Jasmine The Invincible

Shenandoah Crossing is a hidden jewel. This beautiful property is situated along the picturesque backdrop of the rolling Blue Ridge Mountains and the Shenandoah River. The campus is located in Gordonsville VA, and it is well off of the beaten path. The nearest stores are about 15-20 minutes away, so you have to be happy with the onsite offerings if you do not want to have to drive very far for entertainment/shopping. The property offers a number of well-done amenities including a gym, horse stables, putt-putt golf, pools and hot tubs, an arcade, a general store and a bar/restaurant.  At check-in you receive a schedule of events for the week that range anywhere from free-$20 per person. My fiance and I noticed there were cool things going on during the weekdays before our check-in, but not much else during the weekend. Monday-Thursday they offered craft-making, tours, and various other activities for guest to enjoy.    It would have been nice to have the option ...

This is not an endorsed post. I used my own money to pay for this trip. Below is my honest opinion of my experience. During our Shenandoah Crossing baecation , my fiance and I decided to venture into the woodlands of Virginia and seek out the majestic Stone Mountain Vineyards. I'd purchased a Groupon for a wine tasting for two which included a cheese plate. The drive from Quicksburg, VA to Dyke, Virginia takes about an hour. It is a beautiful, peaceful ride. We passed farms, adorable country cottages, and miles and miles of sprawling, green fields. That being said, the drive up the mountain is TERRIFYING! It is not at all for the faint of heart. The road is very narrow and literally windes around the edge of a steep mountain. We were scared that a passing vehicle would push us off the roadway, or that a bear would fall out of a tree and onto the hood of our car. On a more serious note, it is very difficult to navigate the roadway if a vehicle is approaching you in the ...

Image from Groupon.com Soooooo let me start this off by stating that I am a cruise fanatic. I have cruised Norwegian, Royal Caribbean, Carnival, and Princess. This wasn't even my first trip to the Bahamas -  I actually visited Paradise Island about 4 months before my January 2016 trip. Previous promotion for Bahamas Paradise on Groupon This adventure begins with me purchasing this Groupon for my mother as a part of her Christmas gift. The deal was for an Ocean View room for 2 people for $189 for a two-day cruise out of West Palm Beach. Not a bad rate at all. I figured I could find her and my Pop and cheap flight for their quick cruise. However, once other family members learned about this deal it quickly turned into a family vacation. Six of us total - myself included. I was in charge of booking for four of us. Two people booked separately but were told they would be across the hall from us. We were fine with that. We figured we'd all be in the same vicinity. I w...

I have such a strange history with beaches. I think because I never had the healthiest relationship with my body, I never enjoyed wearing swimsuits. This meant I never enjoyed or looked forward to going places where it was required to wear a swimsuit…beaches, pools, ect. It wasn’t until a trip to the Bahamas in 2017 that I realized that I had been missing out all of these years! Afterward, I longed for more beach vacays. Alas, my wallet was like “byeeeeeee!” I figured Maryland beaches could be my substitute. Ocean City, while conveniently located, just wasn’t cutting it though. I just didn’t find the beaches that appealing. The hotels were often old, dingy, and outdated. It was clear that families with children were flocking to the area and since I was unwedded and had no children of my own, I didn't truly feel like it was "for me" outside of taking my younger family members. My niece (pictured above) had a pretty good time at the boardw...

Last year, super awesome CEO blessed our office with three glorious days off to commemorate the 4th of July. As soon as I found out about this unbelievable gift, I begged my fiance to indulge in a weekend retreat with me. Despite our short trip to the Outer Banks in North Carolina earlier in the Spring...we kind of felt like we were overdue for a vacation. I found a seemingly perfect oceanfront hotel in Dewey Beach - one of our best trip destinations to date. We had not been in a year, and since we had very little beach time while in the Outer Banks, we thought this just might be the perfect opportunity to have our moment in the sun! Yes, I took this photo! I settled on Surf Club Oceanfront Dewey - a quaint hotel which was recently updated. Image from Surf Club Hotel I fell in love with the modern beachy decor, full kitchen, and floor-to-ceiling windows with beautiful oceanfront views. I often cheap it out and nickel and dime every single thing budgeting for...