Looking for the most epic things to do in Antarctica? Don’t miss these unique places and activities.

Visiting Antarctica is an adventure like no other, and what’s so special is that no two trips will ever be the same. Unlike other cruises with guaranteed stops, you will be on a discovery cruise that builds your itinerary day by day. Because of the unpredictable Antarctica weather, the captain and discovery team constantly monitored where we could go next. 

Though you have no control over your day-to-day itinerary, the ship you travel on can determine your options. Here’s what you need to know.

This post may contain affiliate links, where we receive a small commission on sales of the products that are linked at no additional cost to you. All opinions are always our own. Read our full disclosure for more info. Thank you for supporting the brands that make Local Adventurer possible.

Last Updated: December 27, 2024

−−Content Menu

• What You Need to Know Before You Go
• Best Things to Do in Antarctica
• Map of the Best Things to Do in Antarctica
• Essential Tips
• Planning Checklist

What You Need to Know Before You Go

When visiting Antarctica, you’ll notice that all the cruises are discovery cruises. That means there is no set itinerary, and the crew decides where the ship will go daily.

First, IAATO (International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators) rules only allow smaller expedition ships to land to help protect the wildlife and land. Larger cruise ships can only sail by.

Second, being on a Class 1A ice-rated and Polar Class 6-rated ship like Scenic Eclipse II allows you to pass the Antarctic Circle and go further south than most ships. These Scenic Eclipse luxury yachts were the first of their kind and were specifically built to navigate Antarctic waters and pass the Drake Passage safely.

Lastly, the longer your cruise is, the more opportunities you’ll have to see wildlife, visit destinations, and do more activities. You may have poor microclimates everywhere some days, and you want to maximize your chances since getting to Antarctica is already a long journey.

We may have had a unicorn trip with mostly great weather. It was nice to see the captain and staff get excited. One person we met who had been working his 100th trip to Antarctica said it was his first time being able to visit number 13!

See More: 17 Things You Need to Know Before Visiting Antarctica

Best Places to Visit in Antarctica

Below are the places we visited on our trip so you can follow along in the order of our travel itinerary. Hoping the weather allows you to see these magical places, too!

1. Detaille Island

-66.8666663,-66.7936327, map

Highlights: Research Station Base W’s historic huts, Adelie Penguin Colony
Wildlife Spotting: Adelie Penguins, Antarctic Shag, Weddell Seals, Crabeater Seals, Whales, Brown Skua, Petrels

Detaille Island was our very first stop in Antarctica. We didn’t know what to expect, but looking back, it was the perfect introduction. It had everything: our first wildlife encounters, beautiful icebergs, and historic huts.

The UK Antarctic Heritage Trust maintains the island and the huts, which are like living museums. It was a former British research station, Base W, operating between 1956 and 1959. You can see an Adelie colony from far away, but we also saw one solo Adelie hopping around near our landing site.

After our landing, we went on a zodiac cruise around the area to see some of the ice formations and wildlife floating on the ice closer up.

Photo Tip: You need a long lens to shoot the penguin colony (this is the lens I shot with), and they were still tiny. The last photo was of a solo adelie on an iceberg.

2. Horseshoe Island

-67.8499993,-67.2102998, map

Highlights: Rocks with Malachite, British Antarctic Survey’s Station E Historic Buildings
Wildlife Spotting: Adelie Penguins, Weddell Seal, Crabeater Seal, Petrels, Gulls, Terns

When you walk onto Horseshoe Island, it’s hard to ignore the bright green veins in the rocks. Malachite makes them look like they’re from a different planet. Jacob kept referring to them as kryptonite.

You can walk up to a couple of viewpoints at Horseshoe Island, explore the historic buildings of Station E, or keep your eye out for wildlife. We saw a lone Adelie, Petrels with chicks, and some seals lazing in the bay.

Pro Tip: Keep an eye out for seal bones. The shoreline near the bay had many seal bone pieces all over the place that you may walk past if you’re not looking for them.

3. Bongrain Point

-67.7166667,-67.8025749, map

Highlights: Adelie Penguin Colony
Wildlife Spotting: Adelie Penguins, Cormorants

We went on a SUP excursion at Bongrain Point, a great way to have a quieter, meditative experience (Scenic Eclipse II fully outfits you in dry suits). But the wind picked up, so we had to cut it short and head to the Adelie penguin colony instead.

The Adelie Penguins were everywhere, bathing on the shore, walking to and from their colony, and many huddled together nursing their chicks.

Since there were so many penguins moving back and forth, you had to be extra diligent to give them space (stay at least 5 meters or 15 feet away).

Photo Tip: Having your camera without underwater housing can be nerve-wracking, so if photography is your primary goal, it’s better to be on zodiac boats or to opt for a landing.

4. Stonington Island

-68.1833281,-67.0389247, map

Highlights: East Base of the United States Antarctic Service Expedition, British Antarctic Survey’s Station E, Huge Ice Shelf, Helicopter Tour, Polar Plunge
Wildlife Spotting: Adelie Penguin, Skuas, Various Seals, Various Whales

Stonington Island was the first chance for us to see an American Base. One of the unique features here is the two out-of-commission tanks they brought down as a mode of transportation (‘Murica!). There’s also Station E here, but it wasn’t open. Across the way, you can admire a giant ice shelf where some guests saw a big ice calving.

Afterward, we did a helicopter tour to appreciate the landscape and vastness from a bird’s-eye view. We even saw some whales.

Finally, conditions were perfect for a polar plunge. Luckily, it was a rare warm, sunny day to ease us into polar plunges. After setting up, we headed to the back of the ship, where they tied a safety belt on you before jumping in the water.

Once you get out, they have towels ready to wrap you and a choice of a shot or hot chocolate to warm yourself. The anticipation of jumping in was worse than actually doing it, plus I swam so fast that my brain didn’t have time to process what just happened.

Pro Tip: Wear robes over your bathing suit during the polar plunge. It keeps you warm while waiting, and it’s nice to throw back on after.

5. Jenny Island

-67.7333324,-68.4103212, map

Highlights: Elephant Seals
Wildlife Spotting: Elephant Seals, Leopard Seals, Fur Seals, Weddel Seals, Crabeater Seals

We saw a massive group of Elephant Seals at Jenny Island basking in the sun and throwing their weight around. Afterward, we zodiac cruised around and saw a Leopard Seal floating on ice, too. Some guests said they saw all five seal types here.

6. Rothera Station

-67.5678406,-68.1292501, map

Highlights: Active Research Station
Wildlife Spotting: Whales, Birds

Rothera Research Station was established in 1975 and is the starting point for most British Antarctic Survey missions. We didn’t stop since it was an acting station, but we got to cruise by to see the scale of the station in comparison to the historic ones we visited.

7. Fish Islands

-66.0333333,-65.419247, map

Highlights: Adelie Penguin Colony 
Wildlife Spotting: Antarctic Shags, Adelie Penguins, Wilsons Storm Petrel

We zodiac cruised around Fish Islands, which ended up being one of our favorite outings.

An estimated 4000 breeding pairs of Adelie penguins, along with Antarctic shags, inhabit Fish Islands and the Minnows. They were hard to tell apart at times because of their similar color patterns. We spent hours watching three goofy Adelie penguins play. Fish Islands is also where I shot my favorite penguin photo from this trip, the “Penguin Wedding.”

8. Grandidier Channel

-65.5833333,-64.7525803, map

Highlights: Whales Galore, Beautiful Icebergs, Stunning Mountain Scenery
Wildlife Spotting: Humpback Whales, Antarctic Minke Whale, Orcas

While traveling through the Grandidier Channel, we were amazed by the beautiful ice formations and mountain scenery. Someone spotted a pod of orcas in the distance, followed by another pod. Then, two pods of humpback whales joined in. It was the craziest whale-watching experience of our lives. They were continuously peeping at us or showing off their tales.

Pro Tip: Go to the Navigation Bridge to watch whales. Scenic has an open bridge policy, and it’s the best place to stay informed since they’re always on the lookout and have more experience spotting wildlife.

Photo Tip: Make sure you always have your long lens ready and layers on you. You never know when you’ll have to hop outside.

9. Lemaire Channel

-65.133,-64.0025803, map

Highlights: Most Beautiful and Narrow Passage
Wildlife Spotting: Humpback Whales, Adelie Penguins, Gulls and Terns, Petrel

Many call the Lemaire Channel the most beautiful place in Antarctica. It’s a narrow passage with towering mountains on both sides. We saw Humpback Whales feeding in the area as we entered the channel.

We were at a set coursed menu when passing through, but they allowed us to go up to the ship’s bow for ten minutes to see it first. Even during our meal, whales came up less than 50 feet from the window beside us.

10. Flandres Bay

-65.0207214,-63.7911339, map

Highlights: Kayaking, Ice Formations
Wildlife Spotting: Giant Petrels, Brown Skua, Antarctic Shag, Humpback Whale, Seals

We kayaked in Flandres Bay. The water was glassy smooth, with stunning ice formations and mountains surrounding us. We saw very little wildlife compared to other days, like one sleeping humpback whale from a distance and a few Giant Petrels and Skuas.

It worked out perfectly as a photographer so that we could focus on the kayaking. If there had been tons of wildlife, I would have preferred to be on a zodiac since shooting on them is more manageable. We could hear some small avalanches and ice calving in the distance.

11. Port Lockroy

-64.8250761,-63.5331398, map

Highlights: Gentoo Penguin Colony, Penguin Post Office, Gift Shop
Wildlife Spotting: Gentoo Penguins

The UK Antarctic Trust runs Port Lockroy. During our visit, they were not taking visitors to protect the local Gentoo Penguin colony from the Avian Flu. Instead, a handful of the team came aboard our ship to give a presentation on their work. The staff there counts penguins, maintains the buildings, runs a gift shop, and has a post office.

After the presentation, they set up a pop-up post office and souvenir shop on our ship. They had clothes, alcohol, calendars, ornaments, postcards and more. Any purchases help support the UK Antarctic Trust. We purchased a handful of postcards to mail to our friends and family. Postcards were 2.5£, and postage was 2£ per postcard.

They said the postcards can take from one to three months to deliver. Ours took about a month before they arrived on the East Coast.

Pro Tip: They also have a passport stamp to stamp your passport, or we stamped the outgoing postcards.

12. Palaver Point

-64.15,-61.7525803, map

Highlights: Chinstrap Penguin Colony
Wildlife Spotting: Chinstrap Penguins, Seals, Skuas, Petrels, Gulls, Terns

After mainly seeing Adelies, we were excited to meet our first Chinstrap Penguins. They were so fun to watch and had chicks they were nursing. Palaver Point involved a short hike up to get a better vantage point of the colony. I could watch them all day! You can watch our fun video of them here.

13. Spert Island

-63.8499943,-60.9889249, map

Highlights: Beautiful Glaciers, Caves
Wildlife Spotting: Elephant Seals, Leopard Seals, Chinstrap Penguins, Gentoo Penguin

The staff was excited when we headed to Spert Island. We had people on our ship nearing 100 voyages to Antarctica who had never been because conditions didn’t work out.

Just when we thought the trip couldn’t get better, Spert Island wowed us with its ice formations and sculptures carved out by nature. They were the most beautiful we’ve seen on the entire trip.

14. Fournier Bay

-64.5166127,-63.1103215, map

Highlights: Ice Formations, Pancake Ice
Wildlife Spotting: Leopard Seals, Petrels, Antarctic Tern

Using a scope, we guessed that one iceberg was over 900 feet tall. We saw all ice forms here: glaciers, ice sheets, icebergs, growlers, brash ice, and pancake ice.

15. Neko Harbour

-64.8375963,-62.7515093, map

Highlights: Gentoo Penguin Colony, Continental Landing
Wildlife Spotting: Gentoo Penguin, Humpback Whales, Fur Seal, Brown Skua, Petrels

Our final stop was Neko Harbour, where we made our continental landing and finally saw the Gentoo Penguins. I loved seeing their penguin highways. They were deeper highways than the other colonies, perhaps because they were larger penguins.

They also had the youngest chicks, some only a few days old. Since it was our last outing, we stayed as long as possible to watch them nurse and steal rocks from each other. When we returned, a few curious humpback whales swam beside the ship. They were so close I had to take off my long lens.

Planning Checklist

Did you enjoy this post? Pin it for later

Esther + Jacob

Esther and Jacob are the founders of Local Adventurer, one of the top 5 travel blogs in the US. They believe that adventure can be found near and far and hope to inspire others to explore locally. They explore a new city in depth every year and currently base themselves in Las Vegas.

Follow on Instagram (E + J), YouTube, TikTok, and Pinterest.

The post 15 Epic Things to Do in Antarctica Travel Guide appeared first on Local Adventurer » Travel Adventures in Las Vegas + World Wide.

Curious about visiting Antarctica? Here’s everything you need to know.

Stepping foot on our last continent was a dream come true. Thank you, Scenic Luxury Cruises and Tours, for hosting such a memorable trip! 

Before we embarked on our journey, we thought Antarctica was a one-and-done destination, but even during our trip, I started to look up ways I could become a researcher and live there. Penguin counter? Pick me!

Epic doesn’t even begin to describe this frozen wonderland, and if you saw any of my photos and stories, you already know, I couldn’t help but exclaim in ALL CAPS! It was a trip of a lifetime, and I hope it isn’t our last.

Curious about visiting the White Continent? Read our tips to help you plan a trip to the most epic place on earth.

This post may contain affiliate links, where we receive a small commission on sales of the products that are linked at no additional cost to you. All opinions are always our own. Read our full disclosure for more info. Thank you for supporting the brands that make Local Adventurer possible.

Last Updated: January 30, 2024

−−Content Menu

• Best Time to Visit Antarctica
• How Bad is the Drake Passage
• How to Choose an Antarctic Cruise

17 Things You Need to Know Before Visiting Antarctica Travel Tips

1. How Long Does it Take to Get to Antarctica?

When visiting Antarctica, most people start their cruise from Ushuaia, Argentina, or Punta Arenas, Chile. Since we live in Las Vegas, we’ll share our travel times from here (no direct flights from LAS to EZE).

• Vegas to Dallas – 2 h 40 mins
• Dallas to Buenos Aires – 10 h 30 mins
• Buenos Aires to Ushuaia – 3 h 20 mins (left 926 am, arrived 1245)
• Ushuaia Port to Antarctica on the Scenic Eclipse II – approximately two days through Drake Passage. It can sometimes take longer, depending on wind and swells.

See More: 25 Amazing Places to Visit Before They Disappear

2. Best times to Visit Antarctica? What are High and Low Seasons? When Do I Need to Book?

The best time to visit Antarctica is from November to March, their summer.

• October – some cruises start at the end of the month. It’s colder, and the days are short, but you get lower fares, enormous icebergs, and pristine landscapes. If you’re on an icebreaker ship, you can even visit remote emperor penguin colonies, the most elusive penguins.
• November – most cruise lines start their season in November. Adélie, Gentoo, and Chinstrap penguins start mating and laying eggs. You’ll also see breeding elephant and fur seals with aggressive mating rituals. The snow is still pristine, icebergs are massive, and you can see the rare emperor penguins. Photographers also benefit from the sun being low. 
• December – the weather warms, and you get 22 hours of daylight. In late December, you’ll see penguin chicks, baleen whales, toothed whales, and humpback whales on the peninsula. Keep in mind that the holidays are the most expensive time to visit.
• January is peak season with 22+ hours of daylight for maximum wildlife watching. The weather is warmest and most predictable, though never guaranteed, and the ice breaks up for ships to cross the Antarctic Circle. You can visit historic huts during land expeditions. Penguin chicks are hatching, and orcas and humpback sightings are common.
• February – Temperatures are still decent, and it is the best time for whale watching with more humpback and minke whale sightings. Sea ice retreats to open the Ross Sea and East Antarctica for visits. Adult penguins are molting, and chicks are learning to swim, so leopard seals and orcas are on the hunt.
• March – the season starts to wind down with colder and more unpredictable weather, but you’ll get better value fares. It’s too late to see penguin chicks, but it’s an excellent time to see young fur seals and whales. It’s another popular time for photographers as the sun dips lower in the sky.

3. How much does it cost to go to Antarctica?

Most cruises are, on average, $8000 and can go up from there, and pricing depends on your cruise, time of year, how many days, and activities. The cheapest cruises start at $5000 and are sail-by cruises, where you don’t land.

The Scenic Eclipse II is one of the most luxurious vessels traveling to Antarctica and beyond the Antarctic Circle. We did a 16-day cruise that starts at $21,335 (the 13-day starts at $19,225). This pricing includes a chartered flight between Buenos Aires to Ushuaia, excursions (besides helicopter and submarine), 24/7 butler service, nine dining options (three of them set, coursed menu), gratuities, room service, alcoholic beverages with a great selection of wine and top-shelf whiskeys, enrichment lectures, fitness classes, spa facilities. Many other cruises start with a lower base price and offer these additional services a la carte. 

We’ll share a breakdown of these costs across different cruise lines later.

4. How Can I Get to Antarctica? Can you fly to Antarctica? Are There hotels in Antarctica?

Antarctica is inhospitable, unpredictable, and potentially dangerous, making independent travel challenging. Most people visit through guided tours and cruises. If you want to land in Antarctica, only smaller expedition ships can land since IAATO (International Association of Antarctic Tour Operators) rules limit the number of people on land at a given time. On a large cruise ship, you can only sail by.

There are no commercial flights to Antarctica, but certain cruises offer chartered flights from Punta Arenas, Chile, to King George Island in Antarctica, where you start your cruise.

No hotels exist in Antarctica. Your options are expedition cruise ships, research stations, and luxury campsites that start at $62,500.

See More: Ultimate Life Bucket List – 1001 Things to Eat, See, and Do

6. Meds to bring?

Always check with your PCP before taking medication.

If you’re prone to motion sickness, pack Dramamine, Scopapoline patch, motion sickness bands, and/or motion sickness glasses. I used everything except the glasses. I’m unsure which remedy worked best, but I didn’t want to take the chance.

We packed Dramamine and bands, but Scenic Medical also provided motion-sickness meds and patches in limited supply. They ran out on the way back through the Drake Passage, so we had to get some patches from a friend.

We also always pack Imodium and Lactaid for all our travels, which we didn’t need.

12. Vaccines? Is it Dangerous in Antarctica?

During our time in Antarctica, Avian Flu was spreading in the Antarctic Peninsula, mostly among elephant seals. Scenic avoided any areas with known outbreaks, so we didn’t need to worry about it.

When we travel, we like to use Passport Health for vaccines. They have travel clinics in the US, Canada, and UK, and are perfect for what we need.

15. What activities do you do in Antarctica? What is a zodiac?

On our Scenic Eclipse II cruise, they had two daily excursions when the weather allowed. These are the activities on our trip.

• Landings – sometimes included a hike or visits to historic huts.
• Zodiac cruises – you see glaciers, icebergs, and wildlife.
• Kayaking was all tandem. It requires calmer conditions.
• Stand-up paddling – required the calmest conditions. You SUP solo, which can be a quieter, more reflective experience.
• Polar plunge – they made it fun with hot chocolate or alcohol of choice waiting for you when you got out of the water.
• Helicopter ride
• Submarine – this was still being constructed when we were on our trip.

A zodiac is a brand that people now use to refer to a genre of boats. They are durable, inflatable boats we used during our trip to get from ship to land or to view wildlife.

If photographing wildlife is a priority, do a zodiac cruise. It’s easier to get around, and you don’t have to worry about your camera gear as much if you don’t have underwater housing. We preferred to kayak and SUP on days when there wasn’t as much wildlife. 

16. What animals live in Antarctica? Do Polar Bears Live in Antarctica?

Wildlife sightings vary depending on the month and location, but this is what we saw in January.

• Common: Adelie penguins, Chinstrap penguins, Gentoo penguins, Crabeater seals, Weddell seals, Snow petrels, Skuas, Humpback whales.
• Less common: Leopard seals, Antarctic fur seals, Minke whales, Albatross
• Rare: Emperor penguins, Blue whales, South Polar skua, Antarctic petrel, Antarctic fulmar, whole Snow petrel colonies, Ross Sea Killer Whales.

They told us it was rare to see orcas this time of year, but we saw several pods. Polar bears only live in the Arctic.

17. Is there wifi in Antarctica? How is the wifi or cell signal?

We did not have any cell signal, but on the Scenic Eclipse II, we had complimentary wifi, and we were surprised at how good it was throughout the cruise. They don’t guarantee wifi quality because it’s affected by weather and location, but we could access everything we needed.

One of the days we were on the navigation bridge, we saw staff making phone calls, which is crazy to think about because, just over 50 years ago, people were risking their lives to explore the continent. Some guests were streaming Netflix, but others had trouble opening Outlook, which may be because of cyber security protection.

Did you enjoy this post? Pin it for later

Esther + Jacob

Esther and Jacob are the founders of Local Adventurer, one of the top 5 travel blogs in the US. They believe that adventure can be found near and far and hope to inspire others to explore locally. They explore a new city in depth every year and currently base themselves in Las Vegas.

Follow on Instagram (E + J), YouTube, TikTok, and Pinterest.

The post 17 Things You Need to Know Before Visiting Antarctica Travel Tips appeared first on Local Adventurer » Travel Adventures in Las Vegas + World Wide.

We went on our very first river cruise with Scenic last month. Besides knowing our start and end, we had no idea what to expect from a river cruise, much less a Douro River cruise. I was excited to think for the first time in a while, we didn’t have to plan out our entire itinerary in my typical OCD fashion.

A big thank you to Scenic River Cruises for hosting our trip. All opinions are always our own. This post may contain affiliate links, where we receive a small commission on sales of the products that are linked at no additional cost to you. Read our full disclosure for more info. Thank you for supporting the brands that make Local Adventurer possible.

Last Updated: December 2, 2019

Overview of Douro River Cruises

Douro River cruises take you from Porto, Portugal to Vega de Terron, Spain. Although these cruises have a few different itineraries, most of them start and end in Porto.

Cruise packages range from 6 to 15 days, and most longer itineraries also include land travel to cities like Lisbon or Madrid. Our cruise was 8 days, which felt like the perfect amount of time on the river.

Unlike most other river cruises, the ships can only travel during the day due to the difficulty of navigating the Douro river at night and the locks you have to pass through.

The five locks dictate your ship’s schedule and the captain has to coordinate times each day. This also makes it very important to pay attention to each day’s schedule as it can change.

The cruise director makes announcements as you approach each lock, and it’s worth paying attention to at least once if you’ve never been through a lock before. They have very little margin of error.

You spend most of the cruise exploring the beautiful landscapes of the Douro River Valley in Portugal, which has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2001. You also typically get one day trip to Salamanca, Spain.

Compared to other popular river cruises in Europe, the Douro River is still relatively unknown. Not too long ago, there were only 5 ships that cruised the river, but as its popularity has grown, there are 25-30 ships now. 

Some of our favorite moments on the cruise were spent being the only foreigners exploring small towns and villages.

Pro Tip: If you’re looking for luxury, Scenic is the only 5-star ship that cruises the Douro River.

About the Douro River Valley

The Douro Valley is a beautiful wine region known for its Port wines and a wide variety of table wines. I don’t think I’ve had so much wine on one trip before as they never stopped stealthily filling our glasses.

The microclimate is also great for olives, almonds, and more recently a wide variety of other fruits, which I was happy to see appear in our daily menus.

Beautiful terraced vineyards and quaint villages on rolling hills filled the landscape. It’s no surprise that I came home with thousands upon thousands of photos.

Within Portugal, only a few major Portuguese towns are along the river, it’s mostly made up of countryside estates and small villages. UNESCO designated it as a World Heritage Site because of its significant architecture and history.

As you explore, it really feels like you’ve stepped back in time. They’ve preserved much of their culture although you can tell it’s slowly fading away like everywhere else.

The Douro River is the third-longest river in the Iberian Peninsula flowing from Spain to Portugal. It runs 557 miles but the majority of the Spanish side is considered unnavigable, which is why cruises stop shortly after the border.

Along the river, fifteen dams help regulate the water flow. Five are in Spain, five are along the border, and the last five are in Portugal. 

The Portuguese dams, which have locks built in, allow boats up to 272 feet long and 37 feet wide to pass through. The Carrapatelo Dam is the highest lock with a maximum lift of 115 feet.

Prominent Cities and Stops

Although each cruise has their own itineraries, these are some prominent cities visited by most Douro River cruises.

Porto, Portugal
Porto was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1996. It is Portugal’s second-largest city and has a wide variety of architecture, ranging from medieval to modern. Most cruises show you the highlights of Porto.

Régua, Portugal
Régua is at the western edge of the port-wine region. It’s the area’s largest riverside town and home to the Douro Museum, which is a great intro to the region and its Port wine.

Pinhão, Portugal
Pinhão is full of wineries and located at a beautiful bend of the Douro River roughly 15 miles up the river. The town itself doesn’t have much to explore but is a great launching point to explore places like Lamego, known for its beautiful church at the top of over 600 steps and Mateus Palace. We walked the stairs from top to bottom enjoying the views from every landing. 

Pochinho, Portugal
You dock here to explore the Côa Valley, a prehistoric rock-art site. Visiting the small village of Freixo de Numao to learn how they roast almonds with different flavors and taste them was the highlight of our trip. They were the best we’ve tasted, and needless to say, we had to make room in our luggage to bring a few bags home.

Barca d’Alva, Portugal
A small village with the ruins of a castle atop a hill. You can see Spain on one side and Portugal on the other.

Vega de Terrón, Spain
This is the furthest inland your cruise goes. From here, you take a day trip to Salamanca, Spain.

More: 15 Remarkable Things to Do in Porto Portugal

CLICK TO SEE PORTUGAL ITINERARIES AND COMPARE PRICES

Arrivals and Departures

Cais de Miragaia, 4050-430 Porto, map

Since most Douro River cruises start and end in Porto, it makes it logistically easy. Multiple transportation companies can get to and from the airport, and we saw signs that Uber is now accessible here.

Most ships are located at the Douro River Cruise Terminal, located in Vila Nova da Gaia just across the river. The exception is Scenic with its own port on the Porto side, which makes exploring the city very accessible.

Any Scenic booking includes transportation to and from the airport. After we got through customs, it was easy to spot the Scenic sign, and we waited for a few others that arrived around the same time before heading the van.

From there, they drove us through town telling us about the city and pulled up right next to the river where the Scenic Azure waited for us.

Before our final night, they gave us a pick-up time (ours was a painful 3:30 am since we had a 6 am flight). Just like our arrival, they shuttled us to the airport so we didn’t have to worry about anything.

Pro Tip: If we were to do this trip again, we would add at least an extra day before or after to explore Porto. We loved how photogenic the city was and that much of city is walkable.

The Scenic Azure

The Ship

Scenic refers to their ships as spaceships. When I first read that, I thought were referring to having a clean design, but it turns out they were talking about how spacious it. is. We heard from other guests that have been on a number of river cruises that it really lives up to its name.

The Scenic Azure holds 96 guests in 48 cabins, and they are the only 5-star ship on the Douro river among the 25-30 ships that currently cruise the river. In addition to that, there are 40 staff ready to make your experience amazing.

Besides your room, the lounge is the center stage of the ship. All the briefings happen there and there’s also a full open bar where people can hang out. The top deck has a pool and lounge seating, which we didn’t get to take full advantage of due to the rainy weather.

The main dining room is under the lounge, where you have all your meals.

The Food + Wine

Breakfast and lunch were buffet style, while each dinner was a multi-course meal where you can pick from a few options.

We did a big breakfast the first morning, but since we’re not big on breakfast and love our sleep, all the days after, we opted to sleep in and have room service. Each morning, we ordered a simple breakfast consisting of croissants and Nutella right before our first morning excursion.

Lunch always had a few featured dishes as part of the buffet and a couple of specialty dishes you could order straight from the kitchen. We had to try a little bit of everything.

If you wanted a lighter lunch, you could get smaller bites at the cafe and try a different freshly baked cake each day. On nice days, the top deck hosts BBQ and other special meals.

Each evening, the head chef introduced the meal and its highlights as well as the wines featured that evening. We recommend going with the chef’s favorites as he seemed to put a little more TLC into those dishes.

In addition to the main dinner, there are two other dinner options that required reservations. Portobellos is a special Portuguese themed dinner and Table D’Or is a fine dining experience. We recommend you check out both.

If you’re hungry outside of those times, you can order room service at any time.

Pro Tip: Remember, everything is included so if you just can’t decide between the options, try them all.

The Rooms on the Scenic Azure

We were in a Balcony Suite during our cruise, but all rooms were spacious and comfortable and had river views. We spent a lot of time relaxing in our room and watching the scenery from our balcony. 

They put so much attention to detail. It was amazing. The bed adjusted on each side, and there was storage for everything, including a place for your empty suitcase.

The balcony was the obvious highlight of the room. It converted the indoor space into an outdoor one by opening the top panel of the glass. It was the perfect way to enjoy fresh air from your very own space.

Every guest on the ship was assigned a butler too. They helped you with anything that you needed. Alex was our butler, and we loved her! She always stocked our fridge with our favorite beverages and snacks and helped us with any issues we had. We were surprised that she even went out of her way to do some research for us on photo spots in Porto.

On Board Activities

On sailing days, they had all-inclusive programs to learn more about local artistry. They brought in a tile painting artist to teach us how to make the famous Portuguese blue tiles. There was also a cork workshop, and we even learned how to make the Portuguese Egg Tarts (my favorite).

If you’ve never done them before, we highly recommend doing them all. They have limited space, so be sure to sign up when they announce them.

If you prefer to have more time relaxing in your room instead, we recommend the tile painting the most followed by the egg tarts. You don’t have to know how to make them to eat them. 

In the evenings, they also had other events like trivia, and we loved ending the evenings in the lounge listening to Arsenia (aka Portuguese Richard Gere) play and sing effortlessly.

BACK TO TOP

What to Pack for Your Trip

More Resources

• Pocket Porto Guide
• Porto Crumpled Map
• Wine Map of Spain and Portugal
• Portugal Map Print

Did you enjoy this post? Pin it for later

Esther + Jacob

Esther and Jacob are the founders of Local Adventurer, which is one of the top 5 travel blogs in the US. They believe that adventure can be found both near and far and hope to inspire others to explore locally. They explore a new city in depth every year and currently base themselves in Las Vegas.

The post What You Need To Know Before Your First Douro River Cruise appeared first on Local Adventurer » Travel Adventures in Las Vegas + World Wide.

Red Frog Pub is a staple in the Carnival Cruise Ships and they serve great beer, but the one on Carnival Vista is special because it’s the very first brewery on a North American cruise ship. Brewmaster Colin Presby is heading up this new venture and it was fascinating to hear about how brewing on a ship differs from brewing on land. They have to deal with getting supplies when they’re at port, manage the sway of the ship, and do all of this in their custom built brewery.

Passengers aboard the Vista can sign up for this unique brewery tour where Colin walks you through the whole process. He talks about the general beer making process, then goes into how some of it is unique to the ship. Afterward, you get to taste what they are currently brewing.

It’s $12.95 for the tour, which includes the tasting. Spots are limited and can fill up, so sign up early!

While we were on the ship, they were brewing three different beers. The ThirstyFrog Port Hoppin’ IPA, ThirstyFrog Caribbean Wheat, and my favorite, the FriskyFrog Java Stout. You can only get these beers on the Carnival Vista in the RedFrog Pub, which made them really special. Some of the folks in our group picked up a pint to bring to dinner.

If beer isn’t your thing, Carnival Vista has twenty-five (TWENTY-FIVE!) bars all with different themes. Over the course of the week, we went to as many as we could, but we still have plenty left to explore for next time!

Have you been on a carnival cruise? What’s your most unique brewery experience?

PIN FOR LATER:

The post The First Brewery Tour on a Cruise – Red Frog Pub and Brewery appeared first on Local Adventurer » Travel Adventures in Las Vegas + World Wide.

The Golden Cruise Halong Bay

We took the Golden Cruise, which was the nicest option and was booked for us by a family friend. Although the ship isn’t huge (capacity of 100 people), as we made our way out on the water, it became really obvious that it was the nicest and largest boat in Halong Bay. Looking around, the other boats looked tiny!

The Good and the Bad

Halong Bay is more about the views for us than anything else. The Golden Cruise is considered a 5-star luxury cruise in Vietnam, but it’s a 3 star at best for first world standards. It reminded me of a smaller Carnival cruise except everything was clad in gold. We were happy that the rooms were spacious, comfortable, and clean, and that the staff was friendly. We also had an amazing view from our balcony and spent most of our time looking out at the layers of mountains.

Besides that, the meals were just okay, and they had some activities during the downtime. The chef taught a class on how to make spring rolls, and we learned that in Vietnam they don’t normally tuck in the ends. Is the US the only place that does that?

The one big complaint is that you have to clean up and check out before you arrive back on land. Because they are bringing on a new boat full of guests as soon as we get back, they have us waiting in the dining room on the long ride home.

Squid Fishing

During dinner, they mentioned squid fishing, which grabbed Jacob’s attention even though no one else on the boat seemed interested. The crew member seemed surprised when we asked about it and pointed us towards the back of the boat. We made our way walking by the kitchen and staff quarters and were met by their resident expert. She untangled the rods, which were basically bamboo rods with some line on the end, and then handed one to each of us. As we proceeded to drop the line in, she showed us how to move the bait to entice the squid. They stay near the surfac, and we saw one or two pass by. Unfortunately, that night we left empty handed, but apparently, there were a ton the week before! Always up to the animals.

We wouldn’t have minded getting to kayak out on the water, so next time we’re back in Vietnam, we’d probably do a 2 night cruise.

ITINERARY ON THE GOLDEN CRUISE

Day 1

• Boat takes you out to the Golden Cruise
• Cruise out to Halong Bay (“Descending Dragon” Bay)
• Lunch
• Sung Sot Cave (“Surprise” Cave)
• Hike to the top of Ti Top Island (the hike is optional. you can stay on the manmade beach)
• Cooking Demonstration – Learn how to make spring rolls + happy hour
• Squid Fishing at night (optional)

Day 2

• Tai Chi Lesson early morning (optional – we did not wake up for that)
• Take a bamboo boat to Luon Cave – Monkeys followed us, climbing up and down the cliffs in hopes to get some treats from the guides. I really wish I had a longer lens for this!
• Check out and wait in the dining room for a couple hours until you get back to the pier.
• Light lunch at Cua Vang Restaurant.

WHAT TO PACK

• Sea-Bands and Dramamine in case you get sea sick.
• Layers – depending on the weather, it can get cold and windy while out on the water.

PHOTOGRAPHY TIPS

• Bring a wide lens for landscapes and
• Long lens for the monkeys (we use this one).

If you’re planning a trip, you can check out the boat cruise we took here. Keep in mind, you are at the mercy of the weather, so the more time you’re out there, the better chances you have to capture the photos and get the weather you want!

Have you been to Vietnam? What are your favorite spots? Do you have a Southeast Asia trip you’re hoping to do in the future?

The post Luxury Golden Cruise on Halong Bay Vietnam appeared first on Local Adventurer » Travel Adventures in Las Vegas + World Wide.

When we booked our cruise, we didn’t do much research on the best times to go. We simply went with what was convenient to our location and schedule. In the future, though, we want to make the most of our time on the water and in the port cities.

THE ULTIMATE CRUISE CALENDAR: BEST TIME TO GO ON A CRUISE

• Alaska: June – Aug (high season), May / Sept (low season)
• Australia: Nov – Mar (high season), May – Sept (low season)
• Bermuda: June – Aug (high season), April – May + Sept – Oct (low season)
• Canada / New England: Sept – Oct (high season); May – Aug (low season)
• Caribbean: mid Dec – mid Jan + Feb – mid April + mid Jun – August (high season), mid April – May, Sept – mid Dec (low season)
• Europe River Cruise: April – Oct (high season), March / mid Nov – Dec (low season)
• Hawaii: mid Dec – April (high season), May – Jun + Sept – mid Dec (low season)
• Mediterranean: May – Sept (high season), Oct – April (low season)
• Mexican Riviera: Feb – mid Apr (high season) May + Oct – Nov + first half of January (low season)
• Northern Europe: June – Aug (high season), May / Sept (low season)
• South America: Nov – March (high season), April – Oct (low season)
• Tahiti / South Pacific: May – Oct (high season), Nov – April (low season)

Typically the high seasons are the best times to go. The weather is ideal, the port cities are in full swing, and there are a lot of ships going to a particular region. On the flip side, you’re dealing with the largest crowds, you have to book as early as possible, and the prices are the highest.

I’ve also included the low / shoulder seasons. The great thing about traveling on these off months is that you avoid the crowds and get good deals on the cruises. Unfortunately, the weather can be a toss up. You might get lucky and catch great weather, but you could just as easily be stuck in rainy or muggy weather. A lot of times, larger cruise companies will send their ships to the high season areas at this time, so there will be fewer options. If things do work out though, you will be getting some of the best of the port cities and destinations without having to fight off the large crowds.

Next on our travel wish list is an Alaskan cruise, Norway, and a Mediterranean cruise. We also hear that the Disney cruise line is amazing!

Do you have any tips for anyone looking to go on a cruise?
What cruises have you been on? Did you go during the busy or slow seasons?
Which cruise would you like to go on next?

The post Ultimate Cruise Calendar – The Best Time to Go On a Cruise appeared first on Local Adventurer » Travel Adventures in Las Vegas + World Wide.

We generally like packing light, but when we started packing for a cruise, we knew our priority was to be comfortable. Because we had our room as a home base for 7 days, we could bring some extra items we normally wouldn’t bring on other trips where we have to be mobile.

For clothes, you have to keep in mind that most ships have elegant nights. The guidelines are typically no flip flops, jeans, or shorts. A lot of people dress up like they are going to prom. I’m talking about guys in suits and women in long gowns. We took the more casual route for elegant night and even snuck in with flip flops one night. We certainly didn’t feel underdressed, but if you want to have your adult prom, you can pack a nice dress (or two since we had 2 elegant nights on our 7 day cruise).

WHAT TO PACK FOR A CRUISE (7 DAYS IN A CARRY-ON)

Tops / Outerwear

• Striped Sleeveless Blouse (similar)
• Red Striped Top (similar)
• Navy Cardigan (similar)
• Gray Zip Neck Layer
• Light Jacket from Patagonia

Bottoms

• Low Rise Linen-Cotton Sailor Shorts

Dresses / Rompers

• Colorful Strapless Romper
• Black & White Strapless Romper
• Gray Maxi Dress (similar)
• Red Striped Dress (similar)
• Navy Confetti Dress (similar & this was added to the packing guide after realizing I could have used one more nicer dress).

Shoes and Accessories

• Watermelon Cooler Bag
• 2 Swimsuit Tops & 2 Bottoms (the spare is nice to use when the other one is drying)
• Rainbow Striped Cover Up (similar)
• Sanuk Yoga Spree Thong Sandals (comfortable for walking all day, but not good in water)
• Cheap Waterproof Flip Flops from Old Navy
• Wedges Sandals (similar)
• Sunnies (similar)
• Sun Hat – Lately, I love accessorizing with hats, so I couldn’t resist bringing a few. This black one was easily packable and great for the beach and poolside. This one I just wore on my head, since it wasn’t easily packable.

Undergarments (not pictured)

• 7 underwear (great quick dry and moisture wicking)
• 4 bras (some days I was only wearing a swimsuit)

Toiletries (not all pictured)

• Makeup bag with minimal makeup (full post coming soon)
• Conditioner – They had soap and shampoo but no conditioner in our rooms. We use these GoToob Bottles to hold all our liquids.
• Dramamine (Less Drowsy) – If you’re worried about getting seasick like me, don’t forget to pick up some Dramamine! I started taking it the day before and once every night and had no issues.
• Sunblock (what we currently use) – You’ll be getting a lot of sun, so don’t forget to pick up some sunblock. Here’s our guide to the best natural sunblocks.
• Aloe – We all still got burnt a bit because we didn’t stop to reapply often enough.

Miscellaneous (not all pictured)

• Day Pack – ultralight pack for daytime excursions and exploring a city.
• Hoboroll – to pack and organize our clothes (see full review here).
• Alezan Mobile Selfie Stick – We’ve been resisting using one for a while, but we can’t deny that it comes in handy, especially for group shots where we want everyone in.
• Power Strip – Our room only had one outlet. A power strip will help for charging multiple devices.
• Water Bottle – The best water bottles for travel we tested on the road. They’re perfect for excursions and bringing drinks back to your room.
• Water Filter – If you want to fill up water during your shore days, the Grayl Water Filter is handy and is easy to use like a french press.
• 2 Kindles – We got some reading done on our days at sea! We ended up reading a couple of hours every day and didn’t end up needing our charger.
• Water / Soft Drinks – Each person was allowed a 12-pack of water or soft drinks. We brought Diet Coke, of course. If you only drink bottled water, I suggest you bring your own. If you don’t mind, you can always use the filter above.
• Wine – Our ship allowed one bottle of wine per person. Since we didn’t purchase the alcohol package, we brought the two that came in our wine club subscription!
• Phones – Don’t forget your phone charger!
• Cameras – We brought our Canon 5D Mark III, 35 mm / 1.4 L lens, and 70-200 / 2.8L lens. We also brought our Canon G7X, which use primarily for vlogs.
• Underwater Housing – We used the Ewa-Marine housing for 3 different excursions already. It was especially great for snorkeling and diving (see photos here).
• Walkie Talkies – Since you most likely won’t have cell service and wifi is limited, walkie-talkies are helpful when you’re with a group. We realized only in hindsight that we should have brought these!

Optional (not pictured)

• Laptop – This is a necessity for us to get some work done, but you’ll have a much more relaxing vacation without it.
• Snorkel Gear – We didn’t bring any, but this is what our friends brought: Mask, Snorkel, Fins, Boots, Gloves. If you don’t book any excursions through the cruise, there are a few beaches that you can snorkel from on your own. We might have to buy some for next time!
• Seal n’ Save Pitcher – If you want to bring back a bunch of tea or lemonade to your room.
• Sriracha – I like to have sriracha in all my food. If the food tastes bad, this comes in especially handy, so this mini Sriracha 2 Go bottle is perfect!

Here are a few of the outfits

WHAT TO PACK FOR A CRUISE: MEN’S EDITION

Tops and Outerwear (not pictured)

• 7 Tees – Jacob loves the Target Mossimo V-Necks and only wears these.
• Chambray Button Down
• Casual Button Up
• Dressy Button Down
• Light Jacket from Patagonia
• Base Layer
• Swimsuit

Bottoms (not pictured)

• Cotton Chinos (similar)
• Jeans
• Multi Use Shorts – Jacob got a pair of these Myles Apparel shorts just before the cruise. They’re comfortable enough to wear while you work out or lounge by the pool, and if you throw on a button down shirt on top, it looks nice enough to walk around town in.
• Athletic Shorts

Shoes and Accessories (not pictured)

• Flip Flops (comfortable for walking all day, but not waterproof)
• Cheap Flip Flops from Old Navy
• Water Shoes
• Vans Skate Shoes

Undergarments (not pictured)

• 7 Boxer Briefs from Exoficcio
• 7 Pairs of Socks (we almost always use smartwool, especially if we’re walking a lot)

Don’t forget to check out our 11 Reasons You Should Go on a Cruise.

Have you ever been on a cruise?
What are your cruise essentials? Or must-haves on any trip?
Does anyone else have to have sriracha on everything?

A huge thank you to Carnival for hosting our trip.
With some of these products, we reached out to the companies and received them for free.
All opinions, photos, and text are our own. Thank you for supporting the brands that make Local Adventurer possible.

The post What to Pack for a Cruise | 7 Days in a Carry On appeared first on Local Adventurer » Travel Adventures in Las Vegas + World Wide.

Before we get into our itinerary, we wanted to start with why we think you should go on a cruise.

11 REASONS TO GO ON A CRUISE – Why Cruises are the Best Vacation

1. To Unplug

It’s crazy to think about how much time we spend on our phones and online. On the cruise, we had a limited number of minutes (roughly 85 minutes / day), which we reserved to do our daily social media posts, minimal research on the cities we were visiting, and catch up on urgent emails. It was a painful first few days experiencing withdrawal from our addiction, but we adjusted and found ourselves having real face-to-face conservations, laughing, and catching up on some reading from our summer reading list! To our surprise, we even had minutes left over at the end of the trip!

2. Don’t Have to Worry About Planning Meals

We looove our food, so when we travel, one of our biggest concerns are meals. While we find great joy in seeking out and trying the best ___ in every city, it can also be quite stressful planning our food itinerary along with other must-see attractions. Sometimes it’s nice not having to even think about it at all. The cruise ship gives you options to eat at the buffet (part of it is 24 hours) or their dining room where they serve you unlimited starters, entrees, and desserts. They also had a steakhouse we dined at one night, and we were impressed that the quality was comparable to other michelin starred restaurants we’ve tried.

3. 24-Hour Room Service

Taking the food one step further (or should I say closer), we could order our food straight to our room whenever we wanted at no additional cost. I don’t think we’ve taken advantage of room service more on any other trip. It got dangerous once we discovered the BLT (EASILY the best thing on the carnival cruise menu), and it was hard for us not to order that at 2AM every night.

4. To Rest & Relax

This is an obvious one for many vacationers. However, when we travel, we have the hardest time resting, since technically for us it’s not a vacation; it’s a work trip. We have to stay on and focused so that we can document everything we see and do without leaving any gaps. This cruise created a great environment for us to rest and relax, where everything was at our own time and pace. We mainly worked on the first day at sea and on the days in each port city, but in between, we had 3 days at sea where we felt like we were truly on vacation. We took plenty of naps and felt refreshed.

5. Endless Ocean Views

I don’t know about you, but I love the ocean! Something about staring out at the swells and flow of waves calms me down. We never made it up for sunrise, but sunsets out at sea were beautiful!

6. Daily (Live) Entertainment

If you get bored, it’s amazing how many options you have in a cruise ship. It’s like a small floating city. They had daily shows in their main theater, live music acts, a casino, a nightclub, mini-golf, and more.

7. Exploring Multiple New Cities on a Budget

On this trip, we had the chance to explore Ensenada and Cabo San Lucas, which none of us had been to either city before. Taking a cruise is a cost-effective way to visit multiple cities without having to deal with the logistics of flights.

8. Work Out Classes

They told us that on average people gain 7-14 lbs on a 7 day cruise. With all the food freely available, they do their best to offer you options to stay healthy, too. Our cruise had a full gym that Peter and Jacob took advantage of to do their p90x. They also offered work out classes like spin class, aerobics, etc. You can even get a personal trainer. We decided to check out their stretch class together, and this is no exaggeration.. Jacob needs some work. :P

9. Soak Up The Sun

Whether it’s from your balcony, or on the deck next to the pool, there are plenty of options for you soak up the sun! Don’t forget to bring your sunblock (we wrote a post about some great non-toxic options)!

10. Great Bonding Time with Family or Friends

Spending 7 days together with your friends or family is great bonding time. The cruise ship is big enough for everyone to do their own thing in case you need the space, but plenty of options to do activities together too! We left feeling like we went to summer camp.

11. Experience Something New

Besides exploring new cities, cruises put together the best rated excursions in each city so that you can eat, see, or try something new. In Cabo alone, you could drive ATVs, ride camels, go snorkeling, diving, do a food tour, etc. Speaking of new, we also got to try underwater housing for our DSLR for the first time and got some fun shots of us snorkeling / free diving. ;)

BONUS: How can you not love these towel animals?

I know we just got back this past weekend, but we may have to start planning our next cruise!

Anyone want to come with us?
Have you been on a cruise before?
Where did you go and what did you do / see?

A huge thank you to Carnival for hosting our trip. All opinions, photos, and text are our own.
Thank you for supporting the brands that make Local Adventurer possible.

The post 11 Reasons Why Cruises are the Best Vacation appeared first on Local Adventurer » Travel Adventures in Las Vegas + World Wide.