Snack Bars

When thinking of what to snack on the road, snack bars quickly come to mind. They are affordable, non-perishable (most of them), and easy to pack. I have a few brands that are my favorites. I discovered Nature’s Bakery last year from a campaign I worked on and I fell in love with these fig-based fruit bars. Their mango fig bars are delicious. Although they are 150 calories, they are quite filling. I also like that they don’t squish easily while in my bags. Kashi is another one of my go-to brands. Their cherry chocolate bars are yummy. The only con of Kashi bars is that they are tiny. I always end up eating two!

Prepared Snacks

We recently went on a tri-city road trip to Charlotte, Atlanta, and Savannah, and we decided to make a series of prepared snacks for the road. We hit the road very early and the Dutchman surprised me with a parfait with Greek yogurt, granola, and agave nectar. We’re all about repurposing, so he made it in a jam jar. Not only was it tasty but it looked so cute!

Like many travelers, we tend to pack sandwiches for the road. We try to add a little flair to ours with Japanese Kewpie mayonnaise, Maille truffle mustard, or aged gouda we bring home from our trips to Holland. I don’t like white bread so I tend to go with pumpernickel, rye, or whole grain. Not only is it better for you, but I find it holds better with the fillings.

Fruit

When I forget to pack snacks, I weep when I pay $1.00 for ONE banana when I can get a bunch for the same price! The night before traveling, I set aside the fruit we’re going to take on the road. I prefer fruits like bananas, clementines, and apples that are easy to carry and peel. If I’m really motivated, I will peel and chop mangoes or pineapples and carry them in plastic containers. I also love to buy fruit at fruit stands during road trips. It gives you a great feel of what is seasonal at your destination.

Nuts and Dried Fruits

When we’re planning on what to snack on the road, nuts and dried fruit always come to the top of our list. Easy to pack and non-perishable, they can hold us over on the road. Sometimes I am bewildered with the high prices of nuts and dried fruits! We usually buy them in the bulk section of the supermarket and pack them in snack bags.

Getting Home: Detox

During our last Southern Road trip, I must admit that we did great getting from point A to point B, but when we arrived to our destinations, we couldn’t resist indulging in rich, Southern meals. When we got home, we decided to go for a detox. A product we found useful is Chan Supplements’ Feel Good Detox. I am the first to admit that I have zero discipline to adhere to a juice cleanse! What I liked about Chan Supplements’ Feel Good Detox is that we took two capsules after our meals and they did their magic. During our first days back we cut down on the processed food and Chan Supplements complemented these changes very well. The capsules contain a mix of herbs and extracts such as dandelion, Chinese rhubarb, mangosteen, and Aloe Vera. It relieved us from the bloating that sometimes comes along when snacking on the road.

What to Snack on the Road: The Verdict

I am proud of myself for packing more healthy snacks on the road and following up with a healthy routine after my travels. When planning on what to snack on the road, what goodies do you pack?

Disclaimer: This post is sponsored by Chan Supplements but as always, opinions are my own. 

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Dining Traveler Tips: What to Pack for an Island Road Trip

PACK Gear:  Given the nature of our trip, I dusted off my huge backpack that I haven’t used since I don’t remember when.  I got a PACK Gear Organizing System which worked perfectly with my backpack. Also found that even large backpacks are a bit easier to load in a car than suitcases. Instead of digging into the bottom of my pack, it allows me to place everything into the pockets of the organizer.  All you have to do is pull out the organizer out of the backpack and hang it in the closet to grab your clothing items. What surprised me the most was that I was able to fit four weeks’ worth of clothing in the PACK Gear Organizing System.  If you want to give your backpack a second chance like I did, head to PACK Gear website and use the code Dining15 for a 15% discount on your order.  I’m taking mine to Okinawa next for my six week trip. Looking for a fashionable backpack? Check out this comprehensive leather backpack guide.

Snacks:  Sometimes we get so wrapped up on what to pack on an island road trip that we forget some of the most important things: snacks!!! As much as I love my frituras (fried Puerto Rican roadside food), I tried my best to be mindful about what we were munching on while we were on the road.  We stopped at a lot of fruit stands and stocked up on local bananas, papayas, and fresh coconut water. Dining Traveler Tip: pack zip lock bags to keep your fruits fresh after cutting (many roadside stands will cut the fruit for you).

Another option for healthy snacks are protein bars.  I recently tried Promax protein bars (The Original Promax Lemon Bar) and I must say – they were pretty yummy.  While other protein bars have a chalky aftertaste, these bars have a nice lemony flavor and fill you up until the next stop. None of Promax’s products have any artificial sweeteners, preservatives, high fructose corn syrup, maltitol, or gelatin, and they’re all gluten-free, kosher, and vegetarian. Given that you can check all of these boxes when it comes to Promax bars, they work well when you’re on a road trip with people who have different dietary needs.  When the desire to bite into a meaty empanada started to take over, these bars came to the rescue!

Phone Chargers:  As we all know, an active GPS sucks the life out of your cell phone.  I’ve had the worst luck with car chargers but my dual USB port charger from Insignia at Best Buy has worked out great. At first I was taken by the $24.99 price tag for something so small, but so far, it has worked out great (I’ve had it for almost a year).  I also like the fact that it has a dual USB since I am Android and my road companion had an iPhone.  Another item I found handy was the power bank that Italo brought. He can charge his phone up to 6 times!  He picked his up at a market in Hong Kong but I found a similar one on Amazon for $23.99.

Toiletries on the Go:  What to pack on an island road trip when one has to stay in 12 different places?  When Squeeze Pod sent me a sampler of their goodies, I was intrigued. I decided to pack them along to give them a try.  Given that our lodging consisted of staying with friends and AirBnB, it was great to have consistent toiletries on the road.  My favorite items are the moisturizing lotion (love the lemony smell) and the natural toilet odor eliminator.  My only wish is that the lotion pods were slightly bigger since I had to use two for my body.

Hello, Mosquito:  Upon arriving to Puerto Rico, we were delivered the news of the Zika virus. The thought that our big production can take a halt due to illness made us run to the drug store immediately and buy insect repellent. When figuring out what to pack for an island road trip, I highly recommend making insect repellent a main item on your list.  We were old school and went with regular OFF!, it worked pretty well for us.  However, I am curious about organic mosquito repellents. Does anyone have a suggestion?

Anti-bacterial gel:  I couldn’t help but to pet a wild horse that approached our car in Vieques.  I may have petted a few stray dogs as well… I highly recommend packing a small anti-bacterial gel to keep in your car.  Being on tropical island with lots of flora and fauna, it’s best to keep this handy.

Toilet Paper:  Nature may call when you are on the road and the last thing you need is a bathroom with no TP. I learned this from my Marine days in the field, one just never knows…. One of the first things I did was buy a roll and keep it in the car.  It came handy for a few coffee spills in the car….

Compact Beach Towel:  This is the last thing I would have thought of when thinking on what to pack for an island road trip.  I learned about this gem from my road partner. He had this super compact microfiber towel he carried on his backpack.  He said he had it for years and couldn’t remember where he got it from.  I did a little investigation on Amazon in order to get one and discovered turkish bath towels. They are just as compact as the microfiber but with beautiful colors and prints. Sold.

Reusable Water Bottle:  It’s amazing on how much money you can save by having a reusable water bottle. Not only are you saving money but helping the environment.  In Puerto Rico, tap water is suitable for drinking so we filled up before hitting the road and most casual restaurants allowed us to fill up when getting back on the road.  If you want to take an extra step of precaution, check out filtered water bottles like Bobble.  I forgot to bring mine to Puerto Rico but it works pretty well, also, I don’t see any change in the flavor of the water.

Dining Traveler Tips:  When considering what to pack for an island road trip, check out what’s the shopping situation at your destination.  For example, Puerto Rico being part of the US, access to products such as OFF! and anti-bacterial gels are quite easy, we didn’t have to deal with packing those items before arrival.  This comes in handy if traveling with a carry-on or limited space.

Do you love tropical road trips? What are you tips on what to pack for an island road trip?

Disclaimer: some of these items featured on “What to Pack for an Island Road Trip” were gifted to me (Promax, Squeeze Pod, and PACK Gear) by the brands, but as always, opinions are my own.  Dining Traveler makes a good guinea pig for products you may be interested in trying out! 

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Getting there:  a drive to the west coast of Puerto Rico will take you from 2-3 hours from San Juan.  Additionally, Jet Blue also offers routes to smaller airports such as Aguadilla and Ponce, brining you closer to the west coast.  Renting a car is easy in Puerto Rico. For my latest trip, I booked my car rental via Expedia.com where I got a great deal with Sixt Rent a Car.  Dining Traveler Tip:  when looking for a car rental, consider booking from a rental off-terminal for a steep discount.  Many like Sixt offer a complimentary shuttle to/from airport.  People complain about traffic in Puerto Rico but if you’re coming from places such as DC, you will look at locals crazy when they complain about “el tapon” (traffic jam).

West Coast of Puerto Rico Road Trip Itinerary:

Day 1 & 2:  Arrive in Cabo Rojo.  I suggest starting in this town as it is the southernmost point of the island and working your way north along the coast.  Cabo Rojo is filled with calm waters which I love to call “nature’s swimming pool”.  If you are traveling with small children, I recommend Combate Beach, Playa Buye, and Playa Sucia as the beaches are shallow and relatively surf-free.  Perfect for swimming.   For the nature lovers:  Cabo Rojo is also filled with natural wonders such as the Salinas de Cabo Rojo.  These salt mines give the protected area pink sandy beaches, perfect for photos.  Punta Guaniquilla has cave-like rock formations and the Puente de Piedra is also a not-to-miss attraction.

In the evening, take a 30-minute drive to La Parguera in the neighboring town of Lajas, where you can hop on a boat to the bioluminescent area. Due to environmental challenges, the organisms do not shine as bright as they used to, but the $9 boat ride under the stars is still worth it.

Where to eat:  I was hesitant to go to Annie’s Place as it seemed very touristy.  However, I was proved wrong.  The fresh passion fruit sangria was one of the best cocktails I’ve had in Puerto Rico.  Dining Traveler Tip:  plan your dinners at sunset, they are pretty epic on the west coast of Puerto Rico!  Snacks for the beach?  Go to the fruit stand of Parada La 100 for cold coconuts, papayas, and local made honey to bring home.  Head to Sangre Boricua in Joyuda for their well-known craft sangria and seafood dishes.

Where to stay:  Feeling adventurous?  Stat at one of the most beautiful AirBNB I’ve experienced, The “Jungalo” with its outdoor kitchen and boho-chic decor.  Looking for more classic accommodations? Combate Beach Resort is a local-owned small inn (Parador) with spacious rooms, direct access to the beach, and most importantly (at least for me, wi-fi).  Bonus: the staff there is one of the friendliest I’ve encountered on island.

Day 3 & 4: Head to Rincon.  On your way to Rincon, stop by Mayaguez for lunch.  Mayaguez is the second largest city in Puerto Rico.  Among locals, it is known to be a fun college town.  There are two foodie items the town is known for:  Brazo Gitano (jelly roll) and Sangria Fido.  You cannot take a road trip to the west coast of Puerto Rico without having those!  Have lunch at Ricomini Bakery.  Although they have several locations, head to the one in the city center.  Their sandwiches are to die for!  Try one of their meaty medianoche sandwiches.  There, you can also purchase your Brazo Gitano to take on the road…

Upon arriving in Rincon you may ask yourself “am I still in Puerto Rico?”  as many gringos have flocked to that area for the perfect surf conditions and laid back atmosphere.  My first time in Rincon years ago I took surf lessons and it was an amazing experience.  The swells are not as intimidating as the ones I’ve seen in Hawaii but big enough to channel your inner surfer.  Most recently, we had the chance to spend the morning with Ramse of Surf Lessons Puerto Rico, a local owned surf school at Las Marias Beach as he led a hands-on surfing class.  There, you can see the beautiful people of Rincon, locals and visitors alike surfing along the coast.  For the best vantage point, head to El Faro to catch all the surfing action from above.

Where to eat:  Catch another epic sunset at La Copa Llena with a great happy hour ($2 medalla beers, and $4 well drinks) and delicious tapas such as flash fried cauliflower and anchovy montaditos.  If you love seafood, head to La Cambija, a local-owned establishment which started as a skewer stand and has evolved into a full service restaurant.  There, choose from fresh catch such as red snapper and dorado for fresh fish tacos.  For those looking for a vegetarian dish, check out Jack’s Shack food truck.   They have veggie friendly items such as veggie burritos and quinoa salads.

Where to stay:  Rincon has a great selection of vacation rentals.  We were a huge fan of the AirBNB in which we stayed.  If you’re looking for ultimate luxury, stay at the Horned Dorset Primavera with its Moroccan inspired rooms, breakfast with an ocean view, and a pool surrounded by the lush vegetation of the property.  The owner, Austrian-born, Wilhelm has been living in Puerto Rico for 20 years. He can be seen roaming around the property with his adorable rescue dogs.

Day 5 & 6:  Aguada & Aguadilla:  The beauty of taking a Puerto Rico west coast road trip is the diversity you get to experience along the way when it comes to beaches.  If you are a surfer, the beaches of Rincon may seem a bit crowded for you.  Drive to neighboring Aguada for more swells in a much rustic environment. Head to beaches along route 441 for a more local experience.

Aguadilla is home to one of my favorite beaches in Puerto Rico, Crashboat Beach. The clear turquoise waters, the old pier where you can jump off of, transports me back to my college days when I first discovered this beach.  Make sure to bring a snorkel as you can see plenty of fish swimming along the pier. Lesser known to tourists is the area called “Muelle de Azucar” (sugar pier) where if you’re brave enough you can jump from a pretty high point.

Where to Eat:  One of my most epic meals I’ve had in Puerto Rico has been at Marullo, with inventive dishes such as tuna with guava sauce and curried chicken. For a light lunch,  Levain Bakery is a favorite of locals in Aguadilla.

Where to Stay:  If looking for a unique, affordable lodging experience, stay at Grateful Souls Hostel in Aguada.  This beachfront property has shared rooms and offers activities like yoga, rainforest walks, and cooking lessons during high season. More about my stay here. If your lodging preferences are a bit more classic, the Courtyard Aguadilla offers all the classic amenities and it is closely located to Crashboat Beach.  Additionally, there are many vacation rentals in this area via AirBNB and Home Away.

The verdict:  if you prefer a more laid back, local experience, taking a Puerto Rico road trip on the west coast may be an option for you. The roads are a bit more rugged than San Juan or the East Coast of the island but it provides you a unique perspective of the island.  From the sleeping beach of Playa Combate to the roaring waves of Rincon, the west coast of Puerto Rico is definitely an experience not to be missed.  Have you taken a Puerto Rico road trip?  What have been your highlights?

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Our journey began in Blackhawk, a surreal town which makes you feel as if you are part of a Wild Wild West movie with its western architecture.  The town was lined with casinos, large exuberant resorts, and tiny storefronts with shiny lights where you can try your luck as well.  We had breakfast sandwiches at a quiet café and began our drive up route 119 to Estes Park.  For more information about the route, head to the Colorado Office of Transportation website.

The drive is sensory overload for those who love nature.  We were tempted to stop several times to take photos as the views almost look as if they come from a painting.  We had to remind ourselves that a) we were just on a day trip, and b) the views will be more epic once we get to the Rocky Mountains.  That being said, there was one interesting stop: Nederland, Colorado.  My Dutch husband was fascinated with this and of course, we had to see what the town was all about.  We stocked up on snacks for our hike at B & F Mountain Market and soon discovered that there was not much to see aside from the mountain views and random eclectic mementos.

We then continued our trip to Estes Park.  When you enter the park, note there is a $20 fee for vehicles (more information here http://www.nps.gov/romo/planyourvisit/fees.htm). Note: as a military member we get a free National Park pass. If you fall under this category, show your ID card to the ranger, and he or she will provide you with a free year pass to all US National Parks. The ranger also provided us with a detailed map of trails and points of interest.

As we were just there for a day trip, we drove up to Trail Ridge Road. 10 miles in, we discovered that part of the road was still closed due to weather conditions.  Although it was late May and sunny, there was still plenty of snow on the ground.  While the road was closed to drivers, visitors were still allowed to walk and explore.  Tip: wear layers and trail shoes as there can be snow on the trails.  The weather goes from warm to cold quickly, so I recommend bringing a backpack in order to carry cold weather gear like gloves, a hat, and an extra warming layer.

Since we were there just for the day, we decided to take a short hike near Bear Lake.  Tip: ask the ranger for a trail map upon arrival.  The hike was 4 miles round-trip.  It was quite eventful as we experienced rain, hail, and sunshine all in that short hike.  We took in the stunning views of Bear Lake and the fury of the Alberta Falls.  Simply stunning to walk on the snow covered trails and listen to the sounds of rustling leaves, tiny waterfalls, and guest appearances by squirrels.  There was something exquisitely peaceful about the experience.  Nature has to be the most affordable luxury we have.  As we left the park, we were taken by the elk roaming freely in their natural habitat.  Every scene was more beautiful than the other.

After the hike, we decided to head back to Denver as it was getting late.  We chose a different route back, heading north.  We stopped in a quaint town called Lyons. We loved the small town vibe of the city and its main street lined with unique shops.  At Lyons Fork Restaurant, we indulged in a delicious thick burger and local craft beer to recharge before heading back into the city.  The food was great, but what we enjoyed the most was the friendly service.

As travelers, sometimes we’re so focused on the destination that we forget about the journey.  The Peak to Peak Highway is an experience in itself.  The lack of cellular reception made it inevitable to step away from our devices and into great conversations and gorgeous views.  Although a day is not enough to experience the beauty of the Rocky Mountains, it was still a perfect day trip experience from Denver. Have you driven on the Peak to Peak Highway? What was your favorite part of the experience? Share in our comments!

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