UltimateMama and her family took a quick trip to Lisbon, Portugal and discovered the beauty of the city.  The amazing food (and wine for the grown ups) was an incredible treat!  UltimateMama’s kids still rave about the Pasteis de Belem–a MUST!

A few tips on Lisbon:

-Stay at the Sofitel Lisbon Liberdade in Lisbon, Portugal.  The rooms are pristine and the buffet breakfast (included in our room rate) was out of this world!

-Visit the Tower of Belem which is on the Tagus River

-Walk by the Padrão dos Descobrimentos which is also right on the Tagus River

-If you are visiting in the summer of 2018 don’t miss the M.C. Escher exhibit at the Museu de Arte Popular Lisboa

-Head to Pasteis de Belem and experience the sweet delights (one can buy a few and eat them while walking around the city)

-Tour the stunning Jeronimos Monastery

-Eat lunch at one of the shops in the Mercado da Ribeira Time Out (which has great canned fish you can buy to take home too)

-Explore the Bairro Alto area

-Have dinner at Petiscos no Bairro

 

UltimateMama and her family hit Costa Rica in March and did a terrific day trip to Nicaragua as well.  Perfect weather, ideal scenery, and terrific food made for a great vacation for all in Central America.

A few tips:

-Stay at the Andaz Costa Rica hotel in Guanacaste and make sure you get the breakfast included in your room rate as it is expansive and delicious (monkeys even stop to take notice).

-Take advantage of the kayaks and paddleboards at the hotel’s private beach which you can reach by shuttle bus.  UltimateMama and her two kids even hit the Nature Center Papagayo Explorers Club.

-Use Tropical Comfort Tours through the Andaz to book excursions.  The Buena Vista Extreme trip didn’t disappoint with zip lining, the longest waterslide in Costa Rica, horseback riding, mud baths, hot springs, and lunch.  All near the Rincon de la Vieja Volcano National Park.

-Look into Tropical Comfort’s day trip to Nicaragua where one can take in breakfast, Lake Apoyo (a crater lake), Mombacho Volcano, Masaya Volcano National Park (active volcano), a carriage ride in Granada, and a boat ride on Lake Nicaragua.  The Garden Café was delightful for lunch and included Thousand Cranes, a great shop for local crafts and goods.

Pura vida!

UltimateMama and her family enjoy staying in condos when on vacation. She always makes grocery lists in advance so that she can swing by the grocery store and stock up on necessities for her family before checking into her condo. That way, all she needs to do is supplement here and there as the week progresses.  Also, there is no temptation to buy unnecessary items. 

By creating the grocery list a few days before she leaves for her trip she can also discuss the items on the list with her children who like to offer their input. This is a great way to involve the whole family in the process of meal-planning as well as get them excited for their upcoming vacation.

Below is a sample Grocery List for UltimateMama’s upcoming trip to Florida: