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5 Insta-Worthy spots in Mexico City

April 6, 2018 by Stephania Ortega Filed Under: English, Stephania, Tips & Trucos, Travel

Ciudad de Mexico sign outside of the Mexico City International Airport

Hi Travel Blogueras! I recently returned from a quick trip to Mexico City and wanted to share some of the best places to get those Insta -worthy pictures. It felt a little like a scavenger hunt trying to soak up as much of the sights, food and hospitality of this beautiful city.  My trip was only 3 days long so I wanted to make sure and hit some of the best spots. If you have more time, I would definitely include the Frida Kahlo museum, the Soumaya, Palacio Postal and the Vasconcelos library.

In no particular order here are my top picks:

•Castillo Chapultepec

CastilloChapultepec.jpg

That is me genuinely trying to catch my breath after the steep climb it took to get here.

•This military academy turned castle turned Presidential home  turned observatory and now the National Museum of History has been open to the public since September 27, 1944. The exterior was even used for the 1996 film Romeo and Juliet. There is a checkered floor observatory on the second floor that is great for pictures. The inside, staircase and gardens are also very picturesque.

•Xochimilco

XochimilcoMexico

 

A MUST. Especially if you’ve never been before. I will say this is easily a full day trip, the place is about an hour and a half ride by train or car. The actual boat ride can be as long as 6+ hours or as short as an hour. It is so colorful and there are many different types of boats with vendors that approach you so you get a complete experience without even stepping off.

•Palacio de Bellas Artes

DonPorfirioCafe.jpg

 

This is a cultural center that holds musical productions, theatre and various exhibitions. The Ballet Folkorico de Mexico and the National Symphonic Orchestra are among the most notable groups that regularly perform here. For the best view of the building, you can cross the street to the Sears building and head to the 8th floor to the Cafe Don Porfirio. There is bar seating with a perfect view of Bellas Artes while you enjoy a nice artisanal coffee. Instagram gold.

•Zócalo

ElZocalo.jpg

 

The hub for gatherings. It has been a gathering place since the Aztec times and now a common place for national celebrations and protests.This main square hosts the Cathedral, the National Palace, Nacional Monte de Piedad and the Templo Mayor. A grand Mexican flag sits proudly in the middle. For a great view of the Zocalo you can easily eat at one of the restaurants on the west side. If you walk near the area you can find vendors showing you menus of restaurants that boast a view of the plaza. Be warned, that when we went, our wait was roughly 2 hours since they first seat you at a different table until one of the coveted tables became available. Once we got the table after kindly asking the waiters over and over again when our turn would be, we quickly took pictures and pretended to still be eating and quickly left after. Gotta do what you gotta do for that “candid” eating shot.

•Angel de Independencia

AngeldeIndependencia.jpg

 

Arguably the most well-known landmark of the city. This monument is located on a popular roundabout on one of the main streets in downtown Mexico City, built to commemorate the centennial of Mexico’s War of Independence. For a better view of the whole monument, I suggest walking up farther down the road and pose by either the walkway or by the flower pots in the middle of the street.  On Sundays, the roads are closed along Paseo de la Reforma and you can easily run along the sides of popular landmarks.

Hope you enjoyed this list! Are there any insta-worthy places you’ve found in your travels?Please let me know in the comment section!! Would love to check them out on my next trip to Mexico City!

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Best Trips for Couples: Spain with City Discovery

January 24, 2018 by Amanda T. Filed Under: Amanda, Travel

There’s nothing like finally getting to take the trip that has been on the top of your “To Go” lists for years, am I right? In November, I headed off to Madrid with my husband to explore this country that has always been so intriguing to me! All through high school and college, my favorite courses had always been Spanish and several of my professors where from Spain. I grew up with amazing stories of La Mancha, flamenco dancers, and tasty tapas!

As I was preparing for this trip, I knew I wanted to schedule plenty of time to explore the city of Madrid but also take a few day trips to surrounding areas. I knew I wanted to visit Sevilla and while I was that far South, decided to also head down to the Southern trip of Spain (Cadiz) to see the contrast of that area of the rest of the country.

After some research, I landed on the following itinerary:

Day 1: Arrival in Madrid
Day 2: Explore Madrid & Tapas Tour
Day 3: Train to Sevilla & Rooftop Tour
Day 4: Day Trip to Cadiz/Jerez
Day 5: Sevilla
Day 6: Return to Madrid
Day 7: Day Trip to Toledo
Day 8: Madrid
Day 9: Departure from Madrid

Packed agenda, right? My strategy for using my time efficiently when traveling is making sure you book the right tours who will help you explore the “must-see” areas but then also provide some insight on the area – so you don’t waste any time wandering around trying to decide what to do next. That’s just my preferred style of travel!

With this strategy in mind, I was very happy to partner with City Discovery as they offer the amazing tool of being able to search through an aggregate of tours to know which would be the best fit for your needs and your schedule. There are so many “hidden gems” out of there their website allows you to find these smaller to medium sizes tours – as well as some of the larger companies as well, all from the same website dashboard.

City Discovery is about helping you find that unforgettable experience and bring you the best part of your vacation. Established in 2003 by a team of travel professionals, City Discovery started out as a simple web-based reservations system that allowed travelers to book tours and activities quickly and easily. Over the years, City Discovery has proven to be an invaluable online resource for travelers looking to book attraction tickets and things to do worldwide.

I have to say that it took me maybe 45 minutes to look through the tours, filtered based on those who had openings during my travel dates and were within my price range. From there, City Discovery handles everything else and provides you with an agenda and voucher via email which is then processed directly with the local tour guide/company.

Tours in Madrid that I loved:

If you ask me, a great way to learn about a culture is to eat and drink it! That was why the first tour that I booked was the Spanish Iberian Ham Experience in Madrid with Wine Tasting with MadridTapasTour. It involved a small group tour, lead by a local foodie who takes you to several bars/restaurants for a sampling of local food and wine. As we are eating/drinking away, he explained to us the history behind some of these dishes, the cultural significance and also additional recommendations of places to visit during our stay.

The tour isn’t long, just a few hours, but it was the perfect sampler to get a good taste for the city and also help me navigate the menus for the rest of the trip.

Hop on/Hop Off: While this might seem a little “too touristy” for the experienced traveler, I find that the Hop On/Hop Off bus services as always a great way to get to know any new city. Whenever I travel, I try and book this for my first or second day – as a great way to get your bearings and understand the layout of the city. I recommend that you take the entire loop the first time around, taking notes of areas where you want to return and then on the second loop start making stops. We were also able to book this via City Discovery which was great, as we didn’t have to make our way to any specific “starting point” of the busses, but were able to jump on the stop nearest our hotel using our printed vouchers as tickets.

Great Tour of Sevilla:

During my stay in Sevilla, I wanted to make sure I heard from a local about what its like to live there. Sevilla is very walk-able, so you could really just wander around and absorb it all, but hearing it from a local just adds an extra layer of understanding for me.

In this case, instead of just the standard walking tour, I found the Seville Rooftop Sunset Tour. This tour was packed with great info about the city with the perk of getting to see the city at sunset from rooftops with some of the most amazing views. Sevilla at Sunset? Yes, please! You must book this tour!

Day Trip from Madrid:

If you are looking for a good day trip from Madrid, I believe everyone can agree that Toledo is a must! It was amazing to learn that Toledo actually used to be the capital of Spain – which means that this city is just dripping in history and cultural significance.

We found a Half Day Tour from Madrid via City Discovery, so that we could visit this city, get a little sample and then return to Madrid for dinner. I will say you need to get ready to walk! For obvious reasons, the streets in the core of Toledo are tiny so the tour buses drop you off at the base of the city and its all walking from there.

Day Trip from Sevilla:

I decided I wanted to see a totally different angle of Spain and I found the perfect tour!! The Jerez and Cadiz Wine Tasting and Horse Show Day Trip from Seville. Again, if it wasn’t for the search features of City Discovery, this honestly would not have crossed my mind! This tour took us to a sherry winery and an Andalusian horse show in the city of Jerez before heading down to the coast to visit the vibrant port city of Cadiz. I especially loved this tour since it was of smaller size (only 10 of us in the bus), so it was really intimate and comfortable making the 2 hour trips there and back!

Wow, that makes me tired again just thinking about it! I will say, like any European vacation, wear comfortable shoes and stay hydrated! If you have any questions about these specific tours or my experience with City Discovery, please send me a tweet via @TravelBlogueras and I would be happy to share more details with you!

You can also check out my complete VLOG of my experience, in Spanish, on my YouTube channel!

Thanks again for City Discovery for joining me on this Spanish adventure and until the next time…

My favorite tour in Spain: In and Out Madrid

December 8, 2017 by Amanda T. Filed Under: Amanda, English, Travel

Being the major metropolitan city that it is and a major tourist destination, you can imagine just the amount of tours to explore the city of Madrid that are available out there. Just looking through the internet at all the options had my head spinning…well, until I came across In and Out Madrid and – given their logo I’m pretty sure you can tell why I clicked immediately on their website to inquire about more information.

Their tour through the city of Madrid was a blast and the highlight of my trip in Spain. Why, you might ask? Let me break it down for you!

The Ride:

I’m not going to say that this VW Bus wasn’t the main reason that I booked this tour. Sure, yes, I also wanted to learn about the city – but why wouldn’t you want to learn about the history of Madrid while cruising around the comforts of this retro van!

The van is the perfect size for 4, but you could probably squeeze in a few more. I loved being able to stretch out and for the winter months, they have blankets to cozy up with.

The Guide:

Andres was a delight! He did a great job of taking us around the city to see the most important sights, but also through some of less touristy neighborhoods so we could see what real life is like in Madrid for a local.

He offered the tour in both English and Spanish and was also kind enough to offer us recommendations of restaurants in and outside of Madrid.

While most of the tour is spent in the car, we did enjoy a few stops along the way, so we could get out, take photos, and stretch our legs.

During our tour, we visited the Templo de Debod, Estadio Santiago Bernabeu and the Plaza de Toros de Las Ventas .My favorite was defintely the Temple, as it offered some amazing views of the city and a great photo opp!

The Perks:

They give you snacks and wine! Did I mention there are snacks? and wine? After our first stop at the Temple, we were welcomed back to the van with a platter of traditional Iberian ham and cheese, as well as a local wine that was so very tasty!

I really can’t even express how content we all were, snacking on the ham and wine, sipping on the wine, as we absorbed the rest of our tour of the city. While this might not seem like must, this was the perfect addition to this tour!

The Fun:

Overall, its just the funnest experience. Between the amazing guide, the stellar ride, and the tasty tapas and wine – its just the full package! I will say, I got some extra joy from the looks of jealousy while the VW bus was parked outside my hotel. All the other tourists were green with envy!!

Also, be ready to get stared at during your tour! At pretty much ever stop light, we had people pointing and staring and taking photos of the bus. We even had a guy in the motorcycle stop us so he could ask for more information about booking it for himself!

Saying all that, I defintely think you should check out the trip options from In and Out Madrid for your next trip to Madrid. Make sure you contact them well in advance, as their VW bus is actually booked for a lot of wedding and promotional events – so you need to make sure you get on their schedule for a tour of Madrid!

This really was the most memorable evening for me during my 10-day trip to Spain and I just know it would be for you as well!

7 Best Hiking Pants for Women That Are Not Ugly in 2017

February 12, 2017 by Andrea S. Filed Under: Andrea, Tips & Trucos, Travel

We wrote about the best hiking backpack here. As the weather starts to get nicer, we begin to plan our vacations and weekend adventures, so get ready because…

…we’ve caught the hiking bug!

We’re pretty excited about slowly building our hiking wardrobe and gadget must-haves, and share with you all our research and findings in the blog. To get us motivated, we have decided to begin with…the best hiking pants for women.

I know you’re probably wondering…

…do we really need a full new set of hiking pants?

And my answer to you is…

YES.

When we were hiking and walking for hours in Hawaii, I was SO envious of Dan’s pockets. I made the wrong decision to go “cute,” which meant wearing my ridiculous leggings with crazy patterns (which, by the way, I totally love). This was a huge mistake! For starters, no pockets. So, as I was struggling to get gum or my credit card from the shared backpack, Dan had everything at arm’s reach. This should have been no surprise as Dan can even fit a Kindle in there. Me? No way. I barely managed to stick my cell phone in between my bare skin and my pants, to only end almost burning myself when the battery overheated.

I made myself a simple promise. Next trip? POCKETS.

We tried to go shopping when we got back to the hotel, by the way. But for some reason everything was too square looking, too green or gray, or just too expensive. Lesson #2 from my Hawaii hiking, then, was NOT TO BUY in Hawaii.

So, when it came to our top picks for the 7 best hiking pants for women in 2017, we looked for, of course, pockets, but also a great fit, colorful picks, and to try to keep the price tag somewhat under $100.

Are you ready then to see our top seven best hiking pants for women?

Carry on!

Best Hiking Pants for Women $50-$150

We are totally suckers for Athleta clothing, so that’s where we decided to go shopping first. Oh, if money were no issue! I think we would wear 100% all of their clothing 100% of the time.

$89 The Metro Slouch

The yoga-pant-comfy METRO style made to give your jeans a day off with handy pockets, sweet seam lines and super stretchy fabric that supports your love of adventure. We chose the full length pant just in case of mosquitos or other yucky nature we could find our on our paths.

$89 Bethona Boyfriend

This is Athleta’s  jean-style Bettona, a smooth, wicking Pilayo® soft pants that get relaxed with a looser-leg fit. We loved the fact that they were inspired by the boyfriend cut, which is exactly what we were looking for!

Best Hiking Pants for Women: Best Sellers

After we bookmarking Athleta’s great finds and waiting patiently for them to go on sale (yes!), we focused next on Amazon’s best sellers. Why not? You get hundreds of reviews, and tons of different filters to go crazy about. And yes, after five minutes we give up because we get dizzy and we realize that what we really need is paper towels instead…but for now, we’ll keep the dream alive.

Here are our top 4 best hiking pants for women that were also best sellers on Amazon.com (and that we actually liked, too.)

$33 Singbring Women’s Outdoor Waterproof Hiking Mountain Pants

“Waterproof” caught our eye immediately as we’ve been in pretty sucky situations before. Plus, most of the reviewers claim very breathable fabric and deep pockets. Bingo! You can click here next to read the full reviews.

$47 Angel Cola Women’s Outdoor Hiking Softshell Zippered Pants PW6114

We really liked the fact that you can see some curves on these pants right away (hello, remember? Latina here!). Plus, the contrast of the neon orange and the deep green is pretty bad ass, if I dare say so myself. Most of the reviewers advise to order a larger size. You can see all the reviews for these pants right here.

$29 Diamond Candy Women’s Outdoor Lightweight Waterproof Hiking Mountain Pants

We could’t help ourselves and had to place a hot pink pair of pants. What can I say? At least you’ll be easily spotted anywhere you go! These bad boys are windproof and waterproof. They also have some thermal insulation, and they are quick drying with a breathable, soft shell. Read more about these hot pink hiking pants here.

 Best Hiking Pants for Women: Expert Reviews

We also checked on great editorial for top picks when it came to hiking pants for women. We liked this article on PopSugar.com though it’s probably a little bit updated right now. Regardless, we liked two of their hiking pants recommendations.

$55 The North Face Horizon Tempest Pants

These guys are made of nylon, which is extremely durable (click on the picture for more info). One of our favorite features is the fact that you can roll it up, and make it a pair of capris in seconds!

$75 Lole Nile 2 Walk Short

The model looks way too stylish on the picture, but, if you have great legs and are not afraid of showing them (you shouldn’t!) we would love to recommend to you a great pair of shorts. The Lola shorts are wrinkle free, have tons of POCKET, and moisture-wicking. Plus, they are stretchy (huge plus if your meals are not optimal during vacation… mmm… GUILTY!), and they are made of bamboo charcoal, which is a natural anti-odor material.

So, are you ready to pick your pair of hiking pants? Tell us!

Disclosure: Travel Blogueras is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

Finding the best hiking backpack in 2017: Reviews of the top 5 hiking backpacks

February 12, 2017 by Andrea S. Filed Under: Andrea, Tips & Trucos, Travel

As you’re getting ready to go on your favorite hike, what kind of backpack do you want to carry with you? We started hiking two years ago, but we felt truly in love with it when we went and explore all sorts of volcanos across Hawaii last year. We soon found out that if we were going to spend over six hours walking, we were in need of some major supplies, AND, a good hiking backpack to carry all that crap uphill (and downhill) with us.

Dan and I both have very strong, personal preferences as to what makes a good hiking backpack, but, as I’m the main purchaser of the household, I decided it was up to me to figure it out. We discussed for hours the criteria we were going to use to find and review the five best out there, and, we are happy to now write a full post, and a full set of reviews about all of our favorite backpacks on the list, right now.

The comparison guide of backpacks below and the comparison that follows will you find the right backpack to meet your needs, and look as travel chic as humanly possible on all your adventures, too!

Detailed Hiking Backpack Comparison Guide and Key:

Hiking Backpack BrandWeightRatingPrice
Sunhiker Cycling Hiking Backpack Water Resistant Travel Backpack0.8 pound4 stars$
20L/33L Travel Hiking Backpack Daypack0.5 pound4.5 stars$
Favofit 35L Packable Lightweight Daypack0.7 pound5 stars$
Osprey Men's Aether 85 Backpack3.9 pounds5 stars$$$$
The North Face Surge Backpack1 pound4.5 stars$$$

Hiking Backpack Brand: Click to view more details or purchase

Weight: Estimated weight of the backpack only

Rating: Estimated user rating on Amazon

Price: Approximate pricing on Amazon at the time of writing this article. In general terms: $ = under $40, $$ = $40 to $100, $$$ = $100 to $200, $$$$ = $200+

The backpacks on this chart are just a few of our favorite ones, and the last set we considered before we purchased ours. There are a plethora of options and brands out there, which actually makes the decision to buy your backpack very complicated and time consuming! From day trips to overnight trips, from looking at a small versus a large hiking backpack, we spent days sifting through all the information and consumer reviews.

All the backpacks included have at least 4.5 reviews and at least 50 reviews, which we think validates the seller and the brand and the model.

Feel free to use the quick jump navigation menu below to make it easier to find the most relevant information for your current search.

Disclosure: Travel Blogueras is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

Quick Jump Navigation Menu

  1. What’s really a hiking backpack?
  2. How to choose the right hiking backpack: 5 things to consider
  3. Overall weight: How much are you willing to carry?
  4. Overall capacity: How much do you need to fit in?
  5. Backpack functionality: How is your backpack constructed for the outdoors?
  6. Budget: How much should you spend on a hiking backpack?
  7. Styles of Backpacks: Which backpack style is best for you?
  8. Our review of the top 5 best hiking backpacks
  9. Sunhiker Cycling Hiking Backpack Water Resistant Travel Backpack Lightweight SMALL Daypack M0714
  10. 20L/33L- Most Durable Packable Lightweight Travel Hiking Backpack Daypack
  11. Favofit 35L Packable Lightweight Daypack – Backpack for Camping Hiking Cycling Travel and Daily Usage
  12. Osprey Men’s Aether 85 Backpack
  13. The North Face Surge Backpack
  14. So what’s the best hiking backpack for the money?
  15. Wrap Up and Final Thoughts

What’s really a hiking backpack?


A hiking backpack is one of the first pieces you should consider when you’re putting together your hiking supplies list. A good backpack could make the journey go unnoticed, whereas a bad backpack will not only hurt your body (or your partner’s), but also has the potential to ruin your entire vacation. Think about it. You’ll be wearing the thing for hours at a time, so it’s super important to know what you’re really going to be looking for.

For starters, the size and the weight tend to be different from regular backpacks. The material in a hiking backpack is a lot lighter and it should be a lot more durable, in addition to waterproof or at least water resistant. This is not the regular backpack you used in high school to carry your books! Remember, you are going to be wearing it for hours…under the sun and the rain, against the elements, and on really, really bad terrain.

If you’re planning an overnight hike, or maybe you are in a location where the weather changes a lot from sunrise to sunset, your hiking backpack will also carry your backpacking clothes, and a plethora of gadgets, so you are also going to be looking for a backpack that has tons of pockets and organization built in.

In short? A hiking backpack is a “smart” backpack.

How to choose the right hiking backpack: 5 things to consider

Here are a few things you need to consider when picking your hiking backpack, which includes your hiking needs and budget, too.

Your backpack pick should be catered to you and you alone, but we think you should take into consideration the key features and backpack attributes described and detailed below.

Overall weight: How much are you willing to carry?

When choosing a hiking backpack, we think weight is perhaps one of the most important factors since it determines whether or not you’re going to be comfortable while traveling. You could argue that a better quality material should allow for more durability and quality, but we disagree. In this time and age, we believe the best and most durable materials should be the lightest. We pay a premium for a lighter phone, a lighter sneaker, even a lighter dinner! We see no reason why weight should not help you to greatly narrow your options when it comes to picking your backpack.

For day trips, I prefer to have a backpack under 1 pound, and I’m willing to go slightly over for a longer trip, but just a tiny bit. Anything else highly above one pound becomes extremely cumbersome on your back.

A word of caution here – straps! Some of the ultralight weight new backpacks come with super thin straps that will dig in into your skin after just a few hours.

One other key factor to consider for your hikes, beyond backpacks, are hiking pants! We also wrote a post about the best hiking pants for women, here.

Overall capacity: How much do you need to fit in?

The capacity of your hiking backpack is a key a differentiator when it comes to a day trip versus an overnight hiking trip. Here, it will really depend on what you do most often, and, in some instances, I will argue you might want to get one of each.

Backpacks are sized by how much they can hold, or their volume, which is measured in liters. (Just so you know 1 liter is around 4 gallons!)

As a rule of thumb, for a a full blown weekend trip (1-3 nights), we like to choose backpack that will hold between 35 to 50 liters. The experts advise up to 70 liters or more if you’re planning a 6 night+ long trip, and urge you to consider the season. If you’re hiking in the winter, you are going to need more room for thicker layers, and maybe even a warm sleeping bag.

By default, a hiking day trip backpack should be anywhere under 35 liters. This has been our first few trips so far, but we know we want to do more! For instance, we’re already planning a glamping weekend… and we can’t wait to post a full review on our favorite glamping trails in a few weeks!

Backpack functionality: How is your backpack constructed for the outdoors?

The material of your backpack is directly tied to durability, quality and weight, and it will also determine whether or not it will be waterproof. But, on top of the actual material, you should also consider its overall design and what we call “smart” features.

For starters, make sure your bag is made out of at a semi-waterproof material. We are not going into downpours or monsoons any time soon, so we think we should be okay if we are able to pour a full cup of water over it and have perfectly dry insides.

We also like the idea of lockable zippers, or having each compartment with two zippers so you can lock them together. Maybe not a must-have for a few hours of casually climbing up a small hill, but a very basic if you plan to travel by plane and need to check it out.

One of my favorite features for any of my bags is perhaps multiple compartments – any bag should have multiple compartments! This way, you can neatly organize your stuff and have easy access to retrieve what you need. For example, we want to put together gum, credit cards, IDs and phones in one pocket in the most hidden compartment just in case something falls off or we accidentally lose it as we’re looking for something else. We want to have the umbrella, flip flops and water bottles in the outside pockets, as we know we don’t really care if they get dirty, or we’re constantly using it as we’re hiking.

Padded shoulder straps and how comfortable they fit you should also be on your list of what to check out when looking for ultimate best hiking bags. As we said before, a good should strap make carrying your stuff a lot more comfortable, as the weight of the backpack will also be pushing down on your shoulders. Padding should be very thick, and ideally constructed out of a single piece of material, so it’s less likely to split.

Are you planning to going camping? We just reviewed Camping for Dummies. Check it out!

Budget: How much should you spend on a hiking backpack?

The price of your backpack will depend on size, fabric, and brand, as well as whether you purchase it on full price or sale. A day backpack can start as low as $15, while a really good overnight or multi-day backpack can go all the way up to $300. A store brand will always be less expensive than one of the most known brand names (North Face, or Osprey).

As with anything, we don’t think going to the top of the budget gives you the best bang for you buck, no matter how nice the backpack is. After all, it’s meant to be carried under the weather for hours, set on the dirt, and much more!

We would recommend putting a cap of $200 for a multi-day backpack and around $35 for a simple, light, small day one.

Styles of Backpacks: Which backpack style is best for you?

We’re doing this article solely focusing on hiking backpacks, but know that you most always want to look for a sport-specific backpack. We have compiled a small list of the different styles available to help you out for hiking, but also overall!

  • Backpacking backpacks – are meant to carry load of 30 to 50 pounds for multiple days (so up to 80 liters!). These guys are designed with an internal frame and many adjustment points and straps, and offer compartments for your camping gear too, such as sleeping bags, and water bottle slots.
  • Ultralight backpacks -ultralight backpacks are typically those under 10 pound-base weight, with 5 being super minimalistic. They tend to offer less organizational options, are thinner and less durable overall. They do come in multiple sizes.
  • Women’s backpacks. We found through our research that sometimes backpacks designed for women tend to have a better fit and feel overall more comfortable. In a backpack, look for a shorter torso, narrower shoulder widths, and more curved waist belts. We chose not to get this kind of backpack for now, by the way, as we like for our man to carry it for most of the way so…! Maybe for the next time around!
  • Hydration backpacks: for the longer hikes, we found that a great deal of backpacks come with some sort of hydration compatibility. This kind of backpacks tend to be ideal for a biker or ultra runners, but we felt we could do without for our day hikes.

Our review of the top 5 best hiking backpacks

To be honest, any of the backpacks mentioned above are excellent options; but there are few that we wanted to point out as our favorites. Below, you’ll find our top five picks for overall qualities and design.

1. Sunhiker Cycling Hiking Backpack Water Resistant Travel Backpack Lightweight SMALL Daypack M0714

We immediately gravitated towards the hot pink of the first picture for this hiking backpack (I know, we’re such girls sometimes!). We found this one of the most popular options under $30 dollars, with over 454 reviews at 4 stars in average.

  • Material:Highly tear resistant nylon, water-resistant
  • MatReflective stripe, volume control system, adjustable shoulder straps
  • Breathable mesh shoulder straps, bottle holder on the both sides
  • Suitable for all hiking, camping, climbing, traveling outdoor activities
  • Dimensions:15.7×9.1×5.9 inches. Weight:12.3oz
  • Breathable mesh shoulder straps, bottle holder on the both sides
  • Water-repellent and tear-resistant Nylon Material.
  • It will be a fantastic necessity for not matter outdoor sports or leisure activities in or out of the city
  • Convenient for hiking, traveling, camping, running, cycling, and mountaineering

It was funny to see a bunch of the reviewers mention this backpack as a top necessity for their trips to Disney and Universal Studios in Orlando. We laughed a little bit about it, yet, we know they were right. As we live in Miami, we can’t deny we go to the parks too often for our age, and we know well that sometimes, being in the sun and waiting for the rides for hours at a time could be more taxing on your body than just going hiking! So we agree with all those guys who bought this little backpack just to go to the park!

We tested this bag on a small local hike and we were pretty happy with it. First of all, it’s super light! And we were carrying (well, Dan was carrying) multiple water bottles. There’s a pretty good pocket on the inside for credit cards and keys, which we always look for, so we were pretty happy with that! It can hold a lot of items, and we found it to have a pretty comfortable fit.

Our cons? We didn’t find a separate pouch for cell phones.


20L/33L- Most Durable Packable Lightweight Travel Hiking Backpack Daypack

We’re back to featuring an awesome pink backpack! (Men, don’t worry, it also comes in green and other manly colors). The first thing that called our attention for this beauty was the extremely high number of reviews – over 5,000…for an average rating of 4.5 stars. Now, we don’t see that very often, so we had to dig in a little bit more. Plus, you can get this hiking backpack under $20. 

The Outlander backpack has a stylish look, and it seems to have been designed as the go-anywhere pack, especially for super-minimalists who make every gram count. Ultra-light. Ultra-durable. Ultra-awesome. The backpack is perfect for day-to-day use or occasional travel. Adjustable breathable straps make it easy and comfortable to carry for all day use.

But, perhaps, one of our favorite features is how compact it is. The full backpack folds into zippered inner pockets to fit anywhere! You get a roomy main compartment, two front zipper pockets to hold the small stuff, one internal security zippered pocket for credit cards and keys, and two side pockets for water bottles. It’s also super light weight, at 0.46 pounds and has a pretty good capacity (up to 33 liters).


Favofit 35L Packable Lightweight Daypack – Backpack for Camping Hiking Cycling Travel and Daily Usage

This Favofit backpack also folds into a small pouch, so you can pretty much stick it in your carry-on if you’re traveling or flying to your hiking destination. It’s also very lightweight, at just 0.7 pounds, and has over 99 reviews…all 5 stars. The Favofit is crafted with high quality ripstop, water resistant nylon fabric, two way abrasive SBS zippers and 16 reinforced bartacks. Needles to say, the manufacturer claims to have designed a pretty durable hiking backpack.

Personally, we like the breathable mesh shoulder straps, and the 4 pockets and 2 compartments to keep things organized. We found most reviewers to like it for hiking, cycling, walking or just to carry as your personal item when you’re flying.

Osprey Men’s Aether 85 Backpack

The Osprey Aether is the real deal, and will cost you around $190 depending on your size and color preference. It has over 55 reviews, all 5 stars, and we have always found Osprey to have great quality products, so we wanted to feature this hiking backpack in our main review. At 5 pounds and over 85 liters of capacity, this is one of our heaviest, and largest picks for best hiking backpacks.

Some of our favorite features include:

  • Keep water bottles or other gear easily accessible in the side pockets featuring access from the top or side
  • External hydration sleeve in back panel simplifies refilling and protects pack contents from spills
  • New hip belt pockets provide secure storage that’s easily accessible while hiking;  Perfect for digital cameras, GPS, snacks, etc.
  • Strong J-zipper on front panel provides quick access to gear in main compartment
  • Wide-mouth access sleeping bag compartment with divider

Our only small complaint was that we didn’t find as many outside pockets as we have wanted to, but that was easily offset by the fact that you can even carry your bulky sleeping back if you wanted to.


The North Face Surge Backpack

North Face is one of those classic brands you can never go wrong with. I used to stroll down their main store on the Upper West Side in New York when I lived there, just to feel a little bit more sporty and adventurous. I also ended up buying a skiing jacket here just to use during the regular winter because my fancy, fashionable coats never succeeded at keeping me warm!

We know that North Face is pretty great, and we were happy to include, as our last but not least pick, their Face Surge Backpack.

The FlexVent suspension system boasts custom injection-molded shoulder straps, a padded mesh back panel with a spine channel and a wicking lumbar panel for maximum support and ventilation. Plus, you get a main compartment for other gadgets such as chargers, cameras, etc. The front compartment has internal organization with a fleece-lined media pocket, secure zippered pocket and elastic webbing for cord management.

But, as much as we liked it, we ended up feeling this was more like a one and all backpack for every day, or even going to work, versus a truly hiking backpack we can carry around forever. Regardless, we thought it could be a great option for travel overall, when we had a vacation with short hikes that didn’t require speciality equipment and we could use the Surge Backpack both as a personal item for the plane AND a backpack for our daily, travel adventures outside the airports!

So what’s the best hiking backpack for the money?

Sometimes the true questions might come down to value, or your overall budget when it comes to choosing the right backpack. What’s the BEST hiking backpack I can get for my budget? We have two backpacks in our list that we would choose and that they are in a similar price range.

  • Sunhiker Cycling Hiking Backpack Water Resistant Travel Backpack Lightweight SMALL Daypack M0714 (under $30)
  • 20L/33L- Most Durable Packable Lightweight Travel Hiking Backpack Daypack (under $20)

As we said before, any of the above choices would be a great option for your hiking adventures. It all depends on what you’re ultimately looking for, what you can afford, and, if you’re a little bit like us, what colors you can pick!

Wrap Up and Final Thoughts

You can see there’s a lot to consider and then some when it comes to searching for the best hiking backpacks on the market today. In fact, just trying to nail down the right criteria, beyond budget, best material, best functionality and best capacity overall could be a task on its own.

At the end, you should always think of a hiking backpack as a true asset and investment, a new accomplice for your travels and adventures, remembering to look for your ultimate comfort, and use!

This is the Happiest Couples Retreat…And The World’s Largest Cruise Ship

November 20, 2016 by Andrea S. Filed Under: Andrea, English, Travel, Weddings

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Dan and I have been fortunate to call ourselves cruise ship aficionados. After our debut trip with my parents ten years ago, we have been on more than 15 cruises, traveling the Caribbean, as well as South America. We thought we could not be surprised when it came to vacationing on the sea…until we made of Royal Caribbean’s world’s largest cruise ship, Harmony of the Seas, our home away from home.
First impression was…WOW. Followed by…WHAT IN THE WORLD…and then…I CAN’T BELIEVE IT. And this was only in regards to Harmony of the Seas‘ luxurious interiors and gravity-defeating architecture. It took us a little while longer to be completely in awe about the better-than-Broadway entertainment (which, by the way, includes a water theatre!), the indoors Central Park, the Ultimate Abyss, the Flowrider, a zip-line, and their own merry-go-round. And yes, they also threw in a 100% bionic bar, just in case we were running out of things to write home about.
There’s so much to do aboard the ship that you can literally just stay on it for seven straight days and still be missing out on doing SOMETHING.

¿Quieres leer esta historia en español? Haz clic aquí.

Harmony of the Seas in Numbers

First things first, Harmony of the Seas is the ultimate champion on every single category we could think about.  Harmony of the Seas is taller than the Eiffel Tower, and over 6 times the length of the Leaning Tower of Pisa.

Infographic by Royal Caribbean - Harmony of the Seas

Infographic by Royal Caribbean – Harmony of the Seas

The world’s largest cruise ship can host 6,780 guests at a time, and 2,100 crew members – that’s almost 9,000 people! There are 2,747 staterooms, 18 decks, 24 guest elevators, and seven “neighborhoods.” If you are thinking this is starting to sound like a small city, then you’re getting a pretty accurate picture of what it is to be on board. We thought Las Vegas when we first walked in through the Promenade, only to discover Central Park and feel immediately in New York City. If this is what the future looks like, a magical place with all of our favorite cities just a few steps away from each other, please sign us up!

The Don’t Miss Spots

We have included in this post our favorite spots on Harmony of the Seas. And yes, the list is pretty long! At the Boardwalk, we got a hot dog and a beer at 4pm (because we could!), and stood in line for the King of the World Carousel  (insider’s tip if your guy likes beer – the best beer selection is actually at the small food stand by the carousel). We strolled in Central Park and ate a salad for lunch, a little bit nostalgic about our days living in New York. We marveled at the robots preparing our drinks at the Bionic Bar, and then we walked to the Aquatheater, where the world’s best extreme-sports athletes performed high-flying feats in The Fine Line. In another life, where Dan and I are actually sporty on our vacations, we would have been daring enough to scream on the zip-line and be brave enough to try the flowrider. But for now, we packed seven, amazing romantic dates in just two days! And that is not a small feast at all.
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Photo by Royal Caribbean - Boardwalk

Photo by Royal Caribbean – Boardwalk

http://travelblogueras.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/IMG_0553.mp4
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Photo by Travel Blogueras – Central Park

Photo by Travel Blogueras - Central Park during the day

Photo by Travel Blogueras – Central Park during the day

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Photo by Royal Caribbean – Central Park

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Photo by Royal Caribbean – Suite

 

The Day Date

With only two days on board, we tried to maximize our time, and we knew it was going to be a tough balance between two of our favorite activities – doing nothing (pool, reading, spa) and doing a little (eating, drinking). On board, our most amazing day date was actually with James Beard Award winner Michael Schwartz, who also owns Michael’s Genuine and Harry’s Pizzeria back at home. On Harmony of the Seas, he presents 150 Central Park, where seasonal, farm-to-table fare sourced from small South Florida farms feels (and tastes) like the ultimate treat. As he hosted a wine and cheese pairing for us, we had the chance to ask him all kinds of questions…his secret to his amazing burrata and peach salad? Fresh peaches. Right.

We learned two other incredible facts after that lunch as well… One, I really like ice wine and, two, ice wine has over 30% alcohol. Note to self – eat more cheese.

Dan and I having fun on Harmony of the Seas.

Dan and I having fun on Harmony of the Seas.

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Photo by Travel Blogueras- Wine and Cheese Pairings with Michael Schwartz at 150 Central Park

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Photo by Travel Blogueras- Wine and Cheese Pairings with Michael Schwartz at 150 Central Park

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Photo by Travel Blogueras- Wine and Cheese Pairings with Michael Schwartz at 150 Central Park

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Photo by Travel Blogueras- Wine and Cheese Pairings with Michael Schwartz at 150 Central Park

Photo by Travel Blogueras- Wine and Cheese Pairings with Michael Schwartz at 150 Central Park

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Yes! This happened! So excited to have met Michael Schwartz aboard Harmony of the Seas.

The Night Date

We started our night at Boleros, Harmony of the Seas Latin-inspired bar and lounge. They have a live Salsa band every night, so you can guess it was a popular spot from the get go. I’m hoping one of these days Dan and I can actually dance salsa, but for now, we enjoyed the mojitos and watching the more seasoned guests who were not too shy to show off some mad skills on the dance floor (jealous!). From Boleros, we headed towards one of the most popular attractions on the ship – the Bionic Bar. Here, mixology meets technology as two robotic bartenders powered by Makr Shakr engineer the perfect cocktail! We ordered them on a tablet near the bar and then we were able to release the finished drink with our room card. Pretty amazing.

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Photo by Travel Blogueras – the Bionic Bar on Harmony of the Seas

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Photo by Travel Blogueras – the Bionic Bar on Harmony of the Seas

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Photo by Travel Blogueras – the Bionic Bar on Harmony of the Seas

After a little while, we headed towards the Royal Theatre to watch one of my all-time favorites, Grease. We learned that Royal Caribbean International is the first cruise line to feature fully licensed, Tony Award-winning Broadway productions, and not only that, they were also able to license the songs from the movie as well. The result? A true Broadway-quality show on the sea. Bravo!

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Photo by Royal Caribbean – Grease

Photo by Royal Caribbean - Grease

Photo by Royal Caribbean – Grease

Bon Voyage!

If you think we covered a lot here, surprise! There’s still a lot more to do! The gym was state of the art and I’m kind of upset I only went once. We also didn’t get to experience the spa, or go to the rest of the restaurants…we didn’t even play mini-golf! I don’t think I mentioned it before but yes, they also packed a mini-golf area, by the flowrider. In short, we’ll be coming back soon! I know Dan will kick my butt at ping-pong, but there’s a fair chance I will win a dance off at Boleros. And, if everything fails, we’ll hang out at the hot tub drinking margaritas until it’s time for dinner (or breakfast!).

Safe Travels

¡Ahora también en español!

Dan y yo hemos tenido la suerte de poder considerarnos ¨cruceristas¨ expertos. Después de nuestro primer viaje inagural con mis padres hace más diez años, hemos estado en más de 15 cruceros, viajando por el Caribe, así también como por  América del Sur. Pensamos que ya no podíamos ser fácilmente sorprendidos en la materia de vacaciones en el mar … hasta que descubrimos el barco de cruceros más grande del mundo, Harmony of the Seas, de Royal Caribbean.

La primera impresión fue … GUAU. Seguido de … ME ESTAS BROMEANDO … y luego … NO PUEDO CREERLO. Y esto fue sólo en lo que respecta a los lujosos interiores y la maravillosa y casi mágica arquitectura y diseño de la nave. Nos tomó un poco más de tiempo para estar completamente impresionados por el entretenimiento a la Broadway (que, por cierto, incluye un teatro de agua), un Parque Central interno como el de la mismísima Nueva York, el Abismo, el Flowrider, y un carrusel. Y sí, también nos sorprendieron con un bar 100% biónico, por si acaso nos quedabamos sin cosas para escribir a casa.

Hay tanto que hacer a bordo de la nave que literalmente uno puede permanecer en ella durante siete días seguidos y todavía estar perdiéndose de hacer ALGO.

En números

Primero lo primero, Harmony of the Seas es la super campeona en todas las categorías de cruceros imaginables. Harmony of the Seas es más alta que la Torre Eiffel, y más de 6 veces la longitud de la Torre Inclinada de Pisa.

El crucero más grande del mundo puede albergar 6.780 pasajeros a la vez y 2.100 miembros de la tripulación, ¡casi 9.000 personas! Hay 2.747 camarotes, 18 cubiertas, 24 ascensores para huéspedes y siete “barrios”. Si estás pensando que esto está empezando a sonar como una ciudad pequeña, entonces estás consiguiendo una imagen bastante precisa de lo que es estar a bordo. Pensamos en Las Vegas cuando entramos por primera vez por el Promenade, sólo para descubrir al Parque Central y sentirnos inmediatamente en la ciudad de Nueva York. Si esto es lo que va a ser el futuro, un lugar mágico con todas nuestras ciudades favoritas a pocos pasos de distancia entre sí, por favor, apúntenos ya.

Lo que no te puedes perder

Hemos incluido en este post nuestros lugares favoritos en Harmony of the Seas. Y sí, ¡la lista es bastante larga! En el Boardwalk, nos dieron un perro caliente y una cerveza a las 4 de la tarde, y luego nos montamos en el carrusel más contentos que cualquier niño a bordo (secreto para ti si a tu chico le gusta la cerveza – la mejor selección se encuentra en el pequeño stand de perros calientes justo al lado del carrusel). Nos paseamos por el Parque Central y comimos una ensalada para el almuerzo, un poco nostálgicos los dos sobre nuestros días viviendo en Nueva York. Nos maravillamos de los robots preparando nuestras bebidas en el Bionic Bar, y luego caminamos hacia el Aquatheater, donde los mejores atletas de deportes extremos del mundo realizaron hazañas de alto vuelo en The Fine Line. En otra vida, donde Dan y yo somos realmente deportivos en nuestras vacaciones, nos hubiéramos atrevido a gritar en el zip-line y ser lo suficientemente valientes para probar el flowrider. Pero por ahora, hemos empacado siete, sorprendentes citas románticas en sólo dos días. Y eso no es una pequeña hazaña en absoluto.

La cita de día

Con sólo dos días a bordo, tratamos de maximizar nuestro tiempo, y sabíamos que iba a ser un fino equilibrio entre dos de nuestras actividades favoritas – no hacer nada (piscina, leer, spa) y hacer un poco (comer, beber) . A bordo, nuestra cita más increíble fue en realidad con el ganador del premio James Beard, Michael Schwartz, que también es dueño de Michael’s Original y Harry’s Pizzeria en casa. En Harmony of the Seas, él presenta 150 Central Park, donde la comida es de temporada, así también como procedente de pequeñas granjas del sur de la Florida. Como él fue nuestro anfitrión de un almuerzo de lujo de vinos y quesos finos, tuvimos la oportunidad de hacerle todo tipo de preguntas … por ejemplo, sabes cuál es el secreto de su burrata y ensalada de melocotón? Melocotones frescos. Claro que sí. Super simple, ¿no?

En este almuerzo, también aprendimos otras dos cosas increíbles… Uno, me gusta mucho el vino de hielo y, dos, vino de hielo tiene más de 30% alcohol. Nota para la próxima vez – comer más queso. (Vino de hielo es ice wine en ingles.)

La cita de noche

Comenzamos nuestra noche en Boleros, el bar inspirado por la música y tragos latinos. Tienen una banda de salsa en vivo cada noche, así que puedes suponer que era un lugar popular desde el principio. Espero que uno de estos días Dan y yo realmente podamos bailar salsa, pero por ahora, disfrutamos de los mojitos y viendo a los otros huéspedes más experimentados sacarle el brillo al piso de baile. ¡Con un ritmo! Desde Boleros, nos dirigimos hacia una de las atracciones más populares de la nave – el Bionic Bar. Aquí, mixology se mezcla con la tecnología y dos camareros robóticos te sirven el cóctel más perfecto. Pedimos en una tableta cerca del bar y luego pudimos liberar la bebida terminada con nuestra tarjeta de habitación. Bastante impresionante.

Después de un rato, nos dirigimos hacia el Teatro Royal para ver uno de mis shows y películas favoritos, Grease. Nos contaron que Royal Caribbean International es la primera línea de cruceros que cuenta con producciones de Broadway con premios Tony, y no sólo eso, también pudieron de licenciar las canciones de la película. ¿El resultado? Un verdadero espectáculo de calidad Broadway en el medio del mar. ¡Bravo!

¡Buen viaje!

Si crees que cubrimos mucho aquí, ¡sorpresa! ¡Todavía hay mucho más que hacer! El gimnasio era uno de los mejores que he visto hasta ahora, y estoy un poco molesta que sólo fuimos una vez. También no pudimos experimentar el spa, o ir al resto de los restaurantes … ¡ni siquiera jugar mini-golf! No creo que lo mencioné antes, pero sí, también hay una area de mini-golf, cerca del flowrider. En resumen, ¡tendremos que volver pronto! Sé que Dan me dará una patada en el ping-pong, pero tengo una muy buena oportunidad de ganarle en el baile en Boleros. Y, si todo falla, podemos también pasar el rato en el hot tub tomando margaritas hasta que sea hora de cenar (¡o del desayuno!).

Best tips for couples aboard Harmony of the Seas by Royal Caribbean.

Best tips for couples aboard Harmony of the Seas by Royal Caribbean.

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Best tips for couples aboard Harmony of the Seas by Royal Caribbean.

Best Hotels for Honeymoons: The Royal Hawaiian

October 10, 2016 by Andrea S. Filed Under: Andrea, English, Places, Travel, Weddings

honeymoon at the royal hawaiian

One of our favorite vacation destinations is Hawaii. And we are saying this today, after spending a full week in Honolulu…for the first time ever!

We planned the whole trip around The Royal Hawaiian, the iconic pink resort that rests on the shores of Waikiki since 1927 and is said to be responsible for a new era of luxurious resort travel to Hawaii. In fact, The Royal Hawaiian was one of the first hotels established in Waikiki, and, over its 90 years of history, it has been host to a wide array of celebrities and world dignitaries (and, well, us, the Travel Blogueras!). The hotel’s facade is made out of concrete stucco, as inspired by Spanish and Moorish styled architecture. Inside, we were delighted by its rich history, wood-carved interiors and fastidiously curated…pink! We loved the pink in the wallpaper, the chairs in the lobby, the rugs and much more. They even had a full pink store that only sold pink artifacts and gifts.

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There’s something about being on the beach, surround by pink, in one of the most beautiful places in the world, with the most amazing food and weather that well, just screams out ROMANTIC. We took long strolls by the shops, lounged around the pool, had drinks overlooking the sunset (every single day!), and could not help wondering…okay, how could we possibly move here? And I’m not talking about moving to Waikiki, though that would be pretty awesome, I’m talking about moving to The Royal Hawaiian altogether. Did I mention they also offer free yoga classes at their manicured gardens twice a week? Oh, and they even gave us PINK robes. Can a girl really ask for anything else? (Another trip to The Royal Hawaiian, maybe??)

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We were extremely fortunate to have had the comprehensive and kind advice of Ayaka, who patiently answered all our questions and gave us great recommendations for things to do, see and eat around Ohau (thank you Ayaka!). We will be posting in the next few weeks more about Hawaii, especially our top restaurant list and itinerary, so stay tuned, as we thought Ayaka’s list was too good not to share with you guys. In fact, we wish we had an Ayaka at every single hotel we go to!

In the meantime, here’s our top 5 list of favorite things to do around Waikiki for couples in their honeymoons…

GET A FLOATIE. ESPECIALLY A PINK FLAMINGO ONE.

We know, we know. This is supposed to be an ADULT vacation, but, trust us on this one, everyone has one. And we mean it. We were hesitant to get one and we truly waited till the very last day, and well, we were sorry! We had the most fun we ever had at a beach just by trying ride the waves using a ridiculous orange, donut-shaped floatie. We laughed so hard our ribs hurt. And, we stayed on the beach till it was so dark we couldn’t see our faces. Now, that was so romantic I’m kind of sad we are 11 hours away from it!

WALK TO DIAMOND HEAD, AND BACK

This honestly took us 5 full hours of non-stop walking. We got rained on maybe three or four times. But we ran into the most ridiculous characters (there was a little angry man who complained that girls on Instagram only care about taking selifes, well, duh!), a botanical garden, and the most amazing ice cream truck which served ice cream made solely from bananas and acai. Yum.

ISLAND VINTAGE COFFEE

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It’s just a few minutes from The Royal Hawaiian, on the second floor of the complex. The place gets crazy packed after 7:30am so you have to wake up and get going! We fell in love with their acai bowls and an iced coffee drinks made with macadamia and coconut syrup. You can buy coffee beans to take home too!

HAVE AN ACAI BOWL FOR BREAKFAST

The acai berry is actually from Brazil, but for some reason, Honlolulu adopted it as theirs, and we loved them for it, so much! The acai bowl is served pretty much anywhere, and has the consistency of a thicker smoothie, with granola, bananas and strawberries on top. It’s just sweet enough to get you you going in the morning, and also works very well for a carb-loaded snack in the afternoon. And it’s purple!

 

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This was by far one of our favorite experiences on the island. In ancient times the Hawaiian people came together to celebrate momentous occasions, these gatherings were called ‘Aha‘aina (which translates to gathering for a meal).  The Royal Hawaiian is located on sacred grounds and they have created a modern, yet timeless Aha Aina, A Royal Luau, to honor the land’s majestic history through food, song, stories, hula, and culture—a true celebration of The Royal and its heritage. Waikiki’s only oceanfront dinner show transforms the traditional island experience in grand Royal Hawaiian style every Monday evening.

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We didn’t have the chance to actually see it on the beach, as it happened to rain on our only Monday there, yet, we had such an amazing and fun experience, we highly recommend it. As you can see, below, we could not stop taking pictures!

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Dan had a great time with the open bar and all the authentic Hawaiian pork you can ever eat! I was, personally, a fan of the poke, which is one of our new dishes that we make now at home.

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Finally, the fire performance is a can not miss. Ever. We were happily surprise, too, to see him on the Today Show the very next day. #onlyattheroyal!hawaiiwaikikinorthshorte2016-103 hawaiiwaikikinorthshorte2016-102 hawaiiwaikikinorthshorte2016-101 hawaiiwaikikinorthshorte2016-100 hawaiiwaikikinorthshorte2016-99 hawaiiwaikikinorthshorte2016-98 hawaiiwaikikinorthshorte2016-97 hawaiiwaikikinorthshorte2016-96 hawaiiwaikikinorthshorte2016-95 hawaiiwaikikinorthshorte2016-94 hawaiiwaikikinorthshorte2016-93 hawaiiwaikikinorthshorte2016-92 hawaiiwaikikinorthshorte2016-91 hawaiiwaikikinorthshorte2016-90 hawaiiwaikikinorthshorte2016-89 hawaiiwaikikinorthshorte2016-88 hawaiiwaikikinorthshorte2016-87 hawaiiwaikikinorthshorte2016-86 hawaiiwaikikinorthshorte2016-85

Do you have stories about The Royal Hawaiian or Waikiki to share? Drop as an email if you are interested in becoming a guest blogger with us!

Mahalo!

Andrea&Dan

 

 

Best Weekend Florida Road Trip: Palm Beaches

August 28, 2016 by Amanda T. Filed Under: Amanda, English, Places, Travel

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Best Weekend Florida Road Trip: The Palm Beaches

One of the many great things about living in Florida is the endless supply of amazing beaches and getaways that are available to us locals year-round. Funny enough, the “struggle” is simply trying to determine where you want to enjoy your next weekend from all the amazing choices. Saying that, I’ve been on a mission to discover the Best Weekend Florida Road Trips and I found a winner with the Palm Beaches! 

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So to test my theory that our neighbor to the North (I’m coming from Miami) has ample adventures to keep me busy for a weekend, I set off with my buddy @JoseResendez to discover just what the Palm Beaches have to offer!

To make our ride from Miami as smooth as possible, we packed up our things in a Mitsubishi Mirage that was the perfect size for our weekend road trip! While we had plenty of space on the inside, I also really appreciated the compact size and mileage efficiency (its the most fuel-efficient gas powered, non-hybrid car in America!) – which made zipping up the I-95 a breeze!

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For those looking to plan a Florida Road Trip, I’ve recapped the best of our experiences in the Palm Beaches so you can see just why this is a great option for your next getaway! With all the good information we’ve gathered below, I feel confident that you can use this as a guide to ensure you have a fabulous time in the Palm Beaches!

Eat to Explore

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To kick off our weekend in the Palm Beaches, we signed up for the West Palm Beach Food Tour – which served two purposes: filling our bellies with tasty treats and also giving us a great intro to the area. Our tour guide, Kristi, was a pleasant story-teller and very knowledgeable about the area…while letting you enjoy the tour at your own pace! Even though we took the tour on a scorcher of a Saturday (typical for Florida in August), the tour was still doable in the heat. Kristi combined short walks with long sits in the AC to keep us all from getting fussy!

Its hard to pick out just what was our favorite dish of the day, since each stop worked you through what was essentially a full meal (plus some!). But below is a collage of some of our favorite tastings. There really is something for everyone: savory, sweet, tart, salty, etc. On their website, Kristi gives you a specific breakdown of each dish you will enjoy at the different locations so you can check out the ones we don’t have pictured below!

WestPalmBeachFoodTour

This photo features: Ahi Tuna Tostada from the Blind Monk, variety of savory and sweet treats from the Jardin, fresh Key Lime tart, and the tastiest Pan Con Tomate I’ve ever had from the Blink Monk.

Pamper Time

So after a full day of walking and exploring West Palm, I decided to take a little time for myself and visited our friends at Cosmo & Company Salon and Spa.  They had me booked for a hand full of treatments to really help me relax and absorb all that I had seen and done during the day.

CosmoCompanyWestPalm

There is really just too much to explain in this recap post about my experience at Cosmo & Company, so for those looking for more details about the treatments, then check it out here.

But the pampering doesn’t stop there! As with any trip, its important to book a hotel that will serve as your refugee of relaxation – but especially when you are trying to escape for a weekend getaway in between a work week. We found just that with the Hilton Garden Inn at Palm Beach Gardens we were able to enjoy a centralized location while also feeling like we secluded enough to relax.

HiltonGardenInnPalmBeachGardens

The interior, as well as the exterior, are decorated to highlight the natural beauty of the area. It was so lovely that we decided to enjoy a walk around the calming lake right after our tasty breakfast! For more details about our experience with the Hilton Garden Inn, click here.

Shopping Sprees

On top of all the exploring to be done, the Palm Beaches have some amazing shopping! We selected a few from a long list that were in different areas so that we could get a feel for the diversity of this county. While we were still in Palm Beach area, we hopped over to The Gardens Mall in Palm Beach Gardens for some light shopping and lunch. This mall just screams luxury and I was really impressed by the beautiful greenery inside – they aren’t kidding when they call themselves the Gardens Mall, certain areas really felt like a garden! Their tagline is “Luxury Retail with No Equal” which is not an exaggeration! After spending some time shopping at a few of their store (there are more than 150 in total!) and grabbing some lunch at Brio Tuscan Grille we called it a day!

TheGardensMallPalmBeach

Perfectly located near the interstate on our drive back from West Palm Beach to Miami, we ventured over to the Town Center at Boca Raton for another round of retail therapy. Since it had been a long day at this point, I was particularly impressed by all the extra services that the mall had to offer like free wi-fi and a package check so we didn’t have to drag around our bags all afternoon. I had some fun with the signage around the mall that talked about these services!

TownCenterBocaRaton

So with our Mitsubishi Mirage packed to the brim with shopping bags and fun memories from the weekend, we headed south to Miami. Can I mention really quick that I made it all the way back home on the same tank of gas?! How amazing is that!

MitsuMiragePalmBeach

With the Palm Beaches so nearby and accessible with the interstate and turnpike, you really can pack so much into 2 days! I’m definitely adding this to my rotation for weekend getaways and can’t wait to continue exploring all that the Palm Beaches has to offer!

Safe Travels

Hilton Garden Inn Palm Beach Gardens: Review

August 28, 2016 by Amanda T. Filed Under: Amanda, English, Travel

hiltongardensinnpalmbeachreview

Hilton Garden Inn Palm Beach Gardens: Review

Looking for the perfect spot to call home during your trip to the Palm Beach area? We found one at the Hilton Garden Inn Palm Beach Gardens! During our recent road trip to the area, we were looking for a centrally located hotel that would keep us right in the middle of all of the action for our weekend filled with adventures, but also secluded enough that we could take some time to relax and enjoy the quiet. So you can get a feel for our experience at the Hilton Garden Inn Palm Beach Gardens, we’ve broken it down for you in a few sections:

Location

The Hilton Garden Inn was perfectly located near the interstate, but since its actually found in Palm Beach Gardens – its not in the center of the downtown area = which means less traffic and a chiller vibe!

HiltonGardenPalmBeachGardens2

I also loved the lake-side location with a quiet walking path which was perfect way to ease ourselves into the day after breakfast.

Servicio

The service at the Hilton Garden Inn was awesome! From the front desk to the in-room service, everyone went above and beyond to make sure our stay was enjoyable. You definitely feel like you are staying in a smaller boutique with the personal details!

HiltonGardenPalmBeachGardens

I always love a good hotel breakfast, so I was happy to find out they offered an ample AM buffet with all the essentials, plus an omelette station! Food is the fastest way to my heart when I’m traveling, that’s for sure.

Party Family

I would place this Hilton Garden Inn somewhere in the middle here. While the location makes this the perfect hotel for the family, it didn’t seem too over-the-top focused on families. I don’t know about you, but sometimes I feel too uncomfortable if we are the odd-ones-out without kids, but the hotel really had a solid mix of all types of travelers. We enjoyed a few drinks at the bar before heading out for the night, but also noticed a family playing in the pool – so its fun for everyone!

Stay in Touch

Since our stay, I’ve been keeping up with the Hilton Garden Inn Palm Beach Gardens via their Facebook page which features hotel offers and special event information. Great way to keep connected so you are prepared for your next trip to the Palm Beach area!

Safe Travels

RoadTrips Más Seguros con #PuedeEsperar de AT&T

July 15, 2016 by Amanda T. Filed Under: Amanda, Travel

PuedeEsperar

RoadTrips Más Seguros con #PuedeEsperar de AT&T

Aviso: Esta es una campaña pagada en colaboración con AT&T y DiMe Media, pero todas las opiniones son mías.

Desde su lanzamiento en 2010, la campaña #PuedeEsperar de AT&T, ha ayudado a informar mucha gente sobre los peligros de manejar distraídos. No tenía idea de este increíble dato, pero los hispanos estadounidenses son más propensos a manejar distraídos con su teléfono que los que no son hispano estadounidenses. 83% de los hispanos admitió utilizar sus teléfonos inteligentes mientras conducían, comparado con el 71 % de los estadounidenses. Esto te hace realmente parar y pensar un momento en el peligro innecesario y el riesgo incurrido mientras estamos en el carro.

Como Travel Bloguera, me encanta viajar y especialmente tomar “roadtrips” en el carro por toda la Florida. Ahora que llegó el verano y la temporada de los viajes, estos datos me dan mucho miedo. ¡No sabía que podía haber tantas personas distraídas en las carreteras!

Antes de que te subas a tu carro en tu próximo roadtrip del verano, entonces, apunta estos tips que te ayudarán a recordar que todo #PuedeEsperar.

Tips para RoadTrips Más Seguros 

  • Postea en la redes antes de arrancar el motor: Obviamente a todos nos gusta postear de nuestros viajes en la redes, pero esto también puede esperar. Sabías que la mitad de los hispanos estadounidenses admiten que acceden a las redes sociales desde el smartphone mientras manejan/conducen? ¡No seas uno de ellos! OrlandoRoadtrip
  • Di NO a “los selfies” en el carro: Más de un cuarto (28 %) de los hispanos confiesan tomar selfies mientras manejan,¿ lo puedes creer? Aunque no estés manejando, la verdad, que hay de divertido de un selfie de solo tú en el carro? Mejor espera hasta que llegues a tu destino y te tomas un selfie con una vista espectacular. NoSelfiesinCar
  • Avísale a las personas que tienes que notificar antes de empezar tu viaje: Entendemos que a veces hay gente esperando escuchar de ti mientras estás en tu roadtrip, ¡pero mandando un texto al volante no es la manera! Casi 7 de cada 10 hispanos envió un mensaje de texto mientras manejaban. Mejor, llámalos antes de empezar tu viaje y avísales de tus planes para el día.
  • Baja un app que te ayude a romper el hábito: La aplicación DriveMode de AT&T (Para iPhone y Para Android) ayuda a frenar el impulso de leer y enviar mensajes de texto mientras se está manejando al silenciar los mensajes de texto entrantes. La función de modo automático activa la aplicación cuando el automóvil alcanza una velocidad de 15 MPH y la desactiva cuando se detiene. Genial, ¿no?

¿Tienes otros consejos para hacer los roadtrips más seguros? Es siempre importante recordarle a tus amigos que #PuedeEsperar…¡entonces ayúdanos a correr la voz! Comprométete..yo ya lo hice, entonces ahora es tu oportunidad.

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