Summer Fun in Dana Point

When I created Adventures of Empty Nesters, I intentionally defined the word adventure as “anything that you wanted to write about”. Each adventure or story could be as extraordinary as a great white shark adventure, as memorable as paddling a kayak for the first time after 27 years, as delicious as a foodie field trip in NYC or as sentimental …

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Free financial advice from an Empty Nester Dad

While talking with longtime friends over dinner last week, Deets, husband and father of two daughters who have left the nest, gave some thought to what “adventures” he wanted to share with all of you. Part of enjoying the life of an Empty Nester is figuring out just how to pay for the second half of our …

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Don’t worry about your children leaving for college, they’ll be fine!

As an alumni and parent of an undergraduate at UCLA, I was thrilled to be featured in the UCLA Parents and Family Program’s Bruinlink, the newsletter for the parents of new Bruins. Your student’s next chapter in life has officially begun, so what does that mean for you? The transition from high school to college doesn’t only take a …

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Park Hyatt Aviara: The perfect resort for families & Empty Nesters

Are you looking for a great resort to spend the Fourth of July? Imagine the perfect resort that is casual, yet elegant that offers entertainment for families with kids and can also please the discerning Empty Nester. Although this request is a rather tall order, the Park Hyatt Aviara Resort in Carlsbad, California does an amazing job fulfilling …

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When is the best time to visit Napa Valley?

 The answer is: Any time of year is the best time of year to visit Napa Valley. We love to visit Napa Valley during all seasons. We can enjoy the hot, blistering heat of August or the perfect 75 degree days we experienced in early June. So don’t ask me to choose when is the best time to …

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progressive lenses : : navigating the blurry part

Fun Friday Post! This delightful and highly relatable story is courtesy of Kim Tackett, first time Guest Adventurer and blogger extraordinaire. Kim is also a marketing consultant at Tackett+Barbaria.  She is powered by coffee, new projects, travels, and her family, which includes her husband Steve, and her two fiercely independent daughters (ages 26 and 20). Once I read this …

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Do you have a bucket list?

Lets talk about the bucket list:   Do you have a bucket list? If so, did you write it down? Make it official? It is said that dreams become goals when you write them down. I even found a website where you can create and track your bucket list, get inspired by others’ goals and see …

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Photo Friday – The Grand Finale of Our Trip to Curacao

My photos… They are the real deal, no editing! I thought that “Photo Friday” would be a fantastic excuse to share more of my photos of Curacao. The unique beauty of the island and all of it’s splendor is truly unparalleled. We had so much fun feeding the ostriches at the farm and meandering through the streets of …

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Colorful Curacao: A photographer’s dream

One Sunday morning my husband handed me the American Airlines Magazine and right on the front cover in all of it brilliance was this photo of Curacao. I fell in love. Who wouldn’t want to go to a place where the buildings were painted like tropical Popsicles in the Caribbean Sea?   Tropical? Yes. Relaxing? Yes. Gorgeous …

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