We spent two weeks in Florida in January; one in Daytona Beach, another in Weston (near Fort Lauderdale). Dividing our time between north and south turned into two very different vacations. There is a lot more to this state than DisneyWorld!
The first week was spent at a high-rise Wyndham property facing the Atlantic. We bought a Last Call through RCI, (our timeshare) and paid $250 for the entire week for a one bedroom unit. At this price, the Ocean Walk didn't give us a view of the ocean, but our downtown vista was great at night when the city lights flickered on. We stayed on the 27th floor and every day took the elevator to the lobby, then walked to the pool, across the boardwalk, and onto the beach. Not bad for $250 for an entire week! There was a bar and a pizzeria on site. Movie theaters and restaurants were right next door. The property was clean and updated. I doubt I'd go back to Daytona, but if I did, I wouldn't be afraid to stay at the Ocean Walk Resort. http://www.oceanwalk.com
Living and kitchen of Ocean Walk
Sand Mermaid in front of hotel
original old schoolhouse
A nice surprise was finding Saint Augustine. Neither John nor I had ever been to the oldest city in the United States. One evening, we drove north from Daytona and spent several hours in Old Town, exploring quaint buildings, antique schoolhouses, wineries, restaurants, and parks. Since we were there the first week of January, many of the Christmas lights were still up. Saint Augustine had many original buildings in the older area. We wandered around and found this old school house. In January, an odd combination of spring flowers and holiday lighting greeted us.
schoolhouse entrance
Artwork in old town St. Augustine
Old Fort in Saint Augustine
There was so much to see--from reproductions to an actual fort. Then we ate alligator at one of the restaurants on the small narrow streets. And guess what? John and I both agreed that gator tastes just like chicken!
old church in St. Augustine
John had gator at Rhett's
eating gator in St. Augustine
The Lightner Museum
Ponce de Leon Inlet Lighthouse
One sunny afternoon, we drove to an inlet near Daytona Beach and found this lighthouse. It was worth the $5.00 per adult--price of admission. Visitors have free range to roam and view the restored buildings on the property. We stepped 213 times to the top of the tower and were out of breath when we finished. The best part: seeing two dolphins playing in the waters near the boat docks below. Check it out: http://ponceinlet.org
Tons of gators throughout the farm
We visited the Alligator Farm in St. Augustine. http://www.alligatorfarm.com I'm fascinated with wildlife--guess I take after my dad. I wasn't so sure how I'd feel about alligators, but this farm not only had gators, it had snakes, and birds, and monkeys too. There was enough wildlife to keep us occupied and entertained for several hours.
Be careful John!
Lunch on way to Key West
one of the many roosters in Key West
During the second week, we headed south and stayed in Weston at another timeshare: Bonaventure Vacation Village. The place was clean and spacious and recently updated. The best part of this resort was the large pool with a surplus of lounge chairs. A kiddy pool was also available. Every morning John and I walked the neighborhoods, checking out the Weston hotels, rental properties, and residences. One day we drove from Vacation Village to the furthest, southernmost point in the United States: Key West. It was a twelve-hour day, but worth it. We'd only been to Key West by cruise ships--and only for a few hours. This time we traveled Highway 1 through one little seaside town to the next. Most of the trip was via two-lane roads (and lots of bridges too) with gorgeous sea views. It was like driving on top of an infinity pool; blue ocean on both sides of the road--and it seemed to go on forever. Along the way, we stopped for lunch at the Island Fish Company and had fresh fish tacos. Yum, yum.
Dancing couple - art in Key West
Every time we go to Key West, we take this picture.
Once in Key West, we parked, then explored by foot. There were three ships in port and so the sidewalks were crowded. If we had it to do over again, we would have stayed in town a night or two. Key West is charming, and once the ships leave--the vibe changes to mellow. We spent time on the beach, people watching, and enjoying an adult beverage when the ships set sail. The Sawgrass Everglades Airboat tours were a few miles from our hotel. And boy are they fun! http://www.evergladestours.com/_index.php Ear plugs highly recommended! Our condo offered discounted coupons and I would check out this out (wherever you stay) to see if they have any such offers. Besides the airboats (and yes we did see an alligator in the wild) they have various wild animals in cages. I held a baby crocodile. His mouth was taped closed; it was like holding a bag of flour--much heavier than I expected. He was rough, like a leather purse. Even though alligator tasted like chicken--he sure didn't feel like one!
John on an Everglades airboat ride
Everglades airboat
holding a baby alligator
South Beach, Florida
Hollywood Beach at Sunset
Other places we visited near Fort Lauderdale and Miami: The Hard Rock Casino (John gambled and won!) Hollywood Beach and South Beach. There is a Riverwalk in Fort Lauderdale but it is lame compared to San Antonio's. But the area was pretty and if you go when you are hungry, there are a couple restaurants that might be fun to have lunch or dinner. Many of the yachts are impressive in size and you could watch them come and go. There is a short paved path (at least that was all we found)--but not much if you are truly a walker. I felt like it was meant for strollers (people strolling slowly, not kids in strollers).
We spent one night enjoying South Beach and ended up dining at an outside cafe. Very expensive. The restaurants had specials to reel you in, but everything turned out to be a la carte. By the time we each had a drink, main course, (I think we shared a calamari appetizer, and dessert--our bill was pushing $100. But you only live once and we don't expect to make it back to South Beach anytime soon, so we splurged. In the end, we liked the eclectic company of Hollywood Beach better than the rich, uptight feel of ritzy South Beach. The retro hotels in South Beach did make me feel like I'd gone back in time. I imagine Cuba would look like this--without the newness. This two-week trip taught us that we'd definitely like to spend more time in Florida. For a complete set of Florida pictures, check out my photo book:http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=0AZNWzZy0YsWT6A or click below:
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