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Month: April 2018

Posted on April 21, 2018March 19, 2019

Things to do in Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica: The Best Places, Activities, and Restaurants

Where to stay, what to do, and where to eat in paradise!

  • Costa Rica
  • Travel Guides
  • Winter Getaways
 by Nina Danielle4 comments
Things to do in Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica: The Best Places, Activities, and Restaurants

Hi! I’m Nina, and welcome to Nina Near and Far – the Ottawa-based travel blog for people pursing career and academic goals. Nina Near and Far is about making the most of your time off, weekends, and vacation days by exploring you own city and taking short, adventure-packed trips.

Instagram post 2246210863559491483_56014037 OTTAWA + MONTREAL OUTDOOR SKATING RINKS ⛸⠀ ⠀ I’m in Montreal for reading week and one of the things I’m most excited about is skating on someone of the beautiful outdoor rinks here! Hoping my favourite Ottawa rinks are still frozen when I get back 😍 Here’s a mini guide to all my fav skating spots in both cities! Remember to SAVE this post for the next time you want to try a new rink. ⠀ ⠀ P.S. Check out my OTTAWA WINTER or MONTREAL WINTER guides for times/ fees/ rental info for all of these rinks!⠀ ⠀ OTTAWA-GATINEAU⠀ • Rideau Canal Skateway: the longest skating rink in the works & a UNESCO world heritage site.⠀ • • Patinage en Forêt: the beautiful skating trail is a magical 3km skating trail through a forest! It’s located at Lac de Loups (past Wakefield).⠀ • The Governor General’s Skating Rink: the Rideau Hall grounds are beautiful in the winter, and concealed in the trees beside Rideau Hall is a beautiful little skating rink.⠀ • Brewery Creek: on the Gatineau side this small canal skating rink is beautiful and (as the name suggests) close to great beer.⠀ • The SENS Rink of Dreams at City Hall: a refrigerated rink located at City Hall. Great for new skaters because the ice is really smooth!⠀ • The Skating Court at Lansdowne Pavilion: a free and beautiful rink outside the Lansdowne Pavilion. The fun thing about Landsdowne is you can warm up with a movie or dinner afterwards! ⠀ ⠀ MONTREAL⠀ • Old Port Skating Rink: (pictured above) hands down the most beautiful place in Montreal in the winter. This rink is located under the Ferris wheel. It’s actually a combo - there is a refrigerated rink and a natural loop around the Ferris wheel.⠀ • Mount Royal – Beaver Lake: located at the top of Mount Royal. This rink has fun themed music nights and a café!⠀ • Parc La Fontaine: a natural rink in a beautiful park in the Plateau region that is really popular with locals.⠀ • Jean Drapeau Skating Trail: month-specific but if you ever visit Montreal during the Fête des Neiges festival then you can skate on the festival skating trail through the forest in Jean Drapeau Park!⠀ ⠀ #mtlmoments #quebecoriginal #myottawa #canadagram #montrealwinter #ottawawinter #ottawalife
Instagram post 2237483954424243402_56014037 One thing I’ve learned is that you don’t actually have to fly South during a Canadian winter. That’s not the only way to boost your mood or get the “escape” so many of us need when it’s cold and darker out. It’s the change of scenery and time outside that really help! Breakfast buffet, a beautiful pool, and cute dogs to do 😍 and fortunately @fairmontmontebello offers all of the above.⠀ ⠀ Who could go for a getaway here?? WIN A NIGHT STAY & RESORT FEE FOR 2 DAYS. Valid Sunday - Thursday; not on holidays. ⠀ ⠀ How to Enter: ⠀ ⠀ 1. follow @ninanearandfar & @fairmontmontebello ⠀ ⠀ 2. Comment on this post with why you want a getaway⠀ ⠀ 3. Like my 6 most recent posts! ⠀ ⠀ BONUS ENTRIES: ⠀ ⠀ 3 x for sharing about the giveaway in stories! Use the last slide in my Montebello highlight. ⠀ ⠀ 1 x for tagging a friend and telling them about it. Tags with no comment will be removed. ⠀ ⠀ CLOSED - this giveaway is not affiliated with Instagram.⠀⠀ #quebecoriginal #explorecanada #canadagram #canadaphoto #imagesofcanada #canadian #tourcanada #enjoycanada #myottawa #ottawalife #apt613 #faceottawa #topottawaphoto #ottawa #yowcity #ottcity #apt613 #ottawaphoto
Instagram post 2235730803551552933_56014037 The real testament to how much has changed in the last few years: I’m now so confident in my ability to not spill juice on myself that I bought a white sweater and had bright pink fruit juice with breakfast the first time I wore it 🍒 ⠀⠀ ⠀⠀ Monday morning reminder that everything takes time: we overestimate what we can do in a week but underestimate what we can can do in a year; and we massively underestimate what we can accomplish in a few years!⠀⠀ ⠀⠀ 1 year ago:⠀⠀ • my now published academic journal article was just data. I had no thoughts of publishing.⠀⠀ • I had never been on a press/ sponsored trip. I went on 3 in 2019.⠀⠀ ⠀⠀ 2 years ago: ⠀⠀ • Nina Near and Far scored me the occasional free tour or discounted tickets but I wasn’t making a dime of real money. ⠀⠀ • I had no empirical research experience whatsoever.⠀⠀ ⠀⠀ 3 years ago: ⠀⠀ • Nina Near and Far did not exist.⠀⠀ • I thought that “organizational psychology” was the study of people being organized... like understanding the minds of people who colour code their bookshelves. Turns out organization = workplace. Organizational behaviour (and more specifically experiences of workplace stress) is now my primary research area in my Masters.⠀⠀ ⠀⠀ One foot in front of the other my friends ❤️ a little action every day adds up!⠀⠀ ⠀⠀ 🏰 @fairmontmontebello enjoying breakfast buffet - which you can do with or without staying at the hotel 🤩 Have the crepes! DELICIOUS! ⠀ ⠀ #quebecoriginal #femmetravel #wanderlust #explorecanada #passionpassport #canadagram #wearetravelgirls #outaouisfun #imagesofcanada #tourcanada #sheisnotlost
Instagram post 2233164618607823051_56014037 WOULD YOU RATHER...⠀ ⠀ Go on a dog sled ride through the forest at @fairmontmontebello with Chiens-Traîneaux Petite-Nation ⠀ ⠀ or⠀ ⠀ Cuddle the dogs and give them belly rubs?⠀ ⠀ I thought about putting dog sledding up against something else but come on 🤷🏼‍♀️ we all know who would win that.⠀ ⠀ P.S. Check out my Winter Gear Guide is [LINK IN BIO] for all of my winter gear recommendations. I’ve also added my thermal pants to PRODUCTS: As Seen on Instagram for you because there are hands down the best piece of winter gear I own. GAME CHANGER.⠀ ⠀ #explorecanada #canadagram #girlslovetravel #imagesofcanada #canadian #tourcanada #enjoycanada #quebecoriginal #outaouisfun #ottawawinter
Instagram post 2228465394284634241_56014037 GIVEAWAY 🎉 One of my all time favourite pieces of camera equipment is my Joby GripTight PRO TelePod! @jobyinc It’s a phone telepod / selfie stick and I can do SO MUCH WITH IT - included animated photos like this one! The best part is the Bluetooth remote which I conceal in my mittens 😉 and this also means my hands stay warm! ⠀ ⠀ Phone cameras + their accessories have become so powerful that on personal trips I often travel with only my iPhone and my Joby. That’s all I took to New York City last summer, and it’s all I’m taking to Montreal this weekend! SWIPE to see some of my other photos using my Joby Telepod and check it IGTV for a full tutorial on creating a cinema graph using a single video! ⠀ ⠀ JOBY AND I ARE GIVING AWAY A GripTight PRO TelePod TO ONE LUCKY WINNER! Check my the JOBY GIVEAWAY Highlight in my bio for details on how to enter!⠀ ⠀ #quebecoriginal #canadagram #explorecanada #dametraveller #girlsabroad #sheisnotlost #cinemagraph #canadawinter ⠀
Instagram post 2227364666728002787_56014037 Pro Tip: make a mood board before you travel to ensure you get great photos on your trip! It doesn’t have to be an actual board; I take screen shots / save photos that inspire me. Start with the destination’s own Instagram account (their feed and photos their account is tagged in) or geotags. Then check out some of your favourite accounts/ circle back to photos you’ve seen with similar places or the vibe that you want for your photos! It’s not about recreating the exact photo, but rather about seeing what worked in another photo that you bring to your own. The look in this photo (monochromatic colourless one-piece and simple up-do hairstyle) was inspired by a photo from @followmeawaytravel at Fjallsarlon and a photo from @fairmontmontebello ’s own Instagram account of their beautiful pool! I’ll share my inspiration photos to stories! #quebecoriginal #explorecanada #outaouisfun #canadaphoto #sheisnotlost #tourcanada #femmetravel #femaletravelbloggers #enjoycanada #imagesofcanada #girlsabroad #beautifuldestinations
Instagram post 2226642756050555867_56014037 What a wonderful weekend at Fairmont Montebello! 😍 This property completely blew me away - @fairmontmontebello is the perfect place for a winter weekend getaway, or even a winter day trip. Everything that Fairmont Montebello offers is available to both hotel guests and day trip visitors so no matter what your timeframe/ travel budget this is a perfect winter destination! We were just there for 2 days - 1 night but the property is so beautiful and remote enough that it really is a vacation. Big thanks to Fairmont Montebello for hosting us!⠀ ⠀ There are SO MANY activities to choose from! SWIPE for a video preview! What would you go for first?⠀ ⠀ 🛷 Dogsledding on a 3.7km trail around the property.⠀ ⠀ 🔥 Cozy up by the fire in the world’s largest log cabin! @chefofftheline and I brought books and ordered tea. I even saw one family with a board game!⠀ ⠀ ⛸ Skate on one of the outdoor rinks or snowshoe on a 3km or 5km loop around the property! Bring your own or rent on-site.⠀ ⠀ 🥞 Dine at one of the 3 on-site restaurants (highly recommend the breakfast buffet at Aux Chantignoles)⠀ ⠀ 💦 Relax in the indoor pool (easily the most beautiful pool I have ever seen).⠀ ⠀ 🥌 Take a curling lesson in the ice house.⠀ ⠀ 🧖🏼‍♀️ Treat yourself to a relaxing day at the spa.⠀ ⠀ 🐴 Saturday’s and school holidays enjoy a horse-drawn sleigh ride.⠀ ⠀ 🎿 Ski on 42km of groomed trails. Bring your own or rent on site!⠀ ⠀ 🎾 There are even some indoor activities like a tennis court!⠀ ⠀ #fairmontmontebello #montebello #quebecoriginal #outaouisfun #explorecanada #canadagram #imagesofcanada #femmetravel #tourcanada #enjoycanada #canada #sheisnotlost
Instagram post 2223406763490972234_56014037 Frosty morning ☃️ ‘tis the season for the winter blues and wonky sleep to hit so I wanted to share a little 🧠 fact to brighten your day! ☀️ That was sort of a pun... you’ll see...⠀ ⠀ You’ve probably already heard that it’s great to take a Vitamin D supplement this time of year if live in the Northern Hemisphere because you’re getting less of it from the sun. Which is great, definitely do that - but this doesn’t replace another important function that comes from SEEING the sun.⠀ ⠀ There’s a little region of your brain called the suprachiasmatic nucleus (which I have always remembered because it reminds me of the word supercalifragilisticexpialidocious). It’s not exactly 24 hours though, so it’s best if you can reset the clock so to speak with a little bit of sunlight every morning; also known as “light entrainment.” And then you sleep better, and then you feel better!⠀ ⠀ Grab your morning coffee, tea, book, copious pile of assigned readings, morning meeting, and move it to a big wide window ☀️ and say this is really good for your “suprachiasmatic nucleus” to whoever you’re with if you wish to impress 😉 ⠀ ⠀ #myottawa #ottawawinter #ottcity #ottawalife #discoveron #explorecanada #canadagram #canadaphoto #tourcanada #imagesofcanada
Instagram post 2221226686829388223_56014037 Can we all agree that *being* somewhere is awesome but actually *getting there* sort of sucks? DOUBLE TAP if you would like to arrive at your next destination without all the leg and neck cramps of travel!⠀ ⠀ Planes. Trains. 36 hour bus rides from Montreal, Quebec to Greenville, South Carolina when you’re cheap 😅⠀ ⠀ When I was a competitive athlete there were MANY long travel days in my life and I had to arrive ready to race. I learned tips from other athletes, coaches, and doctors to prevent cramps in my legs and soreness in my neck and I still do ALL of the same things when I travel! ⠀ ⠀ I finally wrote all this wisdom up for you - check out my new blog post [LINK IN BIO] on preventing leg cramps, neck pain, and overall travel soreness!⠀ ⠀ P.S. the tips in this post actually apply to any situation where you’re sitting or standing all day! They’re just generally good practices that I actually use in my day-to-day as well.⠀ ⠀ #wanderlust #traveltips #visitcostarica #passionpassport #sheisnotlost #girlsabroad #girlslovetravel #femmetravel
Instagram post 2217958746667354195_56014037 New York City is one of the few places that I’ve visited twice (both times for Harry Potter related events lol) and in an even more rare occurrence I actually even visited one of the attractions twice - the MET.⠀ ⠀ Honestly - did not find any of the paintings that I saw the first time I went that I wanted to see again. Found this and an adjacent hall full of statues that I totally missed the first time around 🤷🏼‍♀️ and the Temple of Dendur (features in Ocean’s 11). This place is HUGE. Have you been anywhere that was gigantic and literally impossible to see in one visit?⠀ ⠀ MET visiting tips:⠀ • tickets are good for 3 days and valid for the The Met Fifth Avenue, The Met Breuer, and The Met Cloisters⠀ • you can buy tickets anytime - you just have to use them within a year⠀ • students are only $12! vs. adults being $25⠀ • don’t eat in the MET - eat at a food cart out front. Way more delicious, much cheaper. ⠀ ⠀ New York City Guide is linked in bio today! It’s got a 2 day sight seeing itinerary, info on the best visitor passes, food, hotels, and things to do.⠀ ⠀ #newyorkcity #newyorkphotographer #visitnyc #girlslovetravel #dametraveler #passionpassport
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