On January 11th, I had the opportunity to travel to Riviera Maya, Mexico. Although the experience was extraordinary, I would like to talk more so about where I stayed during the duration of the trip. I stayed at Hard Rock Riviera Maya; A completely rock-themed resort. The resort itself was on the Yucatan Peninsula. A perfect view of the ocean and comfortable spots to tan are found all over, along with bars that you could swim up to in the main pool area and restaurants around every corner. Hard Rock Hotels all have a part of the resort that’s restricted for adults only, called “Heaven” but I walked around at night to see what it was like. Heaven has many mementos of different rock stars that you can only find on the adults-only side. They had authentic clothing from Motley Crue, Johnny Cash, Madonna, and many more.

The food was unlike anything I’ve tasted before. They had Brazilian, Japanese, and plenty of buffets with different foods every day. My personal favorite was the Brazilian because the waiters bring the skewered food directly to you, cutting large slices of pork, donkey, prime rib, you name it. The best food there by far was the salmon with starfruit on top, which was the first time that I ever had salmon, and I was not disappointed.

The lobby’s walls were completely covered in Rock legends. There were shows every night at the resort. I was able to see two shows and the preparations for another. The first show I watched was a Michael Jackson show with a talented interpreter and old MJ music videos in the background. The second show that I managed to see was a circus act. There were strong men, clowns, balancing acts, and more. Both shows showed genuine talent and effort that is unmatched.

The final show I, sadly, wasn’t able to see it. However, I do know who played because my dad had bumped into them as they were confirming their reservations. It was The Goo Goo Dolls. For those who don’t know, The Goo Goo Dolls are an American rock band from Buffalo, New York, formed in 1986.

The trip itself was fantastic enough without the fancy food and nice hotels. Swimming in the water and just watching the tropical fish swim by was honestly breathtaking. The pictures I took just simply don’t give it the justice it deserves. If you’re traveling anywhere, make sure to use Hard Rock Hotels.