Doolin, Ireland

Doolin is quite a small town in Co Clare, Ireland, about 6 km north of the Cliffs of Moher.  It might seem a strange place to have on a list of recommended stops in Ireland, but it's in a great location and has a fabulous traditional music scene.  In April 2009, my husband and I found ourselves on a road trip around Ireland and this seemed like a great place to stop for the night.  I am so glad we did!  There are some who have said it's quite touristy, but we did not have that experience at all.

First of all, the scenery looks something like this…

Doonagore Castle, built in the 16th century.  This place is privately owned and you can't go inside, but I felt blessed just to look at it…

Then we stayed at this ADORABLE bed and breakfast - the Doolin Activity Lodge (353 65 707 4888).  It was so quaint and wonderful.

Charming bedrooms, wonderful breakfast - couldn't have asked for more.

And this is basically the village itself.  Looks like a lot of small villages in Ireland, especially the coastal ones.  Take the time to explore them, if you are able.  Meet the people.  Talk with the shop owners (there are some wonderful little craft shops).  Breathe in the magic.  There is nothing quite like them.

Doolin has three pubs.  Gus O'Connors is in the main village, and McGann's and McDermott's are down the road.  We decided to do a pub crawl, and settled into Gus O'Connors relatively early for dinner.  We were hoping to get a taste of the traditional music scene Doolin is famous for, and we were not disappointed.  Just as we were finishing, some local musicians set up shop at one of the booths and started playing...

We decided to have another pint...

…and then this started.  I never actually believed that spontaneous singing and dancing broke out at Irish pubs, but we were proved wrong more than once on this trip.  This guy apparently comes here often and was not shy at all about showing off his extensive dancing skills.

Others from the crowd also came up to join him.  The girl in the black sweater was English and actually did some tap dancing, but somehow it all worked out…  Needless to say, one thing led to another and we never left this pub.  It was worth every minute!

But I'd still love to go back someday and try out those other pubs  :)

One big Doolin hint: When you go out at night, there are NO lights.  It's a farming village, and we had very real fears when we were walking back to the Lodge about running into stray cattle.  It was so black you could not see a hand in front of your face.  So keep that in mind and maybe pack a small flashlight - it would help a little!

Grand Case, St. Martin

** To read about our adventures on nearby Anguilla, click here and here.**

We traveled to Grand Case as a part of our tenth anniversary trip in March 2014.  I had visited the Dutch side of St. Maarten on a cruise as a teen, but this was my first experience on the French side.  We obviously wanted to enjoy the beaches, but also learned through research that Grand Case is a culinary capital of the Caribbean.  We also liked the idea that Grand Case was economically reasonable, yet we could stay in a hotel steps from the beach.

We chose the Hevea Hotel - at the time newly remodeled and under new ownership, which meant reviews were limited.  What we saw we liked, and we decided to give it a shot.  It was not beachfront and does not have anything resembling views, but you could cross the street in a few steps and end up here…

It's a gorgeous beach - beautiful white sand, enough rocks to make it interesting, and extends long enough for a decent walk.  It's thinner than we would usually prefer and slopes quite a bit, but if you are looking for a relaxing time in a beach chair with a drink in your hand, you'll have no trouble finding it here.  For those who might like to partake, it is topless...

We were able to see some planes come in over the beach, but the noise didn't bother us at all (we were concerned about this staying on the other side of the island…)

There is not a lot to Grand Case - mostly residential and restaurants - but there is plenty of Caribbean flavor.

What you absolutely cannot miss in Grand Case are the sunsets.  Looking out over the rocks and the boats…  They are just completely unforgettable...

Calmos Cafe

As viewed from the bar of Love Hotel

As viewed from Ocean 82 restaurant

Recommendations in Grand Case:

• Hevea Hotel: This was probably the most nerve wracking part of our trip - we just really didn't know what to expect.  Honestly, it was a wonderful place to stay on a budget.  It was relatively clean (a few bugs - nothing unexpected on a Caribbean island), remarkably quiet for being on the main street, and conveniently located.  The desk manager only spoke French and we only speak English, but we figured it out and he worked quite hard to be sure we were happy.  They do provide mosquito netting I would recommend using and do request a room at the back of the property (further off the street).  They have a very cute breakfast place up front where they serve croissants in the morning.
• Rainbow Cafe: Located just across the street from Hevea Hotel, this is a charming little waterfront cafe by day and a beachside club by night!  Breakfast here is a little pricy but delicious.  Monday nights they turn up the music around 11 and you wouldn't believe the transformation.  Think strobe light and girls dancing on the tables.  It's crowded, but a lot of fun  :)

Before it got crowded... 

• Ocean 82: My favorite meal bar none in Grand Case.  Fabulous fresh seafood with the most amazing view over the beach.  Make a reservation and request a waterfront table.  You won't regret a meal here.
• Calmos Cafe: Fantastic little beach cafe.  Service can be a little slow, but you won't really care when you're enjoying a frozen drink or Corona by lamplight watching the sunset.
• Piazza Pascal: Interesting idea to have an Italian restaurant in the Caribbean.  We thought the food was average.  The balcony tables are gorgeous though - this whole restaurant has a very cool ambiance.
• Love Hotel: We considered staying here but in the end we were glad we didn't - it's a little more bohemian than we like.  The bar, however, is amazing - very casual vibe and overlooks the water.  It is also a perfect place to grab drinks or lunch on the beach during the day.  Fabulous menu and service  :)
• Blue Martini: Fantastic live reggae music in a very cool courtyard.
• Harmony Nights: Unique to Grand Case, this is a Tuesday night street festival.  It's seasonal, so try to plan your trip when it's happening if possible.  Lots of local food - cooked in roadside stands - and artisans selling jewelry, crafts, and banana rum in hand painted bottles (side note: be very careful opening these when you arrive home - we managed to shatter our beautiful bottle!)  There is also a small parade with dancers in costume and lots of live music.  We felt very safe the whole time until we left Blue Martini to return home.  There are no street lights and people did clear out by midnight.  Make sure you aren't alone.

Overall opinion of Grand Case: A great place to spend a few days!  I think I would have been a bit disappointed if this had been our whole trip (post on Anguilla to come!) but I'm glad we went.  The best parts were Harmony Nights and sunsets with drinks on the beach.  Friendly people, relatively safe, fabulous beach.  It's worthwhile.

Welcome!

"Take only memories, leave only footprints." 

-Chief Seattle

Welcome to my travel blog!  Travel is one of my greatest passions and the basis of most of my favorite memories.  I am so lucky to have been able to travel to many parts of the world already, and I look forward to new and exciting adventures in the future!

About me

Present location: happily suburban south of Charlotte, NC

Previous states I've called home: California, Colorado, Missouri, Michigan, Ohio, and Illinois

Favorite traveling companions: my husband and our daughter (currently 5)

Favorite trip (so far): Ireland

Favorite type of location: the beach, especially Caribbean

Favorite travel food: local fresh caught seafood

Upcoming travel plans: Anguilla, northern Wisconsin, Jekyll Island, Charleston, Argentina