We are huge fans of Dancing with the Stars, so when I had the chance to get Layla tickets for a live show at Mohegan Sun Casino as a Christmas gift, I jumped at it. The performance was nothing short of amazing! The energy, the talent, and the dazzling costumes made for an unforgettable night. Layla was thrilled to see her favorite dancer, Daniella Karagach, perform live—her grace and precision on stage are absolutely mesmerizing!
To make the trip even more exciting, I decided to test out our first RV trip using the RVLife GPS. We started with a drive-by of where we’ll be staying the first few nights—Mystic KOA. The trip routing worked well for the most part, except for one stop that was supposed to be a rest area but turned out to be a closed weigh station with no place to stretch our legs. Thankfully, that was the only hiccup. It was great getting to tweak our stops and get the hang of traveling with the RV.
We left bright and early and fueled up with some Aroma Joe’s—definitely the best energy drink flavors to keep us going. We made great time to Mystic, stopping along the way to stretch, though without the camper in tow, we’d have driven straight through. After checking out the campground we’ll be staying at this spring, we headed to the coast. We had planned to stop for lunch at Mario’s Northend Pizzaria, but despite their website saying they were open, they were closed when we arrived.
Layla wanted to see Taylor Swift’s house in Westerly, Rhode Island. The breathtaking Colonial-style mansion, built in 1930 for the Snowden family and later bought by Rebekah Harkness, a socialite and Standard Oil heiress, is known for its lavish history and connection to the song “The Last Great American Dynasty.” While the song references a saltbox house, the main residence is a stunning Colonial mansion. Today, the home is known as High Watch, the venue for Taylor’s famous Independence Day parties. When we visited, it was winter, but the beach was still beautiful. It’s easy to imagine how lively and fun the area must be during the summer months.
Instead of lunch at Mario’s, we made our way to Chili’s in Uncasville, Connecticut, for a late meal before the show. I usually try to avoid chain restaurants while traveling, but Layla was so excited since our local Chili’s closed a few years ago. The food was exactly what we expected—nothing amazing but a bit nostalgic. I had the Chipotle Chicken Fresh Mex Bowl (minus the tortilla strips), and Layla opted for the Honey Chipotle Chili Chicken Crispers and Fries. The service was fast, and we were even given a bag of chips and extra salsa to take back to the hotel for a post-show snack.
We ran into a bit of a snag, though. I hadn’t realized that we couldn’t check into our hotel until 4 PM, leaving us with a few hours to kill. There wasn’t much to do around the area besides the casino, and the ax-throwing place didn’t open until later. So, we googled a nearby bowling alley, the Norwich Bowling & Entertainment Center, and decided to check it out. Now, I grew up around bowling alleys—my dad and brother are great bowlers, and I’ve spent countless hours in them. This one wasn’t new or fancy, but it had a gritty charm that made it fun. We bowled a game and had a blast. Layla even managed to beat me by one pin, which she was very happy about.
With a bit of time left before the show, we thought about grabbing a drink for the hotel. When we stopped at CVS to pick up some allergy medication, we learned something new about Connecticut: you can’t buy alcohol in grocery or gas stations. Instead, you have to visit a “package store”—or “packy,” as the locals call them. We ventured to one that was a bit dim and musty, but we grabbed some drinks and headed to the hotel.
When I travel, I typically opt for Marriott-branded hotels because I trust their quality. This particular location, however, was a bit of a disappointment. The room smelled of ammonia, had visible cracks in the walls and ceiling, and was in need of repairs. It wasn’t the level of quality I’ve come to expect. We made the best of it since the shuttle to the Mohegan Sun Casino was a big plus, but I did reach out to the hotel afterward to share my concerns.
Once we arrived at Mohegan Sun, I was blown away by the size of the casino. Having worked at a smaller casino years ago, this place was a whole new world. Everything was automated, and it was easy to get lost. I signed up for a card thinking it was needed for the games, but it turns out you still need cash for the slot machines. We had a quick go at a penny slot machine (with a cat on it, of course) and lost our $5 in no time. But that wasn’t the point—it was fun to try our luck. We printed out our ticket, saw it was only 50 cents, and figured we’d leave it on the machine to be someone else’s lucky find.
We had planned to grab dinner before the show at the MJ23 Sports Bar & Grill, but we completely forgot to make reservations. After wandering a bit, we found a table at Comix Roadhouse. I always get slightly nervous going to a new place without having a chance to look at the menu and plan, but we decided to give it a shot. Our server was super nice, and gluten-free options were clearly noted on the menu.
While I don’t have issues with cross-contamination, I typically stick to fries in situations like this, especially when we’re just doing apps and drinks. Unfortunately, they bread their fries—but our server came through with a great alternative! We ended up sharing some delicious pickle fries breaded in cornmeal and some wings. To drink, I tried a Frost Bite Cosmo, which was good, but I eventually switched to my old standby, a Lemon Drop Martini. Layla went straight for her go-to Spicy Margarita, which looked amazing with its fresh jalapeños and cilantro garnish—and tasted just as good as it looked!
We wrapped up dinner just in time to head to the show. Layla had been eyeing a t-shirt as a souvenir, but once we saw the designs, she wasn’t really feeling them and opted for a sweatshirt instead. While it was cute, we were disappointed with the quality—the stitching was already coming undone. It reminded us of the same issue with a shirt Miles got for me at Boston Calling. For the price of concert merch, it’s a real letdown when the quality doesn’t hold up.
That said, the Dancing with the Stars performance completely made up for any hiccups! Seeing the dancers live was such a highlight—everyone was incredible. Steven Nedoroscik’s performance was so fun to watch, and Ezra Sosa and Rylee Arnold continue to be my absolute favorites on the show. We had such a fantastic time, and we’re already planning to catch another show next year—this time with floor seats!
We had such an amazing time exploring and experiencing everything from the cozy bowling alley to the incredible Dancing with the Stars performance. It’s moments like these that remind us how much we love traveling and sharing our adventures with all of you. We’re so grateful for everyone who’s been reading along and supporting us on this journey! With just a few months until we hit the road full-time in May, we can’t wait to continue this adventure and bring you even more stories, discoveries, and gluten-free finds. Stay tuned—big things are ahead!
Travel Turtles 