Acadia National Park had been on the bucket list for quite a while. Acadia National Park encompasses a large area of Mount Desert Island off the coast of Maine. This beautiful setting is known for its stunning vistas, scenic hikes, and ocean views from Cadillac Mountain. This is also the first place in the U.S. where you can see the sunrise between October and early March. If you’re visiting in the peak of summer, you can swim at Sand Beach when the water temperature is more tolerable. We drove from Albany, NY, and it took us about 7 hours to get there. Acadia National Park is about a 4.5-hour drive from Boston and an 8-hour drive from New York City. If you’re not close enough to drive, you can fly into Bangor International Airport, about 50 miles from Bar Harbor. We used Bar Harbor as our base camp and gateway into Acadia National Park.
Cape Cod is one of those timeless destinations with the charm of past decades. Most of the hotels on the Cape are independently owned mom-and-pop operations, and you won’t find many chain hotels. If you ask locals where to find the best lobster roll and seafood on the Cape, each person will likely give you a different answer as loyalties run deep. Whether you’re staying in Sandwich (the first town on the Cape), Provincetown (the last town on the Cape), or any other town in between, a beautiful beach and fantastic seafood are right around the corner.
Our Portugal adventure began with a smooth business class flight on Lufthansa, complete with Polaris lounge access in Chicago and Lufthansa Business Class Lounge access in Frankfurt. After arriving late in Lisbon, we picked up our rental car and headed south to Lagos, where we checked into the stunning Cascade Wellness Resort near dramatic cliffs and ocean views. The town’s vibrant summer energy, artistic tilework, and seaside charm quickly made it one of our favorite European destinations. A kayaking tour along the Algarve coast and visits to Camilo Beach and Ponta da Piedade were unforgettable highlights. We explored historic neighborhoods in Lisbon, sampled famous custard pastries at Pasteis de Belem, and took a day trip to the colorful Palace of Pena in Sintra. Our trip wrapped up just as Portugal’s World Cup run ended.
Kauai was the second island my wife and I visited during our last trip to Hawaii. We started in Maui (you can read that itinerary here) and took a one-way flight from Maui to Kaui on Hawaiian Airlines via JetBlue miles. Kauai is known as the Garden Isle for its lush tropical landscape. Based on my experience, Kauai offers more seclusion than Maui and Oahu and more lush greenery than Big Island. The islands are special in their own way, so I’d recommend experiencing all four. Here’s a rundown of what we did during our four days in Kauai.
Day One: Arrival
My wife and I stayed at Mariott’s Kauai Beach Club Hotel during our stay in Kauai. Great property that wasn’t expensive and located right on the beach, just 10 minutes from the airport. We rented a car in both Maui and Kauai and if you want to make the most of your time there, I’d recommend doing the same. We arrived in the late afternoon from Maui, so we spent the evening at Kalapaki Beach, right in front of our hotel, and took in the live entertainment that was offered by Marriott.
View of the beach from our balcony
Day Two: Poipu Beach
We spent almost the entire day at Poipu Beach on the second day. Of all the beaches I’ve been to in Oahu, Maui, and Kauai (I’ve been to many), this was my favorite in Hawaii. Plenty of space, clean, an abundance of marine wildlife, and a perfect place to snorkel. If you’re in Kauai, this beach is a must-see. You also get spectacular sunsets if you stick around until the late evening.
I was very fortunate to swim alongside a green sea turtle. If you snorkel in Hawaiian waters, get a GoPro or underwater camera. You’ll see some cool wildlife, and it’s worth getting on video.
Day Three: Waimea Canyon State Park
Waimea Canyon State Park is another must-see place in Kauai. From our hotel near the airport, it was about 32 miles to the entrance and took about 45 minutes. You can also take a 3.4-mile hike to the bottom of the canyon, which will take about 3 hours round-trip. The cool thing about Waimea Canyon is that the surrounding area looks like Sedona, Arizona. You’ll find red clay, orangish water, and a landscape that almost seems out of place for Hawaii.
The landscape on the periphery of Waimea Canyon
The main lookout at Waimea Canyon
Once you’re at the main lookout point at Waimea Canyon, you’ll find local farmers selling delicious local produce such as mangos, star-fruits, and papayas. If you purchase the fruits, you’ll support locals.
Day Four: Napali Coast State Park
No trip to Kauai is complete without seeing Napali Coast State Park. This was one of the settings for Jurassic Park; the minute you get to the entrance, it will look familiar. My wife and I were dead set on doing the hike, and we did about 3/4 of it until park rangers told us we couldn’t go any further due to flooding from heavy rainfall the previous night. The hike is challenging, particularly the first quarter mile, where there is a lot of steep uphill climbing. Bring some solid hiking shoes, plenty of water, and a couple of granola bars if you do the hike. I saw a few people with flip-flops, and they were getting killed by mud and wet rocks. Please don’t do this hike with flip-flops or sneakers. You don’t need expensive hiking shoes; a $60 pair would do the job. I’d also bring a light raincoat since this part of Kauai gets a lot of rain, and the weather can change from hour to hour. Other options for seeing the cliffs are by boat or helicopter. I have heard the helicopter takes four people and that if you’re one of the two sitting in the rear, you’re kind of blocked off from the views compared to those sitting in the front. Just something to be aware of.
Overcast skies on our way to Napali Coast.
The weather on this part of the island changes from hour to hour. If you open any weather app on your smartphone and see rain for the entire day, take that with a grain of salt. On our drive there, we had mostly overcast skies with drizzle here and there. When we started the hike, the clouds cleared up and gave way to sunshine. Don’t be disappointed if you see overcast skies while driving there. Just wait it out, and hopefully, the sun will appear.
A view from the hiking trail. The skies cleared up about 40 minutes after we started hiking.The majestic cliffs and a rainbow from a distance
So this was Kauai in a nutshell. A special place and a beautiful island home to my favorite trail among the ones I have hiked in Hawaii. I wish we had an extra day here, and I know I’d be saying the same thing even if we did. If you visit Hawaii, try including Kauai in your itinerary. But only if you can do the three must-see places above. If you want to read about our most recent trip to Hawaii (Big Island), you can do that here. As always, thanks for reading.
During the summer of 2021, my wife and I decided to take the kids (ages 34 months and 17 months when we traveled) on an adventurous trip to Alaska. Many of you know our affinity for wildlife, nature, and the natural beauty in every corner of our planet. With restrictions or logistical challenges for international travel still in place, we decided that visiting a destination such as Alaska was the best option to experience a pristine environment without worrying about testing positive for COVID-19 and quarantining on the way there or back. I simply could not afford to be in a place beyond my allotted vacation time for work purposes. Having been there in 2015, I fell in love with Alaska and longed to return. Fast forward to 2021, and I had the opportunity to visit again. Rather than opt for the 6.5-hour non-stop flight from Chicago to Anchorage, we decided to stop in Seattle for 2 nights (a fantastic city in and of itself) and explore a little before continuing. The kids tend to hit a wall on flights over 5 hours (the non-stop flight back was rough), and the 3-hour flight from Seattle to Anchorage was perfect for keeping them fresh on our arrival in Anchorage.
Big Island was the fourth Hawaiian Island my wife and I visited. This trip was also our first long-distance trip with our 5-month-old son, so there was a bit of uncertainty on how he would handle being in a plane for 8+ hours. Fortunately, he was well-behaved, which gave us a ton of confidence in making future trips with him. During this trip to Hawaii, we encountered a day of heavy rain and another day when the eastern half of the island had rain, so we could not see specific points of interest. This forced us to cancel several sights we planned to visit. However, there was a positive trade-off of being “stuck” at the resort, and you will see why as you keep reading.
Day One: Arrival
We arrived at Kona International Airport on the Big Island around 3pm. We rented a car from Turo (you can read my review on Turo and our experience here), collected our luggage, and walked to the airport parking lot, where our car was already waiting for us with the keys inside. The distance to Hilton Waikoloa Village from the airport was about 20 miles and a 30-minute drive. On the way to the resort, we stopped at a lookout point to take in the scenery. If you see a lookout point anywhere, just stop your car and enjoy the views.
Vegetation growth on volcanic rock at a lookout point. The Big Island is home to multiple volcanoes, some of which are still active.
Since sunset was around 6:15 p.m., and by the time we got situated, it was already close to 5 p.m., we spent the rest of the time at the resort enjoying the sunset views.
I’ll have a separate review on the Hilton Waikoloa Village, but this was a wonderful, kid-friendly property.
Day Two: Hawaii Volcanoes National Park and Stops Along the Way
On the second day, I drove from Waikoloa to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park while making a few stops in between. I downloaded the Gypsy App specifically for the Big Island, and it guided me on where to make stops between Waikoloa and Volcanoes National Park. It costs $9.99, and you do not need to have data to work with it. The most appealing aspect of this app is that the narrator gives you historical context concerning culture and geology at various stopping points and why it might be worth stopping or skipping. The app is a knowledgeable tour guide, and I highly recommend using it for Big Island.
The Gypsy App is available for each Hawaiian Island. I highly recommend it.
Places of Interest En Route To Volcanoes National Park
A lava field lookout point on the way to Volcanoes National Park.This viewpoint is right off the side of the road.This is one of the places you should stop by on the way to Volcanoes National Park.Punalu’u Black Sand BeachSea turtles basking in the sun at Punalu’u Black Sand Beach.
Punalu’u Black Sand Beach Park was the last place I stopped before entering Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. After this one, there are a few other points of interest, such as South Point (the southernmost point out of all the 50 states) and Papakolea Beach, a green sand beach. Getting to the beach does require over two hours of hiking, and I did not want to run out of daylight where I’d be hurrying at Volcanoes National Park. I skipped these two, but if you leave Kona before sunrise or stay in Hilo, you’ll have plenty of time to see both places.
Hawaii Volcanoes National Park
I’ve been asked if I brought my 5-month-old to this park, and the answer is no. Since the steam vents emit sulfur dioxide and hydrogen sulfide gas, I did not want to expose my son to potential lung irritants. If you’re pregnant, have heart problems, asthma, or COPD, it’s probably best to avoid the steam vents at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.
One of the many steam vents that are found in the park.The Kilauea Caldera. You can either park at the visitors center and take a half-mile hike to get here or park on the road and walk a few hundred feet. I chose to do the hike so I could see most of the steam vents along the path.
Some parts of the park were still closed due to the eruptions from 2018, and the lava tubes were also not accessible during this time. As you continue your drive through the park, I highly recommend taking Chain of Craters Road down to the coast. It’s about 20 miles from the caldera, and the drive is among the best in any of the 50 states. Pictures don’t do it justice, so I took a short video to give you a better idea.
You will also find plenty of fantastic photo opportunities and other points of interest.
One of the scenic viewpoints on Chain of Craters Road.Pu’u Loa Petroglyphs Field
You will find a sign for the Pu’u Loa Petroglyphs Field closer to the shore. This area is considered sacred to the people of Hawaii, and you will find many symbols and images carved into the hardened lava. It’s a 1.4-mile round-trip hike, and I highly recommend it. Further down the road, you will see cliffs made from lava. This is the newest land on the Big Island, and it’s made when lava hits the water and solidifies into rock.
Chain of Craters Road on the way back also has stunning views.
Day Three: Pololu Valley and Stops Along the Way
On this day, there was rain in the forecast after 2 p.m., so I made it a point to get this hike done as early as possible. The mornings also have cooler temperatures, making a much more comfortable hike. Pololu Valley is about a 45-minute drive from Waikoloa and about 1 hour and 15 minutes from Kona. You can just park your car on the road and enjoy the views from the lookout, but if you want to get the splendid views of the valley, you should go on a hike. The hike down isn’t challenging, but it can be slippery due to the frequent rainfall in the area. Returning up the hike is moderately difficult, and you will need plenty of water and some granola bars.
Pololu Lookout. You can still enjoy these views even if you decide not to hike.Pololu Valley from the parking areaThe Black Sand Beach once you hike your way to the bottom.
This is the view you hike down for.
Waimea Valley is nearby and also offers spectacular views. However, hiking there requires entering private property, which would be considered trespassing. You can also drive down there but need an AWD or 4WD vehicle with some clearance.
Day Four: Whale Watching From Hilton Waikoloa Village (due to rain)
On this day, the plan was to go to Akaka Falls. If you are on the Big Island, visit Akaka Falls because it is beautiful from the many pictures and videos I have seen. Unfortunately, a lot of rain moved in and spanned the entire island. But there was a silver lining. As I’ve mentioned before, winter is humpback whale season in Hawaii. Mothers and calves are near the coasts of every Hawaiian island, and this is when mothers teach their young how to be whales. Since our resort was right on the shore, I took my camera and started filming when someone pointed out the whales in the distance. Then they started coming closer and closer.
Out of nowhere, the mother whale breached the water, and I was lucky enough to have my camera recording. I’m sorry for the grainy quality.
Two humpback whales right off the shore of Hilton Waikoloa Village
Whales were seen four out of the five days we stayed at Hilton Waikoloa Village, and it really made it fun and exciting for the kids who were also whale watching.
Day Five: Snorkeling in the Hilton Waikoloa Village Lagoon and visit to Kona
Day five was supposed to visit either Akaka Falls or the green sand beach. Both places had rain in the forecast, while our side of the island was bright and sunny. I used this time to go snorkeling.
This property does not have an oceanfront beach due to the powerful waves and riptide currents common along the Big Island. However, it has a sand lagoon that functions as a beach, which is excellent for swimming and snorkeling. I saw plenty of colorful fish and several sea turtles, one of which I could follow for almost two minutes.
Kona
The owner of the vehicle we rented from Turo recommended Umekes Fishmarket Bar and Grill in Kona for dinner. We ordered Tempura-Battered Fish and chips and Cajun-Style Ahi Fish Tacos, both of which were perfect.
This concluded our trip to the Big Island in Hawaii. A popular question I get asked is, among the four islands I have visited, which is my favorite? I really can’t say I have one. Each island has its own unique charm and offers something different for everyone. The Big Island has a volcanic landscape that’s so vast it can’t be seen anywhere else in Hawaii. It also has stunning valleys, excellent beaches, and a green sand beach that can’t be found on any other Hawaiian island. Since it is not as heavily trafficked by tourists, you get a better flavor of Hawaiian culture throughout the island. Big Island is also known for its coffee and macadamia nuts. If you have the time, you should visit a coffee or a macadamia nut farm. But just like the other Hawaiian islands my wife and I have been fortunate to see, the locals are wonderful. They are some of the nicest and friendliest people in the world. The physical beauty of the islands is undoubtedly attractive and makes for great pictures, but the Hawaiian people and their hospitality keep us coming back. We look forward to coming back. As always, thanks for reading.
Costa Rica is a beautiful, affordable destination with a relatively short flight time for most Americans. It has such a diverse landscape that you can be on the beach, taking in the sun one day, while trekking the trails near Arenal Volcano the next day. There is something for everyone in this beautiful country; you’ll see wildlife, landscapes, and other sites you might have never seen before. My wife and I took a flight from Albany, NY, to Liberia, Costa Rica, and rented a small SUV to get around. We started on the northwest side of Costa Rica and made our way southeast. We returned the car to San Jose International Airport. It’s not really far in terms of distance, but there are roads where you will have to drive slowly, either due to the speed limit or the poor conditions of the streets. If you are going to rent a car, I highly recommend an SUV. It doesn’t have to be huge; anything with decent ground clearance will suffice. You can see the distance between the two airports below.
Update February 2025: The National Park Service has required timed-entry reservations to drive the scenic Going-to-the-Sun road in Glacier National Park over the last four years due to increased visitor traffic. This is still in effect as of 2025 if you want to enter the park between 9am and 3pm. Tickets become available four months in advance on a rolling basis, and the reservation costs two dollars. This is in addition to the National Park fee. Vehicle reservations will become available on February 13th, 2025, at 8pm MST. Next-day vehicle reservations will be available at 7 pm MST for next-day entry starting on June 12, 2025, on a daily rolling basis. Visit this page for updated information on Glacier National Park, including reservation information.
I’ll review our itinerary to Argentina and Chile and the miles/points we used on different segments. I’ll review what we did well about planning while touching upon the aspects we could have done differently. Everyone’s purpose for a trip is different, but my wife and I had one main goal: To make the Patagonia region of Argentina and Chile our priority. We had six full days in Argentina, so our goal was to make the most of it. Here is a recap of our memorable trip to this beautiful part of the world:
Getting There:
Non-stop flights to Buenos Aires, Argentina, depart from NYC, Newark, Miami, Dallas, and Houston. We traveled during the busy holiday season and would not use cash to book this ticket. Round trip airfare was at least $1,300 a person on American, United, and Latam Airlines. United Airlines was charging 70k miles one way from Newark or Houston for this trip. American Airlines was charging over 70k miles from JFK, Miami, and Dallas (DFW). We caught a huge break when we searched for a one-way trip from Miami on British Airways. They only charged 25k miles per person from Miami to Buenos Aires via American Airlines. Since they are One World partners with American Airlines, we used British Airways Avios (BA’s mileage currency) to fly on American. Since neither my wife nor I had ever visited Miami, we figured we’d use our JetBlue miles to fly from Albany to Ft. Lauderdale and escape the ensuing blizzard that was en route to Albany, NY. This allowed us to spend two days there and enjoy the city. The flight to Buenos Aires departed on the 24th from Miami during the evening. A one-way ticket on the same flight would have cost us over $1,900 per person (!). We got significant value on this redemption, possibly one of our best ever. British Airways is a transfer partner of several credit card companies (Chase, AMEX, Capital One, Wells Fargo, Citi, Bilt, etc), so it’s one of the easier mileage currencies to accrue.
The damage had we booked using cash. Insane.
Day One: Buenos Aires
Our flight landed at 6:45 am, and this would be our only full day in Buenos Aires. I tried to sleep as much as possible, but anyone who travels economy class knows you can’t sleep well when sitting for that long. My wife and I were both tired and our hotel, Dazzler Polo (part of the Wyndham portfolio of hotels) was all the way on the other side of town. We just hoped that even if the hotel didn’t let us check in early, they would at least hold our bags until the 2 pm check-in time. Once we got our luggage, we hailed an Uber (more on this later) and took the nearly 1-hour ride to the other side of town. By the time we got to the hotel, it was 9 am. I walked to the front desk and told the lady we just arrived from Miami and kindly asked her if there was any possible way she would let us check in early. She quickly checked her computer and said a room was available and she would give it to us. This was a HUGE deal. It allowed us to take a much-needed 2-3 hour nap and still have the entire day to explore the city. Since it was summer in South America, sunset was not until 8:10 pm. So, a massive shout out to the lady at Dazzler Polo for helping us salvage that day. The hotel itself was fantastic, and I booked it using a hotels.com gift card that I redeemed using Ibotta (you can read about that app here).
Front Entrance to the Dazzler Polo Hotel
Hotel Room
The complimentary breakfast was far better than what you would get at American hotels.
This hotel is located in the northwest part of Buenos Aires, in the neighborhood of Palermo. We took the subway and got off at the last stop (Catedral) to visit some of the main sites near the city center. The subway system is straightforward to use, and if you need help, the employees will gladly assist you.
Once we got off the subway at the Catedral station, everything we wanted to see was a short walk away. Plaza de Mayo is a beautiful central plaza with a pink building called Casa Rosada, the statue of San Martin, and the Catedral Metropolitana. Many picture opportunities will present themselves here. Walking further into the hip and trendy Puerto Madera neighborhood, you’ll find the Puente De La Mujer or Women’s Bridge. This neighborhood also has many restaurants and brunch spots and is lively at night. We happened to be there during Christmas, so most places were closed.
The best way to explore any city is by walking. Could you get around between some of these sites using a taxi or Uber? Sure you can. Speaking of Uber, I prefer using it for long distances in Buenos Aires. A taxi was also an option, but with Uber, you’re locked into a fare, and you know approximately how much you will be paying before you step into the car. With a taxi, there’s always that chance that we might be taken advantage of as foreigners. The app worked seamlessly; a one-hour ride from one side of the town to the other cost about $25 USD. The taxi company quoted me double that price. But most of the time, we walked around and saw many of the sites we wanted. We loved Buenos Aires, and now it was time to get back to the hotel and prepare for the flight to El Calafate the following day.
Day Two: Buenos Aires to El Calafate
I booked this flight using Chase Ultimate Rewards points on Aerolineas Argentinas. El Calafate is the gateway city to the Patagonia region of Argentina. Had I used cash, the flight would have cost $450 round trip per person. Again, I was set on not paying cash airfare. As a Chase Sapphire Reserve credit card holder, I got 1.5 cents per point for booking flights. This cost us 30k points per person for this roundtrip from Buenos Aires to El Calafate. This trip was taken from Buenos Aires’ other airport, Jorge Newbery International Airport, located on the north end of Buenos Aires, about 1.5 miles from the Dazzler Polo. It’s much smaller than their main airport, and I chose it because of the cheaper fares to El Calafate. The total flight time was about 2 hours 45 minutes. Once we got there, we booked a round-trip transfer with VES. It’s a smaller bus that took us to our hotel and dropped us off at the airport while flying out of El Calafate. The total for two people was 480 pesos, or about USD 26. This was far more cost-effective than taking a taxi, and Uber did not offer service here. Here’s a tip: Request a window seat and sit on the plane’s right side (Any seat that is F). This will give you spectacular photo opportunities as you land in El Calafate. You can see an example below.
I booked a hotel named Picos Del Sur for our stay at El Calafate. For $56 a night, this hotel offered complimentary breakfast and free WiFi and was just a quarter mile from the city center, where all the shops, restaurants, and cafes are located. The staff was fantastic and super friendly, and the premises were adequate. The breakfast was okay, as most of their offerings were high-carb items such as sweet croissants, muffins, toast, cereal, etc. Most of these hotel stays were paid via hotels.com gift card via Ibotta (I love that app).
Day Three: El Calafate
For any of you who might travel to Patagonia in the future, let me give you some advice: Throw the weather forecast out the window. This is one of those places where you can try to plan around the weather, which means absolutely nothing. We saw days where torrential downpours were forecasted only to see clear skies (much to our delight). The weather here changes hourly because the Atlantic and Pacific coasts are separated by just a few hours’ drive. On this day, we decided to stay in El Calafate and explore the town and nearby places. One gem we encountered was the Laguna Nimez Reserve. This place is a sanctuary for flamingos, owls, birds of prey, and other unusual birds I had never seen anywhere else. The entrance fee was 150 Argentinean pesos or roughly $8. The entire circle around the sanctuary takes about 90 minutes to walk and offers fantastic views of Lago Argentino and the mountains in the background. If you’re in El Calafate, I highly recommend it. For the second half of the day, we walked around the city center and checked out the town vibes. El Calafate has many lovely boutique shops that are worth checking out.
Day Four: Perito Moreno Glacier
We booked a tour to Perito Moreno Glacier on this day with Hielo & Aventura. You can visit their website and see everything they offer right here. They picked us up from the hotel at 7:30am, and we went on the 90-minute journey to Parque Nacional Las Glaciares. The first stop was a scenic overlook for about 10 minutes. This spot provided a glimpse of the awe-inspiring scenery yet to come. The second stop took us to the multiple viewing decks before the glacier. We saw a few smaller chunks of glacier calve off into the lake, which was incredible. The third thing on the agenda was the boat ride to the southern face of the glacier so we could actually hike on it. If you’re coming to Patagonia, I highly recommend doing this activity. For you Game of Thrones fans, it felt like we were north of the wall in wildling territory. The scenery is incredible and unlike anything I have ever witnessed. The ice has a lovely shade of blue, and even the water in certain crevasses seems to have a deep blue color. This activity costs about $180 per person, including pickup and drop-off from your hotel. As a Chase Sapphire Reserve credit card holder, I applied my $300 annual travel credit for 2018 for this excursion, effectively bringing our cost down to about $60 combined for two people. That’s a hell of a way to use the travel credit. Something to keep in mind: There is an entrance fee to Perito Moreno that is separate from the tour cost. It’s 500 Argentinean Pesos (equivalent to about $27 USD). The park ranger will collect that fee at the park entrance, and from what I remember, they don’t accept any other currency. Be sure to exchange your currency before you get there. My wife and I booked the 90-minute hike for this trip rather than the 6-8 hour hike. In retrospect, this is one of the things we wish we had done differently. It wasn’t as challenging as we initially thought, and if you’re physically fit and have done longer hikes before, the longer hike might be of interest to you. Just be sure to dress in layers for either one you may choose. Even though they give you snow clamps, it’s still important you have a decent pair of hiking shoes for this trek. Merrell, Keen, Columbia, etc would all suffice. They also require gloves so you don’t cut yourself on the jagged ice if you fall. Sunglasses are a great idea if you’re there on a sunny day since the glare reflecting off the glacier can sometimes be blinding.
The boat ride to the glacier is also incredible; you can view it for yourself. It does get windy, and there will probably be rain at some point, so it’s best to wear waterproof clothing and a raincoat.
Day Five: El Chalten
On day five, we did a day trip to El Chalten, about 3 hours north of El Calafate. El Chalten is known for its hiking, scenery, and Mt. Fitz Roy. Unfortunately, Fitz Roy was hidden by clouds for the entire day we were there. But we still didn’t pass up the opportunity to hike a few trails. Some of the trails are moderately challenging and require much steep climbing. You will get wet, muddy, and messy, which might be painful if you’re not physically fit. But on a clear day, the reward at the end is majestic postcard-worthy views of Fitz Roy. The best thing about El Chalten? It’s one of the few places to access the trails without paying an entrance fee. If you’re into camping, it’s a very popular spot to set up camp.
A viewpoint from one of the trails at El ChaltenThe viewpoint at the end of the Mirador trail
Day Six: Torres Del Paine National Park, Chile
A trip to Patagonia is not complete without a visit to Torres Del Paine National Park on the Chilean side. This entire day’s journey costs about $250 per person (including pickup and drop off from the hotel). Luckily for us, my wife is also a Chase Sapphire Reserve credit card holder, and we were able to apply her $300 travel credit for 2018 to this excursion. This brought the excursion down to a reasonable $100 per person. The tour bus picked us up at 7am, and off we were. The drive from El Calafate to the Chilean border was about two hours. Once there, you must get off the bus twice before crossing into Chile to be checked by Argentinean authorities and again when you’re in Chile. Once there, you get your passport stamped by Chilean border patrol and declare anything that must be declared (don’t be that person). Our tour group had about 30 people, and crossing into Chile took about 45 minutes. Once we were cleared, the journey to Torres Del Paine took about 90 minutes. We were fortunate to have a mostly clear day when we arrived. If you have a clear day, you can see the famous towers. We stopped at the first four viewpoints for pictures before stopping at another point for lunch. They provide lunch, but unfortunately, they don’t offer vegetarian options. This was the biggest issue with this tour operator, and I conveyed to them that it was unacceptable, given the exorbitant cost of the tour itself. Luckily, we bought plenty of granola bars and Gatorade, which was sufficient. After lunch, we stopped at a few more viewpoints for spectacular photo opportunities. Anywhere you stop in the park, there will be an opportunity for a fantastic picture. The last stop was a 90-minute hike (very easy and straightforward) that gave us panoramic views of the surrounding landscape. We also saw guanacos, a species related to the camel and llama. I took a video of the hike, which you can view below.
The towers of Torres Del Paine were visible on this day.
Day Seven: Flight Back to Buenos Aires and New York City.
This was the conclusion of our memorable trip to Patagonia. Our flight back to Buenos Aires departed at 11:35 am and arrived at around 2:10 pm. To get back to Buenos Aires, we flew Aerolinas Argentinas as we did when we arrived. For the flight to New York City, we redeemed American Airlines miles for seats on American Airlines. The redemption was 57.5k miles per person, and although it wasn’t a great redemption value, it was better than United, Delta, and other options we had. We grabbed steak at Al Rawshe, near the smaller airport where we had landed. Argentina’s number one exports are beef and steak, which they do well. And trust me, the steak at Al Rawshe was phenomenal. We then took an Uber to their larger airport and headed back home. Another tip when flying out of El Calafate: Sit on the right side of the plane just as you would when you fly into El Calafate. You get incredible views of the turquoise-blue Lago Argentina upon takeoff and ascent. You can view the video below.
Should I take my kids to Patagonia?
If your kids are interested in the outdoors and can hike moderately challenging trails, I recommend bringing them to Patagonia. You could also carve out a trip for toddlers, but I would not recommend certain activities or excursions for children under eight. Being on a bus from El Calafate to Torres Del Paine National Park in Chile for nearly the entire day would probably make most toddlers impatient. If you want to bring toddlers to Torres Del Paine, you will be better served staying on the Chilean side of Patagonia in the town of Puerto Natales. From there, it is about a two-hour drive to Torres Del Paine, and you don’t have to deal with passport control.
Where can I see Penguins in Patagonia?
If you’re staying in southern Patagonia or near the town of Ushuaia
While we didn’t get to visit areas of Patagonia that have penguin colonies, there are a couple of places that you can visit to see them. If you’re staying in southern Patagonia or near the town of Ushuaia, Isla Martillo is one of the top spots for an up-close encounter with penguins. Situated in the Beagle Channel, this island is easily accessible from Ushuaia, Argentina. Travelers heading to Antarctica should take advantage of the opportunity to visit this thriving colony at the southern tip of Patagonia.
Home to thousands of Gentoo and Magellanic penguins, Martillo offers a chance to observe these unique birds in their natural habitat—nesting on rocky ridges, waddling along the shore, and diving into the water in search of anchovies and sardines. If you’re lucky enough, you might even spot an Emperor penguin that has wandered up from Antarctica.
If you’re staying in Punta Arenas, Chile, or Chilean Patagonia
Twenty kilometers off the coast of Punta Arenas, in the Strait of Magellan, lies Isla Magdalena—home to Chile’s largest penguin colony and one of Patagonia’s most significant Magellanic penguin rookeries. This island hosts over 120,000 tuxedoed residents who migrate from Brazil, Uruguay, and Peru each summer to lay their eggs and raise their chicks. They are very inquisitive, people-friendly, and will approach humans in a laid-back manner. As a friendly reminder, do not touch the penguins or any wildlife during your stay in Patagonia.
When is the best time to visit Patagonia?
December through February are the peak summer months in Patagonia and the southern hemisphere. The average high in El Calafate is in the mid-60s Fahrenheit (18 degrees Celsius), and it can go as high as the mid-70s. Temperatures during the night can dip into the 30s.
What should I bring to Patagonia?
A robust pair of hiking boots (Merrell, Keen, Columbia, etc.), waterproof windbreaker, and a thicker jacket that can insulate you from wind and temperatures in the ’30s but is versatile enough to wear while hiking ( think Northface, Patagonia, Arc’teryx, Columbia, Nike, Lululemon, etc.). I would also bring waterproof pants that have a built-in thermal layer. If you aren’t going to be in elevation, getting one or two hiking shorts is also advisable during the summer months. We packed plenty of granola bars so we wouldn’t have to shop for them in Patagonia, but it goes without saying that on any hike, you should carry plenty of protein bars or granola bars. Also, bring several bottles of water on the hike. It is always better to have more than not have enough. Since you will be in one of the world’s most beautiful areas, I strongly recommend bringing a nice camera.
During the second week of July, my wife, 9-month-old son, and I took a trip to Grand Cayman Island. Rather than do a separate hotel review, I will combine everything into one post since there are a few relevant details that many of you may benefit from. We chose Grand Cayman Island for a few reasons. First of all, it’s about a 3.5-hour flight from Chicago, and that’s approximately the maximum time my son will be confined to an airline cabin before he really starts getting restless. When he was five months old, we took him on an 8-hour flight to Hawaii, and he was perfectly fine. Once he hit the 7-month mark, even a 2-hour flight wasn’t easy. So, with those considerations in mind, Europe, Asia, and Hawaii were out of the question. The second reason we chose Grand Cayman is that its beaches have been spared from the seaweed problem (sargassum) that has plagued destinations such as Cancun, Dominican Republic, Barbados, and Florida. Most of these destinations do their best to remove it every morning, but despite their efforts, it’s still noticeable. The third reason we chose Grand Cayman is that it is infant/toddler/kid-friendly.
Booking
For this trip, I found saver-level award tickets (tickets that require the least number of miles for a given route) on American Airlines for 30k miles per person round trip. Since my son is a lap infant, his ticket was free. The cash price for a round-trip flight from Chicago to Grand Cayman was $455 per person. Redeeming 60k miles for $910 worth of airfare was a decent redemption.
Owen Roberts International Airport does not have jet bridges, so you must walk down the stairs and onto the tarmac before entering the terminal. The minute you land, you’re greeted by a musical band playing local music. It’s a perfect way to get the vacation vibes going.
Sunshine Suites Resort
We stayed in a boutique hotel called Sunshine Suites Resort. It’s a 3.5-star hotel that is clean, comfortable, and very reasonably priced (usually between $140-$180/night). I saw its 4.5-star rating on Trip Advisor, with over 2,000 reviews, which was good enough for me. If you need luxury accommodations with an ocean view, this hotel is not for you. The main reason I booked this hotel is we got to use all the amenities of the 5-star Westin Hotel, which is a 5-minute walk down the street. Their pool, beach, beach towels, lounge chairs, gym, and access to its restaurants and bars are all included in the mandatory $35/day resort fee. The nightly price of the Westin was 3x the price of the Sunshine Suites. Since we would be out at the beach for most of the day anyway, we needed a comfortable place to sleep, shower, and get dressed. Sunshine Suites provided all that and more, including complimentary breakfast. You can click on the video below to get an idea of the rooms and the property. FYI, if you don’t want to walk to the Westin, you can go to the front desk at Sunshine Suites and request a driver to drop you off in their golf cart. It works the same way if you want to return from the Westin. Just let the front desk at the Westin know in that case.
Sunshine Suites at night
The pool at Sunshine Suites at night
The breakfast offerings were decent. There was a nice variety of pastries, pancakes, cereal, parfait, boiled eggs, toast, oatmeal, bananas, muffins, coffee, tea, orange juice, and apple juice. Sunshine Suites also had a restaurant called Sunshine Grill, which served lunch and dinner. This is not complimentary and does not come as part of an “all-inclusive” package. The fish tacos they served were delicious. I would have fish tacos if I could return and have one meal in Grand Cayman.
The Westin Hotel
Since we had access to all the amenities of the Westin, we would have breakfast and make our way there for most of the day.
If you don’t want to walk here from Sunshine Suites, go to the front desk and request to be dropped off via a golf cart. This was a very convenient way to move around with our son.The pool and swim-up bar at the WestinThe Westin LobbyView of The Westin from the beach areaThe pool has a pedestrian bridge that crosses over to the beach. You can swim underneath to get to either side.
First pool experience for Zayn
Seven Mile Beach
Once you cross over the pool to the beach area, you will be greeted by Westin employees who direct you to lounge chairs and open the umbrellas if you choose to have them open. Towels are available to the right of the pool and must be checked out with your last name and room number of the property you’re staying at. Seven Mile Beach is simply amazing. I would rank it right behind the Maldives for water clarity among all the beaches I have visited. There is no seaweed or litter; it’s perfectly maintained, and the waves are calm for water activities.
The lounge chairs get occupied pretty quickly. The earlier you claim one in the morning the better.
Seven Mile Beach’s water clarity makes it perfect for snorkeling, so bring an underwater camera and snorkeling gear. You can also rent the gear from the hotel. Seven Mile Beach faces west, and if the horizon is clear, you will be treated to some spectacular sunsets. Even if the horizon isn’t 100% clear, the sun reflecting off the clouds will make for a beautiful and colorful sky.
If you’re reading this, a point of interest that might be worth visiting is Stingray City. It wasn’t age-appropriate for a 9-month-old, but if you have kids who are a bit older or you want to experience swimming with stingrays, it’s only a 10-minute drive away. Keep in mind that when driving in the Cayman Islands, you drive on the left side of the road as it is a British territory.
Some of you have asked if the food, water, and snacks are expensive, and for the most part, they are costly. If you purchase from the hotel or even convenience stores right next to the hotel, it will cost you three to four times what you are used to paying for bottled water. I asked a local where I could purchase a case of water, and he directed me to a large wholesale club called ‘Cost U Less,’ which was just a 7-minute walk away. If you’re familiar with BJ’s Wholesale Club on the East Coast, this was their sister store. It even had the Wellsley Farms brand, the store label for BJ’s. You don’t need a membership, and while the prices aren’t U.S. wholesale club prices, they are far cheaper than any other place you will find on the island. If you’re staying at an Airbnb and decide to cook rather than eat out, this is a perfect place to shop for your ingredients since they also carry fresh produce, seafood, and meat.
Concluding Thoughts
We had a great time at Grand Cayman Island, and the service and hospitality at the Sunshine Suites and Westin were top-notch. I’ve never seen two hotels so well coordinated when transporting passengers between the two properties and accommodating each other’s guests at their respective restaurants. If there is one other essential tip you take from this, BRING MOSQUITO REPELLANT and bathe yourself in it. They are relentless, and if any parts of your body don’t have the repellant touching it, they will find it, guaranteed. As always, thanks for reading.
Rum Point, Grand Cayman Island, as seen from the ascent on American Airlines.
I’ve been asked if I brought my 5-month-old to this park, and the answer is no. Since the steam vents emit sulfur dioxide and hydrogen sulfide gas, I did not want to expose my son to potential lung irritants. If you’re pregnant, have heart problems, asthma, or COPD, it’s probably best to avoid the steam vents at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.
Miles for places 