An Unforgettable Mother-Daughter Trip To The Dominican

We all lead incredibly busy lives. Which means life flies by fast, really fast. But sometimes you’ve got to slam on those breaks and make time to do the things that matter. For me, taking my mom on a mother-daughter trip was something I’ve been meaning to do for years. You see – like the majority of moms out there – she sacrificed a whole lot for me to get to where I am today. And I wanted to thank her for it. I brainstormed how I could show my appreciation and decided that an all-inclusive vacay (which would guarantee plenty of bonding time together) would be the perfect way to say thank you. So, in hopes that we’d be good travel buddies (big leap of faith here), I booked our very first mother-daughter trip. Destination? The Gran Ventana Beach Resort in Puerto Plata. What followed was one of the most memorable trips I’ve ever had. Here are some of the highlights:

1. We sprang into vacay mode as soon as we stepped into the Plaza Premium Lounge at Pearson (c/o American Express). It was my mom’s first lounge experience so we ate, drank and relaxed to our heart’s content before boarding our plane. No overhead announcements or crying babies: just pure bliss.  

2. We indulged in our first mother-daughter selfie on our Air Transat flight as we cruised above the fluffy clouds…

3. I had never shared a hotel room with my mom before so I wasn’t sure if our sleeping schedules would jibe, but it worked out great. The long days in the sun, marathons of feasting and sugary cocktails knocked both of us out in the early hours of the night. The vacay was like a week-long sleepover with my mom!

4. After a solid sleep the first night, we headed straight to the playa. Ah, the beach. I LOVE the beach. The sound of waves crashing on the shore, the smell of sea salt in the air and the warmth of the sun radiating on my skin. We were in heaven.

5. We went on our first beach walk together. The Playa Dorada coastline is super long and was the perfect backdrop for all the stories my mom shared with me on our strolls. I learned a lot about her life and my childhood on those walks. Truly special moments that I will treasure forever.

6. It was our first time visiting a warm country during the holidays. Although it felt a bit strange listening to Christmas carols while sporting a bikini by the pool, we really loved the island vibe during the festive season. One thing is for sure, the Dominicans love their Christmas decorations! We spotted some amazing holiday decor around the island.

7. My mom is definitely NOT the adventure type, so I took the liberty of booking an excursion to Damajagua (a hike up 27 waterfalls with a series of jumps and slides all the way down) to push her out of her comfort zone and giver her an experience she’d remember for a lifetime. Although I think she genuinely feared for her life throughout the trek, she proved to herself that she could do anything she puts her mind to. I was super proud of her!

8. Our next adventure was a cable car ride up 2,700 feet to the top of Mount Isabel de Torres. The view of Puerto Plata from the peak was spectacular. When we reached the top, we avoided the gift shop (tourist trap) and took a stroll through the botanical gardens instead.

9. Then there was the feasting. As with any all-inclusive trip, we spent A LOT of time eating and drinking together. But one meal really stood out: our dinner at Casa Colonial’s Lucia. They had an incredible wine list, exceptional service and served up the best sea bass I’ve ever tasted. Oh, and the restaurant is surrounded by a mangrove forest so we decided to have dessert and wine outside. Enveloped by the sounds of nature, we shared stories by candlelight. Truly magical.

10. And no trip to the island is complete without a visit to the Brugal rum factory. I love me some spirits so I was really looking forward to tasting and buying some of the best rum in the world.

Needless to say, our vacay to the Dominican was the trip of a lifetime. I learned so much about myself and the beautiful person who’s devoted 30 years of her life to me. The time we spent together showed me just how resilient and strong my mom is, solidified our friendship and gave me new insights about myself. I’m so excited to explore the world with my new travel buddy!

Here are a few more photos of the island and it’s incredible people: