A door-to-door plan for Keith, Cherise and the girls. Mountain towns, a crater hike and slow coastal afternoons, with room for snacks, tired legs and a change of weather.
Booking emails reviewed and public details checked October 6, 2026.
Alamo’s early return, both children on the Sheraton bookings, and the unconfirmed activity arrangements. Open the preparation list. Printed times are planning targets unless marked as booked flights.
Private travel guide. Times are targets; bookings and conditions must be reconfirmed.
Open a day. Then open any step for the details, prep and map links.
Pflugerville → Brenham
Protect tomorrow’s 10:30 a.m. parking reservation.
Friday’s 4:30 p.m. departure is a recommendation. Adjust for work and school, not by shrinking tomorrow’s airport buffer.
The 24-hour U.S.-route window opens at 2:05 p.m. Texas time.
Open Avianca with booking CKMJ4C. Verify AV367, passports, baggage allowances, and all four seats. Keep each child seated beside an adult where possible.
Save boarding passes offline. The airline may still require a document check at the airport.
A proposed departure window, not a checked work or school commitment.
Keep passports, medicines, phones, chargers, and insurance paperwork in your cabin bags. Put the parking QR in Apple Wallet or save it offline.
Leave enough fuel or battery charge for the drive to Brenham and tomorrow’s airport transfer. Take snacks and refillable bottles.
About 85 miles from Pflugerville town center; 2 hours includes a short break.
Use the main US-290 corridor and the current map route from your actual house. Friday traffic, your starting neighborhood, and a bathroom stop can change the arrival.
The overnight stop is in Brenham, not at Houston airport. You still have a substantial drive tomorrow.
Two queen beds, non-smoking; breakfast included.
Address: 2242 S Market St, Brenham, TX 77833. Check-in is from 3 p.m.; checkout is by 11 a.m. tomorrow.
Super.com confirmation B_61253871. The booking is prepaid and nonrefundable. Bring ID and a card for any incidental hold.
Choose somewhere close rather than adding another outing.
Use the front desk’s nearby recommendation or pick a simple place along South Market Street. Dinner timing is a suggestion; no restaurant is reserved.
Buy breakfast backup snacks tonight if the hotel’s breakfast hours do not suit your departure.
Parking QR, passports, car charge/fuel, and departure alarm.
Recheck the route to ecopark2, not ecopark on JFK Boulevard. Confirm the airline’s current check-in terminal in the app or IAH information.
Put bags by the door. Aim to leave the hotel at 8:15 a.m.; a slow breakfast is not worth losing the airport buffer.
No further plans.
Get to bed at a time that works for the girls. The times shown for evenings are flexible wind-down windows, not an overnight sleep schedule.
Brenham → IAH → SAL → San Benito
Reach IAH check-in around 11:05 a.m.; distinguish Texas and Salvadoran times.
Shuttle, airport and road times are buffered estimates. A flight delay moves the Salvadoran evening, not the flight itself.
Included in the room; service hours still need to be confirmed.
Leave by about 8:15 a.m.
Do one room sweep: outlets, bathroom, under beds. Keep airport items within reach and take a bathroom break before leaving.
Allow up to 2 hours for roughly 75–90 miles, routing and traffic dependent.
Destination: 5021 Will Clayton Pkwy, Houston, TX 77032. Follow current major-road routing from Brenham; some routes use toll roads.
The published Brenham–IAH baseline is around 1 hour 20 minutes. This allowance adds margin for Houston traffic, the exact lot, and a brief stop.
Aim to reach the airport area early. If the map ETA is slipping, skip discretionary stops.
Your prepaid lot entry begins at 10:30 a.m.
Do not assume an earlier entry is free. If you arrive early, ask parking staff about the reservation’s entry tolerance. Do not wait on an airport access-road shoulder.
The target is to be at the airline check-in area around 11:05 a.m., approximately three hours before departure.
Will Clayton location. Photograph your aisle, shelter and vehicle.
The gate should recognize your license plate. If it does not, scan the QR in the parking confirmation.
If both fail, follow the confirmation’s instructions: take a ticket, keep it, and resolve the reservation at the help lane on exit. Do not pay for a second reservation unnecessarily.
Parking is booked October 10 at 10:30 a.m. through October 18 at 2 p.m.; confirmation IAH-WC-22905930.
Cost / booking: $110 paid for the reserved parking period.
Allow about 20 minutes here; a wait can extend this.
Board an ecopark2 shuttle and tell the driver Avianca, flight AV367. Use the current check-in terminal, not an assumed gate terminal.
Houston Airports advertises 24/7 ecopark shuttle service. The exact dispatch interval and transfer duration are not guaranteed.
IAH has had international check-in changes. Verify Avianca’s terminal in the app and with the driver rather than relying on an old Terminal D assumption.
Passports and boarding passes ready for all four.
Allow a full hour for check-in/document checks, any bag drop, and security. This is a planning allowance, not a prediction of the queue.
Avianca recommends arriving three hours before an international flight. The stated counter cutoff is not a sensible family arrival target.
Eat once you are through the formalities.
Choose something near the assigned gate. Refill bottles after security and buy flight snacks. Check screens again before settling in.
Reach the gate well ahead of boarding.
Allow for a terminal change or airside transfer if directed. The boarding pass and airport monitors control the actual gate.
Use the actual boarding time on the boarding pass.
This is a protected gate buffer, not a claim that boarding lasts an hour. Keep the family together and devices charged.
2 hours 55 minutes in the air; clocks move back one hour.
Departure: 2:05 p.m. in Texas, CDT / UTC−5. Arrival: 4:00 p.m. in El Salvador, CST / UTC−6.
Confirmed schedule from the October 3 travel reminder. Recheck before departure. Airline reference CKMJ4C.
Allow about an hour; actual queues vary.
Keep the accommodation address and onward flight details handy. Check entry-document requirements before travel, including any child relationship documents.
For the rental counter, follow the Alamo arrival instructions below before leaving the customs area.
Counter, shuttle, paperwork and vehicle inspection.
The confirmation directs you to Alamo on the left before exiting customs. If you have already exited, an agent should be in the passenger waiting area. The car facility is reached by shuttle.
Bring the physical Chase Sapphire Preferred, driver’s license, passport and rental coverage letter. Review the final agreement and selected protection before signing.
The booking says pickup at 4 p.m., your landing time. Tell Alamo beforehand that actual collection will be later. Photograph the vehicle, tires, glass, fuel level and mileage.
Cost / booking: Estimated rental total $378.46, payable at pickup. The confirmation also lists a credit-card authorization of $1,000 plus the rental cost.
Approximately 43 km; allow 60–90 minutes after arrival.
Use major airport and city roads, not navigation shortcuts. The published ordinary drive is about 47 minutes; this plan adds traffic and rain margin.
It may already be dark. This airport transfer is an unavoidable feature of the current flight/hotel plan, not a reason to add sightseeing. If weather or fatigue makes driving uncomfortable, have Alamo and the hotel help arrange a driver instead.
Deluxe room with two queen beds and balcony.
Reservation 93530673, October 10–11. Address: Avenida La Revolución, Colonia San Benito. Free self-parking is listed by Marriott.
Both Sheraton confirmations currently list two adults and one child. Ask the hotel to correct the guest count to two adults and two children before arrival.
Cost / booking: $81.42 shown on this reservation; verify any changes when correcting occupancy.
Hotel or a nearby San Benito option.
Keep this evening easy. Pool time is only a bonus if the pool is open and everyone still has energy. No trip into the historic center tonight.
San Benito → Cerro Verde → Juayúa
Juayúa’s weekend festival is the anchor; the seasonal fair is the bonus.
If the fair is sold out, weather is poor, or everyone is tired, drive directly to Juayúa. Do not replace it with several extra stops.
Take the day bags and all overnight luggage.
Confirm an early breakfast or takeaway option with the hotel. Put fair tickets, rain shells and water where they are easy to reach.
A two-hour planning window, including the park approach.
Use the main-road route agreed with the hotel. Mountain roads and fair traffic can add time; the map’s fastest route is not necessarily the best rental-car route.
This repeats some volcano-area driving tomorrow. The reason is that the seasonal fair is available this weekend only.
Seasonal fruit, food stalls, crafts and mountain atmosphere.
The ticket seller lists October 10 and 11, 8 a.m.–4 p.m. Your target visit is Sunday morning, not a timed admission appointment.
Taste a few things to share rather than eating a second full lunch before Juayúa. Leave time to walk and browse.
Cost / booking: Sunday admission currently lists $2 per person, $8 for four, before any checkout or parking charge. Tickets are nonrefundable; verify the final checkout total.
A real transition break rather than another attraction.
Leave the park by around 11 a.m. if you want a relaxed lunch in Juayúa. Traffic takes priority over fitting in every stall.
Allow 75 minutes for about 34 km on the selected route.
Confirm a suitable paved route. Do not blindly accept a rough coffee-estate shortcut. The published baseline is about 49 minutes.
Normal apartment check-in is not until 2 p.m.
Ask Jennifer to approve early luggage drop and parking before arrival. It is a request, not part of the confirmed booking.
If early access is unavailable, adjust the lunch/check-in sequence with the host. Keep passports and valuables with you.
Park once and explore the stalls around Parque Central.
The recurring weekend festival is the priority today. Share several dishes and let each child pick one snack or dessert.
Go at your own pace between food stalls, the plaza and nearby streets. No food tour is needed.
Cost / booking: No tour booked. Pay individual vendors; food and drinks are extra.
La Casita del Centro 1 · two-bedroom apartment.
Booked October 11–14, check-in after 2 p.m. and checkout by 11 a.m. Jennifer hosts the apartment on 2a Avenida Sur.
Self check-in uses a lockbox; get the instructions through Airbnb rather than storing the access code in this shareable guide.
Cost / booking: $204 shown in the booking reminder.
Central park, church exterior, shops and a café pause.
Keep this to roughly 1–2 km in small pieces, with no must-see interior. Head back whenever the girls are ready.
After the early start and two festivals, more driving would add little.
Stay near the apartment.
Decide whether Monday or Tuesday has the safer weather window.
Contact Marlon / the authorized guide, confirm the exact meeting point, 8:30 a.m. departure and the children’s suitability. Do not treat this guide time as a confirmed reservation until acknowledged.
Prepare water, food, rain layers, sun protection and trail shoes. Give the youngest hiker control over the family pace.
Juayúa → Cerro Verde → Coatepeque → Juayúa
The summit hike is the only essential activity; lake lunch and the boat yield to safety and fatigue.
Exchange Monday and Tuesday if the guide and forecast support it. If both days are unsafe, use town time or a cultural replacement, not another exposed hike.
Take enough food even though a late lunch is planned.
Allow 90 minutes; the standard Cerro Verde baseline is about 34 km.
The map button points to Cerro Verde as a planning anchor. Use the exact parking/meeting pin your coordinator supplies.
Do not substitute a different trailhead because an app shows a shorter drive. Arrival time includes a margin for roads and parking.
Verify Santa Ana / Ilamatepec, not Izalco.
ISTU recommends reserving because capacity is limited, but does not describe advance reservations as universally compulsory. With your own car, you can drive to the meeting area without buying a transport tour.
Use the authorized guided departure rather than assuming you can walk up alone. Confirm the current route, required guide arrangements, fees and turnaround plan.
Cost / booking: Cerro Verde’s published foreign entry is $3 each plus $1 light-vehicle parking. These are NOT the full volcano-hike costs; confirm separate reserve entry and guide fees.
A protected 4¼-hour activity window; the guide sets the real pace.
This is the most strenuous day. Allow roughly four to five hours in reality, including pauses. Stop for the children, and turn around if weather, footing or energy makes that sensible.
Stay on the permitted route and behind barriers. The crater is a view, not a swimming destination.
If the hike finishes after 1 p.m., remove the boat and shorten the lake stop. A later finish must not squeeze the return drive into darkness.
Use the bathroom and check the lake-route ETA.
The scheduled finish is an estimate. Before leaving, choose the actual lakeside restaurant and confirm it is serving; the general lake map is not a parking entrance.
Allow around 50 minutes to a selected lunch stop.
Restaurant choice changes the driving time. Use a convenient road-accessible viewpoint or lakeside venue instead of driving around the whole lake.
No specific restaurant reservation has been made. Ask the guide for a practical stop on the route back toward Juayúa.
This is the reward after the hike, not another expedition.
Pick a straightforward meal, sit down properly and enjoy the scenery. There is no need for an expensive resort day pass.
Only when weather, energy and timing all cooperate.
Agree on the whole-family price and duration before boarding. Check suitable life jackets for both children and weather conditions.
A 30-minute ride is enough. If departure would slip later than 3:30 p.m., skip it.
Cost / booking: Not reserved. Obtain a local boat quote; earlier $40 family estimates were not a guaranteed offer.
Allow 90 minutes from the selected lake stop.
The published lake-to-Juayúa baseline is about 40 km and one hour, but the restaurant location and roads can add time.
If the family is too tired for the lake after the hike, return directly to Juayúa and eat there instead.
Do not add another viewpoint today.
Rehydrate, eat and turn in early.
Juayúa → Malacatiupán → Ataco → Apaneca → Juayúa
Ataco before Café Albania reduces backtracking. Keep the waterfall optional.
If water or roads are unsuitable, begin with a later Ataco morning, lunch, then Café Albania. Do not replace one unsafe water stop with another.
Ask Jennifer about the waterfall approach after recent rain.
Allow 90 minutes; the final access is the uncertainty.
Keep to suitable roads and check the last section before committing the rental. Do not drive a sedan into mud, floodwater or a rutted access track.
If access is poor, skip this stop and start later in Ataco. Do not improvise an expensive off-road excursion just to preserve the itinerary.
A thermal-waterfall visit, with swimming only if conditions permit.
The warm and cooler rivers meet here, creating the unusual thermal-waterfall setting. Enjoy it from a safe viewing point if entry is inadvisable.
No jumping. Do not enter high, muddy or fast water, and do not take other people swimming as evidence of safety. Follow closures and staff advice.
Cost / booking: Pay locally if open. Earlier $5–$10 family figures were estimates, not a verified total.
Return toward the mountain towns without passing Ataco twice.
This reverses the earlier Albania-then-Ataco sequence. Ataco comes before Apaneca on the eastbound return toward Juayúa, reducing avoidable backtracking.
Park near the plaza and explore a compact mural-and-craft loop.
Walk from Parque Central past the church exterior and nearby mural-covered streets. Browse a few artisan shops rather than trying to visit every store.
For the girls: each chooses a favorite mural, finds an animal in another, and picks one small snack. Plan roughly 1–2 km with café and shop breaks.
Choose locally; no reservation or fixed restaurant.
Keep the afternoon activity budget separate from lunch. Ask about food and drink prices before ordering for the whole family.
Ataco → Apaneca.
Use the Café Albania map pin, not an unrelated Apaneca café. Allow extra time if the approach is busy.
Do the maze together, then buy only the activities you actually want.
Check current opening, activity prices, height and weight requirements at the counter before buying tokens or a package.
This is deliberately the fun, touristy part of the day. The maze plus one headline activity each is enough for most families. Do not assume both girls qualify for every ride.
Cost / booking: Planning allowance: $50–$80 for the family with selective activities. This is not a current operator quote.
Leave room for a quiet final mountain-town evening.
Tomorrow is a transfer day, not another early hike.
An easy walk from the apartment.
Confirm access, parking and 3 p.m. check-in.
Juayúa → Nahuizalco → El Zonte
Arrive with time to enjoy the beach base. Check-in is 3 p.m.
Don Juan Waterfalls is a replacement for another mountain outing, not an extra stop today. Nahuizalco fits the transfer with less driving.
No dawn departure today.
Return keys as instructed; official checkout is by 11 a.m.
Take photos if useful and check every outlet. Keep passports and important documents in your day bag.
A short stop naturally along your route south.
Park once near the center and wander on foot.
Look around the plaza, market and craft shops. This is a daytime town visit, not a promise that the night market will be operating.
Use a staffed parking area when available. Luggage should be out of sight, and valuables stay with you.
Use a simple town stop and take a bathroom break.
Allow 2¼ hours including a short stop and road margin.
Use the Sonsonate/coastal main-road route as appropriate to current conditions. Do not add Los Cóbanos or another beach detour to the transfer.
The accommodation is Lote 44 at CA 2E Km 53. Its exact email map pin is used here; the final entrance should be confirmed with Dan.
Room access is not promised before 3 p.m.
Ask Dan in advance about bag drop and parking. If that is unavailable, remain with your luggage at an appropriate nearby food stop.
The original illustrated 2 p.m. check-in was too early. Use the confirmed 3 p.m. time.
Private bathroom, A/C and pool access.
Booked October 14–17 for two adults and two children. This is a room booking, not the previously discussed entire two-bedroom apartment. Do not assume a private kitchen or laundry.
Self check-in uses a keypad. Keep access instructions in Airbnb rather than publishing the code. Checkout is by 11 a.m. Saturday.
Cost / booking: $289 shown as paid in the confirmation.
Keep the car parked once you settle in.
Ask the host for the easiest safe walking route to food and the beach. Do not assume every route shown on a map is a sidewalk.
The booking flags an unfenced pool. Maintain active adult supervision. Watch the ocean from shore when conditions are unsuitable for swimming.
No drive to another coastal town this evening.
Tamanique guide, surf time, weather and meeting points.
Ask Dan to confirm a trusted guide meeting in Tamanique town, suitable for ages eight and ten, with no cliff jumps or rope descents.
Coordinate Thursday/Friday changes with both the guide and Eterno rather than moving one booking in isolation.
El Zonte → Tamanique → El Tunco → El Zonte
A child-appropriate hike, not a checklist of all four falls.
Thursday and Friday mornings can trade places with the providers’ agreement. Storms can make both activities unsuitable; use an indoor/rest alternative then.
Eat before the steep walking begins.
Allow 45 minutes for approximately 26 km.
Meet at the agreed town location. Do not drive your sedan to a remote cabin property that requires 4x4 access.
The published drive can be much shorter, but bends, local traffic and parking justify the buffer.
No requirement to visit every waterfall.
Confirm the family total, entrance charges, expected return and a route appropriate for the girls. Explicitly exclude cliff jumping and rope descents.
Local guides are listed at the central park. Having a rental car replaces a transfer tour, not the guide’s role on the trail.
Cost / booking: Official benchmark is about $7 per person; a private family arrangement may differ. Confirm the full quote before starting.
A deliberately generous 3½-hour family hiking window.
Expect a steep descent and a climb back. Use shaded rest stops and do not pressure anyone to continue to a harder pool or fall.
The guide’s assessment governs water entry. Heavy rain or rapid runoff means no swimming and may mean no hike.
A standard commercial itinerary may be too difficult: Memo’s rates its normal route 8/10. Request an adapted route rather than assuming all advertised tours fit the girls.
Do not jump straight from the climb into another demanding activity.
Use the established road back to the coast.
Pick a café or simple restaurant after parking.
Short streets, surf shops and views of the rock.
Think 45 minutes of easy exploration, not a second excursion. Stay on dry, accessible paths; do not scramble around rocks when tides or waves make them unsafe.
A short coastal drive with time in hand.
Pool, reading, snacks or another very short walk.
This rest block is intentional. La Libertad and Sunset Park have moved to Friday so the waterfall day does not become overloaded.
Stay close and get ready for the surf lesson.
El Zonte → La Libertad → El Zonte
Surfing plus rest is the core. La Libertad and Sunset Park are an optional afternoon.
The instructor selects the safe lesson window. The plan can exchange mornings with Thursday; never substitute one unsafe water activity for another.
Use the final lesson time agreed with the school.
Walk or make a short transfer to the agreed beginner beach.
The school may choose a different beach or time for safe conditions. Its confirmed meeting pin overrides this general El Zonte anchor.
Ask for one instructor for each participant, especially each child. Confirm four-person pricing before paying.
Eterno advertises a one-hour beginner lesson.
Its published lesson includes approximately 15 minutes on land and 45 minutes in the water, soft-top boards, rash guards and one instructor per student even in a group.
Tell the school the girls are eight and ten. Use white-water beginner conditions; no obligation for everyone to stand up.
The 8 a.m. time is a proposed slot, not a confirmed reservation. Ask the instructor about championship training restrictions elsewhere on the coast.
Cost / booking: Planning allowance $100–$180 for four, not an Eterno quote. Obtain a written family total and weather-rescheduling terms.
Take time to warm up and drink.
A café stop or simple meal near the lodging.
This is not empty time to fill with another tour.
Check everyone’s energy before committing to the afternoon outing. Staying in El Zonte is a completely good choice.
About 20 km; allow 45 minutes with traffic and parking.
Skip the whole afternoon loop if the family prefers a beach/pool day. Otherwise park in a suitable managed area near the waterfront.
La Libertad’s port atmosphere and seafront.
Keep the walk compact, roughly 0.5–1 km with a drink stop. Look around the food/market area without feeling obliged to buy another full meal.
A few chosen rides, not an all-day theme-park commitment.
Friday’s official hours are 2 p.m.–10 p.m. Pedestrian entry is free, with rides purchased individually. Check current height restrictions before buying.
Aim to leave by 4:30 p.m. so the drive back is not pushed into darkness.
Cost / booking: Published rides: Ferris wheel $3; roller coaster and pirate ship $2; frog ride and carousel $1. Family ride allowance: $10–$25.
Allow 45 minutes; leave earlier if traffic builds.
A final relaxed coastal evening.
Make checkout straightforward before the city transfer.
Check ISA’s heat schedule, public viewing access and parking for Saturday. No spectator ticket or access arrangement has been verified.
Reconfirm the early Alamo return, shuttle and fuel location. Pack most bags now. Tomorrow’s room checkout is by 11 a.m.
El Zonte → El Sunzal → San Benito → historic center
Short surfing view, a compact city loop, and an early night. No second mountain outing.
If event access is unclear, skip it and head to the city earlier. El Boquerón, Puerta del Diablo and CIFCO are replacements, never additions to this full day.
Most bags should already be packed.
Allow 30 minutes including parking; access must be checked.
Use the viewing/parking pin supplied by your host or surf school. The map here names the beach only, not a guaranteed event entrance.
A short shore-based visit, subject to the day’s heat schedule.
The official event runs October 16–22. The opening ceremony is Friday; competition begins Saturday, October 17. ISA labels the schedule tentative.
A 7:45 arrival is not a claim that heats start then. Check Friday’s published schedule and public access. If nothing suitable is happening, take a short beach walk and return.
Cost / booking: Spectator pricing and public parking were not verified. Do not assume reserved seating or free parking.
A parallel task for one adult, not an extra sequential stop.
The 24-hour check-in window for AV368 opens at 8 a.m. El Salvador time. Check in on the phone during a pause, or promptly after returning to the room.
Save passes offline and verify all four seats. The actual airline timing controls any check-in changes.
Do not let event traffic make checkout frantic.
Official checkout deadline: 11 a.m.
If a later event schedule matters to you, agree on bag storage or late checkout with Dan ahead of time. Neither is currently confirmed.
Otherwise be on the road by 10:45 with everything packed.
Allow 90 minutes for about 50–55 km and city traffic.
Use the principal coastal/city roads. The baseline drive to San Salvador is much shorter than this allowance, but traffic into San Benito can vary.
Room check-in begins at 2 p.m.
Ask for luggage storage, not guaranteed early room access. Marriott lists luggage storage; arrange the details during your first stay.
Do not tour downtown with bags or passports left in the car.
A comfortable pause before the city walk.
Allow 45 minutes including finding a staffed parking lot.
Use a staffed lot near BINAES / Plaza Gerardo Barrios, not a random street space chosen to save a few dollars. The map pin is the district anchor, not a verified parking entrance.
A hotel-arranged taxi or rideshare is an alternative if you prefer to leave the car at the Sheraton.
An easy first section of the historic-center loop.
See the plaza, the Cathedral and the National Palace exterior. Enter only where ordinary visitor access is available; ceremonies or services can change access.
Do not make the entire afternoon depend on an interior tour.
The National Library is beside the central plaza.
Check same-day visitor procedures and any queue before entering. Keep this as an optional interior, with a snack or seated rest as the alternative.
This is a flexible 40-minute window, not a guaranteed timed tour.
Finish the loop without crossing the whole city.
Walk via Plaza Morazán and the National Theater exterior toward Plaza Libertad, then return to your parking area. The complete center loop is approximately 1–2 km with breaks.
El Rosario tourist access was reported suspended in September; a reopening was not verified. View the exterior unless normal visitor entry is confirmed. Do not use a religious service to bypass restrictions.
Leave enough time for tomorrow’s exceptionally early start.
Reservation 93538037 · two queen beds.
Ask reception about a 3 a.m. wake-up call, quiet early checkout and car access. Confirm the room’s guest count includes both daughters.
Tomorrow’s rental return is proposed for 4:30–4:45 a.m.; the email still says 6:30 a.m. unless you have changed it.
Cost / booking: $81.42 shown on the final-night confirmation; verify any occupancy-related adjustment.
Hotel or very nearby.
Prepare tonight; top up near the airport in the morning.
Fill most of the tank this evening if practical, but remember the approximately 43 km drive tomorrow uses fuel. Confirm a safely accessible station open before 4:30 a.m. for the final top-up.
Keep the exact Alamo return pin, passports, passes and parking QR offline. The Texas car is in ecopark2, not ecopark on JFK.
If self-driving before dawn feels unsafe, arrange a hotel driver and Alamo collection/return alternative in advance rather than improvising at 3 a.m.
No extra volcano viewpoint tonight.
San Benito → SAL → IAH → Pflugerville
Get to the SAL terminal around 5 a.m. and leave flexibility after U.S. immigration.
If the flight or border queue is delayed, accept parking overage and a later drive home. Do not sacrifice rest to recover the printed schedule.
Bags ready, bill sorted, car accessible.
Take a final room sweep and a bathroom break. Carry breakfast snacks because you are leaving before normal hotel breakfast.
This departure time is a recommendation to protect an 8 a.m. international flight.
Allow 55 minutes for the main-road airport transfer.
Use the route and return approach confirmed with Alamo. Do not follow a last-minute shortcut onto unlit local roads.
The ordinary published drive is around 47 minutes. Severe weather can require a different plan; arrange assistance the evening before if necessary.
Use the confirmed-open station near the return route.
The fuel-station location and opening hours are not yet verified. Ask Alamo at pickup for a reliable option and save its exact pin.
A full tank on Saturday evening will not remain full after the drive to SAL. Keep the final fuel receipt.
Proposed earlier return; must be confirmed with the branch.
Current confirmation says 6:30 a.m. Ask Alamo to record 4:30–4:45 a.m., confirm opening/shuttle operation, and provide the actual road entrance.
Photograph the fuel gauge, odometer, exterior and interior. Obtain a closed receipt or written return acknowledgment. Do not rely on an unconfirmed key-drop procedure.
Allow 20 minutes after the handover.
The booking describes a shuttle to/from the rental facility. Confirm the early-morning return service in advance.
The goal is the airline terminal around 5 a.m., not merely reaching the rental lot at 5 a.m.
Approximately three hours before the flight.
Have all four passports and boarding passes accessible. Allow for document checks even with online check-in and light luggage.
Use the time buffer for food and drinks near the gate.
Follow the actual gate assignment.
The boarding pass gives the authoritative boarding time.
This protected block includes gate waiting. Keep passports handy until boarding is complete.
3 hours 5 minutes elapsed; Texas is one hour ahead.
Departure: 8 a.m. El Salvador, CST / UTC−6. Arrival: 12:05 p.m. Texas, CDT / UTC−5.
Confirmed schedule from the October 3 reminder, subject to airline updates.
International arrivals processing at IAH Terminal E.
Allow roughly 70 minutes as a planning window, not a guaranteed queue time. Follow signs for U.S. entry and ground transportation.
A flight or customs delay may move every following step. Do not turn the parking reservation’s 2 p.m. end into a stressful deadline.
Use the Will Clayton bus, not the JFK ecopark lot.
Ask airport staff for the current ecopark2 pickup zone. The precise curb stop can change with construction or operations.
Use the aisle/shelter photo from October 10. Allow for waiting, the bus ride and loading the family.
Reserved exit is 2 p.m.; budget for overage if delayed.
Use plate recognition or the same QR. For an entry-ticket problem, use the help lane and provide the prepaid confirmation.
The parking email states that delay-related extra time is the customer’s responsibility. Consider extending the booking in advance if you prefer a larger cushion; additional cost is not quoted here.
Use the main-road route toward Pflugerville.
This stop is a suggested US-290/Cypress corridor break, not a restaurant reservation. Choose a convenient safe stop based on the actual route.
Some map routes use toll roads. Select based on traffic and your toll setup, not solely the smallest displayed drive time.
Refuel or charge if needed; change drivers if useful.
Everyone has been up since about 3 a.m. in El Salvador. Take a real break before the longer drive.
Vehicle type and charging needs for the Texas car were not confirmed for this itinerary. Add charging time if required; do not assume it fits automatically.
Allow a relaxed final leg and one brief stop if needed.
The full IAH–Pflugerville baseline is about 159 miles and 2 hours 54 minutes. Lunch, traffic, your exact home location and fatigue extend that.
Target home roughly 5:30–6 p.m. Texas time if the flight and immigration run close to schedule. This is not a guaranteed arrival. Stop rather than driving drowsy.
Unload only what you need tonight.
Refrigerate anything necessary, plug in devices, and leave the full unpacking for later. All remaining evening plans are intentionally blank.
A schedule with breathing room. Transit blocks include deliberate buffers, not live traffic predictions. Optional activities are the first to go if a hike, meal or queue runs long. The flight blocks show both local time zones; everything else follows the day’s location.
Original confirmations, exact location anchors and the details that still need a check.
Keep this copy private. It contains booking references and accommodation locations, but no parking QR token, access code, card number or home street address. Email links require your Gmail login. No bookings were changed while making this guide.
Fri Oct 9 → Sat Oct 10
B_61253871Prepaid · room price not itemized here
Confirm breakfast hours. Proposed departure is 8:15 a.m. Saturday.
Oct 10, 10:30 AM → Oct 18, 2:00 PM CDT
IAH-WC-22905930$110 paid
Save QR offline. Consider more exit buffer if you want protection from flight/customs delays; extra parking is not priced here.
Oct 10 out · Oct 18 home
CKMJ4CBooked through Chase Travel
Verify all four seats and the current IAH check-in terminal. Check in 24 hours ahead for the U.S. routes.
Oct 10 → Oct 18 · eight billed days
1695585112$378.46 estimated · pay at counter
Confirm later actual pickup after landing; arrange 4:30–4:45 AM return, early shuttle, exact return pin and open fuel stop. No reservation has been changed here.
Sat Oct 10 → Sun Oct 11
93530673$81.42 shown
Confirmation lists 2 adults + 1 child. Ask the hotel to include both daughters and confirm any rate effect.
Sun Oct 11 → Wed Oct 14 · 3 nights
HMNARTN3P9$204 shown
Request Sunday bag drop and parking around 12:15–12:30 PM. Confirm working smoke/CO alarms, which were not reported in the reminder.
Wed Oct 14 → Sat Oct 17 · 3 nights
HMD5EZZQ3T$289 paid
Confirm entrance, parking and guide help. Ask about alarms and supervise the unfenced pool. Late bag storage on Oct 17 requires approval.
Sat Oct 17 → Sun Oct 18
93538037$81.42 shown
Correct 2 adults + 1 child to include both girls. Confirm bag storage, early bill settlement and car access.
Tick off what you have done. A checkmark is your own note, not a provider confirmation.
Buy the correct Sunday entry through Smart Ticket. The current activity purchase was not found in the email search; that does not prove it is unbooked.
Call Marlon / ISTU, +503 7245-5184. Ask for an 8:30 AM Ilamatepec departure, approved parking pin, suitability for ages 8 and 10, total fees and weather-change terms. Drive yourselves; do not buy an unnecessary city-transfer tour.
Request Friday morning, a Thursday backup, one instructor per participant, equipment, total family price and rescheduling terms. The guide uses a placeholder 8 AM slot until the school confirms.
Reservation 1695585112. Actual pickup follows the 4 PM landing. Replace the 6:30 AM Oct 18 return plan with a confirmed 4:30–4:45 AM handover and terminal shuttle. Ask about an open fuel station on that route.
Both emails list 2 adults and 1 child. Ask the hotel to update to 2 adults and 2 children and confirm the room/rate. Also arrange Oct 17 luggage storage and Oct 18 early checkout.
Confirm entrances, parking, check-in instructions and working alarms. Request Sunday early bag drop in Juayúa. El Zonte check-in is 3 PM, not 2 PM.
Passports, child relationship documents as applicable, driving license, physical payment card, Chase rental coverage letter, booking confirmations and parking QR. Keep access codes separate from any public copy of the guide.
Save regional maps, ensure mobile data works, and bring a car charging cable/power bank. Opening this saved HTML needs no connection; external maps, email and booking sites do.
Outbound opens Friday Oct 9 at 2:05 PM Texas time. Return opens Saturday Oct 17 at 8 AM Salvadoran time. Current IAH terminal and gate must be checked close to travel.
The plan assumes departure from the Pflugerville area around 4:30 PM Friday. Work/school timing, exact home address and vehicle charging requirements were not verified. Adjust the Friday evening, not the Saturday airport buffer.
Through Dan or an authorized local guide, request a town meeting point, no cliff jumping, no rope descent and a route suitable for the girls. Reconfirm on Oct 14 after recent-rain checks.
Confirm the actual Saturday heats, spectator access, parking and any road controls. Watching is optional; access and admission costs were not verified.
Call Alamo before the final evening. Texas parking ends at 2 PM after the 12:05 PM landing, so allow possible overage if immigration or the flight runs late.
Offline use and notes. This file contains the itinerary itself, so it can be read without a connection when opened in a browser that supports local HTML. Maps, Gmail, calls and booking websites still need the appropriate connection. Notes and checkboxes do not sync between devices. Export and import them to transfer a copy.
Published driving baselines where available, plus longer family-planning allowances.
These are not live map ETAs. Distances with a source are published town-to-town baselines, not measured from every exact driveway. Other distances are rounded planning estimates. Confirm same-day routing, weather and provider pins. A generic park or beach pin is not a guaranteed parking entrance. In El Salvador, prioritize suitable main roads over unpaved shortcuts.
Home location and Friday traffic change this. Use US-290 / current suitable main-road route.
Open routePublished Brenham–IAH baseline is around 1h20; exact lot and traffic add time. Entry begins 10:30 AM.
Open routeMarriott’s displayed 20 km figure is not a suitable driving-distance estimate. The road-distance source gives roughly 43 km.
Open routeAllow fair-day traffic. The guide’s or hotel’s approved paved route is preferable to a shortcut.
Open routePublished baseline is about 49 minutes; extra time protects parking and mountain-road delays.
Open routeChoose the restaurant before descending. A lake-center pin is not a restaurant entrance.
Open routeWhere you eat changes the route. Leave the lake by about 3:30 PM or skip the boat.
Open routeAtaco comes before Albania on the return toward Juayúa. Avoid a rough waterfall approach in the sedan.
Open routeUse the main Sonsonate/coastal corridor as conditions permit. No extra beach detour.
Open routeMeet in town. Do not navigate to a remote 4x4-access cabin.
Open routeIncludes traffic and parking allowance. Return before darkness.
Open routeThe beach map pin is not verified event access. Ask locally on Oct 16.
Open routeThe city baseline is about 52 km / 46 minutes; allow city traffic and the exact hotel approach.
Open routeUse a staffed lot near BINAES. Walking loop is about 1–2 km, with pauses.
Open routePublished driving baseline is 2h54. Lunch, customs delay and fatigue move your home arrival.
Open routeTexas logistics are now real. Friday ends in Brenham, then Saturday has a two-hour drive allowance to your actual ecopark2 reservation. The return continues from IAH to home rather than stopping at the airport.
Ataco comes before Albania. Tuesday visits the waterfall, then Ataco, then Apaneca on the way back to Juayúa. This avoids the earlier extra backtrack.
Check-in times match the emails. Juayúa is 2 PM; El Zonte is 3 PM; both require approval for early bag drop. The final Sheraton night also starts at 2 PM.
The full coastal day is split. Thursday ends after Tamanique and El Tunco. La Libertad and Sunset Park are optional on Friday after the surf lesson and rest.
Saturday stays compact. Short championship viewing and one historic-center walking loop. No El Boquerón or Puerta del Diablo added on top.
The two water/weather swaps remain. Monday and Tuesday can trade with the volcano guide’s agreement. Thursday and Friday can trade with the guide and instructor. A storm can rule out both water activities, not just one.
The return starts earlier. The recommended Alamo return is 4:30–4:45 AM, but the booking still says 6:30 AM unless you have amended it. The fuel stop and shuttle must be confirmed.
Los Chorros / Termos del Río: possible swimming alternatives when safe, not a thunderstorm fallback. These replace another water attraction; they do not belong on an already full transfer day.
Don Juan Waterfalls: a possible substitute for Malacatiupán, after confirming access. Keep the Wednesday transfer simple.
Joya de Cerén: a cultural alternative if the volcano cannot operate. Verify opening and admission first; do not assume Monday access.
El Boquerón, Puerta del Diablo or CIFCO: replace part of the last afternoon only. None is a commitment in the current timeline.
Costa del Sol and Walter Thilo Deininger: remain outside the main route. They add driving or compete with better-suited family activities already included.
Public information checked October 6, 2026. Your booking emails are the source for flight times, hotel nights, parking and rental details. Public event listings are not proof that you hold a ticket. No activity confirmation was found in the targeted email search, but a booking made elsewhere may still exist.
Safety decisions, route closures, airline updates and the actual boarding pass override this reference guide. Restaurants and most optional activities are deliberately not reserved. Quotes and estimates are labeled; final prices may differ.