[trip style = luxury + steal + beach + sun]
Ah, Mexico. Blessed with more than 450 beaches stretched over 6,000 miles of coastline, the southern part of North America is one of my trip styling faves.
Almost every January since I've been hitched to Mr. Trip Styler, we've taken a trip to kick off the New Year. This year we started 2017 on an olè note playing on the beach, eating guacamole {at every meal} and sipping cervesas in Riviera Nayarit with the little stylers AND Ama and Papa Styler!
Here's a snapshot of our tiempo en Mexico!
View over Playa Las Destiladeras, a gorgeous, mile-long swath of sand that's perfect for walking, or running after your toddler. Blue Styler was SO elated be playing at la playa, he spontaneously broke out in song {Jingle Bells, btw} every day his feet touched the sand.
Daily "diet" {all of which was made, chopped and mashed by hand}.
Palapa vibes at our first hotel, Rancho Banderas, a 48-room, all-suite, beachfront stay where palm trees merge with practical amenities in '90s-styled glory. {Mr. Trip Styler and I feel Rancho is rare gem even though it's not chocolate-on-your-pillow fancy or design-focused.} Here, one main dining room overlooks the Pacific Ocean, and at mealtimes you can choose to do all your eating in the dining room, pool or beach via a "meal plan" option, or do your own thing.
Blue styler with Ama and Papa Styler.
Our version {these days} of a family photo. Perfect in its imperfection.
Mr. Trip Styler and Pink Styler enjoying my favorite time of day: The golden hour before sunset when the sun embraces you in hug-like warmth.
Just down the beach: The W Punta de Mita, opened in mid-2016 and dripping in all kinds of gorgeous. {This is where I'd like to escape for a quick trip with Mr. Trip Styler.}
Beach walk with my main man, while the kiddos spend time with Ama and Papa Styler.
Playing airplane with Pink Styler.
Trying to outrun the waves with Blue Styler.
The second week we stayed at another all-suite resort closer to Puerto Vallarta. Our three-bedroom room was more than enough space for all of us, but on the last night we were upgraded to a villa with its own palapa and plunge pool.
Pool por uno, por favor.
Golden hour view of Playa Las Destiladeras. The amount of people you see in this shot was part of this beach's perfection: Busy enough so you're not worried about safety, yet deserted enough that you have space and serenity.
This photo has NOT been intensified; the sunsets in the Riviera Nayarit are this shade of red almost every night. Fun fact: Another locale sunsets are this deeply hued and dramatic is on the Island of Hawaii, which is along the same latitude where distinct markers such as clear air and low light make for a unique viewing plane.