The Explore All 50 States Project
Let's Go!
Ahhh, the beach, the sunsets, and a slice of key lime pie-these experiences make up our fondest memories of The Sunshine State. Florida is a magical place where you can swim (or jetboat) with dolphins on the gulf coast, hunt for treasure on sunken ships in the Keys, or delight in any fantasy you can imagine at Disneyworld in Orlando. Wherever you're headed from Jacksonville to the Everglades and everywhere in … [Read more...]
Florida is a beautiful place full of magic and mystery and natural wonder. Our theme of oceans and everglades could be traced through lots of our activities from sampling Cuban food, learning about shipwrecks and hurricanes, searching for shells on the beach, and even exploring the everglades in a fan boat. The most meaningful message that I wanted my kids to take away from our adventure was the importance of acting … [Read more...]
The Shipwreck Treasure Museum is literally right across the street from the Mel Fisher Maritime Museum in the charming Mallory Square, and in all honesty, seems to be a little bit of a rip off of the same idea-with just a lot less exciting stuff. We probably would have enjoyed it more if a) we done it first and b) if it weren't trying so hard with it's theatrical shtick complete with costumed storytellers shouting … [Read more...]
Heading out to our fan boat experience, the tour said was located in Miami, but be forewarned, it's right on the edge of the Everglades about an hour outside of the city. It's also totally worth the drive! There is no better nor more thrilling way to experience the Everglades that in a fan boat. There are many outfits that offer tours that are located along the highway, but we chose the Everglades Safari Park … [Read more...]
Miami has a huge Cuban population-most of whom arrived here seeking political asylum after leaving Cuba when it became a communist country under Fidel Castro. Cuban food is very flavorful and unique combining the Caribean island flavors with those of spanish origin. To get to know more about the Cuban influence in Miami and to explore it's cuisine I decided to treat my kids to a Cuban food experience at one of my … [Read more...]
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...]
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...]
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...]
