The last two nights of my time in Costa Rica were spent in the city where it all started: San Jose. I purposely booked a relaxing stay with nice amenities so I could recoup from all the adventuring I’d done in the previous 2 weeks (best decision ever!).
It was time to sit back, relax, and take in some Netflix! Of course, the adventurer in me couldn’t sit still long. I had to get out and see a bit of San Jose. San Jose’s famous Central Market was the main attraction for me!
This 140+ old indoor market had everything I could possibly desire. I mention a few of its highlights but there’s one place in particular that had what I needed. This place had possible the most unique ice cream I’ve ever tasted made in 20 different ways. Read on to learn more as I close out my Costa Rica trip experience.
This past weekend, I took a weekend getaway trip up North for my friend Kim’s birthday. A group of us stayed at an Airbnb that was a really unique experience. The stay was so different and delightful that I am devoting an entire blog post to it!
I will be mixing in highlights from the weekend and what we did during our stay. But mostly this post is all about this place, Runaway Bay—including its charming rough edges and what we took advantage of while there.
I don’t usually post about specific paid accommodation but this blog is all about not doing what is typical anyway! I don’t necessary mean for people to run and book this particular Airbnb after reading about my experience (although nothing is stopping you!). What I hope is it will inspire others to try something new—a different type of accommodation—when you have the chance.
The run of the mill Hotel or even Airbnb stay can get stale. This adventurous option was just the deviation I needed!
What’s happening in Ukraine sucks! When bad stuff happens in the world that feels out of our control, we often go looking for ways we can help.
I especially wanted to help because part of the family is from a small town just outside of Kyiv, Ukraine. I knew I found the right way to support when my friend shared with me a really unique option. It would make a small difference in the life of a Ukrainian right now.
So I booked an Airbnb stay with a local in Kyiv last weekend! But of course I didn’t go. I simply told the host to keep the money, but that I wasn’t coming. I believe that with enough people joining in, this small gesture can collectively have a lasting impact for many. As a traveler, I love this idea! And so, in this post, I share all the details in the hopes that others might book a stay in Ukraine right now, too!
The surprise in this blog post is in the title—I got to go diving on my last minute trip to the Gulf Coast! Who knew that an dirty Airbnb and a rainy day would lead to my first dive experience in over a year?
My trip started out a bit uncomfortably. I arrived at my Airbnb to find it only half cleaned in the middle of a global pandemic. I also saw that rain in the weather report for the next day. Both could have put a real damper on my plans and my spirit. But they didn’t!
I managed to turn a piece of coal into a polished gem! It just took demanding what I wanted and not letting circumstances hold me back.
I barely traveled in 2020—to New York, Denver, and then little trips and experiences around Florida. Once January 2021 arrived, I was feeling apprehensive but also hopeful as COVID-19 infection rates were growing and vaccines were about to be rolled out. I thought to myself that I should really plan a trip. But I also wanted to be safe.
I wanted to go on a trip like to my tiny house trip last summer. I wanted it to be far enough and different enough to feel like I was truly away.
After hemming and hawing my way through January, I finally made a decision to take a mini 4-day road trip down the Gulf Coast of Florida. My next few posts are going to be all about this trip. In this post, I talk about what went into planning it! Planning something so last minute came with a few road blocks—but it all turned out great in the end.
Sometimes we just need to get away! Taking care of your mental health is so important especially when locked down in quarantine during a global pandemic. I decided to do just that for my birthday a few weeks ago—and it was so wonderful!
I decided to spend my quarantine birthday in a tiny house North of Miami. I took a short drive there from my South Florida residence so I could try out this living experience for a few days.
I was also interested in checking out a nearby wildlife reserve. I had my inflatable kayak with me. I was ready to spot some manatees and view the blue glow of bioluminescent plankton in the water at night.
I managed to experience all of this and so much more during my tiny house stay in July. Read on for the full story!
Back in January, I took a vacation for 9 nights to the beautiful, culturally rich Caribbean island country of Curaçao. Typically, a trip like this would cost at least $2,000 in hotel and airfare alone.
My trip cost me about $800 for everything. That included airfare, airbnb stay, car rental, trip insurance, car insurance, local SIM card, all food/meals, diving and snorkeling.
I made this happen through a combination of points, some careful budget planning, and a little luck. In this post, I share the breakdown of what I did to find these deals, including the breakdown of all the costs.
