Category: Travel

Florida is a beautiful state that has great weather almost all year round. There are so many great beaches and beach towns to check out in Florida. We wanted to share some of our favorite beaches in Florida along with a couple that are on our bucket list. Now that we are living in Florida, we are able to travel to different beaches in the state and discover different places. Make sure to follow us along on here for our different Florida adventures.

Most East coast beaches are different than West coast in Florida, but as you travel down further on the East coast they do start to look more like the west coast. The East coast side of Florida faces the Atlantic Ocean and the West coast faces the Gulf of Mexico.

East Coast Beaches

Growing up, my family and I always ventured to the East coast side of Florida and also explored some of the Keys as well. One of our go to spots growing up was Cocoa Beach, FL which is a fun spring break spot. It has a family feel, but is also fun and exciting for college students as well.

One of our favorite beaches on the East coast is obviously Satellite Beach as that is where my parents live so we visit often. Corbin and I got engaged at Paradise Beach so it holds a special place in our hearts. The beaches there are much quieter than touristy areas, but still offer a lot of things to do. There are several restaurants and condos along the beach strip there. If you want to find a place to stay, I would recommend checking our Airbnb or VRBO in that area since it’s mostly condos or residential. As you get closer to Melbourne beach, there are a couple of hotels and also several closer to Cocoa Beach as well. These are great beaches to surf at as well and you are only an hour drive from Disney World and the Orlando area making it a great location. Our favorite beaches to go to along that strip are High Tower, Pelican, and Paradise Beach. All of those beaches have nice restrooms and showers as well as lots of food options close by.

Vero Beach is another favorite to visit on the East Coast. If you are looking for a classy vacation environment (aka a little more expensive) then Vero Beach is the place. They have a couple of really nice resorts to stay at and I’m sure places on airbnb. There is quite a bit to do there as well. They have lots of restaurants, shopping, night life, and fun places for families to go. The water is very light blue here as well making this beach very beautiful.

Palm Beach is also a great beach area to check out on the East coast. It has a very classy feel to it as well. They have several resorts and hotels along the beaches there. There is lots of shopping and restaurants to visit. We have not stayed in Palm Beach yet, but it’s on our bucket list to visit this year after baby is born.

Ormond Beach is another favorite of ours, especially for a day trip from Ocala. It’s only an hour and a half drive from Ocala, so we visit this one often for day trips. We had our wedding in Daytona Beach which was nice, but honestly wouldn’t recommend Daytona Beach as a vacation spot unless you are into Nascar. It’s not as much of a family vacation spot since it’s an older city. But we do love the Ormond area and there is definitely a lot more to do there including a great ice cream shop out near the beach that we love to visit.

St. Augustine also needs to be on your list since it’s a very historic area. There is definitely a lot to do there family wise and seeing lots of old castles and buildings. We have not stayed there yet, but that is also on our list to check out this year. Plus they have a really beautiful Christmas light event to check out. So it’s a great area for a family to vacation to.

West Coast Beaches

The West coast has some really beautiful beaches and if you’re looking for that white sand and crystal clear blue water then this is the coast you want to check out. We still have several beaches on the west coast we want to visit, but going to share some of our favorites we have visited.

Madeira/Seaside are beaches are by far our favorites on the west coast. They are a 6 hour drive from us in Ocala and are located in the Panhandle area. These beaches are so beautiful and have the whitest sand and crystal clear light blue water. We love visiting this area in October as the weather is so nice and it’s way less crowded at that time. This area is very touristy and definitely offers a lot for families to do. We typically find an airbnb or vacation rental in this area as that’s mostly what they have to offer. We highly recommend this area and any of the beaches along that area are beautiful. We try to avoid Destin and Panama City as they are a little more of the over touristy areas and often crowded by people.

Sand Key Beach is another favorite of ours and only 2 hours from Corbin and I in Ocala. You want to avoid Clearwater Beach as it’s super touristy, crowded and you pay a ton for parking. If you’re staying at a resort on the beach it’s not so bad, but that would be the only reason I would go to Clearwater Beach. Sand Key Beach is literally 5 mins south of Clearwater and has a ton of parking. Plus they also have chairs and umbrellas you can rent for the day. It’s definitely a favorite of ours. Plus there are a ton of restaurants and things to do being so close to Clearwater.

Fort Desoto Beach is another great beach on the west coast side of Florida. They have lots of parking, great bathrooms, and there is a lot to do there since it’s a park. It’s located south of St. Pete Beaches.

A couple of other beaches we want to visit on the West coast of Florida include Sanibel Island, Honeymoon Island, and Marco Island. All of these beaches are on our list to visit including the Florida Keys as well. We absolutely love Florida and love the beaches here and can’t wait to visit more. Follow us along on here as we share more Florida adventures and visit more Florida beaches.

One of our favorite spring activities in FL is to go kayaking at the springs. There are several springs throughout Florida to explore. Silver springs is a beautiful spring located in Ocala, FL. You can explore the springs on foot, by glass bottom boat, or kayaking. Our preferred way is kayaking.

Our favorite way to kayak at Silver Springs is with Get up and Go Kayaking. These clear water kayaks allow you to see all of the springs well. On this 2 hour tour you will get to paddle all of the spring. You will get to see lots of wildlife along along the way including: monkeys, manatees, and gators as well.

The tour costs $60 per person and includes the kayak and the full 2 hour tour. Make sure to take your phone along with a water bag to be able to capture pictures and videos. Also make sure to bring a couple extra dollars to tip your tour guide.

The best time to visit the springs is November-March as it’s the manatee season. You will see lots of manatees at this time of year and the weather is beautiful as well. I recommend wearing a suit on a warmer day or something comfortable if it’s cooler outside. I also recommend going on the morning tour as it’s the best time to go and less busy.

This is such an unforgettable experience and needs to be at the top of your list this spring!

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to swim with dolphins?! You can experience this one of a kind unique adventure at Discovery Cove in Orlando, FL. I’m here to share all the details with you all about our personal experience and also share some inside pictures as well.

We had the opportunity to partner with Discovery Cove in August 2022 and it was an experience we will never forget!

What is Discovery Cove

Discovery Cove is a water theme park in correlation with Seaworld in Orlando, FL. It’s an immersive aquatic experience where you can enjoy swimming with Dolphins, Sting Rays, Sharks, and also explore their many daily activities including a natural lazy river and several encounters with wildlife and aquatic creatures. It’s an all inclusive day resort which means your food and snacks are all included in your price for admission.

What you will experience

There is so much to do and see at Discovery Cove and there are several ways to enjoy it. We got to experience a cabana overlooking the dolphin bay and I cannot recommend a cabana enough for a family. The cabana is an upgrade but it includes a private cabana with chairs, a hammock, a cooler stocked with drinks, a personal locker to store things, and a butler to bring you drinks throughout the day.

You can enjoy several different activities throughout the day including swimming with fish and rays, swimming in several different pools and a natural lazy river which was one of our favorite things to do, visit wildlife including birds, otters, and several other encounters, and enjoy food and lots of snacks throughout the day. For a slight up charge you can experience and up close and personal dolphin swim encounter which I highly recommend adding as this was our favorite part of our day. You can also upgrade and swim with sharks or do the Seaventure experience which is a unique underwater experience where you get to walk on the sea level and interact with fish and other aquatic creatures.

Dolphin Experience

This one of a kind experience is worth the extra cost and make sure to have someone who can snap some photos of you as they don’t allow you to take your phones with you or you can purchase some of the photos they take as well. During this 1 hour experience you get to meet a dolphin or two up close and personal. We got to touch the dolphin several times and swim with it as well and see several tricks. I’ve always dreamed of doing this as a kid and was it an amazing experience.

Admission cost and add ons

They have a special discounted price right now for a full day at the resort plus a swim with the dolphins for $239 per person! This is the best bang for your buck as it includes the whole park plus the dolphin swim. It’s $201 per person for a regular admission day pass. You can also add on other parks like aquatica or Seaworld if you like. Seaventure the underwater experience costs $49.99 per person to add on. You can swim with sharks for an extra $169 per person for the day. The Cabanas start at $299 for the day and go up from there including upgrades etc. The photo packages start at $99 for the day.

This really is a unique and one of a kind experience and I can’t recommend it enough while visiting Orlando, FL with your family!

Looking for a great place to stay when you visit downtown Tampa?! One of our favorites as a couple is the Hilton Downtown. We had the privilege to stay at the Hilton Downtown Tampa last weekend and had such a blast! Our favorite part was the city views from the rooftop pool and the delicious gourmet food at the 211 Lounge and restaurant.

Stay

This four star hotel has beautiful rooms with great views of the city. We stayed in the king size room which had a full king size bed, sitting area by the window with a couch and a desk, a mini fridge and dresser, full length mirror, closet, spacious bathroom, and a tv with streaming availability. The best part of this room was the beautiful city views.

Amenities

They offer several amenities including a rooftop pool and bar, a gym, a lounge area in the lobby with a gift shop, a full lounge and restaurant for dinner as well as a restaurant for breakfast and lunch, and a full starbucks. They also offer vale parking and can hold events in their conference rooms available.

Restaurant

The food is always a highlight for us and the 211 restaurant and lounge did not disappoint. We enjoyed the most amazing dinner menu items complete with mocktails and dessert. I ordered their pork chop which was to die for with the most amazing flavors and tenderness. Corbin ordered a burger which also had amazing flavor complete with herb fries. Corbin got to try a special basque cheesecake that was so amazing and I got to try some of their raspberry sorbet. Everything was so flavorful and delicious. For breakfast, they offer a continental breakfast or a full menu breakfast where you can order made to order omelets, avocado toast, and belgium waffles. We tried some of both and it was very delicious. We especially loved the omelets!

Location

It’s located right in the heart of downtown within a short walk to the River Walk. It’s also within walking distance to the Museum of Art, Amalie Arena, Convention Center, and Tampa Theatre, and a short drive or street car ride away from the Florida Aquarium. You can easily access the street car which will take you anywhere downtown Tampa.

Things to do

There are so many different activities in the downtown Tampa area from restaurants, to events, to shops, to fun activities. Some of our favorite activities are Zoo Tampa and the Florida Aquarium both within driving distance. We also recommend Yacht Starships to experience their dinner cruise. The Tampa theatre is within walking distance as well as the museum of art. The riverwalk is also close by and is always hosting different events as well.