I feel it’s about time to listen to some excellent news about Florida. The previous couple of months has been tough on the sunshine state. First Hurricane Ian tried to blow southwest Florida proper off the map and inundated giant swaths of the state with heavy flooding. Somewhat over a month later Hurricane Nicole tried to sneak one final late-season punch onto the Atlantic shores.
If you hearken to overly dramatic information you may suppose the entire state of Florida is hurricane battered and fully underwater. But We simply spent a month touring by the state, and we will inform you that’s simply not the case. Florida and the individuals who name this place dwelling are resilient.
In this put up and video, we’re going to take you on a little bit street journey to indicate you that the solar is actually nonetheless shining in Florida.
We have a week-long street journey deliberate to take a look at a couple of underrated gems alongside Florida’s north and mid-Atlantic Coast. The humorous about this journey is it obtained rescheduled twice, due to the hurricanes, however it truly labored out higher than we might have even deliberate, however extra on that later.
The 2022 hurricane season was tough on Florida and it might need you questioning… Should you propose your winter and spring break journeys to Florida this yr? – Well the reply is easy – Yes!
Hurricanes occur yearly and yearly Florida rebuilds again higher. The folks listed below are resilient. Sure Hurricane Ian was a nasty one, however the space that was broken to the purpose that will forestall a visit is small. The areas that also want extra time to rebuild are primarily across the Fort Myers area. They will want a bit extra time but to get well.
However, the remainder of the state is prepared for you – and Ft. Myers received’t be far behind! Don’t consider it? We simply spent a month touring the state and we’ll present you that the solar continues to be shining in Florida!
On this household street journey, we’re going to discover St. Augustine, Cape Canaveral, Coca Beach, and Vero Beach with plenty of enjoyable stops alongside the way in which. Hop within the minivan, sit again, buckle up, and benefit from the experience as our household of 4 explores Florida’s north and central Atlantic Coast!
St. Augustine
Our first cease is historic St. Augustine, Florida. Founded in 1565 – it’s truly the oldest constantly occupied European Settlement within the continental United States. In lots of methods, St. Augustine doesn’t really feel like Florida to me. Development smart the state is comparatively new, however right here in St. Augustine, you’re surrounded by historical past.
There’s a centuries-old Spanish fort, historic picket buildings, and exquisite structure relationship again to the day of railroad constructing tycoons. On prime of that, there are some nice seashores and plenty of native attraction – it’s onerous to not like St. Augustine.
St George Street
We are going to start out on probably the most well-known road within the metropolis which is St. George road. Lined with historic buildings now repurposed into outlets, museums, and a number of the metropolis’s greatest eating places. A stroll down this road might take you the higher a part of the day if you’re up for exploring the outlets and lingering on the cafes and eating places.
St George Inn
On this journey, we’re staying within the coronary heart of the motion on the St. George Inn to profit from our days within the metropolis. Our home windows and balcony overlook the historic St. George Street and we’re simply steps away from all the points of interest, outlets, and eating places.
We have a household swimsuit with a pleasant kitchen and front room to unfold out which is a should when touring with younger youngsters. The St. George Inn has a number of room sorts and in case you’re touring with a household that is the place to remain!
Castillo San Marcos
On our first full day, we stuffed up at breakfast set in a stupendous courtyard of the st. George Inn and tried our greatest to maintain the children from leaping within the grand fountain. With some meals and low in our system, we headed to one among St. Augustine’s important points of interest the 300-year-old fort, the Castillo San Marcos.
Built within the 1600s by the Spanish, the Castillo was constructed to guard town and necessary commerce routes. Throughout the centuries it modified palms a number of occasions between the Spanish, British, and the United States till it was decommissioned in 1933, a couple of years after it acquired National Monument standing.
We spent the morning exploring all of the nooks and crannies of the previous fort, however our favourite half was on the higher stage. Here, alongside lengthy with nice views of St. Augustine, there have been cool previous cannons to see and turrets to cover in the place the children pretended they have been pirates.
Fountain of Youth
Another Spanish relic price marveling at in St. Augustine is the Fountain of Youth. In the sixteenth century, the age-old rumor of magical water that will reverse growing older and remedy illness grew to become in style amongst explorers. One particularly, Ponce de Leon grew to become fastened on discovering this legendary water supply.
This web site is claimed to be the precise touchdown web site of Ponce de Leon. Since he’s not round anymore I’m unsure the magic water labored, however there’s a ton of historical past to take a look at whereas visiting the Fountain of Youth Archeological Park.
Besides the sip of mineraly water right here you may also get a glimpse again in time into the lifetime of the early settlers and explorers. Around the positioning, there are buildings and reveals of things discovered right here that are from practically 500 years in the past. This can also be regarded as the positioning of the primary Christian Missions in what’s now the United States.
For the children, there are tons of peacocks to see and feed in addition to some kid-focused archeological reveals. Atlas was satisfied we have been going to search out treasures right here and he nearly to pry him away.
Trolley
All aboard top-of-the-line methods to cowl lots of metropolis in a short while, the well-known inexperienced and orange St. Augustine Tolley. The Old Town Trolley Tours St Augustine
The youngsters cherished the experience and we obtained a narrated experience and some minutes to take a seat and simply watch this charming city go by. It was a enjoyable strategy to see town and it’s actually one of the simplest ways to see town.
Museums
If you didn’t get sufficient historical past strolling across the streets of St. Augustine, don’t fear there are many top-notch museums as properly. One of probably the most noteworthy is the Lightner Museum which is housed in what was as soon as Henry Flagler’s grand and opulent Alcazar Hotel.
Inside you’ll discover a huge and wide selection of items on show based by the writer and collector Otto C. Lightner. The constructing itself is well worth the go to however the artwork and reveals push it towards to the highest of the listing of locations to go to whereas in St. Augustine.
St. Augustine Lighthouse
Another should in St. Augustine is a climb up the gorgeous black and white striped basic lighthouse. From the highest of the lighthouse, you’ll be able to see Anastasia Island state Park and the Old Town within the distance.
For nautical nerds, there are additionally a number of reveals on the lighthouse and maritime historical past overlaying from Ponce de Leon to the present day – and all the things in between.
Beaches
For a little bit break from all the historical past and tradition of St. Augustine, we spent a while simply enjoyable on the seashore. On prime of all the historical past that you’ll find right here, there are some nice stretches of sand as properly. After all, it’s nonetheless Florida – and no journey to the sunshine state could be full with out a while on the seashore.
Aligator Farm
We completed up our time right here with a go to to the St. Augustine Alligator Farm Zoologic Park. Inside we discovered actually a whole bunch if not hundreds of Alligators. Atlas and Isla love seeing all the gators and different animals. Besides all the Alligators there are many primates from all over the world, unique birds, and different reptiles. This place is a should in case you’re touring with youngsters or animal lovers.
This hurricane season didn’t focus its wrath on St. Augustine, town noticed some harm, however nothing that will hinder a go to to this historic gem.
Space Coast & Cocoa Beach
Next up on our street journey is a spot that’s been on our radar for some time and we lastly determined to make it occur. From St. Augustine, we set the GPS for Cape Canaveral and Cocoa Beach to an space of the state often known as the Space Coast. It obtained it’s title from being the house of NASA’s launch web site for human house journey. Here, simply inland from the sandy shores, you’ll discover the Kennedy Space Center the place the Apollo 11 mission launched on its strategy to the moon in 1969, and plenty of different well-known missions earlier than and after that one. However, rockets aren’t the one factor that this place has going for it – there are additionally some nice seashores in addition to many different nice spots to take a look at.
Sunset on the seashore
We made it into city simply in time hit the seashore at sundown and it was a superb one. The youngsters performed within the sand whereas we waited for the solar to sink behind the little seashore city of Cocoa Beach. As it did the sky lit up in purples and pinks, regardless that on the east coast the solar doesn’t set over the water the final rays of the solar bounce round and make some sky magic anyhow.
As the sunshine light we sat right down to what could be one among our favourite meals in Space coast and of this little street journey actually. We had dinner proper on the seashore at Coconuts, a neighborhood favourite open-air spot in Cocoa Beach. all the things was good, however the stand out was the Tuna Nachos.
While we ate we might inform the entire city was a buzz concerning the Artemis launch try, navy planes have been flying round, and folks have been excited.
Artemis Rocket Launch
We had been attempting to time our journey up with this rocket launch for some time now, however after being rescheduled twice, we’d kinda thought that it simply wasn’t going to occur. The first launch makes an attempt again in August and September have been scrubbed attributable to engine points and hydrogen leaks after which Hurricane Ian set issues again even additional.
We truly had our automotive all loaded up and we have been prepared to move out the door at 5 am the day the Ian hit, and evidently we scrubbed our mission two. We then rebooked all the things attempting to see the launch once more after which it turned out that we have been going to be within the house coast on the improper days. Finally, whereas we have been road-tripping round Florida we discovered that the launch obtained pushed to our first day in Cape Canaveral – speak about fortunate. The solely down facet it was set for 1 am.
We sat up listening to the chatter from the NASA command heart for hours, ready, and hoping it was going to go. When the evening began it appeared like issues have been going to set it again once more and that we have been destined to overlook this launch.
But then at virtually 2 am, the announcement got here that the launch was a go! We rushed downstairs from our lodge the Cape Canaveral Hampton Inn to the car parking zone, which had surprisingly good views of the launch from proper exterior the room. Our little astronauts weren’t as much as see this second in historical past – which is simply too unhealthy as a result of Atlas actually loves all issues house.
Kennedy Space Center
The subsequent morning, contemporary off the excessive of seeing a rocket launch into house and a little bit brief on sleep we headed to the Kennedy Space Center, which is the place the rocket took off from just a few hours earlier. Of all of the issues we did in Space Coast, this was a giant hit with everybody.
Just a couple of steps in and we have been greeted with a set of large rockets from all intervals of house exploration in what is named the Rocket Garden. The youngsters cherished this space and even obtained to hop in a reproduction spacecraft stuffed with buttons and switches to fake for a couple of minutes that they have been astronauts.
Everywhere you flip contained in the Kennedy Space Center there are interactive reveals the place you’ll be able to apply issues like your house shuttle docking expertise or fake to pilot a ship by Outerspace!
The quantity of large life-sized house tools parked on web site is so spectacular and offers you an actual really feel for the historical past of house exploration. Even in case you aren’t an enormous house geek, you really want to place this place in your bucket listing.
There can also be an enormous indoor playground which in fact is house themed. This is an efficient place to get the children shifting and it’s lots of enjoyable for each mini astronauts and children which might be on Outerspace overload.
We even obtained to have a snack with an astronaut which Atlas nonetheless to this present day talks about. We spent the entire day right here and I do know for a reality we didn’t see all of it!
We actually loved our time right here in Cocoa Beach and the entire house coast – however we completely didn’t plan sufficient time right here. We left quite a lot of stones unturned – however we all know we will certainly be again right here prior to later.
Vero Beach
With historical past and house checked off of our listing, it was time for some rest time on the seashore. So we headed one other couple of hours down the coast to Vero Beach. Everyone we talked to look to actually love this little seashore city, so we determined to test it out for ourselves. On our strategy to our ultimate cease, we had a couple of stops deliberate earlier than we planted our toes within the sand.
LaPorte Farms
First up was LaPorte Farms dwelling to an interactive zoo full of animals from all over the world. This little gem within the city of Sebastian is a enjoyable 5 acre non-profit farm that’s lots of enjoyable for teenagers. Here you’ll discover all the things from cockatoos and chickens to Zebras and Zebus. We made buddies with all the animals by feeding them by hand. There are plenty of reveals and it’s a enjoyable strategy to spend a day with youngsters and animal lovers.
Mel Fisher Treasure Museum
We couldn’t go to Florida’s Treasure Coast and not using a cease to Mel Fisher’s Treasure Museum. Of all the stops on this whole street journey, this museum was the cease that stunned me probably the most. I’d heard of Mel Fisher, however I actually had no concept of the tales and the sheer quantity of treasures he and his crews truly discovered. His most notable discover was The Atocha, a Spanish shipwreck that had 40 tons of gold and silver onboard when it went down. When Mel’s crew discovered it in 1975, the treasure was valued at over 450 million {dollars}.
I imply, simply take a look at this bust with gold chains hanging from Mel’s neck. Inside the museum, they actually have a 5lb gold block the place the gold itself is price at the least $50,000 that they allow you to maintain. However, the actually attention-grabbing half is that Mel Fisher and his crew solely discovered about half of the Atocha’s treasures. A big a part of the ship is believed to nonetheless be on the market. Significant finds are nonetheless being made at present. And if you’re searching for a carer change, they’re hiring full-time divers to search for treasure in Key West proper now.
ELC – Environmental Learning Center
Another enjoyable cease for teenagers is the Environmental Learning Center or ELC because the locals name it. Here we discovered 65 acres of pristine Florida wilderness. There is an in depth system of trails and boardwalks that convey you between completely different ecosystems and reveals on the property. Boat rides may also be organized to discover much more of the Indian river and the character that surrounds the ELC.
MeKee Botanical Gardens
One of our favourite stops across the Vero Beach space was the McKee Botanical Gardens. Stepping into these lush gardens was like strolling straight into the jungle – you realize if the jungle was finely manicured with coy ponds and stuff. But severely simply take a look at this place. We in all probability would have spent even longer right here if we didn’t stumble onto the tremendous enjoyable child’s space full with splash pad, and properly – we proceeded to get fully soaked – which lower our go to a little bit brief, however undoubtedly a worthwhile cease. It was time to move to our ultimate cease, the seashore – and to the lodge for some dry garments.
Vero Beach
Our ultimate cease in Florida was truly the primary place we noticed any noticeable results from any of the hurricanes in 2022. Looking down on the seashore it kinda regarded like somebody took a couple of large scoops of sand away, and proper after Hurricane Nicole there was some street harm that washed away half of the street alongside the shore.
How a lot did it affect ou journey? in no way. The seashore continues to be attractive, the sunsets are nonetheless beautiful, and from a vacationer perspective life was good, truly, it was higher than that – life was fairly nice.
Kimpton Vero Beach
After a busy week touring alongside Florida’s Atlantic Coast, it was time to settle in and loosen up on the beachside Kimpton Vero Beach Hotel. Our room was properly appointed with a spacious dwelling space with loads of room for all of us. The front room lead out to a balcony overlooking the pool with views of the ocean making the right spot for morning espresso or a glass of wine after the children have been down.
Once we obtained right here it was a bit onerous to depart – however that was pleased with us. The Kimpton has two onsite eating places, a spa, a pleasant pool, and naturally – the seashore. Another bonus it was inside strolling distance of different close by points of interest, buying, and eating.
Of all the enjoyable issues we did on this street journey, a number of the greatest recollections have been simply having some household time enjoying within the pool – splashing round and studying to drift and bounce off the sting like little daredevils. The Kimpton Vero Beach was the right place to finish an action-pack journey.
And similar to that our Florida street journey is lights out like a child that performed too onerous within the pool.
We hoped you loved touring alongside Florida’s Atlantic coast with us and exploring all the historical past, stunning seashores, and the actually out-of-this-world actions. We additionally hope we confirmed you that the solar is shining in Florida and it’s prepared to your subsequent household trip!