Important Notice: As of June 5, 2019 US Citizens will no longer be able to travel to Cuba under the visa called “people to people” BUT you should still be able to travel under “support for the Cuban people” which is one of the 12 visas currently allowed. Please note that traveling under this visa “requires that each traveler utilizing this authorization engage in a full-time schedule of activities that enhance contact with the Cuban people, support civil society in Cuba, or promote the Cuban people’s independence from Cuban authorities and that result in meaningful interactions with individuals in Cuba.” Read this article for more specific information from the US Treasury: https://www.treasury.gov/resource-center/sanctions/Programs/Documents/cuba_faqs_new.pdf
Havana Ooh Na Na…
Since my college years I dreamed of going to Cuba but did not know how to do it or if it was even possible to go from the States legally. After several years of research, confiding in other women who have gone with their own families and seeing that it was possible I finally did it! After purchasing our flights I was happy, excited but also nervous as you can imagine. I can now say our Cuban adventure was a complete success because we went and explored and are back home! I will now let you know how we did it and how you can too.
Purchasing your Flight
When you decide to visit Cuba and want to purchase your flights be aware that you have to choose what visa you will want to use for travel at that time. As of today in May 2019 there are 12 different types of visas you can apply for legally to travel to Cuba from the US. They are listed them below:
- Family Visits
- Journalistic Activity
- Professional Research and Meetings
- Educational activities/People to People Travel
- Religious Activities
- Public Performances, Clinics, Workshops, Exhibitions, Athletic and Other Competitions
- Support for the Cuban People
- Humanitarian Projects
- Activities of Private Foundations, or Research or Educational Institutes
- Official Business of the U.s. Government, Foreign Governments, and Certain Intergovernmental Organization
- Exportation, Importation, or Transmission of Information
- Authorized Export Transactions
After much research, the best option for my family and I was “Support the Cuban People.” Depending on which airline you purchase your flight from will dictate whether you can purchase your visa through a third party or if you have to purchase at the airport. Be sure to contact the airline first and ask to find out! We flew with United Airlines so we had to purchase our visas at the check out counter on the day of our Cuba adventure.
Arriving at the US Airport
The big day has finally come and we are off to Cuba! We drove to Houston because Houston offers direct flights to Havana, Cuba and having our 4 year old with us we felt this would be the best option. When we arrived to the United Airlines checkout counter we were told to print our boarding passes at a kiosk. As I entered the required information I received an error message and as you can imagine I freaked out! I quickly approached an airline agent who told me we had to go to another area specifically reserved for customers flying to Havana, Cuba. We gathered our luggage and walked to the opposite side of the airport and finally approached the “correct” ticket counter. Before printing our boarding passes the agent asked us if we had our visas? I told her no because I was told to purchase them at the main gate when we arrived. She told me that we could go ahead and purchase them now which was only a few steps away so I said okay, not a problem! We approached another agent who asked where we were headed to and I exclaimed Havana, Cuba to “Support the Cuban People” and she looked over our passports, asked a question or two and then proceeded to hand me the visas while explaining how they worked. I was very ecstatic at this point! We grabbed our boarding passes, headed to the security checkpoint and then to our boarding gate ready to get this vacation started!
Arriving in Havana, Cuba
As we got closer to Havana we were asked to fill out 3 different forms about who were were, why we were visiting, where were we staying, how long would we be staying, etc. Very straight forward questions but try your best to not make any mistakes on them. We finally arrived in Cuba and my heart was pounding! Please understand this country is very TABU for US Citizens so the excitement of the unknown was rushing though my body. We landed in a small airport, walked onto the tarmac and then led inside to the security lines. As we approached the security checkpoint we walked up together as a family but was then asked to go up individually so my husband went first and then my daughter and I followed. I was asked very minimal questions and then told to take a picture as well as my 4 year old daughter. Once we entered the other side there was another long line for the baggage security checkpoint to examine our carryons. Fortunately for us having our young daughter we were asked to bypass the line and get to the front! I was very surprised and so grateful because it was hot and having a screaming child would not be good for anyone. After passing the last security checkpoint we grabbed our checked baggage and then headed outside to grab a taxi. We headed to our AirBnB in the Old Havana district which was only 25 minutes away!
Day 1: AirBnB, Dinner and Floridita
Location, location, location. Our Air BnB was perfectly situated in the heart of Old Havana! We were literally minutes away on foot from taxis, Floridita, the Capitolio, good restaurants, great bars and so much more! We settled in to our Air BnB, checked out our balcony and fabulous views, and finally asked our host of a good place to have dinner near by. She recommended a place called Los Nardos which did not disappoint! This particular restaurant specialized in Cuban, Spanish and International dishes. I had my first mojito and the men had Cuban beer, Bucanero. I made a safe choice by ordering chicken and all their sides: rice & beans, veggies and plantains. After dinner we stopped by the famous Daiquirí bar, Floridita. Floridita is famous because this is the bar that Ernest Hemingway would frequent which made the lime Daiquirí very popular. If you walk inside you will find a life size statue of Ernest Hemingway on the far left side of the bar where he would always sit. This statue is dedicated in memory of Mr. Hemingway. The bar features live music, 1950’s decor, well dressed staff in 50’s attire and really good lime daiquiris! This really is the spot to get the party started in Cuba. After a few drinks we walked back to our hotel (only 2 blocks away) and got ready for bed!
Day 2: Family Photo Shoot, Old Car Tour and La Guarida
Rise and shine! I scheduled a family photo shoot on this day at 9:30am so we were up early and ready to venture out. A family photo shoot is something I strongly recommend to all of my family, friends and followers because you will always have beautiful photos and memories to reminisce about for years to come! I hired a wonderful photographer named Claudia from the AirBnB website and we were so impressed with her work. She responded to messages very quickly and was on time without me having to reach out to her in advance. I loved every picture she took of my family! As we walked around Old Havana for about 2 hours she gave us a brief history of her country and why she loved to take pictures of people. Her passion and eye for photography is exquisite! If you ever visit Havana please reach out to her and tell her Vanessa sent you. You can reach Claudia directly on AirBnB under, Photo shoot in Havana. You will love her work!
Be sure to follow me on Instagram or Facebook to see my family photo shoot pics and get an idea of what to expect out of Claudia’s photo shoot!
After our amazing photo shoot we got back to our hotel freshened up and then got ready for our next adventure. We had a 12:30pm appointment to take a spin around Old Havana in a 1957 El Dorado convertible car with a very reputable company called Old Car Tours. They picked us up in front of our hotel right on time and immediately gave us a run down of what we would be doing. Jenny was our guide and she asked if there was anything we wanted to do now before we started the tour. We asked if we they knew of a good place to buy authentic cigars so they drove us to the cigar factory called, Fabrica de Tabacos. As we drove to the cigar factory we were given a brief overview of the city and the Cuban people. We arrived and were given great recommendations of what cigars to buy because there are so many different types of cigars to buy. After we made our purchase we jumped back into the car and drove off to a restaurant near the water which had the most amazing seafood, mojitos and amazing views we could ask for! After lunch and full bellies we were off to visit the Christ of Havana. The Christ of Havana sits on top of a hill overlooking Havana with some spectacular views! One of the most unique features of this sculpture is that it looks as if Jesus is holding a mojito in one hand and a cigar in the other. Not sure how much truth there is to that but now I cannot unsee it.
After visiting the statue we ventured out to the Morro Cabana Fortress with more amazing views! This fortress was built to protect the port from invaders. Once you reach the top there are many tourists and beverage carts to hydrate with water, fresh coconuts, rum or Pina coladas! We walked for a bit to take in the views and the lighthouse and then went back to the car to continue the tour. We drove down Malecon Avenue to an ice cream shop called El Gelato. My daughter was thrilled for this impromptu stop and ordered a large strawberry ice cream while I ordered bottled water. After cooling off for a good 30 minutes we were back on the road driving down 5th Avenue viewing many homes of Ambassadors from different countries around the world. Our last stop of the tour was at the Havana Forest which is located in the center of Havana. The forest was full of lush vegetation and so much cooler than anywhere else in Havana. After a long day of touring Havana this was a very nice and refreshing stop. We toured the grounds and then headed back to our hotel.
While in the States we heard that a restaurant named La Guarida was a must in Havana. My husband and I were celebrating our 11 year anniversary so we felt it would be a perfect dinner date with our little one. We did not make reservations but thankfully we were able to get in with no problem. We were sat inside so we did not get a great view of the city but that was fine since we did not reserve a spot in advance. On this particular day the restaurant ran out of chicken and a few other items on the menu so our food choice was limited. I chose tuna for my entree while my husband opted for steak and our daughter plain pasta. The food and drinks were good but I honestly expected a little more because of all the hype I had read about. If you get the chance to dine here be sure to make a reservation to attempt to get a great view from the balcony. Our dinner may have been a little more romantic and prettier if we had done that. After a very long but wonderful day we were ready to get back to the hotel, shower and get to bed!
Day 3: Cigar Factory, Cuban Food Tasting & Culture Tour and La Bodeguita Del Medio
On day 3 we woke up late, I had a cappuccino on the balcony while enjoying the view below and watching the people begin their day. After relaxing for a bit we went back inside and started to get ready for the day. Our first stop was the cigar factory because we forgot to buy a few items the day before that were a must for me. We flagged a taxi down and went back to the cigar factory where I bought a few more Cohiba’s, Monte Cristo cigars, Cuban rum and Cuban coffee! I was now extra happy and ready to see the sites. We took a taxi to the Cuban Food Tasting & Culture Tour which was on the opposite side of town. We arrived at the restaurant, Fonda Paladar La Paila, and was greeted by a very friendly couple Maryla and her husband. Inside we learned more about our new friends and then had a brief overview of Cuba’s most famous cocktails: Mojito, Daiquiri and the Cubra Libre. According to our guide, Ernest Hemingway came up with the mojito by accident because he gathered a handful of spearmint leaves and asked to mix them into his rum. There are some discrepancies about this story but there is also no proof that it’s false or true. Either way mojitos are very delicious drinks and so incredibly refreshing. Next drink on the list was another refreshing drink called the daiquiri which actually comes from a little town name Daiquiri on the the southeastern tip of Cuba. The first ever Daiquiri was made in this little town and made from rum, lime juice, sugar shaken with ice and then strained! I’m thinking it was almost like a martini. As the years progressed the drink evolved and became popular as a frozen drink which is how we now drink it today. The final drink on the list was the famous Cuba Libre. The story goes that at the end of the Spanish War this famous cocktail was ordered by an American named Captain Russell at a local bar in Havana. He asked the bartender for rum and cola poured together and then chanted “Por Cuba Libre,” which translates “for the freedom of Cuba.” After this story I made sure to order a few Cuba Libres to show my gratitude for being there. At the end of lesson we ordered a special drink that this bar specialized in a frozen Mojito. It’s pictured below and oh so good!
After our drink rundown, we walked to a nearby restaurant called, Locos Cuba, for a sit-down authentic Cuban lunch. It is here that we learned more about Cuba, Cuban Cuisine and the Cuban people. This was a very eye opening and heart to heart talk that we will never forget! The food selection was perfect, we had pork, rice and beans which a staples of Cuba and cooked in a variety of ways. We tried different options and let me tell you they were all very flavorful and extremely good dishes. I was pleasantly surprised about this because I had been told that the food was not very good but WOW our experience was nothing but positive and I loved the food especially because it was so flavorful! After lunch we walked a few more blocks and grabbed some Cuban coffee and ice cream. My husband tried coffee with rum also known as Carajillo and was way too strong for any of us to stomach but none the less good to try! This tour was an absolute delight and I highly recommend it to anyone wanting a real authentic Cuban experience while in Havana! You can find them on AirBnB under Cuban Food Tasting and Culture Tour, Maryla is the main contact.
We got back to our hotel freshened up and then got ready to explore the most famous mojito bar in all of Havana, La Bodeguita Del Medio. The street leading up the bar is picturesque, full of bright colors, vintage cars, crowds and walls and walls of names of the people who have come to this famous bar. We grabbed a few mojitos, enjoyed the live music, ambiance of the area and our world famous drinks. Although the story of where or who truly discovered the mojito is in question, it is still an excellent spot to stop by and order a real mojito. Trust me if you don’t you will regret it!
After drinks we had another great dinner and then headed back to our hotel. My husband smoked a Cuban cigar because that is what one must do while in Havana, LOL! My daughter and I showered and went straight to bed. Another wonderful day in Havana!
Day 4: Playa Santa Maria, Lunch and our Flight Back Home
On our last day in Havana we had to make every second count. We got up early and grabbed a taxi to the nearest pretty beach Havana could offer and that was Playa Santa Maria. Santa Maria is located about 25 minutes from Old Havana and worked out perfect for our schedule. As we drove to the playa our taxi driver told us this particular beach is known as the beach exclusively for the Cuban people. It was such a popular/beautiful beach for the people of Cuba that even Fidel Castro did not allow major resorts or drilling in the ocean for petroleum to occur. It wasn’t until recently that non-Cuban people, like us tourists, were able to visit Playa Santa Maria. We felt incredibly lucky to be able to see the beautiful blue waters and feel the fine sand between our toes. We wandered around the beach for about an hour due to time constraints and wish we could have stayed a little longer but we really did enjoy the time we had. Our daughter absolutely loved the water and sand.
After the beach we went back into Havana, grabbed some lunch and then gathered our luggage to head back home to Texas. We grabbed a taxi and then headed straight to the airport to not miss our flight. It took a good 25 minuted to make it back to the airport which was not far at all. When we arrived we checked in our luggage and grabbed our boarding passes and then headed to the security check station. Again, we had to approach the security check station separately so my daughter and I went together first and again asked very minimal questions, both my daughter and I had to retake pictures and then proceeded to the other side. They scanned our luggage, we sat for a good 45 minutes and before we knew it we were ready to board our flight back to Texas. When we got back into the States at our security check point we were asked a few questions like where we went and if we brought anything back. I said yes we brought back a few cigars and rum but less than $500. We were then allowed to pick up our checked luggage and head home!
Conclusion
Havana, Cuba was a short but very wonderful trip! I am so happy we were able to experience this together as a family from the USA. My daughter was thrilled and even though it was hot at times we made sure to bring her a little fan to help cool her off. If you have a chance to go please do so now before you are no longer able to fly from the United States or board a cruise ship. The perception that Cuba is a place of horror is completely wrong and not true! The Cuban people are some of the most nicest and helpful people we have encountered on our travels around the world. Not only are the people fantastic but the culture, cuisine, architecture, beaches, old cars and endless sites is reason enough to visit the country of Cuba!
