The Vacation Nerd, Vancouver, BC (2026)

Discover the 4 vacation myths, design optimal work breaks, and explore the Vacation Hero Method to boost happiness by 11%.

05/13/2026

I checked Cancun resort prices every week for 6 months leading up to Spring Break. Why? Because we go every year and I wanted to figure out the BEST time to book and save money 👀 Here’s what I found 👇

🏝 Prices were lowest before January. Oct/Nov had the best deals AND the most hotel options before resorts started selling out. Prices started climbing after Christmas.

🏝 Last-minute deals do happen (especially 1–4 weeks before Spring Break), but lots of hotels were already sold out. If you’re picky about dates or resorts, book early.

🏝 Prices vary A LOT between booking sites for the exact same room. I once saw the same room listed hundreds cheaper on another site. Always compare.

🏝 I never once found the resort website to be the cheapest. Third-party booking sites consistently had better prices when I checked.

🏝 Google Hotels calendar view was the easiest way to compare dates quickly and spot cheaper nights. I saved a lot using this.

🏝 Super.com almost always had the best prices and cashback options, so I’ll probably keep using them going forward.

🏝 If you book with points (Aeroplan, Bonvoy, RBC Rewards, etc.), still check cash prices first because point costs fluctuate with hotel prices too.

🏝 Canadians: the SECOND week of Spring Break was noticeably cheaper than the first. Probably because fewer US Spring Breaks overlap.

Hopefully this helps you plan your next Cancun trip ✈️

✈️ Want science-backed vacation tips? Follow along and grab a copy of my award-winning book You Need a (Better) Vacation — link in bio!

Happy Vacationing 🏝
VancouverWellness

05/09/2026

Most people plan vacations around where they’re going and what they’re doing.

But research suggests something else may matter even more.

One study found that vacationers who spent more time socializing experienced greater improvements in health and well-being.

But here’s the really interesting part…

Another study found that the quality of conversations matters more than the quantity.

Meaning a meaningful dinner conversation with friends or family may provide more vacation benefits than a full day of surface-level interactions.

So when you’re planning your next vacation, think beyond:
✈️ the flights
🏝 the destination
📍 the activities

Also think about who you’ll connect with and the conversations you’ll have.

Because those shared moments often become the memories we relive long after the trip is over—and they may be one of the reasons vacations improve our well-being in the first place.

Who will you be spending your time off with on your next vacation? Comment below 👇

De Bloom, Geurts, and Kompier, “Vacation (After-) Effects.

✈️ Want more science-backed vacation tips? Follow along and grab a copy of my award-winning book You Need a (Better) Vacation — link in bio!

Happy Vacationing 🏝
VancouverWellness

05/08/2026

I stayed at a 5⭐ resort in Mexico with 9/10 reviews… and I wasn’t that impressed.

So I asked ChatGPT why—and the answer actually makes a lot of sense 👇

1️⃣Star ratings aren’t really about quality. They’re mostly based on things like amenities, room size, and on-site services (multiple restaurants, concierge, pools, etc.). So a “5-star” can still feel outdated or not match your personal standard—I tend to prefer newer, more modern resorts, and that’s not reflected in the rating at all.

2️⃣Ratings don’t account for your non-negotiables. One of mine is oddly specific: a good coffee shop on-site where I can sneak off in the morning. And if it’s missing—even at a fancy resort—I notice. So even if a hotel is technically “amazing,” it can still feel off if it doesn’t match what you care about. High-energy resort when you want calm? Mismatch. Family-heavy resort when you want quiet? Mismatch.

3️⃣You’ve outgrown the average review pool. If you travel a lot and analyze experiences deeply your ratings will be different than the average reviewer. Many guests have lower expectations, are comparing it to cheaper vacations, or are just happy to be on vacation.

If you’re like me, this is what you can do:

✔️Read mostly 3–4 star reviews (they’re more likely to be the over-analyzers as well)
✔️Search reviews for what actually matters to you: “food,” “clean,” “beach,” “pool”
✔️Adjust expectations before you arrive and focus on the positive.

✈️ Want more science-backed vacation tips? Follow along and grab a copy of my award-winning book You Need a (Better) Vacation — link in bio!

Happy Vacationing 🏝
vacationprep VancouverWellness

05/01/2026

Tragically, this is the #1 thing we leave behind in hotel rooms as a family 😭

And it happened again on our most recent trip to Cancun…

Science says the most commonly forgotten hotel items are things like chargers, clothing, and toiletries… but somehow we never forget those.

Instead we forget our… STUFFIES.

The items that (arguably) mean the most…

A couple years ago, we left behind our middle son’s beloved turtle at a hotel in Cancun and had to make a 2-hour detour to go back and rescue it.

This year it was our youngest’s puppy… which he had just become deeply attached to. We called the hotel to try and get it back but they couldn’t find it.

We also left his soother somewhere in the hotel room… but that was a blessing in disguise. We had been wanting to wean him off it anyway, and he fully accepted that it was lost in the hotel room and he couldn’t have it anymore.

What do you always leave behind on trips?

‼️If you’re prone to forgetting stuffies, always pull back the covers and move the pillows around on the beds before you leave. Those sneaky stuffies often wedge themselves into hidden crevices!

✈️ Want science-backed vacation tips? Follow along and grab a copy of my award-winning book You Need a (Better) Vacation — link in bio!

Happy Vacationing 🏝
vacationmom vacationprep VancouverWellness

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