The Polite Traveler

A Close Look at Dumbledore’s Wand Revised 4/2021 Dear Polite Traveler, I admit it.  I’m a huge Harry Potter fan.  As such, I felt compelled to visit Diagon Alley and The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios Florida for my 60th birthday .  During my visit, I also wanted to immerse myself in the wizarding world by using the new interactive wands.  To do so, I needed to purchase the perfect wand.  (Review of Gryffindor Sweatshirt )  Note : Follow CDC and park guidelines when visiting.  Always wear your face mask when in public.      (This is me performing spells in Diagon Alley & Hogsmeade.  Look closely at the ground in the second photo.  You'll notice two medallions indicating the type of spell to use.) Becoming a Wizard With these new interactive wands, anyone can feel like a real witch or wizard by performing spells in Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade.  Bronze medallions rooted in the sidewalk in front of shop windows indicates where the wand will

What to Know Before You Go Revised 4/2021 As mentioned in my “Disneyland Overview” post , my husband and I visited Disneyland recently to celebrate my sister’s birthday.  Silly lady: she wanted to celebrate her sixtieth with thousands of strangers.  It all good though.  Use any excuse to revisit childhood, I always say.  Note : Follow CDC and park guidelines when visiting.  Always wear your face mask when in public.   However, this revisit to childhood wasn’t quite the exciting time I had envision.  There were definite highs, lows, and disappointments as well.  Here, I share with you my impressions of just one of the seven lands of Disneyland: Adventureland. Note : Due to Covid, things change daily.  To stay up to date with ride closures, etc., download the official Disneyland App.  As of now, many rides are closed. Indiana Jones Adventure By far, my favorite ride in Adventureland is Indiana Jones Adventure.  As a fan of all the movies, I enjoyed the attention to

A Short Visit to the Land of Wines and Wonderful People Revised 4/2021 Dear Polite Traveler, California is a state of countless stunning and diverse cities of all sizes and lifestyles.  Just a few miles from the Oceanside city of Santa Barbara and surrounded by vernal hills and mountains, one of our favorites are the small city of Paso Robles.   Picture lush vineyards dotting the hillside.  A lso p icture a quaint old-fashion style city with streets plotted out on a grid surrounding a large family park that includes a county library.  Now, this is my style of town.  Top it off with over 20 downtown wine tasting rooms and this is a very serious wine tasting destination. Note : Follow CDC and county guidelines when visiting.  Always wear your face mask when in public.    Let’s Take a Walkabout We had little time for this visit—a mere 1-1/2 days.  Consequently, we tried to make the most of our short stay.  Arriving in the afternoon, we spent the morning in Solvang (not far from Pas

Perfect Place for the Mobility Challenged Revised 4/2021 For our well-deserved, but short vacation, we traveled a relatively short distance from our hometown hamlet of Davis, CA to the lovely town of Paso Robles.  We stayed in Hampton Inn and Suites Paso Robles and I heartily recommend a stay.  Besides the free manager’s, welcome wine tastings paired with cheese, deli meats, fruit, and crackers—very generous.   The free breakfast, free Wi-Fi, and regularly upgraded rooms urge for a timely return.  Note : Follow CDC and County guidelines when visiting.  Always wear your face mask when in public. Mobility Rooms We spoke to a woman with muscular dystrophy who stayed in one of the first-floor wheelchair-accessible rooms with many amenities, such as a doorbell with an audio/strobe alert.  She found everything well-arranged and comfortable for both her and her service dog.  With the free Wi-Fi, she worked well into the night. It's Five O’clock Somewhere When in Paso

Are the Restaurants in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter Diagon Alley Expensive & Overrated or Good Food Reasonably Priced? Revised 4/2021 Since my visit to Universal Orlando is to celebrate my 60th birthday —huge deal for a woman—I didn’t want to miss a thing.  Since I’m also a Potter Head, I wanted to immerse myself in all things Harry Potter. Therefore, it follows that I’d have to sample the food and, of course, the Butterbeer of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Diagon Alley.  I expected the food to be much overpriced and barely eatable.  What I found was a mixed bag. Note : Follow CDC and park guidelines when visiting.  Always wear your face mask when in public. The Leaky Cauldron Fans will undoubtedly recognize this restaurant as Harry’s first glimpse into the Wizarding world and one that he visits often.   After all, the only way into Diagon Alley from the Muggle world is through The Leaky Cauldron.   Universal’s version is very similar in appearance and f