WDWDN Travel Reviews

USA Today takes a look at the top free tourist attractions in each state.

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If you have ever moved into a new house, there are always little (and sometimes big) projects that you have to attend to and some that you want to update just to make the house a more personal representation of your family.

Well the funny thing is we have been in our house for 12 years and made all kinds of upgrades throughout except for one area….our kitchen.  I know, I know,,,that is the one area you should update right away.  Honestly the kitchen itself was fine and didn’t really need updating per se.  It was more the back splash area of the kitchen that needed to be addressed.  It seemed like every year upgrading that area was on my summer projects list, but I never got around to doing anything with the area, as I was not comfortable with mixing adhesive, spreading it out evenly, using a trowel and then grouting the tile.  I am a fairly handyman, but for some reason applying tile anywhere just seemed like a chore when it involved all of those steps.

I knew there were easier solutions available, but I was concerned about the quality of peel and stick tiles.  Would they look cheap?  Would they hold up?  How does the cost compare to traditional ceramic tiles?  Are they really that easy to install?  Well, enter Smart Tiles!

My wife and I decided it was time to finally address our kitchen back splash and we decided to use Smart Tiles, as they met all of our needs that we were looking for in a product.  They look amazing and our friends thought they were ceramic tiles.  They are durable.and they even come with a warranty.  Pricing is a huge concern for any homeowner and that was one thing that kept us away from traditional ceramic tiles.  Smart Tiles were created for those with a budget in mind, but unlike other peel and stick tiles, Smart Tiles quality is just as good as traditional ceramic.  Are they easy to install….well that is the biggest issue we were concerned about. Simply put, it cannot be easier.  Open the box, peel the backing off and stick on the wall (make sure to clean the wall first).

Honestly, it is that easy.  As you can see in our photo gallery, there are areas that you have to cut to fit, but that process is easy too.  We started out using a utility knife, but found that using sharp scissors worked just as well.  The entire process took a few hours but that is probably because I am such a perfectionist that I made sure to measure things 5x before I made cuts and applied the Smart Tiles to the walls!

I have to say that if you are interested in upgrading your kitchen, bathroom, or heck anywhere really, we highly recommend using Smart Tiles.  They have colors and styles for every need, it is just a matter of choosing which product best reflects your style.

We did receive the Smart Tiles in exchange for this review, but if you check out the before and after pictures, you will see that Smart Tiles are an amazing product and something you need to consider as you upgrade your personal areas of your house.  We will be using more Smart Tiles for a bathroom upgrade in the future so stay tuned!!

Recently we took an epic trip out west from Illinois.  We drove through a total of 10 states! It was an amazing adventure, but was also exhausting being in the car so much. Lucky for us we had a cure for our driving fatigue–The Maven Hotel in Denver, Colorado. 

Located in the heart of the Dairy Block in LoDo, literally across the street from Coors Field, The Maven is in an outstanding location in Downtown Denver. The area around the hotel is a world-class destination for shopping, dining, hospitality and local business.

There was a Colorado Rockies baseball game the night of our stay so the area was full of energy and excitement. We couldn’t wait to see what was in store for us.

Entering the lobby was like walking into an art gallery. There were so many pieces of art to view I couldn’t decide where to look. Even with the sleek gallery-type atmosphere, I felt comfortable and welcome.

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In the past week, we have traveled through Illinois, Iowa, South Dakota, Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona and finally California. Yes, all of that in just a few days! Feel exhausted just reading that? Well, the perfect cure for this exhaustion is The Hotel Fullerton Anaheim. 

Located on the edge of Anaheim, California, The Hotel Fullerton Anaheim is just minutes from the Disneyland Resort, Anaheim Convention Center, and Cal State Fullerton.

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Recently on a trip out west, we had the chance to stay at The Orleans Hotel and Casino Las Vegas. 

Located just off the south end of the strip, The Orleans Hotel and Casino Las Vegas was a welcome site after a long day of driving.  It was very easy to drive to from the interstate and is just minutes from the airport.

The hotel has everything you would expect when vacationing in Las Vegas including a pool, a fitness center, shopping, 15 dining locations, several bars and of course, plenty of gaming.

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If you are traveling to the Colorado Springs area for business or pleasure, be sure to stay at the Drury Inn and Suites Colorado Springs Near the Air Force Academy. This hotel has everything you expect when staying at a Drury Inn and Suites-great service, amenities like a free hot breakfast (love that waffle maker!), evening kickback (today they were serving baked potatoes, salad, hotdogs, and a taco bar), spacious rooms, and free wifi.  Adults can even enjoy a complimentary cocktail. These are perks that you just don’t get at other hotels.

This location is close to so many local points of interest such as the US Air Force Academy Visitor Center (4 miles), Garden of the Gods (11 miles), Red Rock Canyon (13 miles), the United States Olympic Training Center (14 miles), and Pikes Peak (20 miles). The Cheyenne Mountain Zoo and the Ghost Town Wild West Museum are close as well. There are just so many wonderful things to see and do.

When it is time to come back and put your feet up to relax, then the Drury Inn and Suites Colorado Springs Near the Air Force Academy is the perfect location.

You can grab a bag of popcorn and a soda in the lobby or take a dip in the indoor/outdoor pool. What could be better than sitting poolside looking up at the beautiful mountains, especially when you are from the extremely flat midwest.  Check out this amazing view of the mountains from our room!

Drury Inn and Suites are known for their quality and standard of excellence.  Because of this, you will truly enjoy your stay at the Drury Inn and Suites Colorado Springs Near the Air Force Academy.

Drury Inn & Suites Colorado Springs Near the Air Force Academy

If you a planning a trip to the west, specifically the Mt. Rushmore area, then you simply must stay at the Bavarian Inn in Custer, South Dakota. Every summer we travel from Illinois to Florida for vacation. This year we decided to mix it up and headed the other direction.  I am so glad that as part of this trip we stayed at the Bavarian Inn.

Located in Custer, SD, this hotel was just minutes from some of the best tourist sites in the area. We had visited Mt. Rushmore (15 miles away) and passed Crazy Horse Memorial (3.2 miles away) on the drive to the hotel. The inn was a welcome site after a long day of traveling and site seeing.  A 2016 winner of the tripadvisor Certificate of Excellence, the Bavarian Inn is quaint, yet has modern amenities. One example of that, are charging stations and outlets embedded into both sides of the bedside table.

We were greeted by the friendly staff and saw several people watering flowers and taking care of the landscape. That is standard of excellence we look for in a hotel. If you are willing to take care of the flowers, then I know you are willing to take care of me as a guest. The hotel lobby has several tables to relax with a complimentary cup of coffee or tea or a cookie during “Cookie Happy Hour.”

There are two pools (one indoor and one heated outdoor), tennis courts, basketball hoop, and a playground. There are also two decks to enjoy as well as cute tables and chairs right outside the room door. You can’t help but relax during your stay.

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