Destinations Diva

Universal Orlando is a complete vacation destination located in Orlando, Florida and only 10 minutes from the gates of Walt Disney World.  It is quickly becoming one of the most popular destinations for family travel.  With two theme parks, a water park, four onsite hotels and a dining/entertainment complex, convention space and more expansion in the works, guests have no reason to leave!  The past few years have seen tremendous changes at the Universal complex, mostly due to the popularity of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter.   Hogwarts Castle at Islands of Adventure The Cabana Bay Beach Resort is the newest onsite hotel in the value category with perks like complimentary transportation to the parks and Early Park Admission.  The newest restaurant at Universal CityWalk, the onsite entertainment complex, is NBC Grill and Brew, a sports bar with much more! And we must not forget the recently opened Diagon Alley in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Un...

I routinely find myself traveling down a very familiar stretch of I-10 in Louisiana between Baton Rouge and Lafayette.  I like to call it the "Cajun Stretch" of Louisiana highway.  Along this well traveled roadway are places and towns so unique they are unmatched anywhere in the world.  Crossing the Atchafalaya Basin bridge has a magical beauty.  When crossing it, I imagine the Louisiana wildlife living there, but hiding from my view, alligators, turtles, Louisiana black bears, egrets and more.  The Atchafalaya Welcome Center on I-10 at the Butte La Rose exit is no  ordinary rest area.  You are welcomed by the staff to try a sample of Louisiana coffee while you peruse the tourism materials and get advice on local travel.  You can even shop for gifts and watch a fantastic movie based on the Atchafalaya Basin. Small towns you'll pass on this stretch are Breaux Bridge, Cecelia and Henderson where you can do a swamp tour and dance during breakfast ...

Just outside Lafayette, Louisiana is the quaint town of Scott.  The town  hosts antique shops, the Scott Historical Society, coffee shops, and such.  However, Scott is quickly becoming famous for one main attraction--boudin. Boudin (boo-dahn', non-Cajuns often misspell it as boudain) is a "sausage" filled with a spicy combination of rice and pork (and sometimes alligator or crawfish).  Boudin can be found in the traditional link style and is usually prepared by steaming the links.  Other versions of the popular Cajun delicacy are smoked boudin links or boudin balls.  In April, Scott hosts the Scott International Boudin Festival which is quickly growing in popularity on the festival scene in Louisiana.  The festival features live music, arts and crafts, and a sumptuous line-up of edible Louisiana creations.   Scott became the boudin capital of the world when "boudin shops" sprang up around town.  A couple of boudin places have been in Sc...