiches, snacks, and sweet treats. Be sure to give their giant sized peanut butter Buckeye’s a try. Oh my, are they delicious!

It’s here, where we always grab donuts for breakfast the next morning. Did you know that after 6pm, all donuts are BOGO free? SCORE! My boys were looking for a treat in the evening they opted for ice cream. Ebb & Eddy’s offers Toft’s ice cream in a variety of flavors. This is a family favorite! You can take your treats back to your room or eat-in. This area even boasts a lot of tables and a large screen TV. My youngest really wanted to enjoy his ice cream by the fireplace in the lobby. I think he chose the perfect place!


Before heading to bed, we had fun at Castaway Bay’s Club Castaway! Located on the 3rd floor, this large room hosts activities throughout the day. The evening we were there, they offered karaoke with the Peanuts characters and a dance party. I’ve also seen movie nights hosted here.  Best of all, it’s FREE!


If arts and crafts is your thing, be sure to check out the craft area where kids can color their own t-shirt, beach blanket and more! This year we chose to color a t-shirt and my boys couldn’t wait to put them on. With prices as low as $5.00, it’s sure to fit into your budget.


While visiting Club Castaway, you can even snag a free coloring book. You may spot a FREE easy-to-do craft that are sometimes available around the holidays. While we were there, we completed a cute snowman craft.


This trip to Castaway Bay, I learn something new! Stop into Club Castaway where kids can write a letter to Snoopy. When they drop it off during the opening hours of the club, Snoopy will write back and put the letter under the door of their room. What a fun thing to wake up to!


The next morning, our boys were super excited to check out Crabbie’s Quarterdeck Arcade. This arcade boasts all the best video games such as skee-ball, basketball, claw machines.  They offer ticket and non-ticket redemption games as well. To make it super easy for families, tickets earned are directly loaded onto the arcade cards and they are reloadable. Best of all, many games award tickets that can be redeemed for awesome prizes. You can pay for single games but we found the package deals a great offer. The package deals let your kids play for hours for one price.

While we weren’t able to go into the waterpark this time, my family still had an awesome time at Castaway Bay! Next time you are at Castaway Bay be sure to check out not only the waterpark but all the dry activities that they offer too!

Connect with Castaway Bay on Facebook or Twitter.

GIVEAWAY:

Have you visited Castaway Bay? If not, here is your chance! Enter below to win 4 one-day passes to Castaway Bay! You can enter everyday!

This giveaway will end on January 24th. Good luck!




Sawmill Creek Resort ~ Huron, Ohio

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Our family visited Sawmill Creek Resort a few years ago in the dead of winter and had a blast! We enjoy ice skating, a dip in their warm indoor pool and so much more. Since we had enjoy Sawmill Creek Resort so much in the winter, we wanted to check it out during a different season!

Sawmill Creek Resort located near Sandusky, Ohio is the perfect retreat for a romantic night away, a girls trip, or even a weekend stay with the family. With an 18-hole golf course, private beach, on-site dining and comfortable accommodations, Sawmill Creek provides just the escape you are looking for. In fact, it’s even perfect for your pup. That’s right, Sawmill Creek Resort is one of the only properties in the area that allows well-behaved dogs that weigh under 35 pounds.

Why you’ll love  Sawmill Creek Resort
Located on Route 2 and just a short 10 minute drive from Cedar Point, Sawmill Creek Resort offers many activities for their guests but is also close to other area attractions in the Lake Erie Shores area.  Choose to stay on-site or take a short drive to other popular spots in the area such as the Merry Go Round Museum or Ghostly Manor in Sandusky.

If you decide to sit back and relax, Sawmill Creek has it all. Golf, bike rental, indoor and outdoor pools, tennis courts, restaurants, on-site shopping, kayaking, jet ski rentals, a nature trail and more. On the weekends, live bands play in the lounge and often throughout the year special events are offered such as murder mystery nights. For those planning a business meeting, Sawmill Creek Resort also has an attached conference center.

The Resort & Guest Rooms
My family stayed in a large family suite complete with two rooms. It was more than large enough for our family of five. It offered two TVs, a king sized bed in one room with a twin bed and trundle bed, a pull out couch and a pull out chair in the adjoining room. There was a door that closed in between the two rooms which gave us privacy and allowed my husband and I to continue watching TV after the boys had fallen asleep.

Our room also had a dresser, night stands, desk, refrigerator and coffee maker. My only disappointment was that the room didn’t have a ton of plugs for our “electronically advanced” family. We made due though, so it wasn’t too big of a problem. We were there to unwind after all, right?

Our King-sized bed and pillows were comfortable and both my husband and I were able to get a good night’s sleep. My boys LOVED their room and that there were so many bedding options. I think they tried them all.

Our room was on the first floor of the Huron Lodge and very close to the door to the outdoor pool. In fact, we were really close to the indoor pool too. This is perfect if you are bringing your kids along. I found that the Huron building is centrally located and I’d definitely request this area when we stay again.


sawmill creek resort

 

Fun and Food at Sawmill Creek Resort

While staying at Sawmill Creek Resort, we enjoyed as many activities as we could fit in. Of course a dip in the pool was a must for my boys and Sawmill Creek Resort offers two to choose from. I did notice that the indoor hot tub wasn’t hot at all but my kiddos didn’t seem to mind. What I loved the most about the pools is how big and perfectly clean they were!

After swimming, we took a hike at the Nature Preserve and grabbed bikes to ride around the property. We checked out the observation deck located right on the shores of Lake Erie and got a complimentary ride to the beach (this is open for everyone).

We had worked up an appetite so we grabbed a bite to eat at the laid back Mulligan’s Pub which is located inside Sawmill Creek Golf Clubhouse. You can choose the cozy dining room but the weather was perfect to sit outside on the patio. We enjoyed the views which munching on some juicy burgers and appetizers. If you’d rather relax in your room, carry out is available too.

This is the same pond we went ice skating on a few years ago!

Special Events

Looking for a night out? Every Saturday evening, the Black Bear Saloon located at Sawmill Creek Resort, offers up great music, dancing, and drink specials. You can grab a dinner special at Salmon Run (also located at the resort) from 5-9pm and then head to the Black Bear Saloon which hosts a local live band every Saturday from 8:30pm to 12am!

On top of this Sawmill Creek Resort offers events throughout the year such as murder mystery dinners and wine tours. Be sure to keep an eye on their Facebook page for upcoming events and entertainment schedules.

Our family really enjoyed our stay at Sawmill Creek Resort. With 235-acres, this resort provides families and couples a relaxing location to unwind and have fun. With so many activities offered, you can truely unpack for the weekend and never leave the resort. This makes Sawmill Creek perfect for a family getaway, girls weekend trip, or a night away just for the two of you!

PLAN YOUR STAY AT SAWMILL CREEK RESORT

Sawmill Creek Resort
Address: 400 Sawmill Creek Dr. Huron, Ohio 44839
Phone: 800-729-6455
Follow Sawmill Creek Resort on Facebook
Rates can vary but start around $99. Packages are available.




Groupon: Fairfield Inn Beachwood as low as $59 ~ With Indoor Pool

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Update: Thanks to Sheya for letting me know that the waterslide was taken out. 🙁

Hey Cleveland area readers, looking for a night away? Hop over to Groupon where they are currenly offering up a fabulous deal on the popular Fairfield Inn in Beachwood! This newly updated hotel includes one of the BEST breakfasts around and has a pool area complete with a hot tub and waterslide that goes inside and outside of the building. Best of all it’s within a few miles of the SUPER popular Preston’s Hope playground. If you haven’t been to it, it’s a must see!

I’m currently seeing prices as low as $59 which is a steal! Even weekends are as low as $79. Since this includes a nice pool and amazing breakfast, you’ll have a get-away on the cheap!

Fairfield Inn & Suites Cleveland Beachwood makes it easy for guests to explore Cleveland, without staying amid the hustle and bustle of the city. After a day spent out and about, visitors can return to their rooms to share vacation photos online via the free WiFi network. Wherever they wander within the hotel, guests can admire the recently renovated property’s sleek decor.

  • In-room amenities include smart HDTVs, microwaves, and mini fridges.
  • Greet the day with a free hot breakfast with treats such as eggs, bacon, fresh fruit, waffels, and oatmeal.
  • Keep up your workout routine in the fitness center.
  • Indoor pool
  • Distance from Cleveland: about 10 miles



Kalahari Sandusky ~ Huge NEW Outdoor Waterpark

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Disclosure: A big thanks to Kalahari for teaming up with me to offer this content for my blog. I was offered day passes to Kalahari. Regardless all opinions are my own.

Kalahari Sandusky, Ohio

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My family LOVES Kalahari in Sandusky, Ohio . We’ve been so many times during Ohio’s cold winter months but have yet visited during the summer. When Kalahari announced it had expanded its outdoor area and added five brand new slides this year, I knew we HAD to check it out! With summer coming to a quick end (and the outdoor area closing Labor Day), a few days ago, I grabbed the kids, and we headed out to Kalahari!

If it’s a rainy day when you visit, see more of what Kalahari Sandusky offers indoors!

As soon we walked in the doors of Kalahari Sandusky, my kids were begging to head outdoors to see the new addition. We quickly changed into our suits and headed outside. Standing in the far corner of the property, you could see the bright towering structure that includes the five new slides; Stingray, Sahara Sidewinder, Tornado Alley, Serengeti Spinner, and Extreme Rush.

The first slide we tried was the Sahara Sidewinder. This super fast slide takes you through dark tunnels then rockets you into wide-open and steeply-angled saucers. Over and over you’ll twist and turn through of tubes. We loved that this was a two person slide that even allows riders as short as 42 inches (when accompanied by an adult).

Next up was Stingray! This massive funnel slide towers off to the left of the new slide structure and got the most oohs and aahs from my boys! This raft slide zooms down a barrel, drops into a 45-degree tunnel and then explodes into a five-story funnel. You are then launched up the far wall of the funnel where you hang for a moment in zero gravity! Standing on top of the slide structure and peering down into the funnel makes it look quite intimidating but I’ll tell you one thing, this slide is amazingly FUN!

Tornado Alley was my favorite of the slides that I rode. It’s very intense and took my breath away! I’ll warn you, this ride has some extreme moments, complete with sudden drops and crazy high swings. I’ve been on a lot of waterslides but this one was was probably the best! This slide is a must-do for waterslide enthusiatists.

While the other slides were partner slides the last two are single riders. The Serengeti Spinner is a high-speed enclosed bodyslide which features back-to-back curves and tight 360 degree loops. You’ll twist and loop down the tunnels before splashing into the pool at the end. This was my middle son’s favorite slide and he asked to ride it over and over!

If you dare, Extreme Rush is a must. Extreme Rush allows riders to get into a near-vertical pod. After the countdown, the floor drops out and you go into a free fall. This is an extreme thrill ride and my boys were brave enough to try it. Me? I’m a scaredy cat. Maybe, next time!

On top of Kalahari’s new outdoor waterslides, they offer a large outdoor area with activity pools, hot tubs, a playground, sand volleyball courts and more! My boys and I enjoyed the large outdoor pool and my youngest really liked an area just for him in the kiddie pool.

One area that my family had never experienced before that we were itching to try was the Safari Outdoor Adventure Park. Open Memorial Day through Labor Day, the Safari Outdoor Adventure Park features a ropes course, a zip line tour and climbing walls. We were bummed that the zip line was closed for the day because of high winds but my boys spend hours on the other activities.

The ropes course offers three levels and 48 elements spanning over 750 feet. It’s huge! When we arrived we didn’t plan on visiting this area and didn’t have the right shoes but I was pleasantly pleased to see that you can rent Crocs for a small fee. My boys loved this attraction and I felt completely safe with them on it.

The Adventure Climbing Walls were a hit with my two youngest. They climbed up those walls like they were pros. They asked to do it again and again, sometimes racing each other while other times trying to beat their own personal times. There was also a ball looking structure that could be climbed too. They both gave it a try and got pretty high. They were in heaven!

While this was our first time at the Outdoor Adventure Park, we will definitely be back to do it again. Prices for resort and day pass guests are $35 while is it $40 for non-resort guests. The best thing is the passes for resort guests are valid for your entire stay!

When the boys needed a break at the Safari Outdoor Adventure Park we walked next door to the Animal Park. Open year-round, this area allows guests to experience animal encounters and see some precious animals up close. Resort guests are only $5.00 for all day admission. There are a few upcharges such as camel rides or feeding the animals if you are so inclined.

Before heading home for the day, we stopped in at the arcade to try our luck. The games at Kalahari Sandusky are always a hit with my boys, so we always play a few each time we visit. As we headed in, we were excited to see that it was cookie decorating time… FREE cookie decorating time! This event is always held in the afternoon, so be sure to check the daily schedule.

Are you squeezing in a little more summer fun? Be sure to check out Kalahari’s new outdoor slides! Keep in mind that this area is only open on Memorial Day through Labor Day!




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