Our 4-Day Getaway to South Florida
Hi friends! It’s been awhile since I’ve written a blog post. As many of you may know, my Dad passed away at the end of January after his 3 year battle with brain cancer. He didn’t lose the fight, but instead gained the most amazing gift: Heavenly healing! My Dad is in the arms of Jesus now fully healed, and that beautiful truth has been getting me through the deep sadness I feel, because I miss him more than words can say. I posted his obituary that my mom and I co-wrote on the blog if you’re interested in reading it. I just went back to work last Monday after being off for 4 weeks, and it was honestly really nice to have that time off. I was able to have space to grieve, reflect and process so many emotions that I was feeling, and truthfully, I’m still feeling all the emotions. The grieving process is personal and different for everyone, and I’m giving myself the freedom to feel whatever it is I need to feel and take each day as it comes. I was able to spend time with my mom, support her, and cry with her, all while planning the Celebration of Life service that we had for my Dad last Saturday. It was a beautiful day reminiscing on fond memories together and spending time with dear family and friends. It was a reminder that there is beauty in the midst of sadness, and I will try to live my life in a way that glorifies God and honors my Dad and the legacy he left behind.
During my time off, Freddy and I were also able to take a 4-day trip to Florida to visit his aunt and uncle. It was a trip we had planned several months ago, and despite everything that happened, we decided to continue on with our plans. We still wanted to spend time with his family and felt it would be a good opportunity for us to come up for air and recharge a bit. We also couldn’t refund our flights so that was another big factor! We spent 4 full days in South Florida and it was the perfect amount of time to see and do a lot, while leaving us wanting to come back for more. Prior to this trip, we had only visited Orlando for Disney World trips and my friend’s wedding, so I really didn’t know much about the rest of the state. I’m going to break down where we went and what we did each day, and if you’ve never been to South Florida before, hopefully this inspires you to take a trip! So get cozy and settle in with a cup of coffee, tea or wine (it’s 5 o’clock somewhere) and let’s dive on in!
Flight to Florida + Day 1: Coral Gables and Miami Beach
Freddy had been in Orlando earlier that week for a work trip, so I flew out on Valentine’s Day and we both met in Fort Lauderdale. His aunt and uncle picked us up from the airport around 5pm and we drove to Coral Gables where we would be staying that night. We checked into the chicest hotel, The Colonnade. It had a grand yet boutique feeling all at once. The ambience was stunning and I immediately wished we could have stayed there longer than one night. We quickly freshened up after checking in and walked over to one of their favorite restaurants for Valentine’s dinner: Bulla. It’s a Spanish restaurant inspired by the famous gastrobars in Spain, and it did not disappoint! We ate tapas, seafood with Spanish rice and traditional churros for dessert—the food kept on coming and I was in a major food coma by the time we were finished.
The Colonnade Hotel in Coral Gables.
The next morning we drove through quaint neighborhoods in Coral Gables as we learned about the community’s history before making our way to Miami. Coral Gables was built in the 1920’s with tree-lined streets, beautiful parks and the most adorable ivy-covered homes. Speaking of trees, we discovered the most unique-looking trees: Banyan trees (photo below). Their limbs and roots grow towards the ground, which create more growth, which is why they can get so big! They looked so magical and made this quaint neighborhood look so picturesque; I definitely could envision myself coming back to vacation every year! Once we arrived in Miami, we walked around Bayside Marketplace, which is near where the cruise ships dock and drop off travelers. We saw amazing views of the ocean and the incredible architecture that Miami is known for. After grabbing some coffee and a croissant, we hopped back in the car just as it started to rain and drove over to Miami Beach. There weren’t a ton of people out and about due to the rain and windy weather, but we got to see the famous Fontainebleau hotel (where Frank Sinatra has performed!), as well as so many other luxury hotels that line the beach—it was amazing! We walked along the beach for a little bit, but the rain continued to pelt us in all directions, so we decided to continue our sight-seeing from the comforts of the car.
Banyan trees in Coral Gables.
The historic Biltmore hotel in Coral Gables, built in 1926.
Stormy skies in Miami.
As late afternoon approached, we made our way up north towards Delray Beach, which is where his aunt and uncle live, and where we would be staying for the remainder of our time in Florida. I had never heard of Delray Beach until this trip, and as we exited the freeway on Atlantic Avenue into the quaint downtown area, I immediately fell in love! It reminded me a lot of Manhattan Beach, California with its local shops, restaurants and pristine parks. It was a Saturday night and downtown was bustling with tons of people enjoying dinner on the open patios that lined the street. We rolled the windows down and took in the sights, sounds and smells of all the different cuisines we passed by: Cuban, Italian, Mexican, Spanish and American. Freddy and I both turned to each other and said, “I’m starving!”. As soon as we checked into our hotel and dropped off our bags, we hit the streets and let our noses decide where we should eat. We ended up at a little bar called The Office (the best name!) which served deluxe burgers, hearty salads and scrumptious sides. Of course, we had to save room for dessert to check out a local favorite: Sloan’s Ice Cream! Freddy’s aunt and uncle raved about it so much and we could never say no to ice cream. You guys, it was so good that we went there THREE times in THREE days! I couldn’t get enough of it and tried a new flavor every time, but my favorite flavor by far was ‘Cookie Dough Cookie’. They also have a location in Los Angeles if you live in that area and want to check it out!
Day 2: North Miami, Aventura and Fort Lauderdale
On Sunday morning we went to a Spanish Monastery that was originally built in Spain in the 1100’s, and in 1925, was deconstructed and brought over to the U.S. and fully rebuilt in the 1950’s! It is such an exquisite historic landmark and it sits on a beautiful, tropical garden. You can tour it on the weekends and I highly recommend checking it out, even if you just want to walk around and enjoy the fresh air. The Monastery also served as a home to a couple of resident cats, which I was so excited about!
After exploring the Monastery for a couple of hours and taking some pictures, we headed north to Aventura where we ate lunch at the mall and walked around for a little bit. I worked in retail and did merchandising for almost 10 years, so there’s a part of me that actually enjoys leisurely walks around malls and seeing the merchandise and window displays in other tourist destinations. I was very impressed by all of the designer boutiques that the Aventura mall had like Fendi, Givenchy and Missoni! I’ve only seen their merchandise in department stores, so I really enjoyed browsing in their own respective shops. In the late afternoon we got back in the car and drove north through some of the other beach towns like Hollywood and Dania Beach until we eventually ended up in Fort Lauderdale. We walked along the beach and put our toes in the Atlantic Ocean! The weather was absolutely perfect, and it was so odd not to see the sun set over the ocean like we are used to in California. The sky was a gorgeous pastel mixture of pinks and purples, so that definitely made up for the lack of a sunset!
We finished our walk along the beach and went to a very popular local Greek restaurant for dinner called Greek Islands. This place is so popular that they don’t accept reservations because they don’t need them! You have to wait in line (like you do for a ride at Disneyland) for a table to open up. When we arrived the line was about 50 people deep—it was insane! It took about 30 minutes to get a table, and once we sat down and started eating our appetizers, I instantly knew it was worth the wait. The closest thing I’ve had to Greek food prior to this is Pita Jungle, and I don’t think that counts, so I truthfully wasn’t sure what to expect, but as soon as I took a bite of their classic Greek salad, I realized I had been missing out on this amazing cuisine. We had fried calamari, grilled shrimp drenched in a butter garlic sauce, filet skewers and baklava for dessert. It was one of the best dining experiences I’ve ever had!
Day 3: Fort Lauderdale and Delray Beach
The next day we took our time waking up and booked an afternoon boat cruise that took us through the canals of Fort Lauderdale. We got to admire all of the gorgeous mansions and the yachts that line the waterways, and wow, there were a ton! But I think the most surprising thing that I learned about Fort Lauderdale is that it’s called the ‘Venice of America’ because of all the canals! They are so beautiful and create a romantic charm that I never knew existed. It was so relaxing being on the water and dreaming of what it would be like to own one of those stately homes! The boat took us to a very small island about 30 minutes away where they care for endangered animals, including crocodiles. This part of the tour was a bit strange, and it only got weirder as we watched a guy demonstrate crocodile wrestling. Thankfully we weren’t there for more than an hour and got back on the boat to finish the tour.
We went back to our hotel in Delray Beach afterwards and freshened up before we headed to dinner in downtown at a local Cuban restaurant, Cabana. It was my first time having Cuban food and similarly to the Greek restaurant, I didn’t know what to expect. Once I looked at the menu though I saw so many seafood options and I was one happy camper! I tried to order seafood for every meal during this trip because it was so fresh and delicious, I couldn’t resist! I ordered the seafood paella which had mussels, clams, lobster, scallops, shrimp, octopus and calamari—literally all the seafood you could imagine—and it was served in a giant Le Creuset pot! I wish I could have finished the entire thing because it was so amazing, but I let Freddy’s aunt and uncle take the leftovers home. Can you guess what we did after dinner? Yep, Sloan’s Ice Cream! It was just as delicious as the first night we had it! We walked around downtown, ice cream in hand, and explored all the art galleries, shops and charming condos that were all nestled just outside the main drag. It was a glorious evening and I fell more in love with this charming beach town.
Day 4: Jupiter Lighthouse and Boca Raton
We woke up on Tuesday, our last day in South Florida, and wanted to squeeze one more fun activity in before our flight that evening. We checked out of our hotel and drove about 50 minutes north to a little town called Jupiter to tour a historic lighthouse. The lighthouse sat on a beautiful inlet where you could watch all sorts of sailboats passing by, and there was also a small gift shop and museum that portrayed the history of the land. We learned that during World War II this lighthouse was used by the Navy to hunt German submarines, and Freddy being the giant history buff that he is, was so enamored by all of it! After wandering through the museum, we walked over to the lighthouse and climbed 105 winding steps to the top, where our eyes met the most spectacular view! I always knew Florida was flat, but when you’re up that high it’s amazing how you can see for miles and miles with no end in sight. We saw the crystal clear ocean water and gorgeous green trees in every direction—it was an incredible experience that I’ll never forget.
Next we drove south to make our way towards the airport and stopped in Boca Raton for lunch. I ate yet another thing I’ve never had before: a crab grilled cheese sandwich. I told you I tried to eat seafood for every meal! It was so delicious, but I saved room for dessert because right across the street was yep, you guessed it, Sloan’s Ice Cream! I couldn’t resist having it for a third time before going home, and it was totally worth getting chocolate stains on my clothes. Apparently I eat an ice cream cone like a 5-year old.
This trip to Florida was so wonderful and we are so grateful to Freddy’s aunt and uncle for planning out each day’s itinerary and being the best tour guides we could ask for! This trip also reinforced my desire to never stop pursuing my dreams. I thought about my Dad often throughout each day, and how I so badly wanted to tell him about our adventures, but I really felt his presence with me. He always encouraged me no matter what it was I wanted to do, and I felt this reassuring nudge to chase what I’m passionate about and to live life to the full. I know that’s what he would want for me, and I’m excited for all that this year will bring. Have an amazing week, friends!