13 November 2024

I’ve been lucky enough to visit New York a few times - I’ve travelled alone, with my husband, with friends and recently we took our 16 year old son there for the first time – each time brought with it new experiences and discoveries. The Big Apple is a busy city and you really do need good walking shoes as exploring on foot is the best way to get around. Yes of course, you will want to grab a Cab, ride the Subway and a ferry, but you will still take in a lot of steps! This time we stayed just off Times Square in the RIU Plaza New York Times Square, ideally located for getting around and includes a lovely breakfast so you are ready for the day before you even start. Being close to Times Square is a winner if you’re travelling with teenagers especially (my son loved to visit each evening on our way back to the hotel) but personally I think one visit to Times Square is enough! I created an itinerary before our visit – something I highly recommend and also something I offer my clients – and split our days into different neighbourhoods and districts to try and avoid doubling back on ourselves too much and adding to those steps. This is what we crammed in to our 5 night visit: Day 1 We started our adventures with a thrilling speedboat ride from the West pier near midtown to the Statue of Liberty, which was a great way to see the iconic statue if you’re pushed for time and don’t want to spend half a day visiting by ferry via Ellis Island. We then explored the Highline, had hot dogs in Chelsea Market and meandered over to Fifth Avenue via the Flatiron, and then the Empire State Building, with a pit stop at 230 Fifth, a fabulous rooftop bar that you can visit all year round for cocktails & a great views. It is tricky finding rooftop bars that allow under 21s, but this one did until early evening so if you time it right you catch sunset. Day 2 We were up early to catch the ferry to Dumbo in downtown Brooklyn and this was a fantastic way to see the Manhattan skyline from the East, and relaxing too. Dumbo is a lovely small area to have coffee and wander around, but if we’d had more time I would have loved to say longer and discover more of Brooklyn, but we did of course get ‘that’ snap of Manhattan bridge! We then walked across Brooklyn Bridge to downtown Manhattan, which I highly recommend (although finding the entrance did take the help of a local!) The views are fabulous and there is such a vibrant buzz when it’s busy. We then spent the rest of the day wandering around Chinatown, Little Italy and East Village. Day3 We started the day with an absolute must-do when you are in NYC, a trip up an observation deck. But which one? We chose SUMMIT One Vanderbilt, and wow, what a good choice we made. I visited the Empire State Building’s observation deck years ago and loved it, but this time I actually got to see this iconic building from up high and it was even better. The experience that SUMMIT offers as you wander around the deck is also magical and surreal, with mirrors, glass floors and floating balls, it’s not to be missed. SUMMIT is in a great location too. It’s right next to Grand Central Station, with it’s stunning architecture, delicious food hall and fun whispering gallery you can spend quite a while there, in a train station! Fifth Avenue is moments away so we spent the rest of the day visiting amazing shops and eventually ended up in Central Park for a quick rest before we caught the subway to The Bronx to catch the New York Yankees play baseball. Simply asking locals in Yankee tops the best route and places to eat meant that we had a great evening, and met some lovely people. Day 4 Still more to do and after three days we’re all flagging a little so all voted for the subway. It’s so easy to use, we tapped in and out with our phones to pay. We went downtown to Wall Street and the financial district and then onto Ground Zero and the 911 Memorial, truly humbling, especially as I was lucky enough to visit the top of the twin towers on my very first visit to New York. Steps away is the Oculus, a stunning modern transport hub & shopping centre, yet another amazing building that NYC boasts. After a quick walk by the Ghostbusters HQ we then visited Soho and spent a lovely Saturday mooching around the markets and vintage shops in Greenwich Village, and drinking frozen margaritas at Caliente Cab, a lovely Mexican restaurant that I discovered on my first too! Four full days of fun and we were then grabbing an internal flight to Nashville for a totally different experience! After my fourth visit to New York I still haven’t ticked everything off my list of places to go and experience. Manhattan is merely one borough, there is Brooklyn, Queens, The Bronx and Staten Island still left to discover more of… this is why I need to go back, again! Travelling with children in New York is very easy as there is so much to see and do, but different planning is needed depending on their age. Young children will get tired very easily and teenagers will ensure you see parts of New York you wouldn’t normally as Instagram and Snapchat will be their tour guide! Catching a sports game, concert or event is highly recommended when in the Big Apple, the atmosphere is electric even before you get there! And, if you’re travelling without children then you can really make the most of the foodie scene and the fabulous roof top bars.

20 June 2024

If you’ve never been to Costa Rica then you are missing out on the most amazing country and experience. We spent 7 nights there and could have stayed for months. We booked Costa Rica whilst it was still on the red list during covid days, it was an offer that could not be missed, albeit meaning we had to stay in an all inclusive hotel. We would have preferred more of an accommodation adventure but travel restrictions at the time prevented it. Whilst there, like always, we did not spend much time at the hotel. It was the RIU Palace in Guanacaste, which was lovely, and an ideal hotel for those who wish to visit Costa Rica but would prefer a larger, familiar environment. The staff were exceptional, the food was excellent, and the pools were just stunning. Evenings were quiet, however we personally packed so much into our days that we welcomed the earlier nights. Also, you just have to rise early to watch the sunrise in Costa Rica and this was just after 5am when we were there. The wildlife in Costa Rica is just phenomenal, it’s home to more than 500,000 species which represents nearly 5% of the species estimated worldwide, so its biodiversity is one of the highest. Within 10 minutes of arriving at our hotel we stopped everything to simply watch a chameleon in the trees outside of our room, and then on our first morning we were awoken by the unique sounds of the howler monkeys, which we managed to see numerous times during our stay. We were also lucky enough to experience the squirrel monkeys playing & eating near the beach, they were obviously adventurous that day as they were not always there apparently. It wasn’t too long at all before we ventured outside of the hotel to meet the locals. Some had stalls near the beach selling trinkets, carved wooden items, offering horse rides and massages (which I tested out and can say were amazing!) Everyone was lovely and incredibly proud of their country. About half an hour’s walk from the hotel we found Monkey’s Bar – great drinks and food, and of course a great place to see the monkeys each day – we hung out there a lot! We tried our hand at Scuba Diving one day. I was hopeless but our son was amazing and loved seeing the puffa fish in particular. Another day we went zip lining, just down the road from the hotel. This was fantastic, up in the canopies and flying through the jungle. We also spent a day touring the Guanacaste Province, North West of Costa Rica, spending time at hidden waterfalls and at a lovely sanctuary where they had wild sloths living, and we were lucky enough to see a couple of them awake, it was just magical. It was here too that we spent some time with a great guide who also found us Toucans, numerous snakes and a banana spide… the latter I wasn’t so keen on! We also experienced a river safari one day, where we were wowed with even more wildlife – crocodiles, basilisk lizards and numerous tropical birds – and we even got to see a Jesus Christ lizard run on water. After the boat trip we were treated to a delicious local lunch. Just down the beach from the hotel they had a local charity set up to help the nesting turtles and once a day they welcomed visitors for a short while to show us the babies and to tell us all abut them. It was humbling and something we’ll never forget. And on a final note about the wildlife, all of our beach walks came with encounters of different animals too. From pelicans to the sounds of nearby rattle snakes, to sea snakes and a few other critters we couldn’t identify. All in all, Costa Rica was paradise for us and I cannot wait to return to discover more, tour more and experience the different unique accommodation it has to offer. Pura Vida!

19 June 2024

After a few busy visits to Marrakech over the years, we decided on a relaxing week in Taghazout, a village half an hour drive North of Agadir. Taghazout is known to be a surfer’s paradise. We chose all inclusive at the RIU Palace Tikida, which was lovely and to the high standards of RIU Palaces we have stayed at in the past. It’s on the beach and within walking distance to the village, which was ideal for us because we’re a family who does not stay confined to their hotel. We quickly found out that Taghazout is popular in the summer with city dwellers from Casablanca and Marrakech who are looking to escape the busy souks and heat. It’s a sleepy fishing village with a very chilled atmosphere and we had lunch each day there, just enjoying the sights and chatting to the locals. Everyone is so friendly, and delicious sardines were everywhere! The beach is busy near the village, with locals and fishermen, and gets quieter the further south you walk, back towards our hotel. This is where there are locals offering camel or horse rides and of course water sports. We couldn’t not try surfing of course and had a morning’s lesson which was great fun, and then we hired some jet skis. Well, I “we” but I left that one to my husband and son whilst I chilled on the beach drinking Moroccan mint tea which is constantly being offered, it was delicious. We also spent an afternoon at the skatepark in Taghazout, as my son is an avid skateboarder. We often seek out skateparks on holiday for him and always meet some great people. This was no exception. It was not easy to find, but carrying a skateboard gave us away and before we knew it we had a group of young children leading us the way. My son spent the next couple of hours skating and sharing his board and skills with the boys we met, it was lovely to watch. Another experience we just had to try was sand boarding, and being so close to some amazing sand dunes we hired a guide for the day and off we went. Yousef was the perfect host, taking us for a delicious Berber breakfast before driving us along the coast and up to the sand dunes. His stories of life in Morocco were fascinating. Sand boarding is similar to snow boarding, but with less protection! It was such good activity to try, with smaller dunes for those who weren’t so confident and larger dunes and fun challenges for those who were (my son!). We had a lovely balance of all-inclusive hotel and local experiences on this holiday, and to be honest many others in the hotel didn’t venture out at all as there was so much going on. However, as I said before, this is not us at all. Next time I would stay at a boutique hotel, and there were some great surf schools nearby too. Taghazout is definitely a great place to visit if you want to avoid mass tourism and mix with the locals, and it can be combined with a multi-centre visit to many other places in Morocco… a great way to end a Moroccan adventure tour maybe.

19 June 2024

The Lone Star State really is ideal for a multi-destination holiday, and of course to include a road trip too. It’s very easy to drive and full of experiences that would suit any family or traveller. We flew into Austin, collected our hire car and drove the one and a half hours to San Antonio. We were recommended to make a stop at Buc-ees, a must for any road trip in Texas. It’s a huge gas station and when six locals you meet at the airport say you must go just for the experience, you go! It was such a fun start to our US trip. We stayed in San Antonio for a couple of days, famous for its Riverwalk and of course the Alamo, which was great to visit and where we learnt all about the Battle of 1836 and how important it was to Texas. We stayed on the Riverwalk, a great location for dining and evening strolls, however our visit to the Historic Market Square to savour the Mexican atmosphere and food was a highlight, as too where the margaritas! Next was our Dude Ranch visit in Bandera. There are a few ranches to choose from, all offering the chance to be a cowboy and some offering overnight stays with cowboy campfires. They are fantastic to visit, even if you cannot ride. Because we like to fit in as much as possible into our US trips, we opted for a day visit to Rancho Cortez, and what a day it was. We were the only tourist visitors that day as they had a Cowboy Camp running, which we had the pleasure of joining for a while, so our experience really was a unique one. From horseback riding, to roping, to swimming in their pool to cool down, it was a highlight of our holiday. That evening we stayed at my favourite small hotel that I have ever visited, The Kendall Inn in Boerne, a small town 30 minutes’ drive East of Bandera. This beautiful hotel offers 34 unique and luxury rooms with fabulous Texas Hill Country hospitality. Our large room was part of a small outbuilding in their beautiful courtyard. I could have stayed so much longer, but one night is all we had. The next morning we ate breakfast at a lovely coffee shop across the green before we had our day road trip to Fort Worth. We decided not to take the quicker route on the I35 as we wanted to explore a little. The route was easy and we found some great quirky roadside stops amongst the amazing countryside. We stopped in Llano for coffee, and then San Saba ‘the pecan capital of Texas’ for Pecan Pie of course. We arrived in Fort Worth in the evening and had a quick burger at a bar in the centre where we could sit on the balcony and watch the old American cars drive by. We spent the day at the Stockyards in Fort Worth, a national historic district where they have cattle drives each day, honky tonk bars and the most unusual antique stores. It was great fun, the Long Horns are amazing and I felt at home wearing my cowboy hat that I bought in San Antonio! Late afternoon we headed to our next destination of Dallas, via the AT&T Stadium where the Dallas Cowboys play. I would highly recommend a Stadium tour here, however Garth Brookes had beaten us to it and was playing that night so there were no tours available that day. Dallas is a great city, and we spent a couple of nights here just enjoying the neighbourhoods and food. We stayed in the Omni Dallas Hotel which I highly recommend. It’s super impressive from the outside as it has a 23-story canvas to showcase images made from over four miles of LED lights, and during our stay there was a large Mary K Cosmetics convention so their logo was on show. Saying that, there may well have been a large convention however this didn’t once hinder our stay, the hotel handled it perfectly and the atmosphere was brilliant. The hotel’s rooftop pool is fantastic, and we were within walking distance of some great eateries. Our favourite neighbourhood to visit was Deep Ellum, it was very hip with great street art and independent stores. Whilst at Dallas we went to the rodeo in Mesquite, about half an hour’s drive from our hotel. Whilst in Texas you just have to experience a rodeo and I chose Mesquite over the Stockyards as I wanted to experience a long-running rodeo that was not just for the tourists, and what a brilliant choice I made, it was impressive, entertaining and a true Texas experience. On our last day in Dallas, we drove JFK’s final route and then set off back to Austin for our final 4 nights. We drove via Waco and stopped at the Dr Pepper Museum and arrived at our hotel in the early evening. We opted for the Fairmount and chose to stay Fairmount Gold, with a private check in, a dedicated concierge team, upgraded room amenities and access to their Gold Lounge with complimentary drinks and food all day. The hotel is large so this meant that the Gold Lounge was large too, and the staff were brilliant, it was definitely worth the upgrade. The Fairmont is in a great location. It is close to the famous Rainy Street historic district, but far enough away not to be disturbed at the weekend when it comes to life. We visited early evening and the old bungalows, now bars, look great and so unusual. We didn’t stay later as it’s more suited to over 21s and we had a teenager with us! Austin is the capital city of Texas and has so much to offer. It’s laid back so was perfect for the last few days of our hectic holiday. We visited the Capitol (the free tour is a must and really interesting), went open water swimming in Barton Creek, went to numerous BBQs and enjoyed the amazing music, venturing outside the city one evening to a Bluegrass night. A great area to visit is South Congress, or SoCo, which has a distinct Californian feel. It’s full of boutique shops, great restaurants, coffee shops and bars and beautiful wall murals. South Congress Bridge is where you can see the famous bats too, a spectacle not to miss. We spent 10 days in total in Texas and loved every minute. We appreciated the famous landmarks we visited and really enjoyed getting off the beaten track wherever we stopped. Texas is incredibly welcoming and I’d return in a heartbeat.