2017 Travel Round Up

Happy Friday friends!  As promised, today I am sharing a full run down of all my trips, travels and vacations from 2017.  I traveled a lot last year and hope my trips give you travel inspo for this year!  Enjoy!

January

Winston Salem, North Carolina

where we stayed: Kimpton Cardinal Amazing hotel with chic decor and seersucker robes!  They have a great restaurant and amazing bar!

what we did: Explored Winston Salem and visited the Wake Forest campus where Walker went for Undergrad.

where we ate: Quanto Basta

East Rutherford, New Jersey

where we stayed: Renaissance Meadowlands 

what we did: Explored Hoboken.

where we ate:  Trattoria Il Cafone, Big Bowls Little Plates, Del Manioc and Taos

February

Playa Del Carmen, Mexico

where we stayed: Grand Hyatt Beautiful pools and great poolside cocktails!

what we did: Relaxed and enjoyed the sunshine!  We also went on a fishing trip with Poverty Sucks Fishing Charters.

where we ate: Plank  This is my favorite restaurant in Playa.  I highly recommend the ribeye!

*I highly recommend using Cancun Express as your transportation service from the airport to Playa del Carmen.  They have the best prices, they’re reliable and punctual!  I’ve used the multiple times.

March

San Juan, Puerto Rico

where we stayed: El Convento  A charming convent turned hotel.  Amazing location, beautiful rooms and phenomenal tapas restaurant (El Picoteo).   If you are looking to stay in Old San Juan this hotel is a must!

what we did:  Ate and drank amazing food, explored old San Juan visiting Castillo de San Cristobal, Puerto de San Juan, San Felipe del Morro and more!

where we ate: El Picoteo Amazing tapas and outdoor seating.  Trois Cent Onze  Phenomenal French restaurant with flawless food and ambiance.  Princess Gastrobar  Great for lunch with great cocktails and seafood and fun jungle atmosphere.

Check out the full blog post here!

Condado, Puerto Rico

where we stayed: Condado Vanderbilt Hotel  A beach front ultra luxury hotel with breathtaking suites complete with personal butlers!

where we ate:  Tacos & Tequila Great cocktails!  Perla This restaurant is shaped like a clam shell and you eat inside the shell!  The food and views are both amazing!

what we did: Relaxed at the hotel’s amazing pools.

Check out the full blog post here!

April

Paradise Valley, AZ

where we stayed: Mountain Shadows  Chic hotel nestled in the mountains with a retro Palm Springs vibe.

what we did:  Enjoyed the pool and Arizona sunshine.

where we ate:  Hearth ’61 One of the best meals I’ve ever had.

Check out the full blog post here!

Scottsdale, AZ

where we stayed: Hotel Valley Ho  Great location with MASSIVE suites and chic retro decor.

what we did:  Relaxed at the pool, explored Old Town Scottsdale and went wine tasting at Su Vino.

where we ate:  ZuZu Cool decor and vibe with wonderful service.

Check out the full blog post here!

San Jose, Costa Rica

where we stayed: Hotel Alta Las Palomas Beautiful hotel with views of the city and Paos volcano.

what we did: Doka Estate Farms, Poas Volcano and La Paz Waterfall Gardens.  La Paz Waterfall Gardens is an absolute MUST if you’re in San Jose.  I’d highly recommend Abners Custom Costa Rican Tours.

where we ate: La Luz

Check out the full blog post here!

Uvita, Costa Rica

where we stayed: Kura Design Villas  The most breathtaking hotel with insane rooms and the best service I’ve ever experienced.  Would highly recommend this hotel for a honeymoon or a romantic trip with your boo.

what we did:  Ate and drank like kings, relaxed on the beach and at the resort’s infinity pool, explored the Whale’s Tail and went surfing with Uvita 360.

where we ate: We ate all of our meals at the resort which were all fabulous!

Check out the full blog post here!

July

Boston, Massachusetts

where we stayed: Mariott Copley Place  Great location and great views!

what we did: We went on a Freedom Trail Tour with Free Tours on Foot.  The tour was fun and informative and free!

where we ate:  Precinct Kitchen + Bar  The best Bloody Mary I’ve ever had!  Bistro du Midi  Amazing French food with charming decor and ambiance.

Colorado Springs, Colorado

where we stayed: Cheyanne Mountain Resort  Great for families!  So much to do at this resort.

where we ate:  Elevations  Good for lunch or post golf snacks and drinks.  Rabbit Hole Really cool vibe and decor.  Amazing food.  Get the mussels for sure!  503W  Great butternut squash raviolis.  Mountain View Restaurant Great breakfast buffet.  The Loop Great Margaritas and fajitas.

what we did:  Stand Up Paddle Board (SUP) Yoga, facials at Alluvia Spa, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, relaxed on the lake and explored Manitou Cliff Dwellings and Manitou Springs.

Check out full blog post here!

Denver, Colorado

where we stayed:  Kimpton Monaco  The most dog friendly hotel EVER!  Complimentary happy hour every night, leopard robes and amazing location.  A must stay if in Denver!

what we did:  Went wine tasting with Mile High Wine Tours. I highly recommend this tour!  Such a fun day.

where we ate: Mercantile Dining and Provisions  Light and bright atmosphere and great food.  This restaurant was featured on Top Chef this season.  Osteria Marco  Great pizza and cool vibe in beautiful Larimer’s Square.  Panzano  Great food and beautifully decorated.

Check out the full blog post here!

August

La Romana, Dominican Republic

where we stayed: Catalonia Royal La Romana  Great all-inclusive outside of Punta Cana with a beautiful beach.

what we did:  Relaxed in the sun.

where we ate:  We ate all of our meals at the hotel.

Check out the full blog post here!

Cap Cana, Dominican Republic

where we stayed:  AlSol Tierra Cap Cana  Amazing all-inclusive hotel with amazing dining options and beautiful room views.

what we did:  We relaxed at the pool and went to Scape Park to explore the Cenote Las Ondas.  I highly recommend the cenote!

where we ate:  We ate all of our meals at AlSol Tierra Cap Cana or its neighboring sister resort, AlSol Luxury Village.  There are SO many dining options at this all-inclusive we only got to enjoy half of them.

Check out the full post here!

October

Jekyll Island, Georgia

were we stayed:  Westin Jekyll Island Beautiful beach front property with spacious room and killer views.  Amazing service as well!

what we did:  Relaxed on the pristine beach and had a picnic at Driftwood Beach.

where we ate:  The Reserve Great seafood and service.  Salty’s  The resort’s pool side beach front bar and restaurant is great for lunch and cocktails. The Warf  Great food and wonderful sunset views.

Check out the full post here!

Savannah, Georgia

what we did: Civil War Tour with Savannah Walks.

Check out the full post here!

Isle of the Palms, South Carolina

where we stayed:  Wild Dunes  Charming beachfront resort with amazing restaurants and service.

what we did:  Relaxed at the beach.

where we ate: Coastal Provisions Amazing seafood restaurant with beautiful decor.  Huey’s  Charming Southern restaurant on the golf course.  The Salty Goat  A tasty BBQ spot with great cocktails.

Check out the full post here!

Charleston, South Carolina

what we did:  Visited The American Theater from “The Notebook”,  the French Huguenot Church, the Confederate Museum and Charleston Habor Tour.

where we ate: Fleetlanding Great views and food.

Check out the full post here!

December

Playa del Carmen, Mexico

where we stayed:  Catalonia Playa Maroma  Beautiful beach front property with a jungle feel and AMAZING food. If you’re looking for an all-inclusive hotel in Riviera Maya this one is a MUST!

what we did:  Relaxed on the beach and by the pool and went to Vidanta to see the Cirque du Soleil show, JOYA.  JOYA is an absolute must when in Playa del Carmen!  See my full post about JOYA here!

where we ate:  We ate the majority of our meals at the resort.  The food at the resort was absolutely amazing!  Plank Great food and atmosphere.

Check out the full post here!

*I highly recommend using Cancun Express as your transportation service from the airport to Playa del Carmen.  They have the best prices, they’re reliable and punctual!  I’ve used the multiple times.

Tulum, Mexico

where we stayed: Zamas Amazing beachfront resort with pristine beach, great food, beautiful rooms and great service.

what we did:  Relaxed on the beautiful beach and ate amazing food.

where we ate:  Zamas  The resort’s restaurant has amazing food. Mateo’s Great views for happy hour.  Posada Margherita  Beautiful beachfront restaurant with beautiful Italian food.  Ziggy’s  Great food right on the sand.  Great spot for lunch.  Bejuco  The most unique dining experience I’ve ever had.  An absolute MUST in Tulum.  El Pez  Beach front restaurant with beautiful views. Giano’s  Beautiful restaurant in the jungle.

*I highly recommend using Cancun Express as your transportation service from the airport to Tulum.  They have the best prices, they’re reliable and punctual!  I’ve used the multiple times.

Check out the full post here!

I hope you enjoyed this 2017 travel round up!  Stay tuned for all of 2018’s adventures too!

Kisses and travel wishes,