Go Slow...

That’s the motto if you’re hanging around the breathtaking island of Caye Caulker.

Caye Caulker is just a quick 45 minute ferry ride away from Belize City. When you arrive at the ferry dock, you’ll notice buildings painted with vibrant colors, the smell of the fresh ocean air, and green lush all around. Take a deep breath and let the immediate feeling relaxation sink in.

Once you grab your luggage from the ferry station, you’ll realize that there are no cars on the island of Caye Caulker… golf carts, beach cruisers, and walking are the main modes of transportation on the island (you can rent bikes for as cheap as $5 USD/day).

You will immediately fall in love with the island of Caye Caulker. After stressful days in the office, there is no better escape and place to recuperate than this quaint island. The locals are genuinely nice (they’ll chat with you and know you within a matter of 24 hours) and care about your well-being. As a solo female traveler, I never once felt unsafe. Worried about the language barrier? Well, fun fact, the Belizean’s speak English, though you’ll often hear them speaking in Creole.

Although the island is small, it is bustling with endless activities, flavorful local dishes, and plenty of other solo travelers and vacationers looking to relax.

Activities

Snorkeling: The diving and snorkeling is UNBELIZABLE (I did both)! I went snorkeling with Caye Caulker Reef Friendly tours (Amado doesn’t feed the sharks/hold them like others), and had an amazing experience. We did three stops around Hol Chan Marine Reserve, including the infamous Shark Ray Alley, which is bustling with nurse sharks and sting rays everywhere. The full day trip was $80 USD and included a homemade lunch, snorkel gear, and endless rum punch.

Diving: I decided that I couldn’t make my way all the way down to Belize without diving the Blue Hole. I chose Frenchie’s Diving Services, which comprised of the most amazing staff and experience for diving in Belize (breakfast, lunch, gear was all included in the $300 USD cost). The Blue Hole diving trip is a full day tour (leaving at around 6am and returning at 4pm), and includes the Blue Hole, and two other dive spots along the Lighthouse Reef. If you’re not familiar with the Blue Hole, I want to call out that it is not a reef (it’s a sinkhole), and therefore isn’t full of marine life like the other reefs you visit. At the reefs we dove, I saw sharks, eels, vibrant coral, puffer fish, tiger fish, dolphins, and so much more! Most importantly, the Frenchie's dive crew made me feel safe and comfortable on my deepest dive of 90 ft., and I highly recommend scuba diving in Belize and using Frenchie's Diving if you have the chance.

Water Sports: You name it, Caye Caulker has it. There’s everything from kayaking, SUPing, jet skiing, and kite surfing if you’re the adventure guru and want to explore the island from the water.

Beach/Relax: If you want your trip to involve minimal movement, relax on the sand at the Split, which is the place to be. The Split was formed when a devastating hurricane split the island of Caye Caulker in half. Get a massage on the beach ($35 USD for an hour massage), suck down a Belikin Beer from the Lazy Lizard and enjoy island life with some Reggae music playing in the background. If you want to check out a posh beach, swim across the Split or take the water taxi to Koko King, which is a new resort that opened very recently on the other half of Caye Caulker with a beautiful beach and great vibes.

Food

The food on Caye Caulker is delicious, inexpensive and fresh (tons of seafood – think lobster, ceviche, snapper). There's a variety options, but the local Caribbean, Mexican, and African inspired dishes are to die for. You’ll often walk down the sandy road and get hungry due to the open grills that many of the locals use to cook the dishes they serve in their restaurants. Here are my top 3 suggestions in the breakfast, lunch, and dinner categories.

Amore Y Cafe Breakfast

Fresh Ceviche

Kareem's Jerk Chicken

Lobster Dinner

Breakfast: Amore y Café – Go here for the best iced coffee; Errolyns House of Fry Jacks – A Belizean staple; Caribbean Colors Art Cafe

Lunch: Kareems BBQ - The jerk chicken WILL sell out and it’s beyond flavorful and mouthwatering. A MUST TRY!; The Happy Lobster; Chef Juan’s Kitchen & Pastries

Dinner: The Little Kitchen – The restaurant is tucked far away, but amazing fresh lobster for very cheap, among other fresh menu choices; Maggie’s Sunset Kitchen – Great for a sunset dinner; Habanero’s (renamed Hibiscus) – High end, but fantastic food

Nightlife

Almost all the restaurants and bars on the island have Happy Hours, so take advantage of the $2 USD rum punch or panty ripper if that’s down your alley. Since the island is small, there aren’t a ton of places to go out, so you’ll catch most people starting the night out at the Barrier Reef Sports Bar, and after a few cocktails, making their way south towards I&I Reggae Bar to dance the night away.

Finally...

GO SLOW in Caye Caulker. Seriously, take your time. The locals will call you out if you’re walking too fast or look like you’re in a rush. This island and its people will make you feel at home and fellow travelers you encounter on the island will make this trip worthwhile.

With the Trojans playing the Fighting Irish in South Bend, Indiana, it was a no-brainer that I would spend a few days in the Windy City of Chicago. I want to share with you my top 5 favorite things I did while I was in Chicago! Check them out if you ever get the chance to visit!

1. Millennium Park

Fun fact: “The Cloud Gate aims to evoke immateriality and the spiritual through the shine and reflectivity of its surface.”

This vast green space is situated between beautiful Lake Michigan and the tall skyscrapers of downtown Chicago. Many of you may know it as home to the Bean (which is actually technically named Cloud Gate) or the Crown Fountain. What I love about this park is there are many different areas to please people of any age. There’s a playground for families to take their children, or the Lurie Garden Boardwalk for a couple to spend the afternoon together. Millennium Park hosts free concerts in the summer and is a must see in Chicago.

2. The Signature Lounge – 96th Floor of the John Hancock Building

If you’re like me, you always want to get a bang for your buck when traveling. So, instead of spending $19 to go to the John Hancock building observation deck, I went to the Signature Lounge and paid $15 for a drink and the same view (2 floors higher!). It only takes 40 seconds in the elevator to arrive at the lounge and on a windy day (like when I was there), you will feel the building sway. Don’t be alarmed though, the 5 million pounds of aluminum used for the building will keep you safe. P.S. if you happen to be a woman make sure you bring your camera to the bathroom because there’s a spectacular panoramic view of Chicago.

3. Chicago Architecture River Cruise

Fun Fact: The Chicago River flows backwards. Oh and on St. Patrick’s Day, the Plumbers Union dyes it a bright shade of Irish green.

I am not a huge fan of history, but I do love architecture and Chicago definitely has a lot of it. The river cruise, usually about 1 hour - 1.5 hours, teaches you about the design and history of the residential and commercial buildings in Chicago. You will learn and see the various styles of architecture and get some of the best views of the Chicago skyline. Make sure you dress warm if you are going in the fall or winter since it can get chilly on the boat. Don’t worry, the boats have concession stands where you can buy snacks or an Irish coffee.

4. Navy Pier

My experience at Navy Pier was probably different than most peoples since mine involved the USC Marching Band and hundreds of USC fans and alumni. Regardless, Navy Pier is an iconic spot in Chicago and the city’s number one attraction. Navy Pier is home to many attractions with everything from mini-golf and an IMAX theater to a 15-story ferris wheel which was modeled after the ferris wheel at the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition. Did you ever wonder how the pier got its name? The pier was renamed from Municipal Pier to Navy Pier in 1927 in honor of World War I veterans, and actually came to serve as a naval training facility during World War II.

5. Deep Dish Pizza

You can’t come to Chicago and leave without trying a deep-dish pizza. The most famous deep-dish pizza restaurant, with multiple locations, is Lou Malnati’s Pizzeria. While there are many places in the city to get deep-dish pizza, you probably want to go somewhere where the locals would also eat, so check out these top 5 spots for some pie! I recommend wearing your stretchy jeans for this glorious occasion and then walking off the amazing crust on Michigan Ave.