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    • North America
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        • Cape Breton, Nova Scotia
        • Whistler, British Columbia
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        • Big Sur, Pebble Beach, Carmel
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        • Woodstock, VT
      • Mexico
        • Riviera Maya
    • Europe
      • Florence & Tuscany
      • Munich
      • Puglia
      • Rome
      • Sicily: Syracuse & Taormina
    • Africa
      • Tanzania
    • Middle East
      • Turkey: Istanbul & Cappadocia
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Posts Tagged ‘diy’

How to Create a DIY Travel Scrapbook

Over the holiday break, I took a few trips down memory lane, living vicariously through past journeys that I documented in old travel scrapbooks.

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Hi, I'm Jillian

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Is Four Seasons Peninsula Papagayo worth the splur Is Four Seasons Peninsula Papagayo worth the splurge? Short answer โ€” YES! If this luxury hotel in Costa Rica is in budget, just book it. As a travel advisor who has visited over 40 luxury hotels with my kids, this one easily ranks in my top five worldwide. There are a lot of nice hotels with nice beaches out there, but this property always keeps us coming back for more. Hereโ€™s what sets it apart: 1๏ธโƒฃEndless adventures Have little ones ages 2โ€“4? Go on monkey sighting tours, kayak with mom and dad, or look for sea turtles right on the beach.โ€จAges 4+? Zip-lining, tree ropes courses, surfing lessons, and boating adventures.โ€จAges 10+? Scuba diving, mountain biking, and golf. The list goes on and on. The off-property adventures are just as special. One of our favorite days was hiking in the rainforest, spotting sloths and frogs, horseback riding, and swimming in the river after lunch at a jungle hacienda. My kids still talk about it! 2๏ธโƒฃBeaches that WOW. Youโ€™ll fly just a few hours from the U.S., but it feels completely otherworldly. Two calm beaches sit right on property (safe enough for little ones). And direct beach access โ€” which isnโ€™t the same for every hotel in the area. 3๏ธโƒฃAnd the service? Next-level. Coconut waters at check-in, kidsโ€™ tents and snacks waiting in the room, a butler who appears right when you need an extra hand โ€” and staff who genuinely care. This isnโ€™t just another resort โ€” itโ€™s a luxury hotel in Costa Rica that makes family travel feel easy, elevated, and unforgettable. If youโ€™re dreaming of a trip that blends five-star luxury with unforgettable adventure, this is it. ๐‚๐จ๐ฆ๐ฆ๐ž๐ง๐ญ โ€œ๐…๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐’๐ž๐š๐ฌ๐จ๐ง๐ฌโ€ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ฌ๐ญ๐š๐ซ๐ญ ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐š๐ง๐ง๐ข๐ง๐  โ€” ๐ˆโ€™๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐ฆ๐š๐ค๐ž ๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ž ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐ ๐ž๐ญ ๐ญ๐ก๐ž ๐›๐ž๐ฌ๐ญ ๐ซ๐š๐ญ๐ž + ๐•๐ˆ๐ ๐ฉ๐ž๐ซ๐ค๐ฌ ๐ฐ๐จ๐ซ๐ญ๐ก ๐ก๐ฎ๐ง๐๐ซ๐ž๐๐ฌ (๐จ๐ซ ๐ž๐ฏ๐ž๐ง ๐ญ๐ก๐จ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐š๐ง๐๐ฌ) ๐จ๐Ÿ ๐๐จ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐š๐ซ๐ฌ. #luxuryhotelcostarica #familytravel #travelwithkids #luxurytraveladvisor
If youโ€™re new here, hi โ€” Iโ€™m Jillian, and it If youโ€™re new here, hi โ€” Iโ€™m Jillian, and itโ€™s literally my job to scout out the best luxury hotels for families. The ones worth the splurge. The ones that make you say, โ€œThis was so worth bringing the kids.โ€ Not every five-star property gets it right for families โ€” but @fscostarica does. Hereโ€™s what I look for when I travel:โ€จโœจ Adventure right outside the door, but a calm, low-key vibeโ€จโœจ Rooms that actually work for families (think bunk beds + ocean views)โ€จโœจ Kidsโ€™ programs that make every age happy โ€” toddlers through teensโ€จโœจ Service that makes parents feel like theyโ€™re on vacation too โœจ Fresh and healthy food โ€” some kidsโ€™ menus are quite enticing ๐ˆ๐Ÿ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐ฅ๐จ๐ฏ๐ž ๐ฅ๐ฎ๐ฑ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ฒ ๐ญ๐ซ๐š๐ฏ๐ž๐ฅ ๐š๐ง๐ ๐ก๐š๐ฏ๐ž ๐ค๐ข๐๐ฌ, ๐ก๐ข๐ญ ๐Ÿ๐จ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐จ๐ฐ โ€” ๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ฌ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ญ๐ก๐ž ๐ฌ๐ฉ๐š๐œ๐ž ๐ฐ๐ก๐ž๐ซ๐ž ๐ˆ ๐ฌ๐ก๐จ๐ฐ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐ฐ๐ก๐ข๐œ๐ก ๐ซ๐ž๐ฌ๐จ๐ซ๐ญ๐ฌ ๐š๐ซ๐ž ๐ฐ๐จ๐ซ๐ญ๐ก ๐ข๐ญ (๐š๐ง๐ ๐ฐ๐ก๐ข๐œ๐ก ๐จ๐ง๐ž๐ฌ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ฌ๐ค๐ข๐ฉ). #luxuryfamilyhotel #luxurytravel #costaricawithkids #bestluxuryfamilyhotels #Traveladvisor
THIS LUXURY FAMILY HOTEL HAS IT ALL FOR EVERY AGE THIS LUXURY FAMILY HOTEL HAS IT ALL FOR EVERY AGE ๐’๐ก๐š๐ซ๐ž ๐ฐ๐ข๐ญ๐ก ๐ฌ๐จ๐ฆ๐ž๐จ๐ง๐ž ๐ฐ๐ก๐จ ๐ฅ๐จ๐ฏ๐ž๐ฌ ๐ฅ๐ฎ๐ฑ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ฒ ๐ญ๐ซ๐š๐ฏ๐ž๐ฅ! If youโ€™ve followed me for a while, you already know how much I love @fscostarica. But if youโ€™re new here โ€” hi, Iโ€™m Jillian, a luxury family travel advisor who helps families find luxury family hotels that are truly worth the splurge. At Four Seasons Costa Rica, adventure starts right outside your door โ€” ziplining, kayaking, snorkeling, surfing โ€” yet it somehow still feels low-key and effortless. On property, youโ€™ll find a complimentary kids club, a teen program, an incredible spa, and the kind of service that makes parents feel like theyโ€™re actually on vacation too. If youโ€™ve ever said any of these sentences, this luxury family hotel is for you:โ€จ๐ŸŒด โ€œWeโ€™re an active family โ€” always on the move โ€” but we also love luxury.โ€โ€จ๐ŸŒด โ€œI need something for little kids and teens.โ€โ€จ๐ŸŒด โ€œI want adventure nearby, but no itinerary-planning stress.โ€โ€จ๐ŸŒด โ€œ Weโ€™re planning a multigenerational trip for the ages.โ€โ€จ๐ŸŒด โ€œWeโ€™re celebrating a special occasion and want somewhere unforgettable (without the kids this time).โ€ I can book your stay here with free VIP perks โ€” daily breakfast, $100-$200 resort credit, and upgrades when available. ๐’๐ž๐ง๐ ๐ฆ๐ž ๐š ๐ƒ๐Œ ๐จ๐ซ ๐œ๐จ๐ฆ๐ฆ๐ž๐ง๐ญ โ€œ๐‚๐จ๐ฌ๐ญ๐š ๐‘๐ข๐œ๐š,โ€ ๐š๐ง๐ ๐ˆโ€™๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐ก๐ž๐ฅ๐ฉ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐š๐ง ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐ฌ๐ญ๐š๐ฒ ๐š๐ญ ๐จ๐ง๐ž ๐จ๐Ÿ ๐ญ๐ก๐ž ๐›๐ž๐ฌ๐ญ ๐ฅ๐ฎ๐ฑ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ฒ ๐Ÿ๐š๐ฆ๐ข๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐ก๐จ๐ญ๐ž๐ฅ๐ฌ ๐ข๐ง ๐ญ๐ก๐ž ๐ฐ๐จ๐ซ๐ฅ๐. #luxuryfamilyhotel #luxurytravel #costaricawithkids #familytravel
โ€œYou get 18 summers with your kids.โ€ When I f โ€œYou get 18 summers with your kids.โ€ When I first read that quote, I stopped dead in my tracks. Cue the yearning to freeze time. ๐Ÿ˜ฌ But then I realized โ€” the sentence isnโ€™t about guilt or pressure to do it all. Itโ€™s about permission to make that trip happenโ€ฆ like right now. ๐Ÿ’ช Because the truth is: thereโ€™s no perfect time to plan a family trip. It will never feel convenient. Kidsโ€™ schedules, budgets, and life logistics rarely totally line up. And yes, travel with your kids after 18 will hopefully still happen โ€” but jobs, spouses, and friends all make it harder to align in the same way. So give yourself permission to make it happen nowโ€ฆ perhaps a little imperfectly. If planning a family trip feels a little overwhelming, hereโ€™s how to set it up for success:โ€จ๐Ÿ’› KEEP IT SIMPLE: A long weekend or driveable getaway still counts.โ€จ๐Ÿ’› PLAN AROUND YOUR FAMILY โ€” NOT WHAT YOU SEE ONLINE: Adventure, culture, or total relaxation โ€” pick what feels right for your crew.โ€จ๐Ÿ’› ASK FOR HELP: A travel advisor (๐Ÿ™‹๐Ÿปโ€โ™€๏ธ) can find hotels and experiences that fit your family perfectly.โ€จ๐Ÿ’› LEAVE ROOM FOR REST: One big activity per day is enough (if you want it to be).โ€จ๐Ÿ’› USE THE KIDSโ€™ CLUB: and donโ€™t feel guilty about it! ๐…๐จ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐จ๐ฐ @๐œ๐จ๐ฆ๐ฉ๐š๐ฌ๐ฌ๐ซ๐จ๐š๐ฆ ๐Ÿ๐จ๐ซ ๐ฅ๐ฎ๐ฑ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ฒ ๐Ÿ๐š๐ฆ๐ข๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐ญ๐ซ๐ข๐ฉ ๐ข๐๐ž๐š๐ฌ + ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐š๐ง๐ง๐ข๐ง๐  ๐ก๐ž๐ฅ๐ฉ. As a travel advisor, itโ€™s literally my job to source the best places to go. I specialize in luxury family travel and can find you the lowest rates โ€” plus VIP your reservations with perks like daily breakfast, resort credits, and upgrades. Comment โ€œtravelโ€ if youโ€™d like to learn more. #familytrip #familytripplanningtips #familytravel #traveladvice
SAVE THIS IF YOU NEED A FAMILY VACATION IDEA FOR L SAVE THIS IF YOU NEED A FAMILY VACATION IDEA FOR LITTLE KIDS If you love luxury travel but have no idea where to take your kidsโ€”you just found your person. Iโ€™m Jillian, and itโ€™s my job to scout out the best 5-star hotels for families. If youโ€™re thinking, โ€œAre the 5 star spots worth the splurge for little kids?โ€ Iโ€™m a โ€œYesโ€ all day long. Hereโ€™s why Traveling with kids isnโ€™t always easy โ€” but hotels that focus on stellar service and unforgettable amenities, can really make all the difference. Your trip will actually feel like a vacation if you know where to go. And thatโ€™s where I can weigh in. As a luxury travel advisor, I help parents find resorts that are actually worth the splurge, and if you book with me I can also โœจ Find you the lowest rate โœจ Daily breakfast for twoโ€จโœจ $100 hotel creditโ€จโœจ Room upgrades when available ๐‰๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ญ ๐œ๐จ๐ฆ๐ฆ๐ž๐ง๐ญ โ€œ๐Ÿ“ ๐ฌ๐ญ๐š๐ซโ€ ๐›๐ž๐ฅ๐จ๐ฐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ ๐ž๐ญ ๐ฌ๐ญ๐š๐ซ๐ญ๐ž๐ The hotel featured here? @fscostarica โ€” one of my all-time favorites.โ€จThe service is fantastic, there is so much to do for all ages (both on and off property), the rooms are stunning, and the food is fresh, healthy and delicious. Bonus - itโ€™s also really easy to visit from the States. ๐Ÿ๐จ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐จ๐ฐ @๐œ๐จ๐ฆ๐ฉ๐š๐ฌ๐ฌ๐ซ๐จ๐š๐ฆ ๐Ÿ๐จ๐ซ ๐ฆ๐จ๐ซ๐ž ๐ฅ๐ฎ๐ฑ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ฒ ๐Ÿ๐š๐ฆ๐ข๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐ก๐จ๐ญ๐ž๐ฅ + ๐๐ž๐ฌ๐ญ๐ข๐ง๐š๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐ซ๐ž๐œ๐จ๐ฆ๐ฆ๐ž๐ง๐๐š๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐ฌ. FAMILY VACATION | LUXURY FAMILY TRAVEL | BEST FAMILY RESORTS | COSTA RICA HOTELS | FOUR SEASONS PENINSULA PAPAGAYO
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