Copper Canyon Grill (Orlando)

Florida

After escaping all things Disney, and having a wonderful time doing a bunch of nifty science stuff at Wonderworks we were famished.  After asking a few locals, we were directed down the block walking distance to the Copper Canyon Grill. If you are looking for something a little more gourmet but still family friendly, this place is just incredible.  The food here was just beyond delicious and we left the restaurant … [Read more...]

Downtown Disney (Orlando)

Downtown Disney (Orlando)

What a stark contrast—from the sleepy little town of Sanibel Island to the hustle and bustle and visual overload of Downtown Disney…It was like  walking around in a huge outdoor mall with tons of shops and restaurants  and of course tons of Mickey and Minnie gear in every direction so bring your walking shoes and a fat wallet. There are lots of eating options here, but we found out the hard way that … [Read more...]

Epcot Center (Orlando)

Florida

I'll be honest, I am not a huge Disney fan (my apologies to all you Disney devotees) but I thought it would be fun for everyone to have a real Disney experience. We live in Los Angeles, and so Disneyland is not a big thing for us. The kids have gone numerous times, but Orlando is Disneyland x10 so I thought we should all experience it.  What really threw me for a loop in the planning stage of this trip were the … [Read more...]

Wonderworks (Orlando)

Florida

After escaping from the Disney complex of parks and hotels and the overload of all things Disney,  fearing that we would be brainwashed and turned into Disney zombies, we were thrilled to find Wonderworks, which refreshingly had absolutely NOTHING to do with Disney. (Sorry all you Disney fans, I am not a hater, but there can be too much of a good thing).  Wonderworks is a science based fun house type activity zone … [Read more...]

Bailey-Matthews Shell Museum (Sanibel Island)

Florida

After spending time at the beach hunting for shells the kids and I needed to know what kind of treasure we'd found so we headed to the Bailey-Matthews Shell Museum.  Wow, was this place fascinating-an entire museum devoted to shells. We learned all about the different sea creatures that make shells, their life cycle, and what shells are used for after the creatures die, such as tools and artwork or even homes for … [Read more...]

Shell Hunting (Sanibel Island)

Florida

I bet you didn't know that Sanibel Island  is the shell capitol of the US. In fact, it is the third best place in the world for shells. Shell hunting is another thing my kids can do for hours and I think it's tied in with with the same thrill they get from gold panning and diamond digging, it's all about the treasure hunt.  After checking into our hotel and getting into our beachcombing gear, we headed to the … [Read more...]

Sanibel Thriller Dolphin Tour (Sanibel Island)

Florida

Besides and abundance of shells, Sanibel Island is also a great place to see bottlenose dolphin in their natural habitat.  We found out that the best way to see them is on a boat, which was not only fun for us, but apparently fun for the dolphins as well. We booked a trip on the Sanibel Thriller, a high powered speedboat that cruises around looking for pods of dolphin and then cruises by encouraging the dolphin to … [Read more...]

*FEATURED STATE QUIZ* Florida (Answers)

Florida Quiz

How much do you know about The Sunshine State? Take our quiz and find out if your are up on your trivia when it comes to Florida.       1.One of Miami's largest immigrant communities hails from what Latin American Country? A) Argentina B) Chile C) The Dominican Republic D) Cuba E) Guatemala 2. What was the value of the treasure recovered from the shipwreck of Spanish Galleon … [Read more...]

Itinerary #9: Florida

Florida

When I think of Florida, I think of fun in the sun, heck it’s called the “Sunshine state” right? All the retirees who affectionately call themselves ‘snow birds” flock to Florida in the winter to escape the cold. Well, we thought it would be just grand to head to Florida on winter break, spend some time at the beach, which we love, and turn it into a road trip taking in the sites along the way. Just as … [Read more...]