Day 1 Rockettes/ Midtown:

I woke up before the kids and ordered Modern Bread and Bagel so we could eat while we were getting ready and get going. It’s a famous gluten free restaurant with the best bagels and breakfast food. If your family isn’t GF, just do Essa Bagel which you can stop in or have delivered. Just make sure to order right when you wake up to give it some time.

Then we walked over to Rockefeller and peeked in the Today Show window. I didn’t realize you’d be able to see right in and watch them film a segment. We got started around 9:00 and our first day was a Thursday so crowds were minimal. We went right over to FAO Schwartz because my girls HAD to see Jellycat Diner, which is their only US location. As we waited I line, were told by the family in front of us that you needed reservations. I quickly looked on their website that stated you do not need a reservation, but the family just saw it posted on Jellycat’s Instagram days prior. The family had teen girls who decided in line that they were too old for the experience and very nicely gave us their reservation. You can purchase their adorable stuffed animals without a reservation, but the diner food stuffies are specific to the experience that you apparently need a reservation for. When it’s your turn, you can choose from the diner menu (pancakes, waffles, hot dog, burger) and then they make your food come to life. They ‘cook’ them over a toy grill in a pan, pretend to salt and pepper them, and add ketchup and so on. It sounds strange, but the whole production was done with so much heart (thank you Shy!) that my girls felt connected to their little stuffies and were beaming at the end. There is a premium though with each toy being $50, but you’re paying for the experience and since we didn’t get a lot of souvenirs I thought it was worth it.

We then looked around FAO which was pretty chaotic but still worth a peek. It was a lot smaller than I thought it would be, and there was a line to get in that wrapped around the store down the street when we left so plan to get there early.

After that we headed to Dig for a quick lunch, then to our 2:00 Rockettes show. I loved having this show during the day so our nights we free. I really liked the fun of the show, it features singing and other performances that aren’t just the Rockettes. It is a 90 minute show that should probably be 60. There were acts that I’m sure have been in place for many years that just aren’t exciting anymore. I could hear the audience get restless and people get up to go to the bathrooms. I would also say because of this, I wouldn’t have kids younger than 8 or 9 attend. My 11 and 9 year olds who see shows all the time were a little bored during parts but liked it overall. All of this to say I did really like it and I would recommend it to others to see. It felt so Christmasy and the projections on the walls make it so magical, just know that there are slower parts to it and see the matinee to free up your night.

After the show we walked just across the street where Radio City, Rockefeller Plaza, FAO, and even the Jimmy Fallon show are so there is a ton of foot traffic, street vendors, and music happening. There was a band playing Christmas music with people all around just enjoying the scene. We danced by the fountain, took photos, and for the first time had a minute to take in being in NYC! It’s this little unplanned moments of enjoying the city that we just loved.

We had some time before our dinner res so we walked a few blocks to St. Patricks Cathedral. I’d been here years ago but didn’t fully remember how majestic and beautiful this church is. The sheer size of the building is incredible and you can spend hours just looking around. You can pay for different lengths of tours, but we just hit the gift shop and looked around for a good hour. We made stops around the church lighting candles and admiring the life sized nativity. It was somewhat crowded but completely manageable and turned out to be my favorite stop of the trip. I didn’t know how interesting it would be for the kids, but they really enjoyed looking at everything too. It was also a nice break from the cold.

I had made a reservation that evening at Wild in the West Village. It was a little bit of a haul but it’s an entirely GF menu with lots of veggie options and the food was seriously outstanding. It was really small, like 10 tables and most of them full. It was dimly lit with Christmas music in the background and such cute decorations. It was like a movie and such a perfect Christmas vibe that I didn’t want to leave. I’m so glad we took the Uber 20 minutes in traffic, it was totally worth it.

After dinner we went back to the hotel and watched A Christmas Story which just happened to be on TV. We all showered and with the time change everyone was ready for bed and an early start to the next day.

Day 2 SoHo/ Little Italy:

Little Italy was what I was most excited to see the whole trip so I planned a whole day on that side of town. I had brunch years ago at Balthazar in SoHo and made a reservation for us a month prior. The only time I could get was 9:00 and my girls were still fast asleep at 8:00 so I canceled the reservation and let them sleep knowing they’d be doing a lot of walking. I’ll make it back someday!

We walked to Fresh & CO around the corner for bagel sandwiches and smoothies. They did a great job with food allergies and preferences and the food was decently priced. Then we got an Uber to the Urban Outfitters in SoHo for a place I saw online that my girls were dying to see, Brooklyn Charm. They were doing a pop up there thankfully because we weren’t going to be in Brooklyn or at their other location at Chelsea Pier. We had so much fun designing our own necklaces and I even made a little Christmas bracelet too. The girls working there were sweet and made it such a fun experience. It was also affordable with the charms being $6 and the necklaces being $20-$50 depending on which you choose.

We then walked a few blocks to Little Italy where a miracle took place. I had read and watched everything pertaining to Rubirosa, one of the busiest restaurants in Little Italy with tons of press about their tie dye pizza that features marinara, vodka sauce, and pesto. They also make all of their own pasta daily along with gluten free pasta. I tried to get a reservation the second I could at midnight 7 days in advance but could only score 2 two tops that wouldn’t seat the 5 of us. I took them not knowing how that would work out but hoping for the best. We walked by Rubirosa as they had just opened and went in explaining to them that we had a reservation that wouldn’t work for us. They told us we could have a 5 top at 2:15. I was completely overjoyed and our lunch was outstanding. It’s a long, narrow place that feels quaint and very old New York. It was decorated beautifully for Christmas and had holiday and other fun songs playing. The crowd was cheerful and roaring with conversation and the whole place was warm and smelled like fresh garlic simmering with olive oil and sauce. This was another place that was worth seeking out. The tie dye pizza was delicious and it even came in a GF version as did a pasta that was as good as any we’d ever had. If you can’t get a reservation, pop in when they open and see what happens.

Before our reservation though, we walked the streets of Little Italy stopping in places I wanted to see. DiPalo’s Fine Foods, Ferrara’s Bakery for gelato and some Italian treats. And of course the Christmas in New York store which is 2 giant floors of Christmas collectables and ornaments. It’s overwhelming and beautiful and fun to get an ornament or 2 which is what we do every trip we take so our tree is mostly ornaments from places we’ve been. We were able to go to the end of Little Italy to get a photo with the iconic sign before turning around and heading back up for Rubirosa which is at the northern end.

At around 3:30 we knew we had to scoot back up to Rockefeller for our ice skating and tree photo reservation. They do have lockers if you need them, so you don’t have to stop back at your hotel like we did cutting it way too close. We took our tree photo first since the line was short before heading to the chaotic waiting/ get your skates area. It’s tight and crowded and filled with people putting on skates without enough benches to sit down. Then they allow people out in groups based on your time. You get an hour on the ice which feels like an eternity. I didn’t want to skate too late when it would be really cold. The rink is small and you can go right up to Prometheus, the gold Rockefeller statue with the tree right behind it. The crowds of people on the streets are behind a barrier and can’t get close to the rink, you can see them taking photos of everyone skating. This was the most magical part of the trip. Try for a dusk reservation so you can skate during the day and then by the lit up tree and the city lights. 4:00-5:00 works but I looked up when sunset was to make sure we got both parts of the day and also earlier in the night so it wouldn’t be too cold. Once the lights sparkle there’s no other experience that feels more like Christmas. This is one not to miss.

After this I wanted to walk around and see the department store lights (more on that below), but it ended up being so crowded and not worth the walk. So we went to grab a quick bite and then back to the hotel where Home Alone 2 was playing which was so perfect since it’s in New York and the next day we were going to Central Park.

Day 3 Central Park/ Times Square:

This was our last full day and I had a hard time coming up with what to do. I wasn’t sure if Central Park was going to be interesting enough but when I saw that it was going to be 40 and sunny most of the day so I decided to go for it. I had planned out a walking route with the landmarks I wanted to see along the way that was an hour-ish going into the park via the upper west side where we had brunch. We saw the Belvedere Castle, Bow Bridge, The Mall, Wollman Rink, Gapstow Bridge, and then exited by the Plaza Hotel where we caught our cab and just barely made our last stop. What I didn’t expect about the day was that we’d all be completely dazzled by the majesty and vastness of the park. One minute we’re inside a castle, and the next we’re dancing to live music and watching street performances. There is just so much diversity about the area that the term ‘park’ doesn’t even begin to cover. We turned an hour walk into several hours with plenty of stops along the way even chatting with bird watchers who were very excited to talk with my littlest about the hawk they were photographing in a tree. We ended up walking over 8 miles that day and the park was something I can’t believe I’d always skipped on my previous trips. It completely exceeded my expectations. It was such a nice change of pace from the city, and something we could experience that wasn’t centered around shopping. A tip I would give is to visit the park on what would be the busiest day of your trip to avoid the crowds as much as you can. I was happy we did this on Saturday because the whole midtown area was SO much busier Saturday than it was Thursday or even Friday.

From there we managed to barely make our reservation at the absolutely incredible SUMMIT One Vanderbilt. You take an elevator 91 floors up where you visit 3 floors of mirror and floor to ceiling glass to experience expansive views of NYC above the skyline. It’s a sensory experience that gives you a perspective on just how vast NY really is. We loved this so much and spent hours here. We weren’t sure what to expect but sitting near a window looking out and spotting places we’ve visited was a lot of fun. For the risk-adverse, know that the elevator feels like you’re barely moving it’s so well built and takes only 40 seconds to ascend. They also make sure the elevator isn’t too full so you don’t feel like you’re crammed in too tightly. The line for security to get up is the worst part and takes a while, you also stop to put covers over your shoes and stilettos aren’t allowed so keep that in mind as well. It’s more of a process getting to the elevator going up than anything else. Once we were up it was great and the crowds were very manageable. Even the long line to come back down was managed well and took about 5 minutes. It’s hard to describe how we felt in that space but it was an experience I’m so happy we did as a family and it felt amazing. I also read online to book just before sunset (more on that below) which is a must.

From here we ate a quick but delicious diner at Le Botaniste then had a choice to make; either pop into Macy’s which was close by, or go to Times Square. We decided that Times Square would be the most unique experience and walked the long, cold walk over. I really wanted to do the New Year’s Eve Wishing Wall which is a free kiosk where you write your wish for the new year on a square piece of tissue paper that they collect and drop with the rest of the confetti in Times Square for the ball drop on New Year’s Eve. We all LOVED this idea and were so happy to do it. The line was short, about 10 minutes and we watched the performers and goings on around us to kill time so it seemed a lot shorter. I was reminded, having been in Times Square in the past, that it’s a place to visit at night to see the lights, and it isn’t a place you want to be for very long.

After we signed our confetti, we walked around a little bit and saw all of the things which included a group of teens making TikTok’s doing little dances, a 360 cam where you could take a video of your family with Jay Z’s New York blasting in the background, and the scammers all dressed up like second rate Minnie, Mickey and Spiderman. They jump in your photos and then demand a tip. This didn’t happen to us but we were ready having seen it online. There was a Grinch wandering around asking for photos with people, but the girl with him did specify that it would cost them. We didn’t stop in the M&M or Hershey stores as that didn’t seem interesting to us and there was a line to get into both, so we walked around getting the full vibe of the city, and walked back to our hotel unable to get a cab or Uber. Keep that in mind for Saturday because we didn’t have this problem Thursday or Friday at all.

This was a huge walking day as we got back to our hotel after 8:00 in time to pack and Postmates cookies from Levain Bakery which also has a GF cookie which was the best cookie I’ve ever had. Full stop. This one is worth the hype, I wish we could’ve gone into the bakery but once you see how hard it is to get from one place to another that isn’t right in your area, you really want to stay put. Delivery came quickly via bike as did the delivery from a local diner where I got some food for the morning since we’d be up at 5:00 for our flight and I didn’t know if the airport would have anything open for us to eat once we were there. Love that about NY, anything you want anytime you want it.

And just like that our 3 days were over. There were only restaurants I’d wished we had more time for, but not really anything else. We saw exactly what we wanted to see. Here is some info I picked up along the way to share for your holiday trip to NYC.

DO:

Plan your outfits knowing you won’t really see a single one in photos. I spent hours looking up New York Street Wear on Pinterest which is a joke because all of our photos are just with my heavy coat and scarf which is what all locals wear anyway. Oh, and earmuffs to keep you warm without messing up your hair. I appreciated that tip. It’s just so cold and windy that we have coats on the whole time. I did see that some locals wear long underwear under their lighter or fashion coats and outfits just to be warm and pull them off. I brought long underwear and a cute coat but neither saw any time out of my suitcase. I wisely dressed in my warmest wear and I’m thankful I did.

Research your reservations. For example, I read that mezzanine seats were best for The Rockettes and boy were they right. All of the front rows were available while mezzanine was largely picked over. It’s because the curved interior walls have constant projections on them which are part of the show. You could see people in the front of the house looking back not being able to see a magical part of the show that tied it all together. I also read about getting tickets to SUMMIT One Vanderbilt around sunset so you could see the skyline during the day, the sunset, and the city lights. This tip made that entire outing so much more enjoyable and we stayed for hours seeing it all unfold.

Get reservations for restaurants and have some fast casual places earmarked near where you’re going. I’m so happy I did this. I knew there were a few places I wanted to eat where I needed a res, but I also didn’t want to be chained to restaurants at times when our plans were more fluid. I also had to research places where my daughter with Celiac could safely eat without being sick on the trip. I looked at reviews, menus, and called them to see how much they understood food allergies and it paid off. Midtown, Times Square, and Midtown East are all extremely crowded this time of year since everything is in that same area so try and eat during off times if you can. I also looked up fast casual spots like Dig, Fresh & CO, Vanderbilt Market (we didn’t end up eating here but I had it as an option), and we LOVED Le Botaniste which was vegan and 100% gluten free near SUMMIT. I also marked Pizzarte which had Gluten free pizza, OBAO, Totto Ramen, and others in areas where we’d be so we wouldn’t feel stuck if someplace was too busy. You don’t want to be on your phone looking up restaurants in the middle of a crowded street when your kids are starving. It’s good to be prepared.

Get the Rockefeller tree photo as well if you’re skating. Or even if your’e not. I saw this as an option when I booked our skating experience and almost didn’t do it. It got us skating before our scheduled time since we were already let in by the rink, and the photos were so beautiful! They took a ton of pictures and we loved them all. This is one you don’t want to miss even if skating isn’t your thing. Get the tree photo, you won’t regret it.

Plan a combo of indoor and outdoor things. Since it will be cold and likely windy you’ll want to have something that you can see that’s indoors just in case the weather or snow is too much. Instead of Central Park, I had the American Museum of Natural History lined up and ready to go just in case the weather took a turn.

Figure out how you’re getting around. We took Ubers the first few days and they were $45-$60 per (short) trip because of surge pricing. They also took forever to get to us, so it wasn’t idea. When we did catch cabs they were filthy and sketchy. One guy looked at Reels on IG the entire time even while driving, narrowly avoiding a few accidents. He also was taking the longer route as I could see on my phone while Ubers don’t charge per minute and they often looked to see where they could take shortcuts around traffic. Download the Citymapper app and take the subway. This tells you exactly which subway to take from where you are to where you’re going which is easier and less frustrating. I did download it but ended up in Ubers and cabs the whole time but next time I’ll get on the subways for longer journeys.

Skip

Don’t waste your time seeing things you can see at home. For us, this was an easy call and I was so happy I was able to trim the fat on a few things we can see right here in Colorado. This included Broadway shows. We’ve seen Hamilton (twice!), Lion King, Wicked, and everything we’d all enjoy as a family. I wanted to experience holiday specific things and not sit in a theater for a few hours for anything other than the Rockettes. Any other time we’d visit NYC, I’d grab tickets but this wasn’t first on our list for the holiday.

I also felt this way about the Macy’s Santa Experience. It’s where you can enter a ticketed only area in Macy’s and at the end have a professional photo taken with Santa. I feel like if you’ve seen one department store Santa, you’ve seen them all. I also read on their site that even though you have a reservation, you might wait 30-90 minutes anyway. If it’s something you’re dying to do, read up on when the reservations become available because they’re a few weeks out and go quickly.

Outdoor markets. Union Square, Bryant Park and Columbus Circle all have outdoor holiday markets with vendors selling the same things; ornaments, hot chocolate, trinkets, etc.. We have a market here in Denver that we adore and visit yearly so I wanted to skip the crowds (which I read were awful) and see other NY sights.

Although it pained me, I ultimately skipped the Dyker Heights displays. It’s an area in Brooklyn with brownstones that feature over the top lights and displays. There are bus tours and walking tours all with a charge. I had to dig through lots of info to learn that you can walk around on your own as well but there aren’t restrooms and cabs can be scarce. We do drive around and see lights here in our area which aren’t all together on the same block or nearly as magical but the distance of an hour long drive each way would’ve meant axing a few things that I really wanted to see for something that could potentially be a logistics nightmare. It just wasn’t worth the drive this trip. Maybe if we had more to do in Brooklyn it would have made sense, I’d love to go one day and then check out Lioni’s afterward for a sandwich.

Another thing I thought would be top of my list that we ended up skipping were the window displays outside of department stores. I had a whole route planned out to walk down 5th starting at the Plaza hotel (which also doesn’t let people in unless you have a reservation or are a guest there) just to look at lights. Night one we drove past a few and they were very pretty but not worth an hour of walking just to see them. It’s honestly not as dazzling as I hoped, not to mention the extremely crowded streets make it impossible for littler kids to see anything. My 9 year old said she mostly saw backs and butts when we were walking around. I hadn’t thought about her specific view point as I loved seeing all of the New York sidewalk sights. We finally put her on my husbands shoulders so she could see, but even my 11 year old didn’t see as much as my 12 year old did since she’s not quite adult height yet.

Rolf’s. It’s overpriced German food. Yes it’s decorated beautifully, but so is Lillie’s Victorian so go for tea there instead if you can get a reservation.

I actually brought a large carry on duffle bag for things bought and didn’t come close to filling it. Outside of a a few ornaments and little things for family and gifts, we didn’t get a ton of things for ourselves which is exactly what I wanted. When the girls are older I’ll take them to NY during the summer and we’ll shop and explore more restaurants, the 911 Memorial, Statue of Liberty, and some of the other places they’d love. This trip was all about the holidays and we captured exactly that over the weekend. Hope your trip is as magical as ours! Happy Holidays.

From where we were sitting, we noticed that there was a man laying on the ground about across the walkway from us. His eyes were closed and he wasn’t moving. There were people gathered around him and they were using beach towels to give him some shade from the sun. We found out later he was an employee who fell from a bicycle hitting his head. After he was loaded into the ambulance the nurse who worked at the resort came over to us seeing we were in trouble and accessed the cut. She took one look at it and then looked at me and shook her head. “Stitches?” I said to her. She nodded.

She said she would call her friend who was a doctor at a private hospital and she had the office call us a cab. She said it was about 30 minutes away and they would be expecting us. We waited about 10 minutes for the cab to arrive and started our panicked drive. We kept the girls calm and talked about how modern Cancun was as we passed the resorts and went right into the city. Our driver showed us where his hospital would be should he need one, which was a public one that’s free to him and other Mexican citizens. We were heading to a private hospital where we would pay as people visiting the country. “It’s much nicer” he said.

We pulled up to the drop off area at the hotel. There were people there to greet us and one person at the front area who pointed us to another area down a hall to check in. We were one of 3 parties in the waiting area. I filled out forms which included just our basic information and where we were staying. We waited only a short time then we were called back. Only my daughter and 1 parent could go back so Mike waited with our other 2 girls as she and I went back to the dimly lit room.  The nurses station in the middle was filled with people sitting and scrolling on their phones also in near darkness. Nobody was wearing scrubs or badges or anything to identify them as medical staff. It looked like a common area in a college campus. All young people, all in jeans, shorts, and tee shirts.

2 women came in, one identified herself as a doctor and said the other girl was new and in training. Neither had badges on and the doctor was in her 20’s while the trainee looked about 19. They looked at my daughter’s foot and wanted to clean it first. They came back into the room with packaged gauze, a half open saline bottle and a refillable glass bottle with green fluid that looked and smelled like green dish soap. She began to open the gauze and grabbed the bottle. They wondered where would be best to do this knowing it would make a slight mess and she was sitting on a cloth sheet, not the paper we’re used to seeing on medical tables. They pulled up a hazardous waste open trash can under her foot and rested her foot against it. I told her to scoot back so her foot didn’t touch it. Then the assistant who was very clearly not trained in anything medical, started to open the gauze and put the saline on it without gloves. My heart sank. The doctor’s english was about 60% while the assistant didn’t know any english. I asked her to please put gloves on which were on the counter. They very clearly didn’t like the suggestion. The assistant added the green soap onto the soaked gauze and she started to clean the wound. They said there was a lot of sand in it and she did a very thorough job of making sure there wasn’t anything left in the wound which had stopped bleeding but was still sliced open. She agreed she would definitely need stitches and they both left the room.

The assistant returned and said we were free to go. With my phone not working, I was left to use my rusty Spanish to ask about stitches and the antibiotic the doctor also recommended. It was such a deep slice that I knew leaving it open over the course of the next few days would be a really bad idea leading to an infection and definitely not healing well. I asked if I could just make sure I was clear with the doctor but the assistant said she wouldn’t be returning. I asked if we would be receiving the prescription and she said no. I then asked if I could take a few waterproof bandages and some dermabond with me and she was very unsure. She left and returned with 2 small vials of dermabond and 3 waterproof bandages and the ‘prescription’ from the doctor which was a handwritten list of things to do. Clean daily, apply a cleaning spray and cream that we didn’t receive, wash after beach or pool. We were free to go. My heart sank. We were out of options and I’m not sure why or what happened, but I just wanted to get out of there. I washed up and used the glue to try and close the wound as best I could and applied the bandage over it so she could walk out of the hospital while keeping the wound closed.

We walked back through the dark hallway, past the row of people still on their phones, our doctor included, through the doors into the waiting area to check out. Mike and the girls had a cab waiting for us and I approached the window to pay. She told me in pesos first which had me very confused but I knew it was high. 16,479.24. I asked for the number in dollars and she told me it was $984.22. I was stunned. I asked what made it so high, she said the Dermabond and bandaid were the bulk of the charge which made up $10,930 of the $16,000.

The nurse back at the resort was surprised that we didn’t receive stitches and told us it was best not to get her foot in the ocean or pool. I made sure the dermabond was applied in layers, then the waterproof bandage, then we got saran wrap from the kitchen so she could hang in the ocean in a floatie which ended up being a lot of fun and fine with her. The cut was painful and hard to walk on especially with how much walking we did, but she was a trooper and didn’t complain.

While the cut took a very long time to heal, it eventually did and without infection. Which I brought with us saved the day since it was exactly what we needed.

What I Packed With Us

Neosporin. Both the resort and hospital did not have this so I was really happy we did. We ended up using this on my other two girls for just random cuts and scrapes that kids get as well.

Alcohol cleansing wipes. Used all of these as well for cuts and scrapes and for my oldest’s wound.

Iodine. I have an THIS ​spray that I use on most cuts and scrapes before bandaging.

Bandaids. These were also on short supply, even in the infirmary when I asked for one.I’d get waterproof ones as well just in case.

Antibiotics. It was actually the same one the doctor at the hospital recommended then didn’t fill. It was originally prescribed for my same daughter for a skin infection she had last summer that cleared up quickly. We just had a few extra and thankfully this is what we ended up using.

I also brought an antibiotic that would be for Mike or myself should we have needed it. I remember reading THIS  report last year when it came out about how Mexican pharmacies are selling fentinol-laced prescriptions so I knew that going to a pharmacy wouldn’t be an option for any of us.

Rescue inhaler. My girls use a rescue inhaler sometimes when they’re sick. I didn’t want to chance not being without it and thankfully we didn’t need it.

Rescue meds for my youngest. She has a steroid that she uses a few times a year when she gets croup. Last time was at Christmas when she woke in the night gasping for air. I didn’t want to be in that situation there so I brought it with us.

Zofran. Just for if anyone had any vomiting. Again, luckily we didn’t need it.

Dramamine. We always travel with this, but it was nice to have on hand.

Motrin. We used this just once for when one of my girls had a headache.

Advil. Just in case for us but never used it.

It sounds like a lot, but I was so thankful we had it all on hand. It only took up a medium sized cosmetics bag and a pill organizer (LOVE this one) so it wasn’t any trouble to pack and gave me a huge peace of mind.

I know this was very minor, but it was scary and eye-opening for sure. After it happened I had a hard time sleeping just wondering what would happen if we really had an actual emergency. I just wanted to pass along this info so you understand what could happen at a hospital. Again, there could be so many scenarios for different doctors but this was just our overall experience.

I also posted about our trip and how wonderful Club Med was and I would recommend it to friends curious about travel to Mexico with or without kids. Just pack smart and keep all scenarios in mind.

I’ve rounded up several that I’ve been using for a while now to give my honest thoughts about what each one has to offer so you can decide which one might be best for you this summer.

Suntegrity Clear SPF 30: Aillea.com $38

Suntegrity Clear has both a clear and tinted option that uses a 20% non-nano zinc to provide the right amount of coverage for daily use. The tinted formula is perfect to give a little boost of color to my light/medium complexion and the right amount of sun protection for summer. It blends in easily and disguises imperfections leaving behind a little glow. This has been in heavy rotation for me throughout the winter, it’s so easy to blend makes my skin look great. It’s an SPF 30 so I pair it with a higher SPF moisturizer if I’m going to be out a lot in the daytime, but for general daily use it’s perfect.

RMS Beauty SuperNatural Radiance Serum SPF 30 Sunscreen: RMSBeauty.com $48

RMS Beauty is one of the first clean makeup lines created, and one I’ve used for years. I’m always impressed with the quality of their products so it’s no surprise that I’m loving SuperNatural. It’s meant to give a bronzy radiant glow that isn’t heavy or obvious applied between moisturizer and foundation. It’s so versatile that I use it solo or mixed into a moisturizer, or with a foundation. There’s one that I have that’s too light for me, so adding this to it makes it the perfect shade with a glowy finish. Any way I’ve tried it, this shade (medium) is perfection on my skin. If you’re considering the over-hyped Drunk Elephant Bronzing Drops, purchase this instead. The DE version doesn’t have SPF, isn’t a clean formulation, and the shade is so copper that it isn’t flattering on the skin. RMS also has a lighter shade for fair skin as well as a richer shade for deeper tones, so you have choices. Also fwiw, the DE broke me out whereas the RMS did not.

Supergoop CC Screen 100% Mineral CC Cream: Supergoop.com $44

While Supergoop isn’t a ‘clean’ line, their 100% Mineral CC Screen uses Titanium Dioxide and Zinc to filter out the sun with an SPF of 50 for long days outside. I like the medium coverage that looks great on the skin and covers imperfections well like a traditional foundation would. They do offer quite a few shade options, I’m a 206W for reference which suits me year-round. I can also wear it for hot summer tennis matches and it never runs or transfers, and I never burn. It looks like a foundation but acts like a solid SPF. I use this when I need some coverage and I have a long day outside.

Indie Lee Daily SPF 50 Primer: Aillea.com $46

Indie Lee remains one of my fave clean skincare lines so I was excited to try their new SPF 50 Primer. The weight of the primer is light but the tint was orangy and too dark so I wouldn’t recommend it for fair girls. I thought I could dull it out with some moisturizer but the orange wasn’t easy tot came. I wish it came in different shades, it was just giving more color than I expected and not the right tone. My sensitive skin also didn’t respond to it and it did cause a breakout unfortunately but if your skin doesn’t have these problems, you’ll probably be fine. What I did love about it was the beautiful sheen it left behind, clean formulation, and broad spectrum SPF 50 which protects from both UVA and UVB rays so it’s perfect for daily use.

Mychelle Sun Shield Liquid SPF 30: Mychelle.com $28

I’m currently on my 4th bottle of this tinted SPF which I’ve used for years. Back when we camped constantly, this was the only SPF I’d use for days spent out in the sun and I’d never burn. The formula changed with this last bottle and I noticed that I had to layer another SPF with it if I was outside for a long time. It used to be an SPF 50, and it’s now an SPF 30 which makes more sense as they probably reevaluated its effectiveness. I still like it, but it’s not the mighty protector through sunny days it once was, and I find myself reaching for the Suntegrity Clear more often. This is still a good choice for someone who likes a light weight since it’s more of a serum than a foundation and the light/medium is the shade was always a great match. It’s also offered in a clear option so you can get the benefits of the SPF in light, daily serum without any color.

Ilia Super Serum Skin Tint SPF 40: Aillea.com $48

Ilia has blown up in recent years as a clean line that can contend with the rest on the shelves of Sephora. I see everyone using their concealer (including me!) and this Serum is one of their most popular for a reason. It’s light but has some beautiful glowy coverage to it that makes skin look better, especially in the sun. It’s also an SPF 40 and available in a multitude of shades. It feels like skincare and has niacinamide and hyaluronic acid to give thirsty skin a boost of hydration. Just a note- I haven’t used it in the summer months so I can’t speak to its SPF effectiveness.

 Things to Do:

Food:

The Hacienda is in the center of the resort and has the most options and best food. They had a salad bar, sandwich offerings of meats and cheeses, fresh made pizza out of the pizza oven, pasta dishes, burgers, hot dogs, chicken nuggets, and also taco bar area and even a ramen station for one night. They also had fresh fruit that was amazing and a full gelato bar. They rotated different dishes nightly like sushi (beware ) and steak that was plated with asparagus and mashed potatoes. (Also beware). I think we played it pretty safe the whole time then a few of us wanted to try other things for the last night and paid the price.

Celiac/ Gluten Free Info:

Kids Club:

Safety:

All in all, we had a great time and my girls were so happy. We even got to dine at a restaurant that was a once in a lifetime experience- check my IG Ilios highlight for that info. It was AMAZING and I’d get a reservation there if you’re in Cancun.

Check back for more on our Cancun 2024 trip.

One Love Organics: Brand New Day $49 ON SALE 20% from Aillea.com

I’ve used this gentle scrub for years. Grainy enough to slough off dry skin yet gentle enough to use daily. Leave it on in the shower for a few minutes as a enzyme mask and enjoy the fresh citrus scent.

Indie Lee Brightening Cleanser $38 ON SALE 20% from Aillea.com

One of my all time faves, this cleanser foams up, washes away clean, and smells like fresh strawberries. Easy to use and great for all skin types.

Revy Skincare Cleanser $29 ON SALE 25% from RevySkincare.com

I just placed another order for this one, the price is great and one pump removes all dirt and makeup. It’s also a great pick for teen and sensitive, and breakout-prone skin.

Osea Ocean Cleanser $48 ON SALE 20% from Heyday.com

Osea nailed the texture of this gel cleanser that feels so thick and nourishing. Algae and olive oil give antioxidants and hydration so it cleans without stripping.

Ursa Major Making Moves Milky Cleanser $34 ON SALE 20% from Aillea.com

This was the first milk cleanser that I ever loved. Most are thin and useless, but Making Moves used enzymes and hydrators in a formulation to easily break down impurities on the skin leaving it feeling balanced and energized.

Pacifica Sea Foam Cleanser $10 ON SALE 30% from PacificaBeauty.com

A best seller for a reason, I bought this for my daughter and ended up with it in my bathroom. It’s hard to find a product that isn’t great at Pacifica, but this cleanser is a best seller for a reason. It feels and smells fantastic and gives a rich foam that leaves skin feeling fresh and clean.

Desert Essence Thoroughly Clean Deep Pore Cleanser $10.69 ON SALE 40% from DesertEssence.com

This new cleanser removes impurities from the skin and is a home run for those who struggle with acne or clogged pores. Manuka oil and tea tree combat problem skin without stripping. I find myself reaching for this one a lot since I like how it makes my skin feel completely clean after. It’s also great for teen and pre teen skin to combat breakouts without drying.

Disclosure: Affiliate links are present

What Is Microneedling?

Microneedling, also known as collagen induction therapy, is a minimally invasive procedure that involves the use of a device with fine needles to create tiny, controlled punctures in the skin’s surface. These micro-injuries stimulate the body’s natural healing processes, promoting collagen and elastin production, which are essential for youthful and glowing skin.

Say Goodbye to Scarring

Microneedling is a game-changer for those dealing with scars, whether they are acne scars, surgical scars, or stretch marks. By creating micro-injuries in the skin, microneedling triggers the body’s healing response, encouraging the production of new, healthy skin cells. Over time, this helps to fade scars and improve the skin’s texture, leaving you with a smoother complexion.

Banishing Wrinkles

Wrinkles and fine lines are often the result of collagen and elastin loss as we age. Microneedling tackles these concerns head-on by stimulating collagen production. The micro-injuries created during the treatment prompt the body to produce more collagen, leading to plumper, firmer, and more youthful-looking skin. With consistent treatments, you can significantly reduce the appearance of wrinkles and achieve a smoother complexion. I buy a package of 3 or 4 which I space out a few months.

Dullness Be Gone

If your skin has lost its luster and appears dull, microneedling can revitalize it. The treatment encourages the shedding of old, dead skin cells and promotes the growth of new, healthy skin. This leads to improved skin tone and texture, leaving you with a radiant and refreshed complexion.

Skin Tightening Magic

Sagging skin is another concern that microneedling addresses effectively. As collagen production increases, the skin becomes firmer and tighter. This can be particularly beneficial for areas prone to sagging, such as the jawline, neck, and décolletage. Microneedling is like a non-surgical facelift, offering natural-looking results.

The Long-Term Collagen Boost

One of the remarkable aspects of microneedling is its ability to provide long-term benefits. Unlike some treatments that offer immediate results but fade quickly, microneedling works gradually. As collagen production continues to improve over several months, you’ll notice your skin looking better and better.

The Microneedling Experience

Microneedling is a safe and well-tolerated procedure, usually performed in a dermatologist’s or licensed practitioner’s office. Topical numbing cream is applied to ensure your comfort during the treatment. The procedure itself is relatively quick, and there’s minimal downtime. You may experience some redness and mild swelling immediately after, but these side effects typically subside within a few days. I’m always red the day of and the next day, but then on that 3rd day I’m usually wearing mineral foundation when I go out to tone down redness. By days 4 or 5 my skin is back to normal. It looks so much worse than it is. I always post videos and you do see some redness and pinpoint bleeding which I don’t feel due to the numbing. Then when it wears off, my face only feels tight. There’s never any pain which is why I think this is such a popular treatment.

The DIY Version Works Too

In between pro treatments, I’m pretty faithful to my Banisher which is a stamper with titanium bristles which are shorter than the ones used for the professional treatment which makes it simple to use. Just lightly stamp the device across your skin a few times a week for results. Banish was created to eliminate acne scaring (their photos are incredible) but the device also works on the skin much the same way as microneedling does but in a less intense way. It doesn’t go deep into the skin so it won’t create bleeding, but it will help your products to penetrate better and it will help with pigmentation issues, fine lines, and collagen production. Use Carissa5 at checkout to save.