We decided, as a family, to try new adventures in 2012 and venture outside our comfort zones. So, we started the first week of the year on a cruise ship that sailed to the Western Caribbean and did activities we’ve never done on the ports of call we were visiting. Since I’m still in a bit of a vacation mode and staring at piles of laundry, here are some highlights (for now) of how we spent our first week of the year.
Our first cruise port was Roatan in Honduras. We did some zip lining on 12 lines (the longest at over 500 feet) between tree platforms over jungles and scenic valleys.
We were all zip line first-timers so it was pretty exciting. We all came out unscathed and eager to do this again. The guides taught my daughter to zip line upside down and she did this on half of the course.
There was a monkey interactive exhibit next to the zip line in Roatan where the kids were able to feed and pet the capuchin monkeys native to this region. Fortunately, no child or animal was harmed during this visit.
Our next stop was Belize where the biggest attraction and activity was cave and river tubing. 
This was our favorite excursion as we leisurely explored the underwater cave system once used by the Mayans floating on our inflatable tubes.
In Costa Maya, we decided to be among the record number of tourists expected in Mexico this year planning to visit the Mayan ruins with all the 2012 doomsday talk.
We chose the Kohunlich Mayan ruins which featured the Temple of the Masks built around 500 AD and was such a fascinating place. It was definitely worth the long 4-hour roundtrip tour bus ride to get there.
We explored the crystal clear, underwater world of Cozumel, which was our last port, by snorkeling – a first for the kids. They loved it so much and obviously, didn’t want to leave.
Although, this tranquil and tropical setting did make it a bit difficult to go back to the ship and to reality.
We ended our trip by visiting The Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Orlando after the cruise which was a wonderful way to end a magical week.
The drawback is that now we’ve set the bar pretty high for the rest of the year. Any suggestions? We hope the New Year has treated all of you well so far. What adventures are you planning in 2012?
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I’ve also recently come back from my holidays…and the pile of laundry I’m staring at is huge!!!!
Welcome back Denise! I feel as though the pile is growing every time I come home from work this week =)
Zip lining is definitely on my list of things to do this year. Not sure I’ll have the stomach for doing it upside down. Your daughter is definitely adventurous.
Thanks for stopping by! She got the adventurous gene from my husband. I never even attempted to do it.
Not nearly as exotic, but we’re hoping to finally check out the Channel Islands. We love so close, but haven’t managed to get there yet. Hoping 2012 is the year!
Hoping 2012 is the year for Channel Islands for you too =) I would love to read your post on it. I think it’s one of those places we SoCal people always plan to go since it’s nearby and make plans everytime we pass by and then forget. I’ve read their visitor’s center is great for kids.
Great photos! Cruising is such a great way to travel with kids. It looks like you guys had fun!
Thanks Ryan! We had a lot of fun. Totally agree on cruising which was why we’ve done one every year since having kids. =)
Ooh the zip lining looks very fun! Enjoyed your pictures. They are a great visual of what a cruise trip can be. Then there is that hammock. . . I can feel the warmth :)
Thanks Debbie! Zip lining was nerve wracking at first for me but so much fun! I love that hammock shot I may just pull it up every time I need to daydream about a tropical place.
What a positive note to start the year – and it will be hard to top that. Hopefully there
are lots of great activities in your own backyard you and your kids can get excited
about. Sometimes it’s just looking at your own corner of the world with fresh eyes.
Great shots too.
Thanks Leigh! We’re lucky enough to live in Southern CA and there are so many places we have yet to explore that it will be through fresh eyes. We love playing tourists so it’s also great to do it closer to home.
It looks like you had an AMAZING vacation! Great photos!
Thanks Michael! We had a wonderful time and a great way to start the year.
Great pics! Your daughter is very brave to zipline upside down – I don’t think that I could stomach it right side up!! Sounds like an amazing vacation – I’m sure you will come up with some great ideas for the rest of the year!!
Thanks Lisa! I was very nervous doing this zip line too and I didn’t even want to think about any other position or anything else but not falling and not hitting a tree. She was very proud of herself and she has been wanting to zip line for awhile.
Thank you Mike! It was an awesome time. Wishing you the best in 2012 as well.
The ziplining looks amazing! I’ve never been on a real cruise myself, but it looks like it would be it would be a fun trip!
Thanks for stopping by Anwar! Zip lining was exhilarating. Cruising is a whole different travel experience that I recommend one should at least try once.
What a great way to start the year! Those are some great adventures!
Thanks Jessica! They were indeed great and unforgettable adventures. It was a wonderful way to bring in the new year.
What an exciting way to bring in the new year!! We are headed to Mexico next week, so we’ll see some Mayan ruins as well. I’m getting excited about putting on my bathing suit and relaxing by the water!
Have a great trip and relaxing trip to Mexico, Jade!
Holy cow!! What a AWESOE way to start 2012 off with a bang!! Can I come along next trip??!!
~Becca
Thanks Becca! It was a fabulous trip. We haven’t figured out our next trip yet (I’m not that efficient) but I think your family will miss you too much =)
Boy, when you say “new adventures” you really go all out! What a fantastic trip!
Thanks Sonja! It was a wonderful trip to start out our new year and new adventures. Welcome back to you too!
You know we’re only 13 days into the year right? You’re making the rest of us look like slackers for not having done much yet this year. Thanks alot!
Seriously though, what a great start to the year. So many great adventures already. It’s going to be a great year in “The World is a Book” land.
Thanks for the always witty comments, Steve. =) As I said, we set the bar quite high for the next 50 weeks. Looking forward to reading your fun adventures this year too.
I’ve never taken a cruise, but I’d love to do a trip similar to what you did… you seem to be able to see so much without having to pack and unpack a dozen times. Great photos!
Thanks Nicole! Unpacking only once and waking up to a new place and unique adventures almost everyday were a couple of the top reasons we keep going back to cruising. Hope you can experience a cruise soon.
That sounds like a great cruise itinerary!
Thanks for stopping by! The ports of call on this itinerary were actually pleasant surprises. Belize had always fascinated me and we’re glad we got to sample it for a day.
This looks amazing-we haven’t taken a cruise yet but I’ve looked at one with a
similar itinerary-Belize and Roatan sound so intriguing. Do you think 3 year olds
would do okay?
Thanks Terumi! I think 3 year olds would be fine on this itinerary. There were plenty of kids under 5 on our cruise. The itinerary was varied enough that it also provided a lot of beach time and family friendly tours. It wasn’t included on this post, but we also made it to Belize zoo which was a wonderful place for little kids. It only has animals native to Belize.
I loved seeing your pictures– looks so fun and gives me some ideas for trips to take with my kids to Central America.
Thanks Jenna! Our family had a lot of fun and these countries offered a lot of family-friendly activities. We would love to return for an extended land vacation.
Your excellent photos make it clear that there was much to see and do on that
trip, and you must have had a great time!
We’re thinking about New York, and then up to Quebec.
Thank you Andrew! Yes, wed had a great time. That sounds like a wonderful trip.
Amazing and fun vacation.
Love the photos.