The Brazil Edit

The Itinerary

Rio de Janeiro

They call Rio the "Marvelous City" for a reason. Natural beauty mixed with the street energy, there’s this constant buzz around the city. The neighbourhoods each have their own personality too! Copacabana is the buzzy beachfront everyone knows, Ipanema is the tree-lined, boutique-y side, and Leblon (where we had a few dinners) feels a little more polished and residential.

We stayed at the Fairmont Copacabana and we LOVED the property so much. The kids got plenty of use of the pools and the beach club right on the sand! More memories here! ✨ 

Our Rio highlights:

• Maracanã soccer game: ten out of ten for kids. The stadium is ELECTRIC!! Brazil genuinely has such a love for football, and you can tell by going to these matches. I swear we didn’t see a single empty seat, oh and ear plugs wouldn’t be a bad idea either! 😂 

• Christ the Redeemer + Sugarloaf in one day: ambitious, I know, but we were fortunate to have private transfers booked which made travel within the city waaay easier. If you think you’ll have a long day and want to cover long distances look into booking private chauffeurs for that one day. It’ll be worth it. Also Christ the Redeemer was beautiful! One of the Seven Wonders for a reason, perched ontop Corcovado Mountain over looking the city and Tijuca National Park. Truly nothing like it… speechless is an understatement.

• Favela Vidigal walking tour: the most meaningful day of the trip. It's a community-run experience that supports 150+ families. If you dont know what favelas are: they’re the hillside neighborhoods that grew up around Rio over the last century, populated by working-class families and northeastern migrants, and today they're home to roughly a quarter of Rio's population!

• Carnival behind-the-scenes at Samba City: they let the kids try on real parade costumes. Instant core memory.

Iguassu Falls

This part of the trip felt like a dream. One of the most gorgeous sights I’ve EVER seen!

Iguassu isn’t just a waterfall btw… rather 275 of them, stretched across nearly two miles of jungle along the border of Brazil and Argentina! It's the largest waterfall system in the world, and the scale is genuinely hard to describe until you're standing in front of it. The gateway town on the Brazilian side is Foz do Iguaçu, which sits at a rare spot where three countries (Brazil, Argentina, and Paraguay) meet.

We flew to Foz do Iguaçu and checked into the Belmond Hotel das Cataratas, the only hotel inside the national park. And over two days we saw both sides: the Brazilian side gives you the most gorgeous panoramic views, and the Argentine side (bring your passports, you cross the border) takes you right up to the Devil's Throat. We also did the Macuco Safari, which is a jeep-and-boat combo that puts you directly under the falls. You will get soaked!

What to pack for Iguassu day:

• Waterproof phone case (non-negotiable)

• A light raincoat for each kid

• Quick-dry clothes and a change in a dry bag

• Insect repellent and sunscreen

• Closed-toe shoes for the walkways

Linking all items here, so you can see!

Trancoso

This was a major reset that we didn’t even realize we needed!

If Rio is the big, loud main course, Trancoso is the complete opposite. A quiet village in southern Bahia, once a fishing town that a small group of Paulistano hippies found in the 1970s and never really left! These days people call it the Tulum of Brazil, the whole place orbits around the Quadrado, a UNESCO-protected area lined with clay houses overlooking the Atlantic.

After the adrenaline of Rio and Iguassu, Trancoso was honestly a breath of fresh air! We took advantage of the lush forests and greenery, and spent time quad biking to hidden beaches, spending lots of time playing and relaxing on the sand. Of course followed with dinners on the beach. This part of the trip reminded me that the best part of a family trip is often the part where you do the least. ❤️ 

São Paulo

This was the shortest part of the trip because we booked a full day city tour on our last day before a morning flight. But totally worth it! It was around 6ish hours long and practically covered the major landmarks: Ibirapuera Park, Pinacoteca, Centro Cultural Banco do Brasil.

São Paulo is the largest city in the Southern Hemisphere, with around 12 million people, and often known as the "City of Film". You can deff tell by the vibrancy of the city, that artists are riddled in every corner of the city. Beautiful street art and gorgeous architecture, the city deff has a different taste than Rio… I’d consider it more, urban and international.

Beauty Faves

👏 ESSENTIALS ONLY… Brazil sun hits different. 👏 

Between the equator, the beach, and 8-hour outdoor days, I reapplied SPF more than I ever have on a trip. A few things I want every mom to know:

• Choose mineral (zinc-based) for kids and sensitive skin. It sits on top of the skin and works on contact, no waiting period.

• Reapply every two hours, and immediately after water or sweat. One morning application is not enough. I promise.

• Don't forget the spots we all miss: tops of ears, back of neck, feet, and the part in your hair. Wow do I sound like a mom yet or what. 😅 

I rotated between a tinted mineral for my face (doubles as light makeup) and a body SPF 50 for the kids. Both made the cut into my permanent travel kit. Shop all SPF needs here! 

Travel Outfits

I’m wearing the Transit/Perfect Day half-zip pullover layered over a tee for lightweight coverage. Deff going to be my go-to for travel when I want to stay comfy. I paired it with simple sneakers and minimal jewelry so the pullover’s sporty silhouette does the talking. Find this on Nordstrom, shop it here.

Oh my gosh, okay! This dress was such a hit on stories when I linked it. I sized down in the maxi skirt and got the matching long-sleeve top in mocha for a polished, pulled-together look. I finish this with chunky gold earrings and wedge sandals from Amazon to keep the outfit elevated but effortless. Linked whole look here!