Ecuador Tips:

They use the US dollar which is really nice and easy!
Similar to what I say about everywhere in Latin America—get out of Quito! Quito is fun and awesome, but the nature side of Ecuador is gorgeous. I highly recommend checking out Banos
Elevation is real—beware. Quito is one the highest capital cities in the world, so pace yourself. Also Quito is insanely hilly, prep your thighs folks
Also, this is semi-random and may have just been the app I was using—but the weather that was predicted was drastically different than what actually happened. I would recommend packing layers and a variety of clothes to be prepared

Bandido Brewing: An awesome brewery!
Day trip to the equator!! Now I used to be a geography teacher, so it could just be my nerdy side coming out, but the equator was one of the coolest things ever. Do it up. There are two, in theory. Most day trips take you to both sights
Quilotoa Lake: An insanely gorgeous lagoon inside a crater. Cute little town here, lots of tourists of course, but the hike is great, the view is great, and I saw a double rainbow over the crater, so I’d say do it up
Cotopaxi National Park: Glacial volcano at 13,000 feet, complete with wild horses and a lake on top. What more could you ask for?

Other Ideas—Quito:

Check out the churches! Not a statement that always leaves my mouth, but Quito is overflowing with gorgeous churches. Basilica del Voto Nacional is the most stunning
Parque Itchimbia: Hike up to this pretty park to overlook the city, see the giant Quito sign, and hang out in the greenery

Stay at La Casa Verde just outside of downtown. It’s an eco-hostel, super relaxing, and the hosts are SO nice. There are hammocks, delicious snacks, and great views.
La Casa Del Arbol: Translating to tree house, this is where “the swing at the end of the world” is located. So fun! So cool!
Take La Ruta De Las Cascadas: The waterfall route. There are a few different ways to do this: taxi, rental car, bike, or chiva. If you have a car, done deal. You can also bike it, but I was warned the biking can be aggressive and intense, so I decided against that. I thought the taxi sounded like not much of an experience. So, I did it via the chiva. I was the only non-Ecuadorian on the chiva and it was awesome. It’s basically an open air truck that takes you along the route to waterfalls and ziplining and such. Very cheap, very fun, very local
Hike the Mirador Tungurahua trail—depending on what you do from the trail it is an 8+ mile loop with views of Tungurahua volcano, the entire city of Banos, and lots of greenery. You can also swing to a cafe, which is what I tried to do, but be sure to double check their hours before you leave for the hike
- There are plenty of other hikes in the area as well, including some awesome ones to waterfalls! Jump on it