Travel

Sanibel Island-No Passport Required.

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So, at this point, y’all probably think all I do is travel to Florida, but there’s a good reason I make the sunshine state my (almost) second home. 

Florida is the closest destination from Philly to offer warm weather and an affordable price tag. Every time I go to a new Florida town, I fall in love with the state all over again. Each stop is unique and has so much to offer.

For my latest trip, my goal was to find a place to decompress after my trip to Hawaii was postponed for the 3rd time. Thanks, covid. It was so expensive to fly anywhere, even states that were closer to Philly, so a big factor that determined my decision was the price for airfare to Ft. Myers, which was less than $300 per person (which is still high, but post-pandemic travel and gas prices are partly to blame there). 

And so my journey to plan a trip to Sanibel began.

I spent my time soaking up the sun, healing my soul, and exploring all the tiny island has to offer.

Sanibel was everything I hoped for and more. It is by no means a party town but instead is a quaint, laid-back beach town with a true island vibe. Everyone was SO friendly there and I don’t think one person passed by us without saying hello. We went before Memorial Day and it was a ghost town; every time we went out to eat there were only a few other people at the restaurant/bar. Apparently, had we chosen to visit a week later, that wouldn’t have been the case. Not surprisingly, according to the locals,  the bridge to get to Sanibel in the summer months is packed with traffic and the island is bustling. If you are looking for a quieter time on the island, then I definitely recommend mid-May. I can’t vouch for other times of the year, but my May visit was nice and quiet. Locals say the winter is a bit busier too, due to travelers looking to escape the winter blues up north.

Getting to and around the Island

We flew into Ft. Myers and took an uber to our hotel. On our way home, our ride kept getting dropped even though we booked the night before, so I’d suggest booking a taxi instead, as I feel they are a bit more reliable. We did end up getting an uber ride to the airport from the island, but the driver told us it tends to be a turn-off for uber drivers to come to Sanibel, since most drivers come from Ft. Myers and it’s a long ride for them. Make sure you leave yourself plenty of time for traffic if you are heading there in the busier months because the bridge can get really backed up. As it turned out, once we arrived and settled in, I didn’t feel the need for a car and we ended up biking or walking everywhere. We also saw people getting around with golf carts, so that’s a fun option too, especially if you visit during the hotter months of the year. If you plan to visit Captiva, the island next to Sanibel, a car would most likely be necessary unless you plan to uber. 

Staying on track with fitness and healthy eating routines: 

It’s important to me to stay on track with my health and fitness while away from home, and Sanibel made it such an easy task. Every restaurant had plenty of health-conscious seafood options, and we biked everywhere, so any vacation weight I may have gained, I biked right off. There are bike paths everywhere, tons of crosswalks, and commuting by bike is a cooler way to move about the island, since you get a nice breeze. Another plus? You also get to your destination quicker.

Thankfully, our hotel had a full kitchen, so I packed a box of Kodiak Cakes in my carry-on for a protein-rich breakfast, and brought some peanut butter in a squeezable, resealable pouch for easy, on-the-go travel. I also went out one morning for breakfast and that kept me full until happy hour time. Staying active and making healthy food choices throughout my visit made it easier to allow myself to indulge without the guilt. Vacation is definitely time to indulge! I’m all about striking a balance, which I’m not always able to achieve when I travel, but with this trip, I did!

Where to Stay

Short and sweet tip: Stay in Sanibel instead of Ft. Myers. It is the cheaper option to stay in Ft. Myers and commute over to the island each day, but during busy season, you will lose a lot of time sitting in traffic.

I stayed on Donax Street because I wanted to be close to the beach, and Palmview Inn advertised a 6 minute walk to the beach. It was a cute inn with cottages—a very small, intimate setting, which I loved. There was an outside grill, chairs to lounge on, and even a hammock. Our room also came with Tommy Bahama beach chairs, an umbrella, and beach towels. I stayed in Clearwater in a small inn last year for the same price and it didn’t include any of these perks, so I definitely think that this place is a steal, especially for only about $215 a night. The room had a bedroom with a large king bed and a separate room with a kitchen, dining table, and pull out couch. There were TVs in both rooms as well. Out front, we had a small porch with a table and Adirondack chairs, which was also covered—definitely loved this, as we watched a storm out here one night and listened to the rain with a drink in hand.

A 5 minute bike (included in your stay) ride down the road from Palmview will lead you to an ice cream shop, market/deli, liquor store, and the Tipsy Turtle, which happens to be one of the only bars/restaurants that stays open late on the island. Cielo is in the same area too if you are looking for a bit of a more modern place for dinner/drinks.

Happy Hour

So I did a lot of the guess work for y’all in regards to happy hours. A lot of places had happy hours on their online website, but when we called to confirm, they stated that they didn’t offer a happy hour. This is a quite common thing I run into post-pandemic, so don’t dock Sanibel points for this one! 🙂 HH is definitely the way to go on the island, since everything seems to die down between 8 and 9pm.

The Blue Giraffe – They have 2 locations. I went to the one on Periwinkle Way, so I cannot vouch for the other location, but this one is near a cute shopping district, so if you want to make a day of it, shop until you drop and then walk on over to happy hour. All the shops close around 6 pm during the week, so keep that in mind. There is an ice cream shop, Pinocchio’s, within the shopping district, that you must save room for after apps/drinks. They are pet friendly too if you are lucky enough to have your furry friend with you. 🙂

The Blue Giraffe
The Blue Giraffe patio

For happy hour, they had a few discounted apps, like nachos, chicken wings, squid, and a few others, as well as discounted beers/specialty cocktails. The patio had umbrellas at the tables to keep you cool and also a TV outside if you want to watch a sporting event. Happy hour is from 4-6.

Tipsy Turtle- Happy Hour from 4-8 with tons of discounted drinks as well as a happy hour food menu. We didn’t make it for happy hour but went for lunch our first day in town and the fish tacos were fresh and paired perfectly with my Mojito.

Cips- Another cute spot with outdoor seating was Cips. They had full meals on their happy hour, not just apps. I had salmon, veggies, and rice, all for $12! They offered $6 apps as well. For happy hour they had specialty cocktails (including a Mojito which is my go-to) martinis/etc. The happy hour was 3-5 for food specials and 3-6 for drinks.

Dinner

We technically only had one dinner while there and that was at The Fish House. I couldn’t go to the Fish House and not get fish, so I tried something new: grouper. It was offered about 4 or 5 different ways on the menu so I figured it must be good, and it was! This place was a bit pricey but the food and portions were good. They offer outdoor seating if that is your thing, like it is mine, but note that on off-season Sundays, it’s closed.

I never go somewhere without an adventure to share, so here is the adventure of the trip: We walked to Donax Street but left after dark. We did try to get an uber back, as it was a long, dark walk back, but our ride kept getting dropped so we decided to brave the wilderness and walk to the inn. It was our first night there before we discovered the wonder of the bikes of Sanibel, so we walked 15-20 minutes by flashlight on the bike path. Not going to lie, it was a bit creepy; it wasn’t lit and I was convinced a snake or alligator was going to sneak up and eat me, but luckily we made it through in one piece with no wildlife encounters (at least that we could see). Sanibel, we were told, is a very safe island in regards to crime, etc., but I’m not sure the wildlife count. 🙂 Moral of the story: if you need to walk/bike, I suggest limiting those activities to the day time hours, as it gets very desolate down near Donax Street. If you stay farther up Periwinkle, it is a bit more populated, so you’ll be fine, but our neck of the woods was pitch black and quiet.

My Go-to Coffee & Ice Cream Spot:

Sanibel Bean- A ton of options for coffee which includes iced coffee- not all coffee shops offered a cold brew so if that is your thing, this place will be your go-to like me. They had food and indoor/outdoor seating as well and the best saying I ever did see in their shop.

Pinnochios- Best. Ice cream. Ever. They have unique flavors, one of them being “Gator Tracks,” and that is exactly what I ordered 🙂  

Things to do:

While it is a small, quaint beach town, we still found a ton to do on our 4 day/3 night trip. Of course, you need to spend some time on the beach and if you stayed where I did, it makes it easy to access and you have all your beach essentials with you.

If you ask me, beach-combing/sea shelling is considered a sport in Sanibel, so hit the beach and bring home some free souvenirs; just make sure there is nothing living in them as live shelling is not allowed. We did this at night to beat the heat and the crowds, plus who doesn’t love the Gulf views at dusk?

The Light House-bike down here and see it up close and personal. There is beach access, picnic benches in the shade, and great views of the main event, the Lighthouse. On your way there or on the way back, stop at The Light House Cafe and get the seafood omelet, so fresh! 

J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife- we also biked here from our place- it was a long, hot bike ride but it was worth it. $1 to get in if you are biking or walking the trail and $10 a car. If you are biking/walking, you have the option of doing a 4 mile vs 8 mile loop- it is one way only so you have to make a decision and no turning back. We oped for the 4 mile bike ride since we had already biked miles to get here. the refuge offers fishing spots, huge lakes, places for you to stop off and read about the wildlife etc, and pathways that lead to more scenic views/wildlife. We saw crabs, snakes (eeek not my favorite), birds, and a few fish as well. I wouldn’t be surprised if there are gators either but we did not encounter any along our journey.  

CROW- Located across the way from the wildlife refuge trail, is an animal hospital that rehabs injured wildlife. For $12 you can walk through and receive a ton of info about the wildlife in Florida and their mission to rehab as many hurt animals as possible. The goal is to release but they do have some full time residents that weren’t able to be fully rehabbed and released back into the wild. CROW offers a behind the scenes tour of the actual animal hospital facility at 11 and 2 that includes a lecture on different topics regarding wildlife. You can look online for their schedule. It was booked up by the time we got there so book in advance if interested and if anyone has been, please let me know how it is as I would love to go back. 

Biking- We spent a lot of our days biking around town. I really enjoyed this part. There are tons of shops, places to stop for food/coffee- so hop on your bike and go exploring! The earlier you start, the better it’ll be if the heat bothers you, esp in the summer months. We found our breakfast place this way- the trails make it easy to get around without having to share the roads with cars. Along the trails there is plenty of wildlife and little plaques with information the wildlife/nature. We saw tiny lizards (which are everywhere), a chipmunk, and an iguana in the treetops on our bike ride all in one day.

Short and sweet tip- It rains almost daily in Florida., The one day it said there was a 20% chance and we got caught in a storm on the way home from dinner. Luckily we made it home before the heavy downpour but just be aware of that. Can’t hurt to pack a poncho just in case! The storms usually don’t last long and it’s an excuse to stop for a drink or some ice cream. 🙂

Have you ever been to Sanibel? I’d love for you to comment below and share your favorite spots! If there is anything else you would like to know or questions that you would like me to answer, please feel free to comment below.

Until my next adventure…

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Tips, Travel

Clearwater Beach, FL-sunshine, baseball, & good times :)

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Clearwater was booked with the intention of being budget friendly, a ton of beach time to get a head start on my tan, some spring training baseball, and a place to crash within walking distance of the beach–mission accomplished! I’ll fill you in on some tips and tricks to cut down and costs and share some of my favorite places to grub, drink, and catch a beach sunset. 

I flew Spirit Airlines for the first time because ROUND TRIP was only $60! Now, with Spirit, you do pay for your bags and they only allow for one free personal item; so, I shoved that carry on full of clothes until it could barely zip and wore my bulkier clothes (sweatshirt, sneakers) on the plane. 

Short & sweet tip: If you pre-pay for luggage when you book your flight, it’s cheaper. I paid around $39 for my carry on bag but it would have been $10 more if I waited until later. 

We flew from Philly International into Tampa because that was the cheapest airport to fly into at the time. Clearwater is about a 20-30 minute ride from the Tampa airport but traffic will add some additional time as I believe there is only one way in and one way out and both times we entered the island, there was traffic so just plan accordingly.

The Beach: Clearwater beach is on the Fulf and the difference between the Gulf and Atlantic is significant. The Gulf has beautiful shades of blue water and you can see your feet through it and I definitely prefer it over the East coast. The beach is free but the beach gear rentals will cost you.

short & sweet tip: do yourself a favor and buy your own beach chair and umbrellas. They are $25 a piece per day to rent on the beach if you aren’t staying at a fancy hotel on the beach that provides their own.

If you fly into Tampa, buy them before you get into Clearwater beach. Beach towels were 2 for $20 in Clearwater beach at CVS but only 2 for $10 outside of town for reference. When we were done with the chairs and umbrellas at the end of our trip, we gave them to people on the beach who didn’t have them. 

Places to Grub & Grab Drinks:

My favorite place hands down was Frenchy’s. There are multiple locations but the two we visited were Rockaway which is right on the North beach and Frenchy’s South Beach which is farther down the strip but not right on the beach. I would suggest the Rockaway location. We went straight here from the hotel and it was just what I was looking for after leaving the cold weather behind me. We walked in and could feel the warm ocean breeze and smell the salty air. The tropical, beach vibe at this place just drew me in; I immediately went into vacation mode. The vibe was warm, inviting, and in the distance I could see the crystal blue ocean and white, sandy beach.   The hostess asked us if we wanted to sit outside, a HELL YES, and she offered us the covered patio or the beach where they had tables set up with umbrellas. We picked the covered patio which was perfect. I had a basil berry cooler and fresh Mahi mahi with coconut rice and veggies which was as good as it sounds. A great place to enjoy a tropical drink with some fresh seafood 🙂

Clearsky Cafe: We came here on a Saturday night and ended up sitting inside since outside was full. There is a GREAT PHOTO-OPP out front in the largest beach chair in Clearwater. They have live music and a quaint outside spot to sit; you can see the beach from the restaurant so if you’d like to take a nice stroll after a meal, it’s right there 🙂 I finally tried the grouper tacos which is “the food to try” in Clearwater. There is grouper everything! It was good to try but didn’t have a ton of flavor so I could take it or leave it.  This restaurant is also known for their BRUNCH! Every uber driver we rode with suggested it but we did not make it for their famous brunch so if you happen to catch it, let me know if it adds up to the hype! 

Palm Pavilion- This place, like Frenchy’s, is right on the beach. It’s a great view and has an outdoor, covered patio with seating as well as live music 🙂 We went during covid so there was no happy hour but typically they have one from 4-6. Try the GATOR BITES! They taste like popcorn chicken 🙂 

CoCo’s Crush Bar: They sell any flavor crush (fresh fruit and vodka) you could probably think of! Anyway, great drinks, an indoor and outdoor bar, and a cute, beachy feel in a courtyard to hang out in while you enjoy a fresh squeezed spiked drink. It isn’t on the beach though-just a heads up. We walked there from Frenchy’s South Beach. They also have games and some live music some nights so check their website to make sure you catch it!  

Brown Boxer, North Beach location-We went on a Tuesday night and they had $7 burgers with fries, $4 three olive vodka cocktails, and live music. It was very lively and a fun vibe for a Tuesday night. They had indoor and outdoor seating (outdoor was dog friendly!) and two floors.  it was right on the main strip in Clearwater near a lot of other bars and restaurants so it’s easy to find and easy to hop around from here. It’s not on the water but only a block or two away. 

For the BEST place to catch the SUNSET:

Photo cred: Samantha Koterba

Jimmy’s crows nest Clearwater beach: This place is a great spot to watch the SUNSET! It’s atop Pier House 60 Hotel and is completely outside. Get there early to grab a spot as it is seat yourself and fills up quick. There is a bar and tables but it is a small space hence the tip to get there early and pregame the sunset. Jimmy’s offers a free shot just before the sunsets and a countdown so you don’t miss it. The best seats are at the front of the bar as it gives you a clear view of the beach. Don’t worry if you can’t get a seat because at sunset, everyone runs up to the front of the bar anyway to catch the best view. Everyone was so sweet about taking turns to get a clear view which someone who is five feet tall, can definitely appreciate 🙂 

The pier: definitely something cool to check out! We didn’t go out on the pier due to limited time but we did walk down near there and they do shows at night and there are shops, shows, etc to check out. It reminded me of Key West where they do shows on the pier at sunset. 

Phillies Spring Training: This was the purpose of the trip–to see a spring training game. It was about a 20 minute ride from our hotel in Clearwater. It was a beautiful, palm-tree filled baseball stadium, such a perfect way to watch a game. We had seats but there was also a lawn option. The prices for food and drinks were better than a typical major league baseball game so that will save you a few bucks! They had cute little tiki huts throughout the stadium for your beverage needs and food at the concession stands.  Also offered was a Phillies shop to grab all of your Phillies souvenir swag. It was a fun day at the ballpark!

Where to stay:

I had never been to Clearwater beach before so I didn’t really know what to expect/look for when booking a hotel. We were going around spring break so prices were elevated so we contemplated staying about 15-20 minutes away and ubering/renting a car to get to the beach, restaurants etc. There is one bridge into Clearwater and every time we drove in or out of the actual town of Clearwater, there was traffic. Also, I am not sure if it was due to covid or not but it was very hard to get an uber/lyft etc so please to save yourself time and money, and take my tip below. 

Short & sweet tip: Stay in Clearwater Beach and not “Clearwater” or outside of it. You may pay more upfront per night at a hotel, but in the long run it will save you time and money on transportation. 

We stayed at Camelot Suites. If you are a college kid, aren’t looking for any type of housekeeping/room service, and want to save a buck but still be close to the beach, this is your hotel. I can tell you that I would probably not stay here again.

The good, the bad, and the ugly:

The good: It’s a block from the beach and has a mini kitchen, so you can save a buck by cooking breakfast/heating up food/storing a ton of beer in the full sized fridge. If you like late night swimming, the pool is open pretty much all night. 

The bad: There is no daily housekeeping/turn down service, we were told they only exchange towels every other day, and the pool doesn’t have much sunlight throughout the day because it is right in the middle of all of the rooms. This also leads to it being pretty loud because the pool is open until pretty much whenever. This didn’t really bother me but if noise bothers you, well, good luck. 

The ugly: 

There is only staff there from 10-4 so if you don’t catch the owner or her employees by then, you are pretty much out of luck if you need anything. We called the after hours number one night because we needed fresh towels. The woman on- call questioned if we were drunk and said she was 2 hours away and there were no staff on site. She ended up giving us a code to get into a supply closet that had some clean towels, although the one had a huge ass hole in it. The shower is SO small (and I am a petite 5 ft) and water pressure isn’t great. When I got home I felt like I had to scrub 5 days worth of sunblock and sand off of me. The rooftop that was advertised, consists of rusty old lounge chairs that I wouldn’t sit on without a current tetanus shot, and grills. Again, this was an old inn on the beach at a lower price point than most other places, so I guess you get what you pay for BUT I still think it was WAY overpriced for what you got at $200 a night. 

So there you have it! Another warm sea-breeze, palm tree filled place to vacation to so you can escape to a warm climate, catch a spring training game, or just enjoy some fun in the sun anytime of year 🙂 

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Travel

Orlando, Florida: Covid-19 & Budget Friendly Edition

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When I checked the weather for the weekend of my birthday, I found out that the HIGH TEMP was going to be 33 degrees..uhhhh no thanks. I am a warm weather girl, and while I expect my January birthday to be somewhat cold, a high of 33 degrees is crossing the line. I got an email from Southwest advertising $50 flights, found one to Orlando for $100 round trip, and then rushed to my Hilton app to see if I could find a deal as good as my flight. **Fingers crossed!**  I found a Hampton Inn right by Universal Studios for around $50 a night with tax/fees. By Monday night, I booked the flight and hotel and started dreaming about the 78 degree weather that was in the forecast. Our flight left PHL at 5:20 PM Friday afternoon, but we arrived at the airport two hours before takeoff because getting through security quickly and easily is always a gamble. Luckily, we made it through security in 10 minutes, had time to grab some food and drinks at Chickie’s & Pete’s (right next to the Southwest terminal) and then we were off to sunny Florida. The flight was half empty so the middle seat of my row was open–which who doesn’t love that, especially in a pandemic. The airplane was clean, the flight attendants offered water & a snack (modified in-flight service due to covid-19), and we arrived about 30 minutes early, so I couldn’t complain. The hotel was 20 minutes from the airport. 

Short & Sweet Tip: They did not serve in flight alcoholic beverages. I am not sure if this is just a Southwest thing and/or has to do with the length of the flight–but just a head’s up in case you look forward to that in-flight beverage to calm the nerves. It was definitely an unpleasant surprise for me!!

Once we were checked in to the hotel, we headed to Ole Red (owned by Blake Shelton for my country fans out there). It was only about a mile or two away–definitely within walking distance, but we were hangry so we Ubered there (about a $10 ride including tip). Florida sometimes gets a bad rep regarding Covid protocol, but everyone who was not seated was wearing a mask and socially distancing. You can sit at a bar in Florida, and the tables aren’t all 6 feet apart like in PA, but I still felt pretty safe. Being that it was a Friday night, they had a live band on a big stage in the center of the bar/restaurant; they took requests if you Venmo’d them, which I also saw bands do in Nashville.  The bar was two stories with an outdoor area as well. Pre-pandemic, I would assume the area in front of the stage is used as a dance floor. The bar was located in ICON Park, along with a few other restaurants, bars, and stores, and a couple thrill rides. It was a fun area to explore and so close to the hotel–a nice win and definitely an area you should check out! ICON Park also has a couple amusement rides if you don’t mind heights (they made me dizzy just looking up at them). One was a 400 foot tall ferris wheel, and another was a set of swings that takes riders 450 feet up. COUNT ME OUT!! But if you’re into that type of thrill, enjoy and I’ll live vicariously through you!

The next day it was a sunny 73 degrees, so I went to the Universal City Walk where you can find a movie theatre, restaurants, shopping, and bars. They have nightclubs but they were all closed, pre-pandemic life they looked like a fun place to hang! The walk wasn’t huge and I was in and out in about an hour mainly because I wasn’t hungry or in need of a drink..yet. This trip was planned last minute as well so I was also trying to do it on a budget which meant limiting my time spent in stores where I’d be tempted to buy all the things.

Next up was Disney Springs. This place was twice the size of Universal City Walk & there were a TON of shops, bars, bowling alley, and unique restaurants like one that was on a boat. Part of Disney Springs sits on a lake with a lego dragon in the water which makes for a great selfie 😉 A few stores in, thirst set in and I opted for a $16 margarita, a little overpriced but expected as it is Disney territory. We continued to walk through and found a cute coffee shop called Joffery’s that had a spiked tea for $12 and the kid working there offered me an extra shot for $2 so I obliged. It was actually really good and $2 cheaper than my earlier beverage with more bang for my buck. Each place I found after the $16 margarita was a little less $ than the last. The next place on the impromtu bar crawl through Disney Springs was a bar called Paradiso with a $7 margarita during happy hour! It was only around 2 pm so a nice option for an early Happy Hour on a Saturday, a rare finding in itself. We had a few margaritas here (domestic beers were also included in the $7 special) and split the poutine which was around $18 but really filling. Next up we headed to the boat launch and watched boats, that looked like cars, launch into the lake. Everyone on the boat seemed to have a blast and it makes for a good selfie and story to bring back home if you decide to take a ride. As far as shopping, I went into the Love Pop store and bought a really cool card; these cards are expensive but are more like a piece of art, worth a google search if you aren’t near a store front! After this, we went to Terralina for a 4-6 happy hour that offered take out beer at a small, outdoor bar for $5 so happy hour number 2 was a success! They are an Italian restaurant that have more to offer than $5 beer, but we had already eaten and grabbed a cupcake at a CUPCAKE ATM. Yes you read that right; you freakin order a CUPCAKE from an ATM and out it pops out 3 seconds later, it’s legit magic.

Saturday evening was uneventful as we had a nice buzz going so we ended up ordering pizza from PAC pizza and grabbing a 12 pack. The pizza was way too cheesy for my liking and not enough sauce; it was good but just not my style. 

Downtown Disney- in front of the lego store on the left and $7 margarita on the right from Paradiso 🙂

Short & sweet tip for beverages:  While the margarita’s at the beginning of Downtown Disney are delicious, save yourself $9 and opt for the margaritas at Parardiso during Happy Hour or Terralina’s for $5 beers. 

Sunday was the warmest day yet with a high of 78 degrees so we opted for a budget-friendly pool day. I had leftover beer from the night before so I filled up an ice bucket from my room and filled it up with my beer (pro tip right there!) This afternoon, we found out the flight home was cancelled due to a major snowstorm at home which was great news! In the evening, we went back to ICON park to a bar called Tin Roof. They had two sides to the bar/restaurant, one side was a piano bar (think Howl of the Moon) and the other side had a live band. There were outdoor and indoor bars but it was a warm night so we sat outside and were able to watch the show from outdoors. The drinks were good and strong and the bartenders were friendly; they were also able to make my go-to cocktail, a Mojito, so brownie points for that.

The next day we decided to go to Universal Studios-Islands of Adventure with the extra time in Florida which was a bit of a splurge. I was checking the wait times the day prior and some rides were up to 80 minutes on the weekend but today they were all within 30 minutes so I was hopeful. The park hours were short (10-6),  so you’ll want to get an early start on the day if you are going in January. I was SO impressed with the way the park was run. Park staff were constantly cleaning hand rails, they helped to make sure everyone stayed 6 feet apart, pumped hand sanitizer into each guests hands right before boarding a ride, and also had sanitizer machines when you exited each ride. I’m pretty sure I had a coat of sanitizer on my hands that day that was 20 coats thick, but it was totally worth it. I didn’t wait more than 15 minutes for a ride and most of the time spent in line was actually walking to the ride. The lines are scenic with the movie theme throughout them; I was terrified in the Kong ride, I felt like a toddler but it was dark and scary music was playing loudly. For reference, I have to mute scary movie commercials so I may not be a great point of reference but I think any kid would be a little scared; or at least that is what I tell myself to make myself feel a little better. I got through all of the major rides that I wanted to go on within 3ish hours! Most of the wait times were less than they estimated; the park was THAT empty. It was a chillier day for Florida at a brisk 63 degrees as well as a weekday, sothat is something to consider when picking a day to attend if you want to avoid long wait times.

The next day we decided to go to Universal Studios-Islands of Adventure with the extra time in Florida which was a bit of a splurge. I was checking the wait times the day prior and some rides were up to 80 minutes on the weekend but today they were all within 30 minutes so I was hopeful. The park hours were short (10-6),  so you’ll want to get an early start on the day if you are going in January. I was SO impressed with the way the park was run. Park staff were constantly cleaning hand rails, they helped to make sure everyone stayed 6 feet apart, pumped hand sanitizer into each guests hands right before boarding a ride, and also had sanitizer machines when you exited each ride. I’m pretty sure I had a coat of sanitizer on my hands that day that was 20 coats thick, but it was totally worth it. I didn’t wait more than 15 minutes for a ride and most of the time spent in line was actually walking to the ride. The lines are scenic with the movie theme throughout them; I was terrified in the Kong ride, I felt like a toddler but it was dark and scary music was playing loudly. For reference, I have to mute scary movie commercials so I may not be a great point of reference but I think any kid would be a little scared; or at least that is what I tell myself to make myself feel a little better. I got through all of the major rides that I wanted to go on within 3ish hours! Most of the wait times were less than they estimated; the park was THAT empty. It was a chillier day for Florida at a brisk 63 degrees as well as a weekday, so that is something to consider when picking a day to attend if you want to avoid long wait times.

For dinner that night, we went to Bar Louie for a happy hour that had a happy hour from 4-7 with food and drinks which is always a win. Needless to say, I went ham on martinis and beer, and was in bed by 8pm to watch the bachelor.

Hampton Inn lodging tip: Ask for a room on the opposite side of I-4. When I found out I was staying an additional two days I asked to change rooms because the noise from the highway was really getting to me. They upgraded me to a suite free of charge because it was the only room available with the same bed setup that I currently had; so nice of them! This hotel was really nice and accommodating. The water fountains were shut down and they gave me water bottles on two occasions which as a Hilton rewards member, is only supposed to be given at check in. They also had a hot breakfast which they served due to covid; this was great because other Hilton’s I have stayed at during the pandemic only offered pastries and yogurt. They were also really great about cleaning and wiping down the eating area during the morning. 

My final day in Orlando was another budget friendly day. We went to Eola park which was about a 20 minute drive from the hotel near Universal. It was in the city of Orlando and there was a gorgeous large lake with huge, beautiful swans, various birds, and a walkway around the whole lake with photo opt areas everywhere. There were also restaurants and bars surrounding the lake, they were closed while I was there but it was a weekday and also a chillier day for Flordians so I am guessing that is why. 

I wanted to warm up a bit after walking around the lake so we found a cute, small, hipster coffee shop named Deeply and I got a flat white; it was delicious and they made a pretty design in it;  I’ve always wanted a coffee like that and it didn’t disappoint.

Next up we opted for another budget-friendly activity and headed to Disney to ride the monorail and take a couple boat rides; one from the transportation center to Magic Kingdom and another one from Magic Kingdom to Fort Wilderness. I used to come to Disney as a kid every couple months for my parents’ business trips and we would always camp at Fort Wilderness so I took a trip down memory hill. It was a fun, free way to spend the afternoon. The boats were at limited capacity due to covid and it was nice to have more space for myself. That night we went to Bar Louie again for a $5 burger night and another few cheap drinks. Afterwards, we went back to Tin Roof for their $4 Tuesday night white claw special and to check out their free comedy show. Typically you need a reservation but since it was a chilly night, the bartender said we could come in without one as the cold would probably deter people from coming out. The comedians were actually pretty funny and we had a great time!

That concluded my 3 day turned 5 day stay, (thanks snowstorm Orlena) in Orlando, Florida.  The next morning we caught an uber back to Orlando international for about $30 and made it through security in about 15-20 minutes, still not bad for getting through security during a pandemic. For reference, it was a Wednesday afternoon so definitely not prime travel time. 

All in all I was pleased with my last minute (mostly budget-friendly) trip to Orlando. I did splurge on the $16 margarita and a day at Universal, but that was only because my trip was extended. If you need a quick winter getaway from the cold, I would definitely suggest Orlando at the end of January. It may not be 80 degrees everyday but but a few days in the 70’s beats 30 degrees and snowy any day in my book!

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