The Florida adventures continue! I really can't get over the fact that my family or I don't go to the warmer states for a trip during the winter. It really does wonders for the soul, friends! I've had the wanderlust bug over the past few months, so I'm trying my best not to let those tempting Southwest flight deals drag me in. Time to save up for a bit, first :)
I'm excited to share more details on what my dad and I did while in Florida for about 3-4 days last weekend. In an effort to make this recap (and future recaps) more organized, I've broken it down in to three categories: Snooze, Sip and See. This will include everything from where I stayed, what I ate/drank and the cool adventures I took. Let's get started, shall we?
SNOOZE
I mentioned briefly in my outfit post from earlier this week that my dad and I stayed at The Atlantic Hotel & Spa a Preferred Hotels & Resorts property. We couldn't have asked for a more perfect spot to stay with such a great ocean view and easy beach access. We were literally across the street from the ocean... across the street! Since our flight was out of Chicago at 6:30AM, we got to the hotel a few hours before check in. The first thing we did was stash our bags at the desk and change in to warmer weather clothes to explore the area. Stop one - the beach! How could we not head that way first, am I right?After taking a little walk along the beach, we headed back to the hotel to hang out by the pool. The view was amazing! My Instagram below is a straight shot from the pool deck - no zooming here. The next morning we made sure to order room service. I'm dying for another taste of those delicious and fluffy blueberry pancakes. Wishing I had someone to make me breakfast in bed everyday!
In all, there are a variety of accommodations along the coast. However, we were so very please with our stay that we would totally come back again. If you're a frequent traveler, it doesn't hurt to become a member of Preferred Hotels & Resort iPrefer program for extra perks like upgrades - we all love upgrades, right? That also gives you access to hotels in over seven regions!
In full transparency, I was graciously welcomed as a guest to The Atlantic Hotel and Spa, but I promise you everything you read is my opinion. I would never post my experience without sharing my honest thoughts :)
SIP
On to everyone's favorite - the food! As you saw, we ordered room service on our first morning there. Ugh, it was so yummy! Typically, our mornings consisted of a walk along the beach with our coffee or we were on a mission to find some java at a local cafe.However, on our first night in, we met family friends in Hollywood, Florida to eat at the famous, Le Tub. We would have never found this little spot unless it was recommended to us. They are known for having the best hamburger, as named by GQ and Oprah Winfrey - we all know if Oprah recommends it, it must be amazing. We sipped on Coronas and enjoyed a gorgeous view of the sunset. The decor was so fun too - lots of old school bath tubs and toilet seats haha - all images at the bottom! Once we got back to the hotel, we decided to head down to Beauty & The Feast to grab dessert and a night cap. Let me tell you, the smores bread pudding was amazing!
On our last evening in town, we headed up to Palm Beach (more on that below). For dinner, we stopped at Pizza Al Fresco for delicious stone oven pizzas. I actually head about this on Ashley Brooke's little guide, and knew we had to try it if we visited the island. The courtyard was just perfect for people watching, sipping wine and chatting about our time in Florida. Now, when can I go back?
SEE
On Thursday night after we ate at Le Tub, our friends told us we had to check out the Hollywood Broadwalk right behind the brand new Margaritaville resort by Jimmy Buffet. We took a walk through the lobby and out the back to the amazing pools and restaurants. Because it was dark, we didn't catch a view of the ocean, but we walked right alongside it listening to a live band!Our friends also mentioned we had to take a tour of the Interacoastal just to see all the stunning homes. From L'oreal investors to famous race car drivers and golfers to Richard Branson himself, there are loads of mansions and huge yachts along the waterway. We took the water taxi up and down and then stopped of at Los Olas Boulevard to explore the shops and grab margaritas at a local restaurant. It was such a cute area.
On our final night in Florida, we decided to take a little drive up to Palm Beach. It's about an hour north of Fort Lauderdale - so not too bad of a drive. I saw so many pretty posts from local bloggers like Palm Beach Lately and The Style Bungalow, and knew I had to convince my dad to go. We stopped over at The Breakers first. Gosh, it that an amazing hotel/residence or what? Stay tuned for a style post coming later this week. After our self guided tour around The Breakers, we walked along Worth Ave (the Beverly Hills of FL) and went to grab a bite to eat at Pizza Al Fresco. I'd love to go back and explore Palm Beach!
So, think you will be making any travel plans on down to Florida in the near future? Hopefully this helps guide your trip a bit!
XO
katie
PS. Did you love my hanging organizer? I'm obsessed and have no idea how I've never had one of these before. This one is by Vera Bradley in Cuban Stamps, but they have a ton of other options, too.
Thank you so much to Preferred Hotels & Resorts for providing us with an wonderful weekend.
It means the world to have awesome brands like this who help support the Little Black Blog.
All thoughts and opinions are my own!
All thoughts and opinions are my own!
After this dreary winter, Florida must have been AMAZING! It looks like such a great place to stay too.
ReplyDeleteHeidi || Wishes & Reality
A getaway to warmer places is so necessary during a Chicago winter!
ReplyDeleteSincerely, Jennie
What a gorgeous and fun trip this must have been Katie! Miss you!
ReplyDeleteXoxo,
Ashley || Sed Bona