Countdown to Costa Rica!

Our return to Costa Rica is only 80 days away! The last time we visited this country was back in 2019 and we will be returning for three weeks this summer. Since this will be our fourth visit to Costa Rica we are taking the opportunity to visit a few of our favourite places while not feeling the pressure to visit to the tourist hot spots such as La Fortuna and Monteverde. Also, this time around, our daughter will be attending Spanish school for two weeks in Samara. This immersive experience also includes a home stay with a local Costa Rican family. With a big chunk of our time being spent on the beach in Samara we are also making sure to set aside time to venture inland towards the mountains and rainforests to some less visited locations such as Bijagua and Curubandé which is near Rincón de la Vieja. Activities at the top of our list during this adventure include hiking to Rio Celeste, Canyoning at Rio Perdido, and exploring waterfalls at Hotel Hacienda Guachipelin. During this three week adventure there will also be time for relaxation when we visit The Westin Reserva Conchal.

Follow along over the next few months as we plan and prepare to embark on another adventure.

Get Ready (To Travel) With Me

Our next travel date is only 15 days away! By this time all my trip planning has already been done and the focus now shifts to beginning to implement all those plans. With that in mind this post is all about getting ready to travel and some of my favourite money and time saving tips.

Using eSims

Let’s start off with a big one a lot of people still don’t know about. Did you know most modern mobile phones (iPhone, Google Pixel, Samsung) all support multiple SIM cards through something called eSims. An e-sim, as the name implies, is a virtual SIM card you can install on your phone. Leveraging this feature is ideal when travelling since you can obtain significantly cheaper data rates than if you continued to use you home country’s SIM card. By purchasing an eSim for the country you are visiting and installing it on your device will unlock prepaid data that you can use in that country instead of having to pay roaming charges imposed by your home country carrier. 

Here is a real example from my recent trip to Nashville. I used an e-sim provider called Airalo and installed their mobile app on my phone. From the app I picked the country I was visiting and how much data I wanted. I chose 3GB of data at a cost of $11 USD. This was plenty for the messaging, navigation and Spotify usage I was anticipating. Once the eSim has been purchased and added to your account it is a simple process to install it onto your phone. You can let the app do it or you can use a QR code if you want to install the eSim on a different phone. This proves to be useful if you want to purchase eSims for your children while travelling.  Both your actual SIM and eSim can both be active at the same time or you can disable your main SIM card if you chose. You can also configure which SIM should be the default for phone, text new data. Furthermore, even if your eSim is installed it won’t be “activated” until you connect to the network it belongs to.

For my upcoming trip to the UK and Ireland I plan to try Alo for my eSim. This is a Canadian company and offers slightly better rates for the combination of the UK and Ireland that I was looking for. In this case it will cost $9 USD for 3GB with coverage across all the countries I will be visiting.

When travelling outside of your country I highly recommend using an eSim to stay connected and most importantly to save considerable money.

Hotels

Accommodations when travelling takes up a large part of your budget so finding some savings here can make a big difference. I do like to use AirBnb in certain cases since they offer more rooms and a kitchen that a hotel cannot offer. However, AirBnbs do not offer the same level of service and generally cost more. I prefer hotels for short stays and AirBnb for a longer stay where we can make our own meals and have a bit more space. For hotels however my advice is to book as early as possible and book refundable rates. This may seem counter intuitive since non-refundable rates are generally less. Let me explain. When you book early you can generally lock in a good rate. As the date gets closer you then need to periodically check the hotel for updated rates. You would be surprised how often rates go down when your travel dates get closer as the hotel tries to fill its empty rooms. Since you have a refundable rate you can easily re-book and get the better rate which is often less than the non-refundable rate you would have locked in months earlier. In addition, refundable rates give you more flexibility if your travel plans change (which is often). From my personal experience I feel like I have come out ahead by following this strategy.

As an aside also try to book with the same hotel chain as often as you can (eg. Marriott). This will maximize the points you can earn towards future stays which add up faster that you may think. Credit card points are also a great way to rack up your hotel points even faster.

Maps

Who loves maps as much as I do? If you do you must try the My Maps feature of Google. Using My Maps you can create custom maps for your destination and add as many points of interest that you may want you visit as well as accommodations and restaurants. You can the also add as many driving directions as you want. All of this can be done on separate layers that you can turn on and off. I find it really useful to visualize during the planning process how far distances are and where places I am interested in visiting are in relation to each other. This helps me figure out how many places I can visit in a day plus determine the most optimal routes to take. Since all these maps are stored in your Google account it is also useful to revisit them after your trip. 

Next time you are planning any type of trip, short or long, try out Google My Maps.

See you at the airport in fifteen days!

Nashville with two teenagers

When your think of Nashville you probably don’t think family destination immediately since it has become the capital of bachelorette parties. But, this is exactly where we ended up going for one week with two teenage girls. Beyond all the Honky tonks on Lower Broadway and the live music around every corner, Tennessee and the surrounding states offer plenty of other activities for a family to participate in. Our family especially likes outdoor activities so finding some interesting state and national parks was a priority. We also love live music so spending a few days in the city, exploring everything it had to offer was a must. Finally, since this was a vacation, a few days of relaxation was also planned.

Day 1

We decided to stay in the 12 South neighborhood for the majority of our vacation. This area is away from the hustle of downtown but still only a few minutes away. Plus there were plenty of unique shops and restaurants walking distance from our AirBnb. We were in Nashville around the middle of March where temperatures averaged around 10 degrees Celsius during the day but got down close to freezing overnight. Not warm by any stretch but still nice enough to be comfortable while walking around outside.

On our first day in Nashville we promptly got back in the car and left the state for Kentucky. Our destination was Mammoth Cave National Park. This park is around 1.5 hours from Nashville and contains the world’s longest known cave system. We went on a 2 hour, ranger led tour of several highlights of the caves but still only saw a fraction of what has been discovered. Once we were finished exploring the National Park we drove back to our base in Nashville.

Day 2

Another road trip day and this was going to be a long one. Our destination was Fall Creek Falls State Park. The park is so great they named it twice! 😂 Fall Creek Falls is about 2.5 hours through the Tennessee countryside but well worth a visit. This state park is actually Tennessee’s most visited park. Also, did you know all Tennessee state parks have free admission? There are some great hiking trails to explore at this state park with its highlight being an impressive waterfall.

After, exploring Fall Creek Falls it was time to head back to Nashville via one more pit stop. Have your heard of Buc-ee’s? This place is like an amusement park for road trips. It is huge and offers hundreds of gas pumps and a giant convenience store. This isn’t just any convenience store however, Buc-ee’s restrooms have been voted the cleanest in America. In addition, there are rows of snacks, fresh fudge, brisket, fountain drinks, and slushies.

Day 3

After a couple days of driving it was time to ditch the car and start exploring Nashville. First up was the semi-famous hop on hop off trolly tour. The trolley tour provided the perfect way to see all of the city without requiring a car or dealing with parking. We started at Centennial Park and then began our journey towards downtown via areas such as Music Row and The Gulch. We stopped at The Gulch to find some murals that Nashville is famous for as well as southern food from Biscuit Love and a huge vintage guitar store. Eventually we made it to the famous Honky Tonk Row or Lower Broadway which is lined with bars on both sides of the street with free live music all day. It is quite the experience to see so many venues in such a small area with so many talented musicians entertaining the crowds. You quickly realize how Nashville has become the go to location for all sorts of celebrations.

Day 4

Our second day exploring Nashville but at a slower pace. This time we first explored the 12 South neighbourhood where our AirBnb was located before hopping in a Lyft for the short drive back to downtown. We started our day at Goo Goo’s, home of the famous Goo Goo cluster. These were the first time fillings were added to chocolate way back in 1912 and at their store your can design your own cluster and watch it being made before your eyes. After filling up on some chocolate we were ready for some dancing, line dancing that is. The Wildhorse Saloon is just off of Lower Broadway and not only offers some great free music but also free line dancing lessons. Needless to say, we loved the experience and stayed for several lessons. We explored a few more honky tonks for the remainder of the afternoon and ended up at Assembly Food Hall for dinner.

Day 5

Our vacation is already close to being complete so to finish off we moved over to the Gaylord Opryland Resort for our final night. This is a huge resort with several interconnected atriums that can be explored as well as an indoor water park. After several busy days is was a nice way to end our vacation with some relaxing and fun at the water park. The Grand Ole Opry is also right next door but we decided not to attend.

Day 6

Well that brings us to our final day in Nashville. After checking out we stayed at the resort all day to enjoy its amenities (including more water park) before heading back to the airport where we would spend our last night before flying home the next day.

Even without being in Nashville to party we still were able to experience its great music scene and food plus had the opportunity to explore nearby sights and scenery. Travelling isn’t just about the destination but the experiences you have while there. Even tough Nashville  may not be considered a typical family destination we were still able to enjoy ourselves and found plenty of fulfilling experiences.

West Coast Travels: Day 8 - City Tour

After seven full days of exploring British Columbia we have finally made it to our final day. Early tomorrow morning  e will be boarding a plane back to Ottawa. I am not one to take my foot off the gas however so made sure we had a full day of exploring Vancouver by foot. 

With a beautiful blue sky to greet us we started our walk with a stop at Rocanini Coffee Roasters. With a drink in hand it was only a couple more minutes to reach the Plaza of Nations ferry dock where we hopped on a False Creek Ferry to take us to Granville Island  Granville Island began its transformation from an industrial wasteland into a cultural and artistic hub since the 1970’s. While there we explored the public market, found some gifts, ate lunch, and were entertained by several buskers. After a few hours we hopped back on the ferry and headed to English Bay. From there we began our long walk to Canada Place.. Along the way we were greeted by the views of English Bay and shopping along Denman Street and Robson Avenue. We passed by a Marble Slab ice cream shop so we had to stop for some ice cream creations. Our goal was to reach Canada Place by 5:00 pm since we had a fun reservation at an attraction called FlyOver Canada. FlyOver Canada utilizes state-of-the-art technology to reveal some of Canada’s most awe-inspiring sights as you have never seen them before. You hang suspended, feet dangling, before a 20-metre spherical screen while the film whisks you away on an exhilarating 8-minute journey across Canada. It was also interesting visiting Canada Place again. When Canada Place first opened it was used as the Canada Pavilion during the 1986 World Exposition that took place in Vancouver. The Canada Pavilion has been acknowledged as one of the best-ever host nation pavilions at a world exposition. It was during Expo 86 that the Vancouver SkyTrain also opened. My Dad was involved in the implementation of the SelTrac communications based moving block system to provide the functions of automatic train operation used by the Vancouver SkyTrain. Today the system is the oldest and one of the longest fully-automated, driverless, rapid transit systems in the world. Due to this involvement our entire family travelled to Vancouver to attend Expo 86 and the Canada Pavilion with its iconic sails was indeed one of the highlights of my trip as a young child.

With the day and our vacation coming to a close we ordered some takeout sushi online which we picked up on the way back to the hotel. We have an early 6:00 am departure from our hotel in the morning in order to catch our 8:30 am flight back to Ottawa.

Coffee on the False Creek Ferry

Granville Island

English Bay Beach

Ice Cream! 

Canada Place

Lots of walking!

West Coast Travels: Day 7 - Canyons and Views

We are nearing the end of this vacation but it isn’t quite over yet. With our first full day in Vancouver we decided to visit some sights just outside of downtown. This was also our last day with the car so we made sure to take advantage of it. To start we headed off to Lynn Canyon Park. Lynn Canyon in North Vancouver has been open to the public since 1912 and features a stunning suspension bridge towering 50m over the canyon. Lynn Canyon Park has grown to over 627 acres over the years and contains many trails to explore amongst the 80 to 100 year old trees. After an hour of exploring we were off to Cypress Mountain. On the way up this mountain road is a stunning view of downtown Vancouver. We stopped here to enjoy the view as well as eat some lunch.

With our stomachs full we were back in the car to work our way closer to the airport in order to return the car. Where to next? How about under the Cambie St. Bridge? Why would anyone want to see the underside of a bridge? Well it just so happens that an augmented reality artistic installation has been added under the Cambie St. Bridge called Voxel Bridge  The underside of the south end of Vancouver’s Cambie Bridge has been transformed by artist Jessica Angel into a 19,000 square feet public art installation that comes to life as the biggest blockchain-based augmented reality experience of its kind. At first glance, the artwork takes the form of a massive two-dimensional vinyl mural that wraps the pedestrian walkway, supporting columns, and underside of the bridge, providing an immersive experience reminiscent of a computer circuit board slightly askew.

We were getting very close to the airport now but decided one more stop was needed. Just south of the airport in Richmond is Terra Nova park. The expansive park opened in 2014 and includes a play experience unique to the Lower Mainland. It is the result of an extensive and highly successful community planning process, and reflects the agricultural traditions of the area and complements the City’s growing collection of innovative parks. The play environment represents a major departure from other contemporary playgrounds in that most of the features are custom designed and manufactured using British Columbia sourced Yellow Cedar and sustainable design practices.

It was then finally time to return the car and then hop on the Sky Train back to our hotel in order to enjoy a turkey dinner from a nearby restaurant since it was Thanksgiving Sunday.

Our last day in Vancouver is tomorrow. What will we get up to next?

West Coast Travels: Day 6 - Back to the City

Our brief stay in Whistler has come to an end and we are once again on the Sea to Sky highway but heading 120 km south this time all the way to Vancouver. Since we didn’t have too far to drive meant we could still have a relaxing morning at the resort with some more swimming plus some time to stroll around the village and check out some of the stores. As the morning came to an end we finally packed up the car once again and began our journey south.

I hope by now it won’t be surprising to find out I had a few stops planned along our route. The first stop was only a few kilometres south of Whistler at Train Wreck trail  Train Wreck trail is one of Whistler’s most unique locations that only recently was even accessible by the public. Celebrated for its visual juxtaposition of metal and nature, history and culture, Whistler’s infamous “Train Wreck” used to be off-limits because access to the site involved walking along the railway tracks. The site, long favoured by local graffiti artists, photographers, trail runners, hikers and bikers became a legit tourism destination with the opening of a new suspension bridge spanning the Cheakamus river in 2013. How the boxcars got here dats back to 1956 when a train traveling to Vancouver derailed in the narrow passage. With not other means to remove the damaged boxcars they were scattered like Yahtzee dice among the towering cedar and fir trees lining the mighty Cheakamus River.

Our next stop was Brandywine Falls, only a few more minutes away on Hwy. 99. The waterfall is an amazing sight as it tumbles 70 m straight down into a massive canyon which has been carved out over the passing of time. The name Brandywine is believed to have come from a wager between two surveyors for the Howe Sound and Northern Railway over the height of the Falls. The closest guess winning a bottle of brandy(wine).

By now the rain had caught up with us so we got back in the car and drove the remaining route non-stop all the way to our hotel in Vancouver. Well that is not quite true. Since we were passing by Squamish we did pop by for a quick beverage and snack from Sunflower Bakery & Cafe. This popular spot is well known for its donut creations (but including gluten free!) as well some great coffee and tea choices to go with them.

We finally arrived at our final hotel for the next three days and had a little bit of time to relax before it was time to head out for dinner. We actually had dinner reservations this evening in Yaletown since we were meeting up with a co-worker of Shannon’s that lives in Vancouver. It was great for them to finally meet in person and we all had a delicious meal too.

Train Wreck Trail

Brandywine Falls

hotel