Travel Puerto Rico like a local: horseback riding on the beach

We’re riding horses on a Puerto Rican paradise beach. It’s a trail inside the Palmas del Mar resort where we spent part of our honeymoon 12 years ago. And it was “almost” romantic.

It must have been a romantic comedy or novel that my 13 year old self saw or read back in the ’90s that put in my head the notion that horseback riding on the beach is romantic.

I don’t remember Julia Roberts & Richard Gere riding horses on the beach in Pretty Woman, so if you can think of a book or movie with such a scene, please post a comment & help jog my memory!

I found myself today on a feisty horse named Tyson, riding on rolling hills, past a golf course and finally … to the beach.

Tyson was living up to his boxing-champion-inspired name. He was kicking the other horses on our tour and defying my orders (when he wanted to keep going, it didn’t matter how hard I pulled back to stop him. Tyson wasn’t losing that fight.)

My husband was there (my romantic dream is still alive!) But so were our two kids, the in-laws, and a nice couple from Illinois. And of course, some nice, local bilingual tour guides.

There we were (all of us), inside the tropical paradise that is the Palmas del Mar resort, mounting our Paso Fino horses at Rancho Buena Vista.

The surroundings were potentially romantic, the dream of galloping side by side with my hubby on the beach was still a possibility, and off we went.

The scenery couldn’t have been more perfect: blue skies, riding under thick green tree canopies and miles of beach, ready to be explored.

I have to admit, it was fun (really fun, even for a city-slicker like me!) The tour guides & Paso Fino horses do this for a living, so they make the ride easy and smooth. And watching my kids enjoy such a great adventure was worth the price alone.

Our in-laws, who live on the island, were the ones who suggested that we do this. Great travel tip from the locals! We could hardly wait, as we planned our vacation, to get the kids on the horses & hopefully share a romantic moment at some point.

The only thing is, unless you were to book a private tour for “just the two of you,” I wouldn’t call a guided group tour romantic. That for me would require privacy and seclusion of some sort.

Instead of romantic, I ended up with a super fun, laughter-filled, scenic, horseback riding adventure which I’m pretty sure our family will treasure as a favorite memory from our days in Puerto Rico. It was definitely worth it.

Travel goodies!

It caught my eye like an oasis in a germy desert. Did I just hit the health jackpot at the airport? 

  

I’m a mom of two, ages 9 & 6, trying to maneuver the three of us and our luggage through Bush airport in Houston, Texas. We are on our way to a little vacation to see the grandparents in Puerto Rico, when all of a sudden, I saw it!

I had heard and read a lot about The Honest Company, but had never been this impressed. They went through a lot of trouble to meet this reluctant mom where I was vulnerable–walking through a germy airport, trying to keep my kids healthy and away from getting coughed on by sick travelers.

I say I was reluctant, because when I buy products for my family, organic isn’t King. Convenience and “the best possible choice within the budget” reign.

But how cool that The Honest Company showed up with the coolest, most friendly-looking vending machine I have ever seen, almost as if to say, ” I know you’ve thought of trying our products, so we wanted to make it easier for you.”

I just wanted to say, thanks!