THE BASICS

My Name: Stacey Leasca

What I Do: Freelance Writer, USC Adjunct Professor

Where I Live: Los Angeles, California, USA

Where I Went: Havana, Cuba

How Long I Stayed: 5 days, 4 nights

My Spending Style: Extravagant. I'd rather have a good time than be on a budget. But also, everything in Havana is incredibly cheap.

ELITE DAILY

THE PLAN

Where I Got My Recommendations:

My trip to Havana was part of a press trip with the fine folks at Adobe so they planned every detail for me. However, if you’re looking for recommendations on what to do in Cuba I can’t recommend reading The Cuba Unknown more.

Exchange Rate At Time Of Travel: $1 USD = $1 CUP

What That Looks Like IRL: $50 USD = $50 CUP

The exchange rate in Cuba is incredibly confusing because they have two systems of currency: the Cuban Convertible Peso and the Cuban Peso. Always make sure to exchange your money into Cuban Convertible Pesos as they are worth more. Additionally, exchange your money back before you leave. You cannot exchange that money for any another other foreign currency.

Preferred Payment Method: Only cash. American credit cards and debit cards don’t work in Cuba so make sure to bring enough money for your entire trip. (A good benchmark is $100 per day of your travels.)

Phone Bill: Nothing! Because it doesn’t work in Cuba. No internet means no data.

ELITE DAILY

HOW I GOT THERE

Mode of Transport: Airplane

Price: $500

Extra Costs: Never extra baggage, I absolutely refuse to ever check a bag when traveling, no matter how long I’m gone for. Taxis are about $20 for a 10-minute ride around anywhere in Havana. It seems expensive, but you get to ride around in a cool 1950s car so it’s worth it.

Transport Total: $540

WHERE I STAYED

Accommodation: Hotel National

Location: About as central as it gets.

Price: $150-$250/night

Extra Costs: The only added cost is if you’d like to access their internet. Hotel Nacional is one of the few places in Cuba where people can access the web. However, buyer beware as the internet only lasts for a few minutes at a time and there’s a good chance the government of Cuba is tracking your every online move.

Would I Recommend It To Someone Else:

Yes, for sure. Hotel Nacional is hands down the nicest hotel in Havana, but travelers may also want to consider booking through Airbnb instead. That way they can stay with a local and get a true taste of Cuban life.

Accommodation Total: $750

Courtesy of Stacey Leasca

WHAT I ATE

Breakfast-Lunch Cost: $30/day

Dinner Cost: $15/day

Average Total Cost: $45/day

Tip Situation: Yes, I always tipped, but only because Cubans live on very little money provided to them by the government (it’s still a communist country) so tips for waitstaff go a long way. It doesn’t have to be a lot, just $1-$2.

Food Situation:

To be honest, I thought the food wasn't exactly amazing in Havana. It’s OK, but nothing really to write home about. However, if you take a day trip about two hours out of the city to a town call Viñales, you’ll be pleasantly surprised by a farm-to-table experience you won’t soon forget.

Viñales is the center of Cuba’s tobacco business and is where they grow, dry, and produce most of their cigars. There, you can take tours of the farms, see cigar makers in action, and eat at Finca Agroecologica El Paraiso. At that farm visitors can walk the grounds with the farmers, see them pick your lunch, and cook up amazing dishes including fresh salads, breads, soups, and meats raised right on the grounds. It’s well-worth the day trip.

Favorite Restaurant: Finca Agroecológica El Paraiso

Location: Carretera al Cementerio KM 1 1/2, Viñales

Price: $30

Honorable Mention: Havana Club

Food Total: $300

WHAT I DID AT NIGHT

Nightlife Situation:

If you go to Havana and don’t spend time out in the city at night, you’re truly missing out. Cuba is home to a vibrant music scene. There, you can hop from bar-to-bar and enjoy live music and dance the night away.

What People Wear Out:

It’s Cuba, get dressed up in your brightest outfit, give it a little 1960s throwback flair and have fun with it.

Average Cost Of A Pint: About $5, if that.

Extra Cost To Know About: Taxis. This will be your biggest expense.

Last Call: ~12 a.m.

Average Total Cost Of A Night Out: $20

Cheapest Bar I'd Actually Go Back To:

Staying right at the Hotel Nacional, sitting outside on the patio, listening to live music, and watching the sun both go down and come up the next day with a few mojitos along the way.

Going Out Total: $100

Courtesy of Stacey Leaska

HOW I SPEANT MY DAYS

What I Spent A Lot On That Was Totally Worth It:

I didn't really spend much money on any one thing, as everything was cheap, but I did visit the Morro Castle — a fortress that protects the entrance of Havana Bay. It was only a few dollars to get in and completely worth it.

What I Spent A Lot On That Was Totally Not Worth It: Nothing. Everything is so unique in Cuba, it all seemed worth it!

What I Spent Little Or No Money On That Was Awesome: The Malécon.

That’s Havana’s seawall that runs along the ocean. It’s where the locals hang out all day and all night. You can walk along it, speak with locals, or just check out the ocean.

I highly recommend getting up for sunrise, watching the fisherman catch their daily haul, and chatting with locals over a good cup of Cuban coffee.

Favorite Thing I Did, Regardless Of Cost:

Visiting the fortress. There, we watched the sunset and the cannon ceremony, which is where the locals set off a cannon into the sea each and every night.

Hidden Gem I Found:

Courtesy of Stacey Leasca

Unfortunately, there’s little hidden about Havana or Cuba anymore, but visiting Viñales and the Hemingway house was pretty legit.

The Photo I Took That Got The Most Attention: This photo that was taken by Taylor Rees, a photographer for National Geographic and other publications. One huge benefit of taking trips with fellow journalists is sometimes they are nice enough to take your photo and make you feel like a badass.

Courtesy of Courtney Leasca via Instagram (@sleasca)

WHAT I BOUGHT

General Shopping: $10

Souvenirs: $40

The only shopping items I bought in Cuba were a set of $2 espresso cups and two paintings for about $20 a piece. They are some of my favorite things I’ve ever purchased while traveling.

Souvenirs/Shopping Total: $50

wHAT I LEARNED

Best Havana Hack:

Walk everywhere. Driving is cool, but you also miss so much. Even if it seems far, you can usually find something beautiful, cute, or amazing along the way.

Courtesy of Courtney Leasca

Advice For Anyone Traveling Alone:

Make friends. No one has their head in their phones, so it's actually a relief. Havana is fairly safe, but it’s always good to research which spots you should avoid.

Total Trip Cost: $1,810

Worth It? Travel — even if you end up not liking your destination — is always worth it. But, yes, Havana was gorgeous.

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