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. **

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. 

Floridian Perks | Tampa Bay Parenting Magazine

 The Perks Of Being Floridian

Living in Tampa Bay, we're fortunate that so many vacation-worthy spots are just a short drive away. 

Last month we had the opportunity to have a wonderful family getaway in Orlando! 

Thanks to Visit Orlando.com we found great Florida resident deals for attractions we could explore outside of theme parks. For the full article on our weekend getaway, you can check it out on TampaBayParenting.com and in the November issue of Tampa Bay Parenting Magazine! 

** This post was sponsored by Visit Orlando.com. As always, all photos, opinions and ideas are my own. 

North Georgia Getaway | Barnsley Resort

Planning Summer vacations this year looks a lot different than we all had imagined, but that doesn't mean they can't be just as wonderful!

We planned a trip to Barnsley Resort in North Georgia for Spring Break, but when quarantine began, had to postpone. So, we were super excited to make the drive up for the 4th of July, and it certainly did not disappoint. Our visit to Barnsley Resort made for the most wonderful family getaway while confidently social distancing!

Here are some of the things we loved about Barnsley Resort & you will too!

1. The charm & beauty of this Southern Estate is unlike any other.  From your initial drive onto the property, you'll be pleasantly surprised by this secluded treasure. From the rolling hills, the beautiful maple trees, to the wild flowers sprinkled all along the trails on the property, you'll have a greater appreciation for nature's beauty in Northern Georgia.  

2. The amenities are terrific! A Fazio-designed championship golf course, a spa & big pool with plenty of space to distance safely from others  (reservations were required) and worth mentioning, the sweetest staff at the pool made kid version strawberry daiquiris for the boys, making them feel so special! Fire pits & logs are available all over the property and nightly s'more supplies are made available to enjoy each night after the day's adventures. 

3. The activities are endless! Hiking & biking trails, catch & release fishing ponds (the boy's favorite thing), use of canoes & life jackets, lawn games sprinkled all over the resort, and the Barnsley Farm! 

Some of the activities we are looking forward to on our next visit include the Beretta Shooting Grounds for Clay Shooting & maybe when the boys are older, Quail Hunting! A hike to the lookout, and a guided horseback trail is on the top our list for next time. The boys made friends with the horses and animals at the Barnsley Farm, so it will feel like a little reunion when we return! ;) 

We caught 5 fish on one of the fishing ponds. (Even Mom caught one!) It's catch and release fishing and we rented the poles from the Outpost that morning. The boys had a blast & I loved photographing and watching their excitement when they caught fish after fish!  

4. A visit to the Manor House Ruins & Gardens is included in your stay and you won't want to miss it! It's so beautiful and the story behind it is incredibly romantic! Godfrey Barnsley built this Italinate villa for his wife. It's obvious why the Manor House & Gardens serves as a gorgeous wedding venue too! I loved learning about the resort's history & taking all the pictures of this beautiful spot! 

5. The dining, was delicious! Still thinking about the delicious BBQ we had on our first night! There are 3 restaurants on the property, Woodlands Grill, The Beer Garden & The Rice House. The Rice House was closed during our visit, but because we were there on a holiday weekend, the property brought in food trucks to enjoy as well! 

This was the perfect trip for our family to getaway and still main social distance safely, in addition to celebrating the 4th of July in a very special way! I just loved the patriotic touches all over the property & the special events they held during the weekend. The family bike parade and family flag craft project, and a fantastic firework show! The boys had a blast decorating and riding their bikes in the parade.. 

I'm hoping I can convince my husband that we need a giant American flag for our porch like the one pictured here? :) What do you think? I was obsessed with it! :) 

 Our family had such a wonderful time that we've already made plans to go back in a few months! And we're also thinking of making our visit for the 4th of July, an annual trip! 

Ready to book your stay? You can choose to stay at the inn on the property, but I would highly recommend booking your own cottage. We absolutely loved having our own little space in the village and it was centrally located to everything the resort had to offer. 

Lastly, how are they accommodating for social distancing? Every staff member wore a mask at all times. They included a small personal hand sanitizer in our cottage, in addition to hand sanitizer available all over the resort. We felt very safe and encouraged by all the steps they were taking to keep their guests safe. To learn more about their health & sanitation practices, you can read about it here. 

The Barnsley Resort was such a beautiful place & we can't wait to go back! If you make a visit, tell them the Prose family sent you & say hello to Skippy & the rest of the Barnsley horses!

** 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.