I believe 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. Slightly over a month later Hurricane Nicole tried to sneak one final late-season punch onto the Atlantic shores.
Should you take heed to overly dramatic information you would possibly suppose the entire state of Florida is hurricane battered and fully underwater. However We simply spent a month touring by means of the state, and we will let you know that’s simply not the case. Florida and the individuals who name this place residence are resilient.
On this put up and video, we’re going to take you on a little bit highway journey to indicate you that the solar is actually nonetheless shining in Florida.
We’ve got a week-long highway journey deliberate to take a look at just a few underrated gems alongside Florida’s north and mid-Atlantic Coast. The humorous about this journey is it obtained rescheduled twice, due to the hurricanes, but it surely really labored out higher than we may have even deliberate, however extra on that later.
The 2022 hurricane season was tough on Florida and it might need you questioning… Must you plan your winter and spring break journeys to Florida this 12 months? – Properly the reply is easy – Sure!
Hurricanes occur yearly and yearly Florida rebuilds again higher. The folks listed here are resilient. Certain Hurricane Ian was a nasty one, however the space that was broken to the purpose that may forestall a visit is small. The areas that also want extra time to rebuild are primarily across the Fort Myers area. They’ll want a bit extra time but to recuperate.
Nevertheless, the remainder of the state is prepared for you – and Ft. Myers gained’t be far behind! Don’t consider it? We simply spent a month touring the state and we’ll present you that the solar remains to be shining in Florida!
On this household highway journey, we’re going to discover St. Augustine, Cape Canaveral, Coca Seaside, and Vero Seaside with a lot of enjoyable stops alongside the best way. 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. Based in 1565 – it’s really the oldest constantly occupied European Settlement within the continental United States. In plenty of methods, St. Augustine doesn’t really feel like Florida to me. Improvement clever 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 delightful structure courting again to the day of railroad constructing tycoons. On prime of that, there are some nice seashores and plenty of native appeal – it’s arduous to not like St. Augustine.
St George Avenue
We’re going to begin on probably the most well-known avenue within the metropolis which is St. George avenue. Lined with historic buildings now repurposed into outlets, museums, and a number of the metropolis’s greatest eating places. A stroll down this avenue may 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 take advantage of our days within the metropolis. Our home windows and balcony overlook the historic St. George Avenue and we’re simply steps away from all the sights, outlets, and eating places.
We’ve got 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 varieties and in case you’re touring with a household that is the place to remain!
Castillo San Marcos
On our first full day, we crammed up at breakfast set in a good looking courtyard of the st. George Inn and tried our greatest to maintain the youngsters from leaping within the grand fountain. With some meals and low in our system, we headed to considered one of St. Augustine’s most important sights the 300-year-old fort, the Castillo San Marcos.
Constructed within the 1600s by the Spanish, the Castillo was constructed to guard the town and vital commerce routes. All through the centuries it modified palms a number of occasions between the Spanish, British, and the US till it was decommissioned in 1933, just a few years after it acquired Nationwide Monument standing.
We spent the morning exploring all of the nooks and crannies of the outdated fort, however our favourite half was on the higher degree. Right here, alongside lengthy with nice views of St. Augustine, there have been cool outdated cannons to see and turrets to cover in the place the youngsters pretended they had been pirates.
Fountain of Youth
One other Spanish relic price marveling at in St. Augustine is the Fountain of Youth. Within the sixteenth century, the age-old rumor of magical water that may reverse getting 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 website is claimed to be the precise touchdown website 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.
In addition to the sip of mineraly water right here you may as well get a glimpse again in time into the lifetime of the early settlers and explorers. Across the website, there are buildings and displays of things discovered right here that are from practically 500 years in the past. That is additionally regarded as the positioning of the primary Christian Missions in what’s now the US.
For the youngsters, there are tons of peacocks to see and feed in addition to some kid-focused archeological displays. Atlas was satisfied we had been going to seek out treasures right here and he nearly to pry him away.
Trolley
All aboard among the best methods to cowl plenty of metropolis in a short while, the well-known inexperienced and orange St. Augustine Tolley. The Outdated City Trolley Excursions St Augustine
The youngsters beloved 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 option to see the town and it’s actually one of the best ways to see the town.
Museums
Should 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. Some of the noteworthy is the Lightner Museum which is housed in what was as soon as Henry Flagler’s grand and opulent Alcazar Lodge.
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 displays push it towards to the highest of the record of locations to go to whereas in St. Augustine.
St. Augustine Lighthouse
One other should in St. Augustine is a climb up the attractive black and white striped traditional lighthouse. From the highest of the lighthouse, you possibly can see Anastasia Island state Park and the Outdated City within the distance.
For nautical nerds, there are additionally a number of displays on the lighthouse and maritime historical past masking from Ponce de Leon to the present day – and all the pieces in between.
Seashores
For a little bit break from all the historical past and tradition of St. Augustine, we spent a while simply stress-free on the seashore. On prime of all the historical past that you will discover right here, there are some nice stretches of sand as properly. In any case, 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 tons of if not hundreds of Alligators. Atlas and Isla love seeing all the gators and different animals. In addition to 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, the town noticed some harm, however nothing that may hinder a go to to this historic gem.
Area Coast & Cocoa Seaside
Subsequent up on our highway 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 Seaside to an space of the state generally known as the Area Coast. It obtained it’s identify from being the house of NASA’s launch website for human area journey. Right here, simply inland from the sandy shores, you’ll discover the Kennedy Area Middle the place the Apollo 11 mission launched on its option to the moon in 1969, and lots of different well-known missions earlier than and after that one. Nevertheless, 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.
Sundown on the seashore
We made it into city simply in time hit the seashore at sundown and it was a great one. The youngsters performed within the sand whereas we waited for the solar to sink behind the little seashore city of Cocoa Seaside. Because it did the sky lit up in purples and pinks, though 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 all the way down to what could be considered one of our favourite meals in Area coast and of this little highway journey actually. We had dinner proper on the seashore at Coconuts, a neighborhood favourite open-air spot in Cocoa Seaside. all the pieces was good, however the stand out was the Tuna Nachos.
Whereas we ate we may inform the entire city was a buzz in regards to the Artemis launch try, navy planes had been flying round, and folks had been excited.
Artemis Rocket Launch
We had been making an attempt 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 primary launch makes an attempt again in August and September had been scrubbed attributable to engine points and hydrogen leaks after which Hurricane Ian set issues again even additional.
We really had our automotive all loaded up and we had been prepared to move out the door at 5 am the day the Ian hit, and for sure we scrubbed our mission two. We then rebooked all the pieces making an attempt to see the launch once more after which it turned out that we had been going to be within the area coast on the flawed days. Lastly, whereas we had been road-tripping round Florida we came upon that the launch obtained pushed to our first day in Cape Canaveral – speak about fortunate. The one 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 had been going to set it again once more and that we had been destined to overlook this launch.
However then at virtually 2 am, the announcement got here that the launch was a go! We rushed downstairs from our resort the Cape Canaveral Hampton Inn to the car parking zone, which had surprisingly good views of the launch from proper outdoors the room. Our little astronauts weren’t as much as see this second in historical past – which is just too dangerous as a result of Atlas actually loves all issues area.
Kennedy Area Middle
The following morning, contemporary off the excessive of seeing a rocket launch into area and a little bit quick on sleep we headed to the Kennedy Area Middle, which is the place the rocket took off from only some hours earlier. Of all of the issues we did in Area Coast, this was a giant hit with everybody.
Just some steps in and we had been greeted with a set of big rockets from all intervals of area exploration in what is named the Rocket Backyard. The youngsters beloved this space and even obtained to hop in a duplicate spacecraft filled with buttons and switches to fake for a couple of minutes that they had been astronauts.
In all places you flip contained in the Kennedy Area Middle there are interactive displays the place you possibly can apply issues like your area shuttle docking expertise or fake to pilot a ship by means of Outerspace!
The quantity of big life-sized area tools parked on website is so spectacular and offers you an actual really feel for the historical past of area exploration. Even in case you aren’t an enormous area geek, you really want to place this place in your bucket record.
There may be additionally an enormous indoor playground which in fact is area themed. This can be a good place to get the youngsters transferring and it’s plenty 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 at the present time talks about. We spent the entire day right here and I do know for a truth we didn’t see all of it!
We actually loved our time right here in Cocoa Seaside and the entire area 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 before later.
Vero Seaside
With historical past and area checked off of our record, it was time for some leisure time on the seashore. So we headed one other couple of hours down the coast to Vero Seaside. Everybody we talked to appear to essentially love this little seashore city, so we determined to test it out for ourselves. On our option to our last cease, we had just a few stops deliberate earlier than we planted our toes within the sand.
LaPorte Farms
First up was LaPorte Farms residence to an interactive zoo crammed with animals from all over the world. This little gem within the city of Sebastian is a enjoyable 5 acre non-profit farm that’s plenty of enjoyable for teenagers. Right here you’ll discover all the pieces from cockatoos and chickens to Zebras and Zebus. We made mates with all the animals by feeding them by hand. There are many displays and it’s a enjoyable option to spend a day with youngsters and animal lovers.
Mel Fisher Treasure Museum
We couldn’t go to Florida’s Treasure Coast with no cease to Mel Fisher’s Treasure Museum. Of all the stops on this complete highway journey, this museum was the cease that shocked 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 really 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 workforce discovered it in 1975, the treasure was valued at over 450 million {dollars}.
I imply, simply have a look at this bust with gold chains hanging from Mel’s neck. Contained in the museum, they also have a 5lb gold block the place the gold itself is price no less than $50,000 that they allow you to maintain. Nevertheless, the actually fascinating half is that Mel Fisher and his workforce solely discovered about half of the Atocha’s treasures. A big a part of the ship is assumed to nonetheless be on the market. Vital finds are nonetheless being made right this moment. 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 Studying Middle
One other enjoyable cease for teenagers is the Environmental Studying Middle or ELC because the locals name it. Right here we discovered 65 acres of pristine Florida wilderness. There may be an in depth system of trails and boardwalks that carry you between totally different ecosystems and displays 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
Certainly one of our favourite stops across the Vero Seaside space was the McKee Botanical Gardens. Moving into these lush gardens was like strolling straight into the jungle – you realize if the jungle was finely manicured with coy ponds and stuff. However critically simply have a look at this place. We most likely 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 minimize our go to a little bit quick, however undoubtedly a worthwhile cease. It was time to move to our last cease, the seashore – and to the resort for some dry garments.
Vero Seaside
Our last cease in Florida was really the primary place we noticed any noticeable results from any of the hurricanes in 2022. Trying down on the seashore it kinda seemed like somebody took just a few big scoops of sand away, and proper after Hurricane Nicole there was some highway harm that washed away half of the highway alongside the shore.
How a lot did it influence ou journey? under no circumstances. The seashore remains to be beautiful, the sunsets are nonetheless beautiful, and from a vacationer perspective life was good, really, it was higher than that – life was fairly nice.
Kimpton Vero Seaside
After a busy week touring alongside Florida’s Atlantic Coast, it was time to settle in and chill out on the beachside Kimpton Vero Seaside Lodge. Our room was properly appointed with a spacious residing space with loads of room for all of us. The lounge 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 youngsters had been down.
As soon as we obtained right here it was a bit arduous to depart – however that was pleased with us. The Kimpton has two onsite eating places, a spa, a pleasant pool, and naturally – the seashore. One other bonus it was inside strolling distance of different close by sights, procuring, and eating.
Of all the enjoyable issues we did on this highway journey, a number of the greatest reminiscences had been simply having some household time enjoying within the pool – splashing round and studying to drift and soar off the sting like little daredevils. The Kimpton Vero Seaside was the right place to finish an action-pack journey.
And similar to that our Florida highway journey is lights out like a child that performed too arduous 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!
