Saint Lucia Getaway

 No meal planning post this week, because we just got back from vacationing in Saint Lucia!  ... and now I don't want to cook... haha.  Actually, I have been so busy catching up on things, I haven't had a chance to meal plan yet, so it is great that I had put together several meals in the freezer earlier this month that just needed to be heated in the oven!  I'll post about that soon.  :)

Back to Saint Lucia... chances are you are tired of winter and cold weather.  I'm definitely in that boat with ya!  Odd thing is, we always plan our beach vacations during the summer when it is warm in Columbus...  If you have kids, it makes sense because they are out of school, but they are out for Spring Break too.  So my husband and I are convinced that beach vacations are now mandatory every February to get away from the cold and break our cabin fever!  

Maybe it is time for you to go on a little vacay of your own!

We stayed at Sandals Grand Saint Lucian, which, as you probably know, is an all-inclusive couples-only resort.  The photo at the top of the post is of the resort after we hiked up a little mountain.  That's the Atlantic Ocean to the left and Caribbean Sea to the right.  After looking at several all-inclusives throughout the Caribbean, Sandals has the most included and is always running sales so you can get some good deals.  We have stayed at three Sandals resorts now and have loved all three!

Saint Lucia is about 85 degrees year round.  The southern part of the island is mostly rainforest and the northern part is much drier (aka sunnier).  Rainy season is also hurricane season which can start in May and last through October, so the "tourism season" is November to April. The international airport is on the southeast side of the island and most of the resorts are on the northwest side, making for an interesting ride across the 27 mile long island.  The British and French fought hard over this little island 14 times, so there are influences of both cultures like driving on the left side of the road and their secondary language is a version of French.

Tourism is Saint Lucia's main source of income followed by bananas (tons of plantations), cocoa, and rum.  Their most famous landmark are the Pitons, two inactive volcanoes at the southeast end of the island.  We hiked up one of them (my legs are still tired) and at 3000 feet above sea level you can see for miles.

 

 

Since we have been inside most of this winter, we wanted to break our cabin fever and did as many excursions and water sports as possible!  We went horseback riding on the beach and in the ocean, which ended up being a little scary because my horse was a little out of control in the water (both the horse and I had a little freak out moment).  And then Sandals offers a number of included water sports including snorkeling, paddleboarding, kayaking, wind surfing, hobby cats, and water skiing all on the calm Caribbean Sea side.  You can also get certified to scuba while you're at the resort!

 

Of course the food is included with Sandals and you typically have three courses.  Most of the serving sizes are on the small side (afterall, you're pretty much living in your swimsuit the whole time you're there), which gives you opportunity to try new foods.  All Sandals resorts have have a Caribbean themed restaurant so you can try their take on local foods.  Also included is usually an Italian place, French, and seafood along with a quick lunch place (like pizza) and a breakfast/dessert place that you can stop at any time to get a latte and a sweet bite.

      

We had so much fun in Saint Lucia that I just had to share some pictures!  It was a great break from winter, which let us stretch our legs and remember what it feels like to be outside and warm again.  I'll leave you with some sunset photos... it was so beautiful every night!