During the school year, Lily’s teacher asked her what was her favorite family vacation memory.  Her response?  Sleeping in a hotel in Monroe, Louisiana.  As you might guess, Monroe is not your typical vacation destination, in fact this is where we usually evacuate to flee a hurricane.  It was this conversation that made my husband and I realize that we deserve a REAL vacation!  I am happy to report that we will soon be traveling to the Portofino Island Resort on Pensacola Beach, Florida!  A little from their website:

“Portofino Island is the ultimate Gulf Coast getaway and Pensacola’s premier family-friendly resort destination.  It is situated on 28 beautiful acres in Pensacola Beach between the emerald waters of the Gulf of Mexico and the gentle shores of Santa Rosa Bay. It is also adjacent to the pristine Gulf Islands National Seashore. The land itself is called Santa Rosa Island; it is the world’s largest barrier island.

Portofino Island’s beautiful waterfront location, stunning accommodations, world-class resort amenities and customized service standards – make it a natural indulgence. No other resort is located on the Gulf of Mexico, the Santa Rosa Sound and the Gulf Islands National Seashore. The vast complimentary and discounted amenities make Portofino Island a great vacation value.”

We will be staying in a condo along with Renee from What Mommies Need and her family.  We plan to check out all of the amenities at the resort and report back to our readers about what worked and what didn’t work for our families (I plan to hit the spa first!).  We hope to take a dolphin cruise, play at the water park, swim in the pool, bask on the beach, and much more.  And to make it even more fun, we will both be hosting beach-themed giveaways to help you plan your own summer beach vacation! Make sure you follow Portofino Island on Twitter and Facebook so you don’t miss any details or savings this Season!

Have you taken a beach vacation with your little ones?  What did you pack?  What could you not live without?