Our perfect day in Glacier National Park started early, arriving at the gate at West Glacier by 8:15am. This allowed us to beat most of the crowds and make lots of stops. When you’re traveling with kids (we had two teens, a 10-year-old and a 5-year-old with us), this is always a good idea. Also, when you’re in a national park, you get a whole other “feel” for it if you can get some trail time. We stopped in Apgar for a turn around the visitor’s center (grab a deluxe free map there), bathroom break and to get a look at the lovely, still Lake McDonald.

Trail of Cedars

With the goal of getting to Many Glacier by early afternoon, we moved on quickly, stopping at Avalanche Creek. There, we walked the .9 mile Trail of the Cedars loop, which is wheelchair accessible. It’s a lovely, quiet, verdant green forest, and at the end, you see the amazing Avalanche Gorge, a torrent of crystal clear water that has carved out a small canyon. Gorgeous! Kids loved it.

Going-to-the-Sun

After a snack and a drink, we headed up over the Going-to-the-Sun Road, a 75-year-old road that clings to the side of the mountain (put your not-afraid-of-heights people in the right side of the car). Fantastic views of glacial peaks, cascading waterfalls, the valleys below and the Continental Divide above, all along.

As we reached Logan Pass, we saw hikers on the Highline Trail stopped beside a mountain goat. We quickly parked (in July and August, this parking lot is always crazy—be prepared to wait for a spot—another good reason to start early) and entered the trail. Sure enough, just around the bend was a big male goat, just sitting on the rocks, dolefully watching us. After a bit, we noticed he had a family with him! The young ones were more skittish, running closer and then away. The dad got up, climbed down to the trail and warned us off with a tip of his head and a little huff, making the girls scream. His family moved off behind him and he followed. It was a good reminder that all wild animals are always wild—never get too relaxed around them! Some idiot tourist came up behind us and then tried to feed the goat her granola bar…unbelievable. Like nature? Try to not interfere. But I digress…

We’ve hiked the entire Highline before–a wonderful, low-elevation gain 7.5 mile trail—highly recommended. You can spend the night in the Granite Park Chalet (get a reservation in March!), or hike down a steep 3 mile trail to the Going-to-the-Sun to pick up a car and get back to Logan Pass (if you’ve dropped one), hitch a ride on one of the park buses, or go over the saddle to Swiftcurrent, which will add another day of hiking heading down, down, down the other side (hard on the knees!). But since we were only there for the day, we just gave the kids a glimpse and moved on.

Saint Mary Lake

We ate a picnic lunch on the Logan Pass parking lot wall, looking down over the next valley. There’s a nice hike here at Logan Pass for families, on wooden stairs, up to Hidden Lake, but it’s extremely crowded. Still, this is one of the best places to see bighorn sheep and Dall Sheep. Keep your eyes peeled and bring a pair of binoculars, if you have them. We moved on down, over the pass, stopping at the far end of Saint Mary Lake. Be sure to park and get out when you see the “photo opp” sign. It’s one of the most famous views of the park, with towering peaks that plunge down to a green-blue lake, and a tiny, windswept Wild Goose Island in the center. Marvelous.

Many Glacier & Swiftcurrent

You actually drive out of the park and back in to get to Many Glacier, about an hour from Saint Mary, but well worth the drive. It’s my favorite view in the entire park—and there are far fewer people over here. We parked at Many Glacier Lodge and went down to the docks to rent kayaks for the kids and a canoe for us ($14/hour for each boat; one hour is plenty; min. age is 14, but we talked them into letting our two 13-year-olds and 10-year-old pilot kayaks by committing to stay right beside them; however, I can’t promise they’d let you do the same thing. Our 5-year-old rode in the canoe between us).

It’s a good idea to have a change of clothes available—wind kicks up waves and paddles are bound to splash. But this was our kids’ favorite stop of the day. Not only were we on one of most picturesque lakes in the park, we were paddling our own boats! Fabulous experience!

You can also tie up at the dock on the far end and hike over to the next lake (Lake Josephine), getting you farther into the mountains and closer to Grinnell Glacier, but you’ll drive up your boat bill, which is charged by the hour. Another option is taking the ferry ride, which goes to that dock, and taking the hike, about 3 miles round trip. It’s a good, family friendly hike through the woods and over rivers, ending at a spectacular lake (just bring your bug spray!)

I wanted to stay in the park overnight at Many Glacier, but two months ahead of time, I couldn’t get a room. Begin your quest for a room EARLY—preferably in March.

On this side of the park, if you have an extra day, I’d also highly recommend the hike to Iceberg Lake, a moderately strenuous hike, but you end up in this amazing place right under the hewn cliffs of the Continental Divide. Even with the rising temperatures in recent years, there are still icebergs floating on the spectacular green-blue water. The hike to Redrock Falls is pretty easy—just take the Swiftcurrent/Redrock Lake trail.

But with no place to rest our weary head and miles to go, we drove home on Hwy 89-Hwy 49-Hwy 2 to Kalispell, which took about 2.5 hours from Many Glacier, allowing us to inhale two large pizzas at Moose’s Saloon on N. Main Street (call ahead and order your pizzas—it was a 45 min wait). It’s a crazy bar where they let you carve into the wooden walls/pillars and throw peanut shells on the floor. If you get there early in the evening, you’re likely to be only one of several families in this dark bar…kind of a weird place to take kids, but it was our mood. A perfect end, after a perfect day, in Glacier National Park!

My husband went to Ocean City, New Jersey, for family vacations growing up. It was their tradition. So, when we decided to head east from our Minnesota home it was in part to relive his childhood memories. It also helped that Ocean City repeatedly wins the vote for having the “best beach” in New Jersey…

A Family-Friendly Beach Town

Ocean City is a barrier island on the East Coast, just south of Atlantic City. Unlike it’s gambling neighbor, Atlantic City, Ocean City is alcohol free (no alcohol sold on the island–you’ll have to cross the bridge) but it makes for a very family friendly atmosphere. We felt comfortable enough to let our teenage daughters head out alone without a worry. 

Every morning we’d get up, gather our beach gear and head out for the surf. The weather was perfect though the water was a bit cool. Beach umbrellas dotted the landscape. Airplanes with banners flew past advertising restaurants and local attractions. Parasails followed speed boats on the far side of the surf. One day dolphins made an appearance, frolicking in the waves just past my husband who was boogie boarding. It was idyllic! The kids played in the sand and waves while I soaked up sun and my husband did a little of everything. One morning he and my seventeen-year-old rented a surf board and tried their hand at it!

By early afternoon we’d head back to our condo–the third floor of a home, complete with plasma TV, balconies, air conditioning–to rest and read. Some days we’d head out to shop and sight see.

There’s an awesome FREE Cape May Zoo on the island with every kind of animal imaginable, and Cape May Lighthouse, as well as a seashell museum.

Shop the Boardwalk

We recommend eating along the 2.5 mile long boardwalk–great food and no better seafood on the island. The shopping was great on the boardwalk too. There were clothes–I love sundresses–at good prices, jewelry, books, the regular tourism stuff, as well as things to do. We mini-golfed, rode on some of the rides (which are a must on the boardwalk) and rented the surreys.

Because our vacation was over the 4th of July we got to watch fireworks over the ocean, set off from a barge at sea. It was amazing! Especially in the midst of an enthusiastic New Jersey crowd! 

The last day we headed to Shriver’s, an Ocean City essential, to stock up on the salt water taffy made right there. The place was in business when my husband went to Ocean City as a boy and it’s still going strong. 

The crowds get thick in the evening, but that’s part of the fun of the boardwalk! Our condo was only a few blocks from the beach so it was easy to walk back and forth. 

It was our best vacation ever, and we’ve been on some dandies.

Been to Ocean City? Add your tips/favorites in the comments below!

Planning a family trip to Montana in winter? I grew up skiing at Big Mountain in Whitefish, now called Whitefish Mountain Resort. When my family traveled from Colorado to Montana last winter to celebrate Christmas with my folks, I thought I’d take my children skiing, show them where I learned how to ski, relive the memories and make some new ones too.

But the Big Mountain of my youth is now a posh resort that is as expensive as the resorts in Colorado we never go to because there are comparable resorts for half the cost. So when my dad told me to bail on the now-tonier Whitefish and try Blacktail Mountain, we did. And we fell in love.

Skiing Blacktail

Picture this: The ski resort is about nine years old, but it feels like it’s been lost in a time warp, more like what my dad might’ve experienced, had he been skiing and not a poor farm kid at the time. Old guys talking you up, joking around with my kids, telling you you’ve found your new home mountain. I put my five-year-old in group lessons four times, and three out of four times, he was the only student (yes it was 8 degrees, but it was like private lessons for a pittance–$16—and it included his rental! We’re paying 5x that in Colorado this winter…) Kids 7 and under ski free. And for the rest of us, we paid almost half what we would’ve at Whitefish. 75% of the mountain’s runs are blue/intermediate, which is perfect for families and most mere mortals. I felt safe enough to let my girls, 13 and 10, ski together on their own. The guys bumping chairs are happy, not resentful. And the views…from Canadian Rockies, Glacier Park, Whitefish Mountain (cough, cough), the Flathead Range, Flathead Lake right below (the biggest freshwater lake west of the Mississippi), the Mission Mountains…incredible.

There’s also a terrific microbrewery in Lakeside, Tamarack Brewing Company where you can check out a Huckleberry Ale after a long day of skiing—and score some good food.

NOTE: Blacktail is open Wed-Sun, 9:30-4:30. Check for holiday hours/days.

Blacktail is about a 30 minute winding-road-drive from Lakeside, Montana. In Somers, about ten minutes north of Lakeside (toward Kalispell), there’s a Best Western that was advertising Blacktail/hotel deals, and I drove by these adorable cabins in Somers. Or there’s a ton of places to stay in Kalispell, which would make your hotel-lodge run about an hour.

Activities in Kalispell

We weathered enormous snows and record cold temps by doing a lot of sledding (there’s a perfect sledding hill at Dry Bridge Park on 11th Street East and Woodland Avenue), and a stop at the public outdoor skating park in Woodland Park, which was about $5 per kid, including skates.

I have lived in Oak Harbor, Washington for ten years. Oak Harbor is on Whidbey Island. To get onto Whidbey Island, you can either take a ferry from Mukilteo, Washington (north of Seattle) or you can drive up and drive across the Deception Pass Bridge.

Deception Pass State Park

The bridge is breathtaking and has amazing views. See photos here of the bridge and sunset (from the bridge). There are some amazing hiking trails all around the bridge and the most wonderful beaches covered with rainbow stones. We like to collect the stones and put them into glass jars—they range in color from pink to teal to bright white. I recommend you stop at the state park ranger’s station for maps and advice for the right hike for your family. There’s also some great camp sites available there.

The Deception Pass Bridge, which is really two spans, was built in 1934 and is a scenic wonder of the Northwest. Before that, travelers had to come across via ferry, reportedly banging  a mallet on a saw to summon one to fetch them.

Oak Harbor

In Oak Harbor, you can go to the marina and rent a kayak or go whale watching. There are several pods of orca that live in the waters around these islands and it’s really something special to have them swimming all around you in a kayak!

As far as places to eat, the best Mexican is Mi Pueblo (360-240-0813). It is right on the water and has beautiful views. Another favorite for locals is Flyers (360-675-5858), where you can get the best sweet potato fries you’ve ever tasted.

This is a Navy town, so you might hear a Prowler overhead or see Navy jets landing through the trees. (Note: Be ready for this if you’re camping or hiking–flights are unscheduled and loud!)

There is also an old-fashioned drive-in that we locals frequent, called the Blue Fox Drive-In (360-675-5667). They have go-carts for the kids to ride while waiting for the movie to start. Get there early to get a spot. Movies start at dusk, which is 9:30 or 10 in the summer here, so they end pretty late. They always play two or three features for the price of one, so bring the kids in PJs!

In the summer, City Park is right next to the Oak Harbor marina and has a kid’s pool, a large pool, bike trails and great play grounds and picnic spots.

Coupeville

From Oak Harbor, you can drive South about 30 minutes to the little town of Coupeville. There are quaint little shops and you must eat at the Kneed and Feed (360-678-5431). Everything is homemade and delicious — we always have the lunch special which consists of homemade soup, a half of a sandwich on homemade bread, and a piece of homemade pie. Yum!

More Hiking

Interested in additional hiking? Popular destinations are Ebey’s Landing and Fort Casey and Goss Lake (Putney Woods).

This is really a beautiful place where the sea meets the forest. It’s always green and, contrary to popular belief, it doesn’t rain every day.  But the best weather is August—so wait until the end of the summer for your trip to Oak Harbor, Washington.

Over Spring break we drove to Surprise, Arizona (northeast of Phoenix) from Colorado to visit grandparents who were wintering there. They were renting a house in a retirement village, with great pools and wonderful walkways. The majority of our vacation was spent beside the pool (our hosts also had one in their backyard), but we also had two excursions we’d recommend:

White Tank Mountain Regional Park

We hiked the Waterfall Trail in White Tank Mountain Regional Park, admiring ancient petroglyphs, massive cactus and countless lizards along the way. The hike was easy (we did it with a 70 year old man and children ages 5, 9, 12) and it took about an hour. It’s best done earlier in the morning, before it gets too hot—and before the school busses might arrive. The waterfall was dry; apparently you can see if flowing right after a rain storm (note: you do NOT want to be hiking in the park during a rainstorm; it’s apparently prone to flash floods). But there was still a cool, shady pool at the end that the kids considered a reward. The desert flowers were beautiful; they reach their height in February/March. Cactus flowers were just beginning to bloom—they reach their height in March/April. (So I’m guessing March is the time to go to see flowers of all sorts!) The park has some very cool “kid-friendly” events listed, such as a full-moon hike and snake-feeding and the small visitor’s center, about a mile into the park, is worth a stop.

Spring Training Baseball Game

Three generations headed out to watch the Mariners and Royals play during Spring training. Seats right on the first base line. It was a great way to introduce the kids to the feel of a major league game, but at a fraction of the cost. Tickets were just $16 a piece. The Texas Rangers and Kansas City Royals make the Surprise stadium their spring training home.

We also love Macayo’s on Bell Street, a chain Mexican restaurant; they have excellent, fresh-Mex food and are very family-friendly. You can call ahead for reservations. Be warned, the “snowbirds” eat early (5pm) and the restaurant will be packed until they begin leaving.

We’ve made a number of trips to Maui over the years but this time we were returning with our grown children. They flew from a different state and met us at the airport in Kahului an hour after my husband and I arrived. It was one of the best, most relaxing trips ever.

My in-laws have a condo in the Kahana area of West Maui. It’s right on the beach and they rent it out. It is still our favorite place to stay but since it was already rented for our limited available dates, we stayed at a duplex on the Puamana grounds. It was lovely, comfortable and the unit had everything we needed, including bicycles that we used to ride into nearby Lahaina. Next trip, though, we’ll make our reservations earlier so we can return to the Gunn condo at Hololani—it can’t be beat. (We could’ve saved money by camping. We’ve done that before but it requires a lot more planning and equipment than we wanted to mess with this time.) 

Our itinerary:

Day One:

Woke early due to the three hour time difference and walked down to the beach. Early morning surfers rode the slow, long curls Pacific blue bliss while we listened to the birds and walked the long stretch of sandy beach. Breakfast was fresh papaya on the back patio. Many of the residents at Puamana live there year round. They were friendly and helpful. Spent most of the day at the pool. Went into Lahaina for groceries at Safeway and shopped at the Cannery. Stayed on at the Cannery for the free keiki (child) hula show, which was delightful. Took advantage of the $1.00 taco night at a local Mexican food restaurant where the live music was fantastic.

Day Two:

Rode bikes into Lahaina and had breakfast at the Pioneer Inn next to the banyan tree. The macadamia nut pancakes were smaller than what our kids remembered when we ate there years ago, but then, our kids are much bigger than they were then, too.

All of us loved watching the early morning activities at the harbor as the day trippers left for the adjoining islands of Molokai and Lanai. We’ve been to both those islands before and have returned several times to the island of Lanai. With an early morning departure from Lahaina harbor and a rental car waiting when you arrive on Lanai, you can see much of the island in one day before taking the ferry back to Lahaina. Our favorite spot on Lanai is Turtle Beach.

We rode bikes around Lahaina after breakfast and then drove up the West Maui coast to Slaughter House Beach in search of some good waves. The water was calm that day and large sea turtles came out near the rocks and swam right alongside us.

Day Three:

Another day on the beach. This time we drove to Fleming Beach near Kapalua. The wind kicked up so instead of staying on the beach under our towels, we made use of the good public showers and drove up the coast to Honolua Bay. The further north you drive past Kapalua, the more you feel as if you’re returning to Old Hawai’i. We had to stop at our favorite fruit stand and buy some fresh pineapples. Returning to Puamana, we barbecued hamburgers on the grill at the duplex and then took our s’more makings down to the fire pit on the sand in front of the club house. The sunset that night was amazing. Our kids entertained us the way they used to when they were in grade school enjoying a family camp out at the beach. We sat for a long time in the balmy weather under the palm trees and talked and laughed, watching the stars come out.

Day Four:

We got a 6am start for Hana. Our first stop was Charley’s on the Hana Hwy in Paia at 7am for delicious eggs benedict and island French Toast with coconut syrup. We waddled out with a mele opu (happy stomach) and drove the famous winding road to the back side of the island. It takes about three hours to get to Hana but oh, is the scenery worth it. If you go crazy driving 25-30 miles an hour for several hours around hundreds of turns on narrow roads, this is not the trip for you. If you are settled into the “hang loose” rhythm of Maui time and like to stop and smell the waterfalls, then don’t miss this journey.

Beyond Hana, at Kipahulu, park rangers collect a fee for parking and day use at the waterfall and pools. Overnight primitive camping is also available and well worth the adventure. We’ve camped there several times. This time we just enjoyed the pools for the day. Hundreds of visitors come to Kipahulu every week and yet in the thirty years we’ve been visiting this incredible spot, the area has maintained its sense of natural, pristine beauty. Our son loves jumping off the rocks. Our daughter loves sunbathing on the smooth boulders. My husband loves sitting under the waterfall and getting his head massaged. I love swimming in the pools and taking in the deep greens of the tropical foliage, the obsidian black of the volcanic rocks and the crisp blue of the sky. We love this place.

Day Five:

Slept in after our late night return from Hana. Breakfast was leftovers from last night’s kalua pig from Da’ Kitchen in Kahului. DON’T MISS IT! The best locals’ type food on the island with another location in Kehei.

Since it was such a hot day, we headed upcountry to the Tedeschi Vineyards at the Ulupalakua Ranch. This is our favorite picnic spot. If you arrive before 2:00 you can order lunch from the grill in the General Store where many of the ranch hands go for lunch. We ordered elk burgers and bags of taro chips and were not disappointed. The beef and the elk meat in their burgers comes from the ranch and is lean and delicious. Not what you’d expect to find or eat on Maui but Maui is a marvelously diverse island and the Tedeschi is one of the quiet secrets that makes Maui magical. Returned to Lahaina in the evening to stroll and explore all the wonderful art galleries.

Day Six:

Leisurely morning walk along the beach and a final dip in the pool before packing up. Had lunch in Lahaina at Kimos. The waterfront view is always refreshing. The fresh fish is always delicious. The Naughty Hula Pie is always a treat. Bought going-home leis from the Aunties gathered on the front lawn of the Baldwin House Museum stringing together the beauties.

What felt different about this trip over the others we’ve made to Maui over the years was that we stayed in a quiet place and that set the tone for all of us to downshift and take each day slow and easy. Ideally, it would be great to have 10 days to 2 weeks there. Everyone was entertained enough without having to do any particular activities. We had lots of opportunities for leisurely talks since we weren’t on a schedule. It was the perfect time for us to connect with our grown children, catch up on their lives and make some more memories together in the place all of us love and like to think of as our second home.

Be warned! Once you visit Maui, the island Trade Winds will call to you the rest of your life, beckoning you to return.

World is Calling Editor’s Note (2/24/10): I loved this National Geographic’s TRAVELER article from a man who lived on Maui for 10 years, including favorite beaches (thought you’d find it interesting too)

We’d visited the Northern Highlands and Arenal Volcano of Costa Rica… and then we were off to our tree house in the jungle along the beaches of the Osa Peninsula!

Day 6: Breakfast on the Run to Black Turtle Lodge

We got an early start at 6:00am to make sure we were ready for our driver Sterling’s arrival at 7:00am. We weren’t able to have breakfast because the buffet included with the hotel didn’t start until 7:00am so we asked Sterling if he would stop at a bakery. We all piled out of the van and picked out two pastries (things like pineapple strudel and mango fritters) and tropical fruit juice. Twelve pastries and 6 bottles of juice for $10!

We got to the Sansa airport terminal early, which was a bit unfortunate because it is nothing more than one hot room with limited seating. We were issued our “boarding passes”–laminated sheets of paper reused each day–about 30 minutes before our scheduled flight time. We boarded our small plane on time. The flight was short and it was fun to watch the changing landscape out the window. I thought it would be very bumpy but it wasn’t. We felt the hot temperature and high humidity the minute the door of the plane opened. It took about 30 seconds for them to unload luggage from the plane, and another 15 seconds for two drivers to approach us and get our luggage in the vehicles. Before we knew it, we were on the way to Black Turtle Lodge (BTL).

BTL was just as marvelous as we pictured it–truly a jungle setting only a short walk from the ocean! I was immediately taken in by the sights and sounds. Maureen greeted us and showed us around the property. Four of us settled in the tree house, while the other two got settled into the cabana just a short walk down the path. The lodging was very quaint, neat and clean with beautiful wood. The bathrooms were enclosed for privacy but open to the air–and critters! While the rooms appeared critter free, we were told they can find their way in if they want. Nico shared stories of finding bats, crabs and snakes (a large boa), among other things, inside their second story home on the property. I chalked that up to it being above the kitchen. Since we had no food…no worries, right?!

Our next stop was the beach. It was so fun to see our youngest child’s reaction. It was his second time to be at a beach, but his first memory of it. His eyes were huge as he soaked it in! So precious! We were hungry and had arrived too late for lunch at BTL, so we walked a couple hundred feet up the shore and ate lunch at the Black Pearl. The food and atmosphere was delightful. We came back and played in the ocean until it was time to shower and get ready for dinner. We met and dined with the other guests, including a couple and their young son from Montreal. Dinner was very satisfying—a salad, shrimp skewers with sautéed veggies and garlic mash, wonderful bread and a tasty pineapple cake with fresh whipped cream.

As was becoming routine, we were beat, so we hit the pillow around 8:30pm. Oh…but before that one of the kids wanted me to walk to the bathroom with him. I shined the flashlight all around to assure him there were no visitors. All of a sudden something caught the light–frog’s eyes! I thought it was a fake frog… until the eyes moved, and then a leg moved! It was the biggest frog we had ever seen.

Day 7: Adventures Galore! First, Kayaking…

We woke up to the sound of howler monkeys! We had good coffee, fresh juice which tasted like a mild grapefruit juice, fresh homemade bagels with cream cheese, homemade biscuits and granola with yogurt.

After breakfast we played in the ocean and got out the boogie boards. We cleaned up for a nice lunch of tostadas. At 2:30pm a “taxi” picked us up to take us to a kayak tour. The taxi was an old beat up pick-up truck with benches on each side and a plastic canopy over the top. We felt like we were on Green Acres! It was a very fun experience.

We each chose a single kayak. Some of us had never been in one before. Our guide, Lara, was very helpful and encouraging. The first half of the trip was through the mangroves. The water was very warm and murky and the air was hot and sticky. The bio-diversity is amazing if you know what to look for and what it all means…not beautiful, per se, but interesting. Thanks to Lara we were “in the know” and it was simply fascinating. Hot and sticky…but fascinating!

We pulled our kayaks out of the water and up over a ridge after we left the mangroves in order to sea kayak back. While we took a break and waited to see if the waves would cooperate, Lara took two huge pineapples and a coconut (still in the outer husk) out of her kayak. She showed us how to open a coconut while her assistant cut up the pineapple with his machete—and we all enjoyed a scrumptious, juicy, fruity treat!

A few minutes later we got the green light to put our kayaks in the ocean. About half-way back we caught sight of some dolphins putting on a little show. It felt so incredible to be in a kayak in Costa Rica, watching dolphins play while the sun set. Lara said we were lucky, because usually the sun is behind clouds and you only see colors, but we saw the entire sun in its glory.

Nico planned dinner late since our new friends from Montreal and the six of us were on the same tour. We had chicken with prosciutto, garlic mash, sautéed veggies, oh… and a wonderful cream carrot soup, then carrot cake with cream cheese frosting for dessert.

Once again, when dinner was done we were exhausted. Two of the kids fell asleep in the hammocks next to the dining table. After we chatted a bit we went to bed. The kids decided to use their mosquito nets. They probably didn’t need them, but they wanted to experience it.

Day 8: Monkeys, Macaws and 400 Dolphins

We waited for the sound of howler monkeys to wake us, but they didn’t. Instead, a huge pod hit the roof at about 5:45am and woke us with a start. It happened fairly often during our stay and each time it sounded like a huge rock landing, or even a gun being fired. We had breakfast early—fresh fruit, juice, coffee and pancakes. Immediately after breakfast our taxi arrived to take us to the boat marina in Puerto Jimenez. There we met Chris and his mate–our guides for the morning. Chris immediately memorized all our names and gave us two promises: 1) to do his very best to show us a great time and see as much as possible and 2) it would not snow. He was correct on both counts.

Chris showed us landmarks and taught us a bit about the area and the rain forest. Then he dropped us off at the animal sanctuary where a couple from Northern California does tireless work to save Costa Rican animals from extinction. It gave me a whole new appreciation for the dangers and consequences of poaching, the illegal pet trade and commercialization of the rain forest. They did a wonderful job presenting the information without making a political agenda out of it, but instead sharing the pros and cons of progressive business. We saw many birds (parrots, macaws, toucans, hummingbirds and more) three kinds of monkeys (howler, white-faced and spider), a two toed sloth, (incredibly interesting animal) a kinkachoo and a weasel.

After our tour we got back on the boat and Chris took us to a nearby reef to snorkel. He had great gear—nice clean masks and fins that went on so easy! It was the best snorkeling I ever experienced. We saw so many types of fish—and not just a couple here and there, but whole schools of them.

When we got back in the boat, Chris told us he had a special treat for us—a pod of dolphins estimated to be approximately 400. We rode in the boat to the site where he heard they were hanging out and before we knew it we were surrounded. Groups of two, three, five, six or more were surfacing at a time! They were so playful! I loved it and could have watched them for a couple hours, but we had to get back so we headed away. Just as we did, one of the dolphins jumped very high in the air—a nice “Adios Amigos” to the tourists.

After we returned to BTL the kids stayed behind and played ping-pong while we took a taxi into town to get cash, buy stamps, buy more sunscreen and mail postcards. I enjoyed the little errand tour immensely—it was so fun to see the little town in action during a “regular day.” Everyone was very helpful. We were surprised by the level of security at the bank (much more than I’ve ever experienced in the U.S.) and the fact you really don’t need correct change while shopping. As long as you are close (over or under) it’s all good—Pura Vida!

Later that afternoon a big storm moved in and the rain came down in buckets, so we went for a walk—so fun! We cleaned up and went to dinner—yummy mushroom soup, mahi-mahi served with some sort of mashed sweet potatoes and sautéed veggies. Dessert was peach crisp with vanilla ice-cream. The kids assumed their positions in the hammocks after dinner. We chatted with Nico about local life for a bit and headed to bed. There were more bugs in the air due to the rain, so we all used our mosquito nets. I have to admit it felt a bit exotic sleeping under one.

Day 9: Fishing & Horseback Riding

We woke up feeling damp with sweat. I found myself wondering what the rainy season was like. The howler monkeys were really at it, and white faced monkeys were playing outside the cabina. We had an early breakfast so we’d be ready for our morning adventure. Randall (our guide for the day) picked three of us up for a fishing trip and the taxi came to take the other three horse back riding.

It was a fun day for all. Fishing is the most expensive excursion we did, but the look on the boys’ face as they held a rooster fish for a picture before releasing it was priceless (my youngest, with the guide, pictured above)! The real highlight of the day was seeing two green sea turtles at the surface of the water mating. We were only 10 feet from them. It was like watching National Geographic live!

When we got back to the marina we asked Randall to show us the soccer field which he was happy, even proud to do, since he is the manager of the local team. Then he drove back through the town so the boys could see the bank, post office, markets, bakeries, etc.

We had an incredible taco bar for dinner—tortillas, chicken, mahi-mahi, rice, beans, fresh pico de gallo and fantastic guacamole — probably out favorite meal at BTL. We had homemade banana cake (made with bananas from the property) for dessert.

Day 10: Rain Forest Exploration

The howler monkeys were VERY loud—for a long time. Loved it! It helped us get up and to breakfast at 7am so we would be ready for Randall to pick us up at 7:30am. All of us piled in his SUV and started out on another day of adventure. He stopped the car on numerous occasions to point out wildlife, birds, plants and trees. Some things we learned:

• There are many medicinal plants in the Costa Rican rainforest—for treating things such as diarrhea, upset stomach, colds, loss of energy, fever and even migraines.
• Teak trees are not indigenous to Costa Rica, but are quite plentiful and a good business for Costa Ricans. Their leaves are like a fine grit sandpaper—and are sometimes used for finishing sanding on teak furniture. If you rub a leaf between your fingers it will produce a red liquid, used as dye.
• Some trees have “milk” in them which is nutritional and/or medicinal.
• Indians use cutter ants as sutures when they cut their skin open.
• Indians use palm trees to build arrows and the little spiny things on them dipped in poison from a poison dart frog for arrow points.
• Monkeys like to poop and pee on you from up in trees—just for fun.
• Mexican anteaters are about the coolest animal we’ve ever seen.
• Sloths are likely the most interesting animal we learned about, but they aren’t very exciting to watch.
• Termites don’t taste nearly as bad as you might think! We all tried one.

We went to a surfing beach near Matapalo for a picnic, followed by a walk along the beach where we saw at least four pair of scarlet macaws —squawking up a storm.

We got back in the car and headed for the final exploration of the day. Randall parked near a stream and we started hiking—sometimes over rocks on the edge of the stream but mostly in the water up the stream. At one point we were waist deep. The hike was beautiful and very worth the energy spent, because at the top was an incredible waterfall with a swimming hole. We climbed up the rocks by the waterfall and let the water run down our backs for a bit before jumping in. A fun bonus was the “spa treatment” Randall gave us using clay rocks—our own tropical rainforest mud mask!

Day 11: One Last Dip in the Ocean…

No howler monkeys this morning. We got up and had on early breakfast because Randall took some of us fishing again, while the rest of us packed and played in the ocean. The fishermen returned around 11:30am—carrying two nice sized red snapper.

Nico was nice enough to fix lunch for us even though it wasn’t part of our reservation, and when we were almost done, he brought us some of the fresh snapper–perfectly fried and seasoned. After lunch we took one last dip in the ocean. Darren squared up with Nico while we got cleaned up. Then we said our good-byes and caught our favorite “taxi” to the airport.

We were sad our vacation was nearing an end–so it was wonderful to have another stay at Pura Vida (where we started) to look forward to! We arrived in time to clean up before dinner–much needed after a hot and sticky day of travel. Nhi prepared another lovely dinner–ficase salad, chicken with a tarragon cream sauce over pasta and sugared carrots. For dessert we had peach upside down cake.

Day 12: Our Reunion with Sterling in San Jose!

We slept in a little this day—got up around 7:00am for a 7:45am breakfast. Once again it was a treat. I never got tired of all the fresh fruit. We had a new treat this day—banana cake with chocolate chips.

Sterling picked us up at 8:30am and drove us to the DOKA Estates for a tour of their coffee plantation, an interesting and beautiful stop. After the tour we tasted some chocolate covered coffee beans and some coffee. My favorite was Peaberry. Even the kids liked it! We bought lots of coffee (some to share and some to drink at home) and a few souvenirs.

From there, Sterling drove us to San Jose and showed us the city. He stopped at a street market where we shopped for awhile and bought the rest of our souvenirs: jewelry, hacki sacks, soccer jerseys and my favorite—wood frogs that sound like croaking when you rub a stick over them.

We left the market and saw a bit more of the city on the way to a huge soccer stadium, where we watched the first half of the exhibition game between Saprisso (San Jose’s team) and Puerto Jimenez (Randall’s team).

After the game we went to a Tico “fast food” joint (Polle Esta) and had a bit of food to tie us over until dinner. We said our good-byes to Sterling. But we got his email address so we can stay in touch, as we would definitely use him again!

We packed everything to be ready for our early morning flight and cleaned up for dinner. Nhi did not disappoint us! The evening’s special treats were egg rolls (they had a fancier name but I couldn’t remember it), chicken drumettes with a teriyaki sesame sauce, onion rice and bok choy. This was followed by a simply delightful dessert—gooey coconut bars and homemade ice-milk topped with toasted coconut served in a half coconut shell. Amazing!

Berni, Nhi and the entire staff are so wonderful, the location is convenient, the casita was wonderful (clean and fresh feeling) and the food amazing—definitely a good find. If we ever go to Costa Rica again we will make it a point to return!

Day 13: Oh NO! It’s Over!

3:45am came quickly. Darren and I rolled out of bed at 4:00am, got ready to go, then woke the kids. Bernie brought us our “breakfast to go” (another wonderful perk offered at Pura Vida) at 4:25am and we got into our taxis at 4:30am. We thought it seemed a bit early but quickly realized once again we should listen to Berni; he always knows what he’s talking about! We only waited about 10 minutes to pay our departure tax, but by the time we did that and checked in for our flight with no wait, the departure tax line was ten times as long. We quickly made it through security.

We boarded the plane… SO SAD to leave Costa Rica, but excited to tell all our family and friends about it!

For more on Costa Rica, see our San Jose and La Carolina in the Northern Highlands report; and our adventures around Arenal Volcano.

Have you been to Costa Rica, with or without teens? Please share your experiences in our comments section!

Our family’s travels through Costa Rica continue…(check out the links to the other segments at the bottom)

Day 4: The Volcano!

The third stop in our Costa Rican adventure vacation (after Pura Vida and La Carolina) was at the base of Arenal Volcano, at a hotel called Los Lagos. It was completely different from La Carolina—much larger and more resort-ish. While I would certainly recommend it (the location was great, it was very clean and had many amenities) it was our least favorite of the trip. We learned we are more “off the beaten path” travelers.

We arrived in the afternoon and settled in our room, then headed for some fun in the pools and water slides. The swim up bar featured a delicious pina colada, served in a fresh pineapple. Yum. That evening we went to the restaurant at Los Lagos for dinner. It was fine, but we were so spoiled at Pura Vida and La Carolina that the food and atmosphere just didn’t quite measure up. We were all very tired, so we caught a shuttle back to our room and went to bed, looking forward to Easter morning.

Day 5: A Very Memorable Easter…

We woke up early, rolled out of bed and were on the hiking trail to the volcano observation area by 7:00am. The beginning of the trail had a very steep incline. The sign told us that the Arenal Volcano observation area was 2.2km ahead. We hiked and hiked for what seemed like farther than 2.2km. (This made a couple of the kids nervous as they were concerned we were trespassing; even if we were it was probably no big deal, as it seems rules in Costa Rica are more like guidelines to follow if you wish.) Anyway, we finally decided to head back down the hill and found the observation area. It turns out we saw it on the way up, but it wasn’t marked and we thought it was someone’s house. We were fortunate to see the whole volcano form, with smoke smoldering out of the top and down the sides. Many days it is covered by the clouds. We were told if we saw it at night, it would be glowing red.

We toyed with the idea of catching a taxi into town to attend an Easter service, but in the end decided to have our own. We brought out a backpack Bible and took turns reading the Easter Resurrection Story. While it wasn’t a typical Easter morning, I couldn’t help but look across the landscape thinking it probably looked a whole lot more like Jerusalem than Colorado does!

We hiked back to the hotel and enjoyed the lovely breakfast buffet included with our stay. When we were sufficiently stuffed we wandered through the crocodile farm and butterfly garden. We were slightly disappointed to find out the frog garden was not open because they are in the process of moving it, but the rest of it surpassed our expectations.

We went swimming and water sliding. It was by far the fastest water slide we had ever been on! We stopped at the swim up bar for some fruity drinks, but they were horrible, so we left and got dressed and headed to the restaurant for some chicken nachos and ice-cold bottled water. Ahhh!

Zip-lining!

Next was the biggest “rush” of our entire vacation. A Sky Tram transport van picked us up at 2:10pm to take us to our afternoon adventure—zip-lining over the canopy of the jungle. We were quickly situated with gear and led to a sky tram which took us to our first platform, which boasted a lovely view of Lake Arenal. They tightened our straps and hooked us up for two practice runs—very small zip lines. My heart was beating a bit faster than normal… and then they showed us the next one. It was like going from a bunny hill to a double black diamond ski hill. Yikes! All of us decided we would do it again (some more willingly than others) if the opportunity presented itself, and it was special to experience such a challenging feat together as a family.

Care to read more? See our first report, Northern Highlands, and our final report: Osa Peninsula and the Tree House in the Jungle of Costa Rica…

Been to Costa Rica in this area? Share your favorite stops/experiences below in our comments!

Heading to Costa Rica soon? We had such a good time in 2008, we’re heading back for a second visit this Spring break! Here’s the first of three reports on our grand adventure, with four teens in tow. If we can do it with our blended family, so can you!

Day 1: Settling in, Getting Our Bearings…

We arrived at the International Airport in Alajuela (just outside San Jose) around 5:30am.

As soon as we got off the plane, we could feel the heat and humidity. Ahhhh….a tropical climate in March! The immigration line was short and everything went smoothly. We hailed a taxi which took us the short trip to Pura Vida, where we were greeted by Berni and his three dogs–Max, Yagi and Lobo. Berni told us to make ourselves comfortable and enjoy the grounds (which is easy to do… they are well kept and beautiful) for a while until breakfast was served at 7:30am.

We sat down in the lovely dining area—a beautiful covered patio overlooking the gardens—and were served what would be the first taste of Pura Vida, a cold glass of pineapple-orange smoothie with a star fruit garnish. That was followed by healthy servings of fresh fruit (pineapple, mango, grapes, bananas, papaya, pears, apples and more) garnished with fresh flowers just picked from the gardens. That probably would have been enough, but the staff then brought us a sweet little bowl of yogurt with granola and a fruit garnish, followed by bread pudding with rum sauce. Oh, did I mention the coffee? It was incredible. We’re pretty sure this is what heaven will be like.

Even though it was not yet check-in time, Berni let us settle in to the Katydid casita. We all took a nap and freshened up a bit—much needed after an overnight flight. We then set out on our first adventure—a taxi ride to a local Tico restaurant called Princesa Marina, where we enjoyed traditional Costa Rican food. It was here we had our first taste of ice cold Imperial—a local beer. We like all kinds of good beer; this was a good one.

From there we caught two more taxis (traveling as a group of 6 has its unique challenges) to take us to Zoo Ave. Upon entering we thought $15 admission was a bit high, but when we were done we all agreed it was well worth the price of two movies. It provided a nice introduction to the wildlife we would be seeing in the days to come.

Once again, we caught a couple taxis and returned to Pura Vida where we enjoyed the gardens and relaxed. We played cards, showered, and headed up the path for our first dinner prepared by Nhi.

In an intimate candle lit alfresco setting, we enjoyed a delightful 3-course meal. First course was a seafood salad served in a radicchio leaf, followed by parmesan encrusted tilapia with a fresh tomato sauce served over rice with haricot verts, topped off with homemade frozen mango cream with toasted pistachios. It was two hours of taste sensation and family conversation. Quite a blessing!

It was time for bed… and while there was a lot of activity on the street outside Pura Vida gates, we felt safe and sound knowing Max, Yagi and Lobo were standing guard.

Day 2: On to La Carolina…in the Northern Highlands of Guanacaste

Following breakfast we packed our bags into a van marked “Touristo” owned by our new friend, Esterling. Berni said, “If you don’t agree he’s the best driver around, we will refund your money.” Berni jokes about a lot of things, but he’s also a wise businessman and we quickly learned he was serious about this. Esterling is 26 years old, has a great command of the English language, is genuine and funny, has an entrepreneurial spirit, and it is very apparent he loves people and the tourism business. He kept us entertained for five hours during our transfer from Pura Vida to our next destination.

Among our favorite stops was a market where Esterling taught us how to pick out a good mango.

I’ve since used his tips and have enjoyed the best mangos I’ve ever eaten in Colorado. He also stopped on the side of the road by a tree from which he picked a large pod, opened it and treated us to a wonderful discovery—guaba. I call it nature’s candy; the pods contain black pits with a fuzzy, white, wonderfully sweet outside coating. While stopped, he bought a bag of fruit from a Tico on a bike wearing mud boots. They were water apples—another sweet treat. He then took us to a “soda” or Tico restaurant with ice cold Coke in glass bottles (a new discovery for the kids) and simply scrumptious chicken tacos which were more like fajitas. It was here we had our first taste of plantains. Hmmm—they received mixed reviews.

The road to our next destination, La Carolina, was like a four wheel drive road in the mountains of Colorado—quite rocky and rough. As soon as we arrived, we knew it was worth the trip. We were welcomed by Spanish speaking Tico women serving fresh limonada. They showed us to our lodging which was the “coolest camp cabin ever”—very rustic, and incredibly clean and inviting. A beautiful tropical floral arrangement provided a welcoming splash of color.

Once settled in, we decided to explore a bit. The boys fished in the river using homemade cheese for bait and we all took a dip in the wood heated stone hot tub next to the river, which the staff diligently kept stoked throughout the day. We enjoyed a home cooked authentic Tico meal of rice, beans, a warm “salsa,” cole slaw and pork—and more limonada.

After dinner, some of us fished while others played cards or sat by the fire chatting with other guests. By 9:00pm it was time to blow out the candles and go to bed. It was an interesting night for sleep. There were so many new noises, but not one traffic sound or hum from a device run on electricity—just pure nature!

Day 3: My Kind of Camping

We woke up early—it was hard not too with the early sunrise and sounds of nature all around us—and ate a hearty Tico breakfast. We watched two young men removing “parchment” from the coffee beans to prepare them for roasting before breakfast. They used what looks like a giant mortar & pestle—very heavy. But talk about fresh coffee!

After breakfast we took a hike through the property. As we crested a hill and looked around it felt like we were in a scene from “Jurassic Park”—with cows and horses in the place of dinosaurs. The path led to a stream which we walked beside for a long time. It was thick with plant and wildlife. We saw what must have been millions of ants marching along a path they had made which was about 3-4 inches wide. We followed them for at least 80 to 90 feet. The kids also saw a Bluejean Toad, and we stopped near a pool in the stream to fish.

Our hike was followed by a very fun adventure with Luis and John—two of the staff at La Carolina. They took us to a nearby pond. They drove to the top of a hill beyond the pond because it was a clear day and they wanted us to see Lake Nicaragua. Then they drove back down to the pond and we piled into a flat bottom wood boat with a plastic tarp canopy. It was as if we were in a private estuary. There were birds everywhere! They took us to the other side of the pond to an area with a lot of grass and let the kids fish for a bit. They helped us with our Spanish and  introduced to the best little sandwich cookies…. Chiky’s!

We returned for lunch and had, you guessed it, beans & rice—accompanied by a warm salsa, cole slaw and fried fish—including one small one we caught at the pond.

Later in the afternoon, Juan took us for a 1-1/2 hour horseback ride. It was amazing! Every horse was so gentle and so responsive. Juan was very patient, so helpful and like all the Ticos we’ve met—anxious to show and teach us about the environment and Costa Rican way of life. We had rice and beans, vegetable salsa, coleslaw, chicken and limonada for dinner (we were sensing a trend).

Good-bye to La Carolina…we hope to return again soon!

Day 4:

Saturday morning I woke up quite refreshed. Some of us hiked up the trail with Alejandro (the cowboy that we refer to as “Costa Rican Chuck Norris“) to watch him milk cows, and even got to try our hand at it.

We watched birds before, during and after breakfast. A red-headed woodpecker was guarding the bananas and chasing other birds away. We also saw a large Blue Morpho butterfly and a 3-toed sloth with a baby. The sloth was well hidden and I’m sure I never would have found it, but Juan took us over and pointed it out.

After breakfast we packed our bags and then went on another horseback ride with Juan. Paquito (the sweet boxer who lives there) went with us. We saw a 2-toed sloth climbing down a tree—a fun discovery because they don’t move much and are generally nocturnal.

After lunch it was time to leave. La Carolina was simply a charming place—from the comfortable lodging, to the sites and sounds of wildlife, the feel-good food, all the wonderful activities and the staff who worked so hard to ensure our stay was enjoyable, made me sad to depart.

Look for our other reports where we head to the Arenal Volcano and Coast of Costa Rica.

We love the Olympics in our house! TV watching as we know it is temporarily suspended as we celebrate the triumphs, and weep over the tragic losses, with athletes around the world.

Seeing this succession of posters brings back memories of the first winter games that I can recall—Innsbruck. Some are extremely memorable and others completely forgettable. I suppose the hosting city/country may have something to do with it. The romance of Innsbruck. The exotic surprise of Nagano. Places that sound fabulous like St. Moritz…

Thanks to the folks at NBC for inspiring us with this.

If you could select a future site for the Winter Olympics, where would it be? Post a comment with any suggestions…