I’ve been so fortunate to visit a number of places across this great country and world, and I’d like to share a few of my all-time favorites with you. Living in Atlanta, I’m an easy direct flight to most locations, and there’s nothing like racking up and using those SkyMiles. I’ve included some of my favorite (and not so favorite) trips below, and realize it’s the combination of people, places, and experiences falling together at the right time which make for amazing memories.
St Martin: Sept 24-Oct 1, 2011
I’m not sure how my four friends and I selected St Martin, but I’m so very glad we did. I received my first and so far only upgrade to first class (thanks to a new credit card and lack of romantic companion to hold hands with in flight). Sadly, I did miss my friends and one’s often repeated reaction as we were “coming in hot” to the famous SXM airport known for its low approaches over the beach and airport bar. You will often see people holding onto the fence mere feet behind the roaring engines of a departing plane, right next to the sign reading something like “Extreme Danger, Do Not Stand Here,” perhaps in the hopes they will be blown into oncoming traffic while high on exhaust fumes. After a little confusion finding our low budget rental car provider, we were taken down a dirt road by a Heineken wielding driver to a trailer with a few cars. We had no gps or phones, but our new friends showed us a map we were not allowed to take and assured us finding our rental house would be easy. Their confidence was misguided as we had quite the lengthy and frustrating tour from the Dutch side where the airport was (passing back by it again an hour after we left it) to the French side where we were staying at Orient Beach, famous for its nudist colony. Recommendations were in favor of the French side over the Dutch side, just for the food and wine alone, which I would whole heartedly agree having been through both sides during the week. We had rented a cute 3 bedroom villa carved into the mountainside with a private pool and amazing view of the ocean from vrbo. Though it lacked a decent wifi signal or consistently running water, we compensated by using the “wee-fee” at our favorite local beach bar and substituting a sunset swim in the pool for a shower. Our first attempt at pulling out of the driveway onto the steeply angled mountain roads had me causing some minor damage to our vehicle, but nothing a little duct tape couldn’t fix. We were there during off season, but very fortunately got hooked up with some locals who let us know the “place to be” each night. So assuming nothing has changed at all in 5 years, it goes a little something like this: Sunday-Palm Beach Bar and Boo Boo Jam, Monday-LeShore, Wednesday-Sushi at Bamboo Bernie’s followed by ladies nigh at Tantra, and Thursday-dinner at Tahoma Beach and late night clubbing at Le Pearl. During the day, Orient Beach is lined with small beach bars providing food, drinks, and lounge chairs. It’s very full on cruise ship day which I believe was Wednesday, but otherwise you have your pick in off season. We loved Sunset Beach Bar and got to know the owner and staff well. In the evenings we enjoyed free shots at sunset, maybe a few too many. In fact almost every meal in St Martin, including lunch, was concluded with free shots. Besides laying on the beach and drinking too much, we also visited Loterie Farm described as “an eco-tourism and gastronomical experience.” The beautiful property is located in the rain forest and has a pool, restaurant, hiking, and zip lining. Be prepared as the zip lining is more treacherous rope obstacle course than zipping through the air, and your guides instruct you unhelpfully from the nearby ground, annoyed that you interrupted their weed smoking time. But like everything else in St Marin, it does end with shots! Other day trips included shopping in Marigot, treacherous snorkeling in Grand Case, adventuring in Oyster Pond, and taking a water taxi to Yellow Beach on Pinel Island. Be aware the bills are purposely confusing and often include tip, so don’t hesitate to ask. We were comfortable driving there once we figured out our way, and the people were above and beyond friendly and welcoming. We had one small incident where we were followed down the beach at night by 2 questionable gentlemen, but my overreaction including pepper spray threats convinced them I was a “crazy bitch” not worth their time. We greatly enjoyed Le Shore, whose owner Phillipe bought us shots the first night, and meeting Greg and Mechelle who performed a fire show there flipping and spinning flaming bottles through the air. They introduced us to the lovely Charlotte, owner of Le Pearl who taught us silly Americans “Bon Appetit” is pronounced like “tea” not “teet”. All the locals know each other, and we kept running into the same people getting to practice our French greetings and cheek kisses, mine still need work. Most were ex-pats from France looking to live the island life. We absolutely loved our time there, and it would not have been the same without the locals inviting us into their world, if only for one week.
Costa Rica: Nov 7-12, 2013
After the success of the St Martin girls trip and the disappointment of the Dominican trip (see below) six of us gals went to Costa Rica. Following the same model, we rented a car in San Jose and drove to Manuel Antonio with a stop in Jaco for lunch. We also took a few minutes to check out the huge crocodiles living near here, it was like Jurassic Park. We were also stopped around here by local authorities for an unknown reason requesting passports, but I’m guessing they don’t need a reason so we politely obliged. Again we found a beautiful home on vrbo, this one with 5 floors, a bedroom and bathroom on each, a private pool, and gorgeous view of the ocean and national park below. Again we had limited wifi but the running water was plenty as it came rushing into the house during a rain storm. We enjoyed a private chef cooking for us in the house as well as grocery and beverage delivery. We were visited by a four legged garbage eating bandit with a refined taste for steak as well as a few monkeys playing in our trees and on our deck. Yes it rains in the rain forest, but during and between storms we took a boat tour on the river (skip this), went white water rafting on the Naranjo River with Quepoa Expeditions, zipped along the canopy with Midworld Costa Rica, and toured Manuel Antonio National Park and beach. Spring for the tour guide in the park as they are very knowledgeable and have special devices to see wildlife you would otherwise miss. After the tour, stay on the gorgeous beach for a while but watch your belongings as the monkeys like to steal things, especially containing food. For the white water rafting, note that what we call class 4 rapids in the US is nothing like the Costa Rican scale, and you will spend a lot of time getting down in the raft and praying in Spanish. The zip lining was very fun and included a lot of long high zips and a rappel with helpful instructors. We also invented “screw-mosas” but that’s another story for another time which we mostly forgot anyhow. Pura Vida!
Puerto Rico: Feb 2009, Aug 2010, and Dec 2013
So obviously I love this place! From the cobblestone streets of Old San Juan to the salsa dancing night life of Isla Verde, this island has everything you could want within a short distance. I’ve stayed at La Concha Renaissance, Courtyard by Marriott, and the San Juan Marriott Resort and Casino (where they were filming 22 Jump Street’s Mexico Spring Break scenes at the time-I didn’t see Channing Tatum but I did see the donkey that was featured in the movie). Stopping for drinks in The Ritz Carlton, El San Juan Hotel, and the Condado Plaza Hilton did not disappoint. Favorite restaurants include Dragonfly, The Parrot Club (get the ceviche and eat in the back courtyard), Aguaviva, and Budatai. So sad to see that Blu Guayaba and Tantra are now closed. Definitely try the Mofongo, a plantain based local dish. We always felt comfortable walking around there, but you’ll play a game of chicken on the narrow sidewalks with cars racing by on the streets as most people don’t move over to share the limited space. Everyone speaks English and takes US Dollars, though the more remote you get they might pretend not to. Sundays are big days for local families to gather at the beach for barbeque or enjoy picnics in the rain forests. At night, the place to be is the El San Juan Hotel lobby where you can watch or join the salsa dancers. For the late night crew, ESJ’s Club Brava and Ultra Lounge opens at 10 Thur-Sat nights. La Concha’s lobby had a good crowd the first time I went but was more low key on the most recent trip. Their pool area in the front offers a chill spot for evening drinks. There are a number of casinos too if that’s your thing. During the day, there are short trips any hotel concierge can set up such as snorkeling in Fajardo, the beautiful beach at Luquillo, or hiking El Junque Rain Forest. I actually rented a car for $9/day to get to the rain forest and found driving there very easy (bonus your US based phone and gps work there). We took a cab into Old San Juan and followed a walking tour I found on my phone. On one of the trips, we rented a jeep and drove the entire perimeter of the island in one day clockwise from San Juan. It was amazing to go from a busy metropolitan city, to a rain forest, by a naval base, through winding mountain roads, along the beach, onto a major highway in Ponce, and arrive in the surf town of Rincon in time for the sunset. On my next trip, I’d like to stay in Rincon longer and learn to surf, visit the island’s smaller island Vieques (see Rum Diaries), and float in one of the 3 bioluminescent bays filled with glowing dinoflagellates (thanks google). I’ll continue to pass on the cock fighting at Club Gallastico.
Mexico: numerous times from 2002 to 2016
Ah, Mexico, our sweet neighbor to the south. I’ve visited Cancun twice, Playa del Carmen, Cozumel, Cabo San Lucas, and Quimixto. There is no greater value than a good ole Cancun all-inclusive. Even if you opt to eat locally anywhere in Mexico, the food is delicious and cheap, the service top notch, and people extremely welcoming. Skip the hotel spa and get an hour massage on the beach for $20-$40. One note on Cancun being on the east coast, the sun will set early on the beach due the continuous stream of tall hotels. If you’re into midgets dressed as Beetlejuice flying through the air (and who isn’t?), you can splurge on Coco Bongo in Cancun or Playa del Carmen. Looking for an all-night party? Then downtown Playa del Carmen is your place, a hot spot for locals from all over Mexico to get their groove on. From there, we took the bus to the ruins at Tulum, but we didn’t take the guided tour so I left rather uninformed and unimpressed. There’s a beautiful secluded beach there with a few restaurants depending on the season. In Cabo San Lucas we stayed closer to downtown and walked to dinner and nightlife, but the big resorts are about 10 minutes away in San Jose del Cabo. Our particular hotel beach warned of a dangerous undertow, so watch for that when booking. We enjoyed parasailing despite the jump from water taxi to tour boat at full speed. Lovers Beach is well known, but if you are traveling sans lover, take the sunset booze cruise, and you’ll likely find one. Playa del Divorcio is across the way if that’s your current mood. Sammy Hagar’s Cabo Wabo is a popular spot, but don’t try to order Patron anywhere, they don’t have it, Don Julio is your man. Viva la Mexico!
Catalina Island: October 2012
When they heard we were from Georgia, they were legitimately upset that California’s best kept secret was getting out. I’d never heard of this magical place until just before going. A short ferry ride from San Pedro, Long Beach, Newport Beach, or Dana Point to Avalon will have you convinced you somehow crossed the Mediterranean Sea and are arriving on European coast line. There aren’t many cars on Santa Catalina Island, and the main form of transportation is by golf cart or on foot. There is plenty of natural wildlife like deer and buffalo. Um, did you say buffalo? Yep, they were allegedly brought over in the 1920s for the filming of a movie and then left behind, oops. You can find them on an ATV tour over to Two Harbors. We weren’t there long, but enjoyed the zip line eco tour and renting a small motor boat to explore. There’s scuba diving and the iconic Catalina Casino, now an event facility. But shhhh, this place is a secret.
Skip these:
Dominican Republic: I’ve never heard of a bad experience here except ours, so perhaps it was an isolated incident. We stayed at the highly recommended Hard Rock Resort in Punta Cana. Upon arrival we were made to wait for and sit through a time share lecture while never offered food or drink. Our long awaited first meal was terrible and the servers consistently unaware of their own menu. We were often notified we were breaking rules we were never informed of and didn’t seem to apply to anyone else (like eating at a pool side restaurant without a full cover up). The spa staff left me sitting in the locker room stripped of my clothes and dignity for an excess amount of time while everyone else enjoyed the amenities, not a very zen experience. I could go on with a long list of complaints, and of course there were many good aspects of the trip as well, but if you’re limited on time and money, don’t waste it here.
Grand Bahama Island: This was my first post-graduate girls trip paid for with my first real job savings, and it sucked. We stayed at Our Lucaya which is basically a Radisson and a Westin across from the port market and marina, and that is it, there is nothing else to do or see. Tips are included in the price and service reflected that being discourteous and slow. The food was overpriced and just fried everything. The booze cruise was like an elementary school lunchroom with fruit punch and baloney sandwiches backing in the sun. Skip it.
Grand Cayman Island: So anything beginning with Grand is bad luck for me. I have a number of friends who live or travel here regularly, especially for scuba diving. I’ve only been twice on a cruise ship stop, so maybe the lesson is to skip cruises or at least their touristy shore tours. The first time I went to a turtle farm expecting a wildlife preserve…nope, it was an overcrowded inhumane cannery. There’s another tourist stop called Hell, and it’s just that, basically a truck stop in the middle of nowhere. The next trip, I went to stingray city where they hangout among the tour boats because they are fed and then are manhandled for selfies, too unnatural for my taste. Pass.
Whew, that was much longer than I ever expected! Who knew I had so much to say? I’m grateful beyond words to anyone who actually read this. Stay tuned, I have a notebook and head full of ideas to share with you. Much love :)