One fun thing to do during the Florida winter is to get out and look for manatees. These gentle giants come up the springs looking for warmer water. We sometimes see them at the outlet of power stations and other areas where they might find some warmer water. There are several good spots to go. […]
Located about 3.5 hours from Miami in Lake Mary, and just north of Orlando, the Stetson Mansion is a wonderful 19th century Gilded Age Estate that is definitely worth visiting. For the past 13 years, JT Thompson and Michael Solari have opened their home for Christmas tours. JT decorates the house for the holidays, and […]
Located on the shores of the intracoastal just outside Palm Beach, Florida, the Flagler Museum is a remarkable and beautiful estate. We could not help but get the feeling of being transported to a French or Italian Villa while enjoying this gem in South Florida. Every detail is exquisite, and it’s definitely a must-see. Henry […]
We have several affinity credit cards with hotels and also take part in their numerous promotions which offer free hotel nights. On occasion we’ve been lucky enough to benefit from these by using them as part of a great vacation. When passing through Johannesburg, we used IHG points to book the Intercontinental at the airport […]
Florida’s Cape Canaveral on Merritt Island, near Titusville and Cocoa Beach is home to the Kennedy Space Center which houses a wonderful interactive complex with all kinds of space related activities. Huge relics of past space missions are on display and there are some excellent IMAX movies and interactive exhibits. There is plenty to do […]
Located in Davie, Florida, Flamingo Gardens is a 60-acre tropical wildlife sanctuary. Much of the site is made up of lush tropical and botanical gardens. There are over 1,000 orchid species including many exotics. The grounds also have a beautiful hardwood hammock, a wetlands area, and many mature fruit trees. There are also fern gardens […]
About an hour’s drive up the coast from Miami you’ll find West Palm Beach which is a great spot for a day trip or a mini vacation. We had a free hotel night that was about to expire, so we figured we should use it. It was the perfect excuse to spend the weekend in […]
Manatee Lagoon is a good place to go to observe manatees in their natural habitat. From the observation deck you can spy on these gentle giants during the cooler winter months when they seek the warmer waters that come out of the nearby power station. Be sure to visit the Manatee Lagoon education center where […]
This little town is located on the northern part of Florida’s east coast about an hour south of Jacksonville. Its mixture of historical sites, quirky tourist attractions and miles of white sand beaches make it a great choice for a family vacation or a weekender trip. St. Augustine is an interesting city with a long […]
The Ringling is a sprawling estate encompassing 66 acres located in Sarasota, Florida. Perhaps a bit long for a day trip being a 3 ½-hour drive from Miami (or 3 hours from Fort Lauderdale), it can be combined with other Gulf Coast activities such as the Edison and Ford Winter Estates to make for a […]