APRIL 2026

Adventures With Carli

A monthly round of tips, travels, adventures and what's next

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Hello adventurers!

We've reached peak spring! Flowers in full bloom, warmer weather, and more sunshine. What's not to love?

This month, my mom came out to visit for her birthday. While she was here we took a quick day trip up to Mount Vernon to visit the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival.

This year we visited Tulip Valley Farms, which was a first for me. This farm is best if you want to do the U-Pick, where you pick your own tulip bundles. They also have some cute Highland Cows you can visit while there.

Skagit Valley Tulip Fest

I also went to my first Mariner's game of the year. I'm not what one would call a baseball fan, but I enjoy the atmosphere of watching a game in person every now and again. This time there was even more incentive, because the team has partnered with WS DOT to sell novelty Washington State ferry boats at concessions.

Where in the world is Carli San Diego?

Seeing as how I didn't go anywhere in March (let alone leave the city limits), and with no travel plans in sight until the end of May, I was starting to feel that travel itch. Well ask and you shall receive. I had a flight deal in my inbox with a great deal to Heraklion, which I discovered was in Crete. Since I had never been to Greece, I said OPA! Read more about flight deals further down.

Crete is an island in Greece, not not to be confused with the island nation of Cyprus. It is the largest island in the country and like most places in Greece has extensive history.

I spent two nights in Heraklion, and the rest of my time just outside of Chania, the large port city on the northwest coast.

Heraklion

This is the the capital city of Crete and by far the largest city. I didn't spend too much time here, but there is one major draw to the area.

Palace of Knossos

This is an archaeological site which includes the historic Palace of Minos which is linked to the mythology of Theseus and the minotaur.
The original settlement dates back to around 7000 BC and is considered one of the first cities in Europe.
The island, and in particular Knossos, was the home of the Minoan civilization.
This is a VERY busy tourist location. Try to arrive early am to beat the heat and the bus tours. Or come during/after lunch or towards the end of the day.

Chania

This is one of, if not the most beautiful cities in Crete. The city was once a major hub during the Venetian rule and has a spectacular old town and colorful port.

Old Town Chania

Walk the Venetian Port to see all the brightly colored buildings lining the waterfront with the mountains in the background.
Wander the alleyways and side streets while checking out local shops.
Take a break and enjoy the outdoor dining.
This city is extremely popular. It will be most busy June - mid Sept.

Rethymno

Rethymno is another popular town about halfway between Heraklion and Chania. The port does not have the same wow factor as Chania, but there is more than enough charm in the city to make up for it.

Old Town Rethymno

Visit the Fortezza to get some of the best views of the city and water.
The streets and alleys feel much wider and less crowded than those in Chania
Have an Instagram moment at the Blue Steps

Anywhere in Crete

There are a lot of things to do in Crete regardless of which part of the island you visit.

Beaches: If you're visiting Greece, you probably are there to enjoy the beautiful crystal clear blue waters. There is no lack of beaches around the island. Just make sure they are accessible. Most are sandy beaches, but some are rocky, so bring appropriate footwear.

Tastings: Crete is full of olive groves, vineyards and honey farms. You can find tastings and shops or stalls for all three around the island. Be sure to taste test one (or all) while visiting.

Monasteries: You will find active monasteries across the island, most of which are accessible to the public. Some are free to visit, while others have a small entrance fee. These can be really peaceful with incredible gardens and grounds to walk. Some even have their own olive oil and wine tastings available.

Travel Tools

Travel can be so much more accessible when you find the tools that work for you. There are tools for flights, hotels, points and miles, and more.

Flight deals

One way to travel more, for less, is to subscribe to a service that sends out flight deals. There are different companies available that offer deals for using points, miles, or both. And choose if you want domestic flights or international deals. Also, you can set your home town airport, and provide alternates. When you go with the deal over the location, you can save a lot of money.

Some of these will have a limited free service (Going, Roam) where as others have an annual membership. I am signed up for Daily Drop Pro.

With them I have settings for domestic and international flights out of Seattle. But, I also have international deals set for Portland, LA, Vancouver BC and Minneapolis. Why so many?

Portland and Vancouver are my next closest airports, so if there is a significantly cheaper deal out of either I can drive, get a train/bus or possibly a cheap flight there and it will still be cheaper. Vancouver especially has a number of direct flight options that are not available in Seattle. In 2024, I flew Seattle to Vancouver then Vancouver direct to Brisbane Australia.

LA is a major hub for multiple airlines which means more options and more deals. Also there are direct flights to the South Pacific, Asia, and Central & South America. Since LA isn't that far from Seattle, it's possible to find a cheap positioning flight.

I also have Minneapolis for a few reasons. 1) this is my home town, so this makes it easy to visit my family on either end of a trip. 2) MSP is a Delta hub, and they have more direct flight options to Europe than Seattle. In 2024 I found a great RT deal with miles from MSP to Dublin in early September. Since I visit Minnesota for Labor Day every year, I was able to go home as usual, then spend a week in Ireland with my mom.

Back to Greece!

At the end of March I received an email for a deal from Vancouver to Crete for late April. Best of all? It was through KLM with a return flight on Delta (through Seattle). This meant I could get the benefits of my status, like free baggage and using the lounge, and get the flight credit applied to my Delta account.

The return flight was Amsterdam -> Seattle -> Vancouver. I tried to cancel the last leg of the flight (SEA to VAN) while at the airport but they said it wasn't possible. I tried. Thankfully, baggage must be claimed in US customs between flights, so I collected my bag and just skipped the last leg of the trip and caught the light rail home.

Travel Lessons Learned

I rented a car for my week in Crete which was necessary to be able to fully explore the island. Renting a car can be great for freedom and flexibility, but it also comes with additional costs and risks.

Over the years I've had a few issues where the car was damaged (by others) while I had the car. This can be a major nightmare when dealing with the rental companies because they will try to charge a criminally high amount for the "damage" that most of the time they will not fix.

Lesson:

There are a few key things you should do when renting a car.

Always take photos and video of the car at the lot before you leave, and after just to be safe.
Always have rental insurance. The rental companies are always going to hard sell you on their rental insurance which can sometimes cost $20/day extra. However, many major credit cards (especially travel cards) will have car rental insurance as part of the benefits.
1. Read the rules before you book. Typically you have to reserve and pay for the car with that specific card.
2. Not all countries are included. Ireland and Australia are often not included with AMEX insurance. Check the fine print to make sure the country is approved with your card before you book.
3. My favorite blue bank card has some of the best travel coverage available.
Travel insurance sometimes includes car rental coverage. You should never buy travel insurance through your airline because it's super expensive, limited to flights, and has restricted cancellation policies. Instead you should book more comprehensive travel coverage for less money. This can also include travel medical. When renting a car, I like to make sure that my travel insurance also includes car coverage as a backup to my back up. Which I needed for my trip to Guatemala 2 years ago.
1. I regularly purchase insurance through Visitor's Coverage. It's an aggregate site that allows you to compare different insurance options and coverage.

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