Category: Trips

In our last blog we started our three day road trip and headed to Fort Myers. As I write this blog, yet another hurricane (Helene) has come through and devastated the west coast of Florida. Fort Myers is still recovering from Hurricane Ian and it got hit again. Luckily, it was not as bad as two years ago.

Scott and I started the day with a delicious breakfast at Ella Mae’s Diner in the hotel. This was one of the best breakfasts we have ever had. The service was outstanding and the food was delicious! I had the avocado toast and as you can see below, it was no ordinary avocado toast.

Our first stop on our way to Ocala was Sun City Center to visit Scott’s uncle Bob. We had a lunch at his community golf club cafe and then headed to Ocala.

Change of Plans

Scott and I were about 10 min into our trip to Ocala when we got a text from our friends that they suddenly had a family emergency. So change of plans – we’re heading to Orlando. We were about two and half hours from Orlando and decided to stay in Downtown. We booked a room at the Embassy Suites “on the lake”. This was a pretty old hotel, but we still paid close to $300/night! In addition, they don’t have on-site parking. In the photo below, I’m looking at the lake!

After wandering a few blocks downtown, we ended up at the Smash Burger restaurant. Scott liked it, but it was not my favorite. It’s the type of restaurant where you place your order at the window and then they bring your food to you. They have about eight specialty burgers and I just wanted a plain lettuce and tomato burger. I got it, but it was literally ice cold. (no joke – burger too, like it came out of the fridge).

Needless to say, we ended our evening in DT Orlando early, so we could get a good night’s sleep.

Daytona Beach Here We Come!

Daytona Beach is less than an hour from Orlando. We had reservations at the Hilton Oceanfront and I called to see if we could check in early. Luckily, they had rooms. This is also a very old hotel and it reminded me of Vegas.

I reserved an ocean front with a patio and this is what we got! Crazy! The drone footage Scott took turned out awesome (be sure to watch the video – link below).

Daytona Beach

After we checked in, Scott and I headed down to the beach to check it out. This sandy beach is as hard as a rock! This is why cars can drive on part of it.

We walked the boardwalk in both directions and came upon a very cool memorial, dedicated to the Daytona 200, a motor cross race on the beach.

Dangerous Weather

We soon noticed a squall was coming, so we headed into Joe’s Crab Shack for a light lunch. Joe’s is located on the pier at the beach.

Scott and I wanted to head to wear the cars drive on the beach, and thought had a weather window. Boy were we wrong!

We sheltered at the Landshark Bar and after an hour headed back home. First stopping at a souvenir shop to get some goodies!

Unfortunately, the rain never let up and we ended up as drowned rats. Because the weather never let up, we had dinner at the hotel. The sunset was beautiful although we could only see it from the hallway of the hotel.

Since we haven’t on the ocean before, we were excited to see the sunrise. Again, be sure to watch the video for the time lapse sunrise. Our three day road trip was over on Labor Day and it was time to head home. Would we go back? Probably not, but there are a number of places we do want to explore like Mt Dora and Crystal River Springs. So another road trip is in our future.

As always, thank you for following our blog and be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel. Follow us on social media @BoatingJourney #BoatingJourney.

Cheers, Scott and Ally

Over Labor Day weekend, Scott and I took a three day road trip and our first stop was Fort Myers. We have never been there before, so we were excited to see it for the first time. We only stayed one night, as we were staying the following night in Ocala and then onto Daytona Beach the third night.

Fort Myers is about two hours from Fort Lauderdale, taking I-75, known as alligator alley across the state. The weather started getting darker and darker as we approached the west coast and we ended up in a huge squall. Watch our YouTube video for the full footage of the trip. (see link below)

Luminary Hotel

We stayed at the Luminary Hotel right on the water and two blocks from Downtown Fort Lauderdale. The hotel was fantastic and our room was even better! I would highly recommend this hotel and wish we had stayed longer.

Look closely and you will see that the marina is empty. This marina was severely damaged by Hurricane Ian and still has not re-opened.

Downtown Fort Myers

You may recall that when we first moved here, Hurricane Ian hit Florida hard. We were not sure where it was going to hit, until it landed and unfortunately, it hit Fort Myers the worst. Here’s Downtown Fort Myers during the hurricane.

Walk just a couple of blocks and you will find First Street, where restaurants, bars and shops line the streets.

Fort Myers Pub Crawl

Scott and I found downtown to be very quaint and not touristy at all. Since we were walking, we decided to turn our evening into a pub crawl.

Honestly, this blog doesn’t do the trip justice (sorry!) We first stopped at The Lodge for a drink and yes, this is the chain and the same Lodge that’s in Seattle. There’s also a museum right downtown and if we had more time to explore, this would have been a stop.

Next stop was 10 Twenty Five, where we grabbed a drink at the bar. Great service and fun bartender.

Before dinner, we made one more stop at Ford’s Garage. We sat at the bar, but there was a family behind us and the kids were screaming the entire time. Time to head to dinner!

Dining in Fort Myers

There are plenty of options when it comes to restaurants in the downtown area. Since Scott loves pizza, we had to try Capones Coal Fired Pizza!

We sat at the bar and met the nicest guy! He moved to Fort Myers when he graduated high school from Michigan! He didn’t have a job and got a hotel for a couple of weeks. He ended up at Target and now three years later he’s a manager in training. He was so polite and proper and an absolute joy to talk to. The image below is not ours, but Scott and I sat in that same spot.

Since it was a Friday (work day), we were pretty beat and we headed home early in the evening. Tune in to our next blog, as we head to Sun City to visit with Scott’s uncle Bob and then to Ocala to stay with our good friends from Seattle.

As always, thank you for following our blog! Please be sure to follow our YouTube channel and on social media @BoatingJourney #BoatingJourney.

Cheers, Scott and Ally

Last month Scott and I needed to get our truck detailed, which would take about three hours. Luckily for us, one of Fort Lauderdale’s top visitor’s destination was right around the corner – The Bonnet Museum and Gardens. The Bonnet House and Gardens is a historic estate located in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, notable for its unique blend of art, architecture, history, and ecology. What is amazing, is the fact that it is surrounded by condos and sky scrapers.

History

The Bonnet House was built in 1920 by Frederic Clay Bartlett, a Chicago-born artist and art collector, as a winter retreat for his family. The estate occupies 35 acres of lush, subtropical landscape that includes beach, dunes, and mangrove wetlands.

Frederic Bartlett’s wife, Helen Louise Birch, originally purchased the land in 1919. However, Helen died in 1925, and in 1931, Frederic married Evelyn Fortune Lilly, a socialite and philanthropist. The couple continued to develop the property together, enriching it with an array of art and personal touches that reflect their eclectic tastes and love of nature.

The house was used only during the winter, when Frederick and Evelyn came down from Chicago to escape the bitter cold. So it was more of a “summer house”, than a mansion.

Start of the Tour

Once you buy your tickets, you cross over the small bridge and enter the grounds. They have guests watch a short film in the “gallery” before taking the self-guided tour. In the gallery, you will find many art pieces that both Frederick and Evelyn painted.

After the preview, you then come around the corner to enter the “house”. However, this is nothing like our Vizcaya Tour. Instead of an opulent mansion, you will instead find a courtyard style building with rooms on all sides.

The first room we entered was the music room. Still preserved just as it was before Evelyn died.

Architecture and Art

The Bonnet House itself is a vibrant example of Caribbean-style plantation architecture, characterized by its open-air loggias, wide verandas, and whimsical decor. The house is adorned with murals, painted ceilings, and a variety of unique furnishings and art pieces collected by the Bartletts from their travels around the world. Frederic’s artistic influence is evident throughout, with his original paintings and murals decorating the interiors.

The Dining Room and Kitchen

Our next stop was the dining room, the pantry and the kitchen. Ever day Evelyn would select her dishware to use for service and she never used the same matching pieces. She loved to mix and match.

As we were touring the historical kitchen, the tour guide showed up and gave us a very detailed history of the kitchen and Evelyn. As he was doing so, he was moving us out. Turns out the door that said “Staff Only” had been left open and Scott and I walked right in.

The Grounds

Unfortunately, we were not able to tour the second floor where the bedrooms and bathrooms were located. So from there, we toured the rest of the gardens and grounds. The first building we came upon was the caretaker’s building. Evelyn took very good care of the caretakers, treating them like family.

Next, we came upon an “art workshop” – there was a tour going on, so we didn’t stay long enough to learn all of the history here.

The /Greenhouse

The next building we came upon was Evelyn’s greenhouse and Tiki Bar. She collected shells and displayed them all over her house. In the Tiki Bar, there was a clock that was permanently set at 5:00pm. LOL!

The gardens of Bonnet House are a botanical marvel, featuring a diverse array of tropical and subtropical plants. Visitors can explore different sections, including a desert garden, hibiscus garden, and orchid display house, which boasts hundreds of varieties. The estate is also home to native wildlife, such as swans, monkeys, and manatees, enhancing the property’s natural beauty and ecological significance.

Preservation and Public Access
Following Evelyn Bartlett’s death in 1997, the estate was preserved as a historic house museum. Managed by the Bonnet House, Inc., the property is open to the public, offering guided tours that provide insights into the Bartletts’ lives and their contributions to art and culture. The Bonnet House is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, ensuring its protection and continued enjoyment by future generations.

Today, Bonnet House and Gardens stands as a testament to the artistic legacy of Frederic and Evelyn Bartlett and serves as a serene oasis amidst the bustling city of Fort Lauderdale. It is a cherished cultural landmark, celebrated for its historical, artistic, and natural significance. Next time you visit Fort Lauderdale, we highly recommend you visit Bonnet House.

As always, thank you for following our journey! Please be sure to follow our YouTube channel (see video below) and follow us on social media @BoatingJourney #BoatingJourney.

Cheers, Scott and Ally

Scott and I wanted to enjoy the holidays in a bit cooler weather, so we headed up to St. Augustine, FL the weekend before Christmas. I had heard the the Nights of Lights were amazing, so we were excited to check it out. The drive was about 4.5 hours north including a couple of stops. St. Augustine is the oldest city in the US, with a very rich history.

Hilton Historic Bayfront

We stayed at the Hilton Historic Bayfront hotel right across from the water and the location was perfect! The hotel was older, but they really decorated it well.

Our room was upgraded to the corner unit and we had two balconies. One overlooked the water and the other overlooked the alley way. In St. Augustine, the heart of the historic district is occupied by alleys that are lined with shops and restaurants.

Just below our balcony, a band (Running Threads) was playing folk – blue grass music and they were fantastic. We ended up buying them a couple rounds of beers to say thank you. The lead singer is actually from Bellingham, WA!

Out in the courtyard of the hotel, they have a monument sign noting that Martin Luther King was arrested at the Monson Motel (now where the Hilton now is) and the Hilton kept the steps he stood on in his honor.

Exploring St. Augustine

One thing I learned quickly is that most restaurants do not take reservations, so you have to wing it. Our first stop was the Trade Winds Tavern to grab a cocktail. The back bar was certainly interesting, but we loved it.

As you walk down the streets and alleys you will find many historical buildings and the city has done a fantastic job with placing informational placards on historical buildings.

Our first night, we headed into the art district to find a place for dinner. We ended up stumbling upon this horse, who came knocking at the store owner’s door looking for a treat.

Nights of Lights

Scott and I ended up having dinner at the A1A Alehouse. We sat downstairs in the bar and enjoyed a casual dinner. After that, we had scheduled a ghost tour and headed off to meet our guide. Along our way, we had to check out the Nights of Lights square. With the weather being jacket weather and the town playing holiday music, it finally felt like the holiday season we have been missing.

We met our tour guide in the center square, where he would take us on a 90 minute ghost tour of St. Augustine. You might remember that we did a similar tour in Key West that was fantastic.

Unfortunately, this tour and guide were awful. He walked us down five blocks and he used an IPad as his show and tell. On top of that, he forgot his “script” a few times, which flustered him. We didn’t expect to see any ghosts, but we had hoped to learn something about the city and the stories involving ghosts. The only thing somewhat spooky was the cemetery in the center of town.

After the failed ghost tour, Scott and I walked around enjoying the lights and found our way back to the Trade Winds Tavern for some live music.

Day Two in St. Augustine

The following morning, we had breakfast at the Nero Cafe’ right down from our hotel. The menu was a bit eclectic and honestly it wasn’t my favorite. That’s what happens when you eat at the tourist places and not where the locals eat.

We took a nice stroll along the waterfront towards the fort. I can imagine how cool it would be to be anchored in front of the city and enjoying the lights from your boat. Maybe next year!

St. Augustine Fort

Our first stop was the famous Castillo Fort which was built in the late 1600’s. I had visited the fort back in the 70’s when I was a child and this was Scott’s first visit. The entry fee is $15 per adult and you can also buy an annual National Parks pass for $80 per adult.

It’s amazing to think that this huge fort was built by hand using shells and rocks from the sea.

The self guided tour took us about 30 minutes. They do shoot off the cannons every hour starting at 10:30am.

What I found fascinating was that every cannon is elaborately decorated.

St. Augustine Pirate Museum

After our tour of the fort, we headed over to the Pirate Museum. The entry fee is $20 per adult and the self guided tour took about 20 minutes. There were some very interesting facts about pirates and what the navy did to them when they were caught.

There were artifacts that were recovered from treasure chests, including old log books dating back to the 1600’s.

In this gory depiction, a pirate is having is eye removed.

Though it was a short tour, it was very interesting and I am glad we visit it. Our next stop was the Medieval Torture Museum.

Walking the Historic District in St. Augustine

I don’t know what Scott and I thought we would see in this museum, but let’s just say it was horrific. In fact, we are not including any of the images or video we took for our episode, because it was just so gory and horrific. What people did to people back then is unimaginable.

Over half of the torture devices were designed for women – either because they gossiped, drank, suspected witches or were whores.

After experiencing the horrors of the museum, I needed to get outside and get some fresh air as I was feeling queasy. There are lots of outdoor venues where you can grab a drink or a bite to eat.

The historic district is really quaint and it reminded us a lot of Leavenworth and Annapolis.

Cocktails Anyone?

Right in the middle of St. Augustine’s historic district, is a distillery. The tasting was complimentary and we tasted eleven different spirits.

They were all incredibly delicious and we bought the salted caramel whiskey. Just across the way is the oldest school house in America. There is a nominal entry fee of $6 per adult.

There is a small courtyard behind the school house and inside they have depicted what a typical classroom would look like.

We learned that a dunce hat was not meant to punish bad behavior, but instead it identified students that were slow. Can you imagine?! Then if you were behaving badly, you were sent to the “dungeon” underneath the stairs. Again, can you imagine?!

Our last stop of the day, was the hot sauce store and Scott found a favorite!

Our Last Evening

One bit of advise I have, is be patient when it comes to dinner. We walked all around the historic district trying to get in to any restaurant and because it was the holidays, everything was full and a long wait. So we ended up back at our hotel, where I had a pretty good beef tenderloin steak.

We finished the evening back at Trade Winds for more live music to finish a great trip to St. Augustine.

Hands down, we will go back to St. Augustine! We would love to see it off season when there are not so many people. There are so many more attractions to see and we can’t wait to go back.

As always, thank you for following our journey! Please be sure to subscribe to our blog and channel and follow us on social @BoatingJourney #BoatingJourney. Happy New Year!

Cheers, Scott and Ally

Scott and I had so much fun last year in Key West, that we headed back down to enjoy the holidays with our good friends Ben and Maria earlier this month. There is so much to do in Key West and this was our fourth visit. Key West is about a 3.5 to 4 hour drive from Fort Lauderdale, depending on traffic.

On our way down, we stopped at the Lorelei Restaurant for lunch in Islamorada. We hadn’t been there in years, so it was fun to go back and enjoy some cold drinks and a great lunch! Lorelei also is home to many charter and activity companies, so it’s a great starting point.

Opal Key West Hotel

On this trip, we stayed at the Opal Key West again and they did not disappoint. The hotel upgraded us to a suite and took fantastic care of us. Upon arrival we were welcomed with milk and muffins with a welcome note from the team.

We love visiting Key West during the holidays because they go out of their way to deck the city out for the holidays. Scott and I are still getting used to living in flip flops and palm trees, when all of the songs and commercials are about bundling up for the holidays. The Opal Resort does a wonderful job decorating for the holidays!

On our second night, we received a bottle of wine, plus a variety of waters and a nice gift box of snacks.

On top of that, our view was fantastic!

Day One

On our first night, Ben made reservations at Blue Heaven and it was fantastic! We highly recommend dining here. The restaurant is situated in an outdoor courtyard and the grouper was the best I have ever had.

We wrapped up our first night at The Bull bar, listening to some great live music. You can say that Maria and I got pickled that night too!

Day Two

We started the next day with a tour of Harry Truman’s house. There is so much history here, that this blog doesn’t do it justice. Be sure to watch our YouTube episode to get the full story.

Our tour guide was fantastic and one thing he pointed out, was there were ash trays in every room and on every table. This is an actual copy of a Camels ad!

The tour was a bit surreal, thinking that we were standing in the house that one of our US Presidents dined and vacationed. In fact, the last US President to visit was Clinton and his wife. They don’t allow video, but they do allow photos.

Conch Tour

The tour guide at the Truman house encouraged us to take the Conch Train tour, which was $57 per person. The tour did take us all around Key West, including the beach, but the guide’s bad jokes were killing us. We hopped off at Duval Street and grabbed some lunch.

The four of us had lunch at The Two Friends Patio and it was fantastic! Great service and the potato chips were homemade. During our trip, we also made sure to place our sticker where stickers were allowed. If you find one of our stickers, take a photo, share on social and tag us. If you do, we’ll send you a Boating Journey hat!

Rum Tour

From lunch, we headed to the first legal rum distillery in Key West, Key West Rum Distillery. They give complimentary tours and our guide was fantastic! The rum and the vodka were outstanding and you can only buy their liquor from them directly.

Evening in Key West

Our hotel faces west and it offered some of the best sunset views. The four of us watched the sunset before heading to dinner.

We had heard about the Half Shell Raw House restaurant down at the marina and it had good reviews, so we headed there for dinner. The marina is also decorated to the hilt for Christmas.

Along our way, we remembered we had placed a sticker along a wall at the marina and we found it! See if you can find it when you are down there.

Famous Bike Parade

That evening Key West had their famous holiday bike parade and over 4000 bikers decorate their bikes and head down the heart of town. We watched it this year from the balcony of a bar.

Day 3

The following morning, we headed over to climb the 88 steps of the famous Key West Lighthouse. The climb wasn’t physically hard, but it is very steep and being scared of heights, I didn’t look down. Beware that the hand rail is very rusty, so have handwipes ready!

The views were pretty amazing, so it was worth it. Going back down was harder than going up and our legs sure felt it the following morning!

After our tour, we headed to Duval Street and checked out the shops.

Sunset Champagne Cruise

Since we didn’t go snorkeling this trip, we still wanted to get out on the water, so we booked a sunset cruise. We chose an intimate tour of just 14 people on a small catamaran named “Echo” and the crew was fantastic! The choices of wine and champagne were great and they had a nice spread of cheeses and crackers. I highly recommend this tour over a party booze cruise with tons of people.

The cruise ran from 4:30pm to 6:30p and the views were amazing!

Ben and Maria headed to a 5-star Michelin dinner and we chose to stay casual as I had been under the weather. Scott and I ate at the Boat House Restaurant for lighter fare and after that we headed to Irish Kevin’s for some live music. Who knew that Scott would end up on stage in a contest to get the crowd loud! LOL. Be sure to watch the video on YouTube!

Despite being under the weather, it was another great trip to Key West. There is so much to do and we look forward to our trip next year! Another big thank you to the Opal Resort for taking such good care of us (and no this is not paid sponsorship).

As always, thank you for following our blog and please be sure to subscribe to our channel on YouTube and on social @BoatingJourney #BoatingJourney. Have a wonderful and safe holiday season.

Cheers, Scott and Ally

When Scott and I moved to South Florida, we made a commitment to explore the area just as tourists would and earlier this month we visited the renown Vizcaya Museum. Miami, Florida is renowned for its beautiful beaches, vibrant nightlife, and diverse cultural scene. Amidst this modernity lies a gem from a bygone era—the Vizcaya Museum and Gardens. Nestled in the lush Coconut Grove neighborhood, this historic mansion transports visitors to the lavish lifestyle of the Gilded Age. Unfortunately, it was pouring down rain the day we visited, so we didn’t get to enjoy the gardens like we had hoped to.

You will find the parking lot walking distance from the mansion. They have a paved trail that takes you to the main driveway.

Once you enter the grounds, it is apparent how opulent the mansion and grounds are.

A Glimpse into History

Commissioned by industrialist James Deering in the early 20th century, Vizcaya Mansion was built as a winter residence inspired by Italian Renaissance and Baroque architecture. James never married and used the mansion to entertain guests throughout the winter. Construction began in 1914 and was completed in 1922. The mansion was designed to resemble an Italian villa, with an exquisite attention to detail that remains unparalleled to this day. Unfortunately, James was not able to enjoy it very long, as he passed away in 1025.

Architectural Marvel

The mansion boasts a fusion of European opulence and American innovation. The exterior reflects the grandeur of Italian villas, featuring intricate stone carvings, majestic arches, and a red-tiled roof. Inside, visitors encounter a meticulously designed interior, adorned with awe-inspiring frescoes, ornate furnishings, and an impressive collection of European art and antiques.

Miami-Dade Museum

James Deering died in 1925 and gave the Vizcaya mansion to his nieces. However, they struggled to pay for the maintenance and donated the mansion to Miami-Dade County. It became a historic museum in 1953.

Visitors are guided through a journey through time as they explore the various rooms of the mansion. The opulent rooms, such as the grand hall, the dining room, and the music room, are masterpieces in their own right. Each room is a testament to the luxury and sophistication of the Gilded Age.

Below is a photo of just the pantry – not the kitchen!

The amount of detail that went into each room is stunning. Architect Paul Chalfin designed every room in the mansion.

The Music Room, with its gilded ceiling and grand piano, stands as a striking example of the mansion’s elegant design. The intricately designed ceilings, imported directly from Europe, are adorned with delicate craftsmanship and stunning murals, transporting visitors to a time of lavish gatherings and musical soirées.

The Design

Vizcaya Mansion originally was built as a square building with an open courtyard in the center and the guest rooms surrounding on the second floor. In 1985 the county enclosed the courtyard to preserve the structure and protect it from weather elements and hurricanes.

Every where you turn, you will find ornate items even in the hallways.

Nine Bedrooms

Vizcaya Museum has nine bathrooms and each have whimsical names. They are also decorated with ornate furnishings making each one unique from the others.

It’s interesting to see how the bathrooms were so different from each other.

The Staff

The staff stayed on the 2nd floor of the Vizcaya Museum and we didn’t have access to their quarters. There were a few sets of stairs to the 2nd floor, but the mansion also had an elevator. The kitchen was designed to be a full service catering kitchen to entertain many guests.

Enchanting Gardens

Beyond the mansion, the Vizcaya Gardens present an enchanting world of lush landscapes, elaborate fountains, and serene waterways. The gardens, designed by Paul Chalfin and Diego Suarez, incorporate Italian and French elements, creating a romantic and picturesque setting.

Visitors can stroll through the beautiful formal gardens, replete with sculpted hedges, marble statues, and reflecting pools. The charming Secret Garden, tucked away from the main area, offers a sense of tranquility and privacy, inviting contemplation amidst nature’s beauty.

In front of the mansion, is a breakwater called the “Vizcaya Barge” . It was intended to look like a boat, but over the years it has deteriorated due to high tides and hurricanes.

Can you imagine the parties they would have in the gardens? We were disappointed that it was raining so hard, as we really didn’t get a chance to enjoy them for very long.

The gardens had so many beautiful plants that I have never seen before. It’s fantastic that such a beautiful place is so well taken care of to preserve its history.

Preservation

In 1952, the estate was opened to the public as a museum, preserving its historical and architectural significance. Today, the Vizcaya Museum and Gardens continue to serve as a cultural hub, hosting events, exhibitions, and educational programs that celebrate art, history, and horticulture.

The Vizcaya Museum and Gardens stand as a testament to the magnificence of a bygone era. Its beauty, artistry, and historical significance make it a must-visit attraction for anyone seeking to immerse themselves in the opulence of the Gilded Age. Beyond its architectural marvel, the Vizcaya Mansion and Gardens offer a glimpse into a world of art, culture, and the timeless beauty of nature.

As always, thank you for following our journey! Please be sure to subscribe to our blog and our vlog – see link below. The video gives you a much closer look at the mansion and Scott tells the full story of its history. Follow us on social @BoatingJourney #BoatingJourney.

Cheers,

Scott and Ally