Travel Tuesday: The "Chaos & Core Memories" Edition

They say travel is about the journey, but sometimes the journey involves a tornado, a "kidnapping," and a 4D ride through a power plant. 🌪️⚡️

This #TravelTuesday, I’m celebrating the times that "Plan B" (or no plan at all) turned into a core memory.

Exhibit A: The Tornado Staycation 🌪️🏨 When a summer storm knocked out our power for days, we didn't just sit in the dark—we grabbed our points and fled to the aLoft in Beachwood.

• The Pivot: We scored free passes to the Beachwood Rec center for a much-needed pool and spa day. 🏊‍♀️

• The Food: We finally tried Piada. If you’ve never been, it’s basically "Italian Chipotle." Since 95% of our dining out happens on trips, even a quick pasta bowl felt like a five-star event. It’s the little things! 🍝

Exhibit B: The "Picnic" that crossed a border 🧺🇨🇦 To reward my son for a perfect parent-teacher conference (Honor Roll + Perfect Attendance = Mom’s hero!), I told him we were going for a "picnic in the park."

• The Suspicion: About 90 minutes into the drive, he finally looked up and asked, "Where the heck is this park, anyway?"

• The Surprise: Surprise! It was Niagara Falls. We leveled up this time with a room featuring a massive in-room jetted tub—the ultimate "straight-A" luxury. 🛁

• The Pro-Tip: We stumbled upon the Niagara Power Vista. It’s 100% free and was a total highlight. Between the interactive grid games and the 4D movie, it was better than half the paid attractions on Clifton Hill! ⚡️

Travel doesn't have to be a multi-thousand dollar flight to Paris (though we love those too!) to be a core memory. Sometimes it’s just a jetted tub, a pasta bowl, and a surprise road trip.

What’s the best "impromptu" trip you’ve ever taken? Tell me your stories! 👇

#TravelTuesday #CoreMemories #NiagaraFalls #BeachwoodOH #TravelPuns #MomWin #PowerVista #Staycation