This is the second of my highlights posts about JoCo Cruise 2017. Check here for the highlights of days 1-3. And stay tuned throughout the week for even more. Tomorrow, I’ll go in depth with the guests who were sailing with us and much of the programming in which they were involved. On Thursday, I’ll take a look at what else is available on a JoCo Cruise – aside from the big-name guests and main stage performances. Then, on Friday, I’ll focus on the many great podcasts that were aboard.

I hate to repeat myself, but if you haven’t checked out the first highlights post, let me just say that the week blew all my expectations out of the water. It was an absolutely incredible experience, and one I highly recommend. Bookings for 2018 available now!

This year’s cruise – even though it was the 7th annual sailing – was also a year of firsts. It was the first time the boat sailed from the west coast, and it also included the inaugural JoCoachella festival (clever, right?) in the Loreto town square. Although I’m sure 1,000 things could have gone wrong in the planning and execution of the festival, it went off without a hitch – from our perspective, at least. And it was certainly one of the top highlights of the week.

Highlights of Days 4-7

• Exploring the town of Loreto. It was just incredible. Plus, the fact that 1,500 nerds basically took over the town for a day was all kinds of awesome.
• Jamming to all of the acts during JoCoachella: Ted Leo, Jean Grae, John Roderick, Jonathan Coulton, and Nerf Herder.
• Watching Nerf Herder’s set while standing beside Wil Wheaton.
• Falling in love with Zoe Keating’s masterful cello playing.
• Finally watching ‘Welcome to Night Vale’ performed live.
• Watching Aimee Mann sing “Save Me” and The Both (Mann and Ted Leo) put on what was perhaps the best live performance of the week.
• Feeling proud of my daughter for showing how it’s done at Zoe Keating’s Armpit Farting Colloquium.
• Singing along (with several dozen other die-hard fans) to almost every song in ‘Hamilton.’
• Feeling entirely too many feels during the final concert, when Coulton (and a bunch of the other guests) played several tribute covers to recently departed musicians, including “Purple Rain,” “Take it Easy,” and “Freedom.”

Photo Highlights, Day 4

Photo Highlights, Day 5

Photo Highlights, Day 6

Photo Highlights, Day 7