If seeing flamingos in Curaçao is on your list, this is one of the easiest places to do it—but it’s quick. I wouldn’t plan your whole day around it, but if you’re already heading west, it fits in really well. This ended up being more of a stop along the way than a main event.
I drove toward the west side beaches and turned off the main road near Sint Willibrordus to get to the Jan Kok Salt Flats. It’s not directly on the main road, but it’s a quick, easy turn and you’re there within a few minutes.
I rented a car and that made this really simple since I could just pull over whenever I saw something interesting along the drive.
There’s no entrance, no setup, and no signs telling you what to do—you just park on the side of the road and look out over the salt flats.
I pulled over, walked a few steps forward, and at first I wasn’t impressed. The salt flats themselves are pretty plain, and there’s no built-out viewpoint or anything that makes it feel like a “stop.”
Then I looked out and saw the flamingos, and that part immediately made it worth it (they really do just flamingle out there).
I spotted around 10-15 flamingos standing in the water, and they were closer than I expected—probably about 30 to 50 feet away. I just used my phone camera and zoomed in, and that was enough to see them clearly.
I didn’t walk anywhere or search for them—they were right there from the roadside, which made this one of the easiest stops I made the entire trip.
I stayed for about 30 minutes, took a few photos, and then got back in the car. This isn’t something you spend hours doing—it’s more of a quick stop to see something different before moving on to the next place.
I went midday and still saw a good number of flamingos, so you don’t have to plan your whole day around timing. That said, early morning or late afternoon would give you better lighting and a higher chance of seeing more activity.
I pulled off directly on the side of the road and that was it. No walking, no tickets, no entrance—just park and you’re there.
I stopped at the colorful church in Sint Willibrordus first, then came here at the salt flats, and planned to end the day at Santa Martha Bay for sunset. That route worked really well without adding extra driving.
If you’re planning your days, this fits perfectly into a beach route—especially if you’re already following something like my West Side Beach Hopping in Curaçao: Porto Mari & Grote Knip Guide.
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I wouldn’t go out of my way just for this, but since I was already nearby, I’m glad I pulled over. Seeing flamingos in Curaçao is cool, it just doesn’t replace beach time or snorkeling if you’re deciding between options.
If you’re building out your trip, I’d focus more on beaches and water time and treat this like a bonus stop along the drive.
I added this in because it was on the way, and that’s exactly how I’d do it again. It’s quick, it’s easy, and you get to see flamingos without doing anything complicated.
If you’re figuring out how to structure your days, I’d pair this with a full beach day or use it as a stop between locations—something like my Curaçao 5 Day Itinerary: What to Do in 5 Days or my Curaçao Travel Guide for First-Time Visitors will help map that out.
Haywood Smokehouse is the BBQ spot that ruins you for every other BBQ spot. Lean brisket so tender it doesn’t need the fat, fried pork ribs you won’t find anywhere else, and don’t sleep on the banana pudding for dessert.
Save this before your next Waynesville or Dillsboro trip 🍖🔥
Booked this Bryson City yurt for the ‘ber months and it’s already my top fall pick this year. 🍂
The Junaluska Yurt sleeps six but feels more like a stylish cabin than a yurt, two real queen bedrooms with actual doors, a full kitchen, and a private bathroom with a walk-in shower. Check-in is just a door code texted to your phone, no lobby, no waiting.
The real win is outside: wraparound porch, private fire pit, free firewood, a gas grill, and Smoky Mountain sunsets that stop you mid-sentence, picture all of that with October color on the ridgeline. Heads up, the last stretch in is a gravel road, so skip the low-profile rental, and there’s no restaurant onsite, you’re minutes from Bryson City, Dillsboro, and Sylva for dinner.
Two to three nights is the sweet spot. (We actually stayed in the dead of winter and it was still stunning, fall just takes it up a notch.) Full review linked in bio.
Italian food felt like the last thing I expected to find in the middle of the Appalachian Mountains... until I sat down at Ilda in Sylva.🍝
They call it Italian-Appalachian, and that’s not just a tagline. Homemade pasta, craft cocktails, local ingredients pulled straight from the mountains around it, this is the kind of meal that makes you forget you’re two hours from the nearest city. It’s cozy, it’s a little upscale, and it is not a walk-in kind of place, call ahead, because tables go fast on weekends.
It’s not cheap, and it’s not trying to be. But if you’re already making the trip out to Sylva, this is the one reservation worth planning your day around.
Full write-up, including what to order, link in bio.
Booked my fall cabin before September even started, and I’m not sorry about it. 🍂
These are the stays that make you actually want the cold to hurry up fireplaces, mountain views, the kind of porch you don’t leave. Not every one of these is going to fit every trip, but if a cozy fall getaway is on your radar, this is the roundup to start with.
One of my favorite travel seasons is almost here, and I have zero chill about it. 🍁✈️
There’s just something about fall trips cooler air, apple orchards, that first flannel of the season, food that actually makes sense with the weather again. I’m already mentally packing for it before September even starts.
If fall is your favorite time to travel too, tell me where you’re headed... I’m taking notes for the list.
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