11/09/2026
It is a JOURNEY to get from NJ to Marrakesh and particularly for us with a layover and drive from Rabat. Nothing good snacks, books, company, movies and energy at the start of our trip couldn’t solve. From the first moment we got to our hotel, they wanted to go to the pools and cool down. We prayed, ate food in our suite after bringing home some local freshly grilled meat, and prayed Maghrib. The next morning we had time to go to the waterpark before our marker tour of the old Medina which was connected to our hotel at Oasis Lodges Marrakech which we loved and highly recommend.
Then the market tour which awakened everything for us (see video reel), but I wanted to show some of the quieter moments in still photos. Shopping is my husband’s favorite, and of course i had some nice times trying on different jelaba, but there was so much more. Example: the history lessons of some of the original open area sleeping quarters of merchants (in fandouks), leather sports ball where you saw them create and handcraft their pieces the traditional way, all the fresh juices, colors and textures all around us, and snacking along the way, taking a break to pray at the beautiful Koutoubia Mosque where dignitaries were also coming for a mawlid, before returning to celebrate my son’s birthday from the second floor where we can soak it in from above, before returning back to the quiet marrakesh night.
Tips: pace yourself, make it fun, explore cuisine along the way to keep kids interested, drink only bottled or filtered water, and the attached waterpark was definitely a help for the kids to look forward to during our breaks and slow times. Get a nice historical tour but also go back to just shop after getting a feel for prices and always counter with 50% less. This is not insulting, it’s their haggling culture, and you can quickly find yourself throwing money otherwise.
