Mindful Journeys: Connect with Family on a Trip to Puerto Vallarta and Yelapa
Family Vacation in Mexico
Soulful ballads being blasted on car radios buzzing by, stumbling upon a restaurant offering a dozen different Mole dishes in Oaxaca, cinnamon in my coffee and cotija on my huevos, walking across the Zocolo in Mexico City, in total amazement of one of the largest gathering spaces in the world, used as such since Aztec times! Mexico is so very rich with history, thought-provoking and vibrant art, and unbelievable food.
In 1999 my boyfriend(now hubby) and I spent 6 weeks traveling from the top of Mexico down to the bottom, popping out and into Guatemala and Belize and returning through the Yucatan. What a journey it was. Now we have returned with our two kiddos in tow…for a different kind of journey…one with more beach time and less chicken buses, but most definitely to show our children a little bit of the beauty and culture of this mysterious land. This trip takes us to the charming and festive beach town of Puerto Vallarta.
Travel with Kids
We planned this trip with some good friends who have similar aged kids. Traveling with friends who also have kids, is one of our big tips for travel with kids. Read more about traveling with kids, here. We met our friends at our hotel, Hotel Rio Malecon. It was a perfect fit for our group. When we travel we like to stay at a range of places from Hostels to luxury hotels. We like the experience of being at all kinds of accommodations and this also helps us budget, to splurge on higher end places here and there. Hotel Rio had an atrium centered around a pool with a restaurant and lounge right in the old town of Puerto Vallarta. We were within walking distance to all of the festivities this town had to offer. Evenings were filled with walks to dinner followed by a stroll along the beach side promenade to get the kiddos ice cream and watch the street performers. The next day we found an amazing breakfast café around the corner with chilaquiles to die for! Next up, a little geocaching before hitting the beach! If you are unfamiliar with Mobile app for Geocaching, check out this post about tips for traveling with kids. We love geocaching because it takes us off the beaten path to explore neighborhoods and areas in search of a hidden treasure!
Yelapa
The scene in Puerto Vallarta is pretty action packed, so after a few days we were ready to find a more tranquil environment. So we packed up, checked out of our hotel and caught a boat to the tiny car-free town of Yelapa, accessed only by a 40-minute boat ride. After a bumpy ride and a whale sighting, we arrived in Yelapa. We had arranged to stay at a vacation rental called Casa Flourish and the owners have care takers Yanet and Felipe to help you get settled. Felipe met us at the dock when we arrived and led us through the village, up a steep path and to our dreamy abode. The main living space was open air with views down to an infinity pool and beyond to the beautiful bay below. Gorgeous Mexican tiles framed the space and numerous balconies afforded views of the sparkling ocean.
While the Dads helped the kiddos find their rooms, the moms headed down the path to find the nearest grocery store to grab a few things to help us settle in. The village of Yelapa is a maze of pedestrian paths winding through houses, cafes and restaurants with gardens spilling onto walkways. It takes some getting used to but once there a couple days, you get the feel of the place and navigating becomes quite fun! Look out for neighborhood kids and wandering dogs, burros with loads of supplies and the occasional ATV!! Wandering around Yelapa gave such a fresh perspective for us all, a pedestrian lifestyle away from the hustle and bustle of a big city or even just a town with cars for that matter.We found a tiny little market with most of everything we needed. Plenty of fresh produce as well as a special soap to soak said produce in, a good idea for visitors to Mexico whose digestive systems may be a little sensitive to the local water. Anyways, knowing that we would be coming into this little store often during our visit, I stumbled through my Spanish and introduced myself to the store owner, a lovely older woman with the sweetest smile who was extremely patient with me as I counted my pesos. We picked up queso, tortillas, avocado and some cervezas. On our amble back we a noted a nearby pharmacy (you never know when you might need one!) and a juice bar, practically right outside our rentals' front entrance. Throughout our stay, our pack of kiddos loved venturing out on their own to get a juice at this neighborhood stand.
We quickly and easily settled into beach life in Yelapa. Just down the path from our house was an inconspicuous stairway leading straight down to the beach, lined with palapas and beach chairs. We ended up really enjoying Fanny’s Restaurant on the beach and got to know some of the staff there. Abel and Romero are two super sweet and helpful fellows to chat with for anything you need in Yelapa.
The next several days were spent exploring the village, renting a burro and trekking up to the waterfall, endless beach time and just hanging around Casa Flourish. The two oldest kiddos went parasailing around the bay one day. Us grown ups pretty much ate our way all over town, as the food here was really something special. We particularly loved Los Abuelos for emapanadas de camarones and Tamarindo margaritas!! Yes, please! Get there early as it gets very busy.
Another particularly memorable day was when we hired Felipe (Casa Flourish care taker) to take us out on his boat. We saw whales breaching and got to snorkel in a hidden bay. Amazing! later that day we made time for some Geocaching all around the village, which as always brought us to little corners of town we might not have otherwise stumbled upon. Lastly, another popular day trip in this area is to take a boat out to visit the Marietta's Islands, where you can see the rare Blue-footed Boobies! Yep, these pelican-like seabirds have blue feet! And of course the islands are simply beautiful.
If you are interested in helping out in the community, get in touch with Biblioteca Yelapa, a community project to increase literacy in the area. They are always looking for more helpers or extra supplies which you can donate.
Our time in Yelapa was a really special experience and an insight into a part of Mexican village life that is not always easy to come by. When it was time to head home we bid farewell and hopped on that bumpy boat ride back to Puerto Vallarta and later that afternoon caught our flight back to the states. We will most certainly return!
Be a Mindful Traveler
What does it mean to be a mindful traveler? The practice of mindfulness is all about being present, really living in the moment and soaking in what is in front of you. Perhaps listening deeply to another in a conversation, observing how a place or a life style is both different and/or the same as your own, connecting to people and places in a way that fills us with joy and illuminates the realization that we are all in this together. Truly at the core of all things is the pursuit of happiness. Check out this post about Daily Mindfulness Practice.
At My Peaceful Wild we strive to share our adventures in a way thatencourages others to go out into the world and participate in a style oftravel that is mindful and connects to a place with kindness andcompassion. Of course many have a “bucket list” of travel destinations,myself included. It is a big beautiful world after all! Along with goingplaces to see beautiful landscapes, cities, architecture, let’s worktogether to spread a message of hope, kindness, environmentalstewardship, supporting and celebrating local communities and cultures.Let’s get out there and experience a place as a citizen of the earth on amission to connect to a sense of place. What does it mean to be anOregonian, a Hawaiian, an Italian, a Mexican or a Kenyan? The world isso full of beauty, mystery, language, food, traditions, history, joy andsorrow. As you get out there and experience it, do it mindfully andwith compassion. Now go!
Be well, be kind and make time to get outside and explore!