Coast 2 Coast Mom

Sprint 4G LTE Tri-Fi Hotspot from Sierra Wireless

As a travelling family, Sprint offered us the opportunity to try out the 4G LTE Tri-Fi Hotspot while on the go these past few months. Whether it’s been in airports, on trains, buses - even on a 12-hour family road trip from NYC to Chicago - having an internet connection to stay in touch with work throughout our travels was vital to our careers. 

If you’re not already familiar with the tri-fi hotspot, it's a small  wireless device that you can throw in your bag and depending on your location, the hotspot will kick in to either a 3G or 4G mode automatically. What makes Sprint’s 4G LTE Tri-Fi Hotspot different is that it’s a “first-ever device” that gives you access to Sprint’s 3G, 4G WiMAX and 4G LTE network for internet connectivity. So depending on where you are, you could have speedy connection speeds while on the go.

One big negative to just using your smartphone's Wi-Fi hotspot feature is that it just sucks the life out of the battery. So when we started using the Tri-Fi Hotspot, we were blown away. By putting it in auto power save mode when the Tri-Fi isn’t connected, you can get hours of connection time before you need to plug it back in - we made it through two days of press conferences during the grand opening of Fantasyland at Walt Disney World! Terrific for long and busy travel days.

The only downside we found was that the Tri-Fi Hotspot is too bulky to slip into your jeans pocket, at about 2-3x the thickness of a current mobile phone. Which didn't bother me, as I just slipped it into my purse or camera bag. 

In major metro areas like New York City the service was blazingly fast. However, while commuting in between less populated areas, at major airports (JFK, McCarran and Orlando Int’l), and driving the more rural areas between New York and Chicago, the fastest we were able to muster was 3G service.

We could take this with us everywhere we went, and there was solid coverage. In most cases when the Tri-Fi Hotspot had spotty reception, so did our Verizon and AT&T devices. (I mean really remote areas, like driving along I-80 through the Wilds of Pennsylvania. ;-) ) While the 3G service delivered good performance, the 4G service coverage wasn’t nearly as frequent as we were hoping, but as Sprint expands its 4G service area, this should only improve as time goes on. Not a deal breaker.


Using the Sprint Tri-Fi Hotspot on Disney's Magical Express Bus to WDW

If you're interested in buying a mobile hotspot, you can purchase the 4G LTE Tri-Fi Hotspot on Sprint.com for $99.99 or from Amazon Wireless for $0.01 both require a two-year contract, and you’ll get 3G/4G/4G LTE service, 6 menus of information within the built-in screen (like data consumption, battery life, days left in your billing cycle, and active network status), and built in GPS services so you can use it for location-based navigation when it’s plugged into your laptop.

Or you can purchase the newly released Overdrive Pro 3G/4G Mobile Hotspot for $49.99 with a two-year service plan, but this device doesn’t have 4G LTE or GPS capabilities – if you don’t live in a 4G LTE network area, and GPS isn’t important to you, this could be an alternative option.

Data plans range from $34.99 for a 3GB per month plan (which should be sufficient for most people) all the way up to $79.99 for a 12GB plan,

Overall, this was an incredibly useful device to have handy, and despite not having a consistent 4G connection, the speed was strong enough to do what we needed from the road.

Hilton Times Square Family Holiday Getaway

Without a doubt, there’s more energy and action in and around Times Square than any other part of New York City, so when we had the opportunity to stay at the Hilton Times Square in the heart of Midtown Manhattan, we immediately planned a fun family weekend in NYC.

We’ve stayed at the Hilton Times Square before, so we already knew it was a great location, within walking distance of a lot of great things to do, places to shop, and restaurants to eat. It was a particularly perfect place to stay around the holidays, as we’ve developed an annual family tradition to see the Rockettes at Radio City Music Hall, and the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade - both of which are short 5-10 minute walks from the hotel.  Even the famed windows on 5th Avenue aren’t much of a hike if you’re up for a brisk walk in December.

But outside of holiday activities, we recently saw the Lion King on Broadway and checked out the Harry Potter Exhibit at Discovery Times Square. The Discovery Times Square museum is one of our favorite places as there’s always great exhibits to see, like the Spy Exhibit also currently showing (which we also highly recommend).

The rooms at the Hilton Times Square are clean and accommodating, and competitively priced for a hotel in the heart of New York City.  Depending on which direction your room faces, there's generally some great views. The last time we stayed here, we had a prime view for people-watching down on 42nd Street. This time, we were on the 42nd floor on the Executive Level.



Which gave us some amazing views....

The view from our room - The Empire State Building, Hudson River and Freedom Tower

While still relatively new having only been built in 2000, starting in January 2013 the Hilton Times Square began a “guestroom only revitalization project” which should make the hotel even more appealing. 



We loved the amenities in the bathroom....


And what's a hotel stay without chocolate on the nightstand...



The hotel lobby and all public areas are open and up to date, and include a bar area on the second floor along with a restaurant area that offers sit down meals as well as a breakfast buffet.


The second floor lobby area and Front Desk


The restaurant and bar area off the main lobby of the Hilton Times Square

The result of our efforts from the Hilton Times Square breakfast buffet

Posted in the main lobby was a woman representing Hilton who was offering guests the opportunity to receive a significantly discounted future stay if we booked right then while staying at the hotel. Knowing how much we enjoy getaways and staycations in the city, and given what prices could run you in New York we took advantage of it, and will plan to spend another holiday in a hotel later on this year.

Thank you to the Hilton Honors card from American Express for allowing us to stay in NYC at the Hilton Times Square to #hotelfortheholidays and establish some memorable family holiday traditions.

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Harry Potter: The Exhibition at Discovery Times Square

Harry Potter: The Exhibition at Discovery Times Square

The world of Harry Potter continues to live on, and whether you’re a diehard fan looking to relive the adventure or you’re an average muggle searching for some enchanting fun, you can satisfy your need for both at the Harry Potter: The Exhibition at Discovery Times Square here in New York.

After travelling internationally for most of 2012, the Harry Potter exhibit is back at Discovery Time Square in NYC. While we missed it the first go around when it was here in 2011, we were glad to have another opportunity to check it out -- particularly since the kiddo is older and could better appreciate the exhibit having since visited the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios Orlando.    

There was a lot we loved about the exhibit, and here are some of our favorite kid-friendly highlights and suggestions from our recent visit:

The Sorting Hat
After a brief video montage, the experience begins as you're escorted into a room with the Sorting Hat (as seen in the first Harry Potter film), during our visit three kids were picked to be "sorted" into their appropriate house at Hogwarts. If you have kids with you, make sure they’re standing in front of the group so they can be more easily noticed. The Sorting Hat even talks, and it’s a fabulous way to set the mood and experience for the rest of the exhibit.

Herbology
Here is one of a couple of interactive sections of the exhibit which features a growing garden of Mandrake which you can lift up out of their potted home and hear them scream. This is amusing to watch as an adult, but clearly younger kids are even more entertained.

Quiddich
As you work your way through Hagrid’s Hut, you’ll come to a whole section dedicated to the Game of Quidditch, including the actual clothes, equipment and instructions on how to play the game. Here you can have your own fun by throwing a Quaffle through three different hoops to score a goal. The Kiddo had fun (successfully) throwing the Quaffle through each of the hoops.

Dark Forces
By far the scariest section of the exhibit, there’s a full range of the evilest of creatures from movie, set looming in the dark room on both the ground and above. If you have kids on the younger side, it’s easy to bypass this section if you fear that your child will wake up in a cold sweat thinking a Dementor is chasing after them. The Kiddo's in first grade and weathered it unphased.

The Great Hall
While this is the last section of the exhibit, there's still quite a bit to see, including many more of the costumes and knickknacks from the movie including all of the candy made famous from that that first train ride that Harry and Ron took to Hogwarts. Dobie is hiding in the back and you’ll see him if you look carefully as you’re seamlessly dropped off into an artfully constructed gift shop, a mini version of the retail store at Universal Studios.

Here you can buy everything from wands to Gryffindor merchandise to photos of yourself set against a number of backgrounds (your pic is snapped against a green screen before you even enter the exhibit). You’ll be so consumed with the magical world of Hogwarts that I dare you to resist leaving without having bought at least one Chocolate Frog. ;-)



The breadth of clothes, wands, spell books and knick knacks from the seven movies is impressive, and if you have the time, you can spend a good part of your day reading all of the descriptions of the items on display.

Tickets are $27 for adults, and $19.50 for kids 4-12 years old. If you’re a true Potter-phile, there’s an audio tour for an additional $7 that goes into even further in depth behind the history and significance of each item. If you’re an American Express holder, you can get the audio tour for free.

Harry Potter: The Exhibition will be at Discovery Times Square through April 7, 2013.

 

 

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Momofuku Milk Bar Treats - Icing on Cake

While basking in the after glow of the Radio City Christmas Spectacular, we walked up Fifth Ave to check out the holiday lights and decorations. Even though it was starting to rain, it was a beautiful night and end to our holiday dinner, annual Rockettes show and stay in NYC. The icing on the cake - literally - was walking into Momofuku Milk Bar for some late night sweet treats. :-)

We stopped into the Milk Bar at the Chambers Hotel on 56th and picked up some treats to enjoy back at the Hilton Times Square.

We tasted the candy bar pie . . .

We tried the cinnamon bun pie . . .

 . . .and loved the birthday cake truffles!

I'm taking the Kiddo to a cookie-making experience with Christina Tosi from Momofuku later this week, and we can't wait! You can now order from the Milk Bar online at http://www.shopmilkbar.com/shipping/

Thanks to American Express and the Hilton Honors card for inviting us to #hotelfortheholidays and start new family traditions exploring NYC over the holidays.

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Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade Viewing Party

This year we were fortunate to be invited to a private viewing party along the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade route in NYC. We had primo seats for the parade balloons and a fabulous view on 6th Ave, across the street from Radio City Music Hall.

Our jaws dropped when we arrived at the location at the Time Life Building - it was truly perfect for parade viewing. Here's the pre-parade view looking up 6th Ave toward Central Park . . .

And the view looking down 6th Ave before the parade began . . .

Amazing, right??

We had brunch and the Kiddo and his friend colored, decorated cookies, and drank hot chocolate while waiting for the parade to get to us, which took about 25 minutes.

The beginning of the parade!

First balloons in sight . . .

Our view watching marching bands pass by . . .

Charlie Brown balloon and kung Fu Panda Po in the background

The Peanuts float . . .

 

Diary of a Wimpy Kid balloon!

 

Jimmy Fallon with The Roots . . .

Spider-Man balloon making its way down 6th Ave . . .

Pikachu . . .

Papa Smurf . . .

Near the end of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade . . .

The Elf on the Shelf passing by the Hilton New York . . .

Santa's coming!

Santa . . .

The end of the parade . . .

Look at those crowds!

Thank you to Time, Inc. for hosting us, and to the Hilton Honors card from American Express for allowing us to stay in NYC at the Hilton Times Square to #hotelfortheholidays and establish some memorable family holiday traditions.

 

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Hilton Honors AmEx Card Helps Families "Hotel for the Holidays"

Hilton Honors AmEx Card Helps Families “Hotel for the Holidays”

As Generation  X and Millennial families leave their hometowns to settle down in distant cities, more and more families find themselves traveling over the holidays. When all of the siblings head home, there may not be enough “room at the inn” for everyone to comfortably stay under your parents’ roof, (hello air mattress, pull-out bed, sleeping bag!) so you head to a hotel. Or, sometimes the road trip home to visit family may seem too long for a weekend trip, or too expensive to fly home for every holiday, but you still want to make memories and establish traditions for your own new family and plan a hotel stay closer to home.

That’s exactly what we did over Thanksgiving. Courtesy of Hilton HHonors Card from American Express, we’re able to stay three nights at the Hilton Times Square over Thanksgiving and create our own holiday memories in NYC.

The Hilton Honors program is working with American Express for the holiday season to make it easier to find a hotel by using HHonors points - with no blackout dates! - which could land you a hotel room and save you money in the process (perhaps to spend on gifts or to donate to charities).

If you don’t already have a Hilton HHonors Card, through the end of November new Cardmembers can get up to 65,000 bonus HHonors points when they sign up for the card which is phenomenal considering that you can get a free night for 25,000 points, or even less with points + cash, so you could get 2-4 nights just for getting the card!

If you’re like us and travel a lot, there’s something called the Hilton HHonors Surpass Card that may be more attractive for you. It costs $75 per year (as opposed to the HHonors Card which is free), but you earn 12 points for every dollar spent at Hilton Hotels, and 6 points at select supermarkets, drugstores and gas stations.  So you can accumulate points faster, and that doesn’t even include a 60,000 point bonus if you’re a new Surpass Cardmember

Either way you look at it, if you're going to be travelling this holiday season, then the Hilton HHonors Amex card may be something to look into before you hit the road.

Thanks to American Express for letting us know about the program and for offering us the opportunity to #hotelfortheholidays at the Hilton Times Square over Thanksgiving.

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Disney "Limited Time Magic" in 2013

Disney sprinkled a little pixie dust today, announcing their "Limited Time Magic" promotion for 2013. Next year, Walt Disney World and Disneyland will offer 52 specially-themed weeks of magical experiences from coast to coast. I can't wait to find out what the theme will be when we're in Orlando for the Disney Princess Half Marathon!

Disney's weekly "limited time magic" opportunities and experiences will include themes like Pirate Week, with special pirate meet-and-greets, collectibles, entertainment and more from Jake and the Never Land Pirates, Pirates in the Caribbean and more.

Or celebrating True Love week during Valentine's Day with prince and princess character pairings around the parks, romantic pink lighting for the park castles, prix fixe candlelit dinners and special Disney Valentine collectibles and entertainment.

There's even a Patriotic Week being planned during the Fourth of July with limited edition themed mouse ear souvenirs, fireworks, and red,white and blue lighting for the castles among other opportunities and surprises.

Or how about those pesky villains? Jafar, Maleficent, Captain Hook and others will get their own special Villains week around September 13, 2013 with activities and photo opps galore. Disney Parks will stay open a 13th hour (until 1 a.m.), and they're planning a Villain Dance Party and night of Disney mischief too.

Mickey, Minnie and Cinderella were on hand to help unveil the 2013 campaign with ice sculptures in Times Square NYC, including a 45,000 pound fairytale castle. The ice sculptures were meant to symbolize the fleeting timeliness of the themed weeks. They'll be here one week, then gone when a new theme takes over the next.

There was even an ice sculpture carriage for Cinderella . . .

You can follow along with the 52 magically themed weeks as they're announced by following @DisneyParks on Twitter, and Disney will soon launch http://limitedtimemagic.com and http://magiaportiempolimitado.com for more information.

Family-Friendly Beach Hotel on Cape Cod

We were recently invited to stay at the Sea Crest Beach Hotel in North Falmouth, Mass., on Cape Cod to experience the completion of their multi-year multi-million dollar renovation project first-hand. Nearly every part of the family-friendly beach resort was upgraded or remodeled - the guest rooms, the saline pool, Red's restaurant and more.

One thing that didn't change - nor should it - is the hotel's location on the beach on Buzzard's Bay. It's perfect. The beach was gorgeous and the sunset views amazing, and unlike other coastal beach areas, the waves were kid-friendly and easy for kids to walk, swim and run around.

It was a quintessential Cape Cod family beach getaway, complete with beach balls, sand castles, hunting for crabs on the beach, catching buckets of minnows, playing in the waves, soaking in the gorgeous sunshine and even Cape Cod chips!

 

Finding a nickel in the sand . . . on how many beaches do you find MONEY?

A bucketful of minnows the kiddo caught (and released ;-)) . . .

An underwater photo taken of our crab hunt with the Sony Cyber-shot:

Kid-friendly waves . . .no little crying faces from getting blasted in the face with powerful saltwater waves here.

Cape Cod chips . . . in Cape Cod!

Sunset photos:

We really enjoyed our visit and give it two thumbs up for a family-friendly Cape Cod resort, and already plan to re-visit Sea Crest next summer on our own. Read more about our dining experience at Red's, or our experience at the resort and our guest room. You can view more photos from our Sea Crest Beach Hotel stay on Flickr too.

HUGE thank you to the Sea Crest Beach Hotel for inviting us to stay to experience the new and improved family beach resort!

Red's Restaurant at Sea Crest Beach Hotel

Part of the Sea Crest Beach Hotel's recent multi-million dollar renovations included their dining offerings, and the cornerstone, Red's restaurant. Named for coach and philanthropist Arnold Jacob "Red" Auerbach, it's a relaxed Cape Cod restaurant with something for everyone. The killer sunset views on Buzzard's Bay make it a must-visit for a trip to North Falmouth.

We tried Red's on our recent visit to Cape Cod. Situated right on the beach, it offers indoor clubhouse-style seating on a three-season porch, private, more formal seating, or outdoor seating. We opted for the indoor three-season room seating and perfectly timed it for sunset dining.

 
We started with the cheese plate and a wedge salad, which was made with a petite head of lettuce rather than a wedge of a large iceberg head . . .

Then moved on to try the Lobster mac 'n cheese:

and veggie pizza. . .

Kid's Fingers and Fries . . . the Kiddo thought it was funny to just call the chicken tenders "fingers." I'm eating fingers with my fingers!

Dining with my boys at sunset

Enjoying the sunset view . . .

We had to scoot before dessert, but we ordered a chocolate and caramel one to go - YUM!

Thanks to the Sea Crest Beach Hotel for inviting us to check out the recent renovations and treating us to dinner. Read more about the recent renovations at the Sea Crest Beach Hotel.

Newly Renovated Sea Crest Beach Hotel on Cape Cod

The Sea Crest Beach Hotel on Cape Cod completed a $15 million multi-year renovation project earlier this year and invited us to check out the remodeled family beach hotel for ourselves. Cape Cod? Family beach hotel? Yes, please! Between c2cDad's travel schedule and my work schedule, this was our first trip to the beach all summer, so we were beyond giddy to pack up the car and head toward the sand and waves of the Cape.

Located directly on a private beach in North Falmouth, Mass., the Sea Crest Beach Hotel is a family-friendly hotel just a four to five hour drive from our home in North Jersey. Coincidently, this is the same amount of time it can take to drive out to the Hamptons (or the Jersey Shore in traffic ;-)).

Our hotel room was perfect for a family beach vacation. Views of the ocean, a mini refrigerator, counter space to accomodate our beach bag supplies. We were impressed by the housekeeping staff because each day our room was spotless, and being on the beach, I know that we tracked in some sand - but there was no trace of it after their rounds. Impressive.

We arrived to find this delectable spread awaiting us in our room . . .

The view from our room mid-day . . .

In reality, though, the entire staff at the hotel went out of their way to be helpful, friendly, and get to know us. Our breakfast server stopped by to say hello even when we weren't sitting in her section the subsequent days. The front desk staff shared recommendations and followed up with a phone call to our room to make sure we found answers to any questions we had. They just couldn't have been sweeter.

Because the hotel faces westward and is positioned directly on the sandy beach without any obstructions to the sunset view, the sun setting each evening was an event in itself. People calmly clamored for window tables at the restaurants, and positioned themselves on the beach and on the walkways to watch the sun go down and the offer to take photos of each other.

Can't get enough photos of the beautiful beach hotel? See more of my photos in my Sea Crest Beach Hotel set on Flickr. 

If you're looking to luxuriate on the beach these last few days of summer to catch some final summer rays, the Sea Crest Beach Hotel has several promotional discounts that you may want to take advantage of. Be sure to check out their Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/seacrestbeachhotel