Florida Fever: A Trip to Remember

Last week, my friend and I flew to Florida for a few days to stay with her parents who spend winter down South. It was my first time being on a plan since 2018. I hadn't traveled in so long due to COVID. As add as it may sound, I loved being back at the airport. Our trip was 5 days long and it was so much fun. Each day we explored a different area around Sarasota. Here's a look at each day.

Tuesday, March 22

Alex picked me up at 8am to drive to the Cleveland airport. We landed in Florida that afternoon and found ourselves laying at the pool by 4pm. It was glorious. Alex's parents ordered pizza and antipasti for dinner. Once we finished, we took a drive around the neighborhood and played shuffleboard until the mosquitos started to eat us alive. Back at the house, Alex and her mom taught me to play Euchre, which is my new favorite card game. My grandparents used to play all the time and now I understand why.

Wednesday, March 23

We woke up, ate a delicious breakfast on the lanai, and watched patiently to see the mama and baby gator that lived in the pond. By 9am, we were sitting on Casey Key Beach where dolphins were swimming just offshore. When the wind picked up a bit we figured it would be best to head back to relax and read by the pool. But first, we drove around Casey Key Drive, which is filled with multimillion-dollar houses. If our sources are correct, we even saw Oprah's house! 

For dinner, we went to this incredible Italian restaurant called Angelo's. We dinned on their patio, which was so lovely since I hadn't done that in months due to Erie's winter. I ordered a rigatoni and eggplant dish which was incredible. For dessert, we stopped inside the restaurant, which also has. a little Italian market, to grab cookies.  After a day full of sunshine and activities, we usually all went to bed around 9pm, after a game of two of Euchre or a spin around the block on the electric bikes that Alex's parents invested in.

Thursday, March 24

My friend's mom heard about a market in a nearby town called Englewood so we decided to check it out after breakfast. There were very interesting antique shops and lots of local vendors selling fruits and seafood. After walking around for a bit and grabbing a coffee, we drove just a few miles to Venice to do some shopping and grab lunch. We stopped in a few souvenir stores but didn't find too much. 

We stopped in Daquiri Deck for frozen daiquiris and nachos. The daiquiris were so good. I tried a watermelon one that tasted just like a sour watermelon jolly ranchers. With a little buzz, we ventured a block over from the main street and stumbled upon the cutest local boutiques. I fell in love with everything in a boho home decor shop. I'm sad to say I cannot recall the name and can't find it on Google either. It was definitely on Miami Ave W in Venice, Fl. While I wanted so many pieces, I held strong. We flew Spirit airlines and were restricted to a backpack unless we wanted to pay $60 for a carry-on. No, thank you. I am normally whipping out my credit card left and right when shopping, but I was really holding out to find that something special. 

Friday, March 25

Each day was so much fun, but this was my favorite day of the trip. We were invited to go boating with friends of Alex's parents. They took us to a great restaurant called Run Bay. You can only get there by boat or water taxi. This restaurant is located on Palm Island. On this island, no cars are allowed, just bikes and golf carts. Before lunch, we walked down to the beach to find the blue, sparkling waters of the Gulf of Mexico. It was so beautiful and serene. Just before lunch, we stopped in a little shop. It was in the Palm Island store that I found the perfect item to remember this trip - a white iridescent dolphin figurine. I wouldn't realize how special this purchase would be until a few hours later. 

For lunch, I ordered shrimp tacos with pineapple salsa. Yum! Filled from lunch, we went back on the boat and drove through the Lemon Bay Aquatic Preserve. It was too windy to head out into the Gulf, but that was just fine with me. While we were slowly making out way through the shallow waters next to the Stump Pass Beach State Park, we saw dolphins! It was truly magical. They were so close to the boat. We followed, what looked like, a mama with her baby, as they gracefully swam through the aquamarine waters. I had been hoping all day to see dolphins and there they were right in front of us! 

After a fantastic afternoon boating, we headed back to the house and changed into our suits to relax by the pool yet again. if there weren't so much to see and do, we probably would have never left the pool. After about an hour, we got a second wind and decided to make a spontaneous trip to Siesta Key! A quick outfit change later, we were in the car and on our way. Our first stop in Siesta Key was the beach. It was around 5:30pm so the beaches weren't too busy. We walked along the shore for a bit and felt the softest sand on our feet. I would compare it to flour. It was so different from the normal grainy sand you often find come across. Siesta Key is known for this unique sand since its 99% quartz, whereas other sand is a mixture of quartz, coral, and other minerals. Once we had our fill of the beach, we headed to where the action was - Ocean Boulevard. This street was filled with people, music, and restaurants. We had a great dinner at Gillian's Island and grabbed ice cream for the drive home. 

Saturday, March 26

This was our last day in Florida, but we made it count. In the morning, we had one last breakfast on the lanai and saw the alligators sunning themselves! Shortly after coffee and eggs, we hit the pickleball courts. I had never played before, but I think I caught on rather quickly. It was so fun and I'm hoping to find a court to play more this summer! A few games later and we found ourselves showering and packing up to head to the airport. 

I am home now and so happy to be reunited with my husband and puppy. I have a tan that still reminds me of warm, sunny days. It was such a great trip and I am so happy Alex invited me. Definitely, a trip to remember.