A month in Türkiye (Aug 30-Oct 3)

Turquoise waters, rainbow balloons, second-hand smoke.

On our layover in Istanbul, we met up with Peggy (Alli’s mom aka Gaga Pepe) who joined us for our entire Turkey leg. With an extra pair of hands, we planned to try something different for Turkey— instead of picking one spot / apartment for a month-long stay, we decided to move around a bit more: three weeks of road-tripping along Turkey’s “Turquoise” Mediterranean Coast, four days in Cappadocia, then a week in Istanbul.

On our flight to Dalaman, Turkey, the flight attendants transformed into school children whenever they passed Rowan. One of our favorite things about the Turkish people was just how engaged and uninhibited everyone was with babies - especially the men. Men of all ages— either on their own or in a group— consistently stopped what they were doing to approach and interact with Rowan, often without even talking to us first— something that felt so delightful (and so far from American culture).

Hillside Beach Club | near Fethiye

Our first stop was Hillside Beach Club, an incredible family resort near Fethiye. The mountainside location overlooking a cove was stunning, with great sunset views and a few crystal clear beaches. There’s even an HBS case study about this place, naming it the “Ultimate Family Vacation in the Mediterranean.”

Hillside had the most exquisite buffets we’ve ever seen for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, with hundreds of options for each meal. The staff and service was amazing – showing the kids lots of love, and delivering coffees at light speed.

As tempting as it was to eat and lounge, the endless list of activities kept us moving— sailing lessons, bocce ball competitions, arts & crafts, a sunset boat ride, powerboat-pulled tubing, and nightly dance performances— including a Kids Show that Juna performed in.

Staying at Hillside felt like all of the best parts of being on a cruise, without any of the tackiness (or being trapped on a boat). We hope to make it back again soon— hopefully with more family & friends in tow next time!

Kaş

From Fethiye, we drove east along the coast to Kaş— a cool beach town we learned about from a Turkish bartender in Austin’s Equipment Room. Our room at Nur Beach Hotel had a lovely private deck, with a plunge pool and a view of the ocean. Highlights included day trips to Saklikent Gorge (one of the deepest canyons in the world) and Kaputas beach (one of Turkey’s “best” beaches).

Saklikent Gorge

Kaputas Beach

Kaş’ Old Town certainly had a charming aesthetic (e.g. cute cobblestone streets and Pell’s, a cozy plant-forward restaurant), but we were a little overwhelmed with the wave of British & Turkish tourists (after all, it was still early-September and perfect weather). We also started realizing how expensive everything in Turkey was (maybe due to recent inflation?). Kaş was the priciest spot of the trip so far - coming in at $20+ on our very scientific “Aperol Spritz Index”.

Cirali

From Kaş, we drove 2.5 hours east along the coast to Çirali, a smaller no-frills rural beachside village with hippy vibes. We immediately fell in love with the lush grounds and natural beauty of our hotel Kimera Lounge — beautiful flowers and pomegranate trees, a huge pool, rental bikes, and a 2 minute walk to the undeveloped beach.

We shared the property with roaming cats and chickens, who quickly learned that Rowan was a messy eater. As soon as we’d sit down for a meal, baby chicks would make a beeline for Rowan’s highchair with the mother hen chasing after them. Rowan was delighted by his new friends even more than they loved his crumbs.

Alli and Dan visited the impressive ruins of Olympos, an ancient Lycian city next to Çirali that dates back to the 4th century BC. Later that night, we climbed up Mount Chimaera to see the ‘eternal flames’— natural gas vents in the mountain that have been burning for thousands of years. The scene was lively and full of backpacker types roasting marshmallows.

Dan returns to the US for a week

At the end of our time in Çirali, Dan split off from the family to fly to the US— for a Teach for America board meeting in Phoenix, a visit to (brother) Jon in NYC, and for prescription refills. After 4 months away from the US, being surrounded by English again felt strange. Coincidentally, Dan’s departure day from NYC aligned with the release of the new iPhone and Apple Watch—perfect timing, as his Watch was kaput, and our trip’s endless photo ops had us craving better cameras. We preordered two iPhones and a watch for morning pickup at the iconic 5th Ave Apple Store in NYC. Bonus? Tim Cook was there. After a marathon session of activating the devices, Dan dashed to the airport just in time to catch his flight.

NG Phaselis Bay | near Antalya (but might as well been Russia)

With Dan away for the week, the rest of us checked into NG Phaselis Bay. While the resort had its perks, it wasn’t quite our vibe. It was a beautifuk spot to pass the time without Dan, but it didn’t compare to the lively, welcoming atmosphere of Hillside. Almost all the guests were Russian, leaving Juna as the only English speaking kid in her pizza-making class. That said, there were some fun moments— Juna loved the water slides, and Peggy and Alli enjoyed nightly Aperol spritzes at sunset (they were included in our stay, which threw the Aperol Spritz Index for a loop).

Cappadocia

We all reunited in Cappadocia, best known for the photos of hot air balloons soaring over its (rather phallic) “fairy chimneys.” At Argos, our ‘rustically luxurious’ hotel, we slept in cave rooms, which had been carved into the soft rock of the hills.

As we learned, this way of living is a tradition thousands of years old here, and we loved exploring the well-preserved underground cities of Derinkuyu and Kaymakli. Juna’s brief pottery lesson at Sultan Ceramics was also a hit, until it turned into a high pressure pottery sale.

Dan, Alli & Peggy’s sunrise hot air balloon ride was one of the trip’s biggest highlights so far. It more than made up for some of the less enjoyable quirks of Cappadocia—  Instagrammers, overpriced cocktails, and Juna’s displeasure with the “too-hot” and “too-boring” open air museum.

Istanbul

After weeks in tourist-heavy areas, we were eager for some urban energy. Our Istanbul Airbnb, a sleek apartment just off İstiklal Avenue, delivered—though the hilly streets kept us on our toes.

We kicked off our stay with two guided tours. First, Derya led us through the Grand Bazaar, where “just browsing” quickly turned into a love affair with leather jackets, Turkish rugs, and irresistible Turkish Delight. The rug-buying experience, complete with tea and persuasive salesmanship, was hilariously over-the-top. Alli’s NYC roots and unwavering negotiating skills struck the perfect balance between charm and intimidation.

The next day, Gokhan guided us through Kadıköy Market on the Asian side for a feast of Turkish street food—kokoreç (lamb intestine!), roasted chestnuts, mussels, and tangy pickled veggie juice.

On day three, Dan’s friend Sasha arrived to fill our extra bedroom. Sasha had spent a few years living in Turkey and studying Turkish, so she had tons of wisdom to share. Juna loved Sasha’s Turkish lessons, while the grown-ups loved her food recommendations – borek (pastries) for breakfast, fish sandwiches under the Galata Bridge for lunch, and kumpir (loaded baked potatoes) in Ortakoy for dinner.

While we explored Istanbul’s iconic sights—the Blue Mosque, Spice Market, Basilica Cistern, and a Bosphorus River boat tour—we also enjoyed a tour of the city’s Jewish quarter and a luxurious Turkish Hamam at the stunning Kılıç Ali Paşa Hamamı. Culinary standouts included lunch at the elegant Olden 1772 and dinner at the modern Yeni Lokanta.

Istanbul dazzled with its food, history, and vibrant culture, but it wasn’t without challenges. The sprawling city felt chaotic, the hilly terrain wore Juna out, and diesel fumes made walking the streets less enjoyable for Alli. In many ways, it reminded us of Mexico City—best suited for adults or families with older kids. That said, Juna found joy at the trampoline park and HUPALUPA, proving Istanbul still had kid-friendly highlights.

Turkey wasn’t the easiest leg of our journey, but it was one of the most unforgettable—stunningly beautiful, steeped in history, and at times overwhelming. Saying goodbye to Peggy was bittersweet; her adventurous spirit brought so much joy to our month, but the promise of reuniting in Cape Town in November made parting a little easier. After four months of chasing the sun, we were ready to trade beach vibes for London’s city buzz and crisp October air.