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. A bit of over a month later Hurricane Nicole tried to sneak one final late-season punch onto the Atlantic shores.
If you take heed to overly dramatic information you would possibly suppose the entire state of Florida is hurricane battered and utterly underwater. But We simply spent a month touring via the state, and we are able to inform you that’s simply not the case. Florida and the individuals who name this place residence are resilient.
In this publish and video, we’re going to take you on somewhat street journey to point out you that the solar is the truth is 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 received rescheduled twice, due to the hurricanes, but it surely 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 intend your winter and spring break journeys to Florida this 12 months? – Well the reply is easy – Yes!
Hurricanes occur yearly and yearly Florida rebuilds again higher. The folks listed here are resilient. Sure Hurricane Ian was a foul one, however the space that was broken to the purpose that may stop 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 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 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 a lot of enjoyable stops alongside the best way. Hop within the minivan, sit again, buckle up, and benefit from the trip 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 numerous methods, St. Augustine doesn’t really feel like Florida to me. Development clever the state is comparatively new, however right here in St. Augustine, you might be surrounded by historical past.
There’s a centuries-old Spanish fort, historic wood buildings, and exquisite structure courting again to the day of railroad constructing tycoons. On prime of that, there are some nice seashores and many native attraction – it’s arduous to not like St. Augustine.
St George Street
We are 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 retailers, museums, and a few of the metropolis’s greatest eating places. A stroll down this avenue might take you the higher a part of the day in case you are up for exploring the retailers 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 the entire points of interest, retailers, and eating places.
We have a household swimsuit with a pleasant kitchen and lounge to unfold out which is a should when touring with younger kids. The St. George Inn has a number of room sorts and for those who’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 an exquisite courtyard of the st. George Inn and tried our greatest to maintain the youngsters from leaping within the grand fountain. With some meals and occasional in our system, we headed to one among St. Augustine’s most 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 the town and vital commerce routes. Throughout the centuries it modified fingers a number of instances between the Spanish, British, and the United States till it was decommissioned in 1933, a couple of years after it obtained National 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. 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
Another Spanish relic value marveling at in St. Augustine is the Fountain of Youth. In the sixteenth century, the age-old rumor of magical water that may reverse getting old and treatment illness grew to become widespread amongst explorers. One specifically, Ponce de Leon grew to become fastened on discovering this legendary water supply.
This web site is alleged 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 it’s also possible to get a glimpse again in time into the lifetime of the early settlers and explorers. Around the location, there are buildings and displays of things discovered right here that are from almost 500 years in the past. This can also be regarded as the location of the primary Christian Missions in what’s now the United States.
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 search out treasures right here and he nearly to pry him away.
Trolley
All aboard among the best methods to cowl numerous metropolis in a short while, the well-known inexperienced and orange St. Augustine Tolley. The Old Town Trolley Tours St Augustine
The youngsters liked the trip and we received a narrated trip and some minutes to take a seat and simply watch this charming city go by. It was a enjoyable solution to see the town and it’s actually one of the simplest ways to see the 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 definitely worth the go to however the artwork and displays push it towards to the highest of the checklist of locations to go to whereas in St. Augustine.
St. Augustine Lighthouse
Another 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 Old Town 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 the whole lot in between.
Beaches
For somewhat break from the entire historical past and tradition of St. Augustine, we spent a while simply enjoyable on the seashore. On prime of the entire historical past that yow will discover right here, there are some nice stretches of sand as properly. After all, it’s nonetheless Florida – and no journey to the sunshine state can 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 1000’s of Alligators. Atlas and Isla love seeing the entire gators and different animals. Besides the entire Alligators there are many primates from world wide, unique birds, and different reptiles. This place is a should for those who’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.
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 called the Space Coast. It received it’s identify from being the house of NASA’s launch web site for human area journey. Here, simply inland from the sandy shores, you’ll discover the Kennedy Space Center the place the Apollo 11 mission launched on its solution 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 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, although 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 in any case.
As the sunshine light we sat right down to what can 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. the whole lot 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, army planes had been flying round, and folks had 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 had been scrubbed as a consequence of engine points and hydrogen leaks after which Hurricane Ian set issues again even additional.
We truly had our automotive all loaded up and we had been prepared to go out the door at 5 am the day the Ian hit, and for sure we scrubbed our mission two. We then rebooked the whole lot attempting 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. Finally, whereas we had been road-tripping round Florida we came upon that the launch received 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 middle for hours, ready, and hoping it was going to go. When the night time began it appeared like issues had been going to set it again once more and that we had been destined to overlook this launch.
But then at nearly 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 exterior 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 Space Center
The subsequent morning, recent off the excessive of seeing a rocket launch into area and somewhat 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 had been greeted with a set of large rockets from all durations of area exploration in what is called the Rocket Garden. The youngsters liked this space and even received to hop in a reproduction spacecraft stuffed with buttons and switches to fake for a couple of minutes that they had been astronauts.
Everywhere you flip contained in the Kennedy Space Center there are interactive displays the place you possibly can follow issues like your area shuttle docking abilities or fake to pilot a ship via Outerspace!
The quantity of large life-sized area gear parked on web site is so spectacular and provides you an actual really feel for the historical past of area exploration. Even for those who aren’t an enormous area geek, you really want to place this place in your bucket checklist.
There can also be an enormous indoor playground which after all is area themed. This is an efficient place to get the youngsters shifting and it’s numerous enjoyable for each mini astronauts and youngsters which are on Outerspace overload.
We even received 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 truth we didn’t see all of it!
We actually loved our time right here in Cocoa Beach and the entire area coast – however we completely didn’t plan sufficient time right here. We left various stones unturned – however we all know we will certainly be again right here before later.
Vero Beach
With historical past and area checked off of our checklist, it was time for some leisure time on the seashore. So we headed one other couple of hours down the coast to Vero Beach. Everyone we talked to appear to essentially love this little seashore city, so we determined to test it out for ourselves. On our solution to our closing cease, we had a couple of stops deliberate earlier than we planted our toes within the sand.
LaPorte Farms
First up was LaPorte Farms residence to an interactive zoo full of animals from world wide. This little gem within the city of Sebastian is a enjoyable 5 acre non-profit farm that’s numerous enjoyable for teenagers. Here you’ll discover the whole lot from cockatoos and chickens to Zebras and Zebus. We made buddies with the entire animals by feeding them by hand. There are a lot of displays and it’s a enjoyable solution 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 the entire 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 thought 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 staff 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. Inside the museum, they actually have a 5lb gold block the place the gold itself is value not less than $50,000 that they allow you to maintain. However, the actually fascinating half is that Mel Fisher and his staff 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 immediately. And in case you are in search of 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 intensive 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
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 recognize if the jungle was finely manicured with coy ponds and stuff. But severely simply have 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 utterly soaked – which lower our go to somewhat brief, however undoubtedly a worthwhile cease. It was time to go to our closing cease, the seashore – and to the resort for some dry garments.
Vero Beach
Our closing 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 appeared 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 beautiful, 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 calm down on the beachside Kimpton Vero Beach Hotel. 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.
Once we received 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. Another bonus it was inside strolling distance of different close by points of interest, purchasing, and eating.
Of the entire enjoyable issues we did on this street journey, a few of the greatest recollections 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 Beach was the right place to finish an action-pack journey.
And identical to that our Florida street 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 the entire 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!