TRIED & TRUE: Staycation
Ideas
for families traveling from Tampa Bay story and photos by Marisa Langford
I absolutely LOVE hotels. Growing up as the daughter of a mariachi band singer, we traveled around the greater Milwaukee area as my Papi toured with his band, singing at hotel brunches and weddings. My sister and I made friends in hotel swimming pools, loved to race in hotel lobbies and loved sleeping in hotel beds on the weekends. The idea of waking up and exploring still fuels my soul, and now with four kids in tow, I’m the first one up on any of our vacations, ready to explore before the sun rises! When my kids were younger and we had more time and fewer obligations, I fell right back into my childhood memories as we traveled all over the state, exploring Florida and beyond and staying in more than 100 hotels all over the country. My love of travel (and a good hotel) was rekindled, and I now consider myself a hotel connoisseur. As resorts add so many amenities that you don’t need to leave the property to have a good time, staycations have become more popular. It’s a nice change of scenery from your home too! Hotels have definitely upped their game in cleanliness, so feel free to ask ANY hotel about how they are keeping guests safe. With Spring Break 2021 upon us and the kids begging for something to do, I’ve put together a list of “tried and true” hotel staycations for any family. You don’t have to travel too far from home, no flights are required, and by having your car, you’ll be able to take short road trips from the hotel to explore something else nearby!
ORLANDO WORLD CENTER MARRIOTT Located slightly off the beaten path in Orlando, The Orlando World Center Marriott stands hidden in between Kissimmee and Disney, close enough to everything yet far enough away to be an escape. As one the world’s largest Marriott hotels, the property has a sprawling array of amenities with restaurants galore, and is close to Disneyworld, Universal Studios and SeaWorld too.
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We LOVED the pools and the water areas that boast slides built by the same designer as the Atlantis resort. Even the toddler play area was enough to entertain my daughter for an entire afternoon. She loved the slide and the shaded LEGOLAND play area during our full days at the pool. My bigger kids loved the space of the pool (the biggest I’ve ever seen at a hotel) and the waterfall grottos.
THE RITZ-CARLTON ORLANDO, GRANDE LAKES If you are searching for the ultimate luxury hotel for your family getaway, The Ritz-Carlton Orlando, Grande Lakes is THE hotel for you. Every staff member we encountered was more pleasant than the one before, truly setting the mood for our stay. My girls were given blue bracelets and told they could have free ice cream whenever they wanted— even for breakfast. The pools are amazing. Because they share the Grande Lakes property with the JW Marriott Orlando, Grande Lakes, you’ll also get to enjoy their lazy river pool, one of my favorites in all of Florida. We booked the In-Room Camping Experience for our stay and the girls couldn’t wait to sleep in the tent! The set up comes with books, stuffed animals and lanterns. We also booked an early-morning excursion called Sunrise Safari that allowed us to explore the 500-acre property with a Certified Florida Master Naturalist via a golf cart and see Florida f lora and fauna up close.
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WYNDHAM GRAND CLEARWATER BEACH The Wyndham Grand Clearwater Beach is perfectly situated across from Pier 60 on Clearwater, steps away from the beach. At night, a sunset show put on by Mother Nature will rival any island sunset you’ve seen. From your balcony view, the pool looks as luxurious and inviting as the waves in the Gulf of Mexico. It’s vacation at its best. Pro Tip: Florida residents always save! Ask when you book!
