The following morning we had another packed day of adventure. In order to not be rushed in the morning, we had paid for our room the night before, and also pre-arranged the breakfast time. Our driver picked us up around 9am for our day trip to Essaouira.
This excursion was booked through the second riad we were staying for the next few nights. The cost was around $120 for all of us. Driving to Essaouira from Marrakech takes about 2.5 hours.
Tree-climbing goats along the way
Posing with a baby goat
Along the drive you may get lucky to get a glimpse of the tree-climbing goats. I’m not sure if they were setup or not, but there was a man there holding baby goats and allowing you to take pictures with them for a small fee. Of course we couldn’t resist!
As soon as we arrived to Essaouira it was time for lunch. Our guide recommended Le Chalet de la Plage for seafood, which is a must try here. Our table had a beautiful view of the beach and port area. We wanted to eat light as to not be too full for dinner so we split a grilled fish and seafood soup entree. The fish was prepared very simple and reminded me of Mediterranean style fare. The food was fresh and delicious, a perfect light lunch for exploring.
Optional Add-On
If you have more time in Morocco we highly recommend staying in Essaouira overnight. We truly wish we had more time to explore and not just get a taste of the city.
After finishing lunch we started walking around to explore. The restaurant was located very close to the ramparts and famous blue boats so we walked over there first.
We continued to keep exploring as much of the town as we could in the short time we had. The vibe was very chill which meant it was easier to bargain in the shops. It truly is a beautiful town with gorgeous sand washed buildings accented in blues and golds.
See more Essaouira One Day Guide.
Because of our day trip we still hadn’t checked into our second accommodation, Riad L’Orangeraie. Our driver dropped us off and the riad arranged transfer to pick us up at the gate of the medina.
The staff at Riad L’Orangeraie gave us a warm and generous welcome with mint tea and sweets. The riad left no detail out in its decor and service. Still to this day we will consider it like a second home anytime we go back to Morocco. Our room, “The Nutmeg” opened right up to the beautiful courtyard. The riad is located in the gorgeous Mouassine district, just steps away from the souks and main square, a perfect location!
Riad ‘L Orangeraie courtyard
The dining area on the terrace
There are gardens, a pool and a terrace to wind down in after a day out exploring, however because our days were packed with activities we spent most of our time in the riad at night. Our room was beautiful and such a delight to come back to at the end of the day.
The pool area from above
The Nutmeg room sleeping area
The courtyard lit up at night by Moroccan lanterns
Again we booked dinner at the riad, especially since some of our best meals in Morocco have been at the riads. We were served Moroccan salad with Lemon Chicken tagine and couscous, with fruit salad for dessert. All of the food tasted like a home-cooked family meal and was absolutely delicious. During dinner we also got to hear the call to prayer, which made it extra special.
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This itinerary sounds perfect. I've saved it to use when we eventually go there. So many amazing experiences to look forward to.
Thanks Wendy! It was one of our most memorable trips yet. Such a gorgeous country and perfect for families :)
Hi! Great details - Thanks for sharing! Traveling to Morocco in February 2021. Our son will be a few weeks shy of 4 years old. How old was your daughter on this trip? How did she do on the camel? Did she keep her turban on? What did you do about protecting her during sand storms? Thanks for your help :)
Thanks for stopping by :) Our daughter was only 3 when we went, and she had a blast. She was fine on the camel, she rode in front of one of us, although didn't keep on the turban. We used the turban like a scarf mask to cover her face and mouth during the storm. But she handled it like a champ. It was so much more of a family-friendly country than we expected, you'll love it! Hope you have an awesome time!
Wonderful! And thank you for the response. I have been in contact with Brahim from http://www.Marrakech-Camel-trips.com via email about our trip. Two questions - Did you wire/PayPal a deposit of 100 Euros to book? I have only seen one other review online that required the same deposit, so I'm just checking for my own safety :) Also, which hotel did you stay at/leave your luggage in Merzouga? Brahim offered "Riad nezha or *riad Madou or similar". We are going to stay an extra night before our departure to the desert and an extra night returning from the desert, so I wanted to check which accommodation you preferred.
Hi Stephanie! Yes we did pay a deposit of 100 Euros through Paypal, so that's legit. Then we paid the rest in cash in person. We had a wonderful experience with Brahim and our tour through them. And this post isn't sponsored or anything, just pure honesty :) We didn't stay overnight in Merzouga. We actually did the 3 day tour from Fez to Marrakech with a stop overnight in the desert. So I can't say much about hotels there. But I will say we enjoyed all the hotels we stayed at through this tour, so I think you'd be fine with any of their recommendations. We are dying to go back to Morocco again soon, hope you have a wonderful time. And feel free to ask any additional questions :)
Morocco is a great place for a family trip.
Yes it definitely was! Can't wait to go back :)