After Jacksonville and St. Augustine, my mom and I drove down to Ocala to spend the last two days of our mother/daughter trip to Florida. Ocala is a lesser-known place to visit in Florida, but one that a local told me was a “do not miss” because of the beautiful Silver Springs State Park. While I won’t be able to tell you all the top things to do in Ocala since I was here just two days, I will tell you what I prioritized doing for these two days after much research online.

It was easy to add to an itinerary, just a short drive from Jacksonville than we easily flew out of Orlando airport. Ocala itself is spread out with some things to do here located in nearby Dunnellon, so I recommend having a rental car to visit here. Ocala is known for its beautiful horses and the Silver Springs State Park, but there is more to it than that!

Of course, you will want to visit the park, so let’s start there! The idea of getting in a glass-bottom boat made me a little nervous, but it’s the only way to go out on the water here – you can’t do SUP or go swimming as it’s protected. I thought “what can we really see under the water?” Turns out, quite a lot!

The boat tour is just 45 minutes long and while I’m normally bored for tours to get over, it actually flew by. Our driver was really funny and told us some interesting stories – plus we got to see an alligator! You wouldn’t believe how clear this water is and how DEEP it goes, according to him, all the way to China. In reality, they don’t know. Specialists have come out to cave dive but can only go down so far because the rocks get too close together and they’d get stuck – so we will never know how deep it goes.

Tons of water flows out of here into the ocean from a spring (which you’ll see bubbling underneath on the tour) which is very important because if it didn’t and we tried to keep the water as drinking water, then Florida would literally go underwater because this pressure going out keeps the sea from coming in! They have filmed tons of movies here like The Creature from the Black Lagoon and there are movie props still underwater.

You might also see monkeys. You might wonder why monkeys are in Florida. Some say it’s because of when they filmed Tarzan here and some monkeys escaped. Others say the guy who started this park (before it was a state park) brought them in as part of a tourist attraction.

I really wanted to swim in the water but since you can’t we went to KP Hole aka “rainbow springs” on the other day we were there, which has the SAME clear blue perfect water and you can swim, SUP, and kayak in it.

When you take off you’ll go with the current, so be careful not to get too far away because you’ll be tired going back up. On the other hand, you can use a third party when you book that will actually pick you up down the river and bring you back up! You can rent inner tubes and actually just float down – which we saw many families doing. Locals were saying how cold the water was in October but being from Ohio, we thought it was just perfect. As always, mom could have stayed out there all day but my arms gave out way before hers would have.

Ocala is really about nature in a lot of ways with the beautiful lagoons and the horse fields, and while we didn’t have time to visit any, you will see them anyway – as you drive past hundreds on the way in, out, and around town.

There are some seriously stunning mansions with horse farms outside but there are also normal houses, fenced in, with the horses just in the front yard like you’d see someone do with their dog. How cool is that!? Someone told us that the horses that are in Kentucky for Derby and such, come down to Florida for the winters.

While you’re out in Dunnellon at KP Hole, take a little detour to Just a Cupcake Bakery.

Everyone will tell you (as many people did for me on Instagram) that this is the best salad anywhere near Ocala. The tex-mex salad was delicious and it’s all made in-house, even the salsa. My mom had the Cuban sandwich was was delicious and the cole slaw, which we asked for the recipe for. I won’t tell you what it is but will say she doesn’t add vinegar, she keeps it simple!

Of course, you need cupcakes and they have about 30 flavors to choose from! We got birthday cake and mimosa, made with real champagne.

While we spent a lot of time in the surrounding areas of Ocala in Marion County, we spent our evenings in downtown Ocala. It is such a cute little town – almost like something out of a movie.

There are brick roads with cute boutiques, restaurants, and many wine shops which of course we had to pop into. The coolest one was Corkscrew where you can make your own wine. We went in not even knowing that but because we sign a sign for a $5 flight of wine tasters.

Wanting a great roof top view, we next with to Pi On Broadway for a beer and some guacamole! Their pizzas looked good, but we had to save room for dinner at what we were told would be our best meal in town.

For dinner, we went to The Ivy House and this pasta was the perfect way to end the trip because I can actually still taste it now if I really think about it – it’s the best pasta I think I’ve ever had. Seriously. It was a seafood pasta but I just got the shrimp. The sauce was lemony and kind of creamy – while most are little oily, this wasn’t at all. Mom got the chicken with mac and cheese and corn bread. I stole her corn bread. We also got huge side salads as our sides, and they were really good, too! This was a perfect meal; don’t miss it.

Inside the restaurant, they had these old photos of town back in the day. Pretty cool!

This mother-daughter trip was all about shopping, eating, SUP, and spa so of course we had to check out the best spa in the area. We went to the Ranch Spa and Fitness Center for massages and facials. We both got the hot stone massage (I love them and it was mom’s first time having one) and we both loved it. Such a great way to end the trip! Mom and I also had facials which were so good before our flights home.

While we weren’t there long, we did fit in quite a bit – although there is so much more than I hope I get to come back to this area again. We stayed at the Best Western which is off the highway next to all the other hotels like Hilton, Hampton Inn, etc and near a Cracker Barrel and some other restaurants. Downtown Ocala is a small town and I didn’t even see hotels in town, so this is definitely the area to stay. Plus, this gets you closer to going to Silver Springs and other places you visit outside town.

Our hotel was a great location, clean, had a pool, and had a huge epic breakfast with what is most important to me: multiple flavors of coffee creamer, lol! We loved our time and I’d definitely stay here again if we came back. This hotel was nearly renovated this year making it the best hotel in Ocala area.

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This trip was a paid campaign with Visit Florida. I choose the activities I do and places I visit; all opinions are my own.

The post Top Things to do in Ocala Florida (and Nearby) first appeared on Hippie In Heels.

The post Top Things to do in Ocala Florida (and Nearby) appeared first on Hippie In Heels.

Did you know St. Augustine is the oldest city in the USA? It is! You can step back in time to actual forts used hundreds of years ago, wander the old fashioned alleys of St. George Street eating fudge and caramel apples, and visit the beach as well. There are so many things to do in St. Augustine and in three days I’m sure we barely scraped the surface – but not for lack of trying!

I planned out so many fun unique things to do ahead of time and we used a local map to make sure we hit the tourist spots too, making sure there was a nice mix.

The main area of St. Augustine is St. George Street which is really like going back in time. It’s so pretty and has cool restaurants (all playing live music at night), old-fashioned candy shops and yummy chocolate like Whetstones, cool craft shops, and even a tourist attraction with the oldest school in the USA!

You can take a trolley around town with a couple of different companies, like Red Train Tours, so that you can get a feel for where everything is and then go back at your own speed, or you can actually get on and off the trolley throughout the afternoon and hit up all the places that you’re keen to visit. There are upward of 20 tourist attractions in St. Augustine and not all will be up your alley, so take a look ahead of time and see which ones are important to you.

We stayed right on St. George Street which is what I recommend. I love being right in the middle of it – it’s a family place, not a party place so you don’t need to worry about noise at night. It’s so nice to wake up, be right near the fort, and even go out there for sunrise (yes, I actually did this!).

There are so many inns to choose from, but I knew that I had to stay at the St. George Inn which was mentioned in every travel magazine as the “it” place to stay. I loved it! The rooms were huge (we actually had two rooms), a big clean bathroom, perfect location, friendly staff, and a really nice breakfast spread! You also get free parking at the parking garage which is just a 2-minute walk from the hotel.

Note that St. Augustine town where St. George Street is, isn’t where you can go swimming – you will drive to St. Augustine Beach for that. Some people prefer to stay on the beach so you can look into hotels across the bridge (it’s just 10 minutes) or even camping at the State Park.

Just outside of the hotel, across the street is the most famous attraction in town, Castillo de San Marcos. We took our coffee out there for sunrise but also visited it during the daytime to do a proper tour. You can buy tickets at the entrance to go inside, but you can walk around outside of it for free.

You could do this at the beginning of the trip so you can get a quick lesson in the history of St. Augustine and what makes it the oldest city in the USA. Ponce de Leon found St. Augustine (and all of Florida) while looking for the Fountain of Youth. This area was home to Native Americans, French, English, Spanish, and more and battles ensued. I won’t share the history because let’s be honest, I’d probably mess it up – but also because it’s part of the reason to come here. Learning about the history of the USA is cool and there are so many places to do that here.

We were lucky to visit during restaurant week so got to try some mixed menus from a couple of famous places at much lower prices. The first place we went for dinner was Michael’s Tasting Room. This is the most famous restaurant in town from what I gather and it was SO delicious. I had the short ribs (cooked all day long with a coffee flavor) and a chocolate dessert, but what stood out most was the salad. I have never said that before in my life! I loved it so much – fruit, nuts, and a great dressing. I really should try to make one myself one day, lol.

My mom’s a teacher’s aid and has worked in a school since I can remember, even as a volunteer when I was really little at my elementary school. It was fun to go check out the “oldest wooden school in America” with her. They had a sign in there that the “dunce hat” was put on the kids that were slow learners, not the trouble-makers. How mean is that!? They also had a little box cubby area where the bad kids had to go sit.

Our hotel has a wine bar called Bin 39 and you can get wine flutes for $10 here, it’s crazy. I mean, after traveling I thought Ohio was really affordable, but Florida is right there with us. You can definitely visit here on a budget… and still get drunk ;)

A trip to St. Augustine isn’t complete without a visit to the St. Augustine Lighthouse. I recently read the book Light Between Oceans and was pretty interested in the lighthouse life of the old days. The walk to the top is hundreds of steep steps but it’s really not that bad and people of all ages were doing it. The view is incredible!

For people who say America just doesn’t have the “history” that Europe has, I feel ya on the fact Europe is REALLY old, but I had no idea just how cool St. Augustine would be and how much I would learn. This is the nation’s oldest port!

If you want to do something really off-beat, then go for a salt spa! The Salt Spa at St. Augustine was brought to life by a Polish woman who grew up going to the salt spas that are so famous in Poland. In Europe, the idea of having a spa day that is all about health and relaxation is normal, while in the USA it’s more about hair and nails. Salt has so many proven benefits for your respiratory health and so many other areas of your health.

To go into the salt cave is around $30 but really quite affordable for anyone. My mom fell asleep pretty much right away – it was so relaxing. After, we went into the “pods”. What a crazy experience! You go inside these pods (below) and float in the salt water – a similar feeling to the dead sea. The salt makes you float. You stay there for a whole hour with the lid closed. Tom Brady does this before and after every game. Not only great for your body but also your mind.

St. Augustine is probably the most famous for being where the Fountain of Youth is located. Ponce de Leon thought he found it in 1513 and you can come drink from the very same spring of water. You won’t only learn about Ponde de Leon’s journey but you’ll also learn about the Timucua Indians, who were the largest indigenous group in this region.

Do mom and I look younger yet?

Before you leave, grab a bite from the BBQ place there called Smoked Southern BBQ. I know what you’re thinking – it’s got to be a tourist trip. But you’d be wrong! This is a sister restaurant to Preserved, one of the best restaurants in town, and is seriously AMAZING. I had a little bit of everything as you can see. It was really affordable as well, which is rare at a tourist site.

There is some pretty good shopping on St. George Street but actually the places we loved shopping the most was Uptown on San Marco Avenue. We saw these boutiques on the way to the Fountain of Youth and stopped after. I hadn’t read about them online before! There is a mix of homewares, antiques, and cute cafes so I think coming here early for breakfast, coffee, and shopping before you go to the Fountain of Youth would be perfect.

We also went out to the St. Augustine Outlets while it was raining one afternoon and got some steals at the Loft! I feel like you can’t go on vacation in Florida and not go to the outlet malls.

Are you already wondering how we fit this all into three days? I’m not done yet! Across the bridge from town is Anastasia Island and Anastasia State Park. We went out here with Anastasia Watersports to do some SUP with a dolphin expert from Marineland. You can see turtles and more while you’re out there and it’s just a really beautiful park to drive through as well and check out the viewpoints. It’s just $35 for two hours or you can go for an hour for just $20. I told you it was an affordable trip. My mom and I couldn’t believe that was the price. In Ohio, at Lake Erie, it’s $100/hour to rent a SUP.

You’re going to work up and appetite and you cannot leave St. Augustine without chowing down at St. Augustine Seafood Company. I think I actually devoured my fish sandwich is under 3 minutes. The cole slaw, potato salad, fries, lemonade, and the St. Augustine style Minorcan clam chowder were all so, so good. You’ve got to try the Minorcan style clam chowder, which you’ll only get in this region.

The last thing we did in St. Augustine was a food tour with Roadster Tours. We did the “wine and dine” tour and really enjoyed it. Not only was the food great, but it was so cool to just mingle with some fresh faces and get to know them. We loved our group and had so much fun – I think everyone was pretty boozed up by the end of the night since we started with a wine tasting and had a drink or two at every stop. They take you to really popular places (like dessert at the Floridian which was so freaking good and such a cool restaurant – don’t miss it) and it changes each time so you could even do this tour more than once. They have 40 places they alternate between.

You do the tour by “Roadster” which is a big four-wheeler, kind of? But it’s fun to ride around in from place to place. We actually got to see a lot of St. Augustine this way which we wouldn’t have normally seen, like fancy neighborhoods, epic mansions, and this view!

The wine tasting we started at with the beautiful fairy lights was Carrera Wine Cellar and it was amazing – such a cool place with a porch inside! The tour covers a lot of ground and I highly recommend it.

St. Augustine was SUCH a cool city and my mom is already planning to go back with my dad – and I’m trying to figure out when I can make another trip!

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This trip was a paid campaign with Visit Florida. I choose the activities I do and places I visit; all opinions are my own.

The post The Best (and Tastiest) Things to do in St. Augustine On A Mother Daughter Trip first appeared on Hippie In Heels.

The post The Best (and Tastiest) Things to do in St. Augustine On A Mother Daughter Trip appeared first on Hippie In Heels.

Jacksonville has so much to offer from downtown to “Jax Beach” and even in-between, there is a lot to do. I visited here with my mom on a trip around northeast Florida. We had four jam-packed days to try the coolest things to do in Jacksonville.

Before visiting, I did a lot of research and planned out a pretty epic itinerary if I do say so myself. Since it was a mother-daughter trip, my focuses were doing an activity like a craft, doing something active like SUP or yoga, trying a spa, good local food, shopping, and exploring both the beach and downtown.

There are so many cool things to do in Jacksonville and I think these are some of the best! Definitely consider them for your trip because we had the best time here and I’d go back to do them all over again. While these are things to do in Jacksonville on a mother/daughter trip this could easily be for a girl’s getaway or even with your boyfriend or kids!

13 Unique Things to do in Jacksonville Florida

1. Choose a Fun Hotel

We stayed at two hotels. We stayed first at Four Points by Sheraton for a night on Jacksonville Beach (more South) which was perfect but then we stayed at Hotel Palms for some more “boutique hotel” vibes at Hotel Palms which is by Neptune Beach and near Beaches Town Center which is a really cool area. This hotel is a restored motel and it’s so unique. The rooms are actually really big, comfortable, and they serve coffee at a fun coffee bar in the morning. You can take bikes for free and ride to the beach.

I highly recommend both hotels and love the style and vibe more, but if you’re desperate for a pool keep, go for the Sheraton.

2. Get Sporty with SUP or Yoga

My mom and I love to do SUP, even though my arms get sore and she could go for hours. We went out with Jax Surf and Paddle at Dutton Island Preserve which is a great way to see the park and learn about the ecosystem while you paddle around. We had so much fun with our instructor, Kristen, and it was beautiful.

You could also try a yoga class at Yoga Mix, which is really popular in Neptune Beach. You can bring your own mat or rent one.

3. Massages at One Ocean Resort

One Ocean Resort at Atlantic Beach is one of the most popular luxury resorts in Jacksonville. While we didn’t stay there, we did go for a spa day! When you use the spa, you can also pop out and use the pool, steam room, and sauna which is a nice bonus. The massages were amazing and it was a great way to kick off the trip! We both did the “signature” massage which was therapeutic, light, and relaxing.

 4. Dinner at North Beach Fish Camp

We wanted fried food ASAP so went to one of the most popular restaurants in town, North Beach Fish Camp, which has a variety of food from comfort food like fried fish baskets with hush puppies to Mediterranean meals like my chicken, pictured above. We also tried the clam chowder and it was all delicious. Go early because there is a wait!

5. Wine and Dine at the Coolest Wine Bar in Town

Please go to Royal Palm Wines and have tapas! This was one of my favorite meals all week in Florida. EVERYTHING was good. We ordered 4 plates to share and it was enough because the portions are huge. We had veggie flatbread, mac and cheese, sliders, and a bean dip. This is a must!

It did get crowded at the night went on, so get a table early or make a reservation. This place is cool because you get get a bottle of wine (they are all around the restaurant on the walls) and pay an un-corking fee, so the wine is basically at the same price as a grocery store. We didn’t want a whole bottle, so paid by the glass and it was really reasonable, I think around $5 a glass.

6. DIY Wood Board Signs

Making a wood sign at Creative Grains was one of my favorite activities. I love doing crafts when I travel because it’s such a cool souvenir and it’s nice to “do” something and get creative. My mom loved it as well. We always see these on Pinterest so it was cool to pick a design we liked most, and do it ourselves.

There were a group of fun ladies there at the same time as us who were making family signs for their houses. It’s also cool just to see what other people are making (and secretly judge their color choices, lol). My cat is jealous he didn’t get called out in the sign.

7. Shop Til You Drop at St John’s Towncenter

Between the Beach and Downtown, is St John’s Towncenter. With over 200 stores from Tiffany’s to Target, it’s one of the biggest malls in Florida. My mom and I couldn’t believe the size of it – it’s like 20x bigger than our mall in Columbus. We had about four hours here but I’m telling you, I could have stayed all day or even come back the next day! Living in Mexico, I love shopping days in the USA even more than before.

There are some really unique stores there, too, that are more local. We picked up my nephew some toys at Kool Kids in the Marcus Lemonis store (he is the guy from the TV show The Prophet). One store that I really loved was Natural Life which is kind of a like a wholesale store with all the cute nick-nacks and gifts you love like fluffy socks, mugs, little planters, jewelry dishes, etc. The woman who started it just did an Etsy store at first, but now she stocks stores like Fransescas! Yep, all that pretty stuff you see in there is actually all from this brand! This is their only flagship store.

8. Fill Up At Moxie

What is a shopping day without a boozy lunch? We went to locally-owned Moxie which is just around the corner from the mall, and it is THE BEST MEAL I’ve had all year. I kid you not. Did those pictures not make you drool!? The chicken and waffles came with a maple syrup mousse, the deviled eggs change daily and they are always some kind of cool creation, the meatloaf had a huge slap of provolone cheese on top, and the PIMENTO CHEESE DIP is the best thing I’ve ever eaten. I have to go back here one day!

9. See What Local Event is Going On

While I was in Jacksonville, Beaches Oktoberfest was going on right outside the hotel on Jacksonville Beach. Free live music? Awesome! There is something going on every month, usually many events that are free to enter, so check out what’s going on while you are there.

From having a sunset drink at Lemon Bar overlooking the sea to checking out the boho boutiques like Sailors Siren, Drift, Fig & Willow, and Jax Surf and Paddle. It’s a small are here with trendy restaurants are cool homewares stores. It’s definitely a place to spend some time. I think it’s best to go before dinner and shop before you have a meal here. The shops mentioned are carrying tons of items from the Natural Life shop I mentioned above. This is where we ate at North Beach Fish Camp and is just a two-minute walk from Hotel Palm.

11. Sunday Brunch at Casa Marina

Casa Marina has a Sunday Brunch which I believe was $40 per person. Make sure to make a reservation! You can sit inside or outside. The poached egg on a fried green tomato and sausage and gravy were my favorite! I had too much bacon and WAY too much whipped butter on my waffles! It was all delicious.

12.  Breakfast at Maple Street Biscuit Company

This was one of the things I wasn’t going to leave Jacksonville without doing. Maple Street Biscuit Company is famous for being the best breakfast in town. Look at that chicken biscuit with sausage gravy! I wish I could have it again – so so tasty. I put maple syrup IN MY COFFEE, haha! This place is the bomb.

I would also like to note they didn’t know I was a blogger when I came in and the manager came over and explained the menu and was so nice and welcoming to us which really makes a place even more special.

13. Tour Downtown & Lunch at Cowford Chophouse

On our way out of town to head onward to St. Augustine, we went through Jacksonville city. There is a lot of history in Jacksonville and it’s important to go check out this part of the city and not just the beaches even if just for a few hours.

We did a tour with Ad Lib Tours to get a quick insight to the city, and see some of the most iconic murals, statues, and even an old bank vault which doubled as a bomb shelter during the scare of the Cuban Missile Crisis (you can see all the drinking water above which was stored there). We grabbed a fancy lunch at Cowford Chophouse before leaving town. You’ll learn on the tour why “cowford” is a famous word here!

Pin the coolest things to do in Jacksonville for later!

This trip was a paid campaign with Visit Florida. I choose the activities I do and places I visit; all opinions are my own.

The post 13 Unique Things to do in Jacksonville Florida first appeared on Hippie In Heels.

The post 13 Unique Things to do in Jacksonville Florida appeared first on Hippie In Heels.

My day at Universal was the BEST day of my life and is the coolest thing to do in Florida. Maybe I’m exaggerating a little bit, but it was the best day in a long time. I was like a kid in a candy shop. I held back happy tears on the Escape From Gringotts ride. Here’s how I spent one day at Harry Potter in Universal in both parks and also stopped by some other top attractions at Universal.

How I Spent One Day At Harry Potter in Universal & What I Would Do Differently Next Time

So the first thing you need to know is that all things Harry Potter are NOT in one place. There are two parks in Universal: Islands of Adventure (where Hogsmeade is located & Hogwarts) and Universal Studios (where Diagon Alley is). The Hogwarts Express connects the two parks from one Harry Potter land to the next without ever breaking character.

When you arrive GET A MAP. It’s so important to make sure you see and do everything you want. I really wouldn’t wing it if you have certain things you don’t want to miss.

Arrive Early.

Get Express Line Passes.

These two things are the most key things there are. Basically, you can buy express passes to cut in line. I had them for free because I was a guest of the park so that I could blog about it. Express passes are NOT USABLE on a few things, most of which are Harry Potter: Hogwarts Express, Escape from Gringotts (Universal Studios), and Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey (Islands of Adventure).

So, what I did was get there right when things opened and go to Universal Studios side first. I went straight to the Escape from Gringotts and only waited about 10 minutes.

What I would do differently is instead of enjoying Diagon Alley now, I would have jumped right on the Hogwarts Express and rode over to Hogmeade and rode the Fobidden Journey. When I got there later, the line was an hour long and it was 100 degrees. I was riding alone (but the single rider’s line which is way shorter skips all the fun going through the castle to the start of the ride).

From there I would have stayed in Hogsmeade and done the rest of that part of Harry Potter, then explored Islands of Adventure, then exited the park there and re-entered on the Universal Studios side (you just walk around a pond, it’s no big deal). Then explored Universal Studios and been over there for their nightly fireworks.

Harry Potter on the Universal Studios Side: Diagon Alley

Oh hey, Diagon Alley!

It’s so cool. Really, it’s amazing. As you walk through Universal Studios, go all the way to the back of the park. Things will start to get a little English until you realize you’re in London! You’ll see the Knight bus (take your photo with the conductor) and all things Harry Potter like King’s Cross (enter to take Hogwart’s Express) or Diagon Alley!

Once you’re in Diagon Alley and feeling like you’ve never been happier you can do the following:

• Choose a wand at Ollivanders. They are SO in character. It’s amazing. You watch and wand choose someone! There is a line. Also, the interactive wands you buy can be used to do magic around the park.
• Change money for Gringotts Bank Notes at Gringotts bank by people dressed up like goblins.
• See a performance at the Tales of the Beedle and the Bard
• Eat ice cream at Florean Fortescue’s
• Eat fish & chips and bangers & mash at The Leaky Cauldron and drink pumpkin juice and Butterbeer at the Hopping Pot and Fountain of Fair Fortune. I’d do Butterbeer here because the lin by the castle over in the other park was so long!
• Go in all the shops from the book like Fred and George’s joke shop and Honeyduke’s sweets… it’s really like being in Diagon Alley.

Harry Potter on the Islands of Adventure Side: Hogwarts & Hogsmeade

I was pretty hot and tired by the time I reached here and it was PACKED. I mean, you got off the Hogwarts Express and couldn’t hardly see past the people. Granted, it was a Saturday in late June.

So, here you have the castle where you’ll want to ride the Forbidden Journey. I didn’t as mentioned since the line was so long. I did go on the Dragon Challenge, a fun coaster, which I didn’t even need my express pass because the single riders line was empty. ALWAYS CONSIDER DITCHING YOUR FRIENDS FOR THIS LINE, LOL. Flight of the Hippogriff I skipped as it was more for kids I think.

Here you can:

• Eat at the Three Broomsticks
• Drink at the Hogs Head pub
• See a performance from the Triwizard Spirit Rally
• Ollivanders is here, too.

So, as you can see here is more rides which Diagon Alley is more experiences. The parks are the same with Islands of Aventure being more for rides and Universal Studios being “in the scenes” experiences, so it makes sense.

I made time to visit other parks of both parks, too. Some places were top of my list so I focused on them, first!

Universal Studios Favorites:

My favorite is Springfield. These are both in Universal Studios. So, I walked around that whole park by going out of Harry Potter, left, and going to the Simpsons. I got a Donut, saw Duff’s and Moe’s and Krusty Burger and moved on.

In this park, I thought New York, Hollywood, and San Fransisco were cool, but I wasn’t into exploring them due to lack fo time. I obviously skipped the KidZone. That left the rides near the entrance in “Production Central” and rode the Despicable Me Minion Mayhem here. I then skipped with the single riders line on the Hollywood Rip Ride (very cool, you choose your music and I chose No Doubt Hella Good). I felt a little hot and woozy so skipped the other rides, Shrek and Transformers.

Islands of Adventure Favorites:

I really liked Suess Landing the best. It’s sort of for kids but a really cool wonderland and fun to walk through, although the ride there is just for kids I think.

I was pretty tired of rides, really, but enjoyed exploring in The Lost Continent and Jurassic Park a lot!

There’s also Skull Island, Toon Lagoon, and all the Super Hero stuff. There are rides for all kinds of things, like E.T. but I couldn’t’ even find E.T on my map let alone in the park.

This park is bigger and more crowded that Universal Studios. That’s part of why I would have done things differently: Universal Studios first just to ride Gringotts, then take Hogwarts Express to Hogsmeade in Islands of Adventure, explore this park, then go BACK to Universal Studios!

Don’t forget there’s also now Volcano Bay, a 3rd Universal Park. You HAVE to get a PARK HOPPER pass to do BOTH parks. Then buy a ticket for Volcano Bay separately. You cannot take the Hogwarts Express unless you have a park hopper pass! If you want to do one day at Harry Potter in Universal then you need to go to both parks and get the Park Hopper pass. Do NOT forget I.D. to enter the park! So many crying people outside who forgot and didn’t have the credit card they booked with (because their parents booked it!).

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Ever since I was younger, I always wanted to go to the Florida Keys. I’d been to Florida on vacation, but they always seemed inaccessible since they were so far South, and I imagined them as exclusive and expensive. Well, they aren’t more expensive than other areas of Florida I’ve been and it was actually really relaxed there; not fancy like I pictured it. I got a chance to visit during one of my trips to Florida, so I thought I’d write up my little Florida Keys travel guide to help you plan your trip!

My Little Florida Keys Travel Guide

How to Get to the Keys

You can fly into either Miami or Fort Lauderdale. The whole drive is only 3 hours from Miami to Key West, the furthest south of the Keys, and 3 1/2 hours from Fort Lauderdale. It was cheaper for us to fly from Ohio to Fort Lauderdale over Miami, so play around with the destinations.

Which Areas to Visit

This really depends on your Florida Keys itinerary. The Keys are pretty spread out and you kind of have to choose which area you’d like. The road, the “Overseas Highway,” runs all the way down so you’re not going to get lost! Key Largo is closest to Miami if you only have a little bit of time, and of course Key West is the furthest South and the most famous.

Key Largo

Kona Kai

We stayed a Kona Kai the first night in Key Largo as we worked our way down South. Kona Kai has little villas dotted around so you get a whole condo vibe to yourself. Just across from Kona Kai was a yummy restaurant called Ballyhoo’s which I highly recommend if you stop here. Check here for current rates

Did you spot the iguana above? He’s hiding!

All of the photos above are from the property at Kona Kai, which was really beautiful and encapsulated what I think of when I think of “the Keys”. The sunset might have been the best part (in the photo below). I could see it from our room and was like “Mom, we have to go out there!”.

PS this is another dress from my new favorite, Kersh, and some classic Cocobelle sandals that match everything.

Marathon

The Turtle Hospital

From Key Largo, you go through Marathon (where we visited the Turtle Hospital to get to Key West.

The Turtle Hospital was really interesting. I hadn’t been to one before, but my mom had. It’s a 90-minute tour and you can look in through the glass on the surgeries. While we were there, they were doing surgery on a turtle called Huckleberry! The same name as my beautiful dog, Huck, who passed away a few years ago.

SUP with Serenity Eco Guides

Just as we entered near the Keys we met up with Sera from Serenity Eco Guides in Big Pine Key to do even more SUP, this time over a school of barracudas! Sera does a really amazing SUP yoga class and you can see how enthusiastic she is about her work. The class was amazing and went up near mangroves which were really cool, too.

You then drive further South through the Lower Keys, and finally Key West.

Key West

Getting Around

We spent most of our time in Key West. Parking here is just street parking; it’s a really small town. We paid for lot parking at our hotel as to not risk getting our rental car side swiped. We walked everywhere but you can take the Trolley Tours which is “hop on- hop off” all day so you could choose one day to see ALL the touristy things to do in Key West, and it is 100% possible to see it all at once.

The first thing we did was eat at a random diner next to our hotel. It was really tasty but expensive and small portions so it’s best to do research and choose places that really rank well online for great food because the Keys have AMAZING food. Luckily, we found more good food later.

Ernest Hemingway’s House

Ernest Hemingway’s House was right near our hotel so we went there. If you don’t know a lot about him or care a lot about him you can go through here quickly (20 minutes) but if you’re into it, you could spend maybe 2 hours here. I didn’t realize he did assignments for the US government spying at one point! There were cats everywhere which was the cutest part, even on his bed!

Southernmost Point

When it comes to touristy things here, going to the Southernmost Point is the biggest tourist attraction and there is a long line to get a photo here. The water behind his point is so clear and blue!

Other Tourist hotspots in Key West

• The Mel Fisher Maritime Museum
• Truman Little White House
• Shipwreck Museum
• Butterfly Conservatory

Ferry to Latitudes

The coolest thing we did there was taking the ferry to Latitudes for breakfast with the best views.

Eat at Hot Tin Roof

The best meal we had was at Hot Tin Roof where mom had a steak and I had the lobster mac n’ cheese! It was delicious and this restaurant offers just about the best view in Key West of the sunset.

Get Key Lime Pie

Of course, you have to try the Key Lime pie (more than once!). They put cinnamon on it at Hot Tin Roof, yummy! We ate at Margaritaville which is a chain restaurant but neither of us had ever tried it. It was really good, actually, and I’d go back!

Tacos at Nine One Five

We also ate amazing tacos at Nine One Five which is ranked as one of the best restaurants in Key West.

See the Sunset in Key West

The sunset is a BIG deal in Key West. They have what is called the Sunset Celebration in Mallory Square where locals come up and open up shops and attractions. It’s a big party and really crowded while everyone watches the most beautiful sunsets! The funny thing was as soon as the sun goes down, people scatter and go back to drinking but that’s when the sky really lights up and turns pink and purple! So, lucky for me they left and I could get to the front of the crowd for some good pictures.

Nightlife in Mallory Square

Down by Mallory Square where all the roads converge is where it’s really hoppin’ and people are drinking (legal to drink and walk down the street) and having fun. While it’s a lot of live music and parties, it’s a very family-friendly scene.

Higg’s Beach

While the Keys aren’t actually known for their beaches (even though the water is SO clear and beautiful, it’s got reefs around it), Higg’s beach was really nice and so beautiful. I could spend a whole day there! Apparently, this is where the locals go. We did have to drive here, but it was the only place we had to drive to.

In those taped in lines, it’s actually where turtles have put a nest and it’s being protected. So once those eggs hatch the little babies will make their way to sea. Remember at beaches if you build sand castles or dig ditches you should flatten it out when you’re done playing as it can actually kill the baby turtles who can’t understand how to get past it.

Where We Stayed

In Key West, we stayed in a historical hotel, the Chelsea House which being on Truman Ave, was close enough to walk to everywhere we wanted to go, but far enough away we heard no noise from the bars down on Duval and Front Street. The hotel room was clean and comfortable and there was a pool behind the house. Check here for current rates

On Truman, there are a lot of these heritage homes turned into hotels and they have a lot of charm so I recommend this road for a good place to stay. You can walk down Duval or Whitehead Streets to get down to all the restaurants, bars, many attractions/museums, and the Sunset Celebration.

Beyond what I’ve mentioned as you can imagine there are SO many tours you can do on the water. We didn’t plan ahead and they take reservations, so that is why we didn’t do them BUT you can do waterskiing, jet skiing, boat tours, dolphin tours – the list is endless. The water here is just amazingly beautiful and the more time you spend on it the better!

Hope this little Florida Keys travel guide helps you plan your trip or vacation! It’s such a beautiful, sunny place!

For more Florida travel

• 13 Unique Things to do in Jacksonville Florida
• Kissimmee Travel Guide
• Top Things to do in Ocala Florida (and Nearby)

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This post is in collaboration with Visit Florida. I was compensated for my time in being in the Florida Keys and writing this article.

The post A Little Florida Keys Travel Guide: From Key Largo to Key West first appeared on Hippie In Heels.

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It’s been long overdue but I finally made it to and spent 3 days in Miami. Now that I know the area, I almost want to start watching the Real Housewives of Miami so I can be like “Oh, I went there!”.

I drove down from Kissimmee with my mom in our rental car (from Sixt, who FYI charged us crazy amounts for the tolls) and it took about 3 hours I think. Next time I come to Florida, I’ll get the Sunpass for the tolls.

Where to Stay in Miami

We checked in at a super cute hotel called Sense Beach House which was right next to South Beach. I was a little overwhelmed at first as it was their Sunday brunch and we weren’t sure where the actual hotel entrance was – and we had the car pulled over in a no-park zone.

But, they told us to unload and the valet would come. Valet was $29 a night but the nearby lot was charging $31 per night and it was just a dude packing cars in as tight as they’d fit so valet was the best choice there. When getting around we just used Uber as parking is kind of stressful around Miami and isn’t free.

Our room was really nice, large, and had a wrap around balcony that you could see the ocean from. Each of the 18 rooms are different in this boutique hotel. There is a rooftop pool here as well which we did use since the beach was really crowded for the weekend. There was even a surf board shower up there!

We had brunch at their restaurant, and it was the bomb. My mom was in love with her eggs Benedict.

Check here for current rates

How to Spend 3 Days in Miami

Day 1

Check out the Art Deco Buildings on South Beach & Ocean Drive

We spent Sunday walking around South Beach and Ocean Drive (the road that runs parallel to the beach). You can walk up from 5th to 13th street to see all the famous Art Deco buildings. We didn’t have time to check out what was on Lincoln Road that night, but apparently it’s a don’t miss for nightlife and designer shops so I’ll have to go there next time.

Dinner in So-Fi (South of Fifth)

For dinner, we did a restaurant hop around the area our hotel was in called So-Fi (South of Fifth). I was told this is a really cool up and coming spot that will be getting even more cool restaurants in bars in the next year or two.

We first went to Cibo, a fancy Italian wine bar. There was a wine cellar in the middle of the room with glass walls and you can see the wine tastings going on inside. We got to have one which was set up by the tourism board.

Whenever they need a bottle from the top, the woman in there puts on a harness and goes up to get the wine! She does little tricks and everyone in the restaurant started taking pictures. It was really cool. I think we let the girl doing the wine tasting down when the only smells we could guess where “winey” and the taste was “grape” haha, okay we weren’t THAT bad, but we were pretty bad. Their bread was the best bread I think I’ve ever had though – but we were off to our next stop for dinner.

For dinner, we ate at the popular restaurant, Red, the Steakhouse. THIS PLACE WAS AMAZING. You have to eat here when you come to Miami! By the way, all of these places I’m mentioning have been walkable from our hotel. Mom had a steak and I had the veal parmigiana (kicking myself that I chose steak & eggs at breakfast and was steak’d out!) Turns out, the veal was out of this world and as big as my head. Everything was so so tasty here. It was expensive, like $50 for a steak but that’s the same price as a chain like Ruth’s Chris (only way better).

As we walked back to our hotel, we stopped in at South Pointe Tavern. The menu had really unique drinks on it. I got the Miami State of Mind because it had jalapenos in it and mom got one with Pimms.

Day 2

Downtown Miami

Our second day in Miami, we had two tours scheduled which are the top two tours in Miami and you wouldn’t want to miss them: a graffiti tour of Wynwood and a culinary tour of Little Havana.

But, we didn’t have anything until noon so since we were headed out that way via Uber, we got dropped off at the Brickell City Centre because it’s a new mall there. It was mostly really fancy brands but some affordable things like Zara and Bath & Body Works.

I went into Caudalie and had a fantastic massage. I think was going through withdrawal since I have them almost weekly in Asia!

Little Havana Food Tour – Don’t Miss This!

I showed up to this tour hungry like they said to which wasn’t hard because I show up to everything hungry. I’m just always ready to eat (it’s a skill). Our tour was with Miami Culinary Tours (the #1 company there) and we met for the start at Agustin Gainza Arts And Tavern which was part of the tour. Go early and get a coffee there! 

I was surprised how small Little Havana is. It was hardly any walking to hit up all the famous places. I feel like I shouldn’t give them all away as then they might lose business, but I sort of already tagged each place on Instagram Stories (whoops).

But, we went to all the top spots to try empanadas, their unique coffee, a REAL mojito where Billy Holiday used to play, the best Cuban sandwich, a guava pastry, and a local ice cream shop that does Cuban flavors. But we also learned about the culture and their past with America. Of course, we also stopped into a Cuban cigar shop (where they were making them in front of us). At one point we went to a fruit stall which was funny because we tried sugar cane juice (a key drink in India!).

My mom and I liked this best of everything we did in Miami.

Grafitti Tour in Wynwood Art District

You can’t do a graffiti tour with anyone except Miami’s Best Graffiti Guide if you want a truly authentic tour. Our guide Ryan “the wheelbarrow” is a graffiti artist himself and knows the other artists personally. It was a unique tour and it was a time to finally understand how these artists actually make a living doing this (as it’s not actually just kids scribbling – it’s serious).

… but it was also a good time for me to get some cool pictures for Instagram and by the looks of it that is what other people were doing, too!

Little Havana is very close to Wynwood. If you go to both I recommend using Uber and not worrying about parking. For short distances like this we did the Uber Carpool. Since the distance was so short no one else needed a ride at the same time. It was also like 1/4 of the price. 

Design District

That night we checked out the Design District but were so stuffed we didn’t even have dinner and crashed out early since we were going to do stand up paddle board the next morning. The Design District has luxury shops, boutique local shops and of course artist’s galleries. Whenever I see famous people on Instagram in Miami, they always tag this area! It must be the “cool place”.

Day 3

SUP with Sailboards Miami

The last thing we did in Miami was SUP before driving down to the keys. We went to Sailboards Miami to do this but they don’t just do SUP, they actually do windsurfing classes here! I’d love to learn that one day, too. You can park here for free and that was lucky since we drove straight from here to the Keys!

If we had more time we would have done a barre class at Exhale Spa, and Española Way/Washington Avenue Shopping District but unfortunately, time did not allow… another reason to come back!

And there’s how to spend 3 days in Miami. Definitely not enough time, so I’ll have to come back to see more!

For more Florida travel

• A Little Florida Keys Travel Guide: From Key Largo to Key West
• Flying High: Fun Adventures with Mom in Kissimmee, Florida
• 13 Unique Things to do in Jacksonville Florida

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This post is in collaboration with Visit Florida. I was compensated for my time in being in Miami and writing this article.

The post How to Spend 3 Days in Miami: Little Havana, Wynwood, and More first appeared on Hippie In Heels.

The post How to Spend 3 Days in Miami: Little Havana, Wynwood, and More appeared first on Hippie In Heels.

Let there be a reason I get to come to Florida every year! I went last year and had the best time, so this year when Visit Florida asked me to come back I brought my mom along to join in on the fun. We started off in Kissimmee which was the perfect place to start. I didn’t know much about this big city, so I was majorly surprised with how many cool things to do in Kissimmee we found! It was by far my favorite places I visited in Florida, not just on this trip, but ever.

Most Epic Things To Do In Kissimmee Florida and Nearby

1. Sunrise Hot Air Balloon Ride With My Mom

Dress is Rag Poets, buy similar style here | Bag is from Etsy, buy here

We went up in a hot air balloon with Orlando Balloon Rides which was my second time going in one, and my mom’s first time (I did this in Wadi Rum). It’s definitely a different feeling going over a city with people waving up at you!

My mom gets motion sickness so badly that she has to take medicine even to fly by plane, but they promised her she wouldn’t get sick because the balloon goes with the wind so you don’t feel it. She was okay – so if she can do it, anyone can!

Location of Orlando Balloon Rides: 44294 US-27, Davenport, FL 33897

2. Hanging Out in Celebration, a Picture-Perfect Town Owned By Disney

Celebration, Florida has a really cool old-fashioned charm to it. This town is technically in the destination of Kissimmee and it’s probably the coolest place to stay in the area (and just 15 minutes to Universal depending on traffic).

This land was owned by Disney and it was going to be used to create an airport so that your Disney experience started the second you landed but Orlando airport was great, so that idea went out the window. Eventually, they did a lottery for people to get to build homes here. It’s so cute and the people here really love Disney! They film a lot here, too, since it’s so perfect. Desperate Housewives scenes were shot here on Wisteria Lane! How cool!

We took the Celebration Bike Tour for about 1.5 hours around town. You can tell the people who run these tours love their town and that makes you feel really at home. You can tell them your focus if no one else is on the tour (for me it was the town & homes, and less so the nature trails which were also cool).

Bike tour address: 700 Bloom Street Celebration, FL 34747 US (located by the Bohemian Hotel)

The whole time we were in Kissimmee, we stayed at the Bohemian Hotel Celebration which is an Autograph Collection boutique hotel. The hotel was great and the location was perfect. You can walk all over Celebration and it’s such a quick drive to everywhere we went. It was nice to stay in a small town outside the business of Orlando (although I love Orlando, too!).

Bohemian Hotel Celebration location: 700 Bloom St, Celebration, FL 34747

Did you spot the rainbow above?

The hotel restaurant, Lakeside Bar & Grill at the Bohemian Celebration, was pretty full all weekend and you can tell it’s really popular with locals who come here for drinks and to catch up. Please do yourself a favor and order the wedge salad with candied walnuts and bacon!

We also ran down the road to Holler and Dash to try their famous biscuits. I got their original style biscuit with fried chicken, pickles, and hot sauce. WOW. This was the bomb. I wish they had these all over the states!

Holler and Dash location: 6268 W Irlo Bronson Memorial Hwy, Celebration, FL 34747

We walked down to dinner at the Columbia Restaurant and had our most memorable meal of the whole trip in Florida. They have this salad that is meant to be the top 10 salads in America so I got a half and half Cuban sandwich with the salad and it got the award for a good reason. It’s the best salad I’ve had in years! It doesn’t photograph well lol but man was it tasty. For a starter, we got pork ribs with hot sauce and hot peppers in it. All really really tasty. If we didn’t have somewhere to be after, I would have tried the Sangria as a lot of you Tweeted and IG messaged me saying to try the Sangria.

Columbia Restaurant location: 649 Front Street, Celebration, Florida 34747

3. SUP on Shingle Creek

Near the hotel (and the next location on this list) is the Paddling Center at Shingle Creek where you can do kayaking and SUP. My mom had recently cut her finger and had surgery on it so she couldn’t do SUP – so we didn’t stay too long (although the real reason was that I was terrified an alligator or python would get me which I know is crazy because I live in India.)

SUP location: 4266 W Vine St., Kissimmee, FL 34741

4. Flying In A Helicopter Over Disney for the Fireworks (so epic)

Romper is from Tia, buy similar here

The fireworks at Epcot are at the same time every night, 9 pm. So we got to Max Flight Helicopter Services early to fill out forms. It’s just near the Paddling Center. The Epcot fireworks go for 12 minutes so the ride is just over that, around 15 minutes. Usually, the Magic Kingdom ones are randomly timed and they almost never overlap – BUT we got so lucky and they went off at the same time!

If you look at the photos, the Epcot ones are close, while the Magic Kingdom ones are the ones in the background. I was so glad I got my new lens, the [easyazon_link identifier=”B01MU3WOVP” locale=”US” tag=”Hipinhee-20″]Panasonic 35-100[/easyazon_link] which could zoom in on these fireworks from a shaky helicopter! No way my kit lens would have picked this up. It’s hard to believe this time last year, I was on a trip in Florida and still used my phone for pictures! My [easyazon_link identifier=”B01DOKHSH0″ locale=”US” tag=”Hipinhee-20″]Gx80[/easyazon_link] has changed everything!

Helicopter Location: Kissimmee Airport, 4010 4th St. Kissimmee, FL 34741

5. Universal, of course!

The top is from Urban Outfitters, buy a similar style here. | You can get a Yankees hat here, they have the best symbol!

Last year, I got to go to Disney but didn’t get to go to Universal Orlando Resort so this year I was DYING to go to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. It’s just down the road from our hotel and it was the BEST day of my life. I’m going to write another blog post in the future mainly to share all the pictures of Universal but also to tell you what I would do if I could do it again, so you don’t make my mistakes… and fingers crossed I manage to get back to Universal next year!

Universal Location: 6000 Universal Blvd, Orlando, FL 32819 (Universal technically falls under Kissimmee and Orlando)

We ate at Cowfish Sushi Burger Bar at Universal CityWalk and I got all my favorite things: deep-fried pickles and a burger that had jalapeno poppers on it! Like, what! That’s the best thing ever! The portions were huge, though, and we felt so bad wasting food…. I could definitely finish those pickles if someone put them in front of me right now, but maybe next year I’ll go back.

Cowfish Location: Universal CityWalk, 6000 Universal Blvd #700, Orlando, FL 32819

As you can see, there are so many cool things to do in and around Kissimmee, Florida. Have you been to any of these places? Tell me in the comments.

Pin this little guide on things to do in Kissimmee for later:

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I had actually never heard of Space Coast before I went there. Man, I was missing so much! I could tell you how little I know about Space but it would be really embarrassing so I’m going to save the details. The biggest attraction in Space Coast is the Kennedy Space Center.

I’m not gonna lie, I wore this dress because the white dots looked like stars in the black night! haha space themed.

Every night Ben listens to science documentaries. It drives me nuts. When I am bored sometimes I’ll make one up and start telling him about it (a documentary about why black holes exist, which clearly I have no idea) and just talk nonsense that isn’t true. It drives him nuts. My brain just opposes science and unlike subjects like history and math, science was never a strong suit (even if I do have my bachelors in the science of nursing).

Space Coast is more than the Kennedy Space Center but it’s kind of a big deal. Other attractions here and in this Space Coast guide include Cocoa Beach (Kelly Slater is from here!), cruises heading out from Port Canaveral, Brevard Zoo, seeing turtle nesting, Sebastian Inlet, golfing, fishing, and lots more.

Space Coast Guide

Kennedy Space Center

By total coincidence, a rocket was shooting off the DAY WE WENT TO KENNEDY SPACE CENTER! It was so exciting! I mean people were pretty pumped so I jumped on board that excitement lol.

We met with the rep from Visit Space Coast and he told us the news. He goes you can tell people they can watch it live at U-L-A-L-A-U-N-C-H .com. I said Oh, cool it’s like “ooo la laaaaunch” fun play on words… he’s like umm no, it’s United Launch Aliance. Cue me saying nothing ever again about science, rockets, or NASA the remainder of the trip.

You can check out ulalaunch to see the rockets go off live. People from this area are pretty used to them and will put lawn chairs out in the backyard to watch. You have to get there about an hour before and if you want a spot on the bleachers you’ll want to go straight to them. Of course, you can’t be right near a rocket when it goes off (duhh… apparently) you have to be THREE miles away!

You will be in direct sun with nothing over you while you wait. What we did was wait in the shade then walk over to the edge of the bleachers and stood while it went off. It’s a 30 second thing. It’s pretty cool!

These photos are courtesy of  ulalaunch.com.

This rocket was going up to put a satellite in space specifically for military WiFi.

After the rocket launch we toured the Kennedy Complex. There’s a lot to see. I went through things fairly quickly. I’m sure Ben would want to spend the whole day there.  The Atlantis exhibit was VERY cool. There’s also a shuttle launch experience. The bus ride out to Apollo center was a bit much for me. There’s a lot more like Journey to Mars (their next goal), astronaut memorial (so touching and sad), a couple IMAX movies, and rocket garden.

We had lunch with an astronaut which was really neat. You could ask him anything, although they kind of only let the kids ask questions. It wasn’t a “kids” event or anything so not that I don’t want kids to have fun, but they were kind of lame questions lol. I guess I shouldn’t say that ;) The astronaut was inspiring though and I think a lot of kids left there with a new life goal. The food was mediocre so don’t expect a lot.

Kennedy Space Center tickets are $50 for adults and $40 for children. If you want lunch with the astronaut it’s 29.99 for adults or $15.99 for children.

Brevard Zoo

I normally wouldn’t mention a zoo as I’m not a zoo-lover. I was really impressed by this one though and totally understand that some people love zoos. I think because I travel, I’m more interested in doing safaris but obviously kids love zoos and some adults!

dress is from dancing leopard, purse is Chiaroscuro, and shoes are

[easyazon_link identifier=”B00ZFLZEQ4″ locale=”US” tag=”Hipinhee-20″]Teva[/easyazon_link]!

This is an outfit from Fabletics

Brevard Zoo does not have animals which were captured in the wild. Many of their animals were rescued from owners who tried to raise wild animals at home. Interestingly my home state (Ohio) and Florida have some of the most lax laws on having wild animals as pets. It’s really fascinating and I suggest watching The

[easyazon_link identifier=”B005ILZ100″ locale=”US” tag=”Hipinhee-20″]Elephant in the Living Room[/easyazon_link] on Netflix or buy the DVD if you don’t have Netflix because it’s crazy! It won many awards. A guy just down the road from me on 314 had lions when I was a kid!Brevard was really clean, had lots of activities for kids, and I liked how big the animals’ new homes were. Their goal is “wildlife conservation through education and participation”. We kayaked through the zoo! They also offer zip-lining here.

Brevard Zoo Tickets are $17.95 for adults, 13.95 for kids, and children under 3 are free.

Cocoa Beach Pier

The Cocoa Beach pier is over 800 feet long. You can go fishing, have amazing dinners, play volleyball, learn to surf, or hit up some mini-golf. The original Ron Jon surf shop is here if you’re up to that. We ate at the end of the pier and it was SO SO tasty.

We also went to dinner another night near the port at Rusty’s Oyster Bar. That was also delicious! I suggest going early for drinks outside at sunset before eating a late dinner. They don’t take reservations.

Manatee boat tour

We took a boat tour with Island Boat Lines which was really neat. I’d never seen manatees in the wild and it was the seasons for babies! We saw about 3 little manatee babies with their moms in the mangroves.

There were also birds and playful dolphins following the stream of the boat. A bonus highlight was seeing the huge houses that line the water. You can use an app called Zillow to see how much they cost lol that was quite entertaining.

The tour hour boat tour is $28 for adults and $23 for kids plus tip. 

Where to stay at Cocoa Beach

I didn’t have time on this trip to research where to stay. We stayed at the Hampton Inn Cocoa Beach courtesy of the tourism board. It was a lovely stay and I only have positive things to say. Rates are coming up for the summer months as about $169 per night.

Hampton Inn is the actually the best ranked hotel. There are also a Courtyard, Holiday Inn, and more. The Hampton Inn is ranked over the Hilton, Hilton Doubletree, and Four Points by Sheraton so that’s saying something! It was a great hotel. You can use this link to book.

 

The post Space Coast Guide | & I saw a rocket shoot off! first appeared on Hippie In Heels.

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Welcome to Backpacker’s Boutique. Every Sunday, this spot will feature a new travel blogger. Some weeks it will be a really fun interview about packing, fashion, and fitness so you can snoop inside their bags & lives a little bit and other weeks it’ll be a detailed luxury guide to a city the featured blogger/expat knows very well. E-mail me if you’d like to be featured.

A Luxury Guide to Key West

Tell us a little about yourself and tell us why you’re an expert on luxury travel in Key West.

I’m Emily and I am a writer and travel blogger sharing my glampacking tips on my blog Luxury Backpack. In January I decided to leave the stress and bustle of London behind, quit my amazing job as an event manager, and moved to the Florida Keys to write full time. Life here is pretty great – sometimes I can’t believe that I actually get to live in such an incredible place, and I am head over heels in love with the eclectic, unique, stunning town that is Key West!

What makes Key West a perfect destination for travelers seeking a glamorous trip?

Key West is hands down the prettiest town I have ever been too – from the stunning ocean views to the candy coloured houses, boutiques and cocktail bars. My favorite thing to do is spend an hour wandering the back streets, popping into a few of the lovely boutiques, and deciding which luxury beach house I want for myself!

There is just so much on offer here – whether you want to just enjoy the gorgeous weather from one of the many luxurious resorts, or submerge yourself in the quirky island way of life. There is something new to experience around every corner.

What 5 star hotel is the best in Key West?

You are really rather spoilt for choice in Key West, with so many fabulous hotels and beach resorts. I would say The Southernmost Beach Resort can’t be beaten for location, and the rooms and amenities are stunning! Click here for rates and availability. 

What about boutique hotels in Key West? Of them all, which would you send your friends or family to stay at?

The Paradise Inn is my absolute favourite. With private cottages, light and airy rooms, a pool courtyard and Jacuzzi, you really can’t beat this hotel for a luxurious getaway. Plus it is adult only, so really is a peaceful place.

For vacationers with children I recommend the Eden House. It is the oldest hotel in Key West, has so much charm and history, and is utterly stunning! It is certainly the place to stay to be surrounded by some of that Key West quirky charm.

Are there any fun luxury activities for the adventurous traveler in Key West? 

Being on an Island, the water is the best place to be! Chartering a boat is easy as there are so many companies that offer this. Take your picks from activities such as sailing, scuba diving, snorkeling, parasailing, jet skiing, fishing and kayaking!

My favourite day trip is taking a tour over to the island of Fort Jefferson, an abandoned fort on an Island in the Dry Tortugas – an national park archipelago about 70 miles offshore. Beautiful!

Where are the best hang outs during the day in Key West?

The best beach around is in the Fort Myers national park, which is just outside the main town. It is idyllic, and perfect for a day trip. Strangely the cemetery is actually one of my favourite places to take a stroll through. It is so peaceful, and the views from up there are beautiful. Plus there are some funny infamous gravestones to look out for!

For drinks, I love the Date and Thyme café for hanging out and drinking matcha lattes, and there are so many happy hour spots dotted around Key West (I won’t even begin naming them all!) it is always time for a cocktail!

What are your picks of the tourist spots?

You can’t miss visiting Hemmingway’s house and museum. Firstly, the house is a great example of the charming architecture in the town, but it is also really interesting to visit the place where this famous writer found his inspiration.

There are also lots of interesting places hidden amongst the bars and shops – such as the oldest house in Key West, which you can just wander in and out of at your leisure.

If you have a big date night, what are the most delicious restaurants in Key West and what are their best dishes?

Louie’s Backyard is the most romantic restaurant for a date night, and perfect for trying beautifully prepared seafood. My pick is the Florida Lobster braised in Truffle Butter – delicious! The SHOR American Seafood Grill is a good choice for their stunning sunset view, and once you have seen the sunset in Key West you might never want to leave!

And if seafood isn’t your thing, Antonia’s serves the best Italian around. And who doesn’t love Italian for a date night?

Let’s talk desserts – what place makes the best?

Better Than Sex is a dessert restaurant, open from 6pm-midnight, serving sexy cocktails and decadent desserts. You get a booth in the boudoir-styled interior and order off the extensive yummy dessert menu. My idea of heaven!

Tell us all the hot shopping spots in Key West: who’s carrying the trendy local designers?

There are lots of great boutiques amongst the tourist shops, and many stock local designers and handmade items. I love The Green Pineapple, a gorgeous boutique, yoga studio and health food café that stocks beautiful clothing and accessories. Date and Thyme is a great place to go for all things yummy and healthy, and I buy natural skincare products there. I really like Indigo boutique for clothing and jewellery and Artisans Key West for something a little bit different.

If you are a book lover, there are a couple of great book stores, including Key West Island Books which stocks a selection of local authors, so even with your poolside read you can be fully submerged in your surroundings! 

Lastly, Key West has a really great creative scene, and you will find so many independent art galleries and studios dotted around. The perfect souvenir is something beautiful to hang in your home! I absolutely love the DE LA Gallery, which houses the work of Miami/Key West based photographer Jorge De La Torriente. His work is incredible!

What are a couple of the best salons and spas in Key West?

My favourite spa is Anahara spa on Duvval Street which is just beautiful and offers gorgeous treatments including massage, reflexology, mud wraps, and amazing facials. For nails I would recommend Nailtini, which offers everything from shellac to acrylics, and you can get a last minute wax there too!

Time for a great sunset view… where would you go?

Mallory square actually has a sunset party every night, with street performers, musicians, food carts, and crafts. If you just fancy a nice spot to have a drink and enjoy the view, I recommend the Sunset Tiki Bar & Grille located at the Galleon Resort, and like many of the resorts, you don’t have to be a guest at the hotel to enjoy the bar!

Just outside Key West, about an hour drive north, is the seven-mile bridge which is my absolute favourite spot to watch the sunset in the Keys. Park your car or bike, and take a wander down the old pedestrian-only bridge. Below you often see turtles and sharks in the clear water, and the sunset is incredible. If you fly to Key West from Miami, this is a great place to stop on the drive back up North.

Now that the sun’s gone down, fill us on the best places to go for some evening drinks or a great pre-gaming spot.

There are so many great spots for drinking, but I really love the Porch, which is a craft beer and wine bar and is just stunning. I also really like Kelly’s, which has a gorgeous outdoor courtyard. For tequila lovers, Agave 308 Tequila Bar is perfect for margaritas!

If you end the night at a fancy club in Key West, which one do you head towards?

VIP clubs and long lines don’t really fit in to the Key West laid back style, so you won’t find swanky night clubs here. It is, however, full of lively bars and dancing – so you will have a good night that’s for sure. If it is a lounge style bar with live music that is your thing, Little Room Jazz Club is a great spot. Otherwise, get ready to have fun and head to one of the lively gay clubs, such as Aqua or 801 Bourbon Bar which has nightly drag shows! It is all part of the Key West eclectic island style – and one that you will soon fall in love with!

Emily is a writer and travel blogger from the UK who is now based in sunny Florida. She has travelled for most of her adult life, living everywhere from Mallorca to LA to on board a luxury yacht. Her travel blog Luxury Backpack focuses on travelling in luxury on a backpackers budget. When she isn’t traveling or writing about it, she spends her days working on her first novel, trying a new cocktail bar, or exploring the Keys on her bike. You can follow her on Facebook, Instagram, Google+, Pinterest, and twitter.

The post Luxury Guide to Key West first appeared on Hippie In Heels.

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There’s nothing not to love about Palm Beach, Florida! I love staying at new hotels and was hoping to stay at a cool Palm Beach Resort. The people over at Visit Florida who hosted this trip booked us in at the Hilton West Palm Beach which just opened in February.

Go ahead and look up the price… right now it’s saying $199 a night! Not bad for a brand new Hilton. Hopefully it stays that way.

I’m going to share about the hotel plus what I got up to for 3 days in the Palm Beaches. West Palm was my favorite, but checking out the houses and shopping in Palm Beach was too cool!

Newest Palm Beach Hotel

I wasn’t planning to do a hotel review, so I actually don’t have many pictures of the room; only a few that I took on Instagram. This won’t be as detailed as most of my reviews as I want to share what to do in the area even more!

The room was light, bright, and spacious which I’ll always take over a dark Victorian style room. There were small touches of blue and the TV was HUGE. I actually watched the Kardashians (don’t judge) and did some work from bed one night which felt so good. I’d been in the US for a couple of days, but hadn’t had a chance to just CHILL. It was a good room to do that. Plus, there was a coffee machine in the room.

The pool was really nice. I saw this swan through the lobby when I first got to the hotel and thought, I’ve got to get on that! I wasn’t the only one thinking that so I actually only got about 5 minutes on it then felt bad and gave it to some kids. 

Luckily, there were about a dozen rafts floating around you could use and I just floated and tanned for a couple of hours one day.

Breakfast isn’t included in the room rate. You can choose to buy the buffet one or do a la carte. I did the buffet since the price worked out a better deal for what I’d order. The last day, I didn’t have time because I slept in so I went down to just buy a to-go coffee. The girl just gave it to me, no charge! Woo hoo haha that never happens.I did work out since was nice and you could request a yoga mat or you can go down to the gym. I’m new to working out so can’t be bothered to go to a gym and do it in front of people, plus I don’t know how to use the machines anyway.

I wrote a packing list for Florida but these Free People dresses are the bomb when I travel. I have the exact same one in blue. I recommend dresses for this area because it’s hot (96 while we were there), humid, and you need to look dresses up for the Palm Beaches. Little breezy dresses for the day look better than jean shorts for the Palm Beach vibe.

The bikini I’m wearing is L*Space which is my all time favorite brand for travel because they are fairly conservative (not Brazilian cut) and this one is the “Wild One” style. It’s reversible from light blue to dark blue on the top and light blue to tan on the bottom. It’s my favorite bikini right now!

You can rent cabanas (I think they said $500 a day) but it’s pricey and unnecessary in my opinion. If you can, request a room that overlooks the pool. It’s a better view and you can look down and see the crowd before you go down.

The hotel was great and had a little cafe and shop as well. They had elaborate ball rooms and meeting rooms as well as a concierge that could set things up for you.

Hotel contact:  600 Okeechobee Boulevard, West Palm Beach, FL 33401, (561) 231-6000

What to do in the Palm Beaches Florida

So, what ARE the Palm Beaches you might wonder. West Palm Beach is the mainland section in South West Florida. Then there is a bridge that goes out to a small inlet that is Palm Beach. Together they are Palm Beaches.

The West is more chilled but still fancy, while the East is WAY fancy with all the celebs owning houses there and rich people like Trump. Florida doesn’t have state tax so celebs, rich people, and sports stars buy homes here.

I have 13 photos below. I tried to narrow them down because they seemed repetitive but I feel like they each are so beautiful and show just how gorgeous the Palm Beaches are. This was Palm Beach (not West Palm) and just some spots we saw on the drive down A1A.

Everywhere you looked were AMAZING houses. We used the Zillow app to see how much they were worth and it is crazy. I won’t be buying one any time soon lol. Most were private with gated entry. Most celebs are in gated places so you can’t see their houses at all.

But it’s not just beaches!

While on the Palm Beach side, we also checked out the hot street called Worth Avenue which has a LOT of history to it in terms of fashion when the US was quite new.

West Palm Beach is a different vibe altogether. It’s much more laid back and I felt more in place there than I did in Palm Beach. Palm Beach was so fancy, it’s hard not to just feel like a tourist (which I was). West Palm you could blend it to feel like you were part of the community a bit more.

They are all about community as well with families out having picnics, everyone walking dogs, interactive art installations, and fun options like mini-golf around the downtown area and Clematis Street which has a lot on it. We ate at Grease Burger which was SO tasty.

Get the fried pickles and the milkshake full of BOOZE!

If you head to the East end of Clematis Street to Los Trompos you’ll see the art installation I mentioned, which changes every year. Kids and adults both loved playing on it! The art spun around. The golf was called Glow FORE it and was pretty cool.

We tried Rocco’s Taocs one day when it rained out our plans and it was okay but I have to say, not the best Mexican I’ve had.

We also tried out Revolutions Bowling for dinner. It’s set up with dinner on one side with really neat booths and adult bowling on the other (I say adult because it was very trendy with booze and music, etc, like a party place). All of us were size 7.5 and they didn’t have that many shoes so we didn’t end up bowling.

Sloan’s Ice Cream is the greatest place on earth. I cannot even explain how tasty this place is! Plus, it’s a giant candy store along with the ice cream options. They even host kids’ birthday parties.

Rapids Waterpark is another option if you don’t want to go to the beach. It looked really fun but sadly a huge storm hit when we got there and they closed the park before we could do anything!

On my last day, I went to the South Florida Science Center before my flight since it’s about 10 minutes from the airport. This is definitely just for kids. They are adding a mini golf course, in construction. It was fun to goof around though and if you need to pass the time before a flight you could stop. The airport is SO small you don’t need any time there.

If I could go back, I would definitely check out the Hilton again as it was a fantastic hotel. I’d want to stay on the West Palm Beach, because although the Palm Beach side is gorgeous it’s very private and expensive.

Clemitis Street has lots of food options and bars for adults and the science center, golfing, and water park were great for kids!

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The post Stay at the Newest Palm Beach Hotel + What To Do first appeared on Hippie In Heels.

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At the time I checked into the B Resort and Spa Orlando it was $99 bucks a night, and when I’m writing this it’s showing $109. I was pretty surprised since the place is a 4 star hotel with boutique cute style. I wasn’t asked to write a review about this hotel, but really think it’s a great value for money hotel in Orlando, so wanted to share it in case you’re headed. It is an official Walt Disney World hotel and offers free shuttles to and from the parks and priority seating at Disney shows and restaurants. Click here for rates and availability. 

More on Orlando:

• How to spend two days on International Drive Orlando
• What a VIP Disney tour is really like

B Resort And Spa Orlando

The lobby is white with big pops of color with trends in mind, like the backgrounds of real looking photos that have benches below for “selfies”. The chair in the photo above is $18,000 bucks from a designer (I forget who) in Italy. 

There are a variety of rooms: suites, double, pool rooms with patios and balconies, and family rooms that have bunk beds in them. The room was very spacious and I got to peek in on the family room which was pretty huge with the king bed in a separate room within the hotel room.

Each of the B resorts have an endangered animal they donate money to and support through the purchase of stuffed animals, and at B Resort and Spa it was this cute frog! They have the stuffed animals in the rooms and if when you leave you want to buy it (or one from the gift shop) you can. I can guess lots of kids sleep with them and then it’s hard to say no when they want to keep them- so I bet there is a lot of money going to these frogs!

All rooms come with free WiFi and “blissful beds” their signature mattresses.
There were amazing views at the hotel and you could see over to the nightly Disney fireworks which would be awesome if I were in the room at the time they went off, which I wasn’t. But, it’s good to know. The elevator is open glass so when you go up you see the view as you rise.

As you can see, the rooms are white bright and spacious. My room had double beds and a living room area with couch. I had only been back in the US for a few days at this point, and turned on the huge TV, plopped into bed, and felt like it was the best thing ever!

Of course, all hotels need a spectacular pool and this one didn’t disappoint. I think because most people were at Disney, the pool was nearly empty all the time. I loved the walk-in pool entrance and they mentioned it had music playing underwater which I’ve only seen at one other hotel on my travels.

There was an outdoor patio area that led to a cafe, shop, pool, spa, and the other rooms and banquet halls. There were activities out there like a fire pit for smore’s and a giant life-size game of checkers.

The spa carried

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Never heard of International Drive Orlando? Neither had I! International Drive is an 11 mile stretch of highway outside of downtown Orlando that has a fair share on things on offer for those vacationing in Orlando, like the anti-mall I recently wrote about. While there is a lot on International Drive for kids, it’s definitely not only for kids!

While here, you can take advantage of the i-ride trolley to get around, but it isn’t free. It’s 2 bucks for adults per ride and 1 buck for children. We just drove and parked and that was fine. I feel like the trolley might be unnecessary but that would be up to you.  For restaurant coupons here’s a whole bunch for this area of town.

I’ve made a little map that I starred places that I’ll mention in the post below. I know Orlando is all about Disney, but I think you’ll be surprised how many other amazing things are on offer here!

Things to do in Two days on International Drive, Orlando

Of course there are SO many more things than what I’m listing but these are ones I did and a couple I didn’t get a chance to but would like to go back to one day. What’s missing from this list? Lots of water parks, malls, mini-golfs, and even full theme parks. See a full list here.

Universal Studios

Are you dying to get to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter? ME TOO! I didn’t make it on this trip. We spent our time at Disney, although I did go to Universal Studios when I was a kid and loved it. This isn’t actually on I-drive, but is listed as part of I-drive per their website. It’s just down the road. You can see on the map embedded above. They’ve got a variety of parks like Harry Potter, Islands of Adventure, and Volcano Bay. Check the website for ticket variations so you can spend a WHOLE DAY here! This would be day one. Tickets are $155 for a day and a mere $5 discount for little kids.

Sea World / Aquatica (Sea World’s water park)

Have strong negative feelings toward Sea World? Seen Black Fish? I know. I thought the same and now that I’ve visited wrote a whole post sharing my thoughts on what I think about if you should visit Sea World. Check that out.

Beyond that, It’s a huge attraction and there are aspects of Sea World which are great for kids. For example, the new rollercoaster Mako which is the tallest in Florida. Tickets are about $69 per person, ages 3 and up. Aquatica tickets are about $38 right now. With all passes, look at the options as you can usually add-on special things or find deals. If you come here come early, do Sea World first, then the water park and be out of there by lunch!

There is also Discovery Cove where you can swim with dolphins but it’s not something I personally feel comfortable promoting as it seems cruel to me.

I-Drive 360: Sea Life / Orlando Eye / Madame Tussauds / Legoland

Three of the above mentioned are together in one building (not Legoland). You can individual passes to each of these or you can do group passes that save you money. Legoland is actually in Winter Haven but they offer it in this pass which is why it’s mentioned. They will shuttle you out for free. For all four it’s $95 for kids and $99 for adults. You might have to choose either Sea World the first morning or this combo of places.

• Sea Life. If you’re not keen on Sea World but want to see an aquarium, there is Sea Life. Tickets are $15 if you buy ahead.

• Madame Tussauds. This is the wax museum which is famous for making exact duplicates of wax celebrities. They actually take hundreds of measurements so when you see the people, you’re seeing them at their real size. Honestly, a wax museum to me is a little “ehh” but I did find it fascinating to see how SKINNY these celebrities are. I’m telling you, it’s shocking. Taylor Swift and Angelina Jolie are so skinny I can’t see how they ever eat anything. Tickets are $20.

• Orlando Eye. This one was of my favorite things I did in Orlando! I love being on ferris wheels and this is owed by the same people who own the London Eye. I found out because I wondered if they stole the name, ha ha. They didn’t. Tickets are $20.

• Legoland. *** LEGOLAND IS NOT ON I-DRIVE*** I have included it because it comes with the package offered and there is a free shuttle. If you choose to go to Legoland for a couple of days, then it’s best you drive out to Winter Haven and check in at a hotel. I am writing a follow-up post with information on Legoland and what you can get up to in Winter Haven, as I spent two days there.

Artegon Marketplace for lunch

I enjoyed Artegon so much as I just love buying from local artisans. I’m a shopaholic at heart and over time (3 years in India will do this) I’ve stopped caring about name brands as much and really like buying handmade things I’ll use and wear instead of souvenirs. I was so impressed with this space which is the “anti-mall” and has over 150 local artisans selling everything from crocheted baby clothes to spicy homemade hummus. I wrote a whole post about Artegon you can read here.

Helicopter tour over Orlando at sunset

You can take this with Air Florida and comparable to the prices where I went in Hawaii, the rates are shockingly low at $20 a person for the shortest tour. While tours start at I-Drive you can also head all over Orlando on different tour packages and fly right over Disney!

America’s Escape Game

These interactive puzzle escape games are getting so popular all around the world and lucky for you there’s one in Orlando. There are many game options for small groups for example, “Secure the White House and stop a missile attack while you still can!”. Single players are welcome or up to 10 people. Games are best for ages 12 and up although they do not enforce this age limit and anyone can play, they just may not understand the puzzles. This is a great way to spend your evening.

Minus5 Ice bar

I’ve wanted to go to one of these since I heard of it 7 years ago in London. Sadly, I didn’t make it on this trip. I have so many reasons to go back! If you want a little bit of nightlife your last night, the Minus5 Ice Bar would be a great option (here are a list of more nightlife options). There is a lot to do at night. If you were here without kids you could even skip all the above except Universal and spend a couple of days there then spend your nights out on the town on International Drive, not having to go downtown.

Hotels for International Drive

There are so many nice Orlando hotels  and we stayed at the B Resort and Spa (full review coming soon) which is a Disney affiliated resort, we did not stay at a hotel on International drive.

There are so many hotels in Orlando and so much to see that you’ll have to think about where you’d like to be located for a full vacation. To me, I-drive is a two-day thing max, so I don’t see it being necessary to switch hotels if you’re on a week-long vacation. If you’d like to stay this side of town there are so many options from Hampton Inn’s and Best Westerns to Embassy Suites. Here’s a full list from Agoda, my go-to booking site. Check the right side below the map.

I was on a trip in collaboration with Visit Florida and Visit Orlando when I visited. All opinions are my own.

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I recently went on a trip with Visit Florida and saw on our itinerary that while in Orlando we would be visiting Artegon Marketplace. At first I just skimmed past it thinking it must be their biggest mall and didn’t think it would be something unique I would write about- yet, now here I am writing about my 9 days in Florida and it’s the first thing I want to write about!

Artegon Marketplace is called the “anti-mall” because it’s 99% local artists and shop owners, yet it’s still a huge complex with so many shopping options, art installations from Florida artists, and unique food. With a Food Truck Fridays, games, a new fresh produce marketplace opening, and the possibility to see art shows in Florida right here at the mall, it’s definitely something I wanted to share with you guys.

It’s 865,000 square feet of shopping paradise and there are more than 150 local artisans here. The new marketplace Eat Street is going to be a lot like Pike Place in Seattle and opens in 2017. For now, they have I’d guess about 15 food options such as ice cream, waffles, sushi, booze, tea shop, frozen yogurt, and more.

There is a movie theatre, glow in the dark 18 hole mini golf, indoor trampoline park, and a tightrope to walk with a harness on called Skytrail, the largest ropes course in Florida.

I’ll start with my favorite part which was candle-making at Bowes Signature Soy Candles… while drinking and island cocktail out of a fresh pineapple from the neighboring Tiki Bar. I made candles in Goa one season and I love mixes scents. I did it in Hocking Hills last year with my mom. I bought Ben a candle from here called Monkey Farts. It smelled like bananas lol, hilarious.

I made a creation I called “coconilla” which was coconut and vanilla. The colors go opaque and pastel as they dry so that turned out a light pink. Just what I wanted!

I’ve written about my love for Etsy in the past when I ran that huge giveaway. I love to shop for local things when I travel, and in Florida I thought I wouldn’t be buying anything as often at the beaches it’s those typical souvenir shops. I loved this “anti-mall” because it was kind of like if you searched on Etsy for designers in Florida, except you saw the results in person!

Another unique thing about Artegon Marketplace was that all the shops designed their own shop fronts in cool ways. My favorite design was the beehive for the honey shop. There were interactive areas too- for example, a charging station where you pedal bike pedals to make the electricity. One guy was sitting there doing that while he ate his pizza- genius.

A few other shops at Artegon Marketplace that caught my eye were an Indian henna shop, Sweet Mermaids candle and soap shop, and Simply Savory who sold homemade dips and sauces (and gave free samples which I’m a sucker for). I was looking for baby gifts and loved Baby ME. There was an entire corner of the mall that was full of art, like a mini-Orlando art gallery. If you’re into art, you’ll love this place. From the bathrooms to the walls there is art everywhere and as a blogger, I have to say it made for some great photos!

While it’s 99% local places there a few shops that already had space there and still stuck around once Artegon came to exist like Subway, Bass Pro, and Ron Jon Surf Shop. To me, these things don’t matter but I know some people would be curious why those brands were there.

Artegon Marketplace location and contact information:

The address is Artegeon Marketplace, 5250 International Drive, Orlando, FL 32819. International Drive or “I Drive” is where you find attractions like Madame Tussaud’s wax museum, Sea Life, and the Orlando Eye as well as shopping centers.

To find out more details on exact shop listing, check out their website: www.artegon.com. The hours are 11a-9p except on Sundays when it’s 11a-7p. They have free shuttle buses, WiFi, and wheelchairs. It is pet friendly and there are water bowls outside some shops.

Pin it for later.

I visited this anti-mall during my trip to Florida in collaboration with Visit Florida tourism board. All opinions are my own and I loved this place!

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To date, the biggest perk of being a travel blogger was being invited by Visit Florida to explore Disney World for the day on the VIP tour. At first, when I saw we were going to 3 Disney parks in one day, I was dreading it but after learning about the Disney VIP tour, it was the most exciting news ever! They can easily cover all FOUR parks in one day.

Tips on Visiting Disney World in Orlando, Florida

• If you haven’t booked your flights yet, I highly recommend checking out Kiwi to find the best and cheapest routes. Might as well save a little on your flight to really get a VIP experience at Disney World! Check the prices here
• For my non-US readers, always double-check if you need a tourist visa or not. I use iVisa for all of this, and it’ll tell you if you need one and the cost right away.
• Also for non-US readers, get travel insurance. I think the US is pretty infamous now for how expensive a simple sprained ankle can be. Check World Nomads to get a quote.
• When you get the VIP tour you STILL have to buy the Disney park tickets. You can get discounts on them if you buy through the website Undercovertourist.com. Buy them here and check the different bundle sale options they offer.
• Quick Packing Tips: Dress comfortably! It’s silly to try and look cute in a flowy dress if you’re planning on riding roller coasters. Below are some of my favorite brands:
  • Swimsuits: L*Space
  • Sneakers: Ugg
  • Sandals: Chacos
  • Sunglasses: Raybans
• Also, don’t forget to protect your skin. Florida’s known as the sunshine state after all. I always wear Sun Bum since it’s eco-friendly and smells like bananas.

A Peek into the Disney VIP Tour

So, obviously, Disney World private tours aren’t in the budget for everyone. There are huge costs involved, but they are booked solid with about 30 tours a day, so there are some of you out there considering it! I’d like to share the breakdown of costs for the Disney World VIP tickets as well as the benefits you receive so you can decide for yourself.

Cost of Disney VIP Tour: “Private Premium”

Tours range in price from $300 to $600 an hour. I was told by the guide that there is a MINIMUM of 7 continuous hours per day needed to book the tour.

Why the hourly rate difference? It’s based on seasonal travel. If you come off-season you get the low rate, and high season is the higher rates.  Times like spring break, Christmas break, and mid-summer can show higher rates. You can call at 407-560-4033 to get rate quotes for the dates you have in mind.

There is a MAXIMUM of 10 people on the tour.  I think this is a very generous number.

Let’s break it down.

Low season:

You’ll pay $400 an hour at lowest with a minimum of 7 hours, which comes to $2,800 in total. If you had 10 people on your tour, it would cost $280 per person. This would be ideal for a family gathering with cousins, and aunts and uncles or pairing up with a family friend for a two family tour. If you had the average family of four, you would pay $700 per head. Considering the family of four would be kids who you pay for, you can just go ahead and keep it in your head as $2,800 bucks for the 7 hours of Disney heaven.

High season:

You’ll pay $600 an hour at the busiest times of year for a minimum of 7 hours, which comes to $4,200 in total. If you had 10 people on your tour, it would cost $420 per person. If you had a family of four, that would come to $1,050 per head.

The bottom line will come to: how rich are you? If you could get a group of 10 people in the off-season, and you were a family of four WITHIN that 10 people: that’s just $1,120 for your family of four to have the tour.

You could also do a bachelorette party with 10 girls, off-season, with each girl paying $280. I can tell you for sure that’s a lot cheaper than Vegas!

I think that’s a pretty killer deal considering what you get on a Disney VIP tour. Keep in mind this is just the TOUR price, not the ticket admittance – you must ALSO buy regular tickets to the parks. For park tickets, buy them on undercover tourist to get the best discounts. Click this link and bookmark it for when you’re ready to buy (and make sure to read all the bundle deals to save the most).

In Conclusion

Although this article is about the Premium General Disney VIP Tour, which is customizable, it’s not your only option.

There are multiple tour types you can choose from which have different rates and rules.

For example, the Ultimate Day for Young Families VIP tour is great for the youngsters who want to see the classic kids’ stuff at Disney (Aladdin, Dumbo…) This tour is $299 plus tax per person, plus buying the regular tickets, food is included, and it’s offered Tuesdays, Fridays, and Sundays for 7 hours maximum.

There’s another one called the Ultimate Day of Thrills which is the same prices and rules but the itinerary is for thrill seekers, as you might have guessed.

I’ll cover the benefits so you can decide for yourself if a tour like this is something you should be saving up for.

Cost of regular entry tickets

You will have to buy entry tickets along with your VIP tour. They can set that up when you call to book. Disney isn’t cheap in general which most people who plan to go quickly find out and some opt to visit just one park. You can find all prices here and how to get better deals when you bundle parks.

July is considered peak season prices. Summer rates will be higher. You MUST get a park hopper pass but on the website I linked there, if you are going to Universal too, you can save a ton if you buy the tickets together.

What you need to know before booking:

• These get filled up FAST. So quickly, in fact, it’s shocking they haven’t raised the prices. You must call them at least 90 days out, but some book even 180 days in advance which is their furthest date out you can book.
• There is a 7-hour minimum as mentioned and that must be done continuously. You can do 7 more hours the next day.
• You can extend your 7-hour minimum tour if you wish and your rate will be decided on the time you release your guide at the end of the day.
• Infants count as a guest
• You must give 28 hours notice to cancel a tour or you will pay a two-hour booked rate fee.
• Pay in full at time booking.
• Bring ID if 18 and up and you must accompany your children. It’s not a daycare service!
• To book call 407-560-4033 or visit the Disney Reservation Center
• All tours require separate theme park admittance tickets.
• Dining fills up, make reservations WAY ahead of time.

Benefits of Disney VIP tour

1. Disney Fast Passes

By far, this is the best thing about the VIP tour. But you should know you don’t HAVE to be VIP to get a Disney Fast Pass and in fact, the lowest ticket holder will even have a chance at three Fast Passes at Disney World for free. Fast passes aren’t just for rides but get you to cut in line to take photos with the Disney Characters and front row at shows.

Cutting in line with the fast pass is THE COOLEST THING EVER and alone was worth the money, especially because I’m a roller coaster lover!

Not having to make your children wait in line to meet their favorite Disney characters would be a huge benefit as well, since these days thanks to people being crazy, the characters no longer walk around the parks for autographs they are hidden away and you have to wait in line to get a photo with them and autograph.

People were so obsessed with getting selfies with the characters and photos of their kids with Mickey for social media, it wasn’t safe for the characters. Also, selfie sticks are banned in Disney!

What is the Disney Fast Pass?

This means you get to go in the “fast pass” line which is like cutting in line. Sometimes the lines are very long so this can be invaluable at saving time. We rode some roller coasters over and over with no wait at all in the fast pass line.

According to my guide, if you buy a regular ticket to a Disney park you can get three fast pass cuts in line per day. After you use the initial 3, you can schedule to add one more. Once you use that, you can add another. If you plan well you could schedule quite a few in one day. You can schedule my making a Disney account and link your tickets; they only give out so many a day.  All the details are here.

Download: “My Disney Experience” App and schedule/reschedule your tickets from your phone.

2. NO planning

Tours are fully customizable if you want to give your input, but if you don’t know a thing about Disney it really won’t matter. The guide will take you to all the best places. I didn’t know anything about Disney but got to see the Animal Kingdom’s best rides and a show, Epcot’s new attractions, and explore Hollywood Studios. We wanted to ride the Expedition Everest three times and our guide said sure! It only took about 20 minutes with the fast pass.

There are four Disney Parks and two water parks. You can research if you want or just let your guide surprise you. They know what the best places are.

3. Invaluable Disney tour guide

These guides know Disney like the back of your hand. If you DO have a lot you want to see and there are particular things you can send that over before your trip and they will make an itinerary to make sure you can see and do all that you want in the order that makes the most sense. They also can tell you all about the characters and share stories to keep the kids entertained.

4. A/C car, no crowds

You’re not only cutting in line with your fast pass, the BIGGEST thing that gets you to see the most at Disney (and really the only way) is that you have a huge luxury A/C van that drives you around the backside of the parks. You literally just get out and you’re behind the ride you want to go on. Enter through employee doors and cut in line to do the ride. You can escape the crowds completely if you don’t want to walk through the park (perfect for you celebrities reading this ;) lol jk)

They also pick you up from your hotel. Upon arrival to the Orlando airport in Disney, you could taxi to your hotel (and back) and not actually have to get a rental car. Many hotels offer shuttles to other attractions and you could think of that money-saving option as going towards your VIP ticket.

If you didn’t have a VIP tour, you would need to research a lot in terms of mapping out the parks, using the Disney trams, and knowing where the bus stops are for getting between parks. Plus waiting for these rides can take a lot of time from your day and make you much more tired.

Jungle Book show, you can get front row seating which means those kiddos would get pulled up on stage more likely. PS this was an INCREDIBLE show! I got happy tears!

5. Bonus perks

Your guide will do little things like getting you water or wait with one guest while the others ride a scary roller coaster.

One guest in my group left her phone on a rollercoaster (rides at Disney all have places to put your belongings). We were at the Jungle Book show when she realized it was missing. The guide had her stay and enjoy the show while he went to get her phone. She brought it back and all was good!

It’s also nice to have a “local” show you around. A Disney guide is basically that. They live and breathe Disney. For someone like me that hadn’t been since I was 6, it was awesome to have someone like that show me around!

Disney World Accommodation Tips

There are 24 Disney Resorts you can stay at. I recommend you stay on-site as there are shuttles that run for free from Disney hotels. If you do the tour, that’s not too important since they will come pick you up anyway, but it’s Disney and you should totally stay at a Disney Resort to get the full experience!

We stayed at the B Resort and Spa which is a luxury/boutique style hotel experience and I can highly recommend it. I mean, you NEED Mickey Mouse shaped waffles for breakfast to help get you pumped. At the time I was there, rates were a mere $99 for the most basic room. All rooms were spacious though (I did a tour), and it is a great deal.

Disney does offer Value Resorts like Disney’s All Star, Disney’s Music, Disney’s Movie. They go as low as $79 a night which is a pretty fair rate.

All Disney resorts come with perks. You get free pick up and drop off from the airport and free transportation to and from the parks. If you drive there yourself, you get free parking at the parks which are usually $20 a day. You’ll get a free “magic band” and extra “magic hours“. Click those links to see what that means (it’s really cool).

Got an RV or want to camp? Check out Disney’s Fort Wilderness to save more cash.

Check out all hotels in and near Disney World

A Cheaper VIP Option:

After searching online for my next trip to Disney, I saw only one outside source selling VIP deals for Disney. On Viator, they have a 6-hour tour for up to 8 people for $900 which like the tour above, does not include the ticket price (or express passes). It’s truly JUST a guide that takes you around, plans your day ahead of time, books your meals, and leads you around. They drive you, too and ensure 10-15 minute wait times for rides. You buy your ticket and then let them take over. It’s a VIP budget option that is maybe more “boutique” than pure luxury, but it’s a pretty good deal if you just want the help getting around as the main benefit (if enough people come to split it). Check out all the details, reviews, and book Five Star Private VIP Tours on Viator.

The Most Luxe Hotels for Parents and Kids:

1. Four Seasons Resort Orlando: This will give you a view of Cinderella’s castle if you get the right room (and the fireworks). It’s the #2 hotel in the city, it’s not in the park but they have a shuttle. While super luxurious it’s in character whether it’s Mickey Mouse Pancakes or with their Disney concierge. Read reviews here.
2. Animal Kingdom Lodge: It’s completely in character for the kids but it’s not as luxurious unless you splash out for the Royal Asante Suite. Read reviews here.

For More Florida Posts:

• Visiting Kissimmee, Florida
• 3 Days in Miami: Little Havana, Wynwood, and More
• Exploring the Florida Keys
• Packing List for Orlando & Palm Beach

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The post Disney VIP Tour | Cost, Details & Disney Fast Pass first appeared on Hippie In Heels.

The post Disney VIP Tour | Cost, Details & Disney Fast Pass appeared first on Hippie In Heels.

I recently spent 10 days in and around Orlando and Central Florida (Space Coast, Winter Haven, West Palm Beach, Palm Beach) and needed a wide variety of clothes. I was set to visit amusement parks like Disney, safaris, Zoos, waterparks, nice restaurants, a couple very nice resorts, fancy Palm beach shops, and more! I needed such a wide variety of clothes and shoes on this one, I created a packing list.

Packing list for Orlando & Palm Beach

I took my new IT luggage and it was fantastic on this trip. It was the medium size luggage in a three piece kit and ended up being exactly the correct size. I also took packing cubes for the first time which made such a difference in organization, especially since I switched hotels four times which is a lot of packing and unpacking.

I took a new carry-on and purse as well which were great on this trip so I’ll tell you more detail about those as well later on. First let’s see what was inside!

Toiletries

So, that is the extent of my toiletries. I took my Stowaway travel sized make-up which I’ve written a detailed review about and will share next week. You can see the rest of what I took above. I stuffed it all in my LeSportsac toiletry bag. I even took my Zoya polish I got for my birthday and the one thing you can’t forget when you go to Florida- a Sun Bum face stick! Also, I don’t go anywhere without Clinique moisture surge– it’s the bomb. You don’t need to take full size shampoo and such but I didn’t have time to get travel size and had room, so took it.

Clothes

I am so in love with packing cubes. Look how organized they kept everything! It’s fantastic for someone as OCD as me. So here’s what’s in the piles above and some similar suggestions:

• 1 pair of jeans, 1 pair of shorts (never wore the jeans)

• 4 fancy cute dresses

• 4 t-shirts (2 chill ones from Reef, and 2 cute linen ones from Hush UK)

• 3 tank tops

• 5 laid back dresses

• 2 rompers (these were the best)

• 1 sweater (for flights) from Dolly Boutique

• 1 turkish towel (so good for travel, used it a lot on this trip)

• 2 bikinis (the navy is L*space)

• two work out outfits (I signed up for Fabletics and got this top and bottom)

Accessories

I put my jewelry into the cute little tribal bag which I always carry in my carry-on bag, I never check it!

• The tribal bag, towel, and the portable charger & passport cover below are from Girl Around World.
• The jewelry is a mix of my Etsy faves (I am so into gold trends right now)
• Missoma London who I’m so in love with lately and wear everyday (the bracelet and the ring with the bar and small diamond)
• Black beaded jewelry which is from Cocobelle
• I also packed my new Taylor Morris blue lens/tortoise-framed sunnies!

Shoes

Of course you need a variety of shoes! Here’s what I took:

• Ipanema flip flops for the waterparks, pool, and beach
• Artemisia sandals (the tan leather) for evenings
• Reef tennies for the parks and long walking (similar here)
• Teva (the blue sandals) which are SUCH comfortable walking shoes (similar here or here)

Electronics

Here’s my electronics which of course go in my carry-on bag. I have the following:

• My new Macbook Pro retina
• Passports (yes I carry two for visa reasons, which I didn’t even need lol so not used to flying domestic!)
• [easyazon_link keywords=”Portable charger” locale=”US” tag=”Hipinhee-20″]Portable charger[/easyazon_link]
• [easyazon_link keywords=”Headphones” locale=”US” tag=”Hipinhee-20″]Headphones[/easyazon_link]
• [easyazon_link identifier=”B00OQVZDJM” locale=”US” tag=”Hipinhee-20″]Kindle[/easyazon_link] (cannot believe I ever lived without one)
• [easyazon_link keywords=”Camera” locale=”US” tag=”Hipinhee-20″]Camera[/easyazon_link]
• Business cards
• Charging cords
• a US SIM. I went with a 60 day unlimited SIM from Telaway. I ordered it to my house from online. It was as simple as putting it in and bam, it worked.

Lo & Sons Review

Lastly, I got it all organized and packed up! I used my Lo & Sons carry-on which compartmentalizes everything perfectly for me. I also took my Lo & Sons black purse which was great for this trip because it looks very upscale but it is also very lightweight and was good for the amusement parts. The compartments in the purse helping me stay organized when I had to take my camera, portable chargers, phone, and more when I would go out in Florida as I was there for work and needed to take lots of photos and notes.

I had space hidden in the bottom, so what to do? Add more shoes! LOL and why not!? You can’t take too many shoes ;)

• UGGS tennies
• Solillas sandals (will not stay white for long in India though! I have the black ones in Goa)

The best bit about the carry-on is that it can slide onto your luggage once you’ve got everything packed and makes for such easy gliding around the airport. It’s nice not to have to either roll two bags (if your carry-on is a rolling bag) or lug one on your shoulder which can get annoying, especially when you transfer hotels as you bounce around. I also had plenty of room to put my purse inside the carry-on bag. It came with a messenger strap that had memory foam but I didn’t use on this trip. The pockets on the inside and outside.

• Lo & Sons Catalina Delux (carry-on above)
• Lo & Sons Pearl (purse below)

Here’s a look at the purse I took which is from Lo & Sons. They are actually very well-known for the their camera bags and I didn’t get that one since I have a simple camera. Well, now I’m investing in a camera with exchangeable lenses and wish I’d gotten the one which looks like a normal purse but is a camera bag! It’s very cool. I guess this way I get two, so it’s for the best, ha ha. This one switches straps so that it can be a shoulder, cross-body, or even a clutch. It’s made from Saffiano leather which is super durable!

The purse had a section which the website shows as your passport area, pretty great since I have to carry around two and it’s nice to put them away from the rest. You button off this middle par, then use the two zipper sides.

On one I kept my [easyazon_link identifier=”B0126YU78C” locale=”US” tag=”Hipinhee-20″]Ray-Bans[/easyazon_link], and the other was my wallet and camera. The center I kept closed for the most part with all my important stuff in it.

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Welcome to Backpacker’s Boutique. Every Sunday, this spot will feature a new travel blogger. Some weeks it will be a really fun interview about packing, fashion, and fitness so you can snoop inside their bags & lives a little bit and other weeks it’ll be a detailed luxury guide to a city the featured blogger/expat knows very well. E-mail me if you’d like to be featured.

A Luxury Guide to Miami

Tell us a little about  yourself and tell us why you’re an expert on luxury travel in Miami.

My name is Stella and I`m Blogger from germany. My blog A Heart for Fashion is about my personal style & travels. 2013/2014 I spend one year in Florida and discovered a lot of great places there. Miami is still my favorite. I’ve been there a lot and this city own kinda my heart.

What makes Miami a perfect destination for travelers seeking a glamorous trip?

Miami has so many things to offer. It`s a big city next to a beautiful ocean with great beaches everywhere. Art in general has a big influence there, so is luxury. You can find awesome hotels, high class restaurants and the best clubs. No wonder that so many celebrities come to spend their days and night there.

What 5 star hotel is the best in Miami?

Situated on oceanfront Collins Avenue, Fontainebleau is one of the most historically and architecturally significant hotels on Miami Beach. Club Liv is part of the hotel, which is a great club where already Jay-Z and other VIp´s passed by. Click here for rates and availability. 

What about boutique hotels, of them all, which would you send your friends or family to stay at?

I stayed two times at the Colony hotel and loved it! The hotel becomes recognized around the world as a symbol of south beach. Located at the celebrated block of Ocean Drive and Seventh Street, the hotel is a part of the Art-Deco District since 1935. The blue light of the sign you can see on almost every Ocean Drive picture. The rooms are small, but super comfy and clean with nice furniture. The beach is just across the street. I recommend this hotel to everyone who`s going to visit Miami. Click here for rates and availability. 

Are there any fun activities for the adventurous traveler in Miami?

You can book a yacht tour with different themes at theadvantaged.com they`re highly recommended. You can do tours to different beaches, sunset dining and a lot more. Also the Bahamas are close to Miami. With Norwegian cruises or carnival you can do a 3 day trip to the island or even longer for not much money.

Where are the best hang outs during the day in Miami?

South beach is nice when you like to be in the center of the crowed. North beach is more quite but both are big and beautiful. At Lincoln road you have all the stores from Victorias Secret, Guess or the more high class brands. The Nexxt Café is one of the oldest restaurants there. They provide free wifi and delicious food. For Lunch they have special prices. A bit more upper-class are Sundays at the W hotel. At the pool area is a chill out party during the day called Shoreclub. You can rent sunbeds, eat brunch and enjoy some fancy drinks, while listen to the nice sounds of the DJ.

If you have a big date night, what are the most delicious restaurants in Miami and what are their best dishes?

The Baoli is a beautiful restaurant with great food and a nice atmosphere. The dimmed lights are perfect for a date night. I ate sushi and mini burgers with fries there, which taste delicious. But I bet everything on the menu is great. It`s also located at south beach:

BÂOLI MIAMI, 1906 Collins Ave,, Miami Beach, FL 33139

Let’s talk desserts in Miami- what place makes the best?

I was thinking about a fancy restaurant but actually the best dessert for me is still the ice cream from cold stone. One of their signature creations “peanutbuttercup perfection” is really pure perfection. Eat it always when I visit Miami.

Get the perfection right here: 1631 Alton Road, Miami Beach, FL  33139, (305) 673-6963, Alton Rd. and Lincoln Rd.

Tell us all the hot shopping spots; who’s carrying the trendy local designers in Miami? 

“Aloha Miami” does handcrafted ethno/bohemian accessories. I fall in love with them through their instagram @aloha-miami

What are a couple of the best salons and spas in Miami?

At Blow in-bar you can choose between different hairstyle like high society, pillow talk… They get your hair the perfect style for the night (or day, of course)

Location: 3301 NE 1st Ave, Suite 102, Miami, Florida 33137

The Bliss is located in the W hotel and known for their great facials, which makes your skin glow.

Time for a great sunset view… where would you go?

The Sunset Lounge is perfect for watching the sunset. You have a view on the bay from there, so you can see the how the sun goes down over the skyline of Miami downtown.

Sunset Lounge, Lounge · West Avenue, 1100 West Ave (at the Mondrian), Miami Beach, FL 33139, USA

Now that the sun’s gone down, fill us on the best places to go for some evening drinks or a great pre-gaming spot.

Juviva a a rooftop bar at Linsoln Road. Use the private elevator entrance on Lenox Avenue to get up there. With an ocean view and some cocktails, you can start your night there. I`s good located to go to the clubs after, cause most of them are also located in south beach.

Juviva, Restaurant und Cocktailbar, 1111 Lincoln Rd (at Lenox Ave), Miami Beach, FL 33139, USA

If you end the night at a fancy club, which one do you head towards?

That’s too hard to choose. We`re talking about Miami so there are a bunch of fancy clubs where you can end the night. I like set, wall, mansion… but there are a lot more. Make sure you check the program before. But every night something is going on.

If you like it a bit different, check out Bodega Taqueria y Tequila. Yeah it’s a small restaurant where you get served Mexican streetfood. But if you make it through the blue door, and the room with high urinals, there`s something else waiting for you.

Stella Sowa is a german blogger and owner of http://www.aheartforfashion.com where she writes mostly about her personal style & travels, but also about off topics. Before she started her studies in public relations, she worked in mediadesign. So an interest for pictures and editing was always there. Her blog is like an open diary and she likes to takes you on her journey… wherever it goes. Connect with her on Facebook or Instagram.

The post Luxury Guide to Miami first appeared on Hippie In Heels.

The post Luxury Guide to Miami appeared first on Hippie In Heels.