The Trekking Pawns' Diary

Let me take you back to our first trip to Puerto Vallarta , because somehow I never wrote about it here — only posted snippets to our Instagram. It was a memorable arrival, full of little surprises, some sweaty confusion, and a whole lot of charm. We landed in late January , a great time to visit weather-wise. The immigration line ? Surprisingly smooth. I’ve seen horror stories on social media, but our experience as U.S. citizens was relatively easy. There were two options: Wait in line to speak with an actual immigration officer, or Use the automated kiosks — self-scan your passport, smile for a quick photo, and get a receipt with a QR code you need to scan and complete your immigration paperwork before leaving Mexico . Right at the top it said: “KEEP – DO NOT THROW AWAY.” You bet I tucked that away in a safe spot. Outside the airport, things were… chaotic. A lot of energy, heat, and noise. It was hot — much hotter than I expected for winter — and people were crowding aro...

I just realized… I never actually told you about our first trip to Puerto Vallarta (PV) here on the blog! I’ve posted bits and pieces over on Instagram, but it’s about time I gave this magical destination a proper shout-out. We traveled in late January into early February , and honestly? It was the perfect time to go. The weather was warm (okay, hot as soon as we stepped off the plane), but still manageable — especially compared to the scorching summer heat we've heard about. I can’t even imagine walking around town during those humid summer months. Winter in Puerto Vallarta, though? Just right. 🌞 Flying into Paradise We flew in from the West Coast and had quite a few options. While some of the more budget-friendly flights had long overnight layovers in Jalisco or Mexico City , we chose to spend a little extra and go for the direct flight . No regrets. It made our travel day so much smoother — less hassle, more time soaking up that sweet Mexican sunshine. Our flight itself...

  Because sometimes the best journeys are the ones found between pages. Okay travelers, we’re taking a brief detour from planes, trains, and cruise ships… and heading into the world of stories—specifically, the ones found in libraries. I love libraries. Like, really love them. There’s something magical about stepping into a new city’s public library—it’s like getting a quiet, cozy peek into the soul of the place. Whenever we can, we make time for a library stop on our adventures. The one in Nice was modern and calm, London ’s felt full of old whispers and literary charm, and Boston ? Absolute classic vibes. But even when we’re not traveling, we love checking out our local library to see what’s on display and what the latest eye-catching covers are. (Disclaimer: Some of the links on here are affiliate links and I may earn if you click or buy on them, AT NO EXTRA cost to you. Hope you find the information here useful! Thanks.)  And yes, I’ll admit it... I absolutely judge...

Exciting news, fellow adventurers — The Trekking Pawns are back at it and planning our next ocean escape! This time, we’re heading south for some serious sun and surf on a 7-day Mexican Riviera cruise , round-trip from beautiful San Diego . Our ports of call? The vibrant and beachy Cabo San Lucas and the tropical charm of Puerto Vallarta — two destinations we can’t wait to explore. We cashed in our CruiseNext deposits and scored a smoking deal — talk about a win! For this sailing, we treated ourselves to one night of fancy dining (because, why not?) and added an internet package just in case we need to peek at work emails. But truth be told, we’re hoping to unplug, soak up some November sunshine, and fully embrace that off-the-grid cruise life. One big reason we picked this cruise? On a past trip to Puerto Vallarta , we noticed a cruise ship docked in port for the day — and it sparked something. We realized how much more of Mexico's Pacific coast we wanted to see. Our last...