Wow, another year flew by – I say this every year (look at my past Year in Review posts if you don’t believe me, haha), but damn did 2023 go fast. I feel like I was just reflecting back on 2022 last month!

2023 was another year of living on my own terms, going against societal expectations, and truly enjoying my life. It was a year I heavily leaned into truly living in the present, indulging in extravagant trips and meals without regret, and working damn hard for it all. As I get older, I’m understanding there’s no time like the present, so I make it my mission to fill my year with fun experiences and try not to take life too seriously.

Overall, 2023 was pretty excellent. 

I listened to a shit ton of audiobooks (over 50!), finally made it to Disneyland, and crossed a huge bucket list trip off my never ending list of adventures. I traveled with friends, with my sister, with my husband, found my way back to solo travel, got to see my parents twice (!), and had a whole slew of visitors as well! 

Wild to think this is actually my 11th year writing detailed year in reviews on my blog. Sure, those 10-second overdone reels on IG are fun for a few minutes, but I honestly don’t even know how to make them, haha. Plus, I like being able to write 8k words and include over 100 photos (which is probably more like 200 knowing me).

It was the year of the Eras Tour (although I didn’t have any interest in participating, I opted for Beyonce instead), the horrific war in Israel, and deciding I want to visit all 50 states in the next few years (before I turn 40!).

So proud of this life I created for myself. 

Interested in seeing what I got up to in years past? Here’s all my year in review posts: 2013 / 2014 / 2015 / 2016 / 2017 / 2018 / 2019 / 2020 / 2021 / 2022

2023 by the Numbers

• Countries Traveled To: 8 (USA, Guatemala x2, Belize, Tanzania + Zanzibar, Mexico, England, Austria, Czech Republic)
• States Visited: 8 (California, Hawaii, New York, Rhode Island, Washington, Idaho, New Mexico, North Carolina)
• Days On The Road: ~105
• Days Traveling Solo: 8 (Caye Caulker, Belize and Flores, Guatemala!)
• Flights Taken: 34 (60,500 miles flown!)
• Books Read: 56 (favorites: Molokai, Pachinko, Into Thin Air, Remarkably Bright Creatures, The Day the World Came to Town, Fly Girl, The House in the Cerulean Sea, Nowhere for Very Long)
• Duolingo Streak: 576 days (primarily Spanish and math!)
• Candy Crush level: 3195

January 

The year started off a bit crazy, getting home from Mexico a week later than expected after the airline canceled my flight. I made it home at 9:30pm on New Year’s Eve, just in time to celebrate my late arrival with my husband by indulging in a slice of our favorite cheesecake and some cuddles with Kona. 

MAUI

Just a week later we were off to Maui for Noah to run the Maui Oceanfront Marathon! He has a goal to run a full marathon on each Hawaiian island it’s offered, and although he already crossed Maui off his running list, he decided he wanted to run again! Fine by me; I’ll never say no to a trip to Hawaii (obviously). 

He PRed AGAIN and subbed 4, finishing the full marathon in 3 hours, 59 minutes, and 34 seconds! Absolutely WILD — my husband is a beast! So, so proud of him and his dedication.

Besides his running escapades, we spent most of the long weekend in Kihei, kinda sorta feeling like a local, walking to the beach for sunset every night and eating/drinking nearby. I sometimes love revisiting places we’ve been to a bunch of times, so I can focus on simply enjoying our time together instead of feeling like I need to see and do everything. Something I’m clearly working on, haha.

The main focus of this Maui trip (besides Noah running the marathon of course) was WHALES! Since we were visiting during prime whale season, we saw SO many humpbacks. So, so magical. And besides taking an official whale watching tour, we saw so many whales right off the coast — all those breaches and whale tails never get old!

We left Maui with holes in our hearts, aching for permanent island life. The heartache was so bad we started semi-seriously talking about moving to Hawaii (complete with a pros/cons list and mile-long to-do list). We ultimately decided this isn’t the best time for our dream, but I think we’ll be back sooner than later. 

February 

I kicked off the month by taking myself out on a solo birthday date to see Mean Girls on Broadway! Scored myself a $40 rush ticket, which turned out to be an amazing seat all the way down in the orchestra! Such a fun show, and proud of myself for making the effort despite going solo. 

Also — I celebrated TEN official years of A Passion and A Passport on February 9th — cannot believe I’ve stuck with my passion project turned side hustle for oh so long!

MADONNA INN

I always plan a birthday trip for myself (past years including Mexico City, Hawaii, and Todos Santos), and decided to do something low-key this year. We celebrated my belated bday with a weekend in SLO at the Madonna Inn, complete with pink champagne cake, a glitzy pink bathroom in our all pink room, and pink boozy drinks. 

It was truly an instagrammers paradise, perfect for a quick birthday trip! Think whimsy gingerbread trim, bubblegum pink and fuschia accents, and eccentric and unconventional hotel rooms. The whole space is quirky, bizarre, and downright wacky — in the best kinda way! To say I loved it was a downright understatement, haha. 

We saw some friends for lunch, took way too many photos, and checked out all the tacky decor at the hotel. 

GUATEMALA 

A few weeks later I was off to Guatemala, a country I hadn’t been to for over 5 years and one I was super thrilled to be heading back to! The country is so misunderstood (and wildly underrated), but I’m glad it’s becoming a place travelers don’t overlook anymore. It’s actually getting pretty popular!

After scoring cheap $350 round trip tickets (and desperately missing all the color and culture), I couldn’t not go! Plus, I went with a friend I hadn’t seen in years (hey, Kris!). We ended up going with a bunch of really cool people, and met even more in Guatemala once there!

It really was the best travel crew and I loved and appreciated all our deep non-judgemental convos! Travel people really are the best kinds of people.

Lake Atitlan 

Our first stop in Guatemala was the famous Lake Atitlan. And despite the loooong 5 hour ride there (TONS and tons of traffic), we absolutely loved the lake and I’m aching to go back sooner than later.

We primarily spent our time at the lake zipping around on lanchas and visiting a whole bunch of different towns (which were all so, so different) — the colorful town of San Pedro (where we saw a chocolate demonstration, weaving demonstration, and learned about Mayan bees), super hippy San Marcos, the market street in Panajachel, traditional Santiago Atitlan, and the colorful blue village of Santa Catarina Palopo. 

Volcano views EVERYWHERE! 

We stayed at La Fortuna at Atitlan, an eco-hotel with a completely outdoor bathroom (toilet included). Lemme just say — such a unique experience showering outside completely naked. It was also crazy windy at some points; our entire shack would shake; but thankfully we saw no bugs or scorpions — something we were super worried about (we even shook out our entire bedding each and every night)

That pool with a perfect view of the volcano was something else, as was the old-school bus turned sauna. 

Antigua 

In Antigua, we spent a glorious few days wandering the colonial town, admiring the volcano views, checking out all the cute cafes, and shopping at all the markets and boutiques (we wanted to buy so much). 

I hopped on a photo shoot at the famous yellow arch, took a chocolate making class, relaxed on nets overlooking the highlands and volcanos (absolutely epic), and spent a morning at Hobbitenango walking on the trolls hand and hanging out in the hobbit houses. 

Nights in town were absolutely epic — we could see the orangey glow of the erupting volcano from our hotel. Super wild and surreal! Definitely not something we see here in California. 

We ended our whirlwind of a trip with the most impressive tasting menu at Sublime in Guatemala City — it even rivaled fine-dining meals I’ve had in Mexico City. There’s a reason why it’s on the list of the 50 Best Restaurants in Latin America! So unique and creative, and way cheaper at that, haha. 

March 

Strawberry, California

We had been aching for a winter trip, so were thrilled when our friends invited us to their new cozy cabin in the snowy mountains. And I swear, it legit felt like a boutique hotel – they did an amazing job with it, but no surprise there (Kris is kinda a master at home design and interiors). 

It was a weekend full of homemade eats (thanks Taka!), puzzle competitions, bourbon hot chocolates (loaded with mini marshmallows), marmalade making, comedy specials, bubble-filled board games, and snowy winter walks. 

We couldn’t even get in through the front door — completely covered in snow!

It was a weekend being fully present with fun people and hardly any phone time! Need more days like this!

BELIZE & GUATEMALA 

Caye Caulker, Belize

Time for my first (and actually *only*) solo trip of the year! I spent a glorious few day taking it slow on Caye Caulker, and luckily met a great group of people my first morning and spent a decent chunk of my time on the island with them. 

I’ve actually been to Belize before (over a decade ago), but primarily stayed in San Pedro on Ambergris Caye. After my new friend I met in Mexico started sending me photos from her trip to Caye Caulker, I instantly knew I needed to head back to Belize.

Two of the main reasons I came? The Blue Hole and snorkeling in the Hol Chan barrier reef! 

Gazing out the window of a tiny 12-seater propeller plane flying over the Blue Hole was a major highlight and wildly impressive and the reef, wow, just wow! — crazy how many blues there are!

I spent a full day out on the water snorkeling in the Hol Chan Barrier Reef, and saw so much wildlife it was incredible! Manatees, spotted eagle rays, nurse sharks, sea turtles, sting rays, lots of coral, and tons of colorful tropical fish. Such a perfect day out on the dazzling water, besides getting the worst sunburn of my life!

Other highlights on Caye Caulker included watching sunset every single night at the beach (most likely with a mango juice in hand), spending a lazy day relaxing at a beach club on the north side, and eating and drinking my weight in fresh coconuts, iced cacao tea, bbq chicken and shrimp, and the creamiest key lime pie. 

It’s impressive how many locals I had long conversations with. There’s such an amazing, positive energy here — hard to describe but Belizeans are just so helpful and actually care about their visitors. By far some of the friendliest people I’ve ever met. 

April

Flores, Guatemala 

I crossed the border and continued my solo spring break trip with a few days in Flores, Guatemala (loved the country so much I just couldn’t stay away!). 

And what a moving few days it was. Swinging in a hammock at sunrise over the lake with sounds of hundreds of birds in the jungle, and then once the day was over, watching sunset over the lake every single night with watermelon juice in hand. Super idyllic; I just loved those slow nights/mornings. 

My major adventure here?! Waking up at 2:30am for a sunrise mission to Tikal! While there wasn’t exactly a sunrise, walking through the jungle in the pitch black listening to howler monkeys is something I’ll never forget. I got a full tour of the park afterwards and loved all the temples — so impressive and hardly crowded. Also saw a bunch of animals in the jungle too — toucans, howler monkeys, spider monkeys, and cute coati! One of those pinch-me moments in life I’ll never forget. 

I wandered around the colorful island town taking tons of pictures of all the decorative doors and buildings (which totally reminded me of Guatape in Colombia a bit)!

Strolling the malecon for the best lake views was my favorite, as was taking a lancha to a scenic mirador, hanging out at a locals beach, and watching my new friends jump off rope swings into the lake (I was too chicken for that of course). 

Before the trip was over, I spent a full day swimming in the bluest, crystal clear waters I’ve ever seen at Crater Azul. Kinda crazy how this place is wildly unknown (and I kinda wanna keep it that way).

ANDREA VISITS SF

You read that right! My cousin came to visit — it was so fun having her in SF for a whole week (!!!) and showing her around our area. 

And we really took advantage of our time together – I don’t think we had this much uninterrupted quality time in years. So, so special and I can’t wait for her to come visit again soon Plus, Kona was obsessed with Ann from the first moment she got here at 2 in the morning, haha. 

We did *all* the things — we took plenty of silly selfies at Battery Spencer, had dangerously delicious pizza in North Beach, wandered around Chinatown, drove down Lombard Street, played tourist at the Painted Ladies, had a picnic at the Aquatic Park, rode on a cable car (my very first time!), took the ferry and explored Alcatraz, had huge scoops of cookies n cream at Ghirardelli, gawked at all the cute sourdough shapes at Boudin, and spent a night cheering on the Giants at the game (although we never actually made it to our seats, haha). 

There were also day trips to be had — a morning in Sausalito, dining al fresco in the sunshine and walking alongside the water, down to Monterey and Carmel for a day, wandering the cute storybook town, exploring the coastline on the 17 Mile Drive (my favorite), and just overall enjoying the sun!

We spent our last night together celebrating Ann’s early 40th birthday indulging in the most delicious over-stuffed lobster rolls while watching a gorgeous sunset over Half Moon Bay. Such a great visit and so thrilled she came to California!

Home in the Bay

After getting home from Central America, I spent most of the month at home here in the Bay Area; I really tried to take advantage of the wonderful weather we’d been having. 

And after all this rain, I swear EVERYTHING looked SO incredibly green with tons and tons of WILDFLOWERS!

I tried doing all the spring things – searched for wildflowers in a nearby park (found lots!), finally visited the famous wisteria fence in SF, checked out the floral exhibit at the Westin St. Francis, took so many photos of the cherry blossoms on our block, had flowery beach walks in Half Moon Bay, and found tons of poppies on a verrry long walk/hike in the East Bay. 

I also saw Come from Away on Broadway — what a heartfelt show and even based on a true story! We spent a few days in the city, trying a new bakery, walking by the bridge, and just enjoying SF. 

May

May was the first month in forever that was super, super low key — I hardly left the Bay Area! We took a few day trips, but honestly just hung out and relaxed SO much. I tend to overdo it with trips (although always very much worth it), so I’m starting to appreciate the downtime I do have. 

At home I checked out the mini yellow super bloom at Mori Point (with a sea of yellow flowers overlooking the beach), saw yet another musical (1776), and did some more city exploring: Coit tower, Mamas for brunch, and Japantown. 

Pacific Grove

We took a spontaneous Sunday drive down to Monterey, and finally got down to see the pink magic carpet in Pacific Grove. It was just as stunning as I imagined! Always forget just how much we love it down here, and crazy that it’s less than 2 hours from us. 

Tiburon

A quick day trip up north to Tiburon was another highlight of the month; I can’t believe after living in the Bay for almost 10 years we had never gone! We feasted on an amazing lunch right by the water at Sam’s, took long walks with the prettiest seaside views, and saw a colorful art installation. 

Orange County 

The minute school was out (remember, I’m a SLP at a high school), we drove down to SoCal for the week, doing some research for a potential upcoming move, and seeing a bunch of good friends/hanging with their cute kiddos.

Besides bringing the gray SF weather down to OC (the sun only came out ONCE our entire week there), it was great to explore different areas and get a feel for what we’re looking for (decided close to the beach it is!)

We checked out Dana Point, San Clemente (which we already knew we loved), a whole bunch of towns a bit further inland (not our style), Laguna Beach, Santa Ana, Huntington Beach, Costa Mesa and Newport (LOVED!), and even a few towns in San Diego and in southern LA county. We even met with a realtor – yes, kinda prematurely, but wanted to see what’s out there!

June

June started a few months of basically nonstop travel, but first we celebrated a friend’s beautiful wedding up in Sonoma (Taylor you looked smashing as usual)!

Disneyland!

After living in California for over 9 years, I *finally* made it to Disneyland to celebrate a friend’s birthday with some favorite friends. 

And omg what a blast it was — we spent over 15 hours in the park, from 9am to almost 1 in the morning (and I was still ready to go!), haha. Of course there were lots of lines during peak hours (to be expected), but filled the time with lots of singing, dancing, stretching, mustache-making, etc. 

The morning/early afternoon was spent at Disneyland, then headed to DCA until they closed — then back to Disney for more rides until they closed! A super long and tiring day, but I already can’t wait to go back!

Some Disney stats:

• Rides rode: Big Thunder Railroad (twice!), Pirate of the Caribbean, Star Tours RITR, Hyperspace Mountain, the tea cups, Runaway Railway, the Incredicoaster, Buzz’s Astro Blasters, and Millennium Falcon 
• Ate: giant Mickey macaron, Mickey pretzel, popcorn crack, Mickey ice cream sandwich, lobster nachos, churro 
• Saw: World of Color Show 

Would I go again? 1000% – I can confirm Disney truly is the happiest place on Earth. Yes, despite the high price tag. I kinda wanna see it all decorated for Halloween or Christmas next time!

Newport, Rhode Island

A few days later I flew to NY bound for Rhode Island for a sister trip to Newport! Such a great start to summer, and love that we were able to have a few bonding days just for us! Think I wanna make this a tradition.

Ali’s been to Newport a bunch of times prior, so I was lucky she took me around to her favorite spots! We took a trolley tour learning about the history of Newport, went on an afternoon sail on an old lobster boat admiring all the fancy yachts, sipped Del’s frozen lemonade, and toured the ornate and opulent Breakers Mansion — so much gold everywhere!

I’ll never forget our last dinner overlooking the water with seafood pasta and the most amazing mashed potatoes, all the trips to Bowen’s and Bannister’s wharf, shopping on Thames street, and fresh lobster rolls!

We also spent a morning walking along the stunning cliff walk, cruising on Ocean Drive, and admiring the stunning Castle Hill Inn. Such an underrated state — if you have the opportunity to visit RI, go! 

All in all it was a fantastic few days — even the long drive home was so fun (tons of singing and dancing, haha). 

New York

Trips to NY are primarily about seeing those I love, and that’s exactly what I did, with some NYC exploring thrown in. Plus, I got to hug my 99 year old grandma, which, I didn’t know at the time, would be our very last one.

Once we were back in NY, I spent an afternoon in Astoria with my cousin, indulging in overpriced ice cream, thrift store shopping, and wandering around downtown. 

I always love exploring spots I haven’t been to in a while, so I ferried it over to Brooklyn for a few hours, spent the morning wandering around DUMBO, and watched the sunset on the ferry with some old friends for some stunning skyline views. 

My sister and I took a day trip to Greenport, strawberry picking and pizza winery included! Sunset overlooking the water with boozy lemonades in hand was the perfect way to end the night.

And I *finally* crossed the TWA Hotel off my bucket list! Highly recommended if you’ve got a few spare hours between flights or get to the airport extra early — so fun and nostalgic with tons of photo ops, a bar IN an old airplane, and a rooftop pool where you can watch planes take off. 

Tanzania: African Safari

After 3 long years (getting a puppy and of course international travel stopping due to we-all-know-what), we FINALLY made it on our long-awaited safari in Tanzania!

Was it everything we dreamed of and more? Yup, 1000%.

We spent a week doing game drives in several parks in Tanzania, including Tarangire, Lake Manyara, Ngorongoro Crater, and of course Serengeti National Park! What an absolute dream come true. 

Just 30 seconds into Day 1 we saw a huge herd of zebras, and throughout the week saw tons of giraffe (so stately and majestic), more elephants than we could ever imagine (with some walking right in front of our jeep – so special each and every time), and *so many cats* (over a dozen lions). Such a surreal experience and honestly hard to put into words. 

We also saw tons of warthogs (pumbas are such funny little creatures), hyenas (we even heard them laugh!), cheetahs, wildebeest and buffalo and gazelles (oh my!), tiny little dik diks, kori bastards, baboons and black-faced monkeys, flamingos, ostrich, and so many hippos! Plus an endangered black rhino on our last day in the crater, and a huge pride of lions on our night drive. 

Unfortunately we only saw 4/5 of the Big 5 – the leopards were definitely hiding from us despite our patient guide looking for them for over 3 hours!

We woke up bright and early one morning for an unforgettable hot air balloon safari in the Serengeti – such an amazing experience and champagne-toasting in the bush afterwards was so epic (along with the loo with a view – I literally watched zebras grazing along as I used the bathroom, haha). 

Another main highlight was spending two nights at Lemala Nmpingo Ridge in Tarangire – such a splurge but oh so worth it for the sundowners each night, immaculate tent with outdoor tub overlooking the park, and the safari chic atmosphere. We were obsessed; I could easily live there, haha. 

July

Zanzibar

Once we begrudgingly said goodbye to all the animals on our Tanzania safari, we spent the next week relaxing by the beach in Zanzibar. Such a wildly different culture and feel than mainland Tanzania, and I’m glad we got to experience both. 

We explored the historic Stone Town (felt so much like a medina in Morocco), fed the tortoise on Prison Island, and learned all about the exotic fruits and spices on a spice tour. We had a delicious meal at Emerson with cocktails at sunset, with one of the comfiest atmospheres around – pillows upon pillows barefoot!

A main highlight in Zanzibar was spending the day on Nakupenda Bis – a blip of a sandbar in the Indian Ocean a few miles away from land. Hardly anyone was there, and we played in the sparkling shallow waters, I found tons of beautiful, untouched shells, and indulged in a seafood feast cooked by our guide right on the sand (complete with lobster, tuna, octopus, calamari, and homemade fries!)

Our day at Mnemba Island was my favorite day – the sun finally came out and we spent loads of time wading through the waters of yet another sandbar, ate so much passion fruit and avocado, and snorkeled in some of the healthiest reef I ever swam in — and I was the only one in the water (even more impressive than snorkeling in Maui and Belize, surprisingly!). Who knew?!

Our other days on Zanzibar were spent watching sunsets from our fave rooftop bar, taking long walks on the beach, witnessing the crazy tides, relaxing poolside, dodging the rain (yup, ugh!), and drinking tons of passion fruit mojitos. 

Such an impressive country and makes me eager to explore more of Africa! Although the flight was just shy of about 25 hours…

Central Mexico

After a week at home, I was off again – this time to Mexico with some friends! I can’t seem to stay away from this colorful country, haha. At least the flight is way shorter than heading to Africa. 

Guanajuato

I spent a fun few days exploring the city semi-solo (before my other friends arrived), staying with a friend I met in Bacalar last year (hey hey Dani!). I loved getting a more locals’ perspective (bars! friends! People to help me translate/understand the nitty gritty. The best rooftop in the city.), and of course the cutest dog in the whole city, Iggy.

During my almost-week in Guanajuato, I took the funicular up and admired the iconic views from the Pipila viewpoint (twice!), wandered around the plazas and squares with elote and churros in hand, drank so many lemonadas and passionfruit concoctions, loved the colorful buildings and Callejon del Beso, explored the outdoor and indoor markets (mmm fresh jugo de fresa y sandia), watched sunset every night (rooftop bars, university steps, swinging in Dani’s hammock, etc), drank way too many chocolate frios from popular cafes, and loved practicing mi espanol.

I also went on a sticky hot day trip to Dolores Hidalgo to see the famous rainbow tomb, try allll the weird and wacky ice cream flavors, and check out the iconic pottery. 

After five full days in the small city, I kinda started to feel like a local! Such a fun feeling!

San Miguel de Allende

Next up — SMA! I *loved* revisiting this colorful little city — we spent lots of time admiring the most beautiful library, took tons of photos along the colorful streets, wandered the Fabrica la Aurora art center, listened to mariachi music and people watched at Jardin Allende every night, ventured into way too many colorful shops, and checked out the views from the mirador. 

But our favorite? Just wandering the town; I swear every street is a postcard and more beautiful than the last. 

Plus all the eating! We had more amazing meals in SMA than I thought possible, complete with rooftop views of the iconic Parroquia de San Miguel Arcángel (including late-night taco carts, breakfast chilaquiles, famous chocolate churros, enmoladas, and our favorite meals at Toastevere and Garambullo). 

Mexico City

I always love heading back to CDMX (it’s such an eclectic and vibrant city with tons of colorful culture). Even with just two full days, we squeezed in oh so much!

We wandered around the gorgeous leafy green Parque Mexico, drank at some fun bars and speakeasies (like GinGin and Handshake), checked out the views from Chapultepec Castle, learned all about Luis Barragan at Casa Gilardi (my second time visiting!), and spent some time in ritzy Polanco.

We also spent a hectic morning downtown, heading to Biblioteca Vasconcelos (my first time!), the House of Tiles (always a must), Palacio Postal, Palacio de Bellas Artes, and the iconic CDMX sign in the Zocalo. Plus the ceiling at Gran Hotel, a wild time grabbing pastries at Pasteleria Ideal, and finishing at the indoor artisan market.

Of course the food was a major highlight – and we ate way too much (featuring ricotta stuffed squash blossoms at Lardo, al pastor tacos at Orinoco, ricotta cacao rolls and guava rolls at Rosetta, churro ice cream sandwiches at El Moro, and everything delicioso at Expendio de Maiz).  

Getting stuck in crazy thunderstorms a few too many times (including that night we camped out in an ATM for far too long and hid under umbrellas at Frida Khalo’s house) will forever be a core memory of the trip. 

August 

Once August rolled around, I said my sad goodbyes to summer as work started up again (and I took Kona on a field trip to school and everyone loved him).

I saw some Broadway shows and went to a few concerts (Aladdin!, Cirque du Soleil!, SAM HUNT, BEYONCÉ!) and decided I wanna accomplish a new travel goal — visiting all 50 states by age 40!

Ali and Kevin come visit!

As soon as I got home from Mexico (less than 12 hours later!), my sister and her husband Kevin flew in! I had just spent a week with her in NY/Newport earlier this summer, but won’t say no to more sister time!

I was SO thrilled for their visit – and I loved showing them where we’ve been living the past 9 years!

We had the most amazing meal at House of Prime Rib, complete with late-night donuts from Bob’s afterwards (drool). And after they got back from Napa, we spent the next few days driving down the coast, laughing non stop on rides in Santa Cruz, indulging in delicious fish tacos, somehow making it down to the beach at Shark Fin Cove (practically hanging onto Kevin), and taking foggy walks in Pacifica and Half Moon Bay.

We also spent an afternoon wandering Sausalito, checked out a few downtown areas on the Peninsula, admired the bridge views at Battery Spencer, did some San Francisco city exploring (Ghirardelli! Fisherman’s Wharf! Calacademy! The most amazing North Beach food tour! Dancing on the streets in Chinatown and getting yelled at for asking for a lime wedge, haha – inside joke I don’t wanna forget lol!). 

Lots of fun family time and I wouldn’t have it any other way!

Beyoncé 

Because she totally deserves her own section, haha. I super spontaneously bought tickets to see Beyonce… less than 48 hours before the show. It was easily the most expensive concert ticket I’ve ever bought, but the experience of seeing her live was so worth it!

Was a scramble for sure figuring out a sparkly silver outfit (crazy last minute) and transportation, but we did it!

And what a Queen she was!!! Even from up high in the nose bleeds! We LOVED seeing everyone’s over the top outfits, and her daughter even came out for a few songs!!!

I didn’t make it home until after 2am… and went to work the next day… but I managed to power through, somehow!

September

The fall season started off with lots of busy weekends, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. We also saw New Found Glory and All American Rejects in concert, and got a surprise upgrade to box seats!

Labor Day trip to Napa 

We hadn’t been to Napa Valley in forever (we typically head to Sonoma instead) so we decided to go for a night over the long weekend. Most of our time was spent in Calistoga, and we loved the chill vibes (felt way more laid-back than the typically pretentious towns of Napa Valley).

We went wine tasting at Tank (so cool!), checked out a few vineyards, spent too much time at Dr. Wilkinsons (with total Palm Springs vibes), had s’mores by the fire, and just overall relaxed. Kona loved the hula hoop in our hotel room and playing corn hole, haha. Next time we’re really hoping to get a mud bath!

Other highlights included wandering around downtown Napa for a morning, perusing Oxbow Market, walking by the river, and having a delicious meal of fresh pasta for lunch. It’s always a good time in wine country!

Laguna Seca in Monterey

Another weekend in September was spent down in Monterey with friends, celebrating Noah’s (very) belated bday! We walked around the charming town of Carmel-by-the-Sea, had some delicious pizzas at La Bicyclette, took a short hike at Point Lobos, and had cocktails while playing some golf (so incredibly fun!).

But the real reason we were down there?! To see the last Indycar race of the season!

After following Formula 1 for so long, it was about time we saw a race in action! Felt like we were in a real-life video game! So crazy and insane! Such a fun weekend with some of our favorite people!

Weekend Trip to Seattle

We ended out the month with a long weekend trip to Seattle to visit some good friends of ours that recently moved there. 

Our friends showed us around and we all played tourist — went to the top of the Space Needle, sipped cocktails at so many fun bars (plus pie at Pie Bar!), watched a perfectly pastel sunset at Kerry Park, spent lots of time on their rooftop admiring the views, took a long walk at Discovery Park, checked out the vendors at the Ballard Farmers Market, stuffed our faces with tons of good food (pizza! Malaysian!, brunch!), and wandered inside the Amazon Spheres. 

My #1 highlight?! Taking the ferry over to Bainbridge Island – probably my favorite thing we did during our 3 days in Seattle! Had some delicious fish n chips, ice cream, walked around the local shops, and meandered by the waterfront. Seattle truly shines in the sun!

I also spent some time solo, eating as much as I could at Pike Place Market, exploring Pioneer Square and taking the popular Underground Tour, and loving the striking architecture at Seattle Central Library.

So grateful to have such great friends who opened their home to us and shared their new life in Seattle with us! We even contemplated a potential move afterwards… (sense a theme for 2023?)  

October

October was another busy month at home, with my parents visiting towards the end of the month and some concerts sprinkled in. We saw Neyo (he wore that famous red suit we loved at the Lovers and Friends festival in Vegas last year), and I reached a 500 day streak learning Spanish on Duolingo! 

We had some fall fun in SF — had a sticky picnic to watch the airshow with friends, admired the fall decorations at The Westin (always amazing), and got Halloween themed cocktails at The Summer Place! I even made an apple pie, almost from scratch!

I sadly canceled a dream New England fall foliage road trip, but hey, maybe I’ll go next year instead! Apparently the colors weren’t as bright and bold as normal, so maybe it was a blessing in disguise.

Glamping in Russian River

We started off the busy month with a night glamping at AutoCamp. I’ve been wanting to go glamping in the redwoods for oh so long – it feels like such a Northern California experience right?! So I’m thrilled we finally made it happen!

We are *so* not camping people, and couldn’t even get our fire to start (true story), but we managed!

It ended up being so fun (despite the rainy weather) – we took a long walk amongst the towering redwoods in Armstrong Redwoods State Reserve, had ice cream and a chocolate biscuit for lunch (whoops – that pistachio baklava flavor was LIFE), and a delicious dinner in downtown Guerneville.

We ended the night hanging by the fire (making s’mores) in the lodge and enjoying our tent! It was a pretty low key weekend but loved being able to relax a bit and of course that we could take Kona along with us! 

Boise, Idaho

After my canceled New England trip, I decided to visit a new state — Idaho it was for state #30!

We spent the weekend in Boise wandering around town, hitting up all the hip coffee shops, checking out some fun speakeasies (yes, they have those in Boise, I was surprised!), taking photos at the murals downtown, doing a sunset hike above the fall foliage, and walking down the Boise River Greenbelt. 

And oh so much food — finger steaks with fry sauce, an ice cream potato (probably the highlight of the trip for me, lol), DIY fries (I mean, we were in Idaho!), potato pizza, and the most creative, memorable meal at KIN (I’d go back to Boise just for that, haha).

It was such a relaxing weekend together, and I cannot believe we’ve never been to Idaho before despite being less than a 2 hour flight from us! Boise kinda felt like an outdoorsy Denver/Portland hybrid, and I can see why people love it so much (heck, tons of Californians are moving there). 

Mom and Dad visit!!

We closed out October with a visit from my parents. We spent so much quality time together – I forgot how much I love hanging out with them!

Our days were spent exploring the Bay Area and beyond. We went to Santa Cruz for a day, riding the steam train along the redwoods (such a cool experience), finding new species at the UCSC Arboretum (my moms favorite!), and walking along the water watching the surfers. 

Another day was spent in the city exploring Golden Gate Park, including a visit to the Japanese Tea Gardens (such great mochi!), the observatory at the de Young Museum, and taking a walk around the lake.

We also spent some time local as well, wandering some downtown areas on the Peninsula, getting a great brunch, going to a street fair, checking out the insanely decorated Halloween houses, and lots of yummy take out! Love visits from family. <3 

November

Apple Hill

It *finally* started feeling like fall in San Francisco, and after I unfortunately had to cancel my epic New England fall foliage road trip, we booked a weekend in Apple Hill as my consolation prize, haha. Not exactly the same, but still super fun!

We bounced around from farm to farm and orchard to orchard, sipping apple cider shakes and hard apple ciders, indulging in alllll the things (apple crisp a la mode, HUGE apple fritters, smooth pear cider, a super cute hot chocolate flight, apple dumplings, and more), and admiring all the fall colors.

And of course the most orgasmic apple cider donuts that ever existed – oh so fluffy and soft, and perfectly covered in tons of sugar – a donut I’ll remember for the rest of my life, haha.

We got so lucky and visited during peak foliage – I couldn’t believe the colors of the leaves (including that perfectly peak red tree I found).

Sometimes it’s the small moments I love the most, like having a super low key night eating cheeseburgers in bed and watching Elf together with Kona – which is exactly what we did that night, haha. 

New Mexico Road Trip for Thanksgiving! 

New Mexico was my 31st state of my 50 states challenge! We road tripped almost the entire length of the state, starting in Albuquerque and heading to Santa Fe, Truth or Consequences (what a fun name!), Las Cruces, Bandelier National Monument, and White Sands National Park.

And New Mexico was exactly what I thought it’d be — lots of Pueblo-style architecture, green chile cheeseburgers, and stunning natural landscapes. It was such a fun and varied road trip, and it makes me excited to explore other new-to-me states!

In Santa Fe we went shopping at the Plaza, ate our weight in blue corn pancakes, donuts, and enchiladas, sipped margaritas on the margarita trail, climbed up ladders and saw petroglyphs at Bandelier National Monument, and I learned about and admired Georgia O’Keeffe and all her artwork. 

Our short time in Albuquerque was spent wandering around Old Town (loved it!) and heading up 10,300 feet on the tram for sunset (absolutely spectacular despite the freezing temps).

We soaked in hot springs along the Rio Grande River in Truth or Consequences (what a colorful tiny town) and ran around like little kids on the white gypsum sand at White Sands National Park outside of Las Cruces.

The trip was super bittersweet because my sweet, sweet 99.5 year old grandma passed away just as we were getting on the plane, and I spent the next 48 hours in a frenzy trying to figure out if we could get to New York. 

Logistics got the better of me so we decided to celebrate her life down in North Carolina with my parents later in the month. Lots of tears were shed, but I found peace knowing my grandma wouldn’t want me in a state of intense stress.

Plus, Noah’s parents visited for a few days, so we got to spend some time with them before and after our trip to New Mexico.

December

North Carolina 

After a few weeks at home, we were off again, this time to North Carolina to see my parents! It was a low-key few days, spending lots of quality time with them, and reminiscing tons about my grandparents – we even found my grandpa’s GED and lots of old photos! Some of my favorites!

Besides the trip down memory lane, we did lots of puzzling (worked on a 2000 piece puzzle!), explored the Battleship North Carolina (so interesting!), saw dozens of decorated Christmas trees at the Fort Fisher Aquarium Festival of Trees, wandered along Wrightsville beach in the winter sun looking for seashells, and walked on the Wilmington Riverwalk and caught a gorgeous sunset. 

My dad also gave us a golf cart ride around their new development which was definitely a fun highlight as well!

Christmas in Europe!

London, England 

After planning (and re-planning) this trip for months, it was finally here! Our first time to Europe in the winter, and we chose to start our 2-week Christmas Market trip in London. I could not believe just how festive the city gets for the holidays (after finally getting there – our flight was canceled and we spent an unexpected night/day in Salt Lake City).

We primarily explored the SoHo/Mayfair and Covent Garden areas, and wow, just wow! London really goes all out! 

Of course we saw all the over-the-top decorations in the city — including all the windows at the big name brands on Bond Street (loved Cartier the most), a festive high tea, lunch at Sketch (oh those bathrooms!), the Regent Street angels, wandered Harrods (don’t miss the fish n chips) and Fortnum and Mason, devoured festive cupcakes at Peggy Porschein, and more. Basically all the festive things in London. I was obsessed with it all to say the least. 

In all honesty, the Christmas markets were nothing special, but we kinda expected that (and ohhh that cheese wheel pasta, drool).

I kinda forgot how much I love London (it’s such an eclectic city with so much personality and fun), and now I’m scheming how we can maybeee live there someday, at least for a little while

We also got in a few of our favorites toward the end of our trip, like Indian at Dishoom, salt beef bagels at Beigel Bake, wandering the markets in Shoreditch, and a new favorite — the famous chocolate strawberries at Borough Market (which I’ll gladly pay £8.5 for over and over).

Prague, Czechia 

After our few days in London, we flew over to Prague, and what an unexpected good time it was (and great to revisit after almost 8 years). 

The Christmas Markets in Prague were by far the best ones on our trip, despite the insane crowds on our first night (it was Christmas Day and all…). We stuffed our faces with so much market food, like paprika sausages, savarak wine (admittedly not our favorite), so many trdelniks with Nutella, fried cheese, old Prague ham, mini potato dumplings, and more. Honestly, it was hard to keep track!

Besides all the market gorging, we crossed the Charles Bridge at sunrise, explored the Prague Castle (before all the crowds came), sipped savarak on a river cruise, gawked at some great views from a few medieval towers, saw the wild architecture of the famous Dancing House, took pics at the Lennon Wall, saw the crazy old astronomical clock, watched some insane performances and ate massive pork knees at a medieval dinner, and tried (and loved) kolaches, a traditional Czech dessert.

Cesky Krumlov, Czechia

Next up – Cesky Krumlov, a small South Bohemian town that’s known for its super cute storybook little village! And little it was, haha. We quite literally walked every block a few times.

During our few days, we got great views of the tiny town from the Cloak Bridge and other viewpoints, stepped into the St. Vitus Church, got lost in the UNESCO Heritage Historic Town Center, and strolled along the peaceful riverbank.

We got so lucky with food, considering we made zero reservations – lucking out with a table at Krčma Šatlava (where we had dinner in a cave with candlelight), and having a classic Czech meal at Svejk (where I ate the most delicious vareniki of my life).

The Christmas markets right in Svornosti Square were small, but of course we managed to eat even more trdelniks, sausages, fresh potato chips, crepes, spiced nuts, and a delicious apple rum drink we were both obsessed with.

We admittedly devoted too much time in Cesky, but it was nice to relax for a bit in the middle of our very-busy trip.

Hallstatt, Austria for New Years!

Our last stop of 2023 – Hallstatt, Austria; a place that’s been on my Pinterest board for oh so many years. It wasn’t the snowy winter wonderland we had hoped for, but still so idyllic with its dramatic landscapes and frozen fairytale village.

In town, we wandered around finding all the best viewpoints, eating so many Austrian pastries and more schnitzel and potato salad than imaginable (so much potato salad, haha). We stayed at the most beautiful hotel of our trip, super modern with unobstructed views of the lake and even heated floors! It was marvelous!

A huge highlight of our entire Euro winter trip was taking the gondola up to Dachstein Krippenstein and doing the short snowy hike to 5 Fingers. To say I was enamored by the views is a massive understatement – I legit almost cried it was so beautiful. 

We watched the sunset from the top of the mountain and breathed in that crisp mountain air; definitely one of those moments you can’t believe life is real. Those snowy peaks were something else – Austria you officially have my heart.

We rang in the New Year eating soft pretzels in bed and watching loads of fireworks over the lake – exactly how we wanted it. Calm and cozy with full bellies stuffed with schnitzel and apple strudel.

We also went to Bruges, Belgium for a few days and had another wintery day in London – but that’ll have to wait for next year’s Year in Review since it was technically already 2024! 

Thanks 2023 for a beautiful year, filled with tons of family time, puppy cuddles, good food, and of course lots of travels and adventures. I’ve got a few things in the works for 2024, but it’s always so exciting to see how the next year pans out! Happy New Year, friends!

The post 2023 Year in Review: The Year of Adventures, Near and Far appeared first on A Passion and A Passport.

Africa is one of the most popular travel destinations in the world. Each year millions of tourists travel to the continent to experience its magnificent sites. It’s in Africa that you’ll find the Victoria Falls in Zambia, which are twice the height of Niagara Falls in Canada. The Pyramids of Giza in Egypt, Table Mountain in Cape Town, South Africa, Morocco’s Sahara Desert, etc.

The welcoming people, abundant wildlife, sandy beaches and historical sites to be found in Africa are some of the reasons you should have Africa on your travel bucket list. Deciding which country to visit in Africa can however, be extremely overwhelming. The continent has 54 countries and all of them have something amazing to offer its tourists.

If you’re planning your first trip to Africa and haven’t decided where to go, I will make the decision easier for you and recommended that you plan a trip to Tanzania!

What You Need to Know About Tanzania

• Tanzania is a country in East Africa. The country has a population of about 57.3 million people and its neighbors include Kenya and Uganda. 
• If you want to see lots of wildlife, particularly the Big Five (lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo, rhino) you cannot miss them when you take a safari in this beautiful country. The county also has stunning beaches along the Indian Ocean.
• The country’s capital is Dodoma, however this city has not always been the capital. Dar es Salaam, Tanzania’s most populous city was the capital until 1996 when it was moved to Dodoma.
• To travel to this country, you’ll need to apply for a visa. You can apply for the visa online if you meet the entry requirements for Tanzania visa.
• The local currency is the Tanzanian shilling. You can exchange your dollars or euros for this currency at exchange bureaus found around the country or at an ATM.
• Swahili is the national language, but many locals speak English. So, if English is your native language you’re unlikely to experience any communication barriers as you tour most parts of the country.

Top Things to do in Tanzania

1. Go on safari

Tanzania has many national parks you can visit to see wildlife. But by far the most visited park in the country is the Serengeti National Park. It is Africa’s top game destination and there is a good reason why. At the park, you cannot miss seeing lions, cheetahs, elephants, buffaloes, leopards and other wild animals in their natural habitat.

The Serengeti is also known because of the great wildebeest migration, which is one of the 7 new wonders of the world. Every year close to 1.5 million wildebeest, zebras, gazelles cross the crocodile-infested Mara River in search of water and greener pastures on the other side, which is Kenya. It is an amazing sight to see because some of the animals don’t survive the cross due to the crocodiles hunting them down. The best time to catch the migration is from July to October.

2. Go up Mt. Kilimanjaro

If you want to challenge yourself plan a trip to hike up Mount Kilimanjaro. This is Africa’s highest mountain standing at 5, 895 meters. Make no mistake you cannot wake up and decide to conquer this mountain. You must do some training to be physically fit otherwise you are unlikely to make it to the top.

If you’re physically fit and manage to avoid altitude sickness to make it to the snow-capped summit the view from the top will blow you away, and the pleasure derived will be worth the time and pain experienced. Depending on the route you to take to go up the mountain this is activity should take you 5 to 7 days.

If you love hiking and are up to it another mountain you can try to ascend is Mt. Meru. This dormant volcanic mountain is 4,565 meters. It is Tanzania’s second-highest mountain and the fifth highest mountain in Africa. The trek up this mountain is said to be tougher than going up Mt. Kilimanjaro because of its extremely difficult terrain. Maybe you can try both mountains and let us know which one was harder.

3. Discover Magical Zanzibar

If you’re planning for the perfect beach holiday in Tanzania then you should definitely head to the island of Zanzibar. Its clear blue Indian Ocean waters, white sandy beaches and smiling locals who welcome you saying “Jambo” (Swahili for saying hi) make Zanzibar an awesome place to get some R&R.

In Zanzibar, you can just chill on the beach and soak up some sun while sipping cocktails or be active. Some activities you can indulge in are swimming, beach games or scuba diving. 

4. Taste Tanzanian cuisine

When I travel sampling the local cuisine of the places I visit is one of the things I enjoy doing. This is something you should do to. Tanzania meals you can sample include:

• Nyama Choma and Ugali. Nyama Choma is roasted cow or goat meat. The meat is roasted slowly over a charcoal grill given it a smoky flavor. It is served with ugali which resembles a white cake made from maize flour and water. Another accompaniment you can have your choma with is ‘kachumbari’. This is a salad made from onions, tomatoes, and chilies. This meal goes down well with a few beers. I highly recommend you order it when in Tanzania.
• Chipsi Mayai. This is a popular fast food in the country. In English, it is chips and eggs. This is served with ketchup and fresh veggies.
• Seafood. Visit Forodhani Garden in Zanzibar to enjoy some fresh seafood from the Indian Ocean.

5. Take a Balloon Safari

Want to have an aerial view of the Great Rift Valley? Get on a hot air balloon and get to see this spectacular attraction. If you don’t know, the Great Rift Valley runs from Lebanon across several countries in Africa, including Tanzania, before coming to an end in Mozambique. It covers approximately 6,000 kilometers.

On the floor of Tanzanians, Rift Valley lookout for Ngorongoro Crater. This is the world’s largest intact volcanic caldera, it is over 3 million years old. From the balloon you’ll also have an amazing view of the Serengeti plains and the wildlife there.

This activity can be expensive, prices charged can go as high as $600. But I believe what you pay for is worth it. The activity is best done early morning and also usually ends with some champagne and breakfast served in the bush.

There are a lot more activities you can enjoy in Tanzania. You could visit a Maasai village to interact with Maasai warriors who are known to battle with lions and win, tour Lake Manyara to bird watch and see hippos or visit Olduvai Gorge. This is the place archaeologists Mary and Louise Leakey discovered the existence of the first human species dating back 3 million years.

To truly get to see and experience Tanzania consider getting a tour guide. The guide will ensure you don’t miss out on any of the top tourist destinations in the country.

The post 5 Amazing Things To Do On A Trip to Tanzania appeared first on A Passion and A Passport.

I’m sure you’ve seen hundreds of photos of the Blue City of Morocco, as they’ve been popping up on IG feeds and pinterest walls for some time now. And if you haven’t, well, I’ll just sheeply ask, where have you been hiding the past few years? Instagrammers from around the world flock to the blue city, as well as others looking to take a day trip from Fes to Chefchaouen.

After visiting a few spectacular cities in Spain, my sister and I made our way down to Morocco, eager to check out the medina and indulge in all the tagines in Fez. And once the initial culture shock wore off, we were pleasantly surprised with our choice to include this northern African country on our itinerary.

We essentially had a free day, and while the bulk of our group were heading to Volubilis and Meknes, I made it my mission to head north to see the colors of Chefchaouen (pronounced Chef-show-win) once and for all. After begging persuading some others, we were able to get our own private transportation from Fes to Chefchaouen to visit the Blue City.

AND IT WAS A DREAM COME TRUE.

DEFINITE TRAVEL HIGHLIGHT SO FAR.

The walled city of Chefchaouen (which was actually closed to outsiders until the 1920’s) is surely a site to see. Any aspiring photographers will find this place a dream come true as the photo ops are seemingly endless.

There’s always another cobblestoned street to wander down, another playful kitty to watch, and never enough tagine to eat. After my Fes to Chefchaouen day trip, I can most definitely see myself returning again, next time for far more than a mere few hours.

P.S. → Chefchaouen is commonly simplified to “Chaouen”, so if you see/hear this, just know they’re the same exact place.   

Why is Chefchaouen blue?

Cornflower blue. Cobalt blue. Turquoise blue. Sky blue. It’s all just so blue – every single variation of the hue you can think of! Makes sense of course since Chefchaouen is nicknamed Morocco’s Blue City!

When initially seeing photos and beginning my research, I had wondered if the city really is that blue, or if it’s just a few streets or so.

Welllll, I’m happy to report back that the entire place is completely decked out in the stunning blue hue, and you’ll easily find photo ops around each and every bend. We actually got a tad bit lost since all the narrow streets looked so extremely similar in color – whoops!

You may be wondering why Chefchaouen, the blue city in Morocco, is actually blue, and there are quite a few theories! One popular (and quite practical) theory is that the blue color helps keep mosquitoes away, and I actually don’t remember getting any bites on my day trip to Chefchaouen (psst – I usually get eaten alive no matter where I go).

It’s also been said that the blue color helps cool off the city from the high mountain sun, and after experiencing Chefchaouen during their hottest month, I can understand why! Both very plausible theories!

Another common theory is that the Jewish community introduced the distinctive blue color in 1492 (20 years after Chefchaouen was founded), once they took refuge from Hitler to replace the green of Islam. Short history lesson: They’re now long relocated to Casablanca or Israel.

And lastly, it’s been thought that blue is a symbol of the sky and the heavens, which reminds us to lead a spiritual life.

So whatever the reason, I’m thankful the city is now dazzled in blue, as it’s absolutely spectacular.

When to Visit Chefchaouen

Since temperatures vary greatly, it’s important to plan your Chefchaouen trip during a month where you’ll feel most comfortable. It doesn’t rain much, so you don’t have to worry about precipitation in these parts thankfully! Just that nasty, nasty heat come summer time!

SPRING AND FALL: best time to visit Chefchaouen

Next time I visit Chefchaouen and Morocco in general, I want to do so in spring (March to May), when the temps aren’t ridiculously high and I can enjoy being outside for more than .2 minutes at a time. I also heard great months to visit are in autumn (September to November) as well.

Highs during this time range from 65°F (18°C) in March/November to 83°F (23°C) in late May/early September, so thankfully the days don’t feel as hot. There’s a tiiiny bit higher chance of rain, although not much. One main difference between spring and fall – spring is busiest for tourism (meaning higher accommodation costs) while fall is much slower.

SUMMER: worst time to visit Chefchaouen

Steer clear from June, July, and August, as these are the hottest months in Chefchaouen, with regular highs of around 96°F (36°C) in early-mid August.

We visited in late July and it was less than ideal – we were dripping in sweat from head to toe! Since you’ll want to respect the cultural norms, you’ll essentially be pretty covered up, meaning your clothing will force you to be warmer than average. Keep this in mind when planning a trip from Fes to Chefchaouen.

However, THANKFULLY the humidity is at bay come July, so those scorching hot temps won’t feel as uncomfortable with humidity levels of only ~40%.

WINTER: slightly chilly but pleasant

If you’re not scared of the cold, you may enjoy visiting Chefchaouen from December through February. And in all reality, it ain’t really that cold (I mean, I just came back from a winter in Banff where the temps were in the negatives every. single. day).

Temps in Chefchaouen range from a cool 65°F (18°C) – [pretty perfect if you ask me] to a slightly colder 58°F (15°C). Reallllly not that bad, like at all.

Currency in Chefchaouen (and Morocco in general)

Morocco currently uses the Moroccan dirham (DH or MAD), with the exchange rate being approximately 9DH = $1USD (at time of this publication, April 2019). Morocco is still very much a cash society, so be sure to have enough before heading out for the day.

In addition, some debit cards may not work at ATMs, so I found it to be a good idea to take out as much as I thought I’d need for my time in Morocco once I found an ATM that worked, and hid the money in different places in my luggage/backpack/wallet.

Thankfully there is an ATM in the middle of medina should you need to take out some cash while in Chefchaouen, but I’m come prepared  with money before arriving in case your debit card doesn’t work.

How to get from Fez to Chefchaouen:

Since Chefchaouen is basically situated in the middle of nowhere in the Rif Mountains, it’s not the easiest of places to reach. But thankfully, there are a few simple-ish ways to get there, they just take some time and advance planning.

If you’re aiming for a Fes to Chefchaouen day trip, you’ll need to plan out your transportation in advance. Or at least know your options.

Public transport/bus

Thankfully, the bus system in Morocco is efficient, clean, and usually on-time (good thing because there’s no train station in Chefchaouen!)

Get yourself to the CTM bus station (the largest bus network around, and conveniently located in the city center, although not walkable from the medina from where you’re probably staying), then take the CTM bus to Chefchaouen. It’s about a 5 hour journey from Fes to Chefchaouen, so not advised if all you’ve got is a day.

However, if you’re planning on staying overnight, the bus is a definitely a viable option. Check out CTM bus times here and book your ticket in advance if you’re visiting during a busy time.

Private driver/taxi

It takes roughly 3 and a half hours to drive from Fes to Chefchaouen.

We were in an air-conditioned shuttle and our driver was friendly and experienced. You’ll drive through some beautiful Moroccan countryside so be sure to stay awake!

You can get your hotel/guest house owners to arrange a taxi for you, although it’ll most likely be a bit more expensive than flagging one down on the street.

And just so you’re aware, a Grand Taxi (your best bet of getting from Fez to Chefchaouen) will be roughly 250 dirham ($25USD) per person (or 800-1200 dirham/$80-$125USD per vehicle). Remember to haggle; this is Morocco afterall! We were able to fill our taxi and therefore got decent rates per person.

Tour from Fes to Chefchaouen

If you don’t want to rely on public transportation or try your luck haggling with a private driver, a tour from Fes to Chefchaouen is your best bet. Not only will they pick you right up from your accommodation in Fez, but they’ll save you time getting a taxi and any worries about getting back to Fez at a reasonable hour of the night.

Highly advised if you don’t have enough people to fill a Grand Taxi and are only visited Chefchaouen for a day. And remember, while the the prices of these tours appear higher, they include transport back to Fez as well, unlike the private driver or bus.

Recommended day tours from Fes to Chefchaouen:

All tours are about 12 hours long and provide air-conditioned transport to/from Chefchaouen.

Option 1 // Option 2 // Option 3

Option 1 has tons of great views, is only ~$50 per person round trip, and is the best option in my opinion. It’s a 12-hour private day tour, so you can ensure you’ll have ample time to wander the colorful city and hear tales of culture and history from your guide. And even better, they pick you up directly from your hotel/riad in Fez.

Option 2 is similar to option 1, but you’ll also be able to stop at viewpoints along the way to capture photos of the city and visit the small waterfalls at the source of the Ras El-Maa River just outside the city as well.

Option 3 is a fully private tour for you and your friends/family. You’ll have time to visit the medina and can make other stops as you wish with your driver.

Making Your way home from Chefchaouen to Fes

As noted above, if you’re planning on taking a Chefchaouen day trip, you’ll need to find your way back to Fez of course! Because of this, it’s suggested that you take a tour.

If you are in fact staying over night and need to get from Chefchaouen to Fes, you can easily take the CTM bus back or hire a private driver.

What to do in Chefchaouen

You’ll undoubtedly want ample time to just wander and explore the little nooks and crannies of the area, but there are a few things you just shouldn’t miss while in the area!

Explore Chefchaouen’s compact medina: The medina of Chefchaouen is by far one of the best in all of Morocco – it’s small and relatively uncrowded, meaning it’s easy to explore it’s narrow alleys and steep climbs.

And yes, practically all of the buildings are painted that blinding blue color, so it’s quite easy to get lost considering the entire space is the same hue! Grab your camera and get wandering!

Go shopping in the medina: You’ll find a mesmerizing traditional souk (market) in the heart of Chefchaouen; don’t leave without stopping by. The area is most famous for it’s thick woolen blankets, chunky hand-knitted socks (great souvenirs), and goat cheese (which you’ll commonly find on the outskirts of the medina).

There’s tons of hassle-free boutique shops nearby with everything imaginable, from hand-spun pottery to artisanal soaps made right in the city. Don’t miss the main square (known as Plaza Uta el-Hammam) which is full of local shops and cafes.

Photograph the city: Yeah, yeah, this isn’t an actual activity specific to the city. BUT Chefchaouen is just so photographic, it’d be a shame to zip right by all the stunning architecture and blue hues without stopping to appreciate it from every angle possible.

I wanted to pose in front of about 100 doors, as each one was more intricate and beautiful than the last. I think I need to head back to Chefchaouen just to take more photos!

Say hello to the kitties: Trust me, you can’t miss them – they’re alllll over the place! And thankfully, it’s apparent that the locals of Chefchaouen truly care for all the cats and kittens wandering their streets.

When I visited, the little balls of fur looked rather healthy, and I didn’t see any starving to death like I did in Fez. In all honesty though, I’m not a cat person per say, so didn’t really interact with them much, but they definitely made a few of my photos more interesting!

Relax: Considering Chefchaouen is one of the most laid back towns in all of Morocco, take some time to just sit on a bench with some fresh OJ and people watch for a bit. Take it all in – the colors, the smells of leather and mint tea, the interesting clothing, the cute kitties playing.

FUN FACT → Chefchaouen is famous for its hashish (an extract of the cannabis plant // weed). You won’t realize it when walking around town, but 1000’s of people are employed in the marijuana business over in this region! Quite possibly the reason why everyone is just oh so chilled out here!

Hike to Bouzaafar, the Spanish Mosque for unparalleled views of the city: If you’re looking for those postcard worthy views of Chefchaouen from above, you’ll want to make the short trek to Bouzaafar, the tiny white-washed Spanish Mosque located about 30 minutes up in the hills.

How to get here → find the medina’s east gate and follow the wide dirt trail, cross the Ras el-Maa river (you’ll probably see locals doing their laundry here) and hike up into the hills for about 30 minutes, where you’ll ultimately reach the mosque!

Take a guided walking tour: since Chefchaouen is comprised of so many little nooks and crannies filled with interesting stories and hidden gems, it may be wise to take a tour.

Most guided tours will teach you about the majestic walls and gates of the town, share some fact-filled stories, take you through the flour mill, and show you around the small medina.

As noted above, we were given a guided walking tour of the medina from our private driver. You can take a guided walking tour here and here.

Do note that if you’re just visiting for the day, you won’t be able to do all of these activities. On my day trip from Fez to Chefchaouen, we were given a short guided tour to some of the must-see spots in the area, taken to a marvelous lunch at Aladdin Restaurant, then had about 2 hours or so to wander around ourselves.

What to Wear in Chefchaouen

Before visiting Morocco, you should read up a bit on the customs. Morocco is primarily a Muslim country, and alcohol consumption is strictly forbidden in the Quran (just FYI), but apparently marijuana is not (?).

You’ll want to dress modestly and respectfully while traveling in Morocco. Women should wear long skirts and dresses, or cotton, loose fitting pants (always covering the knee), and tee shirts that cover the shoulder area.

Sandals and sneakers are generally worn, without many wearing heels. It’s also a good idea to bring a scarf to drape around your head and shoulders as well if you don’t want to bring extra attention to yourself.

A few points to think about when planning your outfits for Chefchaouen:

• Be modest and respectful
• Cover your knees and shoulders
• Think about the color you’ll wear for photos! As you know by now, the entire city is covered in stunning shades of blue, which makes the perfect backdrop for photo ops.  Wearing white, pale yellow, pink, basically anything that contrasts nicely with blue, will look great in your shots!

Depending on when you visit, it may be exceptionally hot and sticky, so plan your clothing with this in mind. Loose tops and cotton bottoms (pack long pants/skirts for Morocco), comfortable walking sandals, and hats are definitely recommended. Pashminas and thin head scarves are recommended for Morocco as well.

The heat in Morocco is notorious, so please be careful and plan your days accordingly if you’ll be visiting when it’s hot hot hot. Make sure to drinks LOTS of water, apply sunscreen (yes, even though you’ll be covering yourself), and set aside time to cool off in the shade/indoors.

What and Where to eat in Chefchaouen

• Try traditional Moroccan cuisine; kefta to every kind of tagine and couscous available (at an affordable price), fish, spices, vegetables
• Fresh orange juice (no ice though!)
• Homemade baked bread in wood-fired ovens
• Mint tea (tradition in Morocco, and has great health benefits)
• Make sure to schedule some time to eat at the Aladdin Restaurant, as the views from up here are absolutely wonderful and the food is a decent price.

→ If you’ll be in other parts of Morocco and want to head to Chefchaouen, there’s day trips available from both Tangier and Rabat.

• Tangier is a bit closer to Chefchaouen than Fez at around 2 hours away, so you’ll have about 5 hours to explore the medina and surrounding area. Check here for prices and availability
• Rabat is quite far, at around 4 hours away, which will only give you about 2 hours to explore Chefchaouen. It’s probably best to stay overnight if you’re coming from Rabat, although not 100% impossible to do as a day trip.  Check here for prices and availability

Do you have plans to visit the Blue City of Morocco anytime soon? Be sure to take along your camera!

The post Fes to Chefchaouen Day Trip: Things to do in the Blue City of Morocco appeared first on A Passion and A Passport.

In spite of its compact size and proximity to the European mainland (even people who aren’t “travelers” vacation here, and frequently) Morocco can be intimidating. It’s home to countless amazing destinations, after all, and in spite of how mainstream it is, it’s still a developing country.

You don’t want to arrive to Morocco unprepared, for a whole host of reasons. With that being said, it’s best to plan out your Morocco itinerary ahead of time!

That’s the sort-of bad news. The good news? I’m here to de-mystify Morocco for you, and to simplifying the process of creating a Morocco itinerary that’s just right for you.

An Ideal (But Generic) Morocco Itinerary

I recommend readers of my blog to spend 10 days in Morocco, which I structure as follows. After arriving in Casablanca (and, optionally, visiting the Hassan II Mosque) get a train to Marrakech, where you’ll spend two nights. Take a bus to coastal Essaouira (and, optionally, head further south to the surf town of Agadir) before bussing it back to Marrakech two days later.

The next morning you’ll begin your three-day tour into the Sahara desert, which takes you over the Atlas Mountains and town the town of Merzouga, where you’ll begin your camel trek into the dunes. Continue from there through the country’s Central Valley to Fès, which will be your jumping-off point for the “blue city” of Chefchaouen. Finally, head back to Casablanca to catch your flight home (or somewhere else).

Here’s that Morocco itinerary in a nutshell:

• Day 1: Casablanca
• Day 2: Marrakech
• Day 3: Marrakech/Essaouira
• Day 4: Marrakech
• Day 5: Sahara desert
• Day 6: Sahara desert
• Day 7: Sahara desert
• Day 8: Fès
• Day 9: Chefchaouen
• Day 10: Casablanca

How to Personalize Your Morocco Itinerary

Morocco itinerary inspiration: If architecture is your priority

Marrakech offers incredible architecture not only within its city center (Djema al-Fnaa Square and the Marrakech Souks, to name just a couple of places), but also in the fabulous Majorelle Garden, which sits just outside. Likewise, architecture buffs might want to prioritize historical Essaouira over surf-town Agadir, and consider transferring their three desert days to Fès, if only to discover the city’s interesting Jewish heritage.

Morocco itinerary inspiration: If you want to surf

Of course, if you are a surfer, Agadir is by far the best place in Morocco, though you can catch some waves in Essaouira as well. Modify my generic Morocco itinerary to skew more toward a surf trip by doubling your time on the coast from two to four days (or tripling it to six!), and skipping either the desert or Chefchaouen.

Morocco itinerary inspiration: If the desert is your happy place

Most travelers take three-day desert tours, which means one day traveling from Marrakech over the mountains, one night camping in the desert and a third day driving onward to Fès or back to Marrakech. Continuing booking a four- or five-day desert tour not only to enjoy desert scenery for longer, but to get to know the kind and fascinating Berber people who live there. Check out my article about how to choose a Morocco desert tour for more info.

Morocco itinerary inspiration: If you’re looking for something different

The “blue city” of Chefchaouen is probably the most Instagrammable destination in Morocco (and, to be sure, it’s plenty strange), but there’s plenty of other abnormality to be had here. You’ll find the “Tree Goats of Morocco” in Tamri, near Agadir, though the “weirdest” thing about them might be the ethics involved in keeping them photo-perfect at all time. The desert kasbah of Ouarzazate seems rather normal until you realize just how many moneys have been filmed here!

When to Go to Morocco, How to Get Around, and How Much It Costs

Morocco is more or less a 365-day destination, though certain months are more ideal than others. Because summers can be scorching (especially in the desert) and winters colder than you might expect (also in the desert, largely), “shoulder” months like April and October are great times to enjoy comfortable, crowd-free trips to Morocco.

Getting around in Morocco leaves something to be desired, but is improving. While it’s anybody’s guess when the French-built trains based on TGV technology will become fully operational, trains between cities like Casablanca remain fast and modern by African standards. Beyond this, Supratours buses exist nationwide and with convenient schedules; if all else fails, hire a private grand-taxi (or share a collective petit-taxi) for more on-demand Morocco transport.

Morocco is more or less a budget destination—and at any budget. Which is to say that while backpackers can easily traveler here for between 25-50 USD per person per day, luxury is also attainable at low rates. It’s uncommon to spend much more than $100 per night on fancy riads (historical homes converted into hotels) in Marrakech, Essaouira and Fès; they’re even cheaper in smaller Morocco cities. Delicious Moroccan food (rich couscous dishes and sickly-sweet mint tea) is also cheap.

The Bottom Line

Whether you prefer to start with a generic Morocco itinerary and “wing it” once you land, or tailor your trip to your unique interests before you get there, being strategic is key to enjoying your Morocco trip. Morocco offers particularly rewarding options for lovers of history, nature and the quirky, but is diverse enough to suit most any travel interest.

Robert Schrader is a writer, photographer and creator of the award-winning travel blog Leave Your Daily Hell. Apart from Morocco, he’s visited nearly 100 countries, and documents his journeys on Facebook and Instagram in addition to his website.

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