I cannot resist a heart theme for a blog on Valentine’s Day. There is a lot I love in my life, but they may not be so useful to you. For example, I heart the guy that plows my mile-long gravel road BEFORE I must drive on it with my rear wheel drive minivan at exactly 7:40 am to usher my kids to school. I really HEART that guy. Unfortunately, that guy probably can’t plow your road too. I also really HEART my neighbor who is totally willing to pick up my kids last minute when my appointments run long. I love, love, love her for being so awesome, but she also isn’t much use to you. So I thought I would compile a few loves in my life you can use, read on for my short list of “I HEARTs” that maybe you’ll HEART too.
Best Buy – Honestly, my biggest heart may go to Best Buy. I always plugged these folks into the typical box store category of “I’m never sure of what I’ll get.” That was before I started actually shopping at Best Buy. The sales staff has been knowledgeable, helpful and super friendly. They also price match even on the day before Black Friday when it is a huge hassle. Furthermore, I was able to return a video game even though it was way past their return policy deadline — no finagling, no hassle. Just a smile and a new game. I HEART Best Buy.
Disney – Ok, probably not a huge surprise here. My family and I spent six days at Disney World in December, and yes, Disney is all it is cracked up to be. Yes, there are the rides and the attractions and the characters, but then there is the customer service. I loved the super convenient magic wristband which was included in our ticket price that got us into all the parks, stores, acted as our fast pass for rides, allowed us to buy a $3.00 soda or a $200 light saber (if we wanted one); and even acted as the key to our hotel room. Wow!! Disney wins for convenience. Oh, and get this . . . if your magic band magically falls off on Space Mountain (don’t know who this happens to, definitely not us – ha ha!) — No problem, Disney just cancelled our lost one and gave us a new one. I HEART Disney.
TripAdvisor – I’ve used TripAdvisor before, but not as much as I did on my trip to Florida. The thing about TripAdvisor is that it has always been good, but it only gets better with time. Even though we did Disney, my family loves to find things off the beaten path. We’ll rent our own boat instead of going with a tour operator. We love the beach that can only be accessed by kayak. We found TripAdvisor had the reviews from the typical traveler and reviews from the adventure traveler – which we loved. I HEART TripAdvisor.
Montana’s Flathead Valley – Eventually, I had to list one that pertains to meetings, right? This one just happens to be my new home and included on Lonely Planet’s Top 10 Places to Visit in the US in 2017. The Flathead Valley is ready for your next conference, meeting or event. There are amazing venues, fun attractions and of course, unbelievable access to the great outdoors. I HEART the Flathead Valley and I know you will too.
I just love sharing all my HEARTs. I would love to hear yours!
Happy Valentine’s Day!
Amy
About the author:
Amy Lucke decided long ago, she would never stray far from the mountains and rivers of Montana. She loves sharing the outdoors with her two kids and spends most summer weekends in a 3-person tent with her four person family. She feels fortunate that she gets to write, create and collaborate with the smart and talented women of Meetings Northwest. Little known fact: She once traveled for 4 months on an around-the-world plane ticket.
