HEP Travels: Turks & Caicos | May 2018
What do you do when your best laid plans for a spring trip to Portugal are nixed because your husband selfishly takes a fantastic new job (!!) that he’s incredibly excited about (!!) a month before you’re supposed to leave? You call your mom. And you book flights to Turks and Caicos the same day. Have fun at work, honey!
Although (for our trip’s sake) the timing wasn’t the best for a quick career change, that’s life! (And 8 months in, he is absolutely killing it & we’re both so glad he took a risk!) And it led to a gorgeous few days in the Caribbean with my mom, her best friend + her best friend’s daughter.
I’ve always always wanted to visit Turks and Caicos (home of Grace Bay, the best beach in the world!), but our travel priority over the past few years has been to visit the places we may not be able to visit as easily when we have children. So, exploring the Caribbean was usually put on the back-burner. BUT it was the perfect option for a girls getaway! Here’s how we spent 5 relaxing days:
Stay: The Oasis at Grace Bay
Grace Bay is the the spot to be & this perfect little boutique hotel nestled away from the large resorts, while still a 5-minute walk from the beach, was exactly what we wanted. We stayed in one of the 2BR cottages, complete with full kitchen, huge screened-in porch and a private pool. Heaven. Additionally, we had access to bikes, hammocks, golf-cart rides to & from the beach at our convenience (a 2 minute trip!) & the larger hotel pool. And on the beach, chairs and umbrellas are reserved for guests. I can’t say enough good things about this spot. Definitely recommend!
Eat: T+C has a fantastic food scene. Here were some of our favorites:
Coco Bistro: Our first dinner & best meal. Major #islandvibes here as the tables wind through large palms & the Caribbean-inpsired menu does not disappoint. For a more casual dining experience, check out it’s sister restaurant Cocovan — an airstream lounge bar + grill.
Just Tacos: This pop-up beach bar is a GEM. Fresh craft cocktails made-to-order & authentic island tacos. SO good & perfect lunch option for when you don’t want to leave the beach. The stand is located directly in front of Grace Bay Club.
Da Conch Shack: Probably the most popular restaurant in T+C & while we had every intention of hitting this spot for lunch on our way to the airport on our way home, it didn’t work out. So please go & tell me how it is!
Do: This is the first vacation I’ve gone on in YEARS where the goal was not to see & do as much as possible, but to actually r-e-l-a-x. So while we didn’t explore every inch of the island, you know I can’t sit still allll day:
Grace Bay: Again, this beach is a DREAM. Lay, swim, bask, enjoy.
All Inclusive Day Pass: Staying at an all-inclusive resort wasn’t exactly what we had in mind, but I read online that you could buy day-passes to the Club Med Turkoise (which was located directly next door to our hotel) for $80pp which gave us access to all of their water sports + amenities, restaurants & bars from 10am-6pm. This was a perfect way for us to spend a day relaxing in the pool, paddle-boarding, sailing & lounging.
Horseback Riding on the Beach: There’s one legitimate company — Provo Ponies— that offers these trips & they book up a month or two in advance so due to our whirlwind trip, they were all booked up. This is supposedly one of the best spots for a sunset horseback ride, so book in advance!
I absolutely fell in love with this gorgeous little island on our girls getaway & can’t wait to go back with Nathan one day. As always, if you have any questions I’d love to help.
xo- Heather