Dreaming of the Shore?

Gillian's Wonderland Pier in Ocean City, NJ and Gillian's Funland in Sea Isle City, NJ are running a special on ride tickets for the summer.  You can purchase a book of 25 ride tickets for $10 (regularly $20).  The tickets never expire!  There is a $2.50 shipping charge.

Just down the Boardwalk in Ocean City, NJ, Playland's Castaway Cove is offering their ride tickets for half price. You can purchase tickets in books of 40 tickets for $20.  Shipping is $5.00 per order and tickets never expire.

Both Gillian's and Playland offer in-person sales.  Ticket sales are for a limited time.  Also, both locations have additional deals on their nearby attractions such as mini-golf, water park or go karts.  Check out their sites for full details.

Cyber Monday is here!

My inbox is overflowing!  I'm going to try to get some of the deals posted here in one spot.  Here goes nothing!

Here's a great deal for Elmwood Park Zoo.  Today only, buy a Family Membership for half price.  For only $45.00, you whole family can visit the zoo all year long!



The Popcorn Factory is offering an additional 10% off their sale prices with code CYBER, today only.

Best Buy is offering a FREE $10 e-gift card with an online purchase of $100 or more.  Must use in-store pick up option for this deal.



Save 25% off your purchase today at crocs.com.



Famous Footwear is offering Buy One, Get  One 50% off, plus take 20% off your total order PLUS free shipping with code CYBER11.



Reebok is offering 40% off your order PLUS free shipping and returns!  Use code CM40 at checkout.

Eversave is offering a $20 voucher for Overstock.com for only $10.  Includes FREE shipping.  PLUS, save an additional $3 with code CYBER. 

Target.com is offering buy one, get one FREE on many styles of Pillow Pets.

American Girl is celebrating Cyber Monday with lots of special offers.  Deals are selling out quickly!

1-800-FLOWERS is offering FREE shipping and no service charges (savings of $14.95) with code FREE2011 when you use your MasterCard.  Valid only on their "Exclusive Collection".

Buy any NOOK® at bn.com with Your MasterCard® Card And Get a $25 Barnes & Noble eGift Card
Offer Details: This offer entitles customer to one (1) $25 Barnes & Noble eGift Card after purchasing any NOOK® device using a MasterCard card online at BN.COM, on November 28, 2011. Certified Pre-Owned NOOK devices are not eligible for this offer. The $25 eGift Card will be emailed to the account that purchases the device, on or before December 15, 2011. Limit of three (3) eGift Cards per customer.

Bath and Body Works is offering 25% off your total online purchase with code CYBER2011.




If you like restaurant.com, check out the deals at Saveology.  They are offering a deal for 2 Fandango tickets, $50 resaturant.com gift card and a $25 Sears gift card all for $50.  They have a similar deal that includes $50 restaurant.com gift card and $25 Lowe's gift card for $25. 

Keep checking on facebook for additional deals that pop up today!  Happy Shopping.  :)

Remember This Page?

Do you remember this page?  I realize some of you have probably never even seen this page.  This blog started out as just that...a blog.  But, to make things easier on myself, I slowly became a facebook page.  The facebook page took over and I stopped actually "blogging".  So, I can't promise I'll do it often, but I'll try to do it when I can.  For those of you checking it out for the first time, "Welcome" and please "follow me".

I am noticing a lot of photo deals with the holidays approaching.  I'll try to keep them current here on the blog as well as the facebook page.  Here are a few to get you started:

My Publisher is offering a FREE hard covered photo book to new members.  Just click on this link and enter your email address.  They will email you a code for your FREE book.  Your code is valid on a 7.75" x 5.75" hardcover pocketbook OR get $20 off the book of your choice.  Offer valid until 11/21/11.

No time to make a photo book?  My Publisher is also offering 5 FREE holiday cards with FREE shipping!  Plus, you can save 25% off your total card order.  Only My Publisher offers you FREE envelope liners, return address printing AND FREE SHIPPING!  Hurry, code expires on 11/16/11.  This deal is for existing members, so if you're new to My Publisher, you could (probably) take advantage of the FREE book deal AND the FREE cards, too.

Have you tried Arts Cow?  Arts Cow has a great deal going on.  You can choose any 3 items from this list for $15 with FREE shipping!  There is no quantity limit, so order as many sets of 3 (mix and match) items as you'd like!  Use code THREEFOR15 through 11/25/11.

Another great Arts Cow deal for the holidays, is their ornament special.  Single sided ornaments are only $2.49 each; double sided ornaments are $3.49 each.  Use code OMENTS249 through 11/24/11.  This would make a great gift to commemorate 2011.

Finally, for tonight anyway, don't miss out on the Buy 1, Get 2 FREE photo book offer from Snapfish.  Use code MYFALLBKS by 11/13/11. Or, if you are looking for cards, they are offering buy 1 set of flat cards, get your 2nd set FREE.  Use code BOGOCARDS by 11/16/11.  Additional shipping fees apply.  Check our ALL of Snapfish's current specials here. 

Thanks for looking!  I hope we'll see each other again soon. 

Deals for the Fourth

Thinking of a daytrip to Sesame Place?  Why not sign up for a whole season of fun?  Click here to get your Sesame Place season passes for 30% off.  (Make sure the city at the top of the page is listed as New York.)  With your season pass, you get unlimited admission to Sesame Place through October 31st, 30% off  food and merchandise throughout the park, invitations to exclusive pass member events and more.

Double Take Deals is offering a special promotion for the July 4th weekend.  Here are just a few of the deals they are offering.  Use code FREEDOM5 for any of the deals and you'll save an additional $5.  (FREEDOM5 deal expires on Sunday, July 3rd!)  Plus, if this is your first time signing up for Double Take Deals, they'll give you a $5 signing bonus! 

Sonic:  $10 for $20 worth of burgers, shakes and tater tots.  Make that $5 with code FREEDOM5.  Purchaser will receive 4-$5 vouchers to be used at your choice of 5 Sonic locations.  All vouchers must be redeemed at the same location.

Lee's Hoagie House, Bensalem:   $10 for $20 worth of hoagies, steaks and wraps.  Make that $5 with code FREEDOM5.  Purchaser will receive 4-$5 vouchers to be used at the Bensalem location ONLY. 

Dairy Queen, Bensalem:  $10 for $20 worth of Blizzards and soft serve.  Make that $5 with code FREEDOM5.  Purchaser will receive 4-$5 vouchers to be used at the Bensalem location ONLY.

Fresh Works, Richboro:  $10 for $20 worth of hoagies, salads and wraps.  Make that $5 with code FREEDOM5.  Purchaser will receive 4-$5 vouchers to be used at the Richboro location ONLY. 

Manny Brown's:  $10 for $20 worth of Pub Fare.  Make that $5 with code FREEDOM5.  Valid at 2 locations in Newtown/Langhorne and South Street, Philadelphia.

Taste Sand Castle Winery, Warrington:  $20 for 2 Wine Flights and  a cheese platter.  Make that $15 with code FREEDOM5.

The Saloon, Newtown:  $15 for $30 worth of fine dining. Make that $10 with code FREEDOM5.   This deal has some further restrictions, so please read the fine print.

A few rules and instructions for Double Take Deals promotion:
Hurry! This $5 off promotion Ends Sunday July 3rd 11:59pm EST.
Unless otherwise stated, your vouchers will be good the day after purchase through July 26, 2012.

To Get Your Free $5 Discount off any deal:
1.  Go to Double Take Deals and find the deals for your neighborhood.
2.  Pick any deal you like, click Buy Now, and you'll see the check out page pictured below.
3.  Enter FREEDOM5 into the Promotion Code box and click APPLY to activate.
4.  Review your order to assure the $5 discount has been subtracted from your total.


Three Restrictions Apply:
The free $5 promo code is good for one order per customer.
You may not use this promo code discount and DoubleTake Bucks on the same order.
The $5 promo code is valid until Sunday, July 3rd at 11:59pm EST. No extensions granted.

Check the Double Take Deals website for other "fine print" or restrictions on each deal.

ArtsCow is also running some great deals for the holiday!  ArtsCow is a great site for photo gifts. You can read more about ArtsCow here.  Here are the new deals, just announced today:

Mini Coin Purse  $1.99
Recycle Bags $2.99
(Think re-useable shopping bags)
Mini Stretched Canvases $5.99
(Available in 4x4, 4x6, 5x7 and 6x6)
Wall Clocks $8.99

These ArtsCow deals are valid until 7/15 with code 4THJULY.  All items  can be personalized with your photos and include FREE shipping!

Snapfish is having a Penny Prints Sale.  Through July 8th, you can order 99 prints for 99 pennies!  Shipping and taxes will still apply to your order.  Offer details:


1. Must use code JULYPENNY99 at checkout to receive 99 4" x 6" prints for 99 cents.
2. Offer expires July 8, 2011, while supplies last.
3. Offer applies to mail-order purchases only and cannot be used for in-store pick up. All taxes and shipping fees apply.
4. Coupon may only be used once and not in conjunction with any other offer.
5. Offer valid for U.S. customers only.

"Like" the PF Chang's facebook page.  On July 6th, they will offer a coupon for FREE lettuce wraps.

Click here to sign up for a coupon booklet with over $35 in savings from brands such as Cascade, Febreeze and Swiffer.



Sign up here for a FREE $10 play card for Dave and Busters!

Happy 4th, Everyone!

Please Touch Museum

Last week, my family celebrated my daughter's 2nd birthday at the Please Touch Museum.  The Please Touch Museum is located in Memorial Hall in Farimount Park.

My children (ages 2, 5 and 7) all enjoyed the museum.  The museum is broken out into different zones, making it easy for young kids to stay focused and keep their attention.  We started our day in the River Adventures exhibit.  My kids donned smocks and splashed in water tables filled with boats and rubber duckies.  Everything at the Please Touch Museum is kid-sized.  The kids could splash and play independently and "make things work" all by themselves.  It's a great feeling for 2 year old to be independent.  You could see the pride in her face!

Not to miss at the Please Touch Museum is the Dentzel Carousel.  This beautiful carousel was built in Philadelphia in 1908.  There is a seperate admission charge for the carousel.  We were lucky enough to purchase our tickets through a deal on Rue La La, which included carousel rides.  Even if you choose not to ride the carousel, it's nice to see  that something more than 100 years old looks new and fresh and remains in Philadelphia.  The PTM website offers pictures and some history on the restoration of this carousel.

After the carousel, my kids were eager to visit Wonderland.  This area explores the world of Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland.  My kids enjoyed dressing up for a tea party with the Mad Hatter and painting the roses red.  Just like the Wonderland Alice explored in the story, this area is filled with many optical illusions.

Just outside of Wonderland, we spent some time playing in Fairytale Garden, one of a few play areas designed for families with children under age 3.  Although my 2 year old enjoyed playing throughout the museum, it was nice to have a small, quiet area that was less busy and crowded than other areas.  It was nice to have a few minutes of "down time" without actually sitting out from all the fun.

I was surprised when my kids were interested in the Centennial Exploration exhibit.  Memorial Hall, home to the PTM, was  built in 1876 and served as an Art Gallery for the Centennial Exhibition.  After only being open for 6 months, President Ulysses S. Grant closed the fair.  Most of the buildings were taken down.  Memorial Hall is the only remaining building from the 1876 Centennial.  Anyhow, the Centennial Exploration Exhibit offers a model of the 1876 Exhibition Grounds.  Kids can catch a glimpse of what life was like in Philadelphia in 1876 and see some of the new inventions introduced that year including the telephone and typewriter (neither of which my kids recognized).  If you are interested in the history of the building and architecture of Memorial Hall, they offer "Grown-up Tours" of the building. 

Probably the highlight of the day for my kids was the City Capers exhibit.  This exhibit is actually made up of many small exhibits including a construction zone, a ShopRite supermarket, a hospital, McDonald's, a shoe store and more!  My kids enjoyed doing their own grocery shopping and working the cash register at ShopRite, making chicken nuggets at McDonald's, and taking care of newborn babies in the hospital exhibit.

The ShopRite area seemed to be very popular.  It was probably the most crowded exhibit we encountered, although it was never uncomfortable.  All the kids want to get a cart and shop around, not as many kids want to help put everything back where they found it.  There were a few PTM helpers in this area, constantly cleaning up after the kids.  I'm starting to wish I had a few of those helpers at home!

Our next stop was the Flight Fantasy exhibit.  This exhibit features activities that use your body to make things go.  My kids loved the "human hamster wheel".  Another fun highlight of this exhibit was making and launching rockets. 

Off to the side of the Flight Fantasy exhibit is the Program Room.  This room looks almost like a pre-school classroom.  There are books, blocks, and toys galore.  This is another great place to chill out for a while, while still enjoying the museum.  The Program Room offers art projects, which change monthly.  On a previous visit, the kids worked on easel paintings.  This visit, they made bubble wrap paintings.  Either way, I recommend visiting the Program Room early in your visit.  You can leave your projects to dry and come back for them later in the day, and then enjoy the rest of what the Program Room has to offer.

Our final stop for the day was the Roadside Attractions exhibit.  Here, kids can explore a SEPTA bus, drive a car, work in the body shop and even sit in a monorail. 

We spent a total of about 4 hours at the museum.  I can certainly see spending more time at the Please Touch Museum, but (1) this wasn't our first visit and (2) my kids were exhausted!  The museum is very clean and well-kept, offers plenty of restrooms, and even has an on-site cafe for lunch and snacks.

Although we just went and enjoyed playing together without giving it much thought, there is a LOT of learning going on without even realizing it.  The information on the PTM website explains how kids learn while they play and offers suggestions for parents and teachers.

Please Touch Museum offers a variety of discount programs towards museum admisison.  If you are new to the museum, you might want to try Target First Wednesday's which offer $2 admission from 5-7pm the first Wednesday of each month.  (That's coming up this week!)  This will give you a sneak-peek to the museum and can be a trial-run for your kids.

It's great to spend a fun, family day together.  Where do you like to go on your family outings?

One Stop Deal Shop

Here's a round-up of some of the ongoing deals you might have missed.

Lens Friends is offering a FREE sheet (up to 8x10) for being a "friend" of Deals and Daytrips.  If you missed my blogpost on Lens Friends this week, take a look here. 

Half off at Sonic.  Spend $10 to get 4-$5 gift certificates.  Valid at your choice of 5 locations, including Bensalem, Levittown and Feasterville.

Lee's Hoagies in Bensalem is offering a $20 certificate for only $10.  Please note that this deal is ONLY valid for the Bensalem location.

Receive a FREE graduation tote bag with any mall gift card purchase of $50 or more in any of these 9 local malls, including Willow Grove, Plymouth Meeting and Cherry Hill malls.

Half off at The Saloon in Newtown, PA.  Buy a $30 gift card for only $15.

$14 for 2 custom photo mugs from Mug on Mug.

Create a custom bobblehead to look just like your favorite loved one!  $30 gets you $60 towards a custome bobblehead.  Shipping is not included and most (if not all) bobbleheads will cost over $60.

$15 for $30 worth of tickets, tokens or bowling at Happy Tymes Family Fun Center in Warrington, PA.

Looking for invitations for an upcoming event?  Blogging friend Diary of a Paper Princess is offering 25% off any invitaion order from Lamb Desing and Starfish Art collections through 6/30.  Please let her know Deals and Daytrips sent you!

Lunch in Richboro....Fresh Works is offering $20 worth of hoagies, sandwiches, wraps and salads for only $10.  You will receive 4-$5 certificates.

$24 (plus $5 shipping) for 4 AMC Silver Experience tickets.  Even with shipping, it comes out to only $7.25 per ticket.

Register for the MEGA BLOKS Family Club and receive $25 in Mega Bloks coupons instantly via email.  They even let you choose which coupons you'd like to receive.

Create an 8x8 Snapfish Photo Book for 33% off.  Use code REVEAL14 by 6/20.

Color Your Summer Snapfish contest: Upload a photo each week in the featured color (this week's color is BLUE) and at the end of the 7 week contest, get a FREE 5x7 softcover book for participating in all 7 weeks. Other prizes selected by judges in each color category.



Take $10 off your $50 purchase at Famous Footwear, in-store or online, with this coupon.

Half off delicious dipped strawberries and more online at Shari's Berries.

Expiring 6/19!  30% off gift certificates from MyPublisher.  Enter code DADGIFT30 at checkout.

Only good on Father's Day....Take Dad to Ride the Ducks.  Dads receive FREE admission with another paid admission and this coupon.

Also for Father's Day....Take Dad out to dinner at Famous Dave's on Father's Day and he'll receive a FREE $15 gift card to use on his next visit.

Subscribe to Kiwi Magazine for as little as $4.  Discounts for 1st time Mamasource buyers with codes KIWI2OFF ($2 off 1 year) and KIWI4OFF ($4 off 2 years).

FREE popcorn at Regal, UA or Edwards Movie Theatres.  You must have a smartphone for this promotion.

Half off Laser Tag in Bensalem, PA.  $20 for 6 games of laser tag fun!

Don't miss FREE CHIP FRIDAYS at Subway all summer long.  Every Friday, get a free bag of chips when you buy a FOOTLONG™ sub and any drink—every Friday through Labor Day at participating restaurants.

Don't miss Cow Appreciation Day at Chick-fil-A restaurants on July 8th.  Dress like a cow and score FREE food.  Check the site for details.

$7 for 2 admissions to the National Liberty Museum.

$9 for $19 worth of bumper cars, krazy kars, mini golf and bowling at Arnold's Family Fun Center.

This week only (starts 6/19), get a great deal on a daytrip to HersheyPark.  Spend $75 on select Kraft and Pepsi products at Giant and get 2 FREE admissions to HersheyPark.  Spend $50 and receive 1 free ticket.  Check the store circulars for more details.  This promotion only runs this week, but you have until mid-August to use the tickets.  Giant is running a separate promotion offering FREE parking at HersheyPark if you purchase 2 discounted park admission tickets at Giant.  Parking voucher is only valid until 6/30.


Wow!  That list was a lot longer than I imagined it was going to be.  I hope you got some great deals this week.  I know I did! 

Happy Father's Day to all the Dads out there!

A Friend of Lens Friends is a Friend of Mine

Have you heard of Lens Friends photo studio?  It's one of my new favorite places.  They are a DIY photo studio in Huntingdon Valley, PA.  What does this mean exactly?  The concept is new, but is so simple.  You gather your kids (or family, or even pets) and take them to the photo studio where you use their props, backgrounds and even their cameras to take your OWN pictures!

For a photo junkie like me, this is a lot of fun.  I took my three girls (ages 21 months, 5 and 7) there in March and we had so much fun!  The girls loved playing dress up and pretending to be models.  I loved that I could take pictures of my kids with Lens Friends' professional camera without anyone breathing down my throat telling me how many poses I had to take and how many sheets I had to buy. 

Lens Friends offers plenty of assistance with changing backgrounds, bringing out props, and even getting your kids to look at the camera.  They gave me some pointers on how to hold the camera and the best way to arrange my kids in the shot.  At the end of the shoot, my kids didn't want to leave.  They are still asking when they can go back again.  (Soon, kids, I promise!)

At the end of the photo shoot, you go home with all your photos on a high resolution CD.  You own all the copyrights to your own pictures, which is not cheap at other photo studios!  Lens Friends can even print your photos for you.  They can make photo gifts and collages and print up to 11x14 images.

SPECIAL:  Follow this blog AND like us on facebook for a great offer from Lens Friends.  See the Deals and Daytrips facebook page for the offer.  Thanks to the great folks at Lens Friends for offering this special promotion to the Deals and Daytrips family!

But, wait....there's MORE!  Lens Friends just announced an upcoming special event.  You can book a photo shoot with adorable Golden Retriever puppies!  Imagine the shots of your kids getting some puppy love!  This limited engagement is only available July 7th and 8th from 2-7pm.  You MUST call the studio to book your appointment for this event (no online bookings).

Do you have kids that want to get behind the camera?  Lens Friends is offering weeklong camps for ages 10-15 throughout the summer.  Campers will learn techniques such as camera basics, portraits, and basic Photoshop skills.

For the grown ups that need a little help behind the camera, Lens Friends is offering an Intro to Digital Photography class.  These classes are being held on the 3rd Wednesday of the month in June, July and August.  Not only will you learn photo techniques, but you'll get hands on training in the photo studio.  Space for all events is limited, so reserve quickly!

Need a unique spot for a birthday party?  Lens Friends is the place!  They offer a great party package for 6-10 partygoers.  Your party guests enjoy private studio time and each guest gets to take home a CD of all the photos taken at the party.

Studio time and birthday parties can be booked online or by calling the studio at 215-938-9801.  Reservations are always recommended.

Special tip from my 7 year old:  Don't dress in "busy" clothes.  Her plaid shirt (that I made her wear--yes, still hearing about that!) didn't match all the great props she wanted to be photographed with.  She recommends dressing in solid colors to coordinate with all the props in the studio.  :)

If you are dressing for a special occasion (graduation, dance costumes, etc.), consider bringing a change of clothes with you for additional pictures.

Have you been to Lens Friends?  If you have, please leave a comment below.  I'd love to hear about your experience.

You Belong in the Zoo

Today I took my family on a daytrip to the Philadelphia Zoo.  We have a membership there, so we try to go there on the off-chance we have a free weekend day.  Now that the weather is finally nice, we are trying to make a conscious effort to take some time to enjoy the zoo.

We seem to head in the same direction each time we visit the zoo.  We walk in, bear right, visit the Rare Animal Conservation Center, and make our way over to the primates and big cats.  Low and behold, at the end of our visit, we're always whizzing past the giraffes, zebras, bears and other animals on our way out the door, wondering why we NEVER get to see them.  So, today we set off on a new direction.  We didn't know where we were headed, but we knew we were going to see some animals that we don't usually see on our zoo visits.

I'll have to admit that I don't remember ever seeing the giraffes and zebras today, but we saw animals that we've never seen at the Philadelphia Zoo.  We've had a membership there for two years, and we had never seen otters there before.  The exhibit is somewhat hidden, but I'm glad we decided to take that path today.  My kids were so excited that the zoo had "new animals" this time, and my 7 year old was snap-happy with my camera trying to take photos of every one of them.

We also made a visit to the Small Mammal House.  Although we have been to that exhibit before, it's been so long that it was new to my kids.  Here, there is a nocturnal mammal area.  My kids loved watching "porcupines" walking around in the "night".  And, although they thought it was "stinky", they also enjoyed watching the meerkats skatter around their exhibit.

The zoo usually has some type of temporary exhibit each year to keep things new and fresh.  This year, they have a program called X-tink-shun, a wild puppet x-perience. X-tink-shun is an organization of endangered (and one extinct) animals that have come together to teach zoo visitors about the importance of  animal conservation.  It's taken me more than one zoo visit to fully understand what X-tink-shun is, so let me make it easier for you. 





Igor the Tiger performs in X-tink-shun


• There are 7 animals in the X-tink-shun cast.  They "perform" at various stages set up throughout the zoo.  Each performance lasts about 15 minutes and repeats throughout the day.  Each animal (puppet) teaches kids (and, adults, too!) about where they live (or lived), why they are endangered and what we can do to help animal conservation.  The kids can interact with the animals and are free to ask questions. 
• The X-tink-shun parade performs daily.  Check for showtimes when you arrive because I think they vary depending on the day of the week.  During this small parade, visitors are invited to march around Bird Lake, carrying self-made paper bag hand puppets and signs promoting your efforts in animal conservation.  You can make the puppets and signs at a table set up near the lake.  I marched around the lake with my 3 kids carrying signs that read "Extinction Stinks" and "Hail the Creatures".  Although the kids had fun marching and chanting "Extinction Stinks", this is not the kind of parade you line up to watch like you would in a theme park.  It's more of a participatory activity for the kids.  It was quick, it was something new to do, and it's only at the zoo for a limited time.
• In addition to these performances, there is a new X-tink-shun 3-minute movie in the Big Cat Falls theater.
• The X-tink-shun exhibits will be ongoing at the zoo through October 31st.

Even though we took a different route today, we made an effort to make some of our more regular stops as well.  We watched gorillas chase each other around the Primate Preserve, we took a ride on the Amazon Rainforest Carousel, and we made a visit to the Children's Zoo.  We had a fun time in the Children's Zoo petting goats, riding ponies and looking at just-hatched chicks.  But, we are very much looking forward to the brand NEW Children's Zoo that is currently under construction.  Although we love our zoo and all that it has to offer, it's nice to be surprised to find new things from time to time.



Brushing goats and sheep in the Children's Zoo