Europe is a great adventure and a great value ---

When thinking about your vacation habits, do you travel to places that feel familiar or do you look for destinations that offer a new and exciting experience? Many people are simply looking to escape their everyday life and go to a place that satisfies simple needs of sun, fun, and relaxation -- in California, Hispanics often choose Mexico, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, or other familiar places. Challenging yourself a bit to go somewhere truly different, though, will reward you in ways not possible by following your usual crowd.

In the world’s great cities, it’s not difficult for tourists to find grand architecture, tantalizing food, historic art, and lively nightlife – the most valued aspects of a destination for most people. I see, however, a more important aspect in judging a destination’s attractiveness or value; its people. Choosing destinations for their people as much or more than other aspects of a place can be very rewarding. People make all the difference in a travel experience. It’s the local people - the local culture - that ultimately determines the quality of your experience as a visitor. The service at your hotel and at restaurants, your interaction with people on the streets and in the cafes, your cultural and historical learning, and your safety and security are all a product of the local people. For me, people are the most important aspect of a place when the usual attractions and amenities are present, or even when they’re not present.

Bucerias is a low-key beach town that gets most of its charm from the fact that it’s not a big resort city like its neighbor to the South, Puerto Vallarta. Not that it wasn’t lovely; bougonvia hangs over the sides of brightly colored stucco walls, the beach is free of frat boys, every corner of our rental house is a work of art, and the Pacific is as magnificent in the early morning as it is under the afternoon sun with a mango margarita. Plus, everyone was very nice. But we had to lean in to hear Spanish.