Katie Lockhart

The resort is gigantic with five hotels to choose from and even the Barceló Maya Caribe Hotel has sprawling grounds. Once I got to my room and saw the swim up pool, the long trip south was instantly worth it. The only resort with a swim up room in all of Mexico and the first time I’d had one to myself. Although I am definitely more of a beach girl that a pool dweller; I had to check out one of the several gigantic swim-up bars around the resort.

The attractions are fairly spread out so you’ll want to rent a car for some vineyard hopping (spitting out your wine of course). Chateau La Sauvageonne has some incredible views from the Chateau, including an infinity pool overlooking the vineyards. La Tour du Chateau has 5 rooms with classic French touches and stunning views of the valley. The region is also home to the world’s largest manmade canal known as the Canal Du Midi.

But as soon as Valeria from St. Petersburg Guided Tours drove us into the center of the city I was shocked at the vibrant colors of the historic buildings, the number of waterways, the restaurants, and chic boutiques. The baroque-style exterior is exactly what you expect to see when you visit Russia, although atypical for St. Petersburg. Its opulent yellow and gold exterior pale in comparison to the expansive grounds and incredible fountains throughout the property built by Peter the Great. That’s why I can’t recommend doing a private tour like St. Petersburg Guided Tours enough!

Next, I’m reading the classic motivational book for aspiring entrepreneurs, The 4 Hour Work Week. Lately, I’ve been seeing a dip in my Instagram engagement and I’m getting pretty frustrated. It’s a reminder of the goals I’m trying to accomplish and what I need to do to achieve them. As I’m writing this post I’m sitting next to my vase of flowers and it’s giving me a little extra boost.