2.16.24 Feature Friday

Welcome to the NFN8|BLUE’s(Infinite Blue 😊) Friday Travel Stories and News. Fridays will be all about different experiences and funny stories.

Reader Feature

I decided this past Christmas that I was going to take my kids on a trip rather than buying a lot of presents. I mentioned it to my daughter and my brother and within a couple of weeks we landed on a trip to Florence, Italy! 

My brother would bring his girlfriend and her daughter and I would bring my two kids. We would get an Airbnb big enough for all of us and use Florence as home base. 

I started planning how to get there while using travel benefits with a highly likelihood of arriving the planned date. We decided to fly AA PHX - LHR, BA LHR - LAN (Milan) and take the train from there to Florence. The trip went rather smoothly although I was unable to sleep, so I was exhausted when we arrived. My brother and his crew flew a different route and met us there. 

The Airbnb did not disappoint, it was in a perfect location and had plenty of space for us all. Our first day we explored the city, ate some amazing food and spent some time in the Galileo museum. We even hit up some shops near the Ponte Vecchio bridge where the streets were buzzing with last minute Christmas shoppers. The following day we went to a pasta making class and had the most entertaining chef as our guide. We learned to make tortellini, ravioli and fettuccini. We may have taken a nap after that! On day 3 we took a bus tour of Tuscany, visiting Sienna, San Gimignano and Pisa. It was a full day of walking and learning about these amazing places. 

Day 4 and 5 were pretty low key, as it was Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. We rented scooters and explored some areas farther away from our apartment, Piazza Michelangelo, a couple Cathedrals and some great restaurants. On our last day in Florence, we walked the stairs to the top of the Bell Tour next to El Duomo, saw David in L’Academia museum and checked out the Illusion Museum. 

The last day in Italy, we took a train to Rome, toured the Colosseum and wandered around the Roman Forum. We rode around on the Hop on Hop off Big Bus Tour, but my kids fell asleep, so we called it a day! Ordered in pizza to our apartment and prepared for our flight home the next morning. 

The best part was what my daughter said to me a few days after we arrived home. 

-Staci

Travel Clips

Flight Attendants Stage Protests at Airports Nationwide in America.

Delta Introduces Innovative 'Premium Lounge' Category.

Royal Caribbean Places Order for Seventh Oasis-Class Vessel.

Priceline Enhances Penny, its AI-Driven Chatbot.

Virgin to Divert Resilient Lady to Avoid Middle East.

Spring Break Is Right Around the Corner

Thinking of a road trip for spring break, this one will not disappoint.

🚗🚗Zion National Park: Check out Zion National Park, known for its towering red cliffs, narrow slot canyons, and scenic hiking trails. Take a hike along the iconic Angel's Landing or explore the Narrows for a unique experience walking through a river canyon.

🚗🚗Bryce Canyon National Park: Continue your journey to Bryce Canyon National Park, famous for its otherworldly hoodoo rock formations. Hike or drive along the rim to admire the breathtaking views of the amphitheaters filled with hoodoos glowing in shades of orange and pink, especially beautiful during sunrise and sunset.

🚗🚗Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument: Travel east to explore the rugged wilderness of the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. This vast area offers countless opportunities for hiking, backpacking, and exploring slot canyons, arches, and waterfalls.

🚗🚗Capitol Reef National Park: Head north to Capitol Reef National Park, characterized by its colorful sandstone cliffs, domes, and canyons. Take a scenic drive along the park's main road, stop at viewpoints, and hike trails like Capitol Gorge or Hickman Bridge.

🚗🚗Moab and Arches National Park: Drive further north to Moab, a bustling adventure town surrounded by stunning red rock landscapes. Spend a few days exploring Arches National Park, home to over 2,000 natural sandstone arches, including the iconic Delicate Arch and Landscape Arch.

🚗🚗Dead Horse Point State Park: Before leaving Moab, don't miss Dead Horse Point State Park, where you can marvel at breathtaking views of the Colorado River winding through deep canyons below.

🚗🚗Canyonlands National Park: Just a short drive from Moab, Canyonlands National Park awaits with its dramatic canyons carved by the Colorado River. Visit the Island in the Sky district for panoramic views, or venture into the remote Needles or Maze districts for more solitude and rugged terrain.

If you are flying ✈️ in for your road trip, you can always get into St. George, Utah. Las Vegas is about an hour south of St. George and can be an easier city to fly in. Have a great time!

 Jamie and Ashley