Sometimes, you just have to get away–without the kids! Secrets Wild Orchid in Montego Bay, Jamaica is the perfect escape. Secrets is a luxury, all-inclusive, adults-only (not couples only) resort that will have you relaxing on the sandy white beaches of Jamaica, drink in hand, within minutes of your check-in.

This was my first experience at an all-inclusive resort, and hopefully, it won’t be my last. At Secrets, all-inclusive means your accommodations, meals, beverages (including alcohol), room service, gratuities, and select activities are included with your package. I quickly found out that I’m an all-inclusive-kind-of-girl who just can’t get enough of those fruity umbrella drinks. Secrets took “Be our guest!” to a whole new level.

The Rooms: When I walked in the room I was in awe. It was well appointed, modern and spacious. My eyes immediately darted to the balcony, which overlooked the ocean. I felt like I was in paradise! This was the view that glossy travel magazines are made of.

My room had double queen beds, further proof that this wasn’t only a couples resort.

Being that this is all-inclusive, the room had a mini fridge that was stocked daily with Red Stripe (hooray, beer!), bottled water, and soda.

Not to be overlooked was the bathroom, which was glorious. It had double sinks, a separate shower and free-standing, jetted tub. You really couldn’t have asked for more.

Dining: Secrets Wild Orchid really delivers with its dining options. You can begin each day with a breakfast buffet at the World Café, enjoy a casual lunch with an ocean view at Oceana, and for dinner, have 5 additional restaurants to choose from. Options included: El Patio (Mexican), Blue Mountain (Jamaican-Caribbean), Himitsu (Teppanyaki), Portofino (Italian) and Bordeaux (French). If you’re not in the mood to go out, room service delivers 24 hours a day!

I was really impressed with the breakfast buffet, which had a ton of options. The jerk chicken and french fries at Oceana was one of my best lunches. There was never a lack of food, and to my surprise, it all tasted good.

Getting a drink was a breeze too. There are eight bars between Secrets Wild Orchid and Secrets St. James (Wild Orchid’s sister property). If booze isn’t your thing, CoCo Café serves a mean frappuccino, as well as coffee, tea and pastries.

Activities: Secrets provides an array of activities to bring a little fun to your vacation. There is an activity sheet that is delivered to your room the night before for the next day’s events. Activities include snorkeling, beach volleyball, BINGO, kayaking and dance lessons. Off-site excursions are available for purchase at the hotel.

The Spa: What mama doesn’t love a good spa? Secrets Spa by Pevonia has a variety of massages and treatments to pamper and relax. I enjoyed a hydrotherapy session which was truly enjoyable. There is a beauty salon and fitness center also on-site.

My Mama Moment: Soaking in the oversized Jacuzzi tub, with bubbles, while listening to the sweet sound of the ocean….heavenly!

Pros: Brand new, all-inclusive (opened in March 2010). Pristine property with excellent food and service. If you’re headed to Jamaica, this is the way to go.

Cons: Brand new resort has some kinks.  Still needs some finishing touches in rooms and room service very slow at times.

Great for: Romantic escape, girlfriend getaway.

Website: Secrets Wild Orchid

As you know, the Traveling Mamas were on a recent trip to the beautiful Gulf Shores in Alabama. Ever since I caught glimpse of the first news reports of the BP oil spill, I knew this wouldn’t be good for the Gulf Coast. I really longed to get to the area and when we were invited by the Alabama Visitors Bureau, I was ready to get on the plane and go right then!

I wasn’t quite sure what my expectations were of the area, but from all the media reports, I just figured there would be oil all around the beach. What we found, was quite the opposite! Take a peek into this short 3 minute video and see the Gulf Shores from a real viewpoint.

Areas in the video:

Waterville USA

King Neptunes

Orange Beach, Alabama

This guest post comes from Marilyn, one of the winners of Hyatt’s Big Welcome Back Giveaway that we hosted a while back. This is why we like to do trip giveaways. ~ CajunMama

Motherhood sucks.

Seriously.

Regardless of what the mommy mafia says, motherhood sucks. Everything is about your family – you sacrifice your dreams for them, you put their needs before yours, you cook for them, clean up after them, help them with their homework, sit with them while they cry over simple and sometimes complicated issues, drive them everywhere and even do their laundry. If you’re lucky, they may remember to say thank you but more often than not, you’re more likely to get an eye roll than a word of gratitude. That’s why I recommend that once a year every mother does something that is utterly and selfishly about her. That’s right, I subscribe to the belief that at least once a year mothers should be allowed to do one thing that is all about them. I have been doing this for five years now and I believe I am a better mother because of it.

This year at the stroke of midnight on December 31, while moms everywhere were pledging to be better mothers, I promised myself I would attend a Brad Paisley concert. I have had the biggest crush on the man since I saw him performing live at my college stadium five years ago and I’ve always wanted to see him performing live again but you know how that goes – life happened, the baby came, bills had to be paid and there just never seemed enough hours in my day to even listen to an entire Brad Paisley CD in one sitting. So this year, I vowed I would drive to wherever he was performing and see him. Did I accomplish it? Yes I did. On Saturday, August  14, I was one of thousands of screaming “Paisley-nuts” playing air guitar right along with Brad while singing every single lyric of his hit songs.

But that trip wouldn’t have been possible without a sweet win from Travelingmamas.com. Earlier this year the Hyatt Hotels ran a “Big Welcome Back” promotion on a few blogs and my entry was randomly picked on Travelingmamas.com giving me two free nights at any Hyatt Property. I wrote that I wanted to visit Florida, New York or Las Vegas and spend my free nights there. It was wishful thinking on my part and little did I know at the time that I would indeed be having a glorious time in one of those three states.

The day the winning email landed in my mailbox is a day I will never forget. I was on the road traveling for work and my boss had put me up in a rather crappy hotel, you know the kind where you don’t even want to take a shower in the bathroom because you might come out dirtier than when you went in. I was contemplating checking into another hotel on my own dime just to take a shower when I noticed I had won two free nights at a Hyatt. I jumped with joy until I realized I couldn’t redeem them immediately so I had to spend that work trip in the crappy hotel.

Upon returning home I remembered my New Year’s day promise to myself and immediately started searching for information on Brad Paisley’s tour schedule and unfortunately for whatever reason he wasn’t coming to my state but luckily for me, he had three shows scheduled in Florida as long as I didn’t mind driving over 600 miles to see him. Being the hardcore fan I am, I strapped my toddler into his car seat and set off to West Palm Beach, Florida. I’m a city girl and I love staying right in the middle of the action so I checked into the Hyatt Place in Downtown West Palm Beach. The first thing that struck me was how cool the hotel lobby was – trust me, driving 600 miles in 95+ degree heat in a car without air conditioning will make you appreciate how cold the staff at the Hyatt Place keep the hotel lobby. I was also very impressed with just how squeaky clean the hotel was. Before my son and I could even say a word, we had about three very professional and extremely nice staff members welcome us with huge grins. I felt like royalty. We arrived two hours prior to the official check in time but the staff where nice enough to let us check in early. Checking in was swift and painless and in a few minutes we were in the elevator heading to our room. We found our room unlocked with a repair man fixing something in the bathroom and I have to say he was one of the nicest people ever. He apologized for the fact that he was still in the room when we got there and then immediately got down to my son’s eye level and started telling him which cartoon channels he’d enjoy on the TV. My hyper son with his twenty million questions was thrilled to have found a grown up cooler than his mom. I’ll forever be indebted to this repair man for keeping my son entertained while I recouped from my 12-hour drive.

I wish I could tell you that I found at least one bad thing about the Hyatt Place in Downtown West Palm Beach but the truth is the hotel was flawless, the breakfast was fresh and delicious, the staff was superb, attentive and friendly, the room was amazing and incredibly comfortable and the best part about the Hyatt Place in Downtown West Palm Beach was the fact that the shuttle was available anytime guests wanted to use it. This has always been a big pet peeve of mine. I hate making my schedule based on when the hotel shuttle runs and thankfully the Hyatt shuttle is always parked right out front ready to take you wherever you want (within a 20 mile radius) when you want. Did I mention that the Hyatt also has a cool kiosk in the lobby where you can self check in or out? Pretty impressive.

So I got to see Brad Paisley. My little dude got to spend time building sand castles and chasing waves at the beach and we both got to spend two heavenly nights in a luxury hotel we would never otherwise be able to afford. To this day, my son hasn’t stopped talking about the comfortable beds at the Hyatt and I’m still blown away by their ultra comfortable sleeper sofas. But the best memory for both of us is when it came to check out time and I presented our room keys to the front desk guy. He looked through his system, looked up at me, then back to his system and with a puzzled look said “your bill has already been taken of, you don’t owe a thing”. The inquisitive look on his face betrayed him and I knew he was dying to know how we managed to score two free nights at a high end luxury hotel but he was too polite to ask so I leaned in and whispered, “I know people who know the people who got us the room for free” and slyly winked at him. My son laughed so hard while the poor guy turned a deep shade of pink. I turned to my son and high fived him as we dragged our bags to our car.

The whole 12 hours back to Georgia, I listened to my son recounting every single detail of our mother and son West Palm Beach weekend getaway and I recall thinking how lucky I was that I got to enjoy that experience with my eager little man. Everyone needs a partner in crime to form lasting memories with and I had my own sidekick rambling away in the back seat. I stared at him through the rear view mirror and I smiled to myself as it dawned on me that maybe, just maybe motherhood doesn’t suck.

Special thanks to Marilyn for her story and to Hyatt for providing the giveaway TravelingMamas.com hosted. We’re happy to be a part of one family’s lasting travel memories.

We love to travel at TravelingMamas.com and we also love to give things away. What gets us jumping for joy is being able to give our readers a trip so they can experience a smidgen of what we get to do when we’re on the road looking for the best travel destinations to highlight here.

For the month of September, we’re celebrating the end of summer vacation with trip giveaways along the Gulf Coast. Each week we’ll announce a new trip giveaway, where readers can win one of many trips, including multi-night stays at various properties in Gulf Shore and Orange Beach, Alabama. We fully support visiting this oil spill affected area.

How to enter: Write a blog post about a recent summer trip and place the following text somewhere in your blog post – “This post is part of the TravelingMamas.com Tripapalooza Contest.” Be sure to link the term TravelingMamas.com back to this site. If you want your entry to count towards the giveaway, you’ll need to leave a comment on THIS POST with a link to your entry blog post. We’ll verify each post. You can write as many posts as you like and live anywhere in the world. You’ll get extra Karma is your post is about visiting the Gulf Coast. Don’t have a blog? We still want you to be able to enter. Just submit your story to TravelingMamas.com and be sure to leave a comment in this post that you submitted a story – Story Submission Form

Bonus Entries: Once you officially enter, you can get bonus entries for tweeting this post, liking us on FaceBook, or being a subscriber to our newsletter. Make sure you leave a comment for each bonus entry option to count. Good luck!

Winners will be selected randomly via Random.org. Prizes will be awarded throughout the month of September, with contest officially ending on the last day of the month. Former contributors of TravelingMamas.com not eligible to enter. Winners will be notified by email and will have 72 hours to claim their prize or will forfeit their prize, which will be awarded to a secondary winner. Prizes have restrictions, including blackout dates and expiration, determined by each prize sponsor. Legal name and physical mailing address must be provided to claim prize.

Comments will be rescued from Spam.

Prizes awarded include, but not limited to:

5 Nights at The Beach Club Gulf Shores, Alabama

3 Nights at a Brett-Robinson Gulf Shores, Alabama Property

3 Nights at a Meyer Real Estate Gulf Shores, Alabama Property

Good luck and happy blogging! Be sure to visit Gulf Shores and Orange Beach, Alabama’s White Sand Beaches, where we recently checked out the beaches and found them absolutely gorgeous!

Worried about oil in Gulf Shores and Orange Beach? Cultural travel blog, Hole in the Donut shared this profound video:

While in New York City, TravelingMamas.com was invited to test out a few new Chevy models coming to the market for 2011. The event was called Chevy Blogher (being that it was held just before Blogher began) and bloggers from around North America participated in the ride and drive.

The plan was to break into small teams and drive the 2011 Chevrolet Cruze from Manhattan to Blue Hill at Stone Barns in Pocantico Hills, NY. Themeparkmom, MommyMusings, and I went with Chris, a representative from Chevrolet. We checked out the interior to see how comfortable and practical this vehicle would be for a family or group of friends on a road trip.

The Exterior: This vehicle is designed as a compact sedan. The Chevy Cruze is a tad bit bigger than the Toyota Corolla and Honda Civic (I used to own a Civic) and definitely more pleasing to the eye. It comes in some nice colors, with the red version being my favorite. It is a four door vehicle making it a smart purchase for families, couples thinking about expanding their families, boomers, college students, or for a company vehicle.

The Interior: When I sat inside the Chevrolet Cruze, I really felt like I was in more of a luxury car than a compact midline vehicle. This model starts at $16,995 but comes in fully loaded at around $22,000. We took a ride in the loaded model which has sunroof, leather seats, and for families with kids – plenty of power plugs for those DVD players, game systems, or laptops. This vehicle sits four and the back seat has a built in drink/gadget holder in the middle, providing a boundary line for kids that argue over space during road trips. ThemeParkMom and MommyMusings sat in the back on the ride up to the farm while I chatted with Chris and played with all the front seat gadgets. It does have the OnStar system, as well as an iPhone/iPod docking station and built in GPS. The ride was smooth and the noise level from outside was almost eliminated. I guess that would be from the triple-sealed, acoustic-laminated glass windshield and liquid-applied sound deadeners, which are just some of the techniques used to help make the road seen, not heard.

Under the Hood: {from Chevrolet} The available small displacement 1.4L turbocharged engine, ideal for Cruze, is designed to deliver efficiency without compromising performance. Coming late 2010, the Cruze Eco is expected to offer an estimated 40 MPG highway. Cruze Eco adds ultra-low-rolling resistance tires and other technologies to boost efficiency. And Cruze Eco is decked out with a rear spoiler and 17″ wheels, so saving gas will finally look as good as it feels.

Safety: A Mama is always concerned about safety, and with the Chevy Cruze, you can feel confident that your little family pod will be safe and secure. {from Cheverolet} Cruze sets itself apart from other compacts on safety with 10 standard airbags, including frontal, front seat side-impact, roof-rail head-curtain, rear-seat side impact, second row side, and front knee air bags. Technologies like StabiliTrak Electronic Stability Control System with Traction Control and four-wheel antilock brakes help you stay on the road and in control. And should the unthinkable ever happen, Cruze is equipped with OnStar® Automatic Crash Response standard for the first six months. Built-in sensors can automatically alert an Advisor, who is immediately connected to your vehicle and can request emergency help be sent to your exact GPS location, even if you’re unable to respond.(note: I work in emergency services and we really DO get calls from OnStar notifying us of emergencies.)

Overall Impression: The ride was smooth and quiet, so it definitely gets a thumbs up for comfort. I don’t know about the other Mamas, but I really liked the Chevrolet Cruze and I’m even considering investing in one as our next family vehicle. Besides the safety features and good gas mileage, the technology alone has sold me. I want to plug in my new iPhone 4 and listen to Pandora as I take a road trip to the Gulf Coast or Missouri with the family, opening the sunroof to smell and feel the fresh air. A bonus? Well, that would be the new OnStar iPhone app that allows you to check your fuel levels, monitor any service needed, and even start your car from around the block or inside your home. Now THAT’s rockin’ cool!

As a mother of two (a tween and teen), I ditched my SUV a long time ago and realized that I could save money on road trips by driving a more economic and environmentally friendly vehicle. Plus, it’s easier to find a parking space in a smaller vehicle. I can’t wait until the Chevrolet Cruze is out on the market. You can check out the Traveling Mamas Chevy Drive experience by watching the video in the upper right hand of the page. If you can’t see it in your browser, here’s the direct link: TravelingMamas.com Test Ride the Chevrolet Cruze.

Have you checked out the Chevy Cruze? What did you think?

Disclosure: Chevy treated us to lunch since we were on a farm for the day. This had no influence on our impression of the Chevrolet Cruze.

Consolidating all of a traveling mamas’ gear into one carry-on bag can be a daunting task. Shoes are items that can not only take up a lot of space, but can ruin the clothes you pack along beside them. A hot trend I’ve noticed lately is the wide variety of travel shoe bags available for all personalities. They’re not only practical, but they’re cute, too! Here are some of the best shoe bags and totes for women I’ve recently found:

Peek-a-Boo by Leslie Hsu – These canvas shoe bags have a clear window so that your shoes are protected and you can see which shoes are in which bag. Currently they only come in two colors – magenta and beige, but at $14.99 for two, they’re tops on our list. Thanks, Leslie for sending us some samples to test out in the field. They are now a packing staple in my suitcase. These can be purchased online or in store at Bed Bath and Beyond.

Zoe Tote on Etsy – These hand-sewn totes are cute, practical, and fashionable. Adorable woven cotton patterns created into hand sewn shoe totes and finished with a grosgrain ribbon and bead, designed to add flair to your favorite shoes. At $20, you’re not only investing in a fantastic travel accessory, but you’re supporting an independant artist. Purchase online at Zoe Tote’s Etsy Store.

Lillian Vernon Shoe Tote – This is our bargain pick for a family packing a large suitcase. The shoe bag holds six pairs of small shoes. It isn’t compact like many of the other bags on our list, or is it the most stylish, but it is practical and keeps your shoes organized while on the go. This item can also be used at home if you have small living quarters. Just slide the shoe bag under the bed for storage. $19.99 on LillianVernon.com.

Shubi – These shoe totes are a bit more than some of the other shoe bags we recommend, but they are oh so fabulous! Shubi  shoe bags come in a variety of patterns and they’re lined in a coordinating fabric, keeping your shoes from getting scuffed and your finer fabrics from getting nicked by your heels.  The drawstring top is made with grosgrain ribbon and they are machine washable. Pick your favorite fabric and let your shoes travel in style with Shubi. $29 online.

My Tote Chamberlain Shoe Bag – This fashionable shoe bag has been featured in Bride’s Magazine and Oprah Magazine. The shoe bag has two pockets, to keep your shoes from scraping each other during transport, or you can put the shoes on one side and undergarments in the other pocket. The Chamberlain also comes in a swimsuit bag (as seen in Oprah Magazine) and has a waterproof liner. This makes a good option for carrying liquids (in your checked baggage). $27.99 at MyTote.com

School’s back in session and many of you are already missing summer break. Take some time for a last minute getaway for the long Labor Day holiday. Pack your bags, hop in the car, and take advantage of the great deals along the Gulf Coast. It’s a traveler’s market right now. (Some of these deals were mentioned in my travel segment on 8/26/2010 on WAFB)

SanDestin Golf and Beach Resort in Florida - Book 3 nights, get a 4th free PLUS a $250 Government Tourism Grant Gift Card to Silver Sands Outlet or Southwest Airlines. Restrictions apply, see Sandestin.com for details.. I personally checked out the beaches here and found them oil free.

Gulf Shores and Orange Beach, AL – John Mayer Getaway: A few resorts (like luxury beach resort Turquoise Place) are offering free John Mayer tickets for Labor Day Weekend bookings in addition to almost 50% off on a 3 bedroom luxury condo. Check out SpectrumResorts.com or many of the other rental companies through AlabamaBeaches.com. The Mamas and I checked out the beaches here last week, and while there were spotty reports of oil, we didn’t see anything in the water and the beaches were pristine.

Biloxi and Gulf Port, MS  – The Mississippi beaches are in need of visitors. Even if you don’t gamble, you can find some great deals at many of the casino hotels, some of them with family friendly pools.

Galveston – Great beaches and fun activities for the entire family. Moody Gardens is one of my personal picks and there’s even a Schlitterbahn Water Park. Book your vacation deal through Galveston.com and you’ll get a coupon book with up to $500 in discounts.

South Padre Island – Great deals at this destination and take advantage of the Schlitterbahn Water Resort that offers excitement for all ages. Be sure to check out the area sandcastle lessons. The Hilton Garden Inn is offering family fun packages with 4 Schlitterbahn tickets included in your rate. Book through the official South Padre Island website.

New Orleans – The Windsor Court Hotel in New Orleans is currently offering a variety of packages that are all available over Labor Day.  Our favorite is GRANDTRAVEL WITH THE GRANDKIDS   - package include tickets to the Audubon Zoo and many other perks.

To allow  those to give back during their visit, the New Orleans Marriott recently launched the “Spirit To Serve New Orleans” voluntourism package which allows guests to partner with New Orleans Area Habitat for Humanity or Second Harvest Food Bank of Greater New Orleans, to help rebuild homes hardest hit by Hurricane Katrina and provide food to families impacted by the Gulf oil spill. This package is offered through the end of the year and starts at $109 per night, the “Spirit to Serve New Orleans” voluntourism package includes:

* A dedicated concierge to coordinate volunteer efforts
* Deluxe accommodations
* Box lunch for two
* Transportation to and from the volunteer site
* Two commemorative t-shirts

To book the Spirit to Serve New Orleans package, visit www.spirittoserveneworleans.com or call 1-800-228-9290. Booking code V5S

There are many other deals available for Labor Day travel and beyond. If you come across some great packages, feel free to share these in the comments for other readers who are planning a last minute getaway. Have safe travels and make some fun family travel memories.

During our whirlwind tour of New York City during Blogher, TravelingMamas.com had a chance to visit with the Hanes Comfort Crew and learn about organizing our socks and undies and getting the perfect fit for our personal mama support system (bras). The video included with our post gives you a behind the scenes look of what takes place during many of our brand meetings and research on finding the best products to bring to you, the readers. Celebrity stylist Jenn Falik shared her Hanes Fashion 411 tips and Michael Moloney of ABC’s Extreme Makeover: Home Edition talked about the importance of cleaning out your drawers and starting fresh with Hanes! And yes, getting a foot massage will get you everywhere with me

Here are some of TravelingMamas.com’s tips for packing and also a few items from Hanes that help keep you comfortable and fresh while on your trip:

1.  Be sure to pack your shoes in their own drawstring bags so that you keep your clothing clean and germ free in your suitcase.

2. Undies can be folded and rolled up and placed in empty corners and spaces of your bag.

3.  Taking care of your feet when traveling is very important. Pack socks that have a cushion or arch support to wear when touring on your travels. Hanes offers a variety of sock options for the entire family, including their All Day Dry socks and arch support socks.

4. Save space in your bag and use socks for slippers when walking around your hotel room. I don’t know about you, but walking barefoot around a hotel room grosses me out. Hanes Casuals Cusion socks offer a soft thicker sole area and make for great slipper alternatives.

5. Pack socks inside of your shoes. I can usually place two pair of socks in each shoe, saving space in my bag for other important items.

6. Don’t ruin your bras in you bag. Stack them inside of each other and lay the stack out across the top of your suitcase. Yes, the TSA will get a look at your unmentionables, but at least your mama parts won’t look lopsided from having crushed cups.

7. Bring along tanks with shelf bras. Hanes has tank shirts with shelf bras that won’t take up hardly any room in your bag and look great under casual sundresses or when you want to lounge around your hotel room in comfort.

8. Eco friendly sweats work well for confort in colder climates. Fall is almost here and that means ski season will be upon us soon. While I don’t recommend wearing a sweatsuit to a restaurant, this clothing item is the ultimate in comfort when traveling. Hanes Ecosmart Collection offers sweatsuits made out of recycled waterbottles, making this a clean, green item.

9. Pack a laundry bag for your dirties. Nothing is worse than living out of a suitcase going from location to location and having dirty undies, bras, and socks mixed in with the clean clothes. I always bring along a small laundry bag to place items that get gently used while on the road. Sometimes a mama just doesn’t have enough time to wash laundry while on a trip.

10.  Wash delicates in your hotel sink and hang them up overnight to dry. If you plan on being in one location for a few days, you can save space by utilizing the clothes line found in most hotel bathrooms. Wash in the sink. Rinse. And then hang your delicates to dry overnight.

These are just a few of the many tips we found from experience in traveling frequently. With the increase in baggage fees, we here at TravelingMamas.com have learned to save money and space by taking advantage of smart ways to pack a carry on bag so that we can travel and still have all the neccessities needed for personal comfort.

Disclosure: I did get a foot massage provided by Hanes at the Hanes Social Media Event in NYC. While that would be enough of an incentive for me to mention the brand (since I had just walked a few New York blocks to get to the party), I have purchased Hanes products for decades and have no issue in mentioning a brand that I use in daily life. Special thanks to Erika Lehmann of ChicShopperChick.com for inviting me and MommyMusings as her guests. Be sure to watch the video and see some amazing power bloggers talk about how they use Hanes.

Recently, TravelingMamas.com as a collective visited Gulf Shores and Orange Beach, Alabama to assess the current oil spill situation at this tourist destination. We not only found beautiful beaches begging for visitors, but we also discovered a new favorite luxury resort along the Gulf Coast – Turquoise Place.

Turquoise Place offered to host our entire group in one condominium unit. We were housed in an ultra luxury four bedroom condo. The property is owned and managed by Spectrum Resorts and runs the condo facility like a hotel. I arrived first, along with my mother. When I drove up to the towering structure, I felt like Dorothy entering the Emerald City (well, the Turquoise City). The property has covered parking and loads of amenities. Here’s my take on the property and the unit we stayed in – 2101.

Unit 2101 Living Areas: This four bedroom, 4 1/2 bath condo is an end unit located on the 21st floor. It has two balconies, with one very large wraparound balcony with hot tub, grill, lounge and dining area. It overlooks both the Gulf and the Bay. The kitchen offers plenty of space and gadgets for the gourmet cook, including a restaurant grade refridgerator, two dishwashers, and a curved granit topped bar counter with seating for six. The coffee maker uses cone filters and there is an electric coffee grinder for fresh coffee. The dining area seats six and the living area is a contemporary casual decor with the latest electronics and a sleeper sofa. A wet bar offers wine cooler and ice maker. A wash room in the unit is large and offers the newest appliances in front loading washer/dryers.

Unit 2101 Sleeping Areas: The bedrooms are in a split layout with three bedrooms sharing a bay view balcony. Each one has its own full bath and large closet space. The master bedroom includes bed, sitting area, and desk. The master bathroom is larger than the bedroom, with oversized Jacuzzi tub for two (or maybe four) and large walk-in shower. There is a dressing area, double sinks, and the toilet area is Euro-friendly with bidet. The master closet is big enough to pitch a few tents in.

Common Areas: This property has workout facilities, three pools (one salt water, one regular, one indoor), a lazy river, steam room, sauna, onsite spa, tiki bar, and of course the beach. There is an outdoor play area for the little ones near the lazy river and a slide at the indoor pool. There are also meeting spaces and there was even a wedding going on during our stay.

Other Amenities: There was wifi in our condo. Parking is covered and there is 24 hour security at the entrance. The concierge service will have groceries waiting for you in your condo if you give them one week’s notice prior to your visit. There is a beach chair rental service.

Location: Turquoise Place is located on the eastern side of Orange Beach and Perdido Pass can be seen from the resort. It is close enough to Gulf Shores and area attractions and restaurants, yet far enough away for peace and quiet while listening to the waves crash on the shore.

Pros: This condo style facility has the conveniences and space of home while being set in a beautiful location. Do a bit of grocery shopping beforehand and you never have to leave unless you really want to.

Cons: There is no property shuttle and taxi service can be very slow and expensive. While we did have wifi in our unit, only my netbook would connect (the other mamas had connection issues). No onsite restaurant, but I hear that’s in the works, as well as shuttle service.

Great For: Family vacations, girlfriend getaways, couples trips, multi-family travel, grandcations.

My Mama Moment: I had two moments. One was sitting on the balcony sipping my favorite coffee and listening to the waves crash. The other was floating in the indoor pool, listening to the music that can only be heard underwater.

Special thanks to Spectrum Resorts for hosting our lodging and the Gulf Shores and Orange Beach Convention and Visitors Bureau for inviting us to experience their destination. I’ve personally stayed in many lodging properties along the Gulf Coast and can confidently state that this is one of the most luxurious condo facilities in the Orange Beach area.

Orange Beach

This week marks the fifth anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. While it’s a time of remembrance, it is also a time that is hard here in Louisiana and the Gulf Coast. I’ve been seeing updates from Facebook friends, commenting about how depressed it makes them feel. Yes, it is depressing to remember the disaster. It’s also a point where we can look back at a time  where helping hands were extended in an extreme time of need.

I worked during Hurricane Katrina and I have many coworkers and friends who lost their homes and jobs. Many of the communities that were devastated still haven’t been recognized, as most of the media focus always seemed to be on the 9th Ward. Heck, it makes me tear up just writing this post.

Some really bad things happened during Katrina. People lost more than homes. Many people lost their lives. It was a weird, apocolyptic time around here where people were afraid and angry. They were tired. They were hungry. And they felt helpless.

I was one of the lucky ones. My home was new and in neighborhood that didn’t flood. Katrina is the time when we found out we were on the same grid as the local electric company’s main office. We were the first people in the state to get electricity after Katrina. And because I work in emergency services, my home became the haven for many of my coworkers during Katrina and Gustav who were in need of a hot meal, a shower, and clean clothes.

It’s amazing how much better a person can feel both physically and mentally after getting cleaned up. Tide understands this and during disasters they deploy Tide Loads of Hope, a mobile system where citizens, emergency workers, and volunteers can drop off their laundry and pick up clean, fresh clothes during times of need. They’ve been to Galveston, New Orleans, Baton Rouge, Fargo, and Waterloo to assist during hurricanes and floods. Their service in New Orleans lasted almost 60 days and they helped more than 10,000 by washing over 13,000 loads of clothes.

Tide Loads of Hope mission didn’t end when they left the area. This week, they are sponsoring a free concert in New Orleans featuring Faith Hill, with the Dirty Dozen Brass Band as opening act. A very special blogger, Megan from VelveteenMind.com and StoryBleed, invited TravelingMamas.com to attend this remembrance concert and she may not even be aware of how much it means to me personally, to be included.

We all know there’s still a ways to go in rebuilding. At TravelingMamas.com, we feel it’s important to show support for companies that give back and to shine a positive spotlight on areas affected by disasters, be they natural or man made. You can show your support of Tide Loads of Hope by visiting the ad below.

Be sure to follow @tideloadsofhope @velveteenmind @faithhill and @storybleed on Twitter. Follow me, @Cajun_Mama for live updates from the concert (AT &T coverage permitting). This post is part of the StoryBleed blog carnival Hope Remains.

Disclosure: There are so many things I want to say about what went on and what I experienced, but due to my employment contract, I am unable to write about most things that occur during any disaster.