Here's a recap of our trip to Ft. Lauderdale..
A few hours after arriving, which included checking into the hotel, unpacking, and relaxing, we decided to walk the mile to the beach. As we were walked, we saw the dark clouds approaching. Since we had not enjoyed lunch, we decided to take cover at the first restaurant we encountered - a marina front bar/restaurant located adjacent to the Day's Inn. From our seat, we watched the area become engulfed in dark clouds and remained protected from the heavy rain that came with the clouds.
Enjoying the view of the thunderstorm from the protection of a covered seat!
My fish tacos and Colin's fried grouper were easily forgettable. When we finished our meal, we felt bad taking up seats while waiting for the storm to pass, so we opted for some dessert. I'm so glad we did because the chocolate cake we ordered was surprisingly tasty. I definitely had lower expectations for a chocolate cake served in a beach bar!
Our delicious chocolate cake
Once the rain storm passed, we enjoyed a quiet evening on the beach - a beach that we had almost exclusively to ourselves because the rain had kept people away.
On Saturday, we decided to take the hotel shuttle to the beach so we could enjoy more time there. I was impressed by all the free activities available at the beach. It's rare to find basketball courts, workout stations, playgrounds, bathrooms, and a grilling area all so close to the beach. In addition, while many of the grills were being used, the beach was not crowded on what I would consider a beautiful beach day. One of the things I miss the most in North Carolina are the beach pavilions found in Rhode Island and Long Island. In those pavilions, I could shower at the end of the beach day before going home.
Basketball courts and workout station on the beach
A playground and grills on the beach
Few people on a beautiful beach day
On Saturday, we decided to take a ride down to Miami, where the Miami Heat were playing the Boston Celtics in game 7 of the Eastern Conference Championship. We knew tickets would be expensive, so we didn't bother trying to get them. Instead, we went to check out the atmosphere.
In Miami, we decided to get some Cuban food on Calle Ocho in "Little Havana." There weren't many people around and we didn't make plans ahead of time, so we just walked around until we found a restaurant to try. From what we heard, 7pm was too early for dinner in Little Havana, so most places were pretty empty. We did not stick around late enough to check out the "night life." The first reason was that we wanted to get to a sports bar to watch the game, and the second reason was that we weren't sure if the neighborhood was safe.
Chickens let you know you are in Little Havana, Miami
A Pitbull caricature on the wall of an "art and research center"
- which looked more like a social club when we walked by
but we were very disappointed that they didn't have Cuban sandwiches!
All around downtown Miami, and especially near the basketball area, we found crowds of Miami Heat fans. The few Boston fans that mixed among the crowds wore their green, but for the most part, everyone was dressed in white.
The scene at American Airlines arena about 30 minutes before tip-off.
We found a lively spot at a pub with an outdoor projector to watch most of the first half. Every time the Heat scored, stole the ball, or made a good play, the fans erupted with enthusiasm. It was difficult to not get caught up in all the excitement. Even thought the Celtics were winning, Heat fans exhibited lots of confidence that their team would prevail.
Watching the Miami Heat and Boston Celtics
on an outdoor projector at a Miami bar.
After an exciting evening watching the game in Miami, we made our way back to Ft. Lauderdale to rest up for our planned adventures on Sunday.
The first stop on our ambitious itinerary brought us to Shark Valley in the Everglades. We had never been and decided to check out the National Park Service offerings. After renewing our annual America the Beautiful National Park Pass, we opted for the guided tram tour through the park- which was the same price as renting 2 bicycles for 2 hours. With the scorching sun beating down at our noon-time arrival, we figured the shade was necessary for us to enjoy the park.
On our 2 hour trip, we saw 2 alligators, lots of birds, and were able to get a better understanding about the flora and fauna located in the area. Thankfully, we did not see any snakes, though our tour guide showed us a video of his capture of a 20 foot snake on his Ipad. It is actually sad that people have let their snakes go wild in the Everglades. With no natural predators the 10,000+ snakes that now exist in the park have drastically reduced the small mammals native to the area.
View of the Everglades from a tower in the park
After our adventures in the Everglades, we made our way down to the Florida Keys to Key Largo. We didn't really know much about the area, but assumed we could find some areas with a beach to swim. Unfortunately, Key Largo is more of a fishing town, with lots of canals and waterways between the streets. Instead of driving farther into the Keys to find the beach, we decided to have an early dinner at a bar and watch the European Cup game being televised.
We eventually found a beach, which was fairly disappointing. It was in a state park, which charged $4.50 per person and the beach area was very small. The water, surrounded by mangroves, was very warm (like a bath), and the sand was almost as hard as concrete.
With all the excitement and exploration we did Saturday and Sunday, we decided to relax all morning on Monday before our 3pm flight. It was another beautiful day, so we spent the first few hours at the beach, and the final few hours in Ft. Lauderdale by the beautiful pool.
Arriving home around 6pm, with enough time to unpack and unwind, I felt like I had experienced the perfect balance of relaxation and exploration. The trip was just what I needed after a very busy month of May! As we typically do, we have already started making plans for our next trip to the area. We are thinking a cruise to the Bahamas might be nice.
Tell me about your most memorable South Florida experiences!
What should we put on our list for the next time we visit?
