I’m celebrating my 44th birthday with Kevin and Steevenson at Great Wolf Lodge today. What a trip! Who knew, when I created this blog ten years ago, that I’d be splashin’ around with the most incredible husband and the absolute greatest kid on Earth a decade later. So wild!!
If you’ve never heard of Great Wolf Lodge, it looks like this:
I’m kidding. That’s Flamingo Beach in Aruba. 😉
This is Great Wolf Lodge:
Not *quite* the same thing, but GWL is only an hour away from our house so there ya go. 🙂
I’ll be sure to give you a full report about our experience when we get back home, but in the meantime, you can follow along over on Instagram Stories (@LetteredCottage) if you’d like to see what we’re up to this week. Kevin asked what I wanted for my birthday and I told him that what I’d love, more than anything, is to track down a piece of cake! I saw a meme recently that said, “How do I like my eggs? In a cake.”. I couldn’t agree more! 🙂
And speaking of trips, have y’all ever heard of Pack Up + Go? My friend Aubrie told me about them a few months back.
They call themselves “a surprise travel agency” and this is how their service works:
First, you answer a few quick question:
Your budget per person (travel + accommodation)
Travel dates (3 days only)
Some travel preferences
Traveler information
Step 2
They book your travel + accommodation, given your specified budget.
Step 3
A week before your departure, you receive an email. The email contains:
The weather forecast for your mystery destination
Recommended items to pack (i.e.- a bathing suit, hiking boots)
Any luggage size restrictions
Where to go and when (for example, Grand Central Station, Friday at 10:30am)
Step 4
A few days before your trip, you receive an envelope in the mail, which you do NOT open just yet. The envelope contains directions to your accommodation, and your city guide. It also contains a curated list of recommendations for everything from cafes to nightlife to rainy day activities.
Step 5
You go to the designated location at the given time, open your envelope, and discover where you’re going on your trip!
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I gotta say, I *love* the idea! My friend Aubrie and I are talking about giving it a whirl this year. Her husband, on the other hand, thinks it sounds stressful and doesn’t like the idea of not knowing where he’s going. Something about worrying he wouldn’t like the destination they choose. I think adventure is an attitude though. No matter where you’re traveling to.
What do you think? Does that kind of thing sound intriguing?
I look forward to logging on and reading your comments tonight…after swimming and cake, of course. 😉
Layla
I love this travel idea!! Never heard of this..thanks for sharing:)
Love the idea of a “surprise” vaca!!!! My husband wouldn’t like it either because he’s the planner and the details person. Just put me in a car, boat, train, plane…and I’m ready to go! We’re off to Scotland in August. It’s a dream trip for us! Happy Birthday Layla!
Happy Birthday Layla! Your blog was one of the first I read when I head about “blogs”. Enjoy you birthday celebrations and yes eat cake!!!
Happy Birthday Layla,, I wish you all the best,,,,,,,,,,,
Happy Birthday Layla＼(^o^)／
Happy Birthday, Layla. Enjoy the Lodge. I’m wanting to go to Flamingo Beach now!!
we love Great Wolf in Tennessee. Have the best time…I know Steevenson will. Happy birthday! hope all your wishes come true….and you get that piece of cake!
Happy Birthday! I think a surprise weekend excursion where I didn’t have to overthink any of the details sounds like a dream!
Remember: men have a birthday. women have a festival!!
To many more fun festivals with your adorable family.
I love your journey.
Happy birthday!
Surprise travel sounds delightful.
Happy Birthday Layla!!! I hope you find LOTS of cake! And you got me with the flamingo picture! I looked at that and thought, that’s my kind of lodge! Then I read on 😃
I think the mystery trip sounds intriguing, but a little voice keeps saying what if you spend the money and it’s a place you don’t like? And then another voice says , but it’s a good way to explore and try new places you might not try otherwise!! Too many voices🤪
For me, the best part of a trip (well, almost the best part!) is planning it. So … no surprises for me.
Happy birthday! I can’t believe your 44. You certainly don’t look it. Have a wonderful time with your family. And eat some cake!
I can’t believe my grammatical error. That should be “you’re” NOT “your”.
Wow!! Fun and intriguing!
First, Happy Birthday! As to the surprise travel, nope…I actually don’t like travel. If I could only do day trips, and see all the places I would love to see, it would be great. But I NEVER sleep well the first night away from home, so then I’m dragging thru the next day. And the effort involved with getting to/from, not forgetting things, etc., wears me out too. Also, I always seem to discover something I missed seeing when I get home, and most times it was sooo close by, but we had no clue! Bummer! Have fun at GWL!!
Happy birthday!!
Happy Birthday, Layla! Have fun at GWL.
I love the adventure of planning a vacation. I’m afraid a family surprise vacation could be disappointing. If I could do a girlfriends surprise vacation or just go with my husband I think it could be fun!
Fun idea, but the organized vacation planner in me would never in a millions years do this. It would cause way too much stress.
Happy birthday to you!!! I want to hear more about GWL as it’s not far from where I live. Would love to take my grandgirls who are 7 and 8. Would you recommend it? Plenty to do? Did you stay at the lodge or make it a day trip? Would appreciate your thoughts on it. Now on to your secret vacation! 🙂