Uhma Spa: The Miami Beach eco-chic urban sanctuary

There are spas all over Miami -- many of the beach resorts have spas -- but Uhma Spa is one that was designed and built to be environmentally friendly as well as naturally relaxing. I got a chance to visit this spa on the Chevy Eco Chic Tour last weekend and experience how being "green" is the perfect choice for a spa.

Uhma Spa uses bamboo flooring as well as domestic wood and low-VOC paint on the walls, so as soon as you enter, you are enveloped in a more-natural atmosphere. HEPA air filters and the scent of essential oils and soy candles even make the air more breathable. The owners, from Brazil, filter their own water so no plastic bottles are used, and all their products are organic and cruelty-free. The spa's shop sells nontoxic and all-natural products.



In addition to Uhma Spa's "green" factor, the spa treatments are top notch. On the tour, I had a mini massage -- definitely the most relaxing 10 minutes of my week! This was my spa room:



They also do facials, scrubs, masks, wraps, acupuncture and water therapy, including a Vichy shower, which originated in Vichy, France. A uniquely designed shower head arm streams jets of water over your body while you relax:

The bathtub is designed so that each jet has its own pipe, so there are no worries about contamination. Uhma Spa really has thought of everything, including a quiet waiting room where you can comfortably sip complimentary tea or water.

It's hard to believe all this natural goodness is right on the street in Miami Beach and definitely worth a visit when you are in town.

- - - - -

Chevrolet provided a day of visits to green Miami businesses including Uhma Spa and transportation to and from them. They also provided a gift bag with items like a tire gauge/pen set. Uhma Spa gave each person on the Chevy Eco Chic Tour a gift bag with items like sunscreen and samples of Jane Iredale makeup. Opinions and silliness are my own.

Walt Disney World Vacation Field Guides books for families and kids

As much as my family loves Disney World and as often as we've been there, I have never experienced Disney World with an adventurer or explorer's mind. Now that I have two excellent books by Tracie A. Cook, though, my family's next vacation in Disney World is going to be more interesting and exciting!

Cook, a former teacher and perennial Disney enthusiast, has written Walt Disney World Adventure: A Field Guide and Activity Book for Explorers and Kid Tips for Walt Disney World: Touring Advice by Kids for Kids.

Walt Disney World Adventure is a unique guide book to the four theme parks because it also includes educational learning activities for kids. Try decoding the hieroglyphic secret message related to Epcot's Spaceship Earth ride, the Animal Kingdom Kali River Rapids fractions, a Magic Kingdom Haunted Mansion addition problem chart or the Hollywood Studios Studio Backlot Tour crossword puzzle. There are fun facts and tips for each attraction or ride. (Did you know that in the Germany pavilion in Epcot, the statue there depicts Saint George on a horse, slaying a dragon -- because almost every German village has such a statue?)

Although my two- and four-year-old boys are too young for many of the book's activities, we can do some of them together as a family. I like the list of ideas to choose from for making our visit more environmentally friendly, the "scavenger hunt" for pictures to spot while walking around Fantasyland and Adventureland, and the challenge to list animals that are in the following four categories: spots or stripes, migrate, water and herds. My family can also use all the good tips throughout the book, like which lines are shorter, where to sit for certain attractions and what kids typically enjoy about each attraction.

Kid Tips for Walt Disney World is another great resource for families because it's full of tips from a kid's point of view -- it's written by kids. Boys and girls 7-15 tell it like it is for not only theme park attractions, but also the Disney water parks, resorts, character meals and more. Kids who are old enough to read well should enjoy this book to prepare for an upcoming vacation, while parents and group chaperones can use this guide to know what will be the most fun.

Some sample kid tips:

- Go on a Kim Possible mission the Epcot World Showcase to hunt down bad guys!

- Stitch's Great Escape in the Magic Kingdom might be scary to some little kids.

- Take time to watch the Hollywood Studios street performers -- they are fun and sometimes make kids part of the show!

- Visit the water parks while it's raining to avoid crowds.

- Get a Hidden Mickey sheet from the front desk at the Polynesian Resort.

Kids give other great general tips about visiting Disney World.

For families looking to get more out of a Disney World trip than just time spent standing in line, a sunburn and some family photos, Walt Disney World Adventure and Kid Tips are good resources to have.

Vacation Field Guides provided me these two books for review. Opinions and silliness are my own.

SeaWorld's Aquatica is the best waterpark for kids!

Crazy confession: There are fewer things I love more than waterslides. (Yes, I'm 11 years old on the inside.) I could live at a waterpark, and I think my favorite waterpark is Aquatica -- at least this point in my life -- because of all the major waterparks in Florida, I think Aquatica has the most for little kids.

My family and some friends went to Aquatica last week. It was the second time my husband and preschooler had gone. The first time, I was eight months pregnant with my baby -- so no waterslides for me. We loved the South Pacific theme of the park and the variety of places to get something to eat. So this time, I couldn't wait to hand off the kids to my husband (who doesn't do waterslides) for a short while so I could try out all of Aquatica's fun waterslides like Dolphin Plunge (where a clear tube slide sends you through a pool where Commerson's dolphins play) and Omaka Rocka (a fast tube and tunnel slide).

Somehow, it just didn't work out that way. Sniff sniff....

Together with our friends, however, my family did have fun floating down Loggerhead Lane, a lazy river.





All the kids love Walkabout Waters!



I couldn't even fit the whole water play structure in the picture. (And don't you love waterproof camera water spots!)



Kata's Kooaburra Cove was the perfect place to play with my toddler, who was eager to go down the "baby" slides.





My preschooler loved Kata's Kookaburra Cove too.



Another fun thing about Aquatica is you can learn about wildlife, like the macaws and Commerson's dolphins.



My family and friends had a great time at Aquatica. One of these days when I visit, I will actually go down the big waterslides. One of these days....

Miami Beach Botanical Garden

Public gardens are some of the best kind of public spaces, and I was lucky to stumble across one recently: the Miami Beach Botanical Garden. The tall wrought-iron gates were open, so I stepped past them into the lush, tamed jungle, looking around at the green and pink and white as though I was collecting colors, and wondered which way to go first. A young couple was to the right, peering over a flowered bush, so I went left. Finding a garden isn't something that happens to me a lot, so I allowed myself the rare chance to wander. And possibly get lost.

Getting lost turned out not to be a possibility, because the garden covers half of a small block (shared with the Holocaust Memorial) -- surrounded by development on all sides. A half-mile to the west is the Intracoastal, and a half-mile to the east is the Atlantic Ocean. The paths in the garden start out paved and well-marked, then become walkways of various surfaces, eventually winding down into grass where no path is visible. I couldn't have lost my way in the garden, but there are enough solitary places that you could sit and think, and not believe that just past the gates is a large parking lot.

The Miami Beach Botanical Garden, like Miami Beach, is eclectic. The garden displays its Art Deco side:



Its sensual side:



And an Asian side:





There are areas of the garden where you're not quite sure where you are, or which could be anygarden:



Miami Beach Botanical Garden also displays some of the flowers and plants that could only be grown in a subtropical place, such as Miami Beach: miniature pomegrantes,



Orchids,



Frangipani (which are used to make leis),



And many other flowering plants, bushes and small trees that are right at home in South Florida.

Miami Beach Botanical Garden seems to be a popular place to hold events, and to some people, that may be all the small garden is worth. It's not a place to bring young children for an outing, only because they wouldn't find it fun. But a person who simply wants to step into a beautiful space for a while will find the garden a haven.

Miami Beach Botanical Garden is at 2000 Convention Center Drive (across from the Miami Beach Convention Center and back-to-back with the Holocaust Memorial), open 9 am to 5 pm Tuesday through Friday. Admission is free.

"Let the Memories Begin" Tour

My family loves going to Disney World (we are planning to sneak over for a day next week!), and it's easy for us to go because it's just a three-hour drive.

But.

I almost wish I could be in a land far, far away to experience Disney's "Let the Memories Begin" Tour. It's an interactive Disney photo experience that lets you take pictures of yourself as though you were in a Disney park. Sounds like a great time! Even more fun, the Disney folks will be spreading pixie dust in each city on the tour! Magical.

Check out the tour schedule and see if it's in a city near you:

Houston, TX: 7/12-7/13

Seattle, WA: 8/20-8/21

Boston, MA: 6/5 - 6/6

Phoenix, AZ: 7/19 - 7/20

Calgary, Canada: 8/26 - 8/27

New York, NY: 6/10 - 6/12

Denver, CO: 7/26 - 7/27

Toronto, Canada: 9/2 - 9/3

Washington D.C.: 6/18 - 6/19

Salt Lake City, UT: 7/30 - 7/31

Puerto Rico: 9/23 - 9/24 (San Juan, I assume?)

Atlanta, GA: 6/24 - 6/25

San Francisco, CA: 8/5 - 8/6

Dallas, TX: 7/8 - 7/9

Portland, OR: 8/16 - 8/17

Cheetah Hunt, Busch Gardens' newest roller coaster, opens today!

Cheetahs will be big this summer with today's opening of Busch Gardens' newest roller coaster, Cheetah Hunt and real cheetah attraction, Cheetah Run. Sure wish I was there today to ride it! I hope I can take my family this summer (and sneak in a ride, because my boys are too little and my husband is not a coaster fan!).

Cheetahs are the fastest land animal, and that's what inspired the new coaster. Cheetah Hunt uses repelling magnets to go up to 60 miles per hour! Riders go up the 102-foot Windcatcher Tower, down into four underground trenches, over Busch Gardens’ Skyride, around a whitewater canyon and through a roll inversion.

The new ride is the longest coaster at Busch Gardens (in Tampa) at 4,429 feet, covering 13 acres. It also has a shorter height requirement (48 inches) than the park's other large coasters. So, it should be a memorable experience for families. Or moms seeking a thrill ride apart from their families. [cough cough]

The other part of the new attraction is Cheetah Run, where 14 cheetahs are at home in a habitat that looks like ancient temple ruins. Several times a day, lures will attract the cheetahs and urge them to sprint, showing off their speed and agility. Large glass windows let park visitors see the cheetahs up close. Wouldn't you love to come face to face with this furry speedster?

More importantly, videos and touch-screen stations teach about the cheetah's drop in population and how Busch Gardens’ partnership with the Cheetah Conservation Fund is helping the cats. So it's not all screams and oohs and ahhs.

If you have little kids like mine, they can ride the Air Grover coaster that's in the Sesame Street Safari of Fun area in Busch Gardens. Kids as short as 38 inches tall can ride with an adult. And before you know it, they'll be lining up to go on Cheetah Run!

Surf Road

Street sign

Is there a fun street name where you live?

Southern Florida backroads road trip

I love Florida (where I live), and I love exploring. I love road trips, and I love nature. So this weekend at the SheCon conference when I heard about the Chevrolet Drive Green Challenge -- asking bloggers what they would do with a Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid for a week -- I knew that I'd have to respond with a driving tour of my favorite backroads areas of southern Florida. The Tahoe Hybrid is perfect for natural areas because it's less polluting. If you're thinking about a Florida trip or want to get acquainted with some of Florida's more-natural or lesser-known areas, check out my grand plan!

Big Cypress National Preserve

Day One. I'd gather my family and head west along the Tamiami Trail. The Tamiami Trail was named for the two cities that it connects -- Tampa and Miami. There are wonderful natural areas along this road, along with Miccosukee tribe settlements. My family would visit the Shark Valley Visitor Center of Everglades National Park (take the tram tour, or bike along the 16-mile paved path through the grasslands full of gators). Then we'd take the bumpy, unpaved and wild Loop Road (which the Tahoe could handle) in Big Cypress National Preserve to Sweetwater Strand, one of our favorite places to see gators and listen to birds. Farther down Tamiami Trail still within Big Cypress is a beautiful picnic area with a boardwalk -- a great place for lunch. My family would make a stop at famed photographer Clyde Butcher's Big Cypress Gallery and Fakahatchee Strand Preserve State Park (if the mosquitoes weren't too bad), then pass the smallest post office in the United States and head south to Everglades City, where we'd stay in one of the nice inns there after watching the sun set on Florida Bay.

Day Two. After taking a boat tour of the bay, my family would continue west on Tamiami Trail to Marco Island, home of one of my favorite beaches in Florida -- Tigertail Beach. We'd watch the kayakers pull their kayaks across the water, caught by low tide, and watch oystercatchers and reddish egrets hunt for fish. After lunch, we'd head north to the Immokalee area and look for wildlife along the boardwalks of the Audubon Society's Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary. We'd stay as late as we could for the best/most wildlife viewing chances (or until one of our sons got too tired and cranky), then drive about an hour and a half to Sanibel Island on the coast to crash at a beachside bungalow.

Sanibel Island

Day Three. My family would play at the beach on Sanibel and look for shells, doing the "Sanibel stoop." We'd take the driving tour through the main tract of J.N. "Ding" Darling National Wildlife Refuge, where in the past we've spotted a yellow rat snake, horseshoe crabs and lots of bird species like black-necked stilts and magnificent frigatebirds. The wildlife refuge is one of the nation's birdwatching hotspots. The island shops and restaurants would be fun to explore during the afternoon, and then we'd take a sunset cruise in the Gulf of Mexico and see some of the other barrier islands. And we'd stay another night.

Okaloacoochee Slough State Forest

Day Four. Reluctantly, my family would leave Sanibel in the morning. But we'd head east through Florida panther territory for a side trip to Okaloacoochee Slough State Forest. This is pretty, open country (not much like a tree-thick forest) and a great place to drive through to see the lay of the land. Maybe we'd see an endangered Everglades snail kite soaring over the slough or a rare crested caracara looking for prey. Driving northeast toward the Gulf again, we'd visit Myakka River State Park outside of Sarasota. Myakka is one of my favorite all-around state parks. My family would love to ride the Gator Gal (dubbed the world's largest airboat) on the lake and climb the Canopy Walkway. Then we'd camp in our tent or stay the night in one of the park's cabins.

Myakka River State Park

Day Five. There are some really nice trails in Myakka, and so much to see in the park. But eventually, we'd leave the Myakka River area and drive east to the Peace River. Both rivers flow into the Gulf of Mexico. My family would have to stop at the Canoe Outpost to do a paddling trip down the river. Many people get out of their canoes along the way to look for fossils -- and my husband and I have taken this trip twice and seen some amazing fossils other people have discovered, including jaw bone from a mastodon. We've also seen some of the biggest alligators on this stretch of the river! After our paddling trip, my family would drive east to Kissimmee Prairie Preserve State Park. We've spotted a couple of different kinds of snakes here, and alligators too. But the best thing we've seen at this park in the past is the beautiful night sky. Because the park is far from the light pollution of the coastal cities, Kissimmee Prairie is a favorite for stargazers and astronomy groups. So my family would have to camp here for the night and hope for a clear, dark sky.

Day Six. After waking up to the sound of birds singing in the morning, my family would hike some trails in the prairie, then pack up our tent and drive clockwise around the Lake Okeechobee to DuPuis Reserve, a forest with a wonderful scenic drive perfect for the Tahoe. My family would also get out and hike along the trails, hoping to spot a bald eagle or other bird of prey. There is a lot to see in the forest. When we were done exploring, we would drive south past the sugar cane fields back to our home. And probably collapse.

Day Seven. My family would be tired but happy after all that exploring through the backroads of southern Florida. Before turning in the Tahoe after a week of adventuring, maybe we'd take it on one last little trip, to the nearby Everglades buffer area just to see the sawgrass and the ospreys that look for fish that are so common in this part of the River of Grass.

Southern Florida is a region that is wonderfully rich in beautiful, diverse natural areas and history that you learn in the parks. I feel lucky to live here and near so many great places that, frankly, we're too busy with daily life to go see very often. So, yeah, I'd give the Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid a workout covering all that territory. It would be an adventurous week with my family!

All images are my own.

Where can young children get out and play in Disney World?

My family loves going to Disney World, but one of the "gotchas" about taking very young children is that it's too busy and crowded to let them walk on their own -- they get trampled (I've seen it happen!) or worse, they can get lost. That's why when we were in the Magic Kingdom, we made it a point to visit Pooh's Playful Spot in Fantasyland:



and the play area in Mickey's Toontown Fair, where the little ones could safely run around, go down slides and make new friends.



However, both of these play areas have closed as Disney World expands Fantasyland.

Cue sad face.

Going around the theme parks, it's not fun for a toddler or young preschooler to go from carrier to stroller to high chair to lap -- without ever getting a chance to release some energy, run around and play. In my experience, a kid who doesn't get physical activity during the day is a cranky kid who has a hard time falling asleep at night. And all parents know that isn't part of the recipe for a fun vacation.

However, my kids still get to enjoy physical play at these spots around the Magic Kingdom:

1. Tom Sawyer Island in Frontierland is a great place for kids of all ages to stretch their legs. The ground is uneven in some places, and there are stairs, so wobbly toddlers will need some help. However, there are bridges, tunnels and pretty views on the island (you take a pontoon "raft" across the river near Splash Mountain), so it's really fun to explore. My four-year-old loved the bridge made out of barrels and walked across it several times. He also loved the fort. My one-year-old couldn't walk across the barrel bridge but enjoyed the challenge of the stairs that are placed throughout the island.



2. There is a small playground under the train station in Frontierland where kids play. You have to walk under the train station to get to Splash Mountain, and the play area has a Splash Mountain Brer Rabbit theme to it. It's not very big, but it's in the shade. Score!

3. In Tomorrowland, the stage area (on the far side, near the railroad tracks) is often where characters will come out and start a dance party. If your kids like to get their groove on, just follow the music. Check the weekly schedule, available at your resort or near the entrance of each theme park, for times and locations of character appearances.

4. If your child is good with stairs, definitely climb up the Swiss Family Treehouse in Adventureland. The stairs are narrow, really allowing only single file, and are well-contained, so you don't have to worry about your child falling from the top of the tree. Once you've exerted yourself with climbing up, the stairs then lead you back down. It's so fun, your family might want to go back a second time!

There are places for little ones to play in the other Disney World theme parks too. We like the Honey, I Shrunk the Kids play area in Hollywood Studios:



The Affection Section petting zoo area in Conservation Station, Animal Kingdom, is a place where kids can walk around and touch goats, sheep and other animals:



The Boneyard, where kids can play in the sand and pretend to be paleontologists uncovering fossils, is another choice at Animal Kingdom.

All Disney World resorts have playgrounds in addition to their spectacular pools, like this one at the French Quarter (notice the Mardi Gras colors -- Disney thinks of everything!):



so families can let kids get the wiggles out.

It's fun to experience the magic of Disney World with little ones, who definitely have more fun when they get the chance to get out of the stroller and play. It makes for a better overall family vacation.

Disneyphiles, what are other safe places for young children to play?

Jungle Island: A funny thing happened on the way to see the penguins

My four-year-old son is crazy about penguins. My toddler likes them, too, just because his brother does. So when we heard there were penguins at Jungle Island in Miami, less than an hour's drive from our home, we all had to make a trip.

The first thing we did after buying our tickets was ask how to find the penguins.

(OK, actually the first thing we did was leave our cooler at the guest services desk. I had packed it with food that my son can eat -- he has food allergies -- and Jungle Island doesn't allow food or drinks to be taken into the park.)

On our way to the penguins, though, we saw parrots. Lots and lots of parrots like this macaw:



And parrot-like birds, including cockatoos.



If you have quarters on you, get some bird food from the nearby dispensers, and feed the parrots. They're very gentle.



There are lots of unique tropical birds like lorikeets and conures in enclosures throughout the park.

On the way to the penguin exhibit (did you notice my son is carrying stuffed penguins in that picture?), we also saw primates like baboons and cute little monkeys. Their enclosures didn't make for good photos, though.

Finally, we saw penguins!



The penguins at Jungle Island are African penguins. Most people think of penguins as living in Antarctica, but some species live in warm climates -- all in the southern hemisphere. (Hey, I almost sound like a penguin expert!

We didn't stay at the penguin exhibit for long, and went through the serpentarium (that means snakes! alligators! a crocodile!). My boys bypassed the chance to play with the goats in the petting zoo and played on the playground instead.





Later, we watched the peacock and peahen, walked along the Everglades habitat boardwalk and through the plant nursery and saw a lot more birds everywhere we went. Including a rather aggressive flamingo. (He nipped a little girl next to us for no reason!)



Somehow, we missed seeing the camel, and we didn't catch any of the animal shows that Jungle Island is known for. But after two and a half hours (including going back to get our cooler and eat lunch at the cafe), my boys were ready to go.

I think two to three hours is just about the right amount of time to spend there. We'll be back -- our admission included an annual pass -- and ready to explore more. We have to play on the Jungle Island beach this summer!

Jungle Island is open every day from 10 am until 5 pm (weekdays) or 6 pm (weekends). Adult admission is $32.95; admission for kids 3-10 is $24.95. Parking is $8, cash only.

Port Orleans resort in Disney World: French Quarter vs. Riverside

Disney World has so many great resorts to stay at, and I am making it a goal to stay at each one, eventually. My family stayed at Port Orleans in December and again last weekend, which gave us the chance to see both the Riverside portion of the resort and the French Quarter side.

Actually, Port Orleans is almost like three resorts in one. There are separate entrances for Riverside and French Quarter, with walking paths that connect them so guests can visit either end. However, within Riverside, the resort is further divided into the Magnolia and Alligator Bayou themes. The Magnolia buildings look like antebellum mansions, with their large columns and other grand touches. Alligator Bayou offers the homespun side -- the "backwater," more country-feeling part of the resort.

Port Orleans is one of three Disney Moderate resorts -- it's not a Deluxe resort, but it's not the most basic Value resorts, either. (The other two Moderate resorts are Coronado, which has a Spanish/Latin theme to it, and the Caribbean.)

I had been wanting to stay at the French Quarter for a long time just because it sounded romantic. And it is! I loved the architecture with its pretty French touches here and there.



The grounds are designed to look as though you're staying in the heart of New Orleans.



You'll even find "streets" among the buildings where the rooms are located, with street lamps and signs that have fun or punny names.



The pool area is gorgeous, and the centerpiece is a water slide that looks like a sea serpent with King Triton sitting on top.



It was even great to hear Dixieland music playing while you walk around the resort.

Inside our room, the beds and amenities were pretty standard and well maintained, with a definite New Orleans feel to it.

Contrast that to Riverside, where my family stayed in the Alligator Bayou part of the resort, whose rooms have comforters with a quilt design printed on them (look for the Mickey Mouse ears!) and the beds have the appearance of being made out of logs. I have gone camping and stayed in cabins before, but for a hotel, this was a bit too country for me.



However, I loved the grounds at Alligator Bayou because the landscaping was natural and not the manicured lawns of French Quarter or Magnolia.



This is what the real Florida looks like to me -- thick stands of trees and even swamps. I half expected to see a deer peek out of the wooded areas we walked through (but we saw only squirrels).

My preschooler loved seeing the big wheel of the "mill" near the restaurant, Boatwright's.



What is nice about both French Quarter and Riverside is you can take a boat ride on the Sassagoula River past the Saratoga Springs and Old Key West resorts to Downtown Disney and back. My family did that one evening, just for the experience. We thought it was fun, but we didn't like waiting 40 minutes at the end of a long line of other people who wanted to do the same thing. The boats are popular! If you get a fun captain, the ride can be even more entertaining.



Also, you can take a horse-drawn carriage ride at either French Quarter or Riverside.



At Riverside, you can rent a variety of boats, bicycles and surreys (which are canopied carriages that you pedal like a bicycle). You can even go fishing! The French Quarter showed Toy Story 3 on a huge outdoor screen one night.

I didn't see anything spectacular about the pool area we visited at Riverside, but I guess that's in keeping with the theme. There are several pools throughout Riverside.

There are also several theme park bus stops at Riverside -- which my husband and I felt was one of the downsides to staying at Port Orleans. When we stayed at French Quarter, one of the buses picked us up first, and then we had to stop at all of the bus stops at Riverside before even leaving the parking lot. Port Orleans is pretty spread out.

Like other Disney resorts, both the French Quarter and Riverside have quick-service restaurants, playgrounds and arcades. They both have lounges that seemed to be hopping every night.

My husband and I liked staying at Riverside. We can't say it's our favorite resort overall, but I would say the French Quarter and Caribbean are a tie for me for first place in the Moderate resorts. Laissez les bon temps roulez!