Special Guest blogger: Lisa- A celebratory mom/daughter getaway!

Let’s hear it for a Girls trip! My daughter Ryan is graduating from High School, and while she will be the first to say this may not be a huge accomplishment for her- it IS a huge milestone. She will be moving to Phoenix for college at Grand Canyon University in August, and I am going to have a hard time with my only girl leaving our home- she is a joy to have around and will be greatly missed (if I add an exclamation mark it will sound like I’m happy, but it’s more like I’m happy for her- is there an emoji for that??)

Over the past several years, Ryan and I have enjoyed taking winter Girls trips to Florida- to Miami Beach, Ft Lauderdale, and Marco Island. This year, I wanted to do something extra special with her…  and decided on Hawaii. I visited the Hawaiian islands about 30 years ago and have always wanted to go back. Since she only had a week off school for Spring Break, we just chose to visit one island. Her primary goal was to RELAX (and get a tan) so I knew the resort would be KEY, and where we would spend the majority of our time! Our musts: beautiful beach and pools- and great food (no chicken tenders for a whole week- is that too much for a mom to ask for?)!

We chose the Fairmont Orchid on the Big Island of Hawaii, a 5 star Luxury resort with lush gardens and tropical vibe. We invited our longtime friend Chelsea from Oregon to join us there; we have lots of memories together… Chelsea lived with us during her college years, and shared a room with little Ryan- they became close friends, like sisters! Our flights arrived into Kona (on the west side of the island, where it is more sunny and most resorts are located) around the same time in the afternoon. We rented our car from Hertz, and after a long day of travel we arrived to a lovely lei welcome at the Fairmont Orchid… Did we feel as lovely as our lei’s? NOOO, we did not! But we were SO happy to be there.

Our ocean view room overlooked the Mauna Lani golf course next door, such a peaceful setting. The bathroom was beautiful with marble floors, walls, and counters- and best of all had TWO showers, perfect for 3 girls getting ready!

We were on the 5^th floor (the resort is only 6 floors high) and had a balcony where we spent every morning doing devotions and drinking our coffee- the Nespresso machine in our room was wonderful. The Fairmont gave us two reusable water bottles as a keepsake from our stay, and to use at the water dispensers which were plentiful throughout the resort.

Let’s talk about the gardens, the lush tropical landscaping with waterfalls and koi ponds was stunning! It made every walk around the resort feel special, since there was so much beauty to take in!

The pools meandered through the gardens, with an organic shape and plentiful chairs- there was NO waking up early to reserve a chair! We always had choice of where to sit- lawn or poolside, under an umbrella or in the sun. The resort provided chair covers, towels, sunscreen, ice water- and FRUIT service… that last one was a treat, every afternoon they walked around with fresh pineapple on skewers! Oh, and cold neck towels- we really felt spoiled!

The beach was a small, secluded cove where we enjoyed great snorkeling- many colorful fish were right off the beach! We could rent stand-up paddleboards and kayaks (but we didn’t, because you know- we were too busy relaxing!) Whether we were at the beach or pool, there was always a nice breeze- so we were comfortable, even in the heat of the afternoon.

Who is here for the food content? I mean, really this surpassed expectations. Yes, food is more expensive in Hawaii- that was expected. However, the quality of the food was exceptional!

Let’s start with dining at the Fairmont Orchid… known for Brown’s Beach House- where the oceanfront dining makes for the perfect setting! They brought purple sweet potato buns to our table right away, with a honey butter. These were melt-in-your mouth glorious! And we learned…. The Fairmont Orchid is home to more than 80,000 honey bees. These honey hives are located close to the kiawe tree blossoms and produce a delicious kiawe honey blend… All I can say, is this pairing was exquisite!

Kona’s local fish is Kampachi. And tonight we had it prepared with a generous Dungeness crab topping- perfection! And since we were celebrating a special occasion, this surprise dessert arrived for Ryan! After sunset, we ended the night at one of the oceanfront firepits before heading to the outdoor hot tub.

Another special restaurant at the Fairmont Orchid is the Binchotan Bar & Grill. I met up with my longtime friend Cat, a native Hawaiian who lived in Peoria during which we became good friends! The Kanpachi Tartare (in front of food photo) was so fresh and delicious.

Merriman’s has been highly rated, so we made reservations- and I’m SO glad we did! It was a 30 minute drive from the Fairmont Orchid. Up winding hills, through a misty rain- and over a literal rainbow. It’s hard to describe the ambiance, because the feeling was unique- you knew you were somewhere special when you were greeted and entered a modest-sized dining area. The warmth of a farm to table restaurant resonated, yet it was upscale in a non-pretentious way. They knew quality, and you knew you were in for a treat! Our waiter was older and well-versed in the menu and answering our questions.

We started with a Mai Tai, which we heard they were famous for, but the lilikoi (passionfruit) foam froth elevated the drink to a new level- WOW. I ordered the roasted Chateaubriand Hawaii Island Beef, it melted in my mouth. And again, Ryan was celebrated with a dessert!

We ventured out from our resort very little, even though we had a car, because we loved the property so much and had everything we need! However, we drove to the other side of Kona (45 minutes) to tour a local coffee plantation, Greenwell Farm. And, oh my, I am SO glad we did! It was such a great tour- free and no reservations required- and was both educational and entertaining. We learned about the history of how coffee came to the island and to this particular spot, how the coffee “fruit” is harvested, dried, and roasted into the beans that we purchase. Kona Coffee is well known, and we loved gaining an understanding of its origin. We also enjoyed tasting their different roasts and brews!

The Fairmont Orchid hosted a Luau on Saturday, which we were so excited for! We had front row seating, and loved everything about this evening- from the delicious food (made by the Fairmont chefs) to the Polynesian Show! THIS was the most memorable night of our trip!

The Fairmont Orchid has a shuttle within the Mauni Lani Resort area, so one evening we had dinner at the Canoe House at Mauna Lani. This beautiful oceanfront dining restaurant made for another memorable night!

Let’s loop back to the Fairmont Orchid… we saw many families, Honeymooners, couples of all ages, and friends traveling together to enjoy the beauty of this island and resort. I would recommend this resort to our clients, and would return in a heartbeat! We could have ventured out so much more than we did…. Volcanoes National Park is 2.5 hours away, Akaka Falls State Park is known for its short trail through a lush rainforest to a beautiful waterfall that plunges 442 feet into a gorge, the Manta Ray Night Snorkel was highly recommended… and so much more!

I will just stay that we enjoyed every moment of this trip, it was perfect in every way for what we were looking for- luxury, relaxation, and beautiful memories! I would love to book this resort for any of our clients who are looking for a similar experience. Reach out if this sounds like something you would enjoy!!

~Lisa

Happy birthday to you….

Hello friends. Been a real hot minute since I’ve shared this space with you. But I’m here. Still alive and kicking. Just business as usual!

So birthdays are one of the special occasions that I get the honor of planning special trips for. Lots of trips for the older groups that have more time off work or are retired but I’ve also done my share of younger trips 21st birthdays, 30th birthdays and this year several 40th birthday celebrations.

Last year I celebrated a big birthday and my husband and I celebrated our 10 year anniversary so we naturally combined that into one trip….more on that trip in another post as I catch up. But this year several of my friends started also having big birthdays so I put my head into it and came up with some fabulous trips!

One of these trips was to the beautiful islands of Turks and Caicos. Curious…have you heard of it? Or never? Turks was one of the destinations I had my eyes on for our honeymoon but opted away from it. But I’ve long desired to go. So go I did! In June for 4 nights my cousin-friend and I, with the blessing of my husband and support of family for childcare, high tailed it out of Illinois. The water flying in was GORGEOUS. And the water there was just as beautiful.

Some fun facts about Turks and caicos airport. It’s super small. 1 runway. Meaning we circled the island for about 10 mins before given clearance to land. And when you take off, you go down the runway, turnaround, THEN takeoff.

When we arrived we entered the building and promptly had about a one and a half hour line to get through customs/immigration. At this point I want to say if you are considering traveling to Turks with a family and they are still in that tantrum throwing age-stage then by all means pay the extra money and do the VIP pass to get you through quicker and not have to stand in the heat and the long wait. Several planes arrived at one time…or within minutes of each other.

Once through there, we went out and a man asked if we needed a taxi. Saying yes he then ushered us to one that was going where we were going, so we hopped in and were quickly on our way. Taxi to our resort, West Bay Club, was about $12/pp and was only about 15 mins away. Taxi is the easiest way to get around on the island. You can drive/rent a car, but keep in mind they drive fast and on the other side of the road.

The views pulling up to West Bay Club. Charming. Quaint. Lovely.

We arrived around 4:30 pm got to our beautiful furnished studio and headed to enjoy the beach for a bit. West bay club is owned condos, meaning some of the people there are owners and stay there awhile at a time. Each room is different decor based on the different owner’s tastes. If owners aren’t using their rooms then they can opt to rent them out. Breakfasts were included with our stay. There was one restaurant on site and it served up by the lobby or for lunch down by the beach.

But first! CAKE! Special birthday gift waiting for my cousin upon our arrival.

Sample of studio room decor

Balcony/porch off our room

Our first evening in Turks. Don’t expect lush either. Turks it’s more dry grassy not lush and as green except around resort areas.

The walkway from the beach to the resort grounds.

From the beach in front of the resort you could get a massage (must be scheduled in advance and an offsite massage therapist comes to either your room or the beach canopy.) You can also get motorized activities. We thought the tubing option looked fun so we gave it a try. It was amazing and we laughed and bounced for about 15 mins or so.

It was a short getaway so we didn’t venture off the grounds much and I didn’t tour other properties like I normally would. However we did walk down the beach to Somewhere Cafe. This mexican restaurant was located by the Windsong resort and had some of the smoothest guacamole I’ve ever had, it was very good. Believe it or not I also tried my first fish tacos. We did this restaurant for lunch as walking on the beach at nighttime is NOT recommended for safety purposes. Overall we felt very safe on the island. I like to recommend clients discuss with concierge whats safe and not safe in their location.

Somewhere cafe… you can walk to from the beach at West Bay Club.

On Thursday nights in the summer it’s recommended you go to the “fish fry”. It’s a large open area, market of sorts, that everyone comes and sells their souvenir and gifts to the tourists. And the local restaurants bring food trucks. You can have fish tacos, shrimp, conch fritters, daiquiri, and other slushee type tropical alcholic drinks. There is loud music and dancing. I mention the loud music because for some this would’ve been too loud and obnoxious. It was a great experience for me but once was enough. That said some will love this venue and some will prefer to stay at their quiet resorts. There are police there patrolling and taxis coming and going from this very busy section of town.

Let’s talk about West Bay Club for a bit. They have 1, 2, and 3 bedroom villas that are great for a family getaway. Located right on the magnificent beautiful beach and a hospitality staff that is outstanding. They worked hard to tell my cousin and I apart and call us by our first names. There are bikes on-site for your use as well as a kids club program for Littles. It’s not a huge resort so you run into very few people. Summer time is actually their low season and a slower time for them. Usually there was only about 4 ppl in the pool except the last day then there were more. Overall it was a very quiet resort.

Kids club

West bay club lit up at nighttime.

The views from one of the villas.

Some restaurants we wanted to try but didn’t make it to…

Hemingways on the beach (B, L, D)
Marine room… fine dining.
lets talk ICE CREAM– the Patty place and Giggles were two ice cream places recommended to us by the staff at west bay. They were disputing which was better. We got to try giggles at the Thursday night fish fry but didn’t make it to the Patty Place

This is a very small list but you can check out a more inclusive list here. Remember I can make reservations for dining for a special event or occasion when I’m working with you to plan your trip.

A lot of people want to do all inclusive properties. West Bay Club is not that. But there are a few options on the island. The Alexandra, Blue Haven, Club Med Turquiose, and Beaches Turks and Caicos.

I’m asked frequently about Turks and costs to go there. Turks is/has grown in popularity in recent years. The pricing when I first started quoting it has changed quite a bit. It’s now one of the higher end islands I quote. Sometimes you can get a deal but generally for the all inclusive properties your going to pay more than in the past. Couple Turks growing popularity with the influx in air prices over the past year and prices are up across the board. Dining in Turks is also not cheap. Consider island destinations like Hawaii or in the Caribbean where alot of the food has to be flown in, thus, their food prices are higher than most islands. They have very little farming industry of their own on that island. To get there from our local area in Illinois you can get there from peoria but will have two stop overs. The nonstop flight to Turks are through Miami or the east coast…JFK or Newark I believe. So the best option is to fly southwest from midway with one stop in Miami or fly from ohare or st Louis with a stop in Miami likely.

Thanks for traveling along on this most recent jaunt! Please don’t hesitate to reach out to me if I can assist with any additional questions or needs regarding Turks & Caicos. Talk to you soon!