Mayan Riviera - Occidental Grand Xcaret- Sep 2013

I won a 7 night all inclusive stay at the Occidental Grand Xcaret in the Mayan Riviera.! I was very excited but at the same time, it would not have been my first choice of properties to choose in the Mayan Riviera because it does not have a long walking beach.  I love the beach, so this is a property I often don't consider selling when people are looking for a beach resort.  Well I must admit that I was pleasantly surprised.!

The beach at the property is great for those that like to swim in calmer waters.  It has some good snorkeling there, and you don't even have to have a mask on to see the fish.  The beach area can get crowded right in from of the water, but there are tiered levels, and there are hammocks and beach beds on the upper levels. The resort itself is a moderate size property, but there is lots of walking.  There are animals throughout the resorts including monkeys, deer, flamingo.  There are all sorts of trails you can take through the jungle and you will discover many ruins on the property as well.  Rooms were clean and comfortable.  There were a good variety of restaurants and most of the a la carte restaurants we tried were very good.  If someone was looking for a unique wedding location, they have an option to set up a wedding by one of the Mayan Ruins by the ocean.  What a gorgeous setting that would be!

We decided to go in September because I had to pay for flights to get to Cancun and I was able to find some good prices at that time.  I do know it is hurricane season, and that is why the rates are good. Well, we did not have a hurricane, but we sure got a lot of rain.  It rained every day except the last 2 days in our week there. Most of the days it rained 2 or 3 times for about an hour, so there was still opportunity to do things and it was still fairly hot.  The one day it rained all day long, and that was the day we had a day trip booked to Coba and a Mayan Village.  The best thing I bought that day was my rain poncho and I'm sure the stores were sold out by days end!  Dean managed to keep dry with a huge umbrella someone had given to us at the hotel.  The trip to the Coba ruins was very interesting and it is one of the ruins that you are still able to climb. After visiting the ruins, we were able to visit a couple families in one of the Mayan Villages.  It was a fantastic experience and made me appreciative of all that I have.

The Occidental Grand Xcaret is located next to the eco-archaeological Xcaret Park.  We also had unlimited access to Xcaret Park, which we took full advantage of, as there is lots to see and do there.  http://www.xcaret.com/  They have a fantastic Mayan show at night, there are underground rivers to swim or snorkel through, horse shows, animals,  flower gardens, butterfly pavilion and  mayan archaeological sights.  There are also optional activities including swimming with the dolphins or sharks, sting ray encounters, snuba. etc.  There is a beach area with swimming and another area with hammocks to relax in.  Families would love having the access to the park right from the convenience of the hotel.  You can go for a couple hours and then come back to the hotel for lunch, or spend a couple hours there in the evening.  We had a great time and got to experience lots of new things!

 

 

Road trip to Oregon and San Francisco

This year we decided to take a driving vacation down the Oregon Coast and then to San Francisco.  One thing I did not realize was how much fog they get along the coast in the summer, and we were also not prepared for the cool weather.  We started along the coast in Lincoln City and worked our way down highway 101 to San Francisco.  The views are fantastic along the way, and one of my favourite parts along the coast is the Sand Dunes.  Just outside of Florence is where the sand dunes start. There are all sorts of activities you can take part in to enjoy the dunes, including ATV Rides, Sand boards, etc .http://www.florencechamber.com/ 

Love the dunes!

This picture was taken outside of Reedsport.  It was a nice 1/2 mile hike to get to the dunes, and when we arrived we were the only ones there.  We had a blast running up and down the dunes.

After our fun at the Sand Dunes we made our way to Bandon, Oregon.  I really love this little town and would definitely spend more time here.  The town has some neat little shops and of course we wanted to stop at Cranberry Sweets.http://www.cranberrysweets.com/   There are samples to try of almost everything and it would be a challenge to leave the shop without buying something!

Our road trip brought us through the Redwood Forest in Northern California. We even made a stop at the drive through tree!  http://www.drivethrutree.com/
We also drove part of the way through the "Avenue of the Giants", which is a road that parallels the 101 and goes through the Redwoods.

Once we left the Coastal area behind, the temperatures were a lot warmer.  We drove through wine country and had an overnight stop in Napa, California.  We stayed at the Marriott in Napa, and thoroughly enjoyed some relaxing time by the pool, and a bit of wine tasting!

 It was a short drive from Napa to San Francisco the next day and we made sure to take the drive over the Golden Gate Bridge.  What luck, because it was a clear blue sky, and the view of the bridge was fantastic. We stayed at the Fairmont in San Francisco. http://www.fairmont.com/san-francisco/.  This was an absolutely beautiful hotel, and we enjoyed the location on Nob Hill. We were close enough to walk to Chinatown, where we made sure to find the fortune cookie factory.  It was really fun to wander around the shops and see the sights.  Fisherman's Wharf is also a great place to wander around, with great shops, restaurants, sights, and entertainment.
Be prepared for walking the hills when you come here, you will definitely get a good leg work out.   The cable cars were fun to try, but be prepared for line ups most of the time, especially at any of the turn around spots.
We decided to buy a Hop on, Hop off bus ticket, so we could get an overall view of the city.  The best part was when the driver was able to time the lights and go barrelling down Nob Hill on the bus.  It felt like a roller coaster ride.  We later learned that our bus driver was a also a race car driver!  If you want the opportunity to go to Alcatraz, make sure you book well in advance, as it sells out weeks in advance, especially in the summer.  We got to see it from across the water while we were at Fisherman's Wharf.
I really enjoyed the 2 days we spent exploring San Francisco and there is so much to see, that I would definitely go back.

Last year, we went to the Big Island of Hawaii to celebrate Lindsay's graduation.  What a fantastic trip, especially seeing the volcanos.  Here was the blog I posted on our Roblin Travel blog. www.roblintravel.com


An unrivalled expression of the power of nature, Hawaii's Big Island is sure to leave a lasting impression on anyone who visits.  About the size of Connecticut the Big Island spans over 4000 square miles, which is more than twice the size of all the other islands combined!  The island also boasts 11 of 13 of the world's climatic zones making it one of the most diverse places on earth.

Lava Viewing at Kilauea

One of the most popular tourist destinations of the island is Hawaii's Volcano National Park.  The island is made up of 5 volcanoes, the most active being Kilauea which has been continuously erupting since 1983.  While in the park you are sure to see spewing steam vents, lave tubes and lava craters.  If you can, plan to spend a full day at the park, as there is so much to do and see.  It is also worth considering venturing to the park near sunset, as the volcanoes can look completely different during the day to night.  This is surely something you do not want to miss out on!  At 4200 ft elevation the temperature can drop and be quite cool so be sure to pack warm clothing just in case.  From Kona the drive is approximately 3 hours south.  However it is not your ordinary drive as you will head through coffee country as well

Coastline

as see many spectacular views of the coast.  As well, the route offers many popular historic monuments.  A few of the places that we recommend stopping at is Punalu'u Black Sand Beach and the Punalu'u Bake Shop!  Both places are easily accessible and are great stops along the way! The Portuguese donuts at the Bake Shop are absolutely delicious!


There are also many amazing beaches on the Big Island! Ranging from Black Sand to White Sand, and even Green Sand, the beaches of Hawaii's Big Island are sure to impress anyone who visits.  These beaches also

Sea turtle at Kahalu'u

boast some fantastic snorkelling.  The best and most popular spot is at Kealakekua Bay, near the monument of Captain Cook.  It is accessible by boat tour, the most popular being aboard the "Fair Wind".  We also found great snorkelling locations at Hahalu'u and Waikoloa.  At many of the beaches we visited there was an abundance of wildlife as we saw sea turtles at both Kahalu'u Beach on the Kona Coast and Hapuna Beach near Waikoloa.
The Big Island is sure to be entertaining for everyone as there is so much to do!  One of the most popular tourist
activities are the helicopter tours.  Paradise Helicopters offers a doors off tour which we found to be absolutely amazing! This was also a fantastic way to see the volcanoes from a different perspective as you can see much more from the air than from the ground.  We got great views of the flowing lava and even got close enough to feel the heat coming from the mouth of the volcano!

View of the Volcanoe from the sky.

Overall this was an amazing trip and is highly recommended as it is attractive to all demographics and is sure to be a very memorable vacation!
For more info contact Susan Small at susan@roblintravel.com or at 604-792-4696.

Summerland Retreat

Everyone keeps asking me where I have been travelling to this year, or where my next big trip is.  Well this year we have been busy renovating the house we just moved into, so it has been keeping us busy.  This just means that my travels have been a little bit closer to home.

 This past weekend we headed out to The Summerland Resort.  http://www.summerlandresorthotel.ca  We actually bought a unit here about a year and a half ago and  we try and get up here 2 or 3 times a year.  The units are condo style units with kitchens, and the resort has a great pool, spa, barbeque area, and small gym.  The restaurant here, "Local Lounge  Grill", is a great place to eat.   The resort is on a secluded area on Lake Okanagan.  It has a small beach in front, but there is a large beach a 5 minute walk away.  If you are energetic enough you can walk for miles along by the shore or head up the hill towards the small town.

Summerland Resort

Penticton  is only about a 12 minute drive from Summerland, and it is about  40 minutes  to Kelowna.
http://summerlandchamber.com/  There is lots to do in the area including wine tours, Kettle Valley Railway Steam Train, great beaches, hiking.  I'm looking forward to our next getaway up there in the summer so we can get out and explore more of the area.

Okanagan Lake

Jasper

Two weeks ago I had the opportunity to go to Jasper for the weekend.  It had been years since I had been there and it was fantastic to re-visit the area.  The weather was great,  and there were few vehicles on the road since it was not summer season.   Even though I live in an area with mountains, the scenery on the way there is still spectacular.   The first thing we saw as we were entering Jasper was a herd of elk.  I certainly can see why people travel from all over the world to come to Jasper and the surrounding area.
   http://www.jasper.travel/



The view on the drive to Jasper

We stayed in the Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge. http://www.fairmont.com/jasper/
What a truly fantastic experience.  This resort has cabins spread throughout the grounds. You are surrounded by snow capped mountains, lakes and a golf course.  They offer a wide variety of dining options, a fantastic spa and you are only a 5 minute drive from downtown. There are options for canoeing, kayaking, mountain biking, hiking, and horseback riding.  I was amazed to see the amount of wildlife all over the property including elk and deer. How can you beat looking out your patio door and seeing the elk walk right by your doorway. We had the opportunity to talk to a lot of people that were visiting from Australia, and for many people this was a trip of a lifetime. It was so neat to see their excitement about the scenery and the animals they encountered, including the squirrels that were running around.  It makes me proud to be a Canadian!

The elk that were on the grounds at the Fairmont.

The lake and view of the mountains.