Last week, my parents and I went on a whirlwind of an adventure to Puerto Rico. To be quite honest, we thought about cancelling our trip several times because none of us had ever been before. The reviews on Trip Advisor were not all kind, which did not help the cause. But we decided to go away. Best. Decision. Ever.
Rather than staying in the heart of San Juan, we stayed at the Wyndham Rio Mar Beach Resort & Spa. The hotel is located in the foothills of El Yunque – the only rainforest in the US Forest System – and it was, without a shadow of Trip Advisor doubt, beautiful. When we walked in, we were greeted with the greatest view of the Atlantic Ocean I have ever seen from a lobby, and we were upgraded to a room overlooking the pool. My favorite hotel rooms are ones with views like this…
This guy decided to swim across the pool…
One of my life goals was to go horseback riding, and my mom and I went on a morning ride through the foothills of the rainforest and the Puerto Rican countryside. Our tour guide picked bananas right from the tree (so good!), and we also tried a plum rose (awkward because it smelled exactly like a rose). As much as I loved the views from our hotel, the sites I saw while on our ride will be my favorites for a long, looooong time. Oh, and meet my horse Tequila…
Next up was hiking through El Yunque! My not so-adventurous-and-very-afraid-of-heights dad bravely joined my mom and I. We hiked through the forest and up to the top of the observation tower, and we also braved a longer (steep!) trail to La Mina Falls. Newsflash: it tends to pour in the rainforest and ponchos may or may not have been worn. : )
Another life goal was zip lining through the rainforest, and I did it! We zipped throughout the canopy on eight different lines, and we rappelled once. Our highest point was 80 feet, and one of our lines took us over a river.
I love architecture and culture, and I really wanted to visit Old San Juan. Rather than only walking throughout town, we went on a Segway tour. Loved it! Segways are awesome because you’re able to see so much more of a city in a condensed amount of time. Cobblestone streets, colorful homes, and beautiful water for the win!
I adored this trip to Puerto Rico so much. I loved visiting this new place for the exact reason why I was nervous: I didn’t know what to expect. I said “yes” to experiences, new foods, and unplugging from e-mail and social media over and over again. If you ever have the chance to go to Puerto Rico, GO!
Where did you go on your favorite vacation? What did you do? When one trip ends, I love starting to dream about the next one. : )
Awesome job!! Awesome trip!!!
Carly: So glad you had a great trip and lots of credit to your brave parents! Despite our many trips to the Caribbean, we have never been to Puerto Rico. Might have to add it to the list. Mama S.