Busch Gardens Tampa Bay

See the full gallery on Posterous

The Cheetah Hunt commercials have suckered my kids into really wanting to go to Busch Gardens.

So part of our mini-spring break we managed to make it to the park.  I just love this place.

It's so pretty, so clean and they have some great rides.  We also picked the perfect day because it felt like we had the park to ourselves.

As you can see from the pictures, we all had a great time. Not only did we see so many animals - UP CLOSE...but we loved so many of the rides.  Brendan loved the Cheetah Hunt so much he rode it THREE TIMES. 

Its just a cool roller coaster that was incrediably smooth.  It plays with your eyes as you ride it- because it's almost like you can't see the track so your not sure which direction you are going to go....

And the best part of the day:

[[posterous-content:pid___0]]

Clearwater Beach - Spring Break 2012

See the full gallery on Posterous

A short spring break weekend brought us to Clearwater Beach. I haven't been in ages....

It's part of our effort to hit all the beaches in Florida - because see, it's important to have a goal.

Of all the beaches I've been to - can't say I'm a big fan of Clearwater.  But, I should try it NOT during spring break.

I felt like it wasn't quite the right place for me to bring my children.  It was full of college springs breakers and very, very senior citizens.

The beach itself was nice.  A lot of lifeguards, lots of sand, easy parking. Definitely a lot of pluses.  I just like my beaches empty!

I did enough the pier - they have a great fishing area at the end which is perfect for families.

While not my favorite beach, it's definitely on the list to try again - just not during spring break.