SPRING BREAK OFF THE BEATEN PATH

The perfect spring break trip only requires two things - sun and sand. You can get your party on in Cancun or Las Vegas...or you can try something a little more adventurous.

Hike the Na Pali Coast


If you're ready for 11 miles of breathtaking scenery that can only be accessed by a tiny trail, you might want to hike Kauai's Na Pali coast. You can do the two-mile day hike or apply for a camping permit and try to see the entire stretch.

We wanted to do the day hike when we were in Kauai, but it was too rainy and my arm was in a sling - not a good combination on a slippery trail. At least we were able to get some good pictures of the coastline from our catamaran trip. My lovely friend Miaken is headed here in March and I can't wait to hear her review.

See Exotic Animals at Manuel Antonio National Park, Costa Rica

This gorgeous stretch of coastline is listed by Forbes as one of the most beautiful national parks in the world, but there's way more to see here than beaches. Manuel Antonio is home to animals that you usually only see in a zoo, including red crabs, frogs, sloths, and howler monkeys. We spotted an entire family of monkeys in the trees outside our hostel. Costa Rica is awesome in general, but this was by far my favorite stop on our trip (which I went on with Miaken, the same friend who is headed to Kauai. The girl is a world traveler!).

A few more ideas that I'd love to try....

Swim in the crystal blue waters of Havasupai Falls

Watch the sunset in Big Sur

Soak up some Vitamin D in Santorini.

If you're planning a spring break trip that will take you off the beaten path, tell me about it! We're staycationing for the next few months while Matt saves up some PTO at his new job, so I'll have to live vicariously through all of you.