Puerto Vallarta – Something for Everyone

On April 16, 2018 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Mexico5 Comments

Puerto Vallarta, on the Pacific Coast in Mexico, has a wide variety of activities that will suit anyone’s vacation style. Especially for those who live in the western half of the United States, Puerto Vallarta is an easy destination to reach with flights that are convenient and typically affordable. Obviously, it is a resort area with plenty of resorts that range from five star, all-inclusive, resorts to more humble places to stay. Most places do not require you to purchase an all-inclusive meal plan and with the abundance of restaurants in the downtown area, we would recommend that you don’t so that you can spend more time dining out.

Whether you just want to sit on the beach with your toes in the sand and a drink in your hand or you want to fly through the jungle, there are activities for everyone. Obviously, there are the typical beach activities such as parasailing, jet skiing, and paddle boarding, which you can get from almost any of the beaches in the area. If you are more adventurous, you can go snorkeling or diving in the beautiful blue water of the Pacific Ocean. You can also charter a boat to go deep sea fishing or, during December and January, you can take a tour to go whale watching. For a more relaxing time, there are plenty of dinner cruise options from private catamarans for a romantic dinner, a sunset cruise with drinks and music, or a fine dining experience that will take you on a tour along the coast. There are pirate ships with raucous shows that are fun for everyone or you can take a ship to an island to watch a performance tracing the history of the people who settled the area followed by torch-lit dinner on the beach.

If you are even more daring, you can go zip-lining in the jungle across deep mountain ravines, including the location where the movie Predator with Arnold Schwarzenegger was filmed. You can also rent ATV’s and roar through the forest and along one of the many streams in the area. There are tours that will take you hiking in the hills that surround the city or take you on an off-road experience with a professional driver. If you enjoy golf, there are several courses in the area for you to play a few holes while enjoying the beautiful views. Needless to say, there are also plenty of stores and restaurants to explore and depending upon the time of year, many of them offer drink specials and discounts that you can get from your resort. There is also a thriving art district where you can find something a little more special to bring back home with you if that is something that you desire.

Regardless of your vacation style, Puerto Vallarta has something that will meet your needs. With a variety of beautiful beaches, the historic downtown area with the Zona Romantica, a boardwalk area with small restaurants and pubs that look out onto the ocean, you can do something different on every day of your vacation. Don’t forget to take time to relax, though, as that is the main reason to head to the beach for vacation. Take time to sip on a margarita and simply watch the waves crash on the beach and feel the warmth of the sun on your skin.

Are You in Other People’s Travel Photos?

On February 22, 2018 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Photo Challenge26 Comments

When taking photos of popular places while traveling, it is hard not to get other tourists in your photos. Although we always try to take pictures in a way that avoids the crowds, sometimes there just isn’t a way to keep people out of them. Even worse, when you have a camera in your hand, some people seem to stare right at you, so you end up with photos with someone looking like they are glaring at you. Instead of capturing a candid moment of the place you are visiting, you end up with a photo that seems somehow awkward. As we looked through our pictures for this week’s Daily Post Photo Challenge, A Face in the Crowd, we started to wonder how many times we might show up in someone else’s photo album. We can imagine them looking back at the pictures from their favorite vacation and wondering to themselves, who are these people who shared the same moment in time with them. Do you ever imagine who the strangers might be that are in your photographs, perhaps even guessing where they are from, what they do, or if they are a spy for some foreign entity? Maybe you have a photo of someone who became famous after you captured their image and you don’t even know it.

Downtown Colorado Springs, Colorado

On February 19, 2018 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Colorado2 Comments

Colorado Springs has a lot to offer visitors. There is Garden of the Gods, the Air Force Academy, Pikes Peak, and Manitou Springs, just to name a few. Downtown Colorado Springs has much to offer as well, with many restaurants to suit a variety of tastes plus the Pioneer Museum, Colorado College, and the Fine Arts Center. We decided to spend a couple of days downtown to enjoy many of the things that this small city has to offer.

Colorado Springs is the second largest city in the state, but it isn’t a large city by any means. It still has a historic feel and wonderful views as it sits at the base of Pikes Peak. One thing you can’t help but notice when walking around the downtown area are all of the statues that can be found on almost every block. One of the more interesting statues was of a western couple dancing that actually spins in a circle mimicking the motion of the dance.

We stayed at the Mining Exchange, which is a Wyndham Hotel and is centrally located in the heart of the downtown area. A block away is Tejon Street, which is the main street to find small boutique shops and many different restaurants. We popped into several of them, but one of our favorite locations was Jack Quinn’s Irish Pub, which has live Irish music on Thursdays and Sundays. It was a great way to spend a couple of hours, having a pint and listening to some authentic folk music.

Colorado Springs is a perfect location to launch your Colorado adventures as it provides easy access to the heart of the mountains and is centrally located in the state. It is also the home to the United States Olympic Center and proudly calls itself Olympic City, USA. With so many places to visit near the heart of the city, it can be busy during the heart of the tourist season, which is from May to September. We are happy to call this city home, but don’t always explore it as often as we should.