UPDATE: August, 2024. Tragically, the Maligne Lake Tour is no longer something travelers can enjoy, at least for many months yet. Wildfires half-destroyed Jasper in early August of 2024. The community is rebuilding and there are plans to resume tourism activities as soon as possible. In the meantime, please enjoy my account of our magical day at Maligne Lake near Jasper in the summer of 2023.
My heart goes out to the residents of Jasper and I wish them all the best as they rebuild their glorious community.
For our full day in Jasper after taking the two-day Rocky Mountaineer rail journey from Vancouver, we decide to take a all-day tour with Maligne Adventures to Maligne Lake that includes a stop at Maligne Canyon and a cruise on Maligne Lake.
We are blessed with a beyond-perfect day—a toasty 25C/78F degrees, clear blue skies, and spectacular views in every direction.
A Maligne Adventures bus picks us up promptly at 9:30 am and we meet our friendly driver and guide Chloe, who is from the UK. She is an enthusiastic and knowledgeable guide who makes sure our tour matches the perfection of the weather.
Map of the Tour
Here’s a map of the area we visited, starting with the town of Jasper (1):
After picking up about a dozen more travelers, Chloe tells us that her colleague leading another tour has just spotted a bear on a road that will require a slight detour. She wheels the bus around and heads uphill towards Patricia Lake in search of the bear. Alas, we don’t find her (she was a mum with cubs), but no matter. Chloe informs us that bear sightings are less common in August. If we really want to see bears in Jasper, we need to come in the spring.
This is the only bear we see while in the Rockies–a stuffed one in the lobby of our hotel!
Learning About Local Wildlife
As she drives, Chloe provides a lively and informative commentary, mostly about the animals in the area. She reminds us that the animals are wild, including the huge, antlered elk often seen wandering the streets of downtown Jasper. They are most definitely not tame. She tells us that one of her colleagues recently had to intervene to save a child’s life when he spied the child’s family trying to put the child onto the back of a fully grown male elk like he was some kind of Rocky Mountain pony ride. Fortunately, he was able to stop them just in time to avoid what could have been a very nasty accident. Elk have extremely sharp hooves, not to mention deadly antlers.
We saw several elk on the trip, including these two–a male by the side of the road and a female in front of the Visitor Center in the middle of Jasper.
We learn later that Parks Canada will levy fines up to $20,000 on people who get out of their cars and approach wildlife. Good call! To their credit, Parks Canada does its best to try and keep bears away from humans. All garbage cans are bear-proof (and also pretty people-proof as I discovered when trying to open one to throw something away).
Bear-proof garbage can in Jasper
Bear Parts
After stopping to look at the elk by the side of the road, Chloe hands out two rubber bear claws made from the footprints of bears. The mold on the left is the paw print of a grizzly bear (yikes!) and the one on the right is the paw print of a black bear.
Grizzly paw on the right; black bear paw on the left
Chloe tells us the rhyme to remember when it comes to surviving a bear attack:
Black fight back, brown get down, white good night.
In other words, if the bear is black, you can fight back by yelling, throwing rocks, and making yourself look big. If the bear is brown (AKA a grizzly), lie on the ground face down (and presumably pray). If you’re faced with a polar bear, you’re toast. Polar bears don’t mess around. Neither do grizzlies, but apparently a grizzly attack may just be survivable. A polar bear attack is not.
I’d just as soon not meet any bear, except maybe a baby panda. If you get between a black bear and her cubs, you could still be in a for a nasty injury. I remember walking alone along a trail in Yellowstone National Park many years ago and feeling very, very nervous thanks to the many signs warning of bears (black & grizzly) in the area. I did a lot of loud singing and, after about a mile, decided that whatever view awaited me at the end of the trail wasn’t worth dying for and so turned back.
Maligne Canyon
Our next stop is Maligne Canyon where we leave the bus to do the short circuit around a portion of the canyon. It is incredibly deep and sculpted. Every time I lean over the edge to snap a picture, I worry that I might inadvertently let go of my phone. Chloe cheerfully informs us that if we drop our phones, we’re out of luck. She’ll not be going into the canyon to retrieve them! Not that she could. The water surges through the narrow canyon, every year sculpting more of the rocky sides into abstract waves. In winter, the river freezes and travelers can take guided hikes along the icy bottom. That would be pretty cool!
Beautiful Maligne Canyon
In Search of Berries
Chloe tells us that a typical bear eats about ten pounds of berries every day when they are getting ready to hibernate. She looks for a berry to show us and manages to find only one rather shriveled one that the bear that had just gone through the area had left behind. One of the people on the tour samples it and declares it very bitter.
We also learn about juniper berries and are each given one to sniff. I can’t place the odor until Chloe tells us that gin is made from juniper berries. They are certainly delightfully pungent.
Our guide teaching us about berries and bears
Disappearing Lake
Back on the bus, we continue on our way to Maligne Lake along an in-and-out road that skirts tranquil Medicine Lake, also called the Disappearing Lake because a unique underground drainage system causes the water level of the lake to vary from season to season, so that sometimes the entire lake disappears. Over the years, attempts have been made to plug the system to keep the water in, but to no avail.
The scenery encircling us is truly remarkable—endless peaks, steep hillsides, and an area that had been devastated by wildfire. The charred remains of the forest are another stark reminder of the power of fire.
Tranquil Medicine Lake AKA Disappearing Lake
Burned forest near Medicine Lake
Maligne Lake Cruise
We arrive at Maligne Lake where we have a few minutes to pick up a sandwich at the restaurant and then wait on the dock for our boat. We settle on to a warm bench and watch the lake. The couple from New York that we ate breakfast with on the Rocky Mountaineer gets off one of the boats and waves as they pass.
The boats that ply Maligne Lake are quite small and low to the water, with bench seats fitting about 40 people (although I didn’t count!). After a short delay, we board and meet our crew—Seb the boat driver, and Dec the guide, who keeps up an entertaining and informative commentary for most of the journey.
Boarding the boat for a cruise on Maligne Lake
The views as we cross Maligne Lake are spectacular in every direction—truly one of the most beautiful lakes I’ve ever been on. We set off at a sedate pace so that our wake doesn’t upset the many people sharing the lake in canoes, kayaks and even on paddle boards. I don’t envy them. They are one slightly- too-high wake away from ending up in the lake and possible death from hypothermia if they don’t get out quickly enough. It’s a glacial lake, which means it is very, very, very cold.
You can canoe across Maligne Lake to Spirit Island (our destination) in about four hours. That’s a lot of canoeing. I’m happy to enjoy the 30-minute boat ride.
Seb revs the engine once he’s out of range of the small craft and we set off for Spirit Island. I don’t know what to expect, having read nothing nor even looked at any pictures of the lake prior to our tour. Julia told me this was the tour to take and so here we are. I rather like that I have no idea what’s in store.
En Route to Spirit Island
Views are breathtaking in every direction on Maligne Lake
We round a bend in the lake to see tiny Spirit Island just ahead. It is actually an isthmus rather than an island, at least most of the time. If the lake water rises, the narrow strip of land connecting the island to the mainland is submerged.
Spirit Island is sacred land to the First Nations peoples who originally hunted and lived along these shores. As a mark of respect, visitors are forbidden to step foot on the island. We will pull into shore close by for a fifteen-minute visit on the mainland overlooking the island and the view.
Dec tells us to keep our gaze fixed on Spirit Island and asks us to figure out why it is so special. I dutifully stare at the island—more of a small outcropping iced with narrow, Alpine trees than an actual island. I confess I can’t see what’s so special about it, although I dutifully shoot a short video.
The Hall of the Gods
Our guide tells us to shift our gaze from Spirit Island to behold the view from the island. OMG! Aptly named the Hall of the Gods, the mountains rising imperiously at the far end of the lake are beyond breathtaking. Pictures can’t do justice to the view. This is a 3-D experience no flat photo can capture. Of course, that doesn’t stop every person on the boat from spending the next fifteen minutes on shore clicking away.
We certainly do! Here are just a few of the many pictures we snapped.
I feel like I’ve won the tourism lottery. This view will stay with me long after I leave the area. There is definitely something indefinably spiritual about it. No wonder the First Nations made the island overlooking it sacred.
On the way back across the lake, Dec shares more information about recent efforts by local First Nations people to reclaim their connection to the area. After many decades of separation from land that the government controls as part of Jasper National Park, the descendants of the original inhabitants return every year to conduct ceremonies on Spirit Island and throughout the area. Dec tells us that one of the hallmarks of their culture is to thank the natural forms we see around us every day–to say thank you to the mountains, the lake, the trees, and the bear, wolf, elk, and chipmunk. Doing so celebrates our connection with nature, and reminds us that we are not separate from it.
Take the Cruise
The Maligne Lake cruise is a must-do during a trip to Jasper, but make sure you book it well in advance. Several people on our tour had booked with Maligne Adventures after all seats on the boats (run by a different company) were already filled. Instead of taking the cruise, they went on a 90-minute hike with Chloe to Moose Lake where they hoped to see moose. Unfortunately, they did not see moose, but the hike on the brilliantly sunny day was a hit.
On the drive back to Jasper, Chloe continues to share her knowledge about the flora and fauna of the area. We pass an eagle’s nest and learn that eagles mate for life and return to the same nest year after year, repairing and adding to it to accommodate a new brood. An eagle’s nest can weigh over 1000 pounds.
An Afternoon in Jasper
Chloe drops us off in downtown Jasper and we wander around in the heat for a few hours, checking out the shops (not terribly exciting, to be honest), taking the obligatory photos with Jasper Bear statues, and grabbing dinner. We also see a female elk calmly munching the grass in front of the Visitors Center. She is not remotely bothered by the tourists snapping photos while keeping a respectful distance. Thankfully, we don’t see anyone trying to put their child on her back.
CN Locomotive from back in the day
By the time we walk the twenty minutes back to the Forest Park Hotel, we have just enough energy left for a quick dip in the pool and a soak in the hot tub. Later in the evening, we wander out to see the sunset blow up the sky above the mountains ringing Jasper.
Sunset over the Forest Park Hotel in Jasper
Accommodations in Jasper
Our accommodation at the Forest Park Hotel in Jasper was stylish and comfortable. The spacious room included a balcony with a good view over the parking lot and the mountains. Considering Jasper is ringed by mountains, it’s pretty hard not to get a view of mountains no matter where you stay. The Forest Park Hotel is a good choice when staying in Jasper, particularly if you are driving. It is a fairly stiff twenty- minute walk from the main part of Jasper.
View from the balcony of our room at the Forest Park Hotel.
Here are other accommodation options in Jasper. Note that Jasper is an extremely popular destination in the Canadian Rockies, which means that hotels regularly sell out. When Julia booked the Forest Park Hotel for us over six weeks before our trip, she got one of the last rooms. People who arrive in Jasper during the summer without booked accommodation are often obliged to drive many hours to find a place to stay. Jasper is pretty remote! So definitely plan ahead! Oh – and be prepared for some serious sticker shock. Hotels in Jasper are not budget, even the budget ones!
A weekend getaway in Seattle yields plenty to do for the artsy minded traveler. I’ve lived in Vancouver all my life, which is just three hours north of Seattle, and yet I’ve only been to Seattle a handful of times, not counting stops at the airport en route to somewhere else. It’s just never a city I think of visiting when contemplating a weekend away. Well, my loss. A weekend away in Seattle is a fantastic Artsy Traveler option for this Vancouver-based gal.
My reason for a quick visit was to see a production of the musical Six which was not going to come to Vancouver. I’d seen Six in London the year before and knew my daughter Julia (check out her crochet art on Wayward Pineapple Creations!) would love it, so I suggested we take a weekend trip.
Here’s how it went!
Getting to Seattle
Although Seattle is only a three-hour drive from Vancouver, that number can easily double thanks to delays at the border and horrendous traffic around Seattle. I don’t fancy risking that much time behind the wheel, so we opt to take the train.
Taking the Train
Good call! The Amtrak train from Vancouver to Seattle takes just under four hours and costs about $60 return—a bargain by any stretch. The train goes all the way to Eugene in Oregon, stopping at several towns along the way, including Bellingham, Edmonds, Tacoma, and Portland. Much of the journey is very scenic.
View from the train on the way to Seattle from Vancouver
We hop on the train in central Vancouver at 6 pm Friday evening and arrive at King Street Station in downtown Seattle at 11 pm. The seats are fairly comfortable and the views of the ocean after leaving the border at Blaine exceedingly lovely. Note that there is very little food available on board. If you’d like to eat well, pack a meal.
A taxi takes us swiftly through quiet downtown streets to the Paramount Hotel, a stone’s throw from the Paramount Theater where we’ll be seeing Six the next evening.
Orientation to Seattle
The map below includes the places mentioned in this post. Click a number to find out more information.
We stayed at the Paramount Hotel (#1) in Seattle, which is overpriced, but then so are all of the nicer downtown hotels in Seattle. Once you get over the sticker shock, it’s a good choice–comfortable with a friendly staff and an excellent breakfast. And its central location is a plus—steps from the monorail to take us to the Space Needle and Chihuly Gardens and a pleasant downhill walk to Pike’s Place Market.
On our one full day in Seattle, we’re up early, and after breakfast, off to find the monorail. Built in 1962 for the Seattle World’s Fair on the site of what is now Seattle Center, the monorail trundles dutifully between downtown and Seattle Center where we plan to spend the day. There’s a LOT to do there for the Artsy Traveler.
It’s a gloriously sunny day and so we decide that our first stop should be the Space Needle (#2). I have a vague memory of visiting Seattle when I was about seven years old in 1963, the year after the Seattle World’s Fair. I do remember standing at the base of the Space Needle and looking way, way up and thinking it was the most amazing thing I’d ever seen. It was so ultra-modern—just like The Jetsons, which was a favorite of my brother’s and mine in those innocent times.
The Space Needle still looks pretty cool to me
Going Up the Space Needle
We arrive at Seattle Center, a 74-acre complex in the heart of the city housing top attractions such as the Space Needle, International Fountain, Chihuly Garden and Glass, Pacific Science Center, Museum of Pop Culture, and Seattle Children’s Museum. Although it’s still quite early in the day, crowds are already forming, particularly to go up the Space Needle.
We’re worried the wait may be too long, but the attendant assures us that the lines will get much longer as the day continues. He’s right, we discover later, when we descend the tower and find the line three times longer than it was when we went up. Fortunately, the line snakes past displays chronicling the building of the Space Needle and its opening on April 21, 1962.
Finally, we get to the elevator and are whisked to the top in a dizzying ascent. The attendant welcomes us and tells us about the Space Needle in an impressively timed spiel that lasts exactly 90 seconds. She does this about 25 times an hour all day long.
What’s Up Top at Seattle’s Space Needle
At the top of the Space Needle, the attraction is, well, a view, but what a view! The city of Seattle spreads below us and in the distance are the massive bulks of Mount Rainier and Mount Baker. We circle the viewing platform a few times and then head down one level to the much-vaunted glass-bottomed viewing area. It’s a little freaky to step out onto the glass and look straight down, particularly because the glass portion is rotating.
The view over Lake Union in Seattle particularly interests me. Lake Union Publishing (so named because it is located near Lake Union in Seattle) is the publisher of my first two historical novels: The Towers of Tuscanyand A Woman of Note. So I have a bit of a soft spot for it. The view from so high up is pretty darned stunning.
View of Lake Union in Seattle
Someone kindly offers to take our picture. We settle onto one of the benches thoughtfully provided around the perimeter of the viewing platform.
Julia & Carol at the top of the Space Needle overlooking a view of downtown Seattle
Downtown Seattle with Mount Rainier in the distance
We finally descend to the earth and prepare for our next attraction—and the one I’m looking forward to most—Chihuly Garden and Glass.
Visiting Chihuly Garden and Glass
Ever since my first visit to Venice back in the 1990s, I’ve adored glass art so it’s no wonder that I’m a huge fan of Dale Chihuly, who is one of the world’s foremost glass artists. In a career spanning many decades, Chihuly really has put glass art on the map. His pieces sell for thousands, even millions for the really big ones, and he’s been the mastermind behind numerous massive installations in Venice, Jerusalem, Sweden, and more.
From the moment I step into the museum, the creativity and sheer gorgeousness of Chihuly’s work entrances me. A series of beautifully curated rooms display several of his most iconic series. Each room is more jaw-dropping than the one before.
Winter Brilliance
An explosion of sharp, white stars greets us when we enter the first room. Called Winter Brilliance, the stars were commissioned by Barneys New York in 2015 for its holiday window display. A quote from Chihuly accompanies the display: Ice is one of my favorite materials to work with because of the way it interacts with light. It inspired me to create the icicle form.
Winter Brilliance
Sealife Room
The Sealife Room is dominated by the massive 15-foot Sealife Tower that takes its inspiration from the sea and Puget Sound. According to the plaque, The Towers evolved from Chihuly’s desire to present sculptures in places where ceiling structures could not withstand the weight of his Chandeliers (we see them later in the museum). This impressive piece gets even better when examined up close.
Sealife Tower
Close-up of the glass forms that make up the Sealife Tower
Around the perimeter of the Sealife room are several smaller sculptures of sea creatures. I am totally captivated by the whimsy and the detail. Chihuly truly is a master!
Here are just a few of my favorites.
Chihuly’s sealife creatures – octopus, crab, tiny octopus, and turtle
Persian Ceiling
Gasps abound and necks crane back as the crowd (which is considerable) moves into the next room to behold the Persian Ceiling. Chihuly began the pieces in the Persians series as pedestal compositions, then mounted larger forms to walls and suspended them as overhead compositions. The effect truly is immersive. I feel like I’m walking into a kaleidoscope and long to stand in the middle of the room and twirl myself, head thrown back.
Chihuly’s Persian Ceiling
Large Room Full of Glass!
I neglected to read the name of the next room because I was too busy swooning. I mean, honestly, the sheer inventiveness of the forms, the riot of color, the creative ways in which the pieces are displayed are simply breathtaking.
An endless riot of color and form
Chihuly’s Drawings
Chihuly also creates two-dimensional works that often form the basis for his 3-D glass sculptures. As the partner of a visual artist, I was fascinated by these pieces. He apparently began making these drawings after dislocating his shoulder and losing sight in his left eye. His Burned Drawings explore color and texture in new ways. He draws on heavyweight watercolor paper with acrylics, dry metallic pigment, charcoal and graphite, and even burns the paper surface with an acetylene torch.
I love the freedom of these drawings–the texture and the gestural nature of the forms. Chihuly states: Drawing really helps me to think about things. I’m able to draw and work with a lot of color and that inspires me.
Drawings by Chihuly
Ikebana and Float Boats
Just when I’m thinking the displays can’t get any more jaw-dropping, we walk into the next room to see the Ikebana and Niijima Float Boats. One of the wooden boats is filled with Ikebana elements–long, flower-like glass stems inspired by the Japanese art of Ikebana. The other contains Niijima Floats, inspired by Chihuly’s trip to the Japanese island of Niijima and by childhood memories of discovering Japanese fishing net floats along the beaches of Puget Sound (Chihuly is from the Seattle area).
The placement of the boats on a polished black floor produces pristine reflections that double the sensory pleasure of the installation. The orbs in particular look so inviting. They remind me of giant version of the marbles I played with as a child.
Ikebana boat (left) and Niijima Floats (right)
Chandeliers
The next room bristles with Chihuly’s Chandeliers. Inspired by his interest in architectural settings and how art interacts in spaces, Chihuly has mounted various installations of the Chandeliers over the years. One of the most notable was the 1995-96 project called Chihuly Over Venice during which Chihuly had thirteen Chandeliers hung at outdoor sites throughout Venice. The current room includes five installations inspired by Chihuly Over Venice. Here are two of them.
Two Chihuly Chandeliers
Macchia Forest
I’m seriously starting to suffer from the Stendhal effect as we drift into yet another room full of treasures. The variety and depth of Chihuly’s creative output is staggering. I would be hard pressed to choose a favorite room, but the dizzying display in the Macchia Forest room is a strong contender. Chihuly began the Macchia series in 1981 with the desire to use all 300 colors available to him in the hotshop (where the glass is made). The word macchia means “spot” in Italian.
While devising the series, Chihuly realized that the color in glass panes in a stained glass window look more vibrant against a cloudy sky than a blue sky. As a result, he created these pieces by adding a white layer in between – like a “cloud”. Each of the works is speckled with color, which is the result of rolling the molten glass in small shards of colored glass during the blowing process. A lip wrap of a contrasting color is then added to complete the piece. I could have stayed in the Macchia Forest all day!
Pieces in the Macchia Forest
Chihuly Films
The awesomeness of the Chihuly Garden and Glass doesn’t stop with the indoor displays. We crowd into a theater to watch five short documentaries about Chihuly’s work. It’s fascinating to find out how he oversaw his teams to produce huge installations all over the world, including Venice, Finland, and Jerusalem.
The series of five documentaries provides fascinating insights into Chihuly’s work
Glasshouse and Glasshouse Sculpture
By the time we make it to the massive atrium adorned with one of his largest works (and that’s saying something), I’m reeling. The massive glass sculpture suspended from the glass roof defies gravity and description. It is touted as the centerpiece of Chihuly Garden and Glass and is the result of Chihuly’s dream to create a glasshouse with artwork within it. The design draws inspiration from two of Chihuly’s favorite buildings: Sainte-Chappelle in Paris (no surprise there) and the Crystal Palace in London.
At 100 feet long and comprised of many individual elements, the Glasshouse Sculpture is also one of Chihuly’s largest suspended sculptures.
Into the Gardens
I realize I’m gushing in this post about our visit to Chihuly Garden and Glass (#3), but I can’t help myself. The complex is one of the finest I’ve seen anywhere in the world. Not only is Chihuly’s work fabulous, but the way it’s displayed, with plenty of informative descriptions, is truly inspiring.
We float from the lovely air-conditioned museum into the hot garden. But who can think of heat with so much beauty all around? Plants combine with glass objects to produce a magical series of outdoor rooms, each more whimsical than the one before. I am in seventh heaven!
This is Artsy Travel at its finest.
The Garden at Chihuly Garden and Glass
I defy anyone to visit Chihuly Garden and Glass and not smile. The whole place is a celebration of pure joy.
Visit Chihuly Garden and Glass seven days a week. It’s located in Seattle Center at the base of the Space Needle and steps from the monorail station.
Lunch at Seattle Center
After enjoying the gardens, we enter a very large indoor market with several food outlets. Julia opts for okay tacos and I make the mistake of ordering the seafood special at a fish and chips place. A massive mound of french fries vies for greasy supremacy with a large hunk of deep-fried fish, several deep-fried oysters, some deep-fried prawns, and maybe even a scallop or two. All fried. Heart attack in a basket. But, to be fair, it tastes amazing. My arteries will never be the same.
A Visit to MoPOP
Thus fortified, we go to MoPOP – AKA the Museum of Popular Culture (#5). Julia wants to see the special exhibition of the art of LAIKA, a stop-motion animation studio.
The roofs of MOPOP seen from the Space Needle
LAIKA redefined stop-motion animation with the instant classic Coraline back in 2009. Since then, LAIKA has been nominated for an Oscar five times. In the Hidden Worlds: The Films of LAIKA exhibition, we get a behind-the-scenes look at many of the company’s groundbreaking production techniques. Beautiful models plus several short films describe the techniques and make for a compelling exhibition, well worth the extra cost. I learn a lot about stop-motion animation and am impressed by the incredible patience required to make the various characters move.
LAIKA characters displayed as part of the special exhibition
Enjoying MoPOP
There’s a lot to enjoy at MoPOP, particularly for fans of popular music and genres such as science fiction and fantasy. Highlights include the massive guitar sculpture in the foyer and an exhibition of great figures in science fiction and fantasy that includes Mary Shelley.
Mary Shelley & Guitars at MoPOP
As well, there are displays about films in three genres: science fiction, fantasy, and horror. I skip the horror display, but thoroughly enjoy the science fiction and fantasy displays.
If you’re into making music, MoPOP has several sound studios in which you can practice instruments and compose your own pieces. It really is a marvelous place, worthy of several hours.
Performance of Six
The sold-out performance of Six was raucous and loud (the audience) and well-performed (the six queens). It’s an enjoyable show with excellent singing and an entertaining premise. If you haven’t seen Six and you’re a fan of energetic singing with a sprinkling of Tudor history (Six refers to the six wives of Henry VIII), then get tickets when a production comes to your area.
Paramount Theater in Seattle
Day 2 in Seattle: Exploring Pike’s Place Market & the Beach
We decide to spend the morning at Pike’s Place Market, a ten-minute walk from our hotel, and the afternoon with friends of Julia’s who take us on a drive to the beach. We could have opted to visit the Seattle Art Museum, but I’ll leave that for another trip.
Pike’s Place Market
On a hot and sunny Sunday morning, the market (#6) is hopping. We arrive around 10, just in time to join the hordes of cruise ship passengers from the three cruise ships currently docked in Seattle harbor. At times, it’s a struggle to make our way through the narrow aisles, but we enjoy checking out the many stalls.
Pike’s Place Public Market in Seattle
As an inveterate lover of souvenirs, I purchase a blue glass heart in memory of our Chihuly visit, a beautiful glass pendant, and about two pounds of soap. After picking out what I thought was a pound’s worth, the attendant tells me I’m at 14 ounces and if I get just a few more pieces, I’ll have a pound and then I can get an additional pound for free. Always a sucker for a bargain, I keep adding pieces of scented soap (patchouli, lavender, peppermint and more) until I have my two pounds. I now have enough soap to last a year but that’s okay. It’s not like I’ll ever not have a reason to use it.
On the Beach and Home Again
We spend the afternoon with Julia’s friends on a long stretch of sandy beach outside of Seattle and overlooking Puget Sound. The water is very cold and none too clean. I take a very quick dip just to say I have.
Afternoon on the beach
At 6 pm, we board the train at King Street station for the four-hour journey home. As a result of delays, the journey is more like seven hours, but I don’t mind. I still prefer the train to driving! Even if it’s not always faster, it’s much more relaxing.
Conclusion
Our weekend away in Seattle was packed full and fun, with the hands-down highlight being the Chihuly Garden and Glass. It’s a marvel that is well worth the price of admission–and then some.
Have you visited Seattle? Share your recommendations in the comments below.
And here are some more posts about destinations in North America:
UPDATE: August, 2024. Tragically, the Rocky Mountaineer trip to Jasper has been suspended, likely to the end of the season. Wildfires half-destroyed Jasper in early August of 2024. The community is rebuilding and there train will resume the Jasper route for 2025. In the meantime, please enjoy my account of my fabulous two-day trip on the Rocky Mountaineer train from Vancouver to Jasper in the summer of 2023.
My heart goes out to the residents of Jasper and I wish them all the best as they rebuild their glorious community.
In August of 2023, I took the famed Rocky Mountaineer train journey from Vancouver to Jasper in the Canadian Rockies with Julia, my daughter and frequent travel companion. I’ve lived in British Columbia all my life and see mountains and trees out my window every day. Would I appreciate the scenery as much as, say, someone from Texas or Oklahoma or London or even Toronto? For people from other parts of the world, the wild BC landscape is as much a novelty as the Yangtze River or African veldt would be for me.
As it turns out, this BC girl thoroughly enjoyed the two-day Rocky Mountaineer train journey from my backyard to the majestic Rocky Mountains. Awesome scenery, fabulous service, and excellent amenities combined to make the trip truly bucket-list-worthy.
This post provides a full account of the trip, from boarding in Vancouver, British Columbia, to disembarking in Jasper, Alberta. Read on to find out if a trip on the Rocky Mountaineer is an experience you too would enjoy.
Day One
Rocky Mountaineer offers three routes featuring the awe-inspiring landscapes of British Columbia and the Rocky Mountains in Alberta:
First Passage to the West: Vancouver to Banff and Lake Louise via Kamloops
Journey Through the Clouds: Vancouver to Jasper via Kamloops
Rainforest to Gold Rush: Vancouver to Jasper via Whistler and Quesnel
We chose the Journey Through the Clouds–a two-day journey from Vancouver to Jasper. Day One takes us to Kamloops in the Interior region of British Columbia, and Day Two takes us the rest of the way to Jasper in Alberta.
Arrival at the Rocky Mountaineer Station in Vancouver
At 6:30 am, we’re out front of Julia’s apartment in North Vancouver, waiting for the Uber that whisks us across the bridge to the Rocky Mountaineer station in Vancouver for the start of our two-day adventure. Attendants welcome us with cheery efficiency into the cavernous Rocky Mountaineer station flooded with early-morning light. We soon discover that cheery efficiency characterizes every moment of the service to come. Everyone who works on the train is cheery; I presume it’s a job requirement. But it feels genuine. I sense that the people who work with guests at Rocky Mountaineer truly relish their jobs.
I enjoy my first coffee of the day at the station and look around at my fellow travelers. While I spy a few families, the majority of the passengers are couples hailing from Australia, Britain and the United States, at least judging from most of the accents I hear. I know from going on several Alaskan cruises over the years that many travelers combine a trip on the Rocky Mountaineer with a cruise to Alaska and a few days’ stay in Vancouver. Although biased, considering it’s my home town, I have to say that Vancouver is worth at least a two-night stay.
A Piper Pipes Us Aboard the Rocky Mountaineer
A piper in full Scots regalia takes up his position in front of the doors leading to the train and begins to play. I do love the sound of the pipes! The cheery train manager who will accompany us to Jasper welcomes us and then asks us all to shout All Aboard. Moments later, we follow the other passengers out to the platform.
The skirl of the pipes welcomes us on board the Rocky Mountaineer
We walk a few yards down the tracks to our GoldLeaf car—a double-decker with the seating area in a domed car on the top level and the dining car below.
Boarding the Rocky Mountaineer in Vancouver
Two Levels of Service on the Rocky Mountaineer
The Rocky Mountaineer train offers two levels of service—SilverLeaf and GoldLeaf. The scenery is the same, as is the level of cheeriness from the onboard hosts, but the seats in GoldLeaf are more comfortable and the cars are two levels. The dome car on the top level affords views for miles and the dining room on the bottom level hosts two seatings for a gourmet breakfast and lunch each day. An onboard chef prepares all the food to order.
In SilverLeaf, the food is pre-prepared and reheated on board, similar to first-class plane fare, and delivered to people’s seats. Also, the SilverLeaf cars are one level and, while equipped with large windows, are not as airy and high up as the dome cars in GoldLeaf. Both are good choices, depending on your budget.
Our Onboard Seating in Rocky Mountaineer’s GoldLeaf Class
The sun streams through the fully-glassed-in dome car as we make our way to our assigned seats. There is ample leg room and all sorts of intriguing seat controls. I can choose three temperatures to warm my bottom, from mildly tingling to full-on torrid. Considering the air conditioning is cranked a little too high, I’m grateful that at least my nether regions are toasty.
There are also controls for raising the leg rest, reclining the seat without affecting the people behind (a nice touch), and even a rather lovely lumbar support. On the seat back in front of me is a hook for hanging jackets and purses. Very thoughtful.
View from our seats in the dome car
The train starts so smoothly that it’s a few seconds before I realize we’re moving. For several minutes, we shunt backwards as the train gets into position on the correct track. The train is very long, consisting of both the Vancouver-to-Jasper and Vancouver-to-Banff cars. In Kamloops, the Banff cars will be uncoupled to go on their merry way eastward, while we will begin the trek north and then east to Jasper.
First Breakfast
Our super-cheery onboard host Ryan welcomes us aboard and reads the safety information required by Transport Canada, then invites half of the passengers in the car to head down to the dining car for breakfast. We are in the first group; tomorrow, we will go second. During the two eleven-hour travel days, we will eat both breakfast and lunch (which is more like a dinner) on board, along with plenty of snacks and unlimited drinks—wine, cocktails, liqueurs, soft drinks, the lot.
We are seated opposite a retired couple from New York. The woman used to run an art gallery and so we have plenty to chat about. Breakfast is excellent. I opt for eggs scrambled with Boursin cheese and accompanied by bacon, potatoes, and greens with pomegranates. It is delicious.
We Head Out of Vancouver
The train creeps along through rail yards that are as ugly here in my home town as they are anywhere in the world. What is it with trains and cities? The tracks are always flanked by the very worst urban blight, with liberal sprinklings of rust and filth. Delightful. We assure our breakfast companions that the scenery will improve.
And it does. By the time we return to our seats, the train is gliding alongside the Fraser River with the mountains beyond butted up against massive puffs of marshmallow clouds. The sun streaming through the clear glass dome above me warms the top of my head, the verdure stretching either side of the train is a rich emerald green, and all seems very right with the world. It is remarkably pleasant, and I feel my shoulders soften and relax.
Views of the Fraser River after leaving Vancouver
The Morning Progresses
Every so often, our two hosts in the dome car—Ryan and Asia—take turns delivering informative commentary about the areas we’re passing through. I’m thrilled to discover that I can easily type on my laptop on the generously-sized tray table. My fears about the movement of the train being too jerky to allow me to do some writing while on the journey (I love to write when I travel!) are unfounded. I can type to my heart’s content from here to Jasper without missing a beat.
Writing on a laptop is as steady as on my desk at home
Over the next few hours, we penetrate deeper into the Coast mountains as we follow the Fraser River through the Fraser Valley and into the Fraser Canyon, one of the scenic highlights of the trip. I’ve driven the canyon a few times, but the only other time I took the train through was in 1967 when I was returning from Montreal with my parents after visiting Expo 67. By some weird quirk of scheduling, the westbound train traversed all of British Columbia—the most scenic part of the country by a country mile—at night, arriving in Vancouver at dawn.
Into the Fraser Canyon
So this will be the first time I see the Fraser Canyon from a train. The hosts tell us that the town of Yale has an archeological dig with artifacts dating back to 9000 BC. Impressive.
About an hour after finishing breakfast, the bar opens and I order a Mimosa and sip it while gazing out at the mountains looming high either side of us. The dome car is a huge plus of traveling in GoldLeaf. I feel like I’m floating through the landscape, looking up to see clouds and trees and mountaintops glide smoothly by.
Enjoying a Mimosa at my seat
We Pass by Hell’s Gate
The train passes by Hell’s Gate, and everyone crowds to the right side to peer down at the roiling waters. Ryan excitedly tells us about the history of the area and how Canadian explorer Simon Fraser called the area the Gates of Hell, hence the name. The canyon narrows and the water pours through in unnavigable fury.
The Fraser River swirls through Hell’s Gate
Lunch is Served
Lunch is called for us, the first group, and down we troop. The appetizer is a long board of smoked ahi tuna and several plump prawns accompanied by pickled veggies, crisp crackers, and a delicate bruschetta. For the entrée, we can choose from six options in addition to the special—chicken in Béarnaise sauce. Julia opts for that while I choose the cod loin, which is truly one of the best servings of cod loin I’ve ever tasted. A delicate sweet-citrus sauce dresses a generously thick hunk of cod perfectly cooked.
There’s a gentle rhythm to the pace of the train—not fast, not slow. It’s a steady pace that feels just right. This is not a high-speed TGV or bullet train. This is a sedate, elegant train that gets us to where we’re going at a pace that encourages us to enjoy the ride.
Heading Into the Interior of British Columbia
We pass through Lytton–a small town tragically destroyed by fire in 2021. The charred trees bear witness to the devastation caused by wildfires every year in British Columbia. We are lucky that wildfires haven’t affected this trip, but that is by no means always the case. In fact, 2023 is one of the worst years for wildfires in Canada, but not on the route we are currently traveling.
When we are close enough to a town to get cell service, I read the heartbreaking headlines about the devastating wildfires in Maui. Wildfires are increasing worldwide and they all too often win the battle against humans and human settlements. We see evidence of fires throughout the Rocky Mountaineer journey and when we spend the day in Jasper.
Near Lytton, BC, the landscape shows the devastation wrought by a wildfire in 2021
The countryside keeps changing the farther into the Interior we go—the monochrome browns and ochres and greys punctuated by burned trees like exclamation points and cut through by the blue-green Thompson River that we will follow all the way to Kamloops.
View of the Thompson River from the train
The landscape grows much drier as we enter the Interior
The mountains are rounder and more arid, the slashes of ochre and white more stark, the trees shrinking even more. At 7 pm, we pull into Kamloops, our overnight stop. We’ve been on the train for 11 hours, which sounds like a long time but has flown by.
Arrival in Kamloops
The organization is impressive. Large buses pull up as we leave the train and everyone from our coach is loaded in and taken to the Coast Hotel. They’ve divided passengers into coaches based on where they are staying. The Coast Hotel is situated high on the ridge above Kamloops in an area bristling with hotels, motels, and malls, and a plethora of chain restaurants, from McDonalds to Dairy Queen. To stretch our legs, we eschew the hotel restaurant and walk to a pub about five minutes’ away.
View over Kamloops from the balcony of our room at the Coast Hotel
Snagging the last table outside where the atmosphere is quieter, we enjoy an okay meal. Service is swift and my steak sandwich, while overdone, is edible. Half an hour later we’re back out on the street. The area is regrettably unlovely—just urban sprawl overlooking brown hills and the valley below. We walk as far as the Dairy Queen for an ice cream cone that I don’t need, then stroll back to the hotel and contemplate the pool. I always like to enjoy as many hotel amenities as I can during a stay, but I’m tired and the pool is busy. We opt instead for a quiet hour back in the room before lights-out.
Day 2 of the Rocky Mountaineer Adventure
I’m up bright and early and step out onto our balcony to the smell of smoke from a wildfire about ten miles away, as the bus driver later informs us. We have been instructed to be downstairs no later than 7:30 am to board the bus for the fifteen-minute trundle to the train station. An attendant with a clipboard makes sure we’re all accounted for and off we go.
The bus driver provides a commentary about Kamloops, a town of over 100,000 inhabitants. I remember when it wasn’t much more than an indent on the highway. Over the past several years, Kamloops has grown considerably, thanks to affordable housing, a university, the headquarters of Interior Health, a few mines and a pulp mill, making it an attractive option for people looking to escape the impossibly bleak real estate prospects on the coast. Julia has two friends who have relocated to Kamloops in the past few years.
Heading out of Kamloops
The sun is again shining and within a surprisingly short amount of time, we’re away from the dry Kamloops landscape and chugging through a greener, treed landscape skirting the North Thompson River. The views are spectacular, with mirror-bright reflections and puffy clouds. I love being up so high.
Mirror-smooth river and clear skies outside Kamloops
We are on the second shift for breakfast today and so make do with two cups of excellent coffee and a piece of coffee cake drizzled with lemon syrup. It’s a tough go, but we manage. The biggest decision of the morning will be what to choose for breakfast. The menu is the same on both days, and I’m torn. The pancakes with lemon? Or Eggs Benedict? Or…? How to choose? I opt for eggs Benedict–cooked to perfection and accompanied by fresh fruit and lots more coffee.
After breakfast, it’s back up the narrow winding staircase that leads from the dining level up to the dome level to spend another relaxing few hours during which I write a bit of this post, listen to an audiobook, work on my Novel-In-Progress, and of course, have a nap. There is something so restful about nodding off with the smooth movement of the train. In fact, I’ve never been on a train with such smooth movement.
Wildlife Spotting
Our onboard hosts are anxious for us to spot wildlife, but unfortunately, it’s slim pickings on this trip. We spot some bald eagles hanging out at the tops of trees alongside the river and see a bear swimming upstream. Unfortunately, he is too far away for a photo. The only other wildlife excitement are a few clusters of bighorn sheep on a hillside.
Views grow less frequent as the trees close in. Every so often, I go back down to the dining car level where a large outdoor viewing platform offers a different perspective. The August air is warm and breezy.
Viewing the passing landscape from the viewing platform on the lower level of the GoldLeaf car
We Approach the Rocky Mountains
The landscape fills with taller trees and increasingly larger mountains until suddenly we burst into a wide valley with a vista of the Rocky Mountains spread before us. Where before the mountains were tree covered to their summits, the tops of these mountains are bare and rocky. And these are just the foothills. The real Rockies are yet to come.
We go down for lunch, and I opt for the Sumac Ridge Sauvignon blanc from BC’s Okanagan Valley that I sampled yesterday. Clean, crisp, citrusy—exactly what a Sauvignon blanc should be. For our entrée, we both choose the special—steak with broccoli and potatoes. It’s excellent.
We are now traveling into the heart of the Rocky Mountains. Although I’ve seen them before, I’m always surprised at just how big and rocky they are—very different from the blue and green mountains I see out my window at home on the coast. The Rockies thrust unapologetically into the cloud-studded sky—we’re here, we’re proud, we’re Rockies, and all you people in that train snaking through the valley down below have paid a small fortune to come see us. Welcome.
Pyramid Falls
The train slows to a crawl to allow us to take pictures of Pyramid Falls, reputedly taller than Niagara Falls. Extraordinary.
Pyramid Falls is higher than Niagara Falls
We Pass Mount Robson
An hour later, we pass massive Mount Robson—the highest mountain in the Canadian Rockies. The mountain is located entirely within Mount Robson Provincial Park in British Columbia, and is part of the Rainbow Range.The trees occasionally thin out enough to provide several photo ops. Apparently, clouds very often wreathe the summit, and this is the case when we pass. Even so, it’s an impressive wall of granite.
Mount Robson–the tallest mountain in the Canadian Rockies
The views as we come into Jasper are spectacular
Coming Into Jasper
As we near Jasper and the end of our Rocky Mountaineer adventure, the mountains are coming thick and fast, along with the iconic deep blue lakes, the first being Moose Lake. The chefs come upstairs and dole out fresh-from-the-oven chocolate chip cookies. It’s a nice touch.
Warm chocolate chip cookie to welcome us to Jasper
And so, after another full day on the train, we pull into Jasper, Alberta, where the clock has jumped forward an hour to Mountain Time. Ryan reads out the coach numbers corresponding to our hotels. We are in the Forest Park Hotel, which Julia assures me is very comfortable (she’s right). We will be here for two nights.
Music to End our Journey on the Rocky Mountaineer
The sound system delivers a purely Canadian playlist—Gordon Lightfoot, Our Lady Peace, Celine Dion, k. d. lang and more—a fitting tribute to round out the trip. The only exception is John Denver’s Rocky Mountain High, played just as we pull into Jasper train station. A rendition of Leonard Cohen’s Hallelujah plays as we all rise to descend from the glorious glass-domed car we’ve called home for two days to the track level where we say farewell to our hosts. Jasper Bear meets us at the station.
A safety-conscious Jasper Bear welcomes us to Jasper
The sky is starting to dim just enough to indicate that sunset is approaching. Patches of sun splash across the peaks in the distance while forested ridges loom darkly. Clouds are tinged bright white and grey and yellow, preparing to turn crimson and gold with the sunset. We hop on the bus for the five-minute drive to the Forest Park Hotel on the very edge of town. Our room is spacious and well-appointed.
Sunset view in Jasper
We decide to walk into Jasper for dinner at a pizza place. The sky stays light for several hours, and on our way back to the hotel, we spy a few elk munching grass.
Should You Go?
Is the Rocky Mountaineer trip “worth” it? That’s a good question. It’s an experience unmatched in my life, even though I’ve lived most of it within sight of mountains. I’ve driven through this landscape several times, but the driving experience can’t compare to the relaxation of sitting in the dome car tootling along at a sedate 40 to 50 miles an hour—fast enough to feel like progress is being made, but slow enough to allow for effective picture-taking.
The service is excellent, with the onboard hosts going above and beyond to deliver a memorable experience. They balance commentary with silence and deliver drinks and snacks at exactly the right rate, neither too frequently nor too seldom.
The red carpet is rolled out in front of a GoldLeaf car on the Rocky Mountaineer
The journey is not for the budget-conscious. To be blunt, it’s expensive. Very expensive. But if you’re looking for a unique way to spend two days crossing the vast reaches of British Columbia and you’re happy to shell out some big bucks, then I highly recommend the Rocky Mountaineer GoldLeaf experience.
Vancouver Walking Tours
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Costa Rica has become super-popular in recent years. Following its 11-month shutdown during the pandemic, it appears to be back on everyone’s radar. A surprising number of people I spoke with while planning my trip had either been to Costa Rica or wanted to go there.
Every single person LOVED Costa Rica. Not just enjoyed it or had a nice time there or was happy-they’d- been-but-once-was-enough but LOVED it and wanted to go back. Preferably tomorrow.
In this long post, I share my daily journal of our 14-day trip. Our itinerary includes four major locations: Arenal, Monteverde, Manuel Antonio, and the Osa Peninsula.
Why We Chose Costa Rica
About a year ago, my daughter Julia and I were talking about taking a Caribbean vacation. Julia wanted to experience visiting a warm country during a West Coast winter. Always up for a trip, I needed no convincing.
Julia and I have taken lots of great trips together!
As we bandied about island ideas, we realized that the main reason we wanted to visit tropical climes was to see lots of tropical wildlife. Here on the west coast of Canada, parrots, monkeys and sloths are a bit thin on the ground.
Once wildlife entered the picture, we considered wildlife-intensive destinations within striking distance of Vancouver. A nanosecond later we had our answer—Costa Rica! National parks preserve over one-third of the country. In fact, the Osa Peninsula in the south contains 2.5% of all the species on Earth, and the country has a well-established tourist infrastructure.
I’ve always wanted to see a toucan in the wild–and Costa Rica has them
Costa Rica is a stable democracy with excellent social services. On the World Happiness Index for 2023, Costa Rica ranks #16, just after Canada (at #14) and ahead of the UK (#17) and the United States (#19). Certainly, one of the top reasons for visiting Costa Rica is because of its friendly and welcoming people.
Where to Go in Costa Rica
Once we decided on Costa Rica, we turned to planning our itinerary. My daughter works in the travel industry (for Rocky Mountaineer) and suggested we find a company that would arrange all the accommodations, transfers and tours, and would be available 24/7 in Costa Rica should we have any problems.
I’d never worked with a travel planner before, but for Costa Rica, I’m VERY glad we chose Pacific Trade Winds.
Pacific Trade Winds
Big shout-out to this company. They did an incredible job helping us plan the perfect two-week trip to Costa Rica (and it was just about perfect!). I filled out a form on their website stating our interests (seeing wildlife, mostly) and within a day I received the first suggested itinerary.
Over the next several weeks, Julia and I refined the itinerary by selecting accommodations and tours. At every step of the way, the Pacific Trade Winds itinerary interface was easy to navigate, and our queries responded to in lightning-quick time.
Our Itinerary
Following the advice of Pacific Trade Winds, we settled on this itinerary:
Day 1: Fly from Ottawa to San José, arriving late and stay one night at the Hilton Cariari DoubleTree near the airport
We booked private transfers for every leg of the trip. You can definitely drive in Costa Rica, but I don’t recommend it for our itinerary. Too many of the roads are quite rough. In my opinion, a rental car only makes sense if you’re planning to drive from the airport to the beach resorts on the Pacific coast.
Map of Our Itinerary
Here’s a map of the four main places we visited in Costa Rica plus San José where we stayed for one night at the end of our trip.
Are you ready to check out my post about our two-week trip around Costa Rica?
Pura Vida!
Wait? What? Before diving into Costa Rica, take a step back to learn two essential words: Pura Vida. You’ll hear it a lot in Costa Rica, mostly from locals. It means “pure life” and Ticos (people from Costa Rica) use it as a please, a thank you, an acknowledgement, and just for the heck of it. The phrase celebrates the life we’re all living together here on this planet and reminds us to live “pure life.” Embrace it, enjoy it, welcome it, and be grateful.
Pura Vida is everywhere in Costa Rica!
The phrase has become synonymous with Costa Rica and is emblazoned on everything from mugs to stuffed toucans to beach towels. Yes, it’s become a marketing brand, but so what, it’s a good one! I heard locals using it with each other as well as with tourists. It symbolises a way of being in the world that reminds us to slow down, smell the hibiscus, and enjoy.
Okay, now we can go!
Day 1: Ottawa to San José
We start our journey to Costa Rica with a three-day stopover in Ottawa to visit family. No airline flies direct from Vancouver to San José in Costa Rica. The only cities in Canada with direct flights to Costa Rica are Toronto and Montreal. Adding Ottawa onto our trip costs almost nothing extra, and we get to experience some good old-fashioned eastern Canadian winter weather before shedding our parkas and pulling on our sandals.
Julia and me in front of the Parliament Buildings in Ottawa
We check in 24 hours before our flight and discover we can upgrade to first class for an extra $250 each. That is reasonable for first class and so we decide to splurge. Ah, the joys of turning left upon entering the plane rather than right! We each have our own pod to stretch out in and food that is edible. Luxury!
Enjoying First Class on the way to Costa Rica
The five-hour flight to Costa Rica flies by (ha, ha) and soon we touch down and enter the huge and blessedly empty San José International Airport. Since it’s 9:30 pm and we are among the first to deplane, we sail through passport control without delay.
Getting Picked Up
Pacific Trade Winds has organized private transfers for us throughout our trip. Allegedly, we just need to show up at the appointed place at the appointed time and someone will be there to whisk us into a van and take us where we want to go. I have my doubts, but Julia—who as mentioned is in the travel biz—has no such worries.
“They’ll be there, Mom. It’s fine.”
Of course, she is right. We walk into the arrivals hall and the first thing I see is a man holding a sign with my name on it. Score!
He leads us outside and we inhale our first breath of tropical air. Ahhhh! As anyone who’s traveled from the north to the tropics during the winter knows, there’s nothing like that first contact with moist and balmy air. The warmth seeps into tight muscles, coaxing them to soften and relax. For two whole weeks, we box our memories of snow, ice, and freezing rain and shove them into a mental closet labeled home.
First Night: Near San José
Fifteen minutes after leaving the airport, we arrive at the Hilton Doubletree Cariari Resort. With Doubletree’s complimentary warm chocolate cookies in hand, we glimpse a floodlit pool as we make our way along cool, stone-tiled corridors past Costa Rican artwork and murals to our room. At 10:30 pm, there isn’t much to do except get ready for bed, although we do check out our little terrace overlooking the pool.
Unfortunately, the air conditioning unit runs at a decibel level high and shrill enough to waken the dead, so we spend a restless night alternating between being hot and quiet and being cool and noisy. The hotel is fine for a quick stopover, but we’re glad to be leaving in the morning.
Day 2: San José to La Fortuna
The next morning, I make my way to the restaurant for my first Costa Rican breakfast. As expected, the coffee is good—my first cup of many, many cups I’ll enjoy in the two weeks to come. Our transfer isn’t arriving until 10 am so I spend a few hours lounging beside the pool. The air is surprisingly fresh—not exactly cool but not quite inspiring me to want to get wet. Our destination for the day is the world-famous Tabacón Thermal Resort & Spa just outside La Fortuna. I will have plenty of time during our three nights there to immerse myself.
Our driver arrives early (a trend throughout the trip: shout-out to Ride Costa Rica for fabulous service!) and we are soon on the highway heading north.
En Route to La Fortuna
The first part of the trip on a busy highway is uneventful. I begin to wonder if I should have rented a car. We’d debated doing so and then opted for private transfers. The cost difference wasn’t significant and since Julia doesn’t drive, I wasn’t keen on being the sole driver.
Once we leave the busy highway to cross the mountains, I change my mind about driving vs. transfers. The road quickly deteriorates (and this is a main road!) until at times we crawl and bump over potholes. At one point, we see a truck that missed a narrow turn pushed over at a 90-degree angle in the ditch.
For the next 90 minutes of our 2.5-hour trip, I say every three minutes or so “Thank goodness I didn’t rent a car!”
Our driver, Geraldo, good-humoredly agrees that the road is pretty terrible. He lives in San José and will be driving back after he drops us off. I commiserate. As we drive up into and over the mountains on our way to La Fortuna, we are captivated by the lush countryside and sweeping vistas. We are in a tropical country, and it is stunning!
Arrival at Tabacón Thermal Resort & Spa
Tabacón Thermal Resort & Spa is not the poshest resort in the La Fortuna Area (Nayara Springs has that honor), but it is right up there in the top ten. It’s also the location of a complex of hot springs pools and waterfalls so extensive that they sell day passes to the general public.
When planning our trip, we hummed and hawed about whether to stay at Tabacón so we could enjoy the hot springs complex any time we wanted. Finally, we decided to stay there, and we’re glad we did, although the next time I visit the area, I’ll select accommodations closer to La Fortuna. Tabacón is great if you have your own wheels, but it’s a bit more remote than some of the other places that also have access to hot springs, and the food is expensive. That said, we had an awesome time there!
Sign at the entrance to the Tabacón Thermal Resort & Spa
Exploring Tabacón Thermal Resort & Spa
Geraldo drops us off in front of Tabacón where staff greet us with hot towels and a refreshing cucumber-lime drink to sip while we check in. I am fretting a bit because I don’t have any cash to tip Geraldo (and I still feel guilty). While tipping isn’t as endemic in Costa Rica as it is in the United States and Canada, I want to tip the transfer drivers, especially those like Geraldo who have driven for almost three hours across rough roads and will go back the way he came without a return fare.
Tip: Make sure you bring some Costa Rica colons before you arrive in the country so you can tip drivers and tour guides.
After checking into the Tabacón, we are loaded into a golf cart with our luggage and taken to our room which is on the second floor of one of several buildings located on the gorgeously landscaped grounds. Our room overlooks Arenal volcano and on our first afternoon, we have our one and only glimpse of it. I’m glad I snapped this picture when I had the chance! For the next three days, we never see more than the bottom half of the volcano, and most of the time, we see nothing at all.
View of Mount Arenal from our balcony
La Fortuna is in the rainforest which means it rains a lot. But wow – is it green!
Dipping Into Tabacón Hot Springs
After getting settled into our large, two-bed room, we pull on our bathing suits and set off in search of the world-famous Tabacón Hot Springs located about a ten-minute walk or two-minute van ride from the resort. The van that trundles back and forth from the resort to the hot springs, picking up and dropping off guests, is ubiquitous. We never wait more than three minutes for a ride. The level of service at Tabacón is remarkable.
The hot springs complex at Tabacón is out of this world. Seriously, I’ve never seen anything like them. Gorgeously maintained paths wind through the dense rainforest and skirt a plethora of warm-water pools and waterfalls. The sound of running water is constant. The guests-only area at the top of the property (and where the hottest pools are) is called Shangri-La. Talk about aptly named.
We wander around for a while before finally choosing a pool and lowering ourselves into it. Yesssss! The water flows straight from the volcano and is blissfully warm.
Here are a few photos.
Julia in one of the pools
Plenty of waterfalls to sit under
Night Tour
Our first tour of the trip (booked with Arenal Oasis Night Hike Tour by Pacific Trade Winds) is a night tour in the rainforest. Promptly at the appointed time and just as dusk is falling, a van pulls up in front of the Tabacón and in we pile. Upon hearing that the tour is the first of our Costa Rica vacation, our friendly guide, Luis, grins and says he’d better be good because he is setting the bar.
We pick up six more people and about twenty minutes later pull into the parking lot next to the pathways leading through the jungle. We are told to slather on the bug spray only in the parking lot so as not to harm the animals. This is the first of many such directives we are to hear in Costa Rica aimed at ensuring the well-being of the wildlife. Costa Rica takes its stewardship of the environment seriously, which I find heartening.
Exploring the Jungle at Night
Equipped with a flashlight and reeking of bug spray, we set off into the dark pathways. Seconds later, we stop as Luis set up his massive telescope and we all marvel at a sloth and her baby high in the trees.
From there the tour goes from strength to strength. Luis shows us a great many frogs and bugs and keeps up a fascinating commentary about what we are seeing. He shows us a bullet ant and tells us it has a bite so painful it lasts for 24 hours. I step well back.
A highlight is seeing these two little guys having a cuddle on a branch.
Two frogs having fun
I ask Luis about venomous snakes and he informs me that the deadly fer de lance bites about 600 people a year, and of those about three to five die. Costa Rica has developed the anti-venom, and if people can access it in time, they will live. However, people who live in remote locations can’t always get it fast enough; hence, the death toll.
Checking out a Snake
With that cheerful thought to sustain me, I watch, fascinated, as Luis shines a light on Costa Rica’s seventh most venomous snake as it slithers alongside the path. I even get video.
Luis assures us that the snake will not bother us so long as we don’t bother him. Even so, I’m glad I’m wearing sturdy running shoes. One of the women in the group is wearing open-toed sandals. She doesn’t appear to be the least bit concerned, which is either very brave or very foolish.
We walk, stop, talk, and look for about two hours—and it is just marvelous! I’ve always wanted to explore a jungle at night (with a guide, lights, and the assurance that no wee beastie will kill me) and now I finally have.
I highly, highly recommend taking a jungle walk–or even two or three–during your time in Costa Rica.
A tiny frog hanging out in the jungle
Tabacón Hot Springs at Night
We arrive back at Tabacón around 7:30 pm in time to enjoy dinner at one of the resort’s three restaurants, this one overlooking the hot springs. The prices are eye-wateringly high, but the food is good and afterwards, we spend another hour wandering around the hot springs in the dark. They stay open until 10 pm. And yes, it’s as awesome as it looks!
Strolling along deserted paths in the warm evening air with only the sound of rushing water competing with the constant hum of crickets is a memory I’ll cherish.
Day 3: Proyecto Asis Wildlife Rescue Center
We opt to spend our first full day in La Fortuna at the Proyecto Asis Wildlife Rescue Center because we want to support an organization that helps animals rather than exploits them. Proyecto Asis fits the bill. It’s a wildlife refuge, not a zoo or wildlife park—both places to avoid in Costa Rica since some do not have the animals’ best interests at heart.
Welcome to Proyecto Asis
The Proyecto Asis has an excellent reputation and numerous 5-star reviews. Located about 45 minutes from La Fortuna in a beautiful area of farms and forests, the refuge was established in 2002 and serves as an animal rescue center, Spanish school, and volunteer center.
We have signed up for a full day of experiences that include a sloth walk in the morning, a long and informative visit to the wildlife refuge in the afternoon and then an hour of volunteering with the animals.
Our day at Proyecto Asis is a highlight of the entire two weeks in Costa Rica (and that’s saying something).
Monkey getting better at Proyecto Asis
Blue parrot at Proyecto Asis
TOP TIP: The Proyecto Asis deserves a jungle full of kudos and support. If you are traveling to the La Fortuna area, make a point of spending the day there.
Evening in La Fortuna
After our fabulous day at Proyecto Asis, we are picked up and taken to La Fortuna where we wander around the tacky souvenir stores and spend time in the lovely municipal gardens, admiring the flowers. While there, a man approaches us, speaking Spanish. I immediately go into stranger danger mode and don’t make eye contact. I wasn’t born yesterday, after all.
The man keeps talking to me and pointing up, saying toucan, toucan. I realize that he just wants us to check out the toucan that has flown into a tree. Several other people–both tourists and locals–are also looking up. I smile and say gracias. He waves as he goes on his way.
Toucans are so beautiful!
Throughout our time in Costa Rica, we often encounter local people who point out wildlife. I get the impression that people in Costa Rica are immensely proud of their country and enjoy sharing its beauties with visitors.
After our toucan encounter, we have dinner at a popular chicken restaurant. The food is pretty good and certainly the price is right—about $30 for two large meals and two cocktails. Can’t complain at those prices.
Enjoying a cocktail in La Fortuna
Taking an Uber in La Fortuna
After much discussion, we decide to risk taking an Uber back to Tabacón. Apparently, Ubers are not legal in Costa Rica, and we’ve read that taking them can be risky. On the other hand, we don’t see any taxis cruising the main drag, and our Uber app tells us that an Uber is five minutes away and will take us home for about $6. We decide to risk it.
We are still here to tell the tale. Taking an Uber in La Fortuna was easy, quick, and cheap. Go for it!
Once back at Tabacón, we spend another hour splashing around the hot springs before falling into bed for a well-deserved sleep.
Day 4: Whitewater Rafting
Ever since I was 16, I’ve wanted to go whitewater rafting. Finally, I am about to get the chance in Costa Rica. We’ve signed up for a full-day whitewater rafting trip on the River Bosa with Wave Expeditions. As we soon discover, the company has the whitewater rafting experience down to a fine art. They are an extremely well run and friendly operation, and I highly recommend them.
The bus picks us up at 9:50 and, after trundling around several other hotels to pick up more rafters, heads for the River Bosa, about 40 minutes away. Once there, we are kitted out with helmets, life jackets, and paddles; given a safety briefing; and then loaded into the raft that will be our home for the next two hours.
On the River Bosa
Julia is given the front row along with another woman about her age. Seated in the middle row is a man with his 80-year-old father (I am glad not to be the oldest person!), I am at the right side of the back row with our guide seated just behind me. Being so close to the guide is reassuring!
We wade into the river and moments later our guide pushes us and, while paddling, teaches us our two strokes – Paddle Forward, Paddle Backward and two actions: Lean In, Straighten Up!
Riding the Rapids
Seconds later, we hit our first rapids! Yowza!! I paddle furiously as instructed and experience the thrill of bouncing down the rapids. The water is cool but not unpleasant. At the back, I don’t get as drenched as Julia does up front.
Riding our first rapid on the River Bosa – Julia is closest to the camera
For the next hour, we ride the rapids, paddling and stopping, paddling and stopping on command. When the rapids peter out, we relax and float down the spectacular jungle river. It’s like being on the African Queen. Crickets buzz in the air and the equatorial sun feels deliciously warm on my skin. I’d forgotten sunscreen but fortunately, I don’t get burnt. Unfortunately, Julia does.
The Joys of Whitewater Rafting
The rafting is not for the faint of heart. It is strenuous, wet, and to be honest, kind of painful. I’ve wedged my feet so tightly under the edge of the inflatable seat in front of me that by the end of the trip, I’ve lost all feeling. But I don’t care. I’ve loved every minute of it—the adrenalin rush, the paddling with muscles screaming, and then the restful drifting with time to gaze at the trees, the sparkling water, and the hard blue sky.
Going into another rapid–I’m at the back
Spotting Wildlife on the River
We spot a baby sloth in one tree and many large birds – mostly herons and egrets. What a beautiful country! Rafting down the river makes me feel so connected with nature. All I need to think about are my arms holding the paddle and my foot jammed under the seat ahead to prevent me from falling in.
Along the shoreline, the trees form a soaring wall of green in a myriad of textures and shades. The rainforest is thick and impenetrable and teaming with wildlife. Nature is winning here, as it should. I feel small out on the river as I surrender to its current pulling us downstream.
Getting a Good Work-out
My muscles respond to the paddling with gratifying power, making me glad I persevered over the winter with strength training and of course, Nia. I am determined not to be the person who drags down the group! That honor belongs to the man in front of me. At 80, he is to be admired for braving the river, but the trip doesn’t go well for him. Violent jolts and shudders play havoc with his two artificial knees and twice he loses his paddle. I feel sorry for him, but also wonder why he was allowed on the trip. The age limit is 65, which means I’m pushing it at 66. But 80? Anyway, he survives, although at times I wonder if there is any provision for pulling out someone who gets injured en route. I rather doubt it. I certainly don’t see any roads near the river, apart from the one time we float under a bridge.
Julia Gets an Unwelcome Jolt
Just before our one stop, we hit an especially violent rapid. Julia wrenches her neck and spends the next twenty minutes in acute pain. I have visions of her languishing for the rest of the vacation in traction, but fortunately, we pull into a pebbly beach for a break, giving her a bit of time for stretching and rest while the hard-working guides serve us fresh watermelon and pineapple.
Back in the raft and with my foot no longer numb and sore, I feel energized and proud of myself! We paddle for another twenty minutes or so to the end of the tour.
At our last rapid, I feel but don’t see our guide seated behind me jump high off the raft. The company has photographers along the shore to capture the moment, with the photos then made available for sale.
Our guide jumping
I clamber out of the raft and into dry clothes, happy at my accomplishment, although Julia’s neck is still not great. After another 30-minute drive, we enjoy an excellent lunch of typical Costa Rican food at a local farm. The place is set up to serve a buffet lunch to tour groups and then afterwards demonstrate how to extract sugar syrup from sugar cane. I’m not a big fan of these group things, but it is well done and helps the local economy, and I wouldn’t have seen it otherwise.
Relaxing in Shangri la
In the evening, Julia takes her sore neck to the massage table at the Tabacon, and I find a comfy palapa up in the guests-only Shangri la section of the hot springs. As darkness falls and steam from the hot springs envelops the area, I spend a glorious, womb-like hour, sipping a rum drink, writing on my laptop, and listening to the sound of rushing water all around me.
Relaxing in Shangri-la
Day 5: Drive from La Fortuna to Monteverde
We rise to pouring rain and cool temperatures. The rain glistens and bounces off the lush foliage nourishing the riot of massive plants outside our room. At one point, about twenty coati scamper past as we walk down to breakfast under massive umbrellas provided by the resort.
Getting the Van to Monteverde
At the required time, we trundle our luggage to the reception area. The turnaround is clogged with the ubiquitous white vans that crisscross the country carrying tourists, including us–twice so far. We expect to be pick up by the same type of van and so don’t pay any attention to the massive, old-fashioned school bus trying to fight its way past the guard and into the holding area.
I idly watch as the guard shakes his head while consulting his clipboard. The bus must be picking up a large group, which puzzles me since there are only a few other couples waiting.
A white van pulls up and we walk confidently towards it. Another couple darts past us and boards. Oh well, there will be another soon. We have all morning.
We Get a Surprise
Meanwhile, the guard at the gate waves the school bus forward. Much to the obvious irritation of the ten other vans and small buses and cars in the cramped turnaround, the school bus now needs to reverse to navigate the turnaround so that the driver can pull up in front of the hotel. I wonder at the antiquity of the bus. It looks out of place next to the sleek new vans. Finally, the doors accordion open and a young man jumps out.
“Cram?”
Oh.
The massive bus is for us. Only us. How embarrassing. We scurry on and lie low while the driver spends another ten minutes shunting forward and back to get the monster out of the turnaround without denting the other cars. He deserves a medal.
But this huge bus just to transport us? Well, we’d booked private transfers, and this is the result. Feeling terribly guilty at the extravagance, I realize there is nothing I can do but settle in for what turns out to be a short and bumpy ride to a muddy track leading to the edge of a lake. The bus hovers at the top and I want to tell the driver that no worries, we are happy to get out and walk down.
But no, he is an ambitious guy. He executes a perfect twenty-point turn to maneuver the bus around so its back is to the water and then reverses down the muddy slope that is steep enough to make me fear for the efficacy of his brakes. But my fears are unfounded.
Sailing Across Arenal Lake
The bus grinds to a halt, out we jump and moments later we and our luggage are handed into a boat that probably seats at least 40 people. Except there are not 40 people. There is only us—two people, one captain, and a lake in the rain.
Empty boat crossing Lake Arenal
The boat captain doesn’t appear to mind. We take off for the 30-minute ride. On a clear day, the views of the Arenal volcano would be amazing. But even in the misty rain, there is still charm. I snap pictures and enjoy the warm, wet breeze.
Boat on Lake Arenal
On the other side, we are met by the third and final driver engaged to get us to Monteverde.
Good-bye to the Lake
Before setting off, we need change to tip our boat captain. I don’t think he necessarily expects a tip, but I have no idea how much he gets paid, and I feel guilty that he had to take an hour out of his day to transport two chicas across the lake. There doesn’t appear to be anyone waiting for him to take back across, so he’ll be returning empty. I ask the bus driver if he can change a 20,000-colón note and he obliges by giving me US dollars, which is not what I mean. I just want to break the bill! Anyway, I end up with 20,000 colóns worth of US dollars so I give our boat driver $5. He is delighted!
And now for phase 3.
En route to Monteverde
We hop into the van, thankfully one of the regular 7-seater types, and minutes later we are bumping up a dirt track that switch-backs up a mountainside.
Driving up a rough road on the way to Monteverde
I hadn’t realized that the Monteverde Cloud Forest would be, by definition, in the clouds as in not at sea level. The drive of about 40 kilometers takes two hours of bumping and swerving around potholes, crossing narrow bridges, and navigating hairpin turns.
As the toucan flies, Monteverde is quite close to Arenal. But we are not toucans and the track we are being driven up would be deemed unfit for vehicles back home.
At first, we see little, apart from the thick red mud of the road and the dense green of the undergrowth. But as we gain elevation, the rain clears and the views over the rainforest are breathtaking. When I’m not marveling at the view, I am marveling at the skill of our driver. He is only about 20, but no pothole nor sharp turn fazes him. He just keeps trundling up and up and up.
Arrival at Santa Elena in Monteverde
Monteverde is a cloud forest, which differentiates it from the rainforest on the slopes of Arenal from whence we’ve just come. The cloud forest is, by definition, in the clouds, so rain and misty conditions are the norm.
We are fortunate that high winds have kept the mists at bay. During our two nights, we experience several sudden rain squalls, but they blow away quickly, leaving behind vivid rainbows.
Monteverde Lodge & GardensLobby at Monteverde Lodge & GardensPool at the Monteverde Lodge & Gardens
The hotel is located close to Santa Elena, the tiny town that is the main hub in Monteverde (which is the name of the area, not the town). After getting settled, we start walking into town in search of lunch. Still acclimatized to the tropical warmth of Arenal (even in the rain), we wear light dresses. Big mistake! Within seconds, my hat blows off and the wind tears at my skin. The next time we venture out, we wear hoodies, pants, and rain jackets.
Checking out Santa Elena
We brave the wind and 16-degree C. temp and stroll down a steep hill to the town. Lunch is a tasty Casado with breaded fish. Casado means marriage and is a bringing together of Costa Rica’s typical foods—rice and beans (of course), a fresh tomato salad, fried and caramelized plantains (my personal fave), various other veggies, and the star of the show—beef, pork, chicken, or fish either breaded or grilled.
Sloth mural in Santa Elena
After lunch, we cruise the large souvenir store because we are huge suckers for souvenir stores. The prices are considerably less than in Arenal so I pick up a ball cap emblazoned with Pura Vida, another pound of coffee for Gregg, more chocolate (OMG, to die for), a wooden bowl thing (just because I like it) and my favorite, a mobile of brightly-painted wooden toucans. I’d seen one in Arenal that I liked that cost $30 USD. This one costs $18 and is much nicer.
Enjoying Monteverde Lodge and Gardens
We head back to the hotel with our purchases, and I enjoy a wee nap in the sunshine streaming in through the terrace doors, accompanied by the sound of the seriously babbling brook that flows directly in front of our terrace.
Babbling brook flowing directly in front of our room
We then wander around the property looking for monkeys and birds and taking pictures before having dinner at the hotel. The food is good but not fabulous, considering the cost. But service, as it is everywhere in Costa Rica, is impeccable—friendly, helpful, and genuine.
Day 6: Cura Cancha Wildlife Reserve in Monteverde
The next morning, we are up bright and early for our walk in the cloud forest. Pacific Trade Winds has chosen a tour of the Cura Cancha wildlife reserve, which is supposed to be a bit less crowded than the Monteverde Cloud Forest reserve, although it doesn’t look empty of tour groups to me.
Our wonderful guide (all our guides in Costa Rica are first-rate) enthusiastically guides us for two hours through the cloud forest. Massive fiscus trees dominate the trails. We stop frequently to observe birds, which are the main event at Cura Cancha.
Julia and me in Curi-Cancha Reserve
Spotting the Elusive Quetzal
At one point our guide, along with most of the other guides, converge in front of a large tree that allegedly houses a quetzal, the national bird of Costa Rica and exceedingly rare. This is a huge deal, apparently! Our guide is over the moon. He trains his massive scope on the quetzal who obligingly stays put for quite an impressive amount of time. It is a male, although how the guide knows, I don’t know.
Quetzel in a treeTarantula
After we all recover from the excitement, our guide spies a second quetzal—a female. Apparently, the chance of seeing even one quetzal on a typical walk is about 5%. Seeing two is almost unheard of.
Spotting a Tarantula and Learning of Its Untimely Demise
We continue our walk, spotting plenty more birds and at one point stopping to peer into a large dark hole to check out a very large, very hairy, very striped tarantula. Julia is horrified. I get a picture. We learn that larvae lay their eggs inside a living tarantula and then, over the course of 25 days, slowly eat the beast from the inside out. The tarantula is sentient the whole time. I mean, I’m not a huge fan of tarantulas, but that’s a fate no beast deserves.
The walk is a gentle, enjoyable way to spend the morning. We learn a lot about the ecosystems, see plenty of birds, and enjoy the beauty and quiet of the cloud forest.
Beautiful landscape at the Curi-Cancha Reserve
Afternoon and Evening in Monteverde
When we get back to the hotel, we cross the road outside our hotel to a shopping center where we enjoy one of our best meals so far. We make a reservation to return for dinner and then cruise several of the souvenir shops in the complex (of course).
We book another night tour at the hotel but alas, it is cancelled a few hours later because of high winds. Apparenty, walking in the cloud forest during high winds can be hazardous to one’s health.
Later in the evening, we return to find that our chosen restaurant is about to host several large tour groups. We opt for a different place nearby where, as it turns out, the food isn’t quite so good, but certainly okay, if not gourmet, and better value than the hotel restaurant. I’d rather spend $35 for okay than $80 for okay.
We just manage to stay up to 10 pm before we both succumb to sleep. Birdwatching is hard work!
Day 7: South to Manuel Antonio
We leave the Monteverde Lodge & Gardens at 10 am for Manuel Antonio on the Pacific coast and the start of the most tropical part of our Costa Rica sojourn.
Getting to Manuel Antonio from the Monteverde Cloud Forest is just as adventurous as our journey from Arenal. I can’t believe a bus can make it up the hills and over the numerous deep potholes. But our driver is phlegmatic. He jolts his way down the steep and narrow mountain road until we finally hit the lowlands and then it is smooth sailing to our hotel in Manuel Antonio.
Gawking at the Crocs
On our way, we stop at the famous crocodile bridge. Way below the bridge in the muddy river, dozens of huge crocodiles lazily drift. I can’t help wondering what would happen if anyone fell off the bridge. It wouldn’t be pretty.
We hop back in the van and keep heading south.
Crocociles seen from the bridge
After three hours (including two stops), we pull up in front of Si Como No Hotel. Perched high on a hill between the small towns of Quepos and Manuel Antonio, the hotel has one of the most spectacular views of the Pacific Ocean in the area (or at least that’s what the hotel claims and it’s hard to dispute).
View from the lobby over the Pacific OceanView over the adult pool at sunset
We settle into our spacious room overlooking the ocean. The hotel is a bit dated – lots of heavy wood – but as usual, the service is impeccable. The food, unfortunately, is mediocre at best so after a disappointing lunch, we decide that going forward we’ll eat at one of the restaurants about a five-minute walk down the road towards Quepos.
View from the balcony of our room at Si Como No resort
Hanging Out at Si Como No Resort
We find the adult pool and settle in for an afternoon of R & R with our two-for-one happy hour drinks. I satisfy my lifelong dream to order a drink at a swim-up bar. We perch on the ceramic stools and sip our cocktails (a bit watered down, but whatever—they’re two-for-one!).
Later, as we lounge in the pool, two scarlet macaws soar overhead. Seeing them flying free in the wild is a huge thrill. I’d seen plenty over the years in zoos and tropical gardens, their wings clipped so they couldn’t fly. But they are supposed to fly! Two by two, they streak across the blue tropical sky, their long tails streaming behind them, flashes of brilliant scarlet blinding in the sun. They move too fast for pictures, but it doesn’t matter. Just seeing them is a tonic.
Scarlet macaws in flight
Later, the trees surrounding the pool come alive with swinging, bouncing, cheeky monkeys – white-faced capuchins. They are so much fun to watch. Several of the moms have babies on their backs. I am reminded of Carlos at the Proyecto Asis wildlife sanctuary near Arenal telling us how poachers kill the mamas to get the babies. How incredibly cruel.
Day 8: Manuel Antonio Park
The next morning, we are up at the crack of dawn. I go out onto our balcony and hear howler monkeys for the first time in my life. They really do sound like Tyrannosaurus rexes from Jurassic Park. The roaring sound echoes across the canopy, sending shivers down my spine. Later, in Corcovado National Park, I will hear lots of howler monkeys (and have the audio to prove it). But more on that later.
The plan for the day is to visit world famous Manuel Antonio National Park. It’s Costa Rica’s smallest national park but reputed to have a lot of wildlife in addition to some of the most beautiful beaches in the world.
Arrival at Manuel Antonio National Park
The bus arrives on time (the buses always arrive on time!) and we clamber on to take the last two seats. Ten minutes later, we descend the hill to Manuel Antonio. A strip of cheap souvenir stalls lines both sides of the street leading to the park entrance. We are directed to pick up a plastic bag containing two containers of fresh fruit (included in the price of the tour) on our way to the park entrance where rangers search our bags for other food.
The park is strict about what food visitors may bring in. Basically, the only things allowed are a small container of fresh fruit, a water bottle, and possibly a sandwich. No granola bars, no chips, and no pre-packaged foods, lest they get fed to the animals.
The crowds at 7:15 am are already alarming. Our guide inform us that this is the first day that the park capacity is being doubled from 1500 visitors per day to 3000. And because the park is going to be closed the next day, everyone and his sister has risen before dawn and come to the park—and all of them join groups ranging from five to 15 people centered around a guide with a large telescope on a tripod.
Manuel Antonio Park Walk
Our group from the bus is divided into three groups of about 15 people each. This is the largest group we’ve had yet for a wildlife tour, and it is too large. Most of these tours entail a short walk followed by the guide setting up the tripod, positioning the telescope and then inviting each person to peer through the lens at whatever animal he’s discovered. With ten people, the waits can get tedious; with 15, they are interminable.
It’s very crowded at Manuel Antonio National Park
At several points during the two-hour tour, other groups surround us, the cacophony of raised voices drowning out any hope of hearing animals of the non-human variety. Any self-respecting animal has long gone into the hinterland, and I can’t say I blame them.
Animals in Manuel Antonio
The guide does his best, but the crowds are insane. We see a wren minding her nest, an iguana, a few small bats, a spider, a sleeping frog, and a sleepy sloth (mind you, they are all generally sleepy). That’s not a bad haul, but thanks to all the standing around and waiting, we are worn out by the time we make it to the beach.
A lone iguarna is the most exciting thing we spotted on the nature walk
The Beach at Manuel Antonio
Fortunately, the beach makes up for the bordering-on-tedious walk. Its reputation as one of the world’s most beautiful beaches is well deserved.
We find a shady spot, put down our towels and minutes later are cavorting in the gentle waves. The beach is set within a wide bay with calm waters—very safe for swimming, which is not something that can be said about all beaches in the area.
The beach at Manuel Antonio National Park
The ocean is bathwater warm and not at all refreshing. But it sluices away the sweat while the salt flushes out the bug bites. We stay for about two hours. The crowds are certainly larger than expected considering it’s a national park with limited attendance, but at least the beach is still pristine. Since concessions are not allowed and everyone must walk a fair distance to get there, the beach still feels remote and untouched.
Run-in with the Monkey Mafia
At one point, we settle under a tree and leave Julia’s backpack open. Seconds later, a card-carrying member of the Monkey Mafia (seriously, that’s what people in Costa Rica call them!) swings down from the trees and hops into Julia’s backpack. He plucks out a box of Kleenex that Julia had liberated from our hotel room, looks at it with disgust and then chucks it into the sand and swings away.
Sorry, Mr. Monkey.
We spend lots of time watching the monkeys swarm through the trees bordering the beach. They know humans have fruit and so wait for one of them to become careless. The park people must figure that the occasional piece of fruit lifted from a tourist won’t unduly upset the eco system since monkeys normally eat fruit. We see a lot of monkeys clutching hunks of pineapple and watermelon in their little fingers.
Bird in Manuel Antonio ParkMonkey waiting for fruit
Leaving the Park
By one o’clock, we are done. We follow a narrow boardwalk back through the rainforest to the park entrance. Often, we are the only people on the boardwalk, a marked change from the hordes accompanying us along the main path earlier in the morning. Unfortunately, without a guide, we don’t see any animals. But we do enjoy the jungle solitude, particularly the constant buzzing and rustling sounds reminding us we are walking through an intensely alive ecosystem.
Once out of the park, we have lunch at a soda. While my Casado is excellent, Julia is served raw chicken which she sends back. She gets a cursory apology but not a comped meal. Oh well, you win some, you lose some.
We grab a taxi back up the hill and take a well-deserved nap after the exertions of the morning in 30-degree heat. By 4:30 pm, we are at the adult pool waiting for the two-for-one happy hour drink. The monkeys put on another show, we cool down in the pool, and all is well.
For dinner, we opt for pizza at a place down the road. It is excellent and a tasty change from Tico (Costa Rican) food, which, although hearty, does get a little monotonous.
Day 9: Manuel Antonio and the Mangrove Swamp
On our second full day in Manuel Antonio, we intend to do nothing in particular. But we quickly realize we don’t want to spend the day at the public beach where the swimming is said to be rather unsafe. Consulting with the friendly reception staff at Si Como No, we decide to take an afternoon tour of the mangrove swamp.
Good call! All my life, I’ve wanted to see a mangrove swamp. I’m not sure why. Maybe I watched too many episodes of The Everglades back in the 1960s or read more than my fair share of novels set in pirate times when people were forever getting themselves lost in mangrove swamps.
I remember reading that mangrove swamps are super hard to penetrate and brimming with all manner of creepy crawlies.
It is time to see for myself.
Touring the Mangrove Swamp
I am not disappointed! A mangrove swamp is a fearsome thing. I can’t imagine trying to walk through one—the impossibly tangled roots making each step a chore, the mud sucking you down, the wall of foliage. Even with a razor-sharp machete, progress would be agonizingly slow.
We are picked up and taken down the hill to Quepos where we check in at the office and then board another van for the 20-minute drive to a sleepy, muggy cluster of houses sliding into a river. Sightseeing boats and plenty of kayaks cluster around the soggy docks. Kayaking is an option, but we are feeling less than energetic. A nice, comfy boat will be just the ticket.
And it is!
Cruising Through the Swamp
We settle into a boat along with a couple from Toulouse, France, and our enthusiastic young guide. He and the driver of the boat spend the next two hours cruising us along the silent waterways lined on either side with thick mangrove swamps.
Every so often, we stop so the guide can show us an animal—an iguana, a sleeping frog, and even a silky anteater. That one gets the guide and driver excited, although I confess, I can’t see more than a blurry furball high in the tree. But apparently, it’s rare to see even that when it comes to silky anteaters. Who knew?
Eventually, we glide to where the waterway meets the breezy freshness of the ocean.
Out to the Pacific Ocean from the mangrove swamp
We turn back and are soon disembarking at the same tumble-down, heat-soaked swamp dock we started at. The houses are ramshackle and poor looking. I don’t think it would be a comfortable place to live.
Dark Side of Palm Oil
On the way back to Quepos, we pass hectares and hectares of forbidding looking date palm plantations stretching into murky darkness on either side of the road. Our guide tells us that working on the plantations is extremely dangerous. The massive fruit of the date palm from which the palm oil used in the cosmetics industry is extracted is extremely heavy. If a worker is under a palm tree when the fruit falls, he can be killed. The plantations also harbor all manner of deadly critters, notably fer de lances and scorpions. Injuries are common. Most of the workers who toil in these plantations come from Nicaragua. We pass a compound of houses where they live for “free” while they are working. It looks like a very hard and dangerous life, and inspires me to seek out products that are palm oil free.
Back in Quepos, we are served an early dinner of Casado. I order the fish; Julia orders the chicken. Tasty.
We arrive back at Si Como No and spend a quiet last evening resting up for our next adventure.
Day 10: En Route to Copa de Arbol Rainforest Resort
Our last adventure in Costa Rica is staying at an ecolodge on the Osa Peninsula. Everything I’ve read about Costa Rica and animals declares that the Osa Peninsula is the place to see the most animals.
Osa is home to 2.5% of the world’s biodiversity all crammed into one relatively small peninsula. The area teems with wildlife, and the tourism industry is quickly responding to the allure of this remote area. Several luxury eco-resorts now dot the peninsula’s coastline. Since one of the main attractions of the Osa Peninsula is its remoteness, most of the ecolodges are accessible only by boat.
To go there is to be immersed in the jungle and experience nature up close and personal. When we were planning our trip, we decided that we had to include the Osa on our itinerary (and we are glad we did).
Why Go to the Osa Peninsula
The wonderful Pacific Trade Winds responded to our request to visit the Osa Peninsula by suggesting The Copa de Arbol Rainforest Resort. It makes many of the top-ten lists of best ecolodges in the area and for good reason.
Expensive? Well, the Copa de Arbol Rainforest Resort is not cheap, but it is excellent value. The cost includes accommodation in a gorgeous little cabina so close to the ocean that the swooshing of the waves lulls us to sleep every night, three excellent meals a day, two day trips, transportation by boat from Sierpe to the resort and then from the resort to Drake Bay and from there a flight to San José, along with the most attentive, friendly, and sincere service I’ve ever experienced. There are almost as many staff as guests.
We begin our adventure by saying farewell to Si Como No and the expansive view over the ocean and hopping on a shuttle for the two-hour drive to Sierpe, one of the gateways to the Osa Peninsula. The area is so remote that driving into the peninsula is almost impossible, particularly during the rainy season.
Getting to Copa de Arbol
Our shuttle pulls up in front of a sleepy riverside café filled with people like us who are bound for one of the resorts on the Osa Peninsula. I feel like I’ve stepped into a gritty version of Disney’s Jungle Cruise. I have time to gulp a quick coffee (Costa Rican coffee is so good) before our captain ushers us (again, only us!) into a small launch that will take us down the Sierpe River and out into the Pacific Ocean to our destination at Copa De Arbol.
Two men transfer our luggage from the van into the small boat; we scramble aboard and, minutes later, our captain casts off and heads down the river. For the first 30 minutes, the view either side of the boat is of mangroves—the grey twisting roots so evocative of pirate movies of yore. Every so often a bird soars overhead. The breeze is cool, and we settle in to enjoy the ride.
The water gets a bit choppier as we near the mouth of the river. We are handed life jackets and told to hang on as we pass over the surf and into the ocean before hanging a left and going down the coast past little Drake Bay to our resort. The captain expertly navigates large swells and takes us up and over the surf and into calmer water.
Arrival at Copa de Arbol
Thirty minutes later we arrive at the beach in front of Copa de Arbol. I spy a few thatched roofs poking up among the greenery, the only indication that this stretch of jungle is inhabited. This is not the area for swanky highrises (thank goodness!). All the resorts are tucked into the foliage and designed to be a part of nature rather than dominate it. I’ve always liked the sound of an eco-resort and I am about to find out what one is really like.
Approaching the beach at Copa de Arbo Rainforest Resort – the buildings aren’t even visible
The boat reverses close to the sandy beach and we are invited to disembark. I have a momentary wobble as I stand at the stern and begin stepping down into the water. Four pairs of hands rushed to my aid to keep me upright. Feeling somewhat embarrassed, I jump into the warm water (the ocean here is incredibly warm) and slog to the beach.
We are Welcomed
Of course, I don’t need to spare a second of worry for our belongings. They are being hoisted onto strong shoulders and taken directly to our cabina.
We emerge from the water to find Lissbeth standing on the sand, waiting to greet us. I feel like I’ve stepped into an episode of Fantasy Island or perhaps White Lotus but without the dysfunctionality. Another person appears, bearing cold towels and a fruit drink. We assure her that the trip was fantastic and soon we are walking along an immaculately maintained gravel path toward the main building.
On the way, we stop at a freshwater hose conveniently set up to rinse sand off our feet. Lissbeth does a thorough job of cleaning us up and then escorts us to the breezy reception area. Check-in is quick and personal. They know exactly what tours we’ve signed up for (wildlife in the Corcovado and snorkeling at Cano Island plus one free day) and promise to keep us informed every step of the way.
Settling Into Cano #1
We stroll back toward the ocean to check out our home for the next four nights. Cano #1 is the closest cabina to the beach. If we are any closer, we’ll be sleeping with the fishies. The cabina is gorgeous—two beds, a large bathroom with rainfall shower, and a wide porch perfect for sitting on and writing. Hibiscus flowers are strewn everywhere—on the pristine white coverlets, in the shower, on the towels. Whenever new guests arrive, the staff must go out and gather the blossoms. I discover later that there is no shortage of hibiscus plants on the property. All wild.
Welcome to Copa de ArbolMy bed with hibiscusView from our porchOur little cabina
I snap pictures and videos, get my stuff unpacked, and then we walk back to the main building for lunch. As we had before entering our cabina, we remove our sandals before climbing the stairs to the breezy dining area. The requirement to remove shoes before entering any structure on the property is a smart one, to avoid excess sand build-up. And, as I am soon to discover, everything here is done efficiently and with superb attention to detail. I’ve never been in a place with such a customer-service orientation. With so few guests and such a high staff-to-guest ratio (it honestly feels like one-to-one when you factor in all the maintenance staff), nothing is too much trouble.
The resort has just nine cabinas and an equal number of tables in the dining area so every party has a view of the ocean.
First Lunch at Copa de Arbol
Our lunch is a delicious pasta with plump shrimp—very tasty and very fresh. It is the first of 12 excellent meals. Most of the meals we’ve had on our Costa Rica trip are hearty and tasty, but not particularly memorable. The breakfast buffets at the Tabacon Resort & Si Como No were mediocre and the breakfast at Monteverde Lodge was good but not great.
Copa de Arbol beats them all hands down, which is doubly remarkable considering every bit of food is brought in by boat and then prepared on site.
The pool at Copa de Arbol ResortOur table for meals at Copa de Arbol Resort
After lunch, we check out the beach but don’t swim. The beach is gorgeous but a bit rocky in places and too rough for my comfort. Fortunately, the three-tiered infinity pool surrounded by lush rainforest is a winner. During our four-night stay, we spend at least a few hours every afternoon at the pool. There are always more than enough padded lounge chairs and rarely more than three other people in the pool. Most of the time, we have the area to ourselves.
Happy Hour runs from 4 pm to 5 pm and involves optional imbibing of one of the two-for-one cocktails of the day. My favorite is the Pain Killer on Day 3! It is a good choice after a morning spent tramping through the jungle in 30-degree heat (mind you, I have adored every minute of it).
I don’t get the special on the last day because it contains gin (my least fave spirit!), and instead enjoy a creamy smooth rum and coconut concoction called a Drake Bay.
Exploring
Before dinner, we explore the path that passes in front of the resort and is the only land access to the resorts along this coast. The path extends from Drake Bay about an hour’s walk to the east and to the River Claro and the edge of the Corcovado National Park about an hour to the west.
We head west to enjoy a full view of the setting sun which is not quite visible from Copa de Arbol’s beach. The walk along the narrow path through the jungle is spectacular: ocean waves crashing on one side competing with the constant hum of cicadas buzzing in the trees, punctuated by bird calls and occasionally the roar of howler monkeys.
Our first sunset near Copa de Arbol
I have never realized just how noisy the jungle is. It never stops—a constant chittering that pulsates with life. You can’t help but be aware that you are in the middle of one of the planet’s most abundant biospheres. All the plant life is huge—massive ferns, palms soaring into the tropical blue sky, huge Ficus trees, other very large trees that look like oaks, with broad trunks and sturdy boughs, but are not. They look like trees in Avatar or the Swiss Family Robinson tree at Disneyland.
That evening, Julia enjoys a tenderloin steak, while I have a perfectly cooked slab of mahi mahi doused in an excellent sauce. Both are served with plenty of fresh vegetables followed by a lemon mousse for dessert.
Day 11: Free Day at Copa de Arbol
Our first full day at Copa de Arbol is supposed to be a hike in the Corcovado, but the resort reschedules it to the following day when more people will be joining us, which is fair. All the tours available through Copa de Arbol are with freelance guides hired to escort only guests of the resort. As a result, both tours we take—snorkeling to Cano Island and a hike in the Corcovado—consist of only six people: two couples from the US and us.
Such small group tours are perfect and more proof that staying at Copa de Arbol is excellent value. Pricy? Yes. But price isn’t the only measure of whether a place is worth staying at. This is a three-star resort in a six-star environment with first-rate customer service. The intimacy of the experience wins over any of the more luxurious resorts I’ve stayed in.
Hanging out at Copa de Arbol
Our first full day becomes our only true rest day on the entire 14-day Costa Rica adventure. It is well-timed! We need a day of good R & R, particularly because a work emergency has hit me the night before and I am obliged to get up super-early and spend the first three hours of my day in the restaurant downing copious cups of excellent Costa Rican coffee and working on my laptop. The staff are very tolerant! I finish by the time Julia comes to breakfast (excellent French toast).
Another drink of the day by the pool at Copa de Arbol
I then spend most of the rest of the day hanging out on the beach or at the pool, reading, occasionally writing my blog posts, and generally relaxing. Heavenly! I also treat myself to a massage with Joanna who comes by boat from Drake Bay. She sets up a massage table in our cabina and gets to work. The sound of the waves crashing outside, the constant working of her hands across my muscles, and the lingering scent of peppermint all conspire to lull me into a state of total relaxation.
Sunset Walk at Copa de Arbol
At sunset, we again stroll the coast path to view the sunset and then enjoy yet another gourmet dinner. I opt for sesame crusted Ahi tuna and it is excellent.
At every meal, we are asked to place our order for the meal to follow, at least for lunch and dinner and on one day for breakfast. So, at lunch, we are given the dinner choices (always two meat-based choices and one vegetarian) and at breakfast, we are given the lunch choices.
On our second night, we are asked to pre-order our breakfast because we’ll need to eat at 5:30 am to be ready to board the boat at 6 am for the journey to the Corcovado National Park and the start of our jungle hike.
Lights-out early followed by the usual restless night that precedes having to get up earlier than usual! I wake up and check my phone at least five times and finally beat the alarm and roll out of bed at 4:50 am. At exactly 5:30, we present ourselves in the dining area and find our pre-ordered breakfast ready and waiting—eggs Benedict with fresh avocado. Unfortunately, food at such an early hour is too much for me so I’m not able to do it justice!
Day 12: Corcovado National Park
At 6 am, we meet our guide, Isaac, and along with our four companions (a couple from Michigan and a couple from Tennessee who are traveling together), we are ushered aboard the waiting boat. As the sun rises over the Pacific, we are whisked along the coast at a brisk clip. The air is fresh and cool, the clouds pearlescent with the sunrise. On the one side is the open Pacific and on the other, dense jungle. Forty minutes later, we pull into a bay in front of the San Pedrillo ranger station at the Corcovado National Park.
Arrival at San Pedrillo Ranger Station
We splash off the boat and are provided with towels to dry our feet before pulling on socks and sturdy running shoes for the hike. One guy wears only thin sandals, but I wouldn’t take the risk. Snakes and other creepy crawlies freely slither the park.
Julia and me in Corcovado Natoinal Park
The San Pedrillo station is quite busy at 6:45 am as small groups from all over the area converge for their guided hikes. All hikes must be guided. Apparently, people do try to hike on their own, but disasters often befall them—snake bites, disorientation, heat stroke, etc. I wouldn’t even think of going into the area without a guide.
Hiking in the Corcovado
Isaac leads us in the opposite direction of where most of the other groups are headed and within minutes we are being swarmed by coatis. They are like raccoons, with the same bandit-like tendencies. They scurry across the path and up into trees and across branches. The whole forest shivers and shakes with their antics.
We are in a second-growth forest that was farmland back in the early 1970s when the National Park was created. Most of the 55,000 hectares of land in the huge park are primary forests, but the areas easily accessible to visitors are not. Much of the park is off-limits to visitors. Park rangers patrol the vast area and are on the lookout for poachers and even gold prospectors. Many of the species in the park are endangered; poachers still pose a real threat.
Howling with the Monkeys
After about 30 minutes, we change direction and are soon deep into howler monkey land. The roaring sound in the early morning comes from the monkeys marking their territory. Apparently, the sound of their howling changes depending on what they are doing. If they sense predators such as a puma or jaguar, their howling changes noticeably, something the guides are always listening for. Unfortunately, the chance of us spotting one of the big cats is virtually nil. Isaac tells us that he’s never seen one in the park, although they definitely exist.
In the video above, our guide Isaac takes us along a forest path. You can hear the howler monkeys. We see lots of monkeys—squirrel monkeys and spider monkeys mostly—but don’t actually see any howlers. However, I record lots of audio of them howling. We spot an anteater high in the trees and get some good pictures of it jumping from branch to branch. Apparently, we’re lucky to have spotted it.
We also see a sloth and a rather fine looking spider. Julia is not impressed by the spider.
In Search of a Tapir
Isaac leads us off the trail into an area signposted as off-limits. He is in search of a tapir, so we all follow dutifully. After a few twists and turns and talking with other guides we meet on the way, Isaac tells us to be very, very quiet and to follow him. We start down a narrow, root-tangled path. All of us are studiously maintaining radio silence, that is, until I trip on a root, fall on my knees and yelp in pain (and not a little embarrassment).
Oops! It will be my fault if we don’t get to see the tapir.
I apologize profusely (but in a whisper) and moments later I stop next to Isaac and see an actual, bona fide tapir resting in the mud. It is HUGE! I hadn’t expected it to be so large. I think I was envisioning a kind of large pig, but while a tapir has piggy tendencies it’s much bigger, with an elongated head and large, black body. It is related to both the rhino and the horse but is relatively harmless unless a human gets in the way of a mama tapir and her baby. The babies are striped black and white at birth and resemble watermelons. How cute is that?
Finding a Tapir
Our tapir is supposed to be sleeping, but I see one eye open. When I mention this to Isaac, he smiles and says that the tapir had been sleeping until someone made a noise. He means me, but is too polite to say it. I apologize again and take some pictures before ceding my position in the line to the next person.
The tapir awakes
After seeing the tapir—a highlight and not that common—we trudge to the Sirena ranger station for a rest. We’ve been walking for about two hours in the steamy jungle.
Stop at Sirena Ranger Station
The temperature has risen steadily and by the time we arrive at the station, we are all very hot, very sweaty, and very in need of a cool drink. Fortunately, jars of fresh juice are for sale, along with coconut cookies and other pastries. We settle down in the shade to enjoy our juices and cookies and give our hot feet a rest.
People who overnight in the park stay at the station in dormitories kitted out with bunk beds swathed in mosquito netting. I peered into one of the dormitories and am glad we are staying in our spacious, air-conditioned cabina back at Copa de Arbol.
After the break, we trek back through the jungle to the beach where our boat is waiting. I am hot, sticky, and longing for a cold shower. We don’t see a lot of animals on the way back; the morning is too far gone and most of the animals are wisely responding to the increasing heat by having siesta. Smart animals.
Watching the Ants
I’m fascinated by the columns of ants we occasionally step across on our walk through the forest. Isaac stops to explain their organization. It’s amazing to watch them patiently trundle across the path, some laden with leaves, others standing by, presumably to direct.
Return to Copa de Arbol
The 40-minute boat ride back to Copa de Arbol refreshes us. Out on the water, the heat is not oppressive, thanks to the shade of the boat’s canopy and the breeze.
On our way back to Copa de Arbol
Minutes after we arrive back at Copa #1, Mario, one of the wait staff, arrives with two glasses of fresh celery and lime juice. The thoughtfulness of the staff here really is beyond anything I’ve ever experienced. We are two minutes from the dining hall and yet he takes the time to bring the cold juices to us knowing we’ve just arrived back from our Corcovado hike.
Did I mention that the staff call us by name? They take the trouble to learn our names on the first day and so always greet us as Carol and Julia. They know I like black coffee in the morning and that Julia doesn’t drink coffee, and they also know Julia doesn’t like fish and drinks less alcohol than her mother, and that both of us always say yes to dessert. The level of service is truly V.I.P., the kind you’d get in ultra-premium class on a cruise ship, but less unctuous, more genuine feeling. The staff works long hours in a remote location and yet they appear to enjoy their jobs. I hope that is the case.
On our third evening walk, we head east toward Drake Bay, away from the sunset but into new territory for us. We come across a troupe of monkeys cavorting in the trees and navigate a slightly rougher up-and-down trail. On another trip, I might consider walking into Drake Bay, but even at 5:30 in the evening, the air is heavy and hot.
Day 13: Snorkeling at Cano Island
Our third and final full day at the Copa de Arbol again starts early with a boat trip to Cano Island. We are with the same two couples from the day before and are heading off to snorkel and explore the island. Julia is nervous. She’s not much of a swimmer and is prone to seasickness. Fortunately, the air is fresh and the swells minimal. So far so good. Our cheerful guide (they are all cheerful!) points out leaping dolphins and various birds.
The boat stops within site of the island and presumably connects to a sea anchor. We prepare to snorkel.
Swimming with the Sea Turtles
Ten minutes later, we’re in the water and it’s magical. Massive sea turtles swim lazily beneath us, and the coral reef is swarming with fish. Our guide is in the water with us and points out notable sealife. I’m bobbing happily alone, the only sound the wheezing in and out of my breath in the snorkel. I love the solitude of snorkeling—I feel suspended in time with no past and no future, just me in my watery elements. I am a Pisces, after all!
But Julia is not. About ten minutes after we enter the water, I hear her cry out. She’s not a happy camper and, although happy to have seen the breast-stroking turtles, has had enough. The swells of what really is the open Pacific Ocean, albeit on a calm day, have been enough to turn her tummy. We signal for the guide who immediately swims with Julia back to the boat.
Julia Goes Ashore
The boat captain takes her to the beach on the island and I keep snorkeling. By the time the boat returns, my love affair with the watery deeps has faded somewhat and I’m happy to clamber back on the boat and head for dry land. I’ve never been particularly prone to seasickness (unlike Julia), but for some reason I need a good hour on the beach, lying flat on my back with eyes closed, to feel my equilibrium return. I think my snorkeling days are over. But that’s okay—I’m going out on a high note.
When I feel better, I climb with Julia up to the top of a rough path to see the view from the island. It’s pretty dang stunning.
On the way back to Copa de Arbol, the guide gives us each a Tupperware box full of fresh pineapple and watermelon, both welcome bites of deliciousness to chase away the saltwater taste.
We spend the afternoon lazing by the pool, enjoying our last day in this tropical paradise. I wish we didn’t have to leave, but our Costa Rica vacation is coming to an end.
Day 14: Drake Bay to San José
We enjoy our last breakfast at Copa de Arbol and say farewell to the waitstaff. I add a healthy gratuity to our final bill (mostly drinks since everything else was already paid for). The staff deserve every extra colón they can get. We board the boat for our last ride, this time to Drake Bay, which is only about ten minutes away.
From there, we are loaded into a van and taken over a bumpy road to the airstrip where we board a small plane for the short flight back to San José. The views from the plane of the Pacific Coast are magnificent.
Manuel Antonio National ParkSierpe River
We check into the Gran Hotel Costa Rica, Curio Collection By Hilton, which is a very nice business hotel smack in the middle of San José. The city is not a particularly attractive one, and in my opinion worth only one night, if that. However, we do find three interesting things to do.
Visit to the National Museum
We walk about three blocks to the Museo Nacional de Costa Rica, aka the Costa Rica National Museum. Housed in a former barracks, the museum is an impressive place well worth a visit.
We enter through a beautiful glassed-in atrium aflutter with butterflies, and tour a large number of rooms chronicling the history of Costa Rica from pre-Columbian to the present. I know almost nothing about Costa Rican history even after two weeks in the country, so I thoroughly enjoy browsing the many very well curated and artfully presented displays.
National MuseumMysterious stone orbsPre-Colombian statue
The captions are in both Spanish and English. I particularly enjoy the pre-Columbian and early contact displays, and then the rooms chronicling 20th-century Costa Rica, particularly information about why Costa Rica gave up its standing army after its revolution in 1949 and then in recent years decided to invest heavily in preserving the environment and promoting tourism.
We spend at least two hours enjoying the museum.
I want to visit the nearby Jade Museum and the pre-Columbian gold museum, but we have run out of steam. Also, we are in search of some last-minute souvenir shopping.
Buying Souvenirs
On the way back to the hotel, we stop by the large Central Market (Mercado Central). Souvenir stalls and hopeful-looking vendors jam pack the indoor space. But fellow buyers are thin on the ground. We feel guilty every time we go into one stall rather than its neighbor but eventually we have to make decisions. I buy several bars of Costa Rica chocolate to give as gifts, a colorfully embroidered bag, and a toucan fridge magnet. I’ve read in a guide book that vendors expect you to bargain, but I haven’t the heart. Business does not look particularly brisk and if I can afford to travel to Costa Rica for a two-week vacation, I can afford to pay a few extra colóns for my souvenirs.
Julia heads back to the hotel for a rest and I get a ticket to tour the National Theater, an ornate colonial building right across the street from the hotel and a major attraction in San José.
The National Theater
The National Theater of Costa Rica (aka Teatro Nacional de Costa Rica) is a must-see. A pair of hard-working guides hosts an excellent hour-long tour during which they sometimes appear in costume, enacting the glory days of the theater’s origins. Construction of the theater began in 1891 and was completed in 1897. Apparently, the President of Costa Rica, José Joaquín Rodríguez Zeledón, decided to place a tax on coffee to help pay for the theater which served a population of just 20,000.
Exterior of the National TheaterInteriot of the theaterReception aread at the theaterCostumed guides did a great job bringing the history of the theater to life
The theater is considered the finest historic building in San José. The interior has been lovingly maintained, with ornate stairwells, striking paintings, and beautiful furnishings.
Adiós to Costa Rica
We leave the next morning at the crack of dawn, spend a good hour checking out the much more expensive souvenir shops at the airport, and then board the plane for the five-hour flight to Toronto followed by another five-hour flight to Vancouver.
I can’t think of one negative thing to say about Costa Rica. It is a wonderful place to travel, and I definitely plan to return and stay longer to explore the Caribbean coast and more of the Osa Peninsula (my favorite of all the places we visited).
The landscape is achingly gorgeous, the animals exotic and easy to spot, the people friendly, and the tourism infrastructure very well-developed (albeit not cheap!).
Pura Vida!
Other Tours in Costa Rica
Here are some tours offered through Tiqets.com
And here are some more offered through GetYourGuide:
Conclusion
Have you visited Costa Rica? Share your recommendations in the Comments below.
Here are some more posts about sunny places to visit during the cold North American winter months:
As an Artsy Traveler, one of the most rewarding things I recommend you do is sign up for an artsy retreat in a gorgeous location. You’ll get inspired while learning new techniques and meeting like-minded travelers.
I recently discovered the Villa Lena in Tuscany (and I LOVE Tuscany!) where you can do just that.
Imagine spending four days surrounded by spring flowers in the Tuscan countryside while you learn how to arrange and paint flowers with master artist Tanvi Pathare. From May 5th to 10th in 2023, Tanvi will be conducting four watercolor master classes that “will focus on an old and healing art form: the slow-paced appreciation of flowers, landscapes, and natural beauty.”
Sounds pretty awesome to me! I hooked up virtually with Tanvi and asked her some questions about her background as an artist and about her upcoming Flower Painting Retreat at the Villa Lena in Tuscany.
Interview with Tanvi Pathare
I interviewed Tanvi virtually (and hope one day to meet and learn with her in person!). Here is our interview.
Who is Tanvi Pathare?
Artsy Traveler: Tell us about your background as an artist–where you studied and some of your influences.
Tanvi Pathare: I was born in Mumbai, India. Since an early age, I was fascinated by the idea that you could create something beautiful with your hands; I enjoyed the craft element of it. I studied at the Sir J. J. School of Art in Mumbai, after which I moved to Florence in the search of more formal training as a realist painter.
I studied in the painting program at the Florence Academy of Art. After graduating from this program, I began teaching, and have been a Principal Instructor for drawing and painting at The Florence Academy ever since.
I look up to painters such as Rembrandt, Titian, Van Dyck, John Singer Sargent, Emil Carlsen, Henri Fantin-Latour, and Isaac Levitan to name a few.
Tanvi’s Inspiration
Artsy Traveler: What is it about floral painting that inspires you?
Tanvi Pathare: I feel my journey as a painter involves the constant delightful pursuit of studying the perfection of nature. Flowers are a wonderful source of inspiration, as they change, move, and grow. I find tracking their beauty through paint highly intriguing.
Tanvi teaching painting in Florence
Tanvi’s Favorite Flowers
Artsy Traveler: Do you have any favorite flowers that you particularly enjoy painting?
Tanvi Pathare: I truly enjoy painting roses and peonies. I think their overall forms are very intricate, and hence a good place to spend a few hours meditating over them.
Painting of peonies by Tanvi Pathare
Influences of Location
Artsy Traveler: You grew up in India and now live in Florence. How have these locations inspired you? What changed in your work when you moved to Europe?
Tanvi Pathare: I think having grown up in India, color (and a lot of it) was always a part of my visual aesthetic. Moving to Florence, I think my palette, became a bit more harmonized, though still having sharp color notes. My formal training in Florence helped me organize my ideas in a more cohesive way. Living in Florence, you are spoilt by the beauty around you. I think Mumbai and Florence will always be an integral part of my language as a painter.
Villa Lena Workshop
Artsy Traveler: As a workshop leader, what do you hope participants will take away from their experience painting with you?
Tanvi Pathare: hope that participants walk away with a new found appreciation of nature and flowers. Painting flowers is a beautiful way of truly appreciating their beauty because you spend much longer looking at them, versus just taking a picture of them and moving along..
White Roses by Tanvi Pathare
Tanvi Pathare’s Artwork
Tanvi’s art is truly exquisite. Her website beautifully showcases her work with various subjects: portraits, landscapes, and still lifes (lots of flowers in this category).
Here is a selection of some of her works I particularly liked. I can definitely see how she is influenced by masters such as Titian and Rembrandt and also by 19th century painters such as Henri Fantin-Latour and John Singer Sargent.
Landscapes by Tanvi Pathare
Tanvi’s website includes several paintings of the Tuscan landscape. Artists have been captivated by this landscape for centuries and no wonder. Tanvi captures the light and motion with fluid strokes and an eye for strong composition.
The Valley in Lucca by Tanvi PathareThe Mediterranean by Tanvi Pathare
Still Lifes by Tanvi Pathare
I often gravitate to still life paintings when I tour art museums. I especially enjoy flower paintings, perhaps because my mother painted flowers almost until she passed at the age of 93. So flower paintings have been a part of my life forever. Also, although I’m not the best of gardeners, I love watching flowers grow! Tanvi’s flower paintings really spoke to me. She captures the exuberance of their colors and the whimsy of their forms spilling out of vases and scattering petals. I feel like I can reach out and pluck a rose just before it falls.
Wine and Roses by Tanvi Pathare
Of Peonies and Roses by Tanvi Pathare
A Wisteria Dream by Tanvi Pathare
Still Life with Roses and Cherry Blossoms by Tanvi Pathare
The Flower Painting Workshop at Villa Lena runs from May 5th to May 10th, 2023. You stay at the Villa Lena and can participate in many more activities in addition to flower painting.
When I read the description about what participants in Tanvi’s floral painting workshop at the Villa Lena are going to do during their stay, I wish I could hop on a plane and attend myself. Alas, not this Spring, although I plan to visit the Villa Lena when I’m in Tuscany in the Fall of 2023.
Here’s what you’ll enjoy during your floral painting workshop:
5 nights accommodation on site at Villa Lena
Full board – farm to table feasting.
4 master classes on painting floral compositions with Tanvi Pathare
Wine tasting
Afternoon tea & baking lesson with in-house pastry chef
Pasta cooking class
Olive oil tasting
Guided tours of the VL orto & flower farm, with flower cutting session
Daily Yoga
Access to Villa Lena facilities including 2 pools, 2 bars and beautiful common areas.
That sounds like an amazing way to spend some time in Tuscany! Interested?
Full disclosure: If you follow this link and book a stay at the Villa Lena, I earn a small commission. Thank you!
Visit Villa Lena
Villa Lena is located in the heart of Tuscany between Pisa and Florence. The villa hosts retreats and offers agriturismo accommodation.
Villa Lena in TuscanyPool overlooking the Tuscany countryside at Villa Lena
Staying at the Villa Lena
The accommodations at Villa Lena are stylish and comfortable. I’m imagining myself sitting in front of that view doing some writing. I’ve always found Tuscany an incredibly inspiring place to work and can’t wait to get back there in Fall 2023.
View from a room at Vill Lena
A bedroom at the Villa Lena
Villa Lena Foundation
The villa is also affiliated with the Villa Lena Foundation, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to supporting international contemporary artists working in art, music, film, literature, fashion, and other creative disciplines, and fostering opportunities for multi-disciplinary dialogue. If you’re an artist, you can apply to do at residency at the Villa Lena Foundation. Applications open soon for residencies in 2024. Check the Villa Lena Foundation website for details.
Art studio at the Villa Lena Foundation
Conclusion
Are you traveling to Tuscany this spring? Consider spending time at the Villa Lena learning flower painting with Tanvi Pathare. You’ll come away with a renewed appreciation of the beauty of nature and a painting or two that you’ve created.
Have you ever taken an art workshop or gone on a painting retreat? Share your experience and suggestions with other Artsy Travelers in the Comments below.
Here are some more posts about artists and artsy traveling in Tuscany:
If you love art and you’re visiting Ottawa, than you don’t want to miss the iconic National Gallery of Canada.
It is truly a national treasure, and one of the reasons why I was very pleased when my niece told me they were moving to Ottawa with their family a few years ago.
Now I have an excuse to visit Ottawa more often, which means I can spend more time at the National Gallery!
To help you enjoy this wonderful gallery, I’ve put together a list of my 20 favorite pieces. These are just the tip of the iceberg, chosen from room after glorious room of masterpieces in the Canadian collection.
When you go, you’ll find many more pieces to marvel at.
Overview
The National Gallery of Canada is an excellent museum both inside and out.
Outside, the striking glass structure built in 1988 echoes the shape of the library on Parliament Hill that it overlooks.
Inside is a comprehensive collection of the best of the best of Canadian painting, particularly the Group of Seven and some notable moderns.
I visited the National Gallery of Canada with my daughter on a brilliant blue-sky day in early February after checking out Winterlude, eating my very first sugar shack maple-syrup lollilop (so delicious), and strolling past Parliament Hill (rated the #1 attraction in Ottawa on Trip Advisor!)
On Parliament Hill in Ottawa on a crystal-cold February day
Location of the National Gallery of Canada
The National Gallery is a short walk from Parliament Hill along the Rideau Canal and quite close to the Byward Market.
The map below shows the location of the gallery along with a few landmarks such as the Parliament Buildings, the Rideau Centre, and the Ottawa Art Gallery (also worth a visit).
On your way into the gallery, you can’t help noticing the massive sculpture by Louise Bourgeois. Called Maman and created in 1999, the giant egg-carrying arachnid cast in bronze was inspired by Bourgeois’s own mom.
If you don’t much like spiders, you might want to walk quickly past Maman, but if you’re not too bothered, linger a while and take some striking pictures!
Carol & Maman
Touring the Canadian Collection
On my most recent visit to the National Gallery of Canada, I entered the main Canadian collection from the moderns and traversed backwards to the colonial and pre-colonial eras.
Usually, I start old and end new, but I found going backwards was a refreshing way to get a different perspective on the collection.
In addition to the large collection of Canadian art on the main floor, the National Gallery also includes a comprehensive collection of European and American art, and a large area devoted to contemporary work (most of which was kind of missable, to be honest).
Because I’m limiting this post to just 20 of my faves, I’m focusing only on the Canadian collection.
Ready? Let’s start with the moderns.
Modern Canadian Art at the National Gallery
Modern art–as opposed to contemporary art–includes works from the mid 20th century until about the 1970s.
I’ve limited myself to five faves, presented in the order in which I came across them and listed by artist name rather than the name of the work.
Norval Morrisseau (called Copper Thunderhead)
Norval Morrisseau is credited with creating a completely new art movement inspired by non-European aesthetic conventions and iconography.
His work is a visual translation of an Anishnaabe worldview that is based on oral tradition, individual experience, and heritage.
I don’t think anyone could look at a painting by Morrisseau and not be enchanted. The vibrant colors and intriguing shapes, along with his original depictions of animals and people, are irresistible.
His work is immediately recognizable and so compelling. This painting was the first I gravitated to when I entered the room.
Norval Morrisseau (called Copper Thunderhead), Artist and Shaman between Two Worlds (1980)
Alex Colville
Alex Colville’s hyper-realistic paintings depict everyday life in the Maritimes. This piece is one of my favorites (and probably Colville’s most famous) because it beautifully captures the feel of a sunny, breezy day in summer.
Also, what is the woman looking at? Prince Edward Island? Another boat? Us? It’s enigmatic and yet relatable.
The painting depicts Colville in the background and his wife Rhoda in the foreground holding the binoculars.
Alex Colville, To Prince Edward Island (1965)
Art McKay
I was unfamiliar with Art McKay, although my husband, painter Gregg Simpson, has since told me that he met him back in the 1970s.
I included his work simply because I really liked it. It reminds me of a Pollock but with more fluid movement. Apparently, McKay was inspired to pursue abstraction after meeting the American abstract painter Barnett Newman in 1959.
In this painting, the limited palette (black, white, blue) produces a compellingly energetic work that drew me in. I wanted to sit with it for a while, to feel the paint swirling around me like clouds seen from outer space.
Art McKay, Flat Blue, Flat White, Stove Enamel (1960)
Jean Paul Riopelle
The National Gallery of Canada includes several paintings by Jean Paul Riopelle in its collection, which is good news for me because I’m a big fan of his work.
This massive triptych is so fabulously joyous. Riopelle used a palette knife to apply paint directly to the surface using free and “automatic” gestures. He is known as the most ambitious artist in the Automatistes movement.
The title of the piece, “Pavane”, refers to the 16th century Spanish dance that is characterized by a stately and processional rhythm. And this painting fairly pulsates with rhythm.
I couldn’t do the piece justice with a single photograph and so took this video.
Jean Paul Riopelle, Pavane (1954)
Kathleen Munn
I had never heard of Kathleen Munn (1887-1974) whom I discovered was one of the leading modernist painters in Toronto in the 1920s.
I’m happy to see that the National Gallery is including more women in its collection. This appealing piece reminds me of a Franz Marc with its colorful shapes and abstracted landscape elements.
Kathleen Munn, Untitled (1926-28)
Group of Seven & Friends at the National Gallery
The Group of Seven are justifiably famous for creating paintings that showed the Canadian landscape to the world back in the early 20th century.
Also known as the Algonquin School, the Group of Seven includes Frank Carmichael, Lawren Harris, A. Y. Jackson, Frank Johnston, Arthur Lismer, J. E. H. MacDonald, and Fred Varley. Other artists associated with the group are A. J. Casson, Tom Thomson, and Emily Carr.
The National Gallery devotes several rooms to showcasing the work of these artists. I’ve selected my favorites in no particular order, except that I start with my fave, Lawren Harris.
Lawren Harris
Lawren Harris is hands-down my most beloved Group of Seven artist. I particularly appreciate his later work when he moved away from landscape and toward a spiritually-inspired form of abstraction.
The painting below is an example of his later work when he was focusing on producing abstract art using geometric compositions with layered planes.
Lawren Harris, Abstraction (1939)
This piece is one of Harris’s most famous. It depicts the north shore of Lake Superior and was painted in 1926 when Harris traveled to the region with fellow Group of Seven artist A. Y. Jackson.
Lawren Harris, North Shore, Lake Superior (1926)
Call me a tourist (an artsy tourist), but I couldn’t resist taking a selfie in front of this most iconic of paintings.
Geeking out at the National Gallery of Canada
J. E. H. MacDonald
Apparently, this painting by J. E. H. MacDonald was panned by the critics when it was first exhibited in the 1920s. One critic even compared the painting to a huge tomato salad. That seems a bit harsh!
I was immediately drawn to this painting because of its exuberant depiction of fecundity. Some of the plants are decaying, some are blooming, and all are jumbled together in a glorious mess of in-your-face nature. It’s awesome!
J. E. H. MacDonald, The Tangled Garden (1916)
A. Y. Jackson
How much more Canadian can this get–red maple leaves in front of a rushing river. The painting is even called “The Red Maple” and is based on a sketch from nature produced along the Oxtongue River in Algonquin Park.
A. Y. Jackson, The Red Maple (1914)
Arthur Lismer
Is this iconically Ontario or what? To me, this depiction of Georgian Bay in a storm really captures the swirling clouds and choppy waves of the Great Lakes region. It really couldn’t be anywhere else in Canada!
Arthur Lismer, A September Gale, Georgian Bay (1921)
F. H. Varley
Same with this piece, which also depicts a storm on Georgian Bay. The Group of Seven artists are credited with being quintessentially Canadian, but really, they are at heart Ontarians.
As someone born and bred in British Columbia, I don’t particularly resonate with the Ontario landscape. However, I can appreciate it and also how its depiction by the Group of Seven artists showcased a corner of Canada’s vast landscape to the world.
F. H. Varley, Stormy Weather, Georgian Bay (1921)
Franklin Carmichael
Carmichael is my second favorite Group of Seven artist after Lawren Harris; I even have a print of one of his paintings in my office.
See how he smashes together landscape elements to produce a visual earthquake for the viewer. You can feel the seismic energy of the rain, the snow, and the wind in his paintings.
Franklin Carmichael, Snow Clouds (1938)
Tom Thomson
Although he was not formally considered a member of the Group of Seven, the paintings by Tom Thomson are pretty much synonymous with most people’s idea of Group of Seven landscapes.
The National Gallery includes a large display of several dozen of Thomson’s small canvases. This video gives a good idea of the variety and quality of these exquisite gems.
Small paintings by Tom Thomson
Emily Carr
The other most famous artist who was not part of the Group of Seven, but definitely associated with them, is BC’s own Emily Carr. The National Gallery includes several of her pieces.
Most depict the brooding West Coast rainforest–a landscape I definitely resonate with since it’s the one I see outside my window as I write this!
A massive cedar tree is directly in my line of sight. It doesn’t take much imagination to see it as Carr did–a swirling, living mass of green energy thrusting skyward. Here are two of her pieces that I particularly liked.
Emily Carr, Something Unnamed (1937)
Emily Carr, Totems (1930)
Indigenous Art
The National Gallery does a good job of including several fabulous pieces of indigenous art in the collection of paintings by artists of mostly European descent.
Here are two pieces I admired.
Marven G. Tallio, Raven Sun Transformation Mask (1966)John Marston (QAP’U’LUQ), Spirit of the Forest – Mother Nature (2013)
Other Notable Pieces
While the stars of the show at the National Gallery are the paintings by the Group of Seven and the pieces of indigenous art, I saw some new-to-me pieces worth mentioning.
Here is yet another depiction of Lake Superior (there are many of them in the National Gallery!), which I liked because of the way in which the houses are all jumbled together in front of a massive landscape and because it’s painted by a woman artist I’d never heard of, Yvonne McKague Housser.
She painted this piece just a few years after Lawren Harris made the Lake Superior region famous.
Yvonne McKague Housser, Rossport, Lake Superior (1929)
This piece from the 19th century of loggers clear-cutting the area where I now live resonated because of the interesting way in which the artist depicted the figures next to the logs.
The painting catches one moment during the workday. No one is posing; no one cares about posing. They are just getting on with a brutal day’s labor.
George A. Reid, Logging (1888)
Yes, I’m a sucker for a good still life, and I particularly liked this piece by Quebec artist Joseph Légaré. Apparently, it’s the first still life executed in Canada, although I’m not sure how anyone can be 100% sure of that!
Anyway, it’s a nice painting.
Joseph Légaré, Still-life with Grapes (1826)
And Finally – A Shout-Out to the Gift Shop
I love a good museum gift shop and the one at the National Gallery of Canada is right up there in my top ten all-time favorite museum gift shops.
There’s a wonderful selection of quality gift items, many with indigenous designs and the assurance that the money actually goes to the artists. Hopefully, that is true because in my last two trips to the National Gallery (February 2023 and December 2021), I purchased several indigenously-designed items there.
Definitely check it out after you’ve toured the National Gallery. I dare you to leave without buying something!
Practical Information
The National Gallery of Canada is located at 380 Sussex Drive in Ottawa (see #1 on the map at the beginning of this post). It is open Tuesday to Sunday from 10 am to 5 pm (8 pm on Thursday), and closed on Monday. Adults cost $20; seniors $18; and 24 and under & students $10. Children under 11 are free.
Tours & Tickets in Ottawa
Here are some guided bus tours of Ottawa and options for tickets to some of Ottawa’s major museums with Tiqets.com to check out:
Looking for a good walking tour? I recommend GuruWalks. Here are the walks available in Ottawa:
Conclusion
The National Gallery of Canada’s permanent collection is stunning and extremely safe–some would say conservative. The focus is on the crowd-pleasing paintings by the Group of Seven (and hey, I was pleased), but there are very few paintings by more recent Canadian artists.
Still, it’s a great collection and worth a few hours of your time when visiting Ottawa, a city with its fair share of excellent museums.
Have you visited the National Gallery of Canada? What are some of your favorites? Share in the comments below.
Put Copenhagen on your list of must-see European cities. It’s small enough to tour in a few days and large enough to reward a longer stay.
I stayed for eight nights in Copenhagen in September 2022, while my husband and partner-in-travel Gregg Simpson had an exhibition of his paintings at Galleri Bredgade 22 close to the picturesque Nyhavn area of the city. I could have easily filled another eight days. Even so, I was able to pack a lot into the time I had available.
This post highlights my top fifteen sites and experiences.
Get Your Bearings
Before starting, check the map below. Most of my suggested sites in Copenhagen city itself are within walking distance of each other. The last four sites are outside Copenhagen and easily accessible by train.
The first item on my list isn’t a site but rather the card you’ll need to tour most of the rest of my recommendations. The Copenhagen Card is truly a bargain. With it, you can get into just about every museum and notable site in the city and use it on all the subways, busses, and trains in the Capital Region (a very large swathe of land that includes Copenhagen and most sites within an hour train ride).
You can purchase the Copenhagen Card for varying lengths. I purchased a five-day card which was perfect and allowed me to see almost everything I wanted to explore.
To find out if it’s worth your while to purchase a Copenhagen Card, choose the sites and museums you want to visit, check their prices online, and then compare them with the cost of the card. I pretty much guarantee you’ll find that the Copenhagen Card will be worth its price.
Click the image below to purchase the Copenhagen card.
#2: Take a Bike Tour
A good idea is to take a bike tour on the first day or two you’re in Copenhagen. That way, you’ll get the “lay of the land” while also ticking off a few of the most touristy sites such as the Little Mermaid (you only need to see her once!), some of the parks, and Nyhavn.
I joined a small bike tour for a 90-minute joy ride through Copenhagen and loved every minute of it. Copenhagen is made for cycling. You have your own lanes and your own traffic lights, and everyone knows and obeys the rules.
Meeting the Copenhagen Bike Tour
I met the tour at the bike racks in Kongen Nytorv (#2 on the map above), the large square not far from where we were staying in Nyhavn (see my review of our fabulous apartment). Our guide showed us the basic hand signals for turning left and right and stopping, assigned each of us in the group of six people a large and sturdy bike, reviewed how to change gears, and then boom, we were off. Helmets? What helmets?
Meeting the bike tour in Kongens Nytorv near Nyhavn
Riding around Copenhagen on a bike makes you feel like a real Copenhager. Everyone cycles here–young and old. Even if you’re not much of a cyclist, or out of practice (as I was), you’ll have no trouble cycling in flat Copenhagen. I think I changed gears once to go up a very slight incline in the area near the Little Mermaid.
King’s Garden
We rode for about ten minutes to the King’s Garden (Kongens Have – #5 on the map), where our guide gave us a quick history of Denmark and Copenhagen. He was a font of knowledge. While you could rent a bike and explore Copenhagen on your own, I recommend taking a tour. You’ll learn a lot, and also get the chance to chat with some fellow travelers.
The King’s Garden includes an attractive castle surrounded by a moat and plenty of tree-lined paths. In September, locals were hanging out on the lawns enjoying the sunshine.
King’s Garden in Copenhagen
Nyboder
We rode next to Nyboder (#6 on the map), an area of historic row houses that housed sailors in the 18th century. Our guide shared interesting information about the hard life of sailors and their families back in the day.
Nyboder district of old houses in Copenhagen
We then checked out both of Copenhagen’s mermaids. To read about them, see #3 below.
Gefion Fountain
A highlight for me was hearing the story attached to the Gefion Fountain (#10 on the map), which we rode to after visiting with the mermaids. The fountain depicts the mythical story of the creation of the island of Zealand upon which Copenhagen is situated. According to legend, the Swedish king Gylfi promised Gefjun (a goddess) that she could have all the land she could plow in a night. Well, being a bit of a resourceful lass, Gefjun turned her four sons into oxen and plowed out a Zealand-shaped chunk of land which was then thrown into the Danish sea to become the Zealand we know today. She left behind a hole that is now Lake Mälaren in Sweden.
What a woman!
Gefion Fountain in Copenhagen
Royal Palace & Opera House
We rode to a location where we could see both Royal Palace (#14) and the fabulous modern opera house (#15) directly across the harbor. Our guide talked a lot about the many environmental innovations Denmark is pioneering, including exciting new ways of recycling trash and using wind energy. Denmark is an inspiration for the rest of the world.
He also talked about the royal family and Queen Margrethe II who was celebrating her 50-year jubilee in 2022. In fact, several celebrations were going on while we were in Copenhagen. Apparently, the royal family are very well liked in Denmark, the Queen in particular. One of her many accomplishments is illustrating The Lord of the Rings, much to the admiration of Tolkein himself.
Royal palace
Opera house
Nyhavn
The bike tour ended in Nyhavn (#1) where our guide provided us with plenty of interesting commentary about living in Copenhagen and the remarkable social success story that is Denmark. Yes, there are still problems, but overall, Denmark is having enviable success compared to most other countries when it comes to solving many of the 21st century’s most pressing social and environmental challenges.
In the photo below, you can see the building where we stayed. It’s the dark orange one between the brown and tan buildings to the right of the guide.
Our knowledgeable guide telling us about Nyhavn
You can choose from plenty of bike tours and even book a private tour. Here are some options:
#3: Check out BOTH Mermaids
Yes, there are two–the famous one in the harbor that is mobbed with tourists, and the not-so-famous one about ten minutes away. Called the Genetically Modified Mermaid (#7), the statue is blissfully lonely. When I visited with the bike tour (see above), we were the only people checking her out.
Her more conventionally depicted sister mermaid sits in the harbor and basks in the glow of a thousand cell phones. Getting a picture of her requires some judicious zooming in to avoid the crowds.
The bronze statue of the Little Mermaid (#9) by sculptor Edvard Eriksen is inspired by the 1837 fairy tale by beloved Danish author Hans Christian Andersen. The statue has reached iconic status worldwide and is a must-stop on every tour itinerary. It’s a pleasant place to pause for a few minutes to enjoy views of Copenhagen’s massive harbor.
Genetically modified mermaid
Famous mermaid
#4: Take Pictures in Nyhavn
We stayed in a beautiful two-bedroom apartment in Nyhavn (#1) and I’m so glad we did. The area was once very sketchy–think rough pubs and brothels–but after major renovations and rebranding, Nyhavn has become one of the most recognizable regions in all of Copenhagen. In fact, nowadays you’d be hard-pressed to find any tourist info about Denmark that didn’t include a picture of Nyhavn.
The colorful buildings, old ships, and numerous sidewalk cafes are irresistible. I spent quite a bit of time taking photographs at various times of day to capture the shifting light.
According to the guide on my bike tour (see above), the restaurants in Nyhavn are overly touristy and over-priced. He has a point. We ate at one and yes, it was on the pricy side, which is saying something in pricy Copenhagen. But the setting really can’t be beat, so at least stop at one of the sidewalk cafes to enjoy a drink and watch the world go by.
Here’s a selection of photos from different images and in different lights of what must be the world’s most photogenic harbor.
Nyhavn at sunset
Nyhavn on a windless day
Walking into Nyhavn
Dramatic clouds over Nyhavn
#5: Eat Smørbrød
This is not optional! When you visit Copenhagen, you have to eat several pieces of smørbrød. These hearty, open-faced sandwiches consist of rugbrod rye bread heaped up with a dizzying array of fresh and artfully displayed ingredients. Your biggest challenge will be deciding which smørbrød to choose.
They are surprisingly filling. I found that two or three were plenty for a good lunch. You’ll find smørbrød at many restaurants around Copenhagen and beyond. Also check out cafes in places outside Copenhagen where you’re likely to find less expensive but just as fabulous smørbrød. Here are two plates of smørbrød–one enjoyed in Nyhavn on our first day and the other for a lovely dinner in Tivoli Gardens.
Smørbrød for a snack
Smørbrød for dinner
#6: Tour the Design Museum
The Designmuseum Danmark (AKA the Danish Design Museum – #8) was the first museum we visited in Copenhagen and it set a high bar! It’s a wonderful place with interesting and gorgeously displayed exhibits and plenty of commentary in Danish and English. You could spend all day there and still want to come back for more.
Even if you’re not “into” design, carve some time out of your Copenhagen stay to visit the Design Museum. Everyone sits on chairs and uses cutlery–and both these things, along with a ton more items we use every day, are featured in the context of design. The museum tells the story of Danish design of everything from furniture to objects to textiles to cutlery to posters, and a lot more.
The many rooms in the Designmuseum Danmark are arranged around themed exhibitions. For the most up-to-date information about current exhibitions, see the museum’s website.
Display of modern furniture at the Danish Design Museum
Called the Nationalmuseet (#12), this major museum is also worth several hours of your time on even a short trip to Copenhagen. We particularly enjoyed the prehistory collection (once of the best-displayed and best-explained I’ve ever seen) and the large exhibition devoted to the Vikings. They were a busy lot, as you’ll find out.
Helmets in the Danish National Museum
The museum is quite vast. Go early in the morning when you have energy and pace yourself! What I enjoyed the most was the cleverness of the displays. Everything is presented so artfully, which is fitting for a country famed for its design chops. And fortunately, as with the Design Museum, all the displays are accompanied by excellent commentary in both Danish and English.
Tivoli Gardens (#11) is an amusement park right smack in the middle of downtown Copenhagen. It’s one of the sites included with the Copenhagen Card, which is a good thing because I don’t think it’s worth the fairly steep admission price. Mind you, we’re not into rides and midway games–both of which take up a fair chunk of the park.
That said, go in the early evening to stroll through the beautifully designed gardens and view the pavilions, have dinner at a restaurant overlooking one of the bodies of water, and then marvel at the fabled lights. It’s a beautiful place to spend an evening.
We enjoyed an excellent meal at a restaurant overlooking the pirate ship. The server kindly took our picture.
Dinner al fresco at Tivoli Gardens
After dinner, we checked out the famous pagoda, listened to the screamsof the people braving the rides, and then called it a night.
#9: Go to a Concert at the DR Koncerthuset
We love going to classical music concerts when we travel in Europe and so got tickets for a concert at the DR Koncerthuset (#13), an ultra-modern, acoustically stunning hall a short metro ride from the center of Copenhagen.
We had perfect seats close to the front and in line with the piano keyboard (always a priority for me!). The concert included a Rachmaninoff concerto that knocked our socks off.
As soon as you know when you’ll be visiting Copenhagen, check out what concerts are on and get tickets in advance. The DR Koncerthuset website is in English and Danish.
#10: Wander the Pedestrian Streets
Copenhagen was one of the first (if not the first) European city to designate certain streets in the center of the city as “pedestrians only” in the early 1960s. The main street is called Strøget (#4). At 1.1 km, it’s still one of Europe’s longest pedestrian streets and stretches from City Hall Square to Kongens Nytorv. You’ll find a lot of stores lining both sides–both budget chains and designer shops.
I remember being amazed by the Strøget when I visited Copenhagen in 1970. I’d never seen a pedestrianized street like it. My mom and I spent several happy hours wandering up and down it, shopping for Danish souvenirs and eating smørbrød. The name Strøget also refers to several other streets in the area including Frederiksberggade, Nygade, Vimmelskaftet and Østergade and Nytorv square, Gammeltorv Square and Amagertorv Square.
Strøget shopping street in Copenhagen
Take your time and explore the many streets in the area while soaking up the very Danish vibe.
#11: Eat Lakrids by Bülow
I had never heard of Lakrids and now I’m hooked! Fortunately for my waistline, they are not easy to find in Vancouver. However, the next time I visit Copenhagen, I’m stocking up.
What is Lakrids by Bülow? Only the most scrumptious, luscious, and luxurious licorice I’ve ever tasted. It is a premium brand with a premium price, but oh-so-worth-it for the licorice lover. The delectable balls come in a dizzying variety of colors and flavors. I only bought one tube and have regretted it ever since!
I discovered a beautiful display of Lakrids by Bülow in the very posh Magasin du Nord in an iconic building on the Kongens Nytorv, the central square very close to Nyhavn where we were staying.
Even if you’re not a licorice lover, go to the Magasin du Nord (#3), try a free sample of the licorice bites, and then check out the rest of the store.
The fashionable department store dates back to 1869 and covers five floors in addition to the basement that houses the food market. Here, you’ll find a fabulous selection of fresh and prepared food that reminded me of the Harrods food floor in London. It’s a great place to pick up ingredients for a meal if your accommodations have a kitchen.
I spent a fair bit of time exploring the household goods and posh Danish souvenirs (not the plastic variety sold in the souvenir shops, but the really nice, Danish design variety). Magasin du Nord is the place to pick up exquisitely designed candlesticks, platters, cutlery, Danish china, and the like. I could have spent a lot of money there! Actually, I did spend a lot of money there…
Exploring the Capital Region of Denmark
After enjoying Copenhagen, venture outside the city where you’ll find plenty to do and see. You’ll also still save money with the Copenhagen Card on both the transportation and at the sites themselves.
Here’s a map of the Capital Region of Denmark to orient yourself. Each of the four destinations listed is no more than 40 minutes by train from Copenhagen. If you have lots of energy, you could visit Hamlet’s Castle (Helsginor), the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art and Frederiksborg Castle in one full day and then reserve another day for the Viking Ship Museum in Roskilde.
Venture outside Copenhagen to visit Kronborg Castle (#1 on the Danish Capital Region Map above) in Helsingor, about a 40-minute train ride north. Both the castle and the train fare are covered by the Copenhagen Card.
Kronborg Castle is the setting for Shakespeare’s Hamlet, although Shakespeare never saw it. A UNESCO World Heritage site, the castle is worth a visit to tour its many rooms, learn about Danish history, and enjoy views over the water to Sweden from its narrow windows. Also spend time exploring the charming little town of Helsingor. Although there’s lots for the tourist to see, the town doesn’t feel touristy. It feels very, well, Danish.
Consider visiting the Louisiana Gallery of Modern Art (#3 on the map above) on the same day you visit Helsingor. The two places are very close to each other (with the Louisiana Gallery just south of Helsingor) and together make for a perfect day trip out of Copenhagen.
The Louisiana Museum is one of Europe’s most renowned museums of modern art. For me, the stars of the place are the outdoor sculptures artfully arranged in the magnificent natural setting overlooking the North Sea and Sweden. Go on a day when the weather is clear so you can fully appreciate the views.
Another good day trip out of Copenhagen is to Frederiksborg Castle (#2). It’s an enormous place, very atmospherically located in a large lake. You can even take a launch (cost covered by the Copenhagen Card!) from the little town of Frederiksborg to the castle (or take a bus from the train station). The castle itself is quite sumptuous and very large. Wear your walking shoes!
After touring the castle, spend some time in the landscaped gardens before returning to the charming little town of Frederiksborg for lunch.
On the little launch crossing the lake to Frederiksborg with the castle in the background
The town of Roskilde, about thirty minutes west of Copenhagen (train fare covered by the Copenhagen card!), is home to the Viking Ship Museum (#4). The town was once the capital of Denmark and fairly oozes history, particularly if you’re into Vikings (and who isn’t?).
Full disclosure–I didn’t get time to visit Roskilde on my recent trip to Copenhagen. However, it’s definitely on my list which is why it’s included in this post. The Viking Ship Museum is built around the five original Viking ships from Skuldelev that are part of a global story about ships, people, and things on voyages. The focus of the museum is to tell the story of how the Vikings changed the world with their ships.
For more information about the Viking Ship Museum, check out the website.
Copenhagen Tours
Check out Tiquets.com for good tours of Copenhagen and the surrounding area.
Copenhagen Walking Tours
GuruWalk lists pay-what-you-please walking tours that connect tourists with tour guides all around the world. Check out their tours of Copenhagen!
Conclusion
Copenhagen is a gem of a city. It’s compact, clean, easy to navigate, and friendly. It doesn’t have a bustling, big-city vibe. Instead, it feels like a place where people are happy to live. If you want to hang out with a lot of very healthy-looking people who all seem to ride bikes and love the outdoors and you like great museums and artfully presented food, then Copenhagen should be your next European destination.
Have you visited Copenhagen? Share your suggestions in the comments below.
Finding accommodation in Copenhagen can be challenging if you’re on a budget. But if you have extra money to spare (and you’ll need it in Copenhagen), then you can easily rent a stylish apartment in an iconic location.
Copenhagen is a wonderful city to stay in for at least a week. Not only is there a lot to see and do, but there’s also great pleasure to be had just being in the city and becoming a temporary Dane. Rent a bike or take a cycling tour, wander up and down the many pedestrian streets, stop for coffee and watch the world go by, and stroll along the harbor.
On my visit to Copenhagen in September 2022, we stayed in two places–an apartment for a week and a hotel for one night. Both were great, with the edge going to the apartment, which was hands down one of the nicest and most comfy apartments we’ve ever stayed in during our many years of traveling in Europe.
The map below shows the location of the two places.
We chose to spend our week in Copenhagen in Nyhavn, the lively harbor area full of iconic, colorful houses and tons of outdoor cafes. I loved this location and never got tired of walking up and down the harbor taking pictures of the houses in every light.
Captivating Nyhavn in early evening
We booked an apartment through booking.com that exceeded our expectations. It was a two-bedroom apartment located in one of the colorful houses right on the harbor. To access it, we walked through two courtyards and then rode an elevator to the fifth (top) floor.
Passageway leading from the harbor to our courtyard
Building in which our apartment was located
The apartment was very stylishly decorated and included a full kitchen and a very large dining area. We also had a lovely view over the rooftops of Copenhagen.
Living area
Looking from the living area toward the large dining area; kitchen is on the left
One of the two bedrooms in the apartment
Colorful rooftops of Copenhagen seen from the bedroom
The price was fairly reasonable considering the location. Copenhagen is not a cheap place to stay, so expect to pay in excess of $300 USD a night. I felt that the apartment was well worth the cost and can recommend it whole-heartedly if you’re planning to spend a week in Copenhagen.
Staying at Phoenix Copenhagen
We had an extra night to spend in Copenhagen as a result of a last-minute itinerary change. Our beloved apartment was no longer available, so we moved around the corner to the stylishly upscale Phoenix Copenhagen.
If you’re looking for a hotel in the Nyhavn area, the Phoenix is a fine choice. It’s pretty high end price-wise and the room was a trifle cramped, but the staff were friendly and as mentioned, the location on Bredgade can’t be beat. The marble lobby was gorgeous and the restaurant downstairs served hearty food, particularly welcome on the cold and rainy night we stayed.
Lobby at Phoenix Copenhagen
We particularly liked Phoenix Copenhagen because it was across the street from the gallery in which Gregg was exhibiting the “Color of Dreams.” Here’s a look at the exhibition at Galleri Bredgade 22:
Facade of Galleri Bredgade 22 in Copenhagen
“The Color of Dreams” Exhibition at Galleri Bredgade 22
Paintings in the exhibition
View from the street of the exhibition
Other Accommodation Options in Copenhagen
Here are other options for places to stay in Copenhagen. If possible, choose a location near the center of the city. The Nyhavn area is ideal because it is within walking distance of just about everything you’ll want to see in this lovely, compact city.
Consider alloting time during your stay in Copenhagen for taking day trips. You’ll find plenty to see and do in the city to fill at least three days, but after that, it’s time to venture farther afield. Your Copenhagen Card (see more below) is your best friend. Use it to take trains all over the greater Capital region and to visit some of Denmark’s premier castles.
Armed with a Copenhagen Card (a must-buy – see below), I spent three half-days of my week-long stay in Copenhagen venturing outside the city limits to sample three Artsy Traveler experiences.
Location of Recommended Day Trips
The map below shows the locations of the three recommended day trips. You could possibly see all three in one day if you’re traveling by car, but that might be overkill! I suggest taking just one trip a day so you have time to enjoy the locations and still get back to Copenhagen in time to take in one or two more local sights and then enjoy a leisurely dinner.
On the map below, #1 is the Copenhagen Hovedbanegården, aka the Central Station. You’ll be catching the trains from here.
Trip map created with Wanderlog, the best trip planner app on iOS and Android
Frederiksborg Castle
The largest Renaissance complex in the Nordic region is Frederiksborg Castle (#2 on the map above) in Hillerød, about 30 minutes outside Copenhagen. The castle is one of the must-do day trips from Copenhagen, particularly if the weather is fine. Set in a lake and surrounded by gardens, the castle is extremely photogenic.
Carol arrives at Frederiksborg Castle during her day trip from Copenhagen
Walked over the bridge to the entrance to Frederiksborg Castle
Inside the castle is room after sumptuous room. Wear your walking shoes–it’s a big place! I toured the castle fairly quickly because I wanted to get outside to view the castle from the lake. However, if you’re interested in Danish history, the castle could easily fill an hour or two of your time.
Here’s a selection of a few of the rooms and displays I wandered through.
One of many sumptuous royal apartments
An 18th-century footman is happy to pose for photos
Outside the castle, you can tour the gardens and then catch the cute little launch that goes from a dock near the castle across the lake to the town of Hillerød. The cost of the launch (along with the castle entrance and all busses and trains) is included with the marvelous Copenhagen Card.
Cost of the ferry across the lake is included with the Copenhagen card
On the launch across the lake at Frederiksborg Castle
As I was crossing the lake, the sun came out with magical results.
Fredericksborg Castle
Hillerød
For your day trip to Frederiksborg Castle, you’ll catch the train from Copenhagen to Hillerød and then from the station, take a bus or walk to the castle. Many of the people getting off the train are also tourists and heading for the castle, so it’s pretty easy to just follow the crowd to the bus stop. If in doubt, ask someone who looks like a local. I never encountered anyone in Denmark who did not speak excellent English.
After touring the castle, you can either take the bus back to Hillerød or, like I did, catch the launch across the lake. It docks at Hillerød. Wander through the attractive little town, grab a coffee in the central square, browse a few shops, and then walk to the train station for the journey back to Copenhagen. The entire trip to the castle and Hillerød lasts only a few hours unless you are a super-fan and want to examine every part of the castle open to the public and also walk the miles of pathways in the formal gardens.
The charming town of Hillerød with the castle across the lake
Signposts in Hillerød leading me back to the station
Frederiksborg Castle Practical Information
Frederiksborg Castle is open every day throughout the year from 10:00 to 17:00 April to October and 11:00 to 15:00 November to March. Admission is 90 DKK for adults, but you can use your Copenhagen Card (see below for details). The museum is located in Hillerød, a 40-minute ride on S-train line A from Copenhagen. From Hillerød Station you can walk to the castle (View the route here) or take the local busses 301 (direction: Ullerød) or 302 (direction: Sophienlund) and get off at the stop “Frederiksborg Slot”.
Kronborg Castle
Located on the sound between Sweden and Denmark about 40 minutes north of Copenhagen, Kronborg Castle (#3 on the map above) and the charming town of Helsingor are both great choices for a day trip from Copenhagen. In fact, if you only have time for one of the three day trips presented in this post, I’d choose Kronborg. While the castle itself is not as large and imposing as Frederiksborg Castle, the town of Helsingor has more to offer.
Also, if you’re a Hamlet fan, then you have to visit Kronborg Castle, which was the setting for Shakespeare’s play. It’s easy to imagine Prince Hamlet wandering through the lofty halls of the castle and looking out to sea, brooding and plotting revenge.
If you have a car, you can even zip across on the ferry to Helsingborg in Sweden and from there carry on north to Gothenburg and even Stockholm.
Touring Kronborg Castle
Kronborg Castle towers above the narrow sound between the coasts of Denmark and Sweden. It’s a Renaissance castle complete with spires and towers, and is a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Courtyard instide Kronborg Castle
Inside the castle are rooms full of period furnishings. The prevailing feeling is a bit starker than Frederiksborg Castle. It’s worth touring, but doesn’t require a lot of time.
Bedroom in Kronborg Castle
Costumed guide talks about food at Kronborg Castle
The views from the castle over the sound to Sweden on the far shore are lovely on a clear day. Check out the clouds!
View from Kronborg Castle toward Sweden
Kronborg Castle Practical Information
Kronborg Castle is open daily from 10:00 to 17:00 May to October and from 11:00 to 15:00 November to April. Admission is 125 DKK for adults, but you can use your Copenhagen Card (see below for details). The castle is located in Helsingør, a 40-minute train ride from Copenhagen. From the station, you can walk about ten minutes to the castle.
Helsingør
I enjoyed wandering around Helsingør. It’s not at all touristy; the vast majority of the people out soaking up the sunny September day were locals. The harbor area with its ships and Maritime Museum are worth lingering in during your day trip from Copenhagen.
Lively harbor with tall ships in Helsingør
Also view murals on buildings throughout the town. I particularly enjoyed seeing the one of Hamlet holding Yorick’s skull.
Colorful mural of Helsingør in the 16th century
Close-up of Hamlet in the prow of a ship in a mural
I stopped for lunch on a pedestrian street full of outdoor cafes and enjoyed three scrumptious Smørrebrød – open-faced sandwiches, along with a strong and satisfying Danish beer.
As in many restaurants that serve Smørrebrød, I was invited to go check out a mouth-watering display of the tasty sandwiches and then choose the number and kind I wanted. Each of the three I chose was a winner.
Smørrebrød for lunch in Helsingør
I happened to arrive in Helsingør when locals were celebrating the Golden Jubilee of Queen Margrethe. There were lots of Danish flags and a parade!
Danes celebrating the Golden Jubilee of the Queen
Parade for the Golden Jubilee in Helsingør
A good sightseeing strategy if you want to see both Kronborg Castle and the Louisiana Museum of Art on a day trip from Copenhagen is to do both on the same day. They are quite close together in the same geographical area (north of Copenhagen). In fact, you take the same train from Copenhagen. Go to Kronborg Castle first and then backtrack to the Louisiana Museum or go the other way around. Bear in mind that you’ll find more and cheaper lunch options in Helsignor. At the Louisiana Museum, you only have the fancy restaurant at the museum (excellent food but not cheap!).
Frederiksborg & Kronborg Day Tours
You can choose to take a guided day trip from Copenhagen that includes both Frederiksborg Castle and Kronborg Castle. This tour also goes to Roskilde where you’ll tour the Viking Ship Museum.
Louisiana Museum of Modern Art
The Louisiana Museum of Modern Art (#4 on the map) is about a 30-minute train ride north of Copenhagen and is world-renowned as one of Europe’s best modern art museums. I’ll confess that I found the exhibitions a tad underwhelming. However, the setting of the museum on the North Sea and the many outdoor sculptures are fabulous and well worth the trip.
Founded by Knud W. Jensen to house Danish modern art, the museum opened in 1958. Within a few years, the focus shifted from featuring predominantly Danish art to becoming an international museum that featured internationally renowned artists.
Check what exhibitions are on, but even if they don’t appeal, visit the museum anyway. It makes for a lovely morning out from Copenhagen. You reach it by train (covered by the Copenhagen Card) followed by a pleasant 20-minute stroll along a suburban road to the museum.
After visiting the exhibitions, head outside where the real stars of the museum are located. Here’s a selection of sculptures dotted all around the large property.
View toward Sweden
Stone spheres in the sculpture garden
Captivating mobile overlooking the Sound
Cool cutout sculpture
Granite sculpture
Is it a Miro?
Louisiana Museum of Modern Art Practical Information
The Louisiana Museum of Modern Art is located in Humlebæk about 30 minutes north of Copenhagen. Catch the train from the main train station and then walk about twenty minutes to the museum. If you have a car, you can drive there. Ample parking is provided. The museum is open Tuesday to Friday from 10:00 to 22:00 and Saturday and Sunday from 11:00 to 18:00 (closed Monday) and covered by the Copenhagen Card.
Purchase the Copenhagen Card
Not all tourist cards are great value, but the Copenhagen Card is definitely worth purchasing. It covers so much of what you’ll want to see in Copenhagen, including all three of the sites and all the transportation options covered in this post, dozens museums (there are a LOT of museums in Copenhagen), and attractions such as Tivoli Gardens (worth a visit to see the lights in the evening). You can use the Copenhagen Card on the local subways. It truly is a bargain and a major time saver.
I almost never buy city cards, but I’m very glad I purchased the Copenhagen Card. Having it saved me loads of time, made sightseeing a pleasure, and took all the stress out of riding public transit. It’s a winner!
Click the image below to purchase the Copenhagen card.
Tickets and Tours in Copenhagen
Here are some options for tickets and tours purchased through Tiqets.com:
Conclusion
Have you visited museums in Copenhagen? Which ones did you visit and recommend? Please share in the comments below.
Here are more posts about awesome museums to visit in England and Europe:
The best three museums in Copenhagen (visit them with the Copenhagen Card) are all world-class and worth a trip to Denmark’s fabulous capital city just to visit them. There are several must-sees, but for this post, I focus on my three favorites: the Design Museum, the Danish National Museum, and the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, which is about thirty minutes north of Copenhagen (super easy to get to).
Armed with a Copenhagen Card, I ventured forth into the bustling streets of Copenhagen for three amazing Artsy Traveler experiences.
Called the Designmuseum Danmark, this museum is absolutely stunning (see #1 on the map above). Even if you’ve never in your life thought about design, put this museum on your list of must-sees while in Copenhagen. It tells the story of Danish design in room after room of artful displays of everything from furniture to objects to textiles to cutlery to posters, and a lot more.
Gregg and I never wanted to leave, although after our visit we did enjoy relaxing in the lovely courtyard and drinking lattes served by an enthusiastic young man. He was so pleased when we raved to him about how much we loved the museum.
Breezy and relaxing outdoor area at the Designmuseum Danmark
Gregg relaxing after touring the Designmuseum Danmark
The many rooms in the Designmuseum Danmark are arranged around themed exhibitions that run for quite a long time. For the most up-to-date information about current exhibitions, check the museum’s website.
Each display is accompanied by informative explanations in both Danish and English. Here’s an overview of the exhibitions we saw at the Designmuseum Danmark.
The Future is Present
The first exhibition we entered explored many of the ways in which designers around the world are finding solutions to challenges such as climate change, refugee flows, pandemics, and more. How do we live together in communities, relate to each other, and interact with our environments? And what role does design play?
The many displays are both beautiful and thought-provoking. One of my favorites is this display of biodegradable urns. The pendant attached to the urn is planted so that loved ones can enjoy “the growing flowers and a tree in a place for conversation and remembrance.”
Biodegradable urns – a way to remember loved ones long after their passing
Wonder
This exhibition featured objects from some of the Designmuseum’s many collections. The exhibition tells the story of how a thing becomes an object in a private collection or in a museum. Each display is imaginatively presented and accompanied by excellent commentary. You could spend a lot of time in the Designmuseum Danmark!
Here’s a sampling of some of the objects in the Wonder exhibition.
Gorgeously designed chair from the 19th CenturyArt nouveau necklace
The Magic of Form
Our favorite exhibition was The Magic of Form that took us on a fabulous journey through Danish design history. As anyone who has seen a piece of Danish modern furniture knows, Denmark and design go hand in hand. The Danes have a knack for creating marvelously designed furniture that is both beautiful and practical.
The exhibition is massive–room after room of objects and pieces of furniture that follow the historical development of Danish design from around 1900 to the present. Every time we entered a new room, we gasped in wonder. Not only were the objects themselves stunning, but also the way in which they were presented raised my experience of museum display techniques to new heights.
Here’s a selection of a few of the rooms and displays we wandered through.
Danish Modern chairs imaginatively displayed
Vases, a modern light fixture, and an abstract painting
Chock full of color and form
Danish Modern run amok
Ultra modern Danish Modern chic
Colorful sculpture
Other Exhibitions
When we toured the Designmuseum Danmark, we also saw two other exhibitions. The Table, Cover Thyself exhibition of plates and cultlery showed a myriad selection of table settings including plates, cutlery, tureens, figurines, and more. I particularly loved these two jugs.
Two beautifully designed coffee jugs
The Powerful Patterns exhibition explored patterns as an artform and included a wealth of textiles and costumes, including this beautiful dress.
Dress with exquisite embroidery
The Designmuseum Danmark was one of the many highlights of our week in Copenhagen. I can hardly wait to return to see what new exhibitions are being featured.
And to top off my visit, I discovered that even a trip to the ladies room was fraught with design. Here’s what I saw when I look up from where I was, um, sitting:
Chair suspended over a toilet stall at the Designmuseum Danmark
The Danes have a sense of humor for sure!
Design Museum Practical Information
The Designmuseum Danmark is open from 10 am to 6 pm Tuesday to Sunday (closed Monday). Admission is 130 DKK for adults, but you can use your Copenhagen Card (see below for details). The museum is located at Bredgade 68 and makes a great stop on the way to see the Little Mermaid in the Copenhagen harbor.
The National Museum of Denmark
The Nationalmuseet (#2 on the map at the top of this post) is another major museum in which you could get lost for hours. In fact, we ran out of steam after touring the awesome collection of prehistory and Viking artifacts and didn’t see all the museum has to offer. All the more reason to return!
But even if you, like us, only manage to tour half the museum, make sure it’s the half that includes the Danish prehistory and Viking collections. Each display is cleverly mounted and includes interesting commentary in Danish and English.
Danish Prehistory Collection
I have a soft spot for prehistory museums and monuments, and visit them whenever I can. Check out my post on seven of my fave prehistory spots in Europe. Given my predelictions (and Gregg’s too), we naturally made a beeline for the Danish Prehistory collection.
What a treasure trove!
The exhibition features objects made prior to 1050 AD and extending way, way back into the misty mists of time (like 6000 BCE!) and includes unique archaeological treasures like the Trundholm Chariot of the Sun, the Egtved girl’s grave, the Gundestrup cauldron, the Hoby tomb, and more.
Twenty-four rooms arranged in a large square enclosing the gardens take you from the earliest years up to the Viking era. I was surprised and enthralled by the age of many of the prehistoric objects in the first several rooms. A highlight is the skeleton of a massive bull elk that perished in a bog over 8500 years ago.
The Tåderup Elk at the Danish National Museum
Here are two of my favorite displays, but there were many more. You could spend a very long time in the Danish prehistory rooms.
Polished figures from prehistoric grave sites
Viksø helmets from the Bronze Age
Viking Exhibition
Eventually, you’ll arrive at the Viking exhibition to be confronted by a model of a full-size Viking ship (and it’s really big!). The ship dominates the large room that includes displays that trace Denmark’s huge contribution to world history. At one time, Vikings controlled vast swathes of Europe, extending all the way to North America. A wall-size map at the beginning of the exhibition shows how far their influence extended.
Sartorial elegance of the Vikings; a portion of the ship model is in the background
The Danes are very proud of their Viking heritage, as evidenced by the care they’ve taken to mount such a spectacular exhibition.
The Raid Experience
Included in the Viking exhibition is a new multi-media experience called “The Raid” that invites guests to “hop aboard and join the Vikings on an adventurous raid.”
“The Raid” isn’t actually a ride. You walk through a series of rooms, stopping in each to watch a 360-degree projection accompanied by commentary in English. The projections tell the exciting story of Björn Ironside, the legendary Viking who led 62 ships on an ill-fated journey to Rome.
Along the way, they plunder and pillage as Vikings are wont to do, but never actually make it to Rome. They do make it into the Mediterranean, however. Unfortunately, on their way out again, they are almost destroyed by large firebombs raining down upon them from the cliffs above the Strait of Gibraltar. Poor Bjorn perishes and very few ships make it back to Denmark. So ends Bjorn’s raid, only to be revived 1500-odd years later for tourists to wonder at.
Poster for “The Raid” at the Danish National Museum
What Else to See at the National Museum
The museum includes exhibitions from Denmark’s Middle Ages and Renaissance, the histories of Denmark, an antique collection, the Children’s Museum, Voices from the Colonies, and a Coin and Medal Collection in addition to special exhibitions. Everything is state-of-the-art, a real testament to recent advances in museumology.
I need to go back!
On the way to the National Museum of Denmark
National Museum of Denmark Practical Information
The National Museum of Denmark is located in the Prince’s Palace at Ny Vestergade 10. It’s within walking distance from Nyhavn where I recommend you stay. The museum is open Tuesday to Sunday from 10:00 to 18:00 (closed Monday) and covered by the Copenhagen Card.
Louisiana Museum of Modern Art
The Louisiana Museum of Modern Art (#3 on the map at the top of this post) is about a 30-minute train ride north of Copenhagen. It’s world-renowned as one of Europe’s best modern art museums, and therefore a must-visit for the Artsy Traveler!
That said, I confess that I found the exhibitions a tad underwhelming. However, the setting of the museum on the North Sea and the many outdoor sculptures are fabulous and well worth the trip.
The food in the restaurant overlooking the water is also excellent!
Founded by Knud W. Jensen to house Danish modern art, the museum opened in 1958. Within a few years, the focus shifted from featuring predominantly Danish art to becoming an international museum that showcased internationally renowned artists.
Check what exhibitions are on, but even if they don’t appeal, visit the museum anyway. It makes for a lovely morning out from Copenhagen. You reach it by train (covered by the Copenhagen Card) followed by a pleasant 20-minute stroll along a suburban road to the museum.
After visiting the exhibitions, head outside where the real stars of the museum are located. Here’s a selection of sculptures dotted all around the large property.
Louisiana Museum of Modern Art Practical Information
The Louisiana Museum of Modern Art is located in Humlebæk about 30 minutes north of Copenhagen. Catch the train from the main train station and then walk about twenty minutes to the museum. If you have a car, you can drive there. Ample parking is provided. The museum is open Tuesday to Friday from 10:00 to 22:00 and Saturday and Sunday from 11:00 to 18:00 (closed Monday) and covered by the Copenhagen Card.
Purchase the Copenhagen Card
Not all tourist cards are great value, but the Copenhagen Card is definitely worth purchasing. It covers so much of what you’ll want to see in Copenhagen, including all three of the museums covered in this post along with dozens more museums (there are a LOT of museums in Copenhagen), attractions such as Tivoli Gardens (worth a visit to see the lights in the evening), and all your transportation in and around Copenhagen. You can use it on the local subways and on trains that go farther afield to popular destinations such as Frederiksburg Castle, Kronburg Castle, and the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art. It truly is a bargain and a major time-saver.
I almost never buy city cards, but I’m very glad I purchased the Copenhagen Card. Having it saved me loads of time, made sightseeing a pleasure, and took all the stress out of riding public transit. It’s a winner!
Click the image below to purchase the Copenhagen card.
Copenhagen Tours & Tickets
Check out more tours and things to do in marvelous Copenhagen with Get Your Guide.
You can also purchase tickets directly through Tiqets.com
Copenhagen Walking Tours
GuruWalk lists pay-what-you-please walking tours that connect tourists with tour guides all around the world. Check out their tours of Copenhagen!
Conclusion
Have you visited museums in Copenhagen? Which ones did you visit and recommend? Please share in the comments below.
