Our Top 5 Experiences of 2019

In 2019, we truly took our full-time family adventure to the next level! In January we were back in the US for a short stint to recover from the first six months of our full-time travel. And by the end of the year, we ended up visiting 31 countries, traveled on 33 flights, more than 20 trains, and even spent 42 days on a cruise ship. Honestly, picking our five favorite experiences was hard, because it felt like this year we had more adventures than we would have in an entire lifetime if we had continued along our traditional 9-to-5 path. For that, we are forever thankful and we will look back on 2019 as the most rewarding, educational, cultural, but exhausting year of our lives. So without further ado, here are our favorite moments of the year!

5. A Perfect Day at Coco Cay

There are two main reasons why our visit to Perfect Day at Coco Cay with Royal Caribbean was so magical. First, and most importantly, the island itself is INCREDIBLE. There were so many activities that kept us occupied throughout the whole day. From the massive Splashaway Bay kids area, to the Thrill Waterpark, to the pools and beaches, we simply didn’t have enough time in the day to experience it all. And second, this was one of the most fun experiences we’ve had as content creators. We sailed to the island with an entire team of photographers, videographers, influencers, and brand representatives, and there was such a palpable energy and excitement that permeated the atmosphere throughout the day.

It felt like we had just been let loose into this incredible playground, and everyone was singularly focused on creating real and compelling content. To be honest, the end of that day we were the most tired that we had ever been during our travels (and at the end of the year that’s still true), but we were so proud of what we accomplished during that day.

4. The Sacred Valley of Peru

One of our recurring observations from 2019 is that many of our favorite moments came in places where people usually don’t travel with their children. Our top 4 moments pretty much summarize those places, and the Sacred Valley of Peru remains one of the most culturally rich experiences of our adventures so far. I mean, I understand why people don’t usually come here with children. The high elevations make it hard to acclimate, there are not a lot of modern amenities (unless you stay in a luxury resort), and the hikes can be quite challenging, especially with the high altitude. But if you look past those challenges, you will find a rich and rewarding journey filled with culture and historical perspective.

We were lucky to arrive to the town of Ollantaytambo during an annual festival, where music echoed throughout the town, and dance performances filled the central square. This cultural experience was a perfect introduction to complement what we would discover in Machu Picchu. Our visit to the ancient city of the Inca was so informative thanks to our local guide, Juan. He not only educated us on the history and mystery surrounding the archeological site, but also entertained our kids with family-friendly information as well.

The last piece of this adventure, and one that was equally as impactful, was our homestay in the village of Huilloc. We were welcomed by Feliciano and Fortunata into their home, and they demonstrated their way of life, customs, and religion, which descends from Inca tradition and is still practiced today. This entire trip was transformative for all of us; we left Peru with full hearts and a wealth of knowledge and experience that we will carry with us for the rest of our lives.

3. Road Trip Across Ireland

I would say that visiting Ireland was the most pleasant surprise of the year for us. We flew into Ireland on an overnight flight from Seattle in September after an adventurous Alaska cruise. Needless to say, we were pretty exhausted. But as soon as we hopp

ed on our home (on wheels) for the week, a Spaceships Family Motorhome, we felt giddy with excitement for the week to come.

We expected the country to be beautiful, but we were quite blown away by the perfect mix of friendly people and breathtaking vistas. We drove across the country for a week and fell in love with the green and lush rolling hills, dramatic coastal cliff views, and quaint and cozy towns (especially Dingle and Kilkenny, which we heartily recommend). We didn’t know it at the time, but our experience in Ireland was our favorite across our 3 months in Europe, and we are already itching to return for another week in the near future.

2. Trekking Argentinian/Chilean Patagonia

I don’t think there’s anything you can do to prepare yourself for the first time that you see Torres del Paine National Park in Chilean Patagonia. And it’s equally difficult to describe that experience in words, but here goes! As we entered the national park on our rental car, we were met with a misty fog that made it hard to see past 100 feet in front of us. We knew what the mountains looked like from the pictures we’ve seen online and on Instagram, but we didn’t know at what point of the drive they would begin to appear. We assumed the fog would be partially blocking our view, but as it began to clear away as we journeyed into the national park, a crystal clear lake revealed itself. Over the next five minutes of twists, turns, and hilly driving, the lake gave way to the majestic scene of the Torres del Paine. Our jaws pretty much collectively hit the floor and the view remains an iconic memory that is seared into my brain. We stayed at the Hosteria Pehoe for 2 nights in the middle of a lake, and that hotel remains one of the most beautiful places we have ever stayed in.

I’ve already taken way too long describing Torres del Paine, and that’s really only half of our experience in Patagonia. The Argentinian side is similarly spectacular, with the Perito Moreno glacier as a highlight, as well as the trekking in the remote town of El Chalten. The 12 days we spent in Patagonia flew by, but we will never forget the moments, both small and big, from each magical destination.

1. Petra, Jordan

We were blessed to have a shore excursion to Petra during our 16-night repositioning cruise from Rome to Dubai with Royal Caribbean. Many times during our travels, we have had high expectations for certain destinations that didn’t quite live up to our ideals. As we went on the 2-hour bus ride from the port in Aqaba to Petra, I was excited, but also had this sinking feeling that we would be underwhelmed by the experience.

Well, I am happy to say that I couldn’t have been more wrong. Petra managed to captivate every member of our family, and even exceeded our high expectations that we had. There was a very apparent sense of adventure as we walked across the narrow gorge between the visitor center and the entrance to Petra. That walk built up our anticipation, and it was all paid off when the gorge opened up to the beautiful and majestic Treasury building façade (the one you see in all the Instagram pics). While we came for the fantastic architecture of this hidden city, the kids loved all the animal sightings. They spotted camels, donkeys, horses, and dogs, and were the most excited to explore the area than they have for other destinations. As we returned to the ship, we felt honored, lucky, and excited to have witnessed such a magnificent site together, and we hope to return for a deeper dive next time around!

While these are our favorite moments of the year, I don’t want to miss out on mentioning that Tamarindo (Costa Rica) and Playa del Carmen (Mexico) were the two places we felt most at home. We spent a month at each and took our time there to just become a part of the community. They both became special to us in different ways. Overall, 2019 was our most magical year ever and we feel blessed for each experience we had along the way. I don’t know if we’ll be able to top the pace that we had in 2019, but 2020 will surely shape up to be a magical year in its own way!