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Explore With Cassie

Lifestyle & travel blog finding the unusual out of the ordinary.

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  • Destinations,  Education,  Entertainment,  Explore with Cassie,  Food & Beverage,  Latest News

    Enjoy Caribbean Sea Views in Every Room at AVA Resort Cancun, Mexico

    August 4, 2025 /

    Photos, story, videos by Cassie Hepler The best things about AVA Cancun is that each upscale room looks out over the turquoise blue waters of the Caribbean Sea and it’s located 5 miles from Cancun International Airport. And it’s an all-inclusive resort located right below the hotel zone giving it island-style privacy from noisy neighbors. It’s definitely not a crazy Cancun party spot which I appreciated, especially not really being in a very celebratory mood which I will share that debacle story at a later date. The pool closes pretty early and things settle down shortly after sunset. However, the pool music “boots and cats” sounding bass kicks on right after sunrise…

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    Cassie Hepler

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    October 7, 2024
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    Relax at the Low Key Westin Hotels & Resorts in Cancún, Quintana Roo, Mexico

    February 3, 2025 /

    Story, photos and video by Cassie Hepler First things first, let’s talk about location as there are many Westin hotels in Cancun, Mexico and this one is tucked away on its own slice of heaven. The Westin Hotels & Resorts in Cancún, Quintana Roo, Mexico is where I escaped on an I-forced-myself-to-take vacation which internally I was kicking and screaming not to go as there was so much work to be done. Once you become a lifestyle and travel blogger, it is hard to turn if off when not traveling for work but I am happy to say I did create and take content but only because I wanted to…

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    Explore the Buttercup Valley, Imperial Sand Dunes in Yuma, Arizona

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    November 27, 2023

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    Baby Sea Turtle Season Enchants Everyone in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

    December 2, 2024 /

    Story, photos and video by Cassie Hepler Releasing baby sea turtles into the Pacific Ocean has been on my bucket list since I was a child! And I felt extremely blessed that Marriott Puerto Vallarta helped make this now adult gal’s dreams come true. We were talking about it for months and it felt almost out of reach toward the end of the summer and also my second trip to Mexico (early that month I took a Cancun birthday trip was the first week of September which I’ll post about soon). Just loading up that passport with stamps before it needs renewed again in fall of 2025! At some point…

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    October 30, 2023
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    Marriott Puerto Vallarta, Mexico Offers Beachside Relaxation Minutes from the Airport

    November 4, 2024 /

    Story, photos and video by Cassie Hepler Nestled on a sandy strip between the Sierra Madre Mountains and Banderas Bay in Mexico, Marriott Puerto Vallarta Resort & Spa offers a combination of zen, nature and fun in the sun. We had been discussing this visit for months, finally making it a reality seemed so surreal and I was psyched. I ended up talking to a former teacher turned principal on the plane most of the flight down, discussing philosophy and the meaning of life. Pretty heavy travel talk, but I loved it! This mountain-meets-ocean resort is only 7 minutes from the Puerto Vallarta airport which is a relief in itself…

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    Explore Islas Marías, Former Prison Islands in Nayarit, Mexico

    October 30, 2023 /

    Story, photos, videos by Cassie Hepler If you have a dark edge to your soul like me, this all-the-feels Islas Marías (Mary Islands) will resonate well. I have this new thing I do, where I say yes to everything and figure it out later. This trip was one of those yes moments while I was still on a private press trip to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. I had no clue what I was agreeing to but I’m always up for an adventure, twice if I like it. Here’s the thing about Mexico: it’s got a bad rap in the United States even though honestly, the United States is starting to…

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    Drive a Boat in Lawless Lake of the Wild West in Lake Havasu City, Arizona

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    Fly to Puerto Vallarta Airport and Explore Nayarit, Mexico

    September 15, 2023 /

    Story, photos, video by Cassie Hepler Flying on an early morning flight from Phoenix Sky Harbor, Arizona to Puerto Vallarta Airport went pretty smoothly with a hosted American Airlines aisle seat. Mind you, international flights call for a two hour arrival buffer time although it makes no sense as you can check in online and just find your gate fast especially with TSA pre-check but airlines haven’t caught up yet I guess. Also, try not to check your luggage. You really don’t need all that stuff you packed, trust me. I’ll make a basic bitch carry on travel bag blog post soon, I promise. Much like the Cabo San Lucas…

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    Explore Chacchoben Ruins and Blue Lagoon in Costa Maya, Mexico

    April 4, 2023 /

    Photos, story by Cassie Hepler When I was planning which cruise to take with Princess Cruises, I was obsessed with the 10 day cruise from Galveston, Texas because it included the Cayman Islands and Belize. As part of the press trip package, we were limited to 7 days so I chose the one that included Costa Maya which borders Belize and shares the same reef territory, great for snorkeling and diving. Costa Maya is also free from high rise chain hotels leaving its lagoons, archaeological gems and coastline free from clutter. And the 7 day cruise still stopped to see Roatan, Honduras so most bucket list items were checked off.…

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    Explore Retro El Cortez Hotel and Casino on Fremont Street in Las Vegas, Nevada

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    Falling in Love with Breathless Resorts in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico

    March 27, 2017 /

    Story, photos by Cassie Hepler Since I was a teen, I wanted to live a bi-coastal life with my favorite seasons on the East Coast (Spring, Summer and Fall) and escape chilly Philly to somewhere warm in the winter (usually California and sometimes Florida). Perhaps I don’t own any warm weather property (yet) however I can escape the cold to the land of sunshine and lollipops, especially now that my back is fixed up with no pain and I’m literally less than 5 degrees curved now from scoliosis fusion surgery! So this trip was extra special and an encouragement from my Scoliosis Inspire & Inform group to take a one-year…

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