Barnsley Resort | A Summer Tradition

 

Our visits to the Barnsley Resort over the 4th of July each year have become a special family tradition!

We are counting down the days until we make that scenic drive North. I’m sharing a few of our favorite things about the Barnsley and some new additions. You can read about our very first visit here. 

What makes the Barnsley so special? I get this question a lot, and my answer is, you just have to experience it with your family! Aside from being a beautiful historic estate at the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, there are many activities to enjoy! And over the 4th of July, they bring out the southern charm, patriotic style! Not to mention, the resort has been named a top resort in the country in Condé Nast, Forbes and more!

4th of July Bike Parade

During this fun tradition, families are encouraged to decorate their bikes, wagons, and scooters for a parade around the center of the village. Last year poor Max was in a cast and couldn't ride his bike but they invited him to be the Grand Marshall! Did I mention the staff is amazing? For a full look at the calendar of events, click here! This year, there's a slip-n-slide and water balloon fun! 

All American Cook-Out & Fireworks 

After a fun day of activities and pool time, the center of the village turns into a big outdoor bbq party, complete with a blue grass band! Reservations are required for this special event, but it's one you won't want to miss. To make a reservation at any of the restaurants on site, click here. I also highly recommend The Rice House! 

Shortly after sundown, families can gather around the beautiful Jim Fazio designed golf course to watch a fantastic firework show to close out the 4th of July!

In the days leading up to the 4th, they've also held a sparkler salute. Inviting families to light sparklers along the center of the village. 

Additional activities at the Barnsley

Aside from the beautifully renovated pool overlooking the Fazio golf course, there's so much to explore. Families can visit the Manor House Ruins & Gardens, (admission is included in your stay) outdoor adventures including horseback riding, clay shooting and archery, and the 10 acre lake for canoeing and fishing. Our boys love fishing in all of the lakes surrounding the property. Canoes, fishing poles even bikes are available for use at the Outpost. 

Our family also loves visiting with the animals at the Barnsley Farm! 

There's no shortage of fun for families to enjoy together. It's also the perfect place for lounging on the porch of your cottage and reading a book. One of my favorite things about the resort is the slow pace to really rest & relax! I also love the spa! ;) Hint, hint husband. 

S'more kits are available each night for families to enjoy at the end of each day in one of the community fire pits in the village. 

If you're looking for the perfect family getaway, I couldn't recommend the Barnsley Resort enough! It's a 7 hour drive from Tampa, but there's also easy flights through ATL! We love this tradition for the 4th of July. Who's joining us this year? To book your stay visit Barnsleyresort.com 

** These opinions and photos are my own & are the property of Prose & Company. No photos shall be taken with out the permission of the owner of this blog. **

Secret Hashtags | Daytime TV Topics

 Did you know there are secret hashtags shared by teens? We get into this and other parenting topics on the latest segment of Maggie & The Moms on Daytime TV! 

Maggie & The Moms airs on Daytime TV on Mondays at 10 am on local WFLA Channel 8!

Trending Topics on Daytime TV Show

 

Another fun Maggie & The Moms segment on Daytime TV 

and this time we got to participate in a silent disco with Silent Vibes! 

We discussed #luckygirlsyndrome, shared advice for our younger selves and parking lot self-care! To watch this week's segment, click here! 

National Plan for Vacation Day | Busch Gardens Tampa Bay

 Have you made Spring Break plans, yet? If not, check out theses awesome new packages from Busch Gardens Tampa Bay!

In celebration of “National Plan for Vacation Day,” Busch Gardens Tampa Bay is offering a limited-time deal to travelers planning their next vacation to Tampa Bay. For a limited time, all vacation packages booked from Jan. 30 to Feb. 5 will receive a complimentary one-time Quick Queue voucher for use at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay. Vacation packages booked must be redeemed by June 30, 2023.

There is no better way for guests to enjoy a Busch Gardens Tampa Bay vacation than with one of the popular hotel package deals offered by the park. Each vacation package is thoughtfully designed with bundle ticket offers and extras that guests won’t find anywhere else. Travelers looking to book accommodations can choose a package that will include special benefits and choice of accommodations from hand-selected hotel partners. Fan-favorite hotel packages include:

*Kids Free Package

*Eat Free Package 

*Buy 2 Nights, Get 1 Free Package

The National Plan for Vacation Day offer is redeemable from Jan. 30 to Feb. 5, 2023. Be sure to visit Buschgardenstampa.com for more information! 

Tips From A Middle School Mama | Tampa Bay Parenting

I share a little piece of my heart this month with Tampa Bay Parenting Magazine. 

Parenting a pre-teen was intimidating to me, but with these helpful tips, it doesn’t have to be! 

Thankful to be included in this month’s issue! Click here to read. 

https://issuu.com/tampabayparentingmagazine/docs/december_2022_web?fr=sNDg3MDI0MzkzNzg&cjevent=7793fb9b828511ed83263c3a0a82b832&cjdata=MXxOfDB8WXww&cjdata=MXxOfDB8WXww

Halloween Hacks + Teacher Conference | Maggie & The Moms on Daytime TV

On the latest segment of Maggie & The Moms on Daytime TV, we chat about the questions to ask during parent/teacher conferences and share some Halloween mom hacks! :) 

I'm so proud to be a part of this parent panel on Daytime. Love on your mom tribe! To watch this week's segment, click here! 

 

Kids Who Explore | Adventure in Crystal River

Our family was recently invited to be an Explorer Family for Kids Who Explore, a Social Enterprise of families who share their love for the outdoors and inspire others to explore together! How honored we are to be a part of this amazing group of families! On to some adventure! 

We didn't have to travel far for this next adventure. About an hour and a half north of Tampa, is a beautiful hidden gem of Florida, Crystal River! Crystal River is most commonly known for being the 'Manatee Capital of the World,' but there's just so much more to this charming old Florida spot! 

Scalloping in Crystal River 

It was crazy to think this native Floridian had never been scalloping before our recent family trip in August! I could kick myself that we waited so long because it was an absolute BLAST! Thanks to the amazing Scallop Charter with the Adventure Center  at the Plantation on Crystal River for having everything we needed to head out on the water and hunt for those scallops! 

Since this was our first time scalloping, we were lucky to have two additional divers join us on the charter so they could help us hunt for those sneaky little scallops, because they were right, the first time searching for those "Easter eggs" under water was tricky, but so fun! Rachel and Lucas, the bonus divers we got were incredible to help us catch so many scallops! 

Once on the Gulf, we snorkeled for scallops to put in our nets for about an hour, but sadly afternoon thunderstorms cut our charter short. The amazing crew on the charter still managed to make this adventure special by sharing their finds with us and even treating us to scallops right out of the water! With a few tools and ingredients, the crew showed us how to shuck a scallop and then prepared a sample for each of us, making the most delicious snack! Talk about a fresh catch! 

Cook Your Catch 

Back on land, we shared a cup of hot chocolate with the crew while we waited for the rain to stop before heading back to the resort. We had a special dinner planned later that evening. Another amazing perk of Plantation on Crystal River was the opportunity to "Cook Your Catch" with their on-site restaurant. This was such a treat! The restaurant cleaned and prepared our scallops to perfection! 

The Adventure Center at the beautiful, Plantation on Crystal River resort has every adventure available for families to choose from. From manatee tours to fishing charters, there are so many ways to discover this area! We only scratched the surface with the adventure in Crystal River! 

Scallop season begins in July and goes through mid September. We have plans to come back to kayak with manatees soon! 

Have you been to Crystal River? If you haven't, time to book a trip! Visit our friends at Plantation and book a fishing charter with Capt. Paul Cross! Your family will have a blast! :) 

We were guests of Plantation on Crystal River for our scalloping trip. As always, all opinions and photos are our own from our firsthand experience. 

A Cool Day at Weeki Wachee | Tampa Bay Parenting

 
A cool day at Buccaneer Bay at Weeki Wachee Springs, is a day well spent! 

I shared our visit with Tampa Parenting Magazine. To read the article, click here! 

We had the most fun and enjoyed visiting Florida's one and only spring fed waterpark! Have you been to Weeki Wachee?