Central America offers a special mix of eco and adventure travel with all the creature comforts necessary for an outstanding family vacation or honeymoon. Costa Rica and Belize are the most popular destinations and both are peaceful countries that welcome tourism.

In Costa Rica you’ll find rainforests, jungle, pristine beaches, exotic animals and active volcanoes. Many vacationers have too little time to see it all, but a very nice itinerary combines a few days near Arenal Volcano or the Monteverde Cloud Forest with some beach time on the Guanacaste Peninsula or near Manuel Antonio or Corcovado National Parks.

Belize is home to one of the world’s largest barrier reefs and offers active adventurers a full range of land and sea activities. The diving and deep sea fishing are world class, you can hike in the lush, dense interior, or explore nearby Mayan ruins. And, when it’s time to slow down, you can pick a lovely quiet stretch of beach and simply relax!

Jobs in tourism are highly sought in Central America so it’s not unusual to find a botanist conducting your nature walk or marine biologist leading your snorkel trip. Area guides are proud of their country and enjoy sharing their special part of the world. So take advantage, ask questions and enjoy the experience!

Available accommodations range from basic to luxurious and include traditional hotels, cabanas, lodges and villas. There are a number of guided tours offered for every interest and independent travelers can choose a self drive itinerary or include ground or air transfers in a package.

The weather is warm year round but there is definitely a “green season” so contact our Central America specialist, Linda, when it’s time to plan your trip. She’ll help you plan the perfect adventure!

Long ago I set the goal to visit all 50 states in the U.S. and was excited to have the opportunity to see Alaska on the beautiful new Diamond Princess. 
 
Our ports of call included Juneau, Skagway and Ketchikan which are all very quaint towns that welcome cruise passengers with open arms each summer.  All of the ports offered a variety of shore excursions such as dog sledding, panning for gold, helicopter tours of the glaciers, kayaking and salmon fishing. 
 
On board the ship there are also lots of options and you will never be bored!  During the day, there are activities such as trivia contests, a movie in the theater, bridge tournaments and a full selection of spa treatments. Every evening there is entertainment in the main theater and lounges that runs the gamut from Broadway production shows to Karaoke! 
 
You also have choices for dining because Princess offers standard dining and Personal Choice Dining. 
 
Standard dining is the traditional cruise ship dining experience.   You are assigned a specific table and dinner time which remains the same for the length of your cruise.  Typically cruise ships have an early seating at about 6 p and a late seating at about 8:30 p.  Since you have the same waiters and dinner companions each evening, you really get to know each other and the waiters come to know who likes ice tea or coffee, who wants ice and who doesn’t.  It’s really fun!
 
If you prefer more control over your dining times and companions, Personal Choice Dining allows you to dine when, where and with whom you prefer.  And, both traditional dining guests as well as Personal Choice guests also have the choice of ala carte restaurants such as a steak house, an Asian Restaurant, Italian and Tex Mex. Most of these are included in your cruise fare, but one or two have a nominal service fee.
 
Whatever you choose, you will enjoy wonderful food and impeccable service plus no bill at the end of your meal! I highly recommend both Princess Cruises and the Alaska cruise experience!  Please call or email if this is a trip you might enjoy!
 

I made my 2nd visit to Turks and Caicos in August and have lots to report! I chose this tiny little island for its fabulous beach and fantastic coral reefs. My son recently completed his certification in 40 degree Puget Sound waters (as I did many years ago) and it was a real treat to introduce him to warm water diving. We visited a new site every day for 10 days and saw hundreds of colorful fish, turtles, rays, shark and schools of dolphin.

Turks and Caicos is at the southern end of the Bahamian chain in the Caribbean Sea. Its most famous beach, Grace Bay, is routinely listed as one of the best in the world by Conde Nast with 12 miles of powder white sand along sparkling turquoise water. Water sports such as swimming, snorkeling, sailing, fishing, kayaking and scuba are a major draw as is lazing away the hours soaking in the tropical sun or being pampered at one of the fantastic spas.

Resorts cater to either a family market or romance and solitude seeking adults with few choices in between. My destination was Beaches Turks and Caicos which is an all inclusive resort and THE place for families plus an excellent choice for divers of all ages. I’ll write more about Beaches in another post -

My favorite honeymoon spot or quiet getaway on Turks is Point Grace, an intimate hideaway with spacious bungalows, oceanfront spa and gourmet restaurant. The pool and gardens are lovely and private open air porches are shaded and furnished with gorgeous carved wood chaise lounges perfect for reading or napping. Kitchens are fully equipped and can be prestocked by guest services. The photo above is taken from a villa at Point Grace…

Other great choices on Turks include Grace Bay Club, the Palms, Turks and Caicos Club and Ocean Club so if you’re planning a Caribbean honeymoon or need a new idea for a family vacation I hope you’ll call me. Turks and Caicos is a little piece of paradise!

My husband and I wanted to do something extra special in celebration of our 35th wedding anniversary so we decided to renew our vows on the beach in Jamaica. Pretty romantic, huh?

Sandals Grande Ocho Rios was our resort of choice and they are the pros on beach weddings, honeymoons and special anniversaries. Prior to our arrival in Jamaica, we completed a wedding application and sent copies of our birth certificates and our marriage certificate. Even though we had been married 35 years, we were still required to conform to regulations regarding a wedding. We also needed to comply with the Jamaican residency requirement which requires that you be in the country 48 hours prior to your wedding.

None of this was hard but it all helps to convey the message: You are getting married!! We were treated just like a bride and groom. Our package included a bridal bouquet, groom’s boutonnière, a minister to perform the service, a special dinner menu, photographer, music, and a marriage certificate. It was really fantastic. I felt like I was a bride again and how often do you get to feel like that?

Sandals are couples only resorts and everything is geared toward romance and fun for adults. Every room has a king size beds, there are lots of tables for 2 at all of the restaurants, the swimming pool has a swim up bar and you can even arrange a couples massages at the spa or by the ocean! Meals, drinks, activities and entertainment is all included so it’s a stress free vacation and I highly recommend Sandals for any couples wishing to enjoy a week or two of pampered and together. It’s easy, fun and very romantic!

Sandi

Last fall, my friend Carol and I decided that a Trafalgar escorted tour was the way to explore the historic sights of the east coast.  We were right!  It was a fantastic experience.   We learned so much about the early days of our country.

We flew into Washington, DC on Saturday.   The tour was to begin on Sunday, so we had a few hours to tour Washington on our own.  We booked a twilight tour, which was actually 4 hours long and took us to many sights:  Washington Monument, Capitol Building, Iwo Jima Monument, the new World War II monument, and many, many more.  It was really beautiful to see them lighted.  On Sunday we visited many of the same monuments, and many more, but saw them literally in a different light, since on Sunday we visited during the day.   

We also spent part of the day at the Smithsonian American History Museum.  This is my favorite Smithsonian Museum since it includes modern American culture, as well as early American history exhibits.  Among the exhibits are Dorothy’s Ruby Shoes from the Wizard of Oz, Archie Bunker’s chair from All in the Family, the First Ladies inaugural gowns (my favorite). 

On Monday we continued our tour by traveling to Mount Vernon, the home of our first president.  It is a beautiful home, overlooking the Potomac River.  From there we traveled to Yorktown, where British General Cornwallis surrendered to Washington, to end the Revolutionary War.   Over the Yorktown battlefield there are markers that indicate where different Army divisions fought in the Revolutionary War AND the Civil War. 

In my next blog, I will tell you about our “deer” experience in the Blue Ridge Mountains!

Sandi