Tamarindo: The Kind of Trip That Started Port Royal

Some trips don’t just recharge you — they clarify things. They remind you what matters, what doesn’t, and to always make sure you slow down and enjoy the moment. Our time in Tamarindo was exactly that kind of trip.

Korie and I traveled down to stay with Brian and Juli in Tamarindo, Costa Rica. No plans, no itinerary, just a board bag full of boards being padded by a bunch of apparel samples. Our days were guided by the swell forecast, the tides, and where we could get our next Imperial cerveza or tacos. 

We surfed every single day — even when the waves were small. 

We got into a rhythm. Morning espresso, pool hangs, surf as the tide came in, find food, find cerveza, and work on Port Royal. We surfed good waves, surfed small waves, took out the longboards, missed waves, missed sections, talked trash, and had a blast. Making the most of every day we had there.

These days are why Port Royal was born — trips where the ocean sets the schedule, friends become family, and life feels stripped down to the essentials.

Gear Built for Days Like These

In Tamarindo, we tested everything the way we always have — by living in it.

Tees, hats, rash guards, boardshorts, woven button-ups — worn surfing, walking to town, grabbing food, watching sunsets, and doing it all again the next day. We paid attention to what stayed comfortable, what dried fast, what moved right, and what we instinctively reached for the next morning.

That’s the standard. If it doesn’t earn a place on a trip like this, it doesn’t belong.

Sunsets, Stillness, and Perspective

Evenings slowed everything down. Sunsets with no rush. Cold drinks. Quiet conversations. Time to let ideas settle.

Those moments are where Port Royal lives — not in boardrooms or trend cycles, but in the space between sessions, in shared meals, in the calm after a long day in the water.

Good People Make the Place

Tamarindo delivered — great food, warm water, unplanned conversations, and nights that don’t need much structure. But what really makes a place like this special is the people you share it with. We met new friends who instantly felt familiar, the kind that turn a great destination into something you carry with you long after you leave.

Our last night we headed out to the Endless Summer party to support Adit Tamarindo, a local charity doing meaningful work in the community. It was one of those nights that perfectly captured the spirit of the place — good music, good people, and everyone there for the right reasons. In true Port Royal spirit, we even walked away with flash tattoos — the kind of souvenirs that mean a little more than anything you can pack in a bag.

And I can't forget to mention... we unexpectedly ran into an old friend, Jay. Different country, random party — and somehow the world feels small. Moments like that are a reminder that it’s always the people that make a trip what it is.

Why Port Royal Exists

We left Tamarindo sunburned, tired, and completely reset. Grateful for Brian and Juli, grateful for the waves we got, and grateful for the reminder of why we started this brand.

Port Royal exists because of trips like this. Because of small waves that still get surfed. Because of gear that has to keep up with real days. Because of friendships, sunsets, and choosing the long way around.

This wasn’t just a trip.

It was a reminder of the life we’re building — and the reason we decided to build Port Royal at all.