by Belt Drive Betty | Aug 21, 2026 | Travel Tips
Negril is Jamaica distilled — Seven Mile Beach, cliff sunsets, rum punch, reggae, and a pace of life so resolutely unhurried that two days can feel like a week in the best possible way. If you have 48 hours in this corner of the island’s west coast, here’s how to spend them beautifully.
Day 1: Seven Mile Beach and Rick’s Café
Start at Skylark Negril Beach Resort — right on the beachfront, with a breakfast menu at Miss Lily’s that puts proper Jamaican cooking front and centre: Jamaican rancheros, vegan ackee cook-up, coconut pancakes. Then step directly onto Seven Mile Beach, one of the Caribbean’s most beautiful stretches of white sand, with calm turquoise water ideal for snorkelling, kayaking, and paddleboarding. The afternoon belongs to Rick’s Café — the legendary cliffside bar where the sunset is obligatory, the rum punch is legendary, and watching cliff divers plunge into the water below is genuinely thrilling.
Evening: Unexpected Italy in the Caribbean
Dinner at Kenny’s Italian Café is one of Negril’s most delightful surprises — authentic pasta, brick-oven pizza, fresh herbs and Jamaican spices, all served al fresco. As the evening progresses, DJs take over and the vibe shifts into something lively and unexpected. It’s a perfect example of how Jamaica’s cultural blending creates genuinely unique experiences.
Day 2: Blue Hole, Sailing, and Ital Food
Start the second morning at Blue Hole Mineral Spring — a natural pool 24 feet below the ground in a limestone cavern, with electric blue mineral water believed to have healing properties. Cool off after with artisanal frozen treats from Chill Pops, made from fresh local fruit. The afternoon deserves a Tiki Pon Da Sea cruise — a custom motorized tiki bar that floats along Seven Mile Beach for a boat party unlike anything else in the Caribbean. For an evening of contrast, Just Natural serves pure Ital (Rastafarian plant-based) cuisine — the original Jamaican vegan food, full of flavour and fresh local ingredients.
Getting to Negril from Alberta
Negril is a short flight from Montego Bay (MBJ), which has direct Air Canada and WestJet routes from Edmonton and Calgary. Most trips can be built as a 5–7 night package combining Negril with another Jamaican destination — Montego Bay’s Rose Hall Great House and Dunn’s River Falls in Ocho Rios are both worth the detour.
by Belt Drive Betty | Jul 17, 2026 | Travel Tips
Paris is one of those cities where even a single day, done right, leaves you with memories that last years. The key is choosing carefully — you can’t see everything, so pick the experiences that speak to you and savour them properly. Here’s how to spend 24 perfect hours in the City of Light.
Morning: Café, Seine, and Monet
Start at a classic Parisian sidewalk café — Café de Flore or Les Deux Magots in Saint-Germain-des-Prés, both legendary for their literary history and their café crème. Walk to the Seine and cross Pont des Arts with its romantic city views, then spend a contemplative morning at the Musée de l’Orangerie — smaller and more manageable than the Louvre, it houses Monet’s breathtaking Water Lilies murals in two oval rooms designed specifically for them. One of the most quietly moving experiences in all of Paris.
Mid-Morning: Montmartre
Take the metro to Montmartre and climb to Sacré-CÅ“ur Basilica for one of the best panoramic views of Paris — without the crowds of the Eiffel Tower. Then find your way to Clos Montmartre, Paris’s only working vineyard, hidden behind a wrought-iron gate on rue des Saules. The open-air square of Place du Tertre, where local artists display their work, captures the bohemian spirit that made Montmartre famous. Lunch at Le Consulat — classic French onion soup, duck confit, crisp Sancerre.
Afternoon: The Marais and the Seine
The Marais district rewards slow wandering: boutiques, art galleries, beautiful 17th-century mansions, and some of the best falafel in the world on Rue des Rosiers. For something more leisurely, a one-hour Seine River cruise puts Notre-Dame, the Louvre, and the Eiffel Tower in their proper context — seen from the water, Paris makes architectural sense in a way it doesn’t from street level.
Evening: Dinner and a Nightcap
For an authentic Parisian bistro experience, Le Bon Georges is a well-kept secret: hearty French cooking at its finest — steak-frites, mushroom fricassée, classic crème caramel. For a truly unforgettable splurge, Le Cinq at the Hotel George V (three Michelin stars) offers French cuisine at its absolute peak. End the evening at Bar Hemingway inside the Ritz Paris — cozy, old-world, and the perfect place to reflect on the day over a glass of Champagne.
Paris as a Cruise Port
Many Mediterranean and Northern Europe cruises include overnight port calls in Paris — or fly-cruise packages that begin or end here. Regent Seven Seas Cruises pairs particularly well with Paris, given their commitment to ultra-luxury experiences and fully inclusive shore excursions. Talk to Renée about cruise itineraries that make Paris the beginning of something bigger.
by Belt Drive Betty | Jul 3, 2026 | Travel Tips
Lima is one of South America’s great underrated cities — and increasingly, travellers are choosing to linger longer rather than rush through on the way to Machu Picchu. The world’s second-largest desert city is home to a culinary scene that consistently ranks among the planet’s best, coastal cliffs with spectacular Pacific views, and neighbourhoods that swing from colonial grandeur to bohemian cool. Here’s how to make the most of 24 hours.
Morning: Coffee and the Coast
Start the day with Peruvian coffee — some of the best in South America, known for its vanilla-toned sweetness and nutty aroma. The brave can try emoliente, a traditional herb-infused hot drink with maca. Then head to Óvalo de Miraflores and walk south along the Malecón promenade — a cliffside path above the Pacific with sweeping ocean views. Follow it to the artsy Barranco district, where the legendary Bridge of Sighs is said to grant wishes to anyone who holds their breath while crossing.
Afternoon: Food, History, and the Plaza Mayor
Lima’s food reputation is global — the city is home to several of the world’s top 50 restaurants. But the best foodie experiences aren’t always the fanciest: try fresh ceviche at a casual spot on Calle Berlin, or sample choclo con queso (Andean corn with cheese) and papa rellena (stuffed potato with aji sauce) from street vendors. For culture, the Plaza Mayor — a UNESCO World Heritage site surrounded by the Presidential Palace and Cathedral of Lima — gives you the city’s colonial history in one stunning square.
Evening: Pisco Sours and Peñas
No visit to Lima is complete without Peru’s national cocktail, the Pisco Sour. The Museo del Pisco is the obvious starting point, but any bar worth visiting makes an excellent version. If you want to go deeper into local culture, look for a peña in Barranco — hidden-away basement restaurants where couples perform traditional dances to live music, unchanged by tourism and utterly authentic.
Routing Through Lima — How It Works from Alberta
Lima is typically a gateway city for Machu Picchu, the Sacred Valley, and G Adventures tours throughout Peru and South America. Spending a proper day or two in Lima before heading south is one of the smartest decisions you can make — and it’s easy to build into any South America itinerary.
