A Charming Birthday Detour in Cancun

We normally travel in early summer before the rush but this year was a little chaotic and we missed our shot. We didn’t want to end the year without a trip, so since I was hitting the big 40 and James was in his final stretch of residency, we booked a little getaway to our favorite spot in Costa Rica.

When the time rolled around we were excited and ready but of course the universe had some other plans and a hurricane hit Costa Rica and damaged the airport runway. After getting stranded in Houston we thought we were about to turn around and head home, when Southwest said some late flights to Cancun were available. James was able to find a place that looked pretty charming so we bit the bullet and hopped on the emptiest plane we’ve ever been on. Literally there was two other people aboard.

Casa Tortugas ended up being amazing. It was a true hidden gem in the expensive resort-oriented strip. The view of the lagoon was honestly perfect- we enjoyed beautiful sunsets every night of our stay. We enjoyed perfect coffee and light breakfasts on the rooftop and within walking distance was Krudo, where we ended up eating almost every day. They had this octopus carpaccio that was absolutely divine.

It was a short trip but we soaked up every moment. It was certainly a perfect time to escape the winter blues and get some quality R&R before the holidays. And we were able to re-book our Costa Rica trip for the spring so truly a win all around.