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How many of you have heard you will no longer be a How many of you have heard you will no longer be able to travel once you have kids? I find most people who say these things don’t even have kids or if they do they have never traveled with their kids!

I’m not really into counting countries and we enjoy visiting places more than once, seeing the beauty all over the US and right in our state too. You don’t have to travel far to give your kids amazing experiences but you can also take them wherever you want. Y’all know my motto, if kids live there kids can visit!! 

Where have you been that people said you were crazy for taking your kids (or your parents for taking you) but you were so glad you didn’t listen to them and went anyway.

#travellingwithkids #familytravel
Everything you need to know about visiting Chichen Everything you need to know about visiting Chichen Itza, one of the 7 Wonders of the World (SAVE + SHARE this post).

Chichen Itza is 2.5 hours from Cancun, 2 hours from Playa del Carmen, and 90 minutes from both Tulum and Merida.

You can get here by renting a car, booking a private tour on Airbnb Experiences like we did, coming on a tour bus or for budget travelers taking the ADO bus. 

Most tours from Cancun are all day long, leaving as early as 7/8 am and as late as 9 pm drop off. This is because you’ll visit cenotes outside of Chichen Itza and the town of Valladolid. Since we only had 4 days in Cancun we didn’t want to spend a full day on the road but also really wanted to visit so booking private transportation allowed us to skip all the other stops and just go there and back. We were picked up at 9 and back at the hotel by 4 so we could have a relaxing evening.

Current admission is $533 Mexican pesos for adults, $80 for kids 3-12 and free for kids under 3. That’s about $30 US for adults and $5 for kids.

Once inside there is the main attraction that everyone comes to see but there are also other Mayan dwellings and a cenote. I recommend coming with a guide or hiring an official guide once on site so they can give you information on the history.

Have you been to any of the 7 Wonders? If so, which one(s)?

Hubby and I climbed the Great Wall of China together in 2007, Jordyn, James and I have been to the Colosseum in Rome, the girls and I have been to Petra and we all visited Machu Picchu, Christ the Redeemer, Chichen Itza and the Great Pyramids of Giza together!

#chichenitza #7wondersoftheworld
Today is the last day of school and I could not be Today is the last day of school and I could not be more proud of Jordyn! Look at all those awards she racked up at her end of the year ceremony. She’s reading 3 grade levels above hers, was only 9 points away from a perfect score on her state reading test and made the Honor Roll every quarter of the year. It’s time to celebrate, let summer begin!!!
We’ve been to 34 states and while we haven’t v We’ve been to 34 states and while we haven’t visited them all yet these are 4 states you should consider visiting this summer. (SAVE + SHARE this list for inspo)

📍Idaho- Last year we explored Southern Idaho and it blew us away. City of Rocks National Reserve, Kayak to Shoshone Falls, white water rafting, and walking behind Perrine Coulee Waterfall are musts!

📍Alaska- We visited the South East part of Alaska, Juneau, Sitka and Ketchikan and WOW talk about stunning. You’ll love exploring ice caves, walking on glaciers, canoeing through ice bergs, seeing the volcano and hopefully spotting some bears!

📍Utah- From the famous national parks like Zion and Bryce to the lesser known areas like Kanab, Utah is stunning. You can’t miss sand boarding through Coral Pink Sand Dunes and ATVing through the gorgeous landscape.

📍California- Where else can you surf and ski/snowboard in the same day? California has the most national parks in any state so you know the beauty is beyond amazing. Having lived there for 3 years I’ve explored so many cities and there is something for everyone!!

Would you like me to share my website link for our itineraries for each of these trips in stories? Have you been to any of these? Which state intrigues you the most from this list? What city/state would you like to see us cover?

#visittheusa #bucketlisttrip #travellingwithkids
We have been traveling with our girls since they w We have been traveling with our girls since they were 6 weeks old. Is traveling with kids always easy? Nope! Are there added costs to traveling with kids? Yes! But having status with World of Hyatt has helped elevate our travels, making things a little easier and saving us money, here’s how (SAVE + SHARE this post).

1. Being a family of 4 standard hotel rooms can be kind of cramped. Having status with World of Hyatt means we’re eligible for free upgrades when available including suites as a Globalist.

2. Eating out for breakfast everyday on a vacation starts to add up really quickly. As a Globalist we get free breakfast for 2 adults and 2 children.

3. At hotels with club access Globalists also get free access which includes drinks and snacks, the perfect way to hold kids over until dinner without spending money.

4. I don’t know who decided 9 or 10am was a good time for check-out, hello we’re on vacation, we want to sleep in! Having status with World of Hyatt means you qualify for late check out at 2pm or 4pm depending on your level of status. So whether you sleep in, hit the pool or use the other amenities at the hotel you can enjoy a little longer. It especially helps us when we have flights later in the day.

5. After paying for our hotel room we hate having added fees. Thankfully when you have Globalist status with World of Hyatt resort fees are waived on free night awards and/or eligible rates.

6. Free hotel nights! There is nothing like booking a hotel and not paying a penny! Having joined World of Hyatt we rack up points (on more than just stays) and the higher your status, the more points you earn to get free stays faster.

7. As World of Hyatt members we even earn American Airlines miles on our Hyatt stays, getting us free flights faster to save even more money!

From being more comfortable to finding more ways to earn, you’re missing out if you haven’t joined World of Hyatt!

@hyatt #HyattPartner
4 Ways to Redeem Points at Hyatt Hotels & 7 Ways t 4 Ways to Redeem Points at Hyatt Hotels & 7 Ways to Earn World of Hyatt Points & (SAVE + SHARE):

Ways to Redeem
1. Redeem points for rooms at Hyatt hotels. There’s nothing like experiencing luxury without the cost, so glad I could redeem Hyatt points for this stay with one of the best views of Tokyo.

2. Redeem points to cover your meal at participating restaurants at Hyatt hotels.

3. Redeem Hyatt points to cover your spa treatment at participating spas at Hyatt hotels. 

4. Redeem points through World of Hyatt FIND experiences. With over 200 experiences like cooking classes, tastings, & walking tours there are so many activities to choose from!

Ways to Earn
1. Are you an elite member with American Airlines? If so, you can earn 1 Hyatt point for every $1 spent on AA flights. These are in addition to the normal miles you’ll earn on American, just sign into your AA account & link your World of Hyatt account.

2. Rent a car through Avis & can earn 500 Hyatt points per rental. Just provide your Hyatt membership number when making the reservation & use AWD code K817700.

3. Book a FIND experience by World of Hyatt and earn 10 points per $1 spent. Hyatt offers over 200 experiences such as culinary classes with celebrity chefs, hot air balloon ride in Arizona, guided bike tour over the Golden Gate bridge and more.

4. Even if you aren’t staying at a Hyatt property, if you eat at the hotel restaurant or book a spa treatment you can earn 5 points per $1 spent. We actually ate at a Hyatt restaurant in Kyoto & even though we weren’t staying there I gave my World of Hyatt number & received points!

5. Earn points on everyday spending with a World of Hyatt credit card: 2 points per $1 spent on restaurants, airline tickets, local transit, rideshares, & gym memberships plus earn 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases.

6. Transfer points earned on other credit cards who partner with Hyatt such like Chase Sapphire Preferred, Sapphire Reserve, Freedom Unlimited & Freedom Flex. 

7. Book a cruise with Lindblad Expeditions & earn 5 points per $1 spent.

Are you doing any of these?

📍Andaz Tokyo

@hyatt #HyattPartner
If you visit Lisbon or any mainland city in Portug If you visit Lisbon or any mainland city in Portugal I highly recommend adding a trip to Madeira! It’s an island off the coast of Portugal, actually closer to Africa than Portugal. Here’s how I spent 6 days in Madeira (Save + Share this post):

🇵🇹Day 1: Pool day at my hotel (NEXT Hotel) for most of the day and then I went running up the crazy hills of Madeira to see Funchal by foot.

🇵🇹Day 2: I explored the NW part of the island visiting Seixal Beach, Ponto Moniz, Fanal Forest and Ilheus da Ribeira da Janela.

🇵🇹Day 3: I went on a sidecar adventure where I explored Valley of the Nuns, the Cabo Girão Skywalk, and the fishing town of São Pedro with @madeirasidecartours.

🇵🇹Day 4: Whale and dolphin watching tour but we only saw dolphins. In the evening I did an Airbnb Experience at a locals farm house where he cooked a great dinner where 90% of the items were picked directly from his gardens that day. He also taught us how to make poncha, a favorite local drink. The tour should already be linked in my Maderia story highlights.

🇵🇹Day 5: I toured the SE part of the island visiting Ponta do Garajau, Monte Palace, and ended the day at the most beautiful views from Pico do Arieiro (the shots of me on the clouds).

🇵🇹Day 6: I watched the sunrise from Miradouro Ponto do Rosto and then did an 8 mile hike of Levado do Caldeirão Verde. After the hike I relaxed at the pool!

If you want photos taken in Madeira I recommend @robframing.

Honestly Madeira was everything and I don’t see it dropping out of my top 5 international destinations anytime soon.

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The Ultimate Guide to Visiting Portland Jamaica

July 13, 2019      Caribbean, Destinations, Jamaica

This post contains affiliate links. If you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small commission at no cost to you. Please see our disclosure policy for more information. All opinions are my own.

Portland, Jamaica is the most underrated parish on the island. Like the rest of Jamaica it often gets overlooked by Ocho Rios, Negril and Montego Bay, but it shouldn’t. There are so many amazing attractions in Portland and it’s more than worth a visit. If you’re ready to explore the side of the island most people don’t here is the ultimate guide to visiting Portland, Jamaica.

How to Get to Portland, Jamaica

Portland, Jamaica is on the east side of the island and two and a half hours from Kingston. The airlines that fly into Norman Manley International Airport are American, Jetblue, and Spirit, Delta, Caribbean Airlines, Air Canada, British Airways, Cayman Airways, Copa, and WestJet. You can rent a car at the airport from Alamo, or hire a private shuttle. If you do plan to drive yourself I highly recommend landing with plenty of sunlight left in the day as the roads are pitch black after the sun sets and there are a lot of potholes on the roads in Jamaica. There are two paths from Kingston to Portland, one is along the coastline going through St. Thomas. The other is going through St. Mary’s Parish. Either way if you have service on your cell phone you’ll be able to use GPS to get to your final destination. 

You May Be Interested in Reading This Packing List for Jamaica

Attractions in Portland, Jamaica

Reach Falls

You cannot visit Portland, Jamaica without going to Reach Falls. It’s one of the most beautiful waterfalls on the island. You can hang out at the bottom of the fall or get a guide to help you climb and go to the rabbit hole. I highly recommend doing this as the pathway is gorgeous. You can swim in the natural pools of crystal clear water to get there or walk along the path. Once you get to the rabbit hole you can jump into a hole and come out on the other side. It’s quite thrilling but not scary at all.

Please note it’s closed on Monday’s so plan accordingly. As of June 2019 it cost $10 for adults, $5 for kids, and children 4 and under are free. If you have a Jamaican ID or passport you’ll pay half price.

You May Be Interested in Reading: Travel Safety Tips You Don’t Want to Skip

Winnifred Beach 

If you’re looking to relax Winnifred Beach is the place to go. It’s a beach frequented by locals and is a free public beach. There are a few restaurants on the beach in case you get hungry.

Rafting on the Rio Grande

Rafting down the Rio Grande is a must do attractions in Portland, Jamaica. There are two options, you can do a 90 minute round trip raft which only covers part of the rio grande or you can take the two hour one way route. Unless you have a tour guide who can pick you up at the end you’d have to get back to your car on your own with this option. Up to 3 people can ride on each raft so if you have two kids or more you will have to get two rafts.

dad rafting on the river with two daughters

You May Be Interested in Reading: Tips for Taking Family Vacation Photos

Blue Hole

While there is a Blue Hole in Ocho Rios, this one is different. There are no waterfalls to jump off but the water is as blue as the sky and stunning. You can go rafting here as well although it’s not an official rafting site, rent a kayak or swim in the water.

Frenchman’s Cove

Who doesn’t want to spend the day at a private beach? As the name states Frenchman’s Cove is a cove so it’s not the widest beach. Still it’s beautiful and has a river adjacent to it that runs into the ocean. The river is much colder than the ocean but it’s refreshing on a hot day. It also has a few swings in the river which obviously make for a great photo.

Thinking of Visiting Other Islands: See Our Itineraries for Aruba, Cuba, The Bahamas, and Grand Cayman

Where to Eat in Portland, Jamaica

Each time I’ve visited Portland my hotel or Airbnb have provided breakfast so I’ve never purchased breakfast here. However, for lunch and dinner here are some of the best places to eat in Portland, Jamaica.

Boston Jerk Center

If you’re looking for the best jerk anything in Jamaica the Boston Jerk Center is the place to eat. It has all the best jerk shops in Portland and you won’t be disappointed! If jerk isn’t your thing you can still find many other options like conch, lobster and fish.

You may be interested in: Your Guide to Visiting St. Elizabeth Jamaica 

GeeJam

GeeJam sits on a big hill so I suggest eating here for lunch or an early dinner. This way you can enjoy the gorgeous ocean views while you eat. Besides the great ambiance, the food is phenomenal!

Frenchman’s Cove

It’s best to eat at Frenchman’s Cove the day you spend some time there as there is an entry fee. Still the restaurant right on the beach is very tasty. When you order they will bring a table and chair right to you so you can stay on the beach and enjoy the breeze.

Trident Hotel

The Trident Hotel has two restaurants on site and even if you aren’t staying there you can dine. If you want a nice sit down meal in Portland this is definitely the place to eat.

Where to Stay in Portland, Jamaica

Since Portland, Jamaica doesn’t get as many tourists as other parts of the island you won’t find any all-inclusive resorts here. To be quite honest you won’t find any household name hotels at all and your options for luxury hotels are limited. 

Luxury Hotel

If you do want a luxury hotel you’ll want to stay at Trident hotel. The property has 13 villas, each with a private backyard, huge bathroom and shower along with an outdoor tub. There is an infinity pool that overlooks the ocean, spa, movie theater, gym, and playground. There are also two restaurants on site that serve delicious food. We ate here for Father’s Day brunch which also granted us a day pass to stay and enjoy the property for the rest of the day. 

Boutique Hotel

If the Trident isn’t in your budget, as it wasn’t in ours there are plenty of boutique hotels to choose from. I’ve previously stayed at the Sea Cliff Resort (pictured below) but I can’t say that I found it worth the $300/night we paid. Still it has air condition and WiFi, which you won’t in all hotels in Portland, Jamaica. Our rate did include breakfast and all the rooms overlooks the ocean. While I haven’t personally stayed at either I have heard good things about GeeJam.

Airbnb

The other option for places to stay in Portland, Jamaica is Airbnb. You’ll find quite a few to choose from. We stayed in this Airbnb and while it had amazing views I wouldn’t necessarily recommend it. If you’re driving yourself it’s important to note it’s up a very steep hill and parts of the way up it’s a narrow road on the side of the mountain so if you’re not used to driving on these types of roads you may feel uncomfortable. If you’d be relying on taxis while you could get one to come back to the house getting one to go into town could be difficult. There is also no WiFi or air condition although fans are provided. Nervous about Airbnb? Here are 8 tips to guarantee a great Airbnb experience. If you’re new to Airbnb you can sign up here and save $40 on your first booking.

I hope the attractions in Portland, Jamaica listed has convinced you there is more to Jamaica than Ocho Rios, Negril, and Montego Bay. Portland remains one of my favorite parishes on the island. Another overlooked parish is St. Elizabeth but it’s gorgeous, check out what to do there here. Did you find this article helpful? Please share it!

The Traveling Child is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com, amazon.co.uk, amazon.ca. Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates.

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Hi! We’re The Hambricks

Hi! We’re The Hambricks

If kids live there, kids can visit! That's our motto and you'll often find us exploring destinations most don't find "kid friendly". We've traveled to 35 countries on 6 continents with our children since they were 10 weeks old and share tips to make it easier and affordable. But mom and dad are people too so we also write about solo travel, baecations and girlfriend getaways.

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