If you follow me on IG, you know that the trip we took to Costa Rica this past Spring was quite the adventure. Bestie and I partnered with TrovaTrip to host 13 women on the Pacific side of Costa Rica. TrovaTrip partners with Creators to host authentic travel experiences to help make travel easier, safer and more accessible to all. These types of trips allow people to experience the culture, design and inspiration of amazing destinations around the world while also letting Creators connect a little bit closer to members of their community.

Here’s a breakdown of our Costa Rican Adventure!

Where we stayed: Tamarindo Diria Beach Resort

Tamarindo Diria Beach Resort offers garden, pool or ocean views. It's flanked by restaurants and other small businesses, so you don't have to travel too far for shopping and entertaining-there are a lot of options within walking distance.

The itinerary for this trip was not heavy at all. Pura Vida (which means “pure life” in Spanish), is a Costa Rican philosophy that encourages the appreciation of life's simple treasures, so relaxing and going with the flow was over-arching theme of our visit. The first day of the trip was filled with travel, so everyone pretty much chilled on their own until it was time for the welcome dinner that evening at the hotel. Some of us enjoyed lunch at Ocean Tamarindo, a restaurant that was literally right off of the beach!

The next day was a day of exploration. "Pura Vida" was at the forefront, so you could chose your activity. The cool thing about this trip was that you were not obligated to spend every waking hour with the group. If you wanted to just hang by the pool you could, or you could venture off together to grab a bite to eat and shop. For most, hangs by the pool and long, leisurely naps in the sun was of utmost importance.

That night, we decided to dine together at Flying Bull, an amazing Steakhouse that was within walking distance of the resort. We even got serenaded by a mariachi band! We then went for a late night walk and gelato.

Our third was a full day excursion to Santa Cruz, Costa Rica’s 'National Folklore City'. This colorful city is well known for its many festivals and celebrations, including music; dancing; fireworks; food and beer. This area, once a thriving region of the Chorotega tribe, still retains some of its rich Chorotega folklore and culture, which can be seen in their artwork, handmade pottery and figurines. While traveling to Santa Cruz, our guide Miguel gave us a quick history lesson on Costa Rica.

We made our way to Casona de Santa Barbara, a home/museum that was filled more than 100 years of Guanacaste history and culture. The owner, Ms. Clara, grew up in the neighborhood and has seen it go through many iterations before purchasing it in 1985. At one point, it was even a bar!

We learned traditional Chorotega pottery techniques (Shavonda even got in on the action); everything is created and painted by hand, and the pieces are then sold, which help the village to remain self-sustaining.

After our pottery lesson, we learned how to make corn tortillas the traditional way (corn, water and wood ash), and then feasted on a delicious traditional Costa Rican lunch.

Afterwards, we enjoyed a stroll through the neighborhood while Ms. Clara told us a little more history about the area. The tropical colors and architecture of the homes were simply beautiful.

That night we ventured to Red Dor, a restaurant and beach bar, for another dinner.

The next day, we had breakfast and more time for exploring and shopping before heading out on a catamaran for a Sunset Sailing Tour and Snorkeling. It had been stormy the last few days so no real luck with snorkeling, BUT, we saw soooo many dolphins during our time in the water. It was almost as if they were showing off!

That night was our farewell dinner at El Pelicano, where we enjoyed some of the best seafood any of us have ever had. It was a treat to end our trip on such a high note!

Thank you to everyone that went on this adventure with us. We loved being able to connect with so many wonderful women while experiencing the culture, design and inspiration of Costa Rica. Stay tuned for our next adventure!