A girls trip to Panama in December 2025 was the inspiration for this site. As the women and I sat around a table on the last night of our trip talking about our passions, I shared that mine is travel and food. We discussed some of my travel hacks and lessons learned that had helped the group while on the trip, and I then decided to turn them into this post!
Why Panama:
Cheap nonstop flights from IAD, tropical resorts, history and culture, ecotourism
Planning:
Panama got on my radar when I was daydreaming about spring break travel. Panama showed up as the cheapest nonstop international flight out of DCA or IAD for the dates I selected. Not knowing much about Panama outside of the Canal, I got the Lonely Planet Panama book from the library to learn more. There were some awesome beach itineraries and eco-lodges featured in the book, but around this time my children expressed interest in doing another Disney Cruise, so I decided to table the Gamboa Rainforest Reserve family trip to Panama, and turn it into a shorter girls trip. Fortunately, an initial girlfriend was up for the adventure, and we quickly started evaluating hotels as we added a few more group members to the trip.
While we first looked at the Sofitel and other higher-end hotels in the city, we then narrowed our decision to either the Westin Playa Bonita or the Hyatt Dreams Playa Bonita. After reading the reviews, and realizing we would want to spend some time off of the property exploring, we decided on the Westin.
Experience in Panama: After the Copa flight to Panama City, we took an Uber to the hotel. When planning the trip, and talking to people who had been before, we were advised to avoid taxis and always use Uber.
Our stay at the Westin Playa Bonita was enjoyable! The front desk experience was not up to the normal Marriott standard, but the service at the restaurants and outside bars were fabulous. You could sit with your feet in the sand drinking pool-side margaritas, or go to a nicer steak or sushi dinner too. We decided not to opt into the all-inclusive packages which were a little over $100 per day for the lower option, and almost $150 for the premium option. Since we did not want to be limited to the buffet, and didn’t think we would drink enough alcohol to justify the premium cost, we went a la carte. I did feel old opting out of the challenge of drinking enough to justify the all-inclusive price!
At the Westin, the multiple resort pools were well-maintained, but one thing that was missing was a quiet area to relax. We tried to find a space to just read and chill in the sun, but after 10AM there was always music blasting, and at two points there were inflatable kid water slides releasing into the pool set-up for some parties. You could find quieter areas on the beach, but there were no umbrellas or sunshades available.
Feedback from the ladies who got massages at the spa was positive, and there were no issues scheduling spa appointments after arriving in Panama. Also, while there was a playground and kids club available, my peek into the kid room reeked of moth balls, and I would not have felt comfortable leaving my kids who speak very limited Spanish with the staff. Finally, the biggest and most fun surprise from the hotel was on the last night when there was a marching band performance in the lobby of the hotel as part of the Christmas Tree lighting ceremony. I cannot remember another time in my travels where there was a surprise marching band and dance team performance in the hotel lobby coupled with Santa, the Grinch, Mickey and Minnie Mouse.
The coolest part of the hotel hands down was the view of the ships in the ocean lined up to go into the Panama Canal. While sitting on the balcony at night the ships illuminated the water and made it look like a new shoreline. When I booked the room, I fully intended on drinking my morning coffee using my portable kettle and travel mug on the balcony, but I did not anticipate that unique view.
We did leave the hotel to see the Canal and old town for part of one day. The hotel offered both half and full day tours through the Panamazing Tour Company, but we decided the price was a lot for five people. Instead, we pre-booked an Uber to arrive at the Miraflores Visitor Center a few minutes before it opened at 8. We didn’t book tickets in advance, but were able to get in and see a ship go through the lock in front of the viewing platform before the 9:45 IMAX show narrated by Morgan Freeman started. As a recovering history buff, I thought the canal experience was awesome and informative, and some of the ladies who dragged their feet on the excursion left feeling OK about our visit 🙂 Also, as a note for those traveling with kids, there is a small play area under the viewing platform that my kids wanted to play on when they saw a picture of it after my trip.
After the IMAX show, we easily got an Uber into the Panama City Old Town where we stopped at Sisu Coffee for a coffee, so I could pick up their famous Geisha coffee for my husband as a thank you for holding down the fort at home. From there we wandered for a bit before stopping for lunch atCasa Catedral. The restaurant had some cool old cars as decorations which made for some great conversations as we enjoyed lunch. From there we wandered more before easily finding another Uber to take us back to the hotel.
Lessons from Panama:
- Pack good sunscreen. The Avena sun screen available from the hotel gift shop is not a good choice. I didn’t pack enough sunscreen for the trip, and this ended up being a big mistake because despite applying it multiple times in the span of 4 hours I still got moderately burned.
- If you are not planning on doing the all-inclusive package, buy beverages at the Airport Duty Free before you go down to baggage claim. Playa Bonita is isolated so your shopping options are limited to the hotel gift shops at the Westin and Hyatt.
- The Panama airport had several surprises. 1- The sandwiches available at food stalls end up being a mandatory $30 meal with a beverage. 2- despite already having cleared security once, you had to go through it again at the gate – so any beverages you were forced to purchase with your meal had to get chugged or dumped. Also, there were no water fountains at the gate which made for a thirsty flight home.
Travel Gear:
- Rollerboard
- Carry-on backpack
- Portable white noise machine
- Hanging toiletry bag
- Foldable Sun Hat
- Portable safe (did not use since we missed the free kayaking)
- Money pouch (Brought but felt safe during day time)
- Portable Kettle with coffee, tea and collapsible cup
- Collapsible water bottle
Final Thoughts:
Panama was an awesome girls trip and supplied everything we needed- sun, sand, girl time, and a bit of relaxation before the Christmas season kicked into full gear. I want to go back as a family to check out the rainforest, and experience more of their blossoming ecotourism experiences.
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