Every year we try to take a weekend trip to someplace fun before school starts.  This year we decided to travel down to Tampa, FL.  We checked into the same Embassy Suites that we stayed in a few years ago, because Grant really loved the hotel and still talks about it. The last time we went to Tampa, we went to the Children’s museum.  This year, we decided to go to the Florida Aquarium because Grant got a fish for his birthday in May and we’ve been talking a lot about fish lately.  Carol and I had been to the Florida Aquarium years ago and it was just as cool as we remembered.  The panoramic viewing area where you can see sharks, all kinds of fish, and a sea turtle is impressive.  And being able to touch some sting rays was fun.  The kids enjoyed the splash park area, even though we hadn’t brought their swimsuits.

We had a great time at the hotel again.  The weather was rainy but we had a couple of opportunities to get into the pool and hot tub.  We also enjoyed trying room service and just hanging out in our room (and exploring the hotel).

Here are some pictures from our trip:

Florida Aquarium:

Hotel:

Pool: