Summer is here so it is time to plan that summer getaway. We started looking as the weather turned hotter and found something that we want to share, Mallorca!
So with that big decision made all we need to do is iron out the details. This year we are thinking about a multi-generational family escape so regular hotel rooms might not be the best idea. Kids, and us adults too, can get feeling a little confined in a typical room. That’s why we are thrilled to have discovered the perfect family apartments in Mallorca.
The Apartamentos Casa Vida, right by Santa Ponsa beach, could not be better for a sun and beach holiday. Plenty of room to spread out so we never feel crowded, and plenty of food and fun for everyone.
Each of the 26 apartments has been beautifully redecorated with a modern, Mediterranean flair and include a private bath, a nicely equipped kitchen, a cozy living room, and separate bedrooms so everybody can have their own space.
And no summer getaway is complete without a swimming pool so Apartamentos Casa Vida as a gorgeous outdoor pool the whole family will love. There is also fast, free WIFI throughout the hotel so the kids can stay entertained and the adults can too. Or maybe sneak in a little work in if they need to.
But the real water fun is at the incredible beach just steps from the rooms. Not one, but two beautiful beaches, the Playa Grande and Playa Pequeña, are are right there waiting for a great time. For those who don’t know Spanish, the names identify them as the large beach (Grande) and the small one (Pequeña).
Playa Grande has everything to make a fantastic beach day for the whole family happen. Start with the golden sand and crystal-clear water, then add in loungers, umbrellas, and all kinds of water toys like paddle boards, kayaks, and snorkeling gear and the fun will fill the entire day. Or, for a more laid back beach experience we can slip over to Playa Pequeña and just relax. This little cove is also a great place to catch a sunset.
Of course, if you are like us, there will also be food involved, so we checked and found just about every style of cuisine we could possibly want along the waterfront promenade. So when we need a break from the sun and to refuel we can still enjoy the amazing sea views.
But one of the big reasons we liked The Apartamentos Casa Vida is because we don’t have to eat out at restaurants all of the time. The complete kitchen means we can try our hand at creating some local favorites, or maybe just whip up a snack when ever we feel like it. It’s like we discovered self-catering apartments in Santa Ponsa.
With all of these features we might never need to leave the hotel, but we love to explore so we checked out some of the other exciting attractions around Santa Ponsa. Plenty of adventure for both kids and adults awaits at the nearby Jungle Parc with zip lines and hanging bridges to thrill young and old alike while enjoying the forest.
Or a day trip to Palma is certainly belongs on the itinerary. Mallorca’s main city offers several interesting yet kid friendly historic sites. I mean, what kid doesn’t love a castle? Bellver Castle is a good one. For over seven hundred years it has stood guard over the city and it still looks like it is right out of the pages of a story book.
The Palma Aquarium is often heralded as one of Europe’s best. Everyone will love the variety of interactive experiences available like 3D virtual tours that get you up close and personal with humpback whales, or diving with sharks or stingrays. Another big favorite is the jellyfish tank.
With all of this to see and do we think that Mallorca, and especially the Apartamentos Casa Vida in Santa Posa, might just make for the best summer getaway ever.
David & Veronica, GypsyNester.com
Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park, Big Sur –
While wandering the wilds of 
Our first stop was a success; the Skagway Brewing Company in the gold rush town of Skagway. They make a fine example right on sight. It is fresh and light and the hint of spruce is in no way overpowering.
We were also intrigued to find that we happened to arrive in this part of Alaska right in the heart of the tip harvesting season. Flyers posted around the bar offered five dollars a pound for anyone willing to go out and gather the buds.
The next day, in 
What a scoop! The creamy confection was also somewhat subtle and equally yummy.
We began by jumping on the Mount Roberts Tramway, partly because it was right by the dock where we came in, but also because we wanted to take advantage of the sunshine. Clear days are a bit of a rarity around here so we didn’t want to take any chances of encountering afternoon showers.
After a pat and a hug we made it to the capitol, which looks like just about any other office building, but we found one more statue. This one very well could be the most important, because without William Henry Seward there would likely not be any state of Alaska. It would still be part of Russia.
When we went inside of the bunker and looked through the narrow slits designed to allow for outgoing gunfire, we could only think that the positioning of the bunkers made it hard to believe any allied forces ever made it off of the beach.
From there we made our way back up to the top of the bluff where The Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial in France is located. Here the graves of 9,385 soldiers, almost all casualties of D-Day or soon after, spread out over one hundred and seventy acres.
If we thought that we were emotional before, this took us well beyond any feelings we had ever experienced. To gather ourselves we took a few minutes to meditate at the reflecting pool in front of the colonnade.