Short Family Getaway

We like to set aside money to take short weekend getaways now and then. It's fun to hang out with just the 4 of us, away from the distractions of television, laundry, work and school.

This past weekend we went to the Renaissance Festival in Shakopee, Minnesota. It was a favorite spot of my parents' and they spent many anniversaries there. It was exciting to introduce Three and Green to a family tradition of sorts.

They saw Puke and Snot for the first time, sadly without the original Snot who passed away earlier this month unexpectedly. Green got to battle Pool Boy in a sword fight. Pool Boy taught Green how to shoot a bow and arrow. And they both got to throw tomatoes at the dude in the vegetable pit. They learned a lot of new things (some not so kid-appropriate) and we had a great time getting away.

If you are going, and I'm sure you'll all rush up there now, I highly recommend staying at this place. It's not your normal hotel. It's elegant, out in the middle of its own acreage and is not full of kids. And the best part, they have their own indoor gymnasium and racketball court. Green thinks we should go back up there and stay "for a whole week!" All that, and the rates are cheaper than the regular hotels we looked at. Our room rate included 2 adults passes to the festival and two drinks at the bar in the hotel.