The Oaks at Ojai: The Ultimate Weight Loss and Fitness Spa

Imagine a small town nestled in between rolling golden hills and tall, green mountains. Natural rock formations jut out of the scenery, and the land you’re in has a rich Indian heritage, with citrus groves dotting the scenery. This quaint little town is just an hour and 15 minutes north of Los Angeles; seemingly make believe, a peaceful respite away from sirens and smog, a stone’s throw from the glistening coast in Ventura. Welcome to Ojai!

I had the pleasure of being invited to the Oaks at Ojai Spa for a long weekend, and I attend October 7 and 8th. Initially, I had some concerns about attending a “Weight loss spa” for the first time. I had visions of Biggest Loser style challenges, being surrounded by platters of junk food that I needed to psychologically resist, and carrying giant packs of heavy stuff up a 15-mile mountain. Thankfully, the Oaks at Ojai is not like any stereotype of a fitness or weight loss spa, and it is instead a safe haven of serenity for those looking to relax while improving their health.

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My childhood best friend Katelyn drove up from Sacramento be with me, and we checked into our adorable little casita. It has a private patio with lounge chairs and a table for outdoor dining. Inside the Spanish style door, the decoration was clean and classic, with a gigantic Talavera style bath tub that I couldn’t resist posing in a picture for. There are even organic bath soaps and shampoos! We settled in and then headed over to the dining room for our first health-conscious meal.

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I was super pleasantly surprised at the way the food was made. The Oaks at Ojai uses almost no salt, so if you’re a big salt user, you may at first feel like everything needs salt. I admit at first I wanted to grab a salt shaker, but there wasn’t one – and the home-grown spices helped. The Oaks uses herbs grown onsite for their blends. How’s that for farm to table? There are a variety of spice blends, including vinegar, so if you feel like flavor is lacking you can jazz things up to your liking. I especially liked the salsa that was served several times throughout the weekend; it just had the right touch to add a little heat.

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Let’s talk portion sizes. Of course, the portions must be made for someone the size of a mouse, right? Nope! The portions are generous yet healthful. You’ll never go hungry at the Oaks, and I felt like I ate more (but more healthfully) there than I did at my own home. Between meals, there are broth breaks, with potassium rich broth, set out between exercise sessions, and then a vegetable break, too. The veggie break was my favorite as there were three different types of dip, including a beet hummus and a garlic hummus. Yummy! I also was obsessed with the unsweetened iced teas that were constantly available, including this incredible Meyer lemon iced tea that I should have gotten the brand of, because it was so flavorful. There was also always spa water (Water with fruits or veggies), so I was always hydrated. You even got a popcorn break after dinner for a little post-dessert nosh!

Of course, health means more than just eating well, so the Oaks offers you a robust daily schedule of many different kinds of exercise. The best part is you get to choose what you want to do: so there’s no obligation, but if you wanted to do three or four classes a day, you could, but if you’d rather just relax and do yoga, you can do that too. There are literally classes for every fitness level here, from meditation and gentle yoga to endurance hikes and boot camp. I started my Saturday morning with a cardio bootcamp lead by Gloria. Gloria was funny and motivating, but also encouraged each person in the class to go at their own pace. This is so important in fitness as you really have to listen to your own body. As someone dealing with a heel spur, I knew I needed to go low impact on my left foot, and kick it up with the weights on the arms. Gloria helped me customize the plan when sections of the class just wouldn’t be a good choice for my foot.

 

I had a few hours of free time on Saturday and unfortunately Katelyn was under the weather, so I walked around downtown Ojai (just a few steps across the street from the spa) and bought myself some pottery. Downtown Ojai has a bunch of cute boutiques and there is something for everyone if you’re looking to bring home a sweet trinket for a loved one. After strolling around, I wanted to hit the pool. I was the only person out basking in the sun, and I lazily flipped through a magazine, waded through the pool, and admired the gorgeous scenery around me. It was the ultimate “me time” that I had been craving. I love my husband and kiddo, but it sure was nice to take a few hours to just be still, soaking up the sunshine. After my pool time, I headed back to the spa for some YOGA! I did an hour of a totally peacefully yoga-flow, and I left limber and inspired for our dinner of chicken with peanut sauce and broccoli. Thai inspired and oh so yum! In the spirit of not lying and maintaining authenticity, I will admit that in true Double Chin Diary fashion, I allowed for one indulgence I love, the unsweetened Starbucks Black Tea Lemonade. I admit it, I brought contraband back into a weight loss spa! Haha!

Next up was SPA TIME! I chose to have a body wrap as I had never tried one before. The aesthetician helping me was fantastic about setting my mind at ease, as a body wrap requires full nudity. Say what?! Don’t worry, your parts are covered by a towel at all times, so you’re not just going commando for a show. My treatment began with a coffee bean scrub, helping to draw out impurities and bloat. After being slathered and rubbed with several different concoctions, I was swaddled in a wrap and cozy warm blanket where I snuggled for 15-20 minutes. After being wiped down and cleaned up, I received a wonderful scalp massage, and ended up leaving being TWO pounds lighter than when I had gone in. That’s two pounds of bloating and excess water weight, folks! It’s not uncommon for me (or other PCOS folks) to bloat up to 9 pounds overnight, so I’m not surprised. I felt svelte and slim! Katelyn also had a body wrap and raved about how her skin was unbelievably soft.

Speaking of skin — the Oaks is a Skin Authority Spa. I received some complimentary Skin Authority products, and because my skin is sensitive, my favorite product is the Vitamin C Serum. It fills in fine lines, rejuvenates cells, and sloughs off dead skin. In the week that I’ve been using it, I already feel like my skin is getting a gorgeous glow to it. Definitely ask at The Oaks how Skin Authority can work for you.

After our spa treatment, Katelyn and I headed back to our cozy casita, where we nestled up in our beds and drifted to sleep under a sky full of stars.

I’m so grateful for my experience at the Oaks because it showed me that a vacation CAN be a trip without eating junk food, guzzling booze, and laying around like a slug. I also can now say that any preconceived notions of a weight loss spa being like a fat camp are totally not true. I felt at ease, rested, well-fed, and best, totally pampered and respected at my time at the Oaks. Though the Oaks will run you a bit more than your average hotel (starting at $250 a night), remember that all of your meals, snacks, and drinks are provided. In addition, the fitness classes, steam rooms, pool, and hot tubs are well worth that extra cost. Be sure to look into the specials they’re running – this would make an amazing romantic get away or weekend away with the girls.

So, if you’re looking for a total mind and body reset, the Oaks at Ojai is for you. Pamper yourself, work your body, calm your mind… you’ll do all of that and more at The Oaks. Learn about how you can experience the Oaks at Ojai now!   Also, November 1- 20, experience the BRING A FRIEND DISCOUNT!  It’s twice the fun and a 25% discount for both of you when you share a room!  Workout, chat poolside, explore Ojai and stay up late catching up!  Click here to learn more about this amazing bring a friend deal that Katelyn and I got to enjoy 🙂

 

I was gifted a stay at the Oaks Spa including a spa service and skin care products in exchange for my honest review. I am grateful to the Oaks for the awesome opportunity. It most certainly went above and beyond expectations. 🙂

Alyssa’s California Avocado Adventure: Rancho Rodoro and Mission Packing Plant

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Stuff my lawyer made me say: Holy guacamole! The California Avocado Commission provided me free lodging, transportation, meals, and awesome avocado swag. I am not under any obligation to write or share about my trip.

After our first tour of the day at the avocado nursery, Brokaw Nursery, we boarded the bus and headed out to Rancho Rodoro — a beautiful avocado farm nestled in Santa Paula, Calif. Rancho Rodoro is named after the farmer Randy Axell’s parents, a combination of their names Ross and Dorothy. Randy has been growing California Avocados for over 40 years, and he grows Hass and Lamb Hass avocados. It was really interesting to hear him talk about how avocado farming works; how precise the weather, soil, water, and nutrients need to be to produce a bountiful avocado crop. The photo below shows buds of soon to be avocado babies.

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We were given the opportunity to pick some of our own avocados, and that was a blast. I spotted this beauty and knew it had to be mine!

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Did you know that avocados don’t ripen on the tree? Avocados only ripen once you pick them. Once we all  harvested to our heart’s content, we headed into Randy’s awesome barn, where Chef Pink from Bacon and Brine of Solvang was preparing us a delicious lunch.

Farmer Randy, Jan, the VP of Marketing for California Avocado Commission, and Chef Pink of Bacon and Brine share a laugh in Randy's barn

Farmer Randy, Jan, the VP of Marketing for California Avocado Commission, and Chef Pink of Bacon and Brine share a laugh in Randy’s barn

To start, Chef Pink prepared avocado gazpacho, bacon and kim-chi sliders with avocado, and while I unfortunately can’t remember the name, this delicious appetizer that was a very thick, wheaty slice of bread with avocado and crushed almonds and peanuts with Korean seasoning. It was like eating a grilled cheese — the flavor had the savory intensity of amazing cheese, yet there was no cheese at all.

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All of this deliciousness clearly only whet our appetite, as our main course was a slow cooked pulled pork with avocado apple relish. This sandwich was just the hearty meal I needed to pull me out of my mid-day slump. It was served alongside mixed greens with ruby red grapefruit slices and avocado (of course)! Unfortunately I don’t have a photo of it (I wolfed it down too fast to stop and snap… whoops), but trust me when I say we ate some amazing food that weekend, and the pulled pork was my favorite!

Once we all wrapped up our lunch, we said our thank yous to Randy and his wife, and were back on the bus for our last stop of the day, the Mission Avocado Packing Plant in Oxnard, California. Mission Packing had just moved into their new facility, which was formerly a post office! While we weren’t able to snap photos at all points during the tour, I did get a few photos of the packing process. It was mind-blowing to see pretty much all of the state’s avocados rolling through conveyor belts, being weighed, and then being bagged up in variously colored mesh nets.

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We got a great tour by Mission Packing’s Project Manager, and you can bet we rocked our sexy hair nets. Don’t we look great?

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Several of the rooms in this plant were ice cold to keep the avocados a consistent temperature, but what I was most impressed with were two things: 1) the cleanliness of the facility and 2) the efficiency. This facility was squeaky clean, spotless, and it felt VERY secure in terms of being a place where food comes from. I’ve been in other food facilities before and this one felt immaculate! Also, the efficiency here couldn’t be debated. From the machinery to the employees, you could tell Mission has productivity and packing down-pat. Those avocados were preparing for their journey from machine to mouth in a highly-effective fashion.

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It was really cool to see the exact same kinds of avocados I buy (from Costco) get bagged up and ready to go to the store. Did you know that stores can specify a ripeness of avocados when they order them wholesale? There is something called a ripening room that releases the gas ethylene, which causes ripening (you can do this for free in your house by placing an avocado in a brown paper bag with an apple).

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We left with our own sack of avocados and headed back to the Four Seasons Westlake, where our last avocado treat was an amazing dinner full of avocado goodness. Before dinner, we got to hear from R.D. Katie Ferraro (in green) (standing next to Jan, VP of Marketing for CAC), who told us about some of the nutritional benefits of avocados and showed us her go-to method for avocado toast (hint: mash the avocado before you put it on the bread. I always did it after and would end up tearing a hole in my toast!). Another thing she told us that I tried this weekend with rave results was how to store a fresh cut avocado: sprinkle the fruit with lemon juice, lime juice, or white vinegar and place it in an air tight container. Your avocado will remain springy green! Also, if you have an abundance of ripe avocados, consider freezing them. Pureed avocado freezes very well and can be used on sandwiches and in dips, if you use it within four months.

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What are some of the nutritional benefits of California avocados? Let’s discuss!

  • One fifth of a medium avocado has 50 calories and nearly 20 vitamins and minerals.
  • California avocados contribute 11 beneficial carotenoids to one’s diet, including lutein, zeaxanthin, and alpha and beta carotene. In California avocados, the greatest concentration of carotenoids is in the dark green fruit of the avocado closest to the peel.
  • Avocados contain 23 mg of beta-sitosterol, which may help maintain healthy cholesterol levels.

After Katie’s informative sesh, we headed into the beautiful Four Seasons dining room for our last avo-amazing feast. Here’s the menu from our feast!

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This avocado adventure was totally amazing, and just one more rad opportunity made possible by this lil’ old blog over here! Big thanks to the California Avocado Commission and Golin Harris for hosting an action-packed, informative, and delicious weekend in Ventura County. Now: because I’m sure you guys love avocados too, leave me a comment telling me your favorite way to eat avocado for a chance to win a California Avocado Commission avocado masher. This stainless steel gadget looks like a mini-potato masher, but makes mashing your avocados (for toast, guac, baking, you name it) a breeze! US only, must comment to win.

(Need some avo-inspiration? Check out my grand prize winning recipe, California Avocado Mascarpone Tartlets with Nectarine and Strawberry, or Guacahummus.)

Alyssa’s Avocado Adventure, Part 1: Brokaw Nursery

Stuff my lawyer made me say: Holy guacamole! The California Avocado Commission provided me free lodging, transportation, meals, and awesome avocado swag. I am not under any obligation to write or share about my trip.

Oh, avocados. How do I love thee? Let me count the ways. I was thrilled to be invited to the California Avocado Grove Tour last weekend with my friends from the California Avocado Commission. We’re in the heart of California Avocado season, and we celebrated this green-hued fruit with a delicious dinner at Salt in Calabasas on Friday night. We sampled delicious noms like Ruby Red Grapefruit and Avocado Salad, Kalua Pork and Avocado Egg Rolls, and my favorite, Short Rib with Avocado Smashed Potatoes. After our bellies were full, we headed to sleep, knowing that we’d be up early the next morning for an avo-amazing breakfast and on our way to our first stop, the Brokaw Nursery in Ventura, Calif.

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Those of you who’ve stuck with the DCD for awhile know that I’m a big ol’ plant nerd. I love digging in the dirt, smelling tomato vines, and planting pretty flowers around my front steps. When I found out we’d be seeing the growth process of avocado trees from their very start, I knew it would be right up my alley. Avocado trees were first planted in Ventura in 1871. During the next 100 years, growers planted avocado seeds and grafted the seedlings with clippings from avocado trees known to have good fruit. William “Hank” Brokaw was born in 1927, to a family of citrus and avocado growers. Initially a math teacher, in 1956 he borrowed $200 from his in-laws and planted 500 avocado seedlings in his backyard.

Connie grafts avocado trees, preparing for a new generation of delicious fruit-bearing goodness.

Connie grafts avocado trees, preparing for a new generation of delicious fruit-bearing goodness.

Brokaw spent 20 years refining a method of growing avocado trees. A clipping from a disease-resistant root is granted onto a seedling from an avocado seed. The plant is grown in the dark for a short period and the clipping grows roots. The original seedling dies, and the stem of the new plant is then grafted with a clipping from a tree with the variety of fruit desired. By the 1970’s, Brokaw’s method was practical, cost efficient, and catching on. Avocado production soared, and Brokaw is currently the state’s largest avocado tree grower. Brokaw has sold more than 10,000,000 avocado trees.

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California produces 90% of the nation’s avocado crop, and avocados are grown by hand on nearly 5,000 small family-owned farms. Most of the avocados in the state of California grow in Central and Southern California, where warm sunshine, rich soil, and cool coastal breezes result in strong trees and delicious fruit.

While at Brokaw Nursery, it was so cool to see the beginning stages of an avocado tree’s life cycle. As you can see from the pictures above, the sheer volume of seedlings, plants, and trees was simply amazing. Now that I had seen how avocado trees are made, it was time to see where these trees graduate to when they’re big enough: an avocado farm! Stay tuned for part two of my avocado adventure, where I share with your our wonderful lunch and grove tour from Rancho Rodoro.

Alyssa’s Costa Rica Adventure: Manuel Antonio

I can’t believe it’s already been a month since I got back from Costa Rica — take me back! I’ve especially missed the lush, tropical country as I’ve been stircrazy the past week since I’ve been stuck inside fighting the flu. (Yeah, I have rotten luck – I got over a cold and immediately got the flu. Yay!) Anyways, part one of our vacation was in Fortuna Arenal, part two was in Monteverde, and now we’re to part three: the beach! I knew after a few days of intense adventuring, we’d be ready to spend the final days of our vacation with toes in the sand.

On the way to Manuel Antonio, we stopped in Jaco Beach for lunch. Jaco is a famous surfing spot, and it seemed to be a popular beach town, especially with young international travelers. Isn’t it pretty?

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We arrived late into Manuel Antonio, so we pretty much headed to bed for some shut eye. The next morning, the boys went ziplining while I explored the public beach. I had an awesome time reading Tiny Beautiful Things: Advice on Love and Life from Dear Sugar while I dug my toes into the sand.

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When the guys got back and were thoroughly hopped on adrenaline, we headed into the private beach, which is a national park. This beach was stunning, as you can see above. There were monkeys and iguanas all around, and the water was about 75 degrees. The best part was you had to hike in to get to the beach, maybe about a mile, and that meant there were no cars, very little trash, no city sounds, and unspoiled nature as far as the eye could see.

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After the beach, we popped into the hotel pool where I flew down the water slide at an alarming speed. Then, we headed up to the rooftop bar to grab a drink before dinner. I enjoyed my pina colada as the sun sank into the horizon. Paradise.

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The next morning, Matt and I went to the hotel lobby at 6:15 A.M. (ugh!) so we could go on a mangrove boat tour. Because the mangrove swamp changes depth based on the tides (the pull of the moon), we had to go super early to avoid getting stranded in the swamp. Mangroves are really cool, complex species — they’re a self-filtering tree that live only in brackish water (half salt, half fresh).

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It was cool being out in nature that early for a relaxing boat ride, and we ended up being the only two people on the tour. Our guide actually had spent a few years living in San Jose, so we had fun talking about the differences between California and Costa Rica (actually, more similarities than differences)! I told him one of my goals was to see a crocodile, and we ended up seeing three! This tour was a really peaceful way to see one of the special ecosystems of Costa Rica.

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Sadly after our tour, it was time to head back toward San Jose to fly home the next day. We made one last pit stop at the famous Tarcoles River bridge, because we knew there was a spectacle below… CROCODILES! Nobody really knows exactly why there are so many crocodiles at this spot, but at any given time you can expect to see more than 20 crocs. We counted 42 in just the few minutes we were there. We didn’t dillydally too long in this spot, because even though we were up on a bridge, I didn’t particularly need to spend much longer near these massive scaly beasts.

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Costa Rica far surpassed what I had hoped for in a good vacation. The people of Costa Rica were so welcoming and kind, and genuinely shared a love for the natural treasures of their country. I couldn’t take a single bad picture being surrounded by such vivid beauty, and at every turn, there was exotic wildlife. I loved getting to see the rain forest and cloud forest, and I can’t wait to go back. In a week we covered so much of Costa Rica (and ended up putting over 700 miles on our rental car!), but I already know the next time I go I’ll want to see even more. If you’re thinking about going, GO! Getting to Costa Rica is relatively inexpensive (about $500 round trip from LAX), as is the lodging. While things like the rental car and food were pricier than anticipated, it all evened out with the valuable deals on really top notch accommodation for around $90-$100 a night. If you have any questions about Costa Rica, leave a comment or shoot me an email and I’ll be glad to tell you what I learned. As the people of Costa Rica say… Pura Vida!

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Alyssa’s Costa Rica Adventure: Monteverde

We last left off in the scenic volcano town of Arenal, and after a lovely two days and two nights exploring hanging bridges, spotting wild frogs, and hanging in a waterfall hot tub, we headed to Monteverde. I knew I wanted to see Monteverde because it’s a cloud forest, and these rare ecosystems are only 1% of planet earth. The drive to Monteverde started with a beautiful drive around Lake Arenal. For about 20 miles, we kept seeing funny, hand-painted signs with sayings like “Face it, you’re stopping at Toad Hall” or “World’s best pit stop – Toad Hall”. We decided after seeing the Michigan J. Frog painted on a sign that we would stop to check out this clever little place. We pulled up to Toad Hall and were greeted by the very friendly owner, who invited us to take a look at all of the hotel rooms.

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This hotel was nestled on the edge of the mountain, overlooking an incredibly lush jungle. My father in law was admiring the view when he noticed a toucan perched in the tree. I ran up towards him and started snapping photos, feeling so lucky to catch this beauty of a bird mid-flight.

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We got back on the road feeling excited about the awesome toucan sighting we’d had, just in time for that adrenaline to get us through the very bumpy car ride up to Monteverde. Quakers created Monteverde and they opted not to pave the roads to maintain the simpicity and purity of the environment. The roads are still unpaved today, and up steep, winding roads etched into mountains. As you get closer to Monteverde, the air becomes dense and wet as you essentially enter the clouds. On our way up we stopped to view a magnificient rainbow that was so close to us, we could touch it. (I looked for a pot of gold, but saw nothing!) We arrived at our hotel and immediately enjoyed the constant chatter of jungle birds and gasped at the cold, wet mist that was constantly on our faces.

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We walked around downtown Monteverde, where we had a drink in the treehouse bar, followed by an awesome dinner at Morphos. Then, it was back into our cozy beds, listening to the clouds hug the building, leaving behind only misty, wet kisses against the glass.

Raw Coffee Beans and Shells

Raw Coffee Beans and Shells

The next day, we checked out the El Traipiche Coffee, Sugar Cane, and Cocoa tour. We learned about the life cycle of the coffee plant, from sprout to roasted bean, as well as how to make sugar cane candy and cocoa. The highlight of the tour for me was grinding fermented cocoa beans to see how it is transformed from cocoa into actual chocolate (the trick? sugar and milk.) Real cocoa has such a rich, luxurious taste.

Standing in front of Sugar Cane

Standing in front of Sugar Cane

Making Sugar Cane Candy

Making Sugar Cane Candy

Raw Cocoa before adding sugar

Raw Cocoa before adding sugar

Before entering the Cocoa Bean Factory

Before entering the Cocoa Bean Factory

When our bellies were full of coffee and cocoa, we got back on the road to head towards our next destination — Manuel Antonio, the coast of Costa Rica. Departing Monteverde was full of breath-taking views like the one below… and breathtaking adventures, like having a tractor re-build you a small piece of road so you can pass. Imagine looking down at the side of the moving car to a ten foot trench right below you. Whew! Adventure all abounds in Costa Rica! Stay tuned for part 3 🙂

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Alyssa’s Costa Rica Packing List: Must haves for your trip to the rain forest

Hi guys! Part 2 of my trip is coming soon, but in the meantime, I have a few friends headed to the rain forest so I wanted to share my packing list.

So, you’re going to Costa Rica! AWESOME! Here are five things that I found invaluable on my jungle adventure to Arenal, Monteverde, and Manuel Antonio. I was not compensated in any way by any of these companies; this is just from me to you to help out those wondering what the heck to bring on a trip to CR. This post does contain affiliate links, so if you click on the link, I may make four cents to fund my next trip to CR 😉

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  • Rain Jacket

I liked my Columbia Rain Jacket, because at $44, it wasn’t terribly expensive but it WORKED! You definitely want something lightweight for Costa Rica because while it’s raining, it will also be around 85 degrees. This jacket, the Columbia Women’s Plus-Size Switchback II Jacket  came in a ton of different colors and goes up to a size 3X. Amazon offers it with free two day shipping for Prime members. It has a hood, folds up lightly, and dries quickly; an absolute must in the sauna of the jungle.

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  • Hiking Shoes

I debated about wether or not to bring hiking shoes and I’m really glad I did. Some people suggest that rain boots will be fine for Costa Rica, and I don’t doubt they are, but I liked having shoes with a good amount of support in them and tread on the bottom. While most of the average tourist activities are not super intense, you’ll definitely want shoes with good traction to keep you up right on slick leaves, muddy ravines, and to grip the metal floor of the hanging bridges. I used the Ahnu Women’s Sugarpine Hiking Shoe here on Amazon, available in lots of cute colors up to a women’s size 11.

3) Bug Spray
Holy bugs! I learned my lesson in Thailand, which is, thou shalt always wear bug spray in the jungle. We used OFF in an aerosol, which smells only a little bit unpleasant, but is not sticky. It did its job quite well, because on the day I didn’t wear it (of my own forgetfulness), I was a luscious leg buffet for Costa Rican mosquitoes.
Off! Deep Woods Insect Repellent V, 25% DEET 6 oz

4) Gorilla Pod
Consider yourself an amateur photographer? No? Who cares! If you want awesome photos of yourself, your honey, or your family but don’t want to be reliant on the awkward German tourist to take it for you, you need a Gorilla Pod. Gorilla Pods run from $20 – $60 depending on your camera size, and have three legs that can stretch around ANYTHING, and I do mean anything: in my case, a wooden stump, a fallen tree trunk, and even a beat up old coconut on the beach floor. Verse yourself in your camera’s self timer function and enjoy the fact that gorgeous photos like the one below can still be taken without awkward German tourist’s assistance. (Disclaimer: I love awkward German tourists. I probably look like one myself.)

This picture was possible thanks to the Gorilla pod! I wrapped the legs around a random wood post on the side of the road.

This picture was possible thanks to the Gorilla pod! I wrapped the legs around a random wood post on the side of the road.

5) Stink Proof Bag

I have no idea what the proper name for this is. Let’s see… Tide Stinkproof Bag. Okay. Time for some truth. The jungle is wet. Your body becomes wet, from sweat, rain, bodily fluids, whatever. (I know, eww, but true.) You will stink. After two days in the jungle, your suitcase will take on a slightly sour smell. After three days in the jungle, it will smell like a New York Dumpster on a summer day. After five days or even seven? Forget it. Your suitcase should have a radioactive hazardous material sticker slapped it over, and be sent right to the incinerator, because HOT DAMN, it will stink. I have a stink proof bag I got for free, and now I am wishing I had a better quality stink proof bag, or even some of these cheap mesh laundry bags, because my bag STINKS. In the jungle, your wet swim suit won’t dry. It will just take on varying stages of dampness, from still in the pool wet to “Does this fabric ever dry?” wet. Your bag will stink whether or not you use a stink proof bag, but it will stink a little less with a stink proof bag. Do it.

Other things you definitely want? Lightweight, breathable pants. Ziploc bags, for covering your camera when it rains. Sunscreen, and lots of it. Chapstick. Extra underwear. Your camera and electronics chargers. Snacks, because many of the drives through Costa Rica are through very remote places.

Got other must haves for a Costa Rican or Rain Forest expedition? Leave them in the comments and I’ll add them as I go.