The Ultimate Florida Summer Bucket List: 25 Must-Do Experiences

Despite the scorching heat and bustling crowds, Florida offers a plethora of thrilling activities and enchanting destinations that are best enjoyed during the hottest months of the year.

Whether you call Florida home or are just passing through, let this be your guide to over 25 fun-filled experiences and breathtaking locations that are sure to make this a summer to remember.

1. Dive into Aquatic Thrills: Snorkel with manatees, explore vibrant coral reefs, or take a thrilling jet ski ride along the coast. There is much fun to be had in Florida’s many waterways. I detailed a manatee tour I took in this post if you’re looking too swim with some gentle giants.

2. Unwind on World-Famous Beaches: With 1,350 miles of coastline, Florida provides endless options for beachgoers seeking fun in the sun. So pack your sunscreen and spend a day at the beach and enjoy what Florida is most famous for.

3. Embark on a Kayaking Adventure: Within Florida's diverse landscapes, a world of options awaits.

Do you wish to paddle through enchanting mangrove tunnels, immerse yourself in the crystalline depths of natural freshwater springs, or seek solace in serene coastal estuaries?

The choice is yours, and each option promises a tranquil escape from the summer's heat.

4. Explore Theme Parks: If you’re feeling up to braving the crowds, Florida is home to over 30 thrilling theme parks, providing unparalleled adventures for all.

From the magical wonders of Walt Disney World to the adrenaline-pumping rides at Universal Orlando Resort, there's an experience waiting for everyone.

5. Take a Wildlife Safari: Embark on a unique safari drive and familiarize yourself with the incredible wildlife in a natural habitat. We love Wild Florida and detailed about the park here in this post.

6. Discover Florida's Springs: Swim in the cystal clear and refreshing waters of Florida’s natural springs. My personal favorite playground can be hard to get into in the summer season. I recommend my detailed spring guide and scoping out some lesser known springs.

7. Go Fishing: Cast your line in Florida's abundant fishing spots, whether it's deep-sea fishing, freshwater angling, or pier fishing.

8. Seek Thrills at Water Parks: Cool off and make a splash at water parks like Blizzard Beach, Adventure Island, or Volcano Bay.

9. Enjoy Water Sports: Try your hand at surfing, paddleboarding, or parasailing for an adrenaline-pumping experience on the water.

10. Visit Museums or art galleries: If the brutal heat or afternoon summer storms are keeping you indoors, this is the perfect time to explore history, science, and art at renowned museums like the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex or the Salvador Dali Museum. Florida is littered with an array of remarkable attractions and an abundance of roadside ‘museums’ filled with treasures.


11. Indulge in Waterfront Dining: Enjoy delicious seafood or tropical cocktails at waterfront restaurants with stunning ocean or river views. So fancy!

12. Witness Bioluminescent Magic: Take a night kayaking tour in the Indian River Lagoon or Mosquito Lagoon to witness the captivating glow of bioluminescent organisms. I wrote a bit about my experience with bio glow here in this post.

13. Embark on an Airboat Eco Tour: Glide through marshes and witness Florida's unique ecosystem while spotting wildlife like birds, gators, turtles, and more. If you’re not quite south enough to make it into the everglades, check out my post covering Wild Florida located in central Florida.

14. Attend Festivals and Events: Immerse yourself in the lively atmosphere of Florida’s many festivals such as the Florida State Fair, Strawberry Festival, or the Key West Lobster Fest.

15. Discover Artistic Enclaves: Explore the vibrant art scenes of Miami's Wynwood Walls, St. Petersburg's Art District, or Sarasota's Ringling Museum of Art.

16. Go on a Biking Adventure: Pedal through scenic trails like the Legacy Trail in Sarasota or the Tamiami Trail in the Everglades for a picturesque journey.

17. Cruise Along Scenic Waterways: Embark on a boat tour through the Intracoastal Waterway, St. Johns River, or the Florida Keys, enjoying breathtaking views. I personally love the glass bottom boat tours at Silver Springs.

18. Attend a Baseball Game: Cheer for the Miami Marlins or the Tampa Bay Rays and experience the excitement of America's favorite pastime.

19. Visit Botanical Gardens: Stroll through the stunning landscapes of Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, Marie Selby Botanical Gardens, or Bok Tower Gardens.

20. Explore Historic St. Augustine: Wander the charming streets of the nation's oldest city, visiting historic sites and enjoying the laid-back atmosphere.

21. Swim with dolphins: We had a blast during our dolphin encounter at Marineland, which I share more about in this post. If you ask the kids, it’s tied with snowtubing in North Carolina as their favorite adventure yet, and we have been on many! Nothing screams summer vacation in Florida quite like swimming with a dolphin!

22.Snorkel, scuba, snuba or free dive:I don’t know about you, but due to the heat, I don’t want to be very far away from water in the summer.

Plus, there is so much to be seen submerged under the surface of Florida’s springs and oceans that you do not want to miss! From the only reefs in the continental US to limestone caves to statues of Jesus. Yes, really!

If you're seeking a refreshing adventure, grab your mask and embark on an exploration of any these remarkable destinations.

23. Go Horseback Riding: Experience the magic of horseback riding along the sandy shores of Amelia Island or Cape San Blas.

24. Witness Sea Turtle Nesting: Join a guided tour to witness the awe-inspiring sight of sea turtles nesting and hatching along Florida's coast.

25. Enjoy Live Music: Attend outdoor concerts, jazz festivals, or beachfront music events to soak in the vibrant music scene of Florida's summer nights.

26. Savor the Season: Stop by a Local Fruit Stand: Experience the vibrant taste of Florida by visiting a local tropical fruit stand.

Allow me to introduce you to a remarkable fruit stand that deserves a spot on your summer bucket list: Los Pinarenos Fruit Stand. Located at 1334 SW 8th St, Miami, FL 33135, in the vibrant neighborhood of Little Havana.

They have a variety of fresh tropical fruit and, if you ask nicely, they will even help you open your coconuts to drink!

As we reach the end of our bucket list journey through the best of Florida's summer activities, one thing is clear: this state is a haven for unforgettable experiences.

Whether you're soaring through the sky on exhilarating rides, encountering diverse wildlife in the untamed nature, or immersing yourself in the vibrant arts and culture scene, Florida has it all.

So grab your summer essentials, and see how many of these items you can check off this year.

Stronger: More Than Just Attractive Activewear

It was basically love at fight sight when I came across Stronger’s activewear and athleisure mix and match sets. I just had to have the hero set in Zinfandel. Not only does the name sound super fancy, but the color is also a stunning deep red. My initial thoughts were “it matches my hair” It’s the little things. Ladies, am I right?

I was stoked when I was able to partner with Stronger and create a campaign and content centered around their stylish activewear. I placed my order and I anxiously stalked the UPS tracking number.

When the package finally arrived, I couldn’t wait to open the box. The bra and legging set that lay inside exceeded my expectations, which is all too often not the case when ordering clothing offline.

I was pleasantly surprised that the size chart was true to size so I didn’t have to embarrassingly return anything for a larger size- a girl’s worst nightmare! This set is both fitted and stretchy to fit a woman’s body, making this two-piece set the perfect combination of stylish and comfortable.

I also love all the mix and match pieces available in the Hero line. I am eyeing the matching hoodie!

Stronger boasts their sets are made for movement, which is fantastic because here in Florida, it’s hiking season, baby!

I wore this set around the house and while practicing yoga and finally debuted it on a ten-mile cave hopping adventure. All trails warned of overgrown paths and chiggers, but I felt confident in my Stronger outfit. It held up perfectly in and out of caves, overgrown brush, and both ducking and crouching positions.

With Stronger, it is not just about the clothes, but the mission. I think in the past two years a lot of us have had to be stronger than we ever anticipated. Strong for ourselves, strong for our friends, our family, our kids, and the world. I love the gentle reminder that the days that challenge us only make us stronger.

I guarantee you will feel like a badass babe in anything you order from Stronger. If you’re not convinced to order, here are a few more highlights of Stronger as a brand:

• Eco Delivery

• Made from Sustainable Materials

• Handmade Prints

• Worldwide Shipping

One more thing- please feel free to take advantage of the coupon code provided by Stronger just for my followers:

Use Code: w0nderland20 for 20% off your order

What would you order?

Wild Florida - Drive-through Safari, Airboat Tour, and Zoo!

As soon as I heard about Wild Florida, I knew I had to visit. I have come across many unique attractions, but this drive-through safari is something brand new to me.

There’s so much more to experience at Wild Florida than just the drive-through safari. Some zoos you can breeze right through, but prepare to spend the day here when you visit.

Let’s see what there is to explore at Wild Florida.

~ Gator Park and Zoo

Wild Florida calls this walk-through part of the zoo the Gator Park, but there are many non-reptiles living here. Some of the exhibits you will find in addition to the gators and crocodiles are deer, sloths, bobcats, foxes, and Florida panthers.

What I love about this side of the zoo is that peacocks roam free. They weren’t in mating season when we visited, but their feathers were still impressive.

~ Drive-through Safari

The main attraction at Wild Florida is the drive-through safari. I’ve never seen anything like this in Florida!

In the comfort of our own car, we traveled through 85 acres of open natural animal habitat. This part of the park is how I wish all modern-day zoos were set up. No cages!

The safari park is massive and there were not a lot of people condensed to one area with room for people to drive around you, so you really could go at your own pace without feeling rushed by anyone behind you.

It was truly an experience to see the animals as they would be in the wild, running free as fast as they can, playing and swimming.

~ Airboat Tour

This was actually my first time on an airboat. We opted for the hour-long airboat ride and I suggest this option as half an hour would just not be enough time.

We zoomed through the lake and over vegetation, stopping to watch birds fly by and catch glimpses of gators in the brush. It was the first cold day of the season and not ideal for gator sightings, but we still saw a handful!

In addition to the beautiful nature views, the tour was also educational. Our tour guide, Ken, was very knowledgeable about all of the different animals we saw and was happy to answer all of our questions.

~ Gator Feeding and Encounters

Gator feeding is always fun. I love seeing their cute little heads and mouths open trying to eat. It’s even wilder when they start making noise. Did you know alligators are one of the most vocal animals? It’s true!

You have two options for feeding, you can throw protein pellets into the bigger gators’ mouths or feed the smaller gators hot dogs off a metal pole similar to fishing but with no harmful hook at the end.

~Animal Shows

We were able to catch the exotic animal show where we were introduced to poisonous toads, snakes, and gators. Following the show were invited to hold the animals and get our photos taken.

There is no additional price for handling the animals, but we did purchase the full flash drive with all our photos. We typically skip this type of add-on, but we really wanted these photos to look back on many years from now. Holding a snake was one of my personal highlights from the visit.

~ Walk-in Aviary

I think this was my favorite part of the park. When we walked into the aviary, the birds flew onto our arms up to four at a time to feed off the popsicle sticks covered in bird feed. This was a really unique experience.

We loved having birds on our arms and having them fly and land just like in a movie. It’s not every day that we see something like this. Gator feeding is popular in Florida but this experience really took the cake as a collective family favorite.

~ Walk-in Petting Zoo

Who doesn’t enjoy a petting zoo? The baby animals are adorable, petting their soft little heads is always humbling, and I love to see them stick their heads through the fence and nibble away.

Well, not unsurprisingly, Wild Florida also takes the typical petting zoo experience to the next level. You can actually walk into it! Yes, we were able to walk into this giant pen and play with the goats, pigs, and ducks.

~ Giraffe Feeding and Selfies

This was the activity I was most looking forward to. I wanted to feed the giraffe and get a silly giraffe selfie! This exhibit is the only exhibit in the safari park where you can get out of your car and stretch your legs to enjoy.

You can feed the giraffe lettuce for only $5, so it’s super affordable for such an eccenstric memorable experience!

~ Chomp House Grill

In-between visiting the gator park and the safari, we stopped for lunch at Wild Florida’s on-sight restaurant, Chomp House Grill. Here you can order food from a window and eat your meal at picnic tables under the trees. I tried the catfish and gator bites, because how could you not?

 The real star of the show were the slushies and ice creams that come in souvenir jars. The fruity option was a mix of vanilla and mango and tastes exactly like sunshine if you can imagine how great that tastes!

Later this month, Wild Florida will be having their yearly black Friday sale and you do not want to miss it!

As you can see, we had a blast at Wild Florida’s Safari Park. This is a stop to not miss on any Florida vacation or day off, for the locals! With so many animals, encounter options, and thrilling add-ons, you will not be bored at Wild Florida. Where would you head first?

10 Non-obvious Safety Tips for The Solo Traveler

It’s no secret that I love traveling solo. I have previously written 7 Tips for Managing Loneliness While Traveling Solo and 10 Reasons to Love Solo Travel and How I Ended Up Alone!.

One of the biggest fears people have when considering solo travel is safety. This is especially true for international and solo female travel. Believe it or not, adventuring on your own does not have to be any more dangerous than grabbing dinner in your own city.

I think we all know to avoid walking alone down dark alleys and getting intoxicated with strangers. These are just basic tips for staying safe in life in general.

Today, I want to share with you some non-obvious steps you can take to stay safe while traveling solo.

1.      Avoid looking like an easy target or traveler: My other tips will cover this more in-depth, but avoid wearing revealing clothing,  jewelry, advertising expensive goods, flashing your cash, or anything else that will catch a predator or thief’s attention. You really want to just blend in and look like a local.

2.      Stay Connected: Have someone, or multiple someones, know where you are and where you are heading at all times. I always print a detailed itinerary with general times and addresses of where I will be to my partner, my family, and my son’s dad. I tell them when I get somewhere and I tell them when I leave. This way, If anything ever happens they have a good chance of being able to track me down. 

You can also take it a step further and turn your location tracker on in messages so your closest friends and family members can keep even closer tabs on your location.

3.      Avoid getting lost at all costs: You do not want to appear to be a lost tourist about as much as you don’t want to get lost while traveling I have the worst memory so I even take photos of where I park, parking meters, and parking tickets even in parking garages. Again, you don’t want to be caught vulnerable so prepare as much as you can.

4.      Mind your money: Avoid having to get cash while you’re out, like at an ATM. Separate your passport, ID, and money into different pockets, wallets, and bags. This way, in the slim event that you fall victim to thievery or lose something ALL of your cash and documents are less likely to be missing.

5.      Know before you go: Do a little bit of research on your destination ahead of time. If the area you are traveling to has a history of pick-pockets you should know and be prepared. Don’t scare yourself, but prepare yourself as each city has a darker side.

6.    Learn the Lingo: This circles back to what I was talking about earlier regarding aiming to look like a local. If the language if it’s not a dialect you’re familiar with, learn a few key phrases by googling travel phrases and the name of the language. Downloading a translation application would also be helpful in his situation.

7.      Familiarize yourself with the city prior to arriving. Download Google Maps and do your best to get a good idea of how to get around the city without looking at your map and directions every few minutes. This will calm some of your nerves, help you avoid getting lost, and help you blend in like a local who knows where they are going.

8.      Join a group: If you feel unsafe or don’t want to stand out, consider linking up with a group of other travelers. This will come with its own set of safety cautions, but can really help you not stand out and meet a fun group of people. If you’re not sure where to find a group, consider joining a photo walk or guided tour.

 9.       Pay attention and be mindful: It is so hard to get lost in sightseeing or your phone while traveling, but do your best to be present. Be aware of the conditions of your lodging, surroundings, and belongings at all times. Pay attention to who is around you. No one else is there to keep an eye out to see if you’re being followed, if someone has slipped something in your drink, or if the guys on the train have been eyeing you. Don’t keep your earbuds in the whole time and make sure you can hear people talking and horns honking.

10.   Trust your instinct: At the end of the day, If something seems off, it’s better to be safe than sorry.

 I hope you found this list helpful. Feel free to leave a comment below if you would like to add any non-obvious safety tips to my list. Stay safe!

 

Monthly Snapshots: October, 2021

October was a really exciting month, filled with lots of family adventures and creative Halloween photoshoots. I hope you enjoy these snapshots of our month.

~ Movies on The Halifax

Each month, a movie is played on an inflatable screen right off the Halifax River in Ormond Beach.

We were in luck as a trunk or treat event was hosted at the property this night in addition to the showing of The Addams Family. We were able to get fresh pooped popcorn, cotton candy, icecream, hot dogs, and a bucket full of candy.

Watching a movie outside was super fun and very reminiscent of what a drive-through movie experience would be like. I will definitely show up for more movies on the Halifax.

~ Southern Hill Farms Fall Festival

If you didn’t see my last post covering Southern Hill Farm’s spring activities check that out there. Southern Hill does a great job at creating a lovely environment and curating a wide variety of activities so you really do get your money’s worth and can spend all day here.

During the Fall Festival, we enjoyed the carnival rides, inflatables, jump pad, rock climbing wall, food trucks, corn maze, sunflower and zinnia patches,  photo opportunities, and petting zoo. There was no fruit picking this time around, but plenty of pumpkins for purchase. We love this farm and look forward to visiting twice a year.

~ Mr. and Mrs. Frankenstein Shoot

This photoshoot was so fun and part 1 of my Halloween series over on Instagram. This dress was my mom’s from the eighties and was made by my uncle. I was so excited to wear it!

I go more into detail about working with smoke bombs here in this post and also share more of our photos from this shoot in that post as well.

~ Monster Party and Monster House Movie Night

Marco was wanting to watch the movie Monster House, so I threw a monster-themed party and had our family friends join us. I love Halloween and being creative with crafts and snacks. At first, I wasn’t sure how I was going to pull off this theme but loved how it turned out.

I made monster eye cookies, monster brownies, and set up an adorable build your own monster station. I loved seeing the kid’s different monsters. This is really fun for a variety of monster movies and kids of all ages and everything came from the Dollar Tree inexpensively.

~ Witch Photoshoot

This shoot was very hard! The smoke is tricky to work with and there is definitely a slight learning curve for using it in props while seated. Lots of props were used here which is something very new for me. In the end, I think the photos came out pretty cool, especially the flaming skull.

~ Mini Golf

If you are looking for a fun family experience, I highly recommend Congo River Golf in Daytona Beach. I am absolutely not one for golf, but the safari scenery was very cute. I especially enjoyed the waterfalls that made me yearn for Arizona.

Congo River offers much more than just golf with opportunities to feed and hold live gators, mine for your own gems, an arcade, and designer keepsake golf balls you can take home. Marco chose the death Star, of course! This was a great way to spend a few hours with Marco.

~ Smoking Pumpkin Photo Shoot

This pumpkin shoot was my most popular photo in my Spooky Month/Halloween Smoke Bomb series. It blew up on my page like a spring photo normally does. I was really glad everyone was into it!

If you check my Instagram, I have been showing behind the scenes of these photos if you want to scroll through and see how the smoke bombs look in person verse the edited still photo.

~ Gas Mask Photoshoot

As time goes on, I come up with more and more ways to use smoke bombs and balls. For this one, we used a gas mask and a pumpkin. I am obsessed! It had major purge vibes.

~ Castle Ottis

An Irish castle in Florida - SAY WHAT? If you’re into castles, religion or history, check out Castle Ottis in St. Augustine. FL. You will not be disappointed by this amazing location. Click here to read more about Castle Ottis.

~ Aunt Kate’s

After Exploring Castle Ottis, we stopped at Aunt Kate’s for a delicious southern lunch. I enjoyed the fish tacos with avocado and grits. The bread basket had an array of delicious breads including pumpkin bread!

The autumn tree was just the icing on the cake that set the homestyle welcoming family vibes at Aunt Kate’s Restruaunt.

~ Wednesday Addams

Since I was dressing up I had to bring back my most favorite costume as a kid - Wednesday Addams! If you really want to laugh, I shared a picture of me over 20 years ago dressed as Wednesday. What can I say, I’ve been weird.

~ Wild Florida

Wild Florida is home to Florida’s very own drive-through safari. This was on my list of places to visit for so long and we were lucky enough to be able to visit. Big thanks to Wild Florida for having us out.

Wild Florida is like a whole new planet. We are all obsessed with this place. It’s a go once a year type of attraction. For starters, we took an airboat ride and spotted many birds and gators, despite it being the first cold day of the season.

We wandered the zoo, which seemed endless, while peacocks danced around our feet, drove through the safari, fed gators, walked INTO the petting zoo pens, took a selfie with a giraffe, held snakes, got stuck in traffic because of another giraffe, enjoyed fresh gator bites at the Chomp House Grill, drank swamp smoothies, hand-fed birds, and the list actually does go on!

 I’m sorting through hundreds of photos still, but will make separate most and several reels.

~ Halloween

For Halloween, we had our annual snacky-dinner before trick or treating with our family friends. Marco was Pennywise and Scarlett was a unicorn princess.

How was your October? Do you plan to visit any of these places in November?

The Ultimate Florida Cave Guide

Florida never ceases to amaze me. We have wonderful waterfalls, freshwater springs, and even caves. I didn’t step foot in my first cave until 2020 and I’ve been hooked on hunting down these hidden natural treasures ever since.

I love how each cave is so different and you never know what you’re going to find inside. Will the cave be dry or will it be completely submerged underwater? Will you see bats, spiders, or salamanders?

While some caves are so perfectly hidden that you can’t see the opening from 10 feet away while others have open and obvious roofs, like Devil’s Denn. Whatever lies inside, it’s always an adenture.

Let’s get to the caves!

~ Florida Caverns State Park

This is the only Florida State Park with air-filled caves open to the public. I was surprised to see how many ‘rooms’ there were all and the variety of different shaped structures. These caves are truly fascinating structures.

The colored lights make for a magical experience and enhance the natural shadows, textures, and shapes of the cave walls. If you’re lucky, you may see tiny sleeping bats and salamanders.

~ Devil’s Den

Photo Credit: _amandaduart

Photo Credit: lagoddi

Photo Credit: jpaulso

Photo Credit: brooklynkitten

Devil's Den is one of the most prehistoric places in North America and is essentially a sinkhole that opened up exposing a spring. This cave is very reminiscent of a Mexican cenote.

I had a blast snorkeling and observing the cavern-like structure, but I think the dancing rays of light under the water were my favorite part.

If you plan to check it out, make sure to bring full snorkel and fin gear in order to gain access to the swimming area or rent them on site.

~ Blowing Rocks Preserve

Photo Credit: findingflorida912

Photo Credit: michellemnimal

These huge chunks of limestone on the coast make for a beachy cave that is unlike anything else on my list. This would be the perfect cave in Florida to watch a sunrise or sunset.

~ Warren's Cave

Inside Warren’s Cave, you will find four miles of underground passages, making it the longest dry cave in Florida. This is one of the most unique cave experiences in Florida as this cave is completely primitive. That’s right no railings, lights, or walkways. A lot of my more adventurous readers will enjoy the freedom of Warren’s Cave.

I could not find any photos of Warren’s Cave to use so I will direct you to good ol’ Google.

~ Dames and Peace Caves

Photo Credit: seancurry11

Photo Credit: dillomaster

Photo Credit: seancurry11

Photo Credit: smilesrfree

Located in the Withlacoochee State Forest are Dames and Peace Caves. Ruined (or enhanced) by amateur wanna-be graffiti artists, the cave’s natural beauty still shines through. These caves are separated by a roughly five-minute walk. Bring a flash light but leave the spray paint and enjoy a self-guided tour of Dames and Peace Caves.

~ Leon Sinks Geological Area

Photo Credit: jociobhainenqvist

Photo Credit: aewiv

Photo Credit: orion_kinsinger

Leons sinks is one of the largest underwater cave systems in the world. It’s connected to Wakulla Springs. Up to twelve miles of this underwater system have been mapped and surveyed, which is amazing! This is one cave in Florida to explore both dry and wet.

~ Gator Hole

This is Florida cave off Mett Mill’s Pond that was exposed due to construction and the river being dammed. It is now underwater again and can only be explored that way. We will all have to wait until the next drawdown or explore it underwater.

Underwater Caves

Due to the way that Florida has formed, there are endless caves, cracks, and crevices to explore under the surface. You can find cave systems at almost any spring. The list of underwater caves in Florida would truly be endless.

In addition to my list below, here is a really good resource for underwater caves in Florida.

~ Ginnie Springs

Photo Credit: yesaira

~ Peacock Springs State Park

Photo Credit: wildwildwebst_

Photo Credit: sj.alice.bennett

~ Blue Grotto

Photo Credit: ortizrivera667

~ Volusia Blue Springs

Photo Credit: yesaira

~ Buford Springs

Photo Credit: floridaunfiltered

~ Ichetucknee Springs State Park

Photo Credit: agreen.fl

Did you know Florida had so many caves? If I missed your favorite, let me know below!

Castle Ottis: Florida’s Irish Castle

If you’ve been following me on Instagram you may know I have had a bit of a castle obsession recently. Given our state’s history, it’s not surprising the number of forts and Spanish-style castles that can be found here in Florida, but did you know we also have an Irish-style castle?

Castle Ottis (pronounced Ah-tis) is located just a stone throw’s away from the Atlantic Ocean in St. Augustine, FL. From inside, you can hear the ocean waves crashing against the shore across the street and from the roof, you can see the most glorious of ocean and treetop views. It definitely reminds me of a real-life sandcastle.

I do want to point out that Castle Ottis is not a tourist attraction and is located on private property. I visited with Dorothy and we were able to join a guided group tour for donation. If you’re lucky, you can call and do the same.

The castle, with its gorgeous architecture, is also a popular location for music videos, photoshoots, and intimate wedding ceremonies.

Let’s meet our tour guide, owner and one of the original designers and builders, Rusty. Rusty was born in Bermuda and has traveled and lived throughout the world. He resides on the property when he is in the country, though not in the castle itself.

The tour was really fascinating and really gave me such appreciation for every inch of this beautiful castle of worship.

Rusty taught us about the construction, laying of the blocks, and nearly perfect woodworking inside Castle Ottis. He knew everything about everything inside and outside. He knew all the fun facts about the location in relation to Jerusalem and the pyramids of Egypt, along with the strong reference to the holy number three. He even knew where the wood came from, the history of it and he knew the person who turned it into the artwork it is now.

It’s not very often that tours are guided by someone that had a hand in the planning, construction, and accusation of a property so this was a real treat. You could really feel Rusty’s passion and love for the castle and Jesus Christ. That kind of energy always rubs off on me and gets me even more excited and intrigued about a location.

When planning the interior, cypress wood was chosen for its durability as the castle is open to the elements. There are no screens or glass in Castle Otti’s windows.

Many religions and cultures are honored inside the walls of Castle Ottis. As you can imagine, it is quite a sight to be seen and enjoyed. Most notably, is a whole room dedicated to mothers with a Mother Mary statue and painted umbilical cord detail on the ceiling.

We had such a blast roaming these grounds. We stayed much later than anyone else engaging with Rusty and picking his brain, one of my favorite things to do when I come across a sweet soul!

If you’re looking for magic in Florida, give Rusty a call and check out Castle Ottis.

Join me on an Adventure in Wonderland - Secret Waterfall Hike 11-7-21

Hello, friend! I’ve recently been meeting up with fellow adventure lovers and figured a great way to connect my virtual community even more was through free in-person group meet-ups. We can take photos and get to know each other while visiting some off the beaten path spots.

Our first Adventure in Wonderland will be to a one mile hike to a secret waterfall in Jacksonville. It’s not private or anything like that, but it is not well-known either. I thought it sounded more enticing to call it a ‘secret’ waterfall.

Please DM me on Instagram if you would like to join. From there, I will add you to our group chat where you can find all the official information. Please do not contact me if you do not think you can join us for this meet-up so we can keep a realistic head count.

If all goes well, I would ideally like to host a n Adventure in Wonderland meet-up each month. I am absolutely open to any suggestions. Please let me know if you have any questions about this meet-up or future!  I hope to see you there.

Everything you Need to Know about Smoke Bomb Photography

Looking for a unique and creative way to add some color to your next photoshoot? Smoke bombs are here to knock your socks off.

Often called smoke sticks, cakes, or grenades; these bursts of vibrantly-colored smoke bring the wow-factor to any photoshoot.

You may have seen smoke bombs used in gender reveal announcements, but they have so many other uses in photography. I personally think these work perfect for Halloween.

Let’s get into the tips and learn how to really make the most out of your smoke bomb photoshoot.

Everything you Need to Know about Smoke Bomb Photography

What are smoke bombs?

Essentially, smoke bombs are fireworks that produce colored smoke for up to 90 seconds when ignited.

 What are the types of smoke bombs?

Smoke bombs come in several different forms, including cakes, grenades/balls, and sticks. They are ignited by fuses, pull rings, or are lit directly like incense. Some are just the colored smoke cake and some have packaging for easy handling. The type you choose to work with will depend on our desired results and experience.

Where can I get smoke bombs?

Small smoke bombs are often sold at firework stores, but these are useless for photography. For full color, long-lasting smoke bombs you want to use a more professional product. My favorite brands are Smoke.Effect and Shutter Bomb - Affiliate Link here.

Smoke Cakes

I ordered these smoke cakes on Amazon just to see what they were all about. They do not have any pull-tab or fuse and are lit similarly to the way you would light incense.

Compared to the professional product, I noted the following:

Pros:

• They can be broken apart for multiple uses

• Inexpensively priced for a multi-colored pack

Cons:

• Trickier to light as they are lit like incense

• Since there’s no packaging, you can not hold them in your hand, and are a bit messier

• Took a while to ship

• Some arrived broken

The smoke they produce is less vibrant and less dense. This makes them great for small props around the face or with children or those that are sensitive to smoke. Overall, these are a great place to inexpensively practice working with smoke bombs or to use as recommended above.

Smoke Balls/Grenades

These are like the Gucci version of the smoke bombs you can buy at your local firework store. They are lit with a fuse and ideal for tossing in props. They are small, but strong, and produce an abundance of thick-colored smoke for their small size.

Smoke Sticks

If you’re really looking to make a statement with your photos, go for a smoke stick. These will create those big clouds of smoke you often see in smoke bomb photography.

The ease of handling, igniting, color vibrancy, and general production of active colored smoke make these perfect for photoshoots.

What I really like about these is how well they create a smokey background. Since they are so big, the smoke will often linger in the background while it’s still smoking around your subject.

These sticks can be held in your hand and can be single or double-sided, with smoke coming out of both ends. Single-sided smoke bombs will last longer than double-sided smoke bombs.

 Tips and Tricks for Epic Smoke Bomb Photography

- Remember you are working with smoke. It cannot be controlled and you have a short amount of time to capture the shot before the smoke changes.

- Get your settings right, nail down your angels, adjust all the props, and then get the smoke going.

- Pre-plan every pose and practice shooting them before adding the smoke. This way, you know what you need to shoot and your model knows which way to move. You do not want to be scrambling to direct a model while the color is wafting away.

-Have both the model and photographer prepared to move around. The smoke can quickly overpower an area if you keep it in one spot. To get the best shot, move around and move the bombs.

- Pick a day with NO wind. The wind is going to cause the smoke to separate and lose any distinct shapes of the clouds and cover your subject more quickly.

- To create an aesthetic distinct smoke trail, move the smoke bomb back and forth as it’s smoking, holding it in place for a few seconds each time you move it. This will allow the smoke to clear in one area and allow you to bring it back, essentially wiping the area clean and making it look like the smoke has just started.

- Have your model or subject step in and our of the smoke cloud with your camera on the shutter to increase your chances of the perfect smokey shot.

- Experiment with a fan, different light sources or tie the bomb on strings and spin them for cool effects.

Cautions

-  Do not forget this is a firework! They can spark and get hot. When choosing a brand, definitely make sure your bombs are cool burning and safe to hold in your hand.

-  Since technically, these can burn, pop, or explode, keep them away from your face as best you can.

-  Always have a bucket of water nearby just incase

- If you are going for the pumpkin shoot, it will stain your pumpkin, so start with the lighter colors first or prepare to photoshop as I did!

Frequently asked Questions

• Are they hot in your hand?

  Not really, so long as you don’t touch the part that is actively smoking

• What is the best bomb for a gender reveal?

  If you plan to put it inside of something, the grenade is the perfect amount of smoke to announce the gender while still allowing for plenty of good photos. The bigger sticks smoke a lot and might not be what you are going for.

• Do they stain?

  I have not experienced any clothing stains, but the smoke can stain concrete/grass if you put the smoking side on the ground. You will see this with double-sided bombs or if it gets knocked over.

• Do they smell?

  Yes, they smell a little bit like fireworks, which is not a bad smell to me.

Photoshoot, Prop and Pose Inspiration

This is where you can be the most creative. Use the smoke in props or behind your subjects for seriously spooky and creative photos sure to impress anyone.  

 Don’t be afraid to get creative with your photos. Where would you normally find smoke? Some ideas to play with are army, fire, graveyard, zombie, or gas masks. Since these can go in props throw them in cauldrons, bottles, pumpkins, or even just hold the sticks in your hand.

This is the most creative series I have ever done. It was such a blast. I hope you guys grab yourself some smoke bombs so you can create some epic smoke bomb photography too.

How would you use your smoke bomb?

Top 10 things You Must Do in Florida

This post was inspired by a follower who was moving to Florida and asked for my top recommendations of things to do in Florida.

Here in Florida, we have so many beautiful springs, animals, and parks to explore all offering their own magic. It’s was hard to choose just ten favorites.

I think this list is a great place to start if you are new to Florida, just passing through, or want to make sure you see the best of your home state.

~ Spring Hop

Florida is famous for its beautiful sandy coastlines, but the real magic is at the springs. Snorkel, tube, kayak or just take a swim in these cool crystal blue waters.

Check out my Springs Guide and Map for more recommendations and photos.

~ Become a Cave Dweller

You really can’t go wrong with a cave adventure. Anytime I visit a new state, I want to check out the cave systems and formations as they vary so greatly in material, shape, size.

The cave above is located in the Florida Caverns State Park, which I visited when I explored the panhandle. I documented that trip here Exploring Florida’s Panhandle: Caves, Waterfalls, and Springs.

~ Chase a Waterfall

Waterfalls are spectacular natural wonders. Luckily, Florida is home to several waterfalls despite our mostly flat terrain. Check out my Guide to Florida’s Waterfalls.

~ Swim with a Dolphin

This activity just creams “Florida” Visit Marineland and treat yourself and your loved ones to one of Marineland’s dolphin encounters.

I promise you they will make lifelong memories they will tell everyone about! Read more about our Marineland trip here.

~ Swim with a Manatee

Manatees are beautiful peaceful creatures and we are so lucky to have them coexist with us here in Florida. I love seeing their cute faces in my feed often munching on grass or swimming with their babies.

Add swimming with manatees to your Florida Bucket list for a swim to remember.

The colder weather in the winter months causes these mermaids to seek warmer water in many springs, so that’s one of the best places to see them.

To increase your chances of swimming with a manatee, book a tour with Manatee Tour and Dive.

~ Pick Fresh Florida Oranges

Florida is well-known for its delicious juicy oranges. They are even pictured on our license plates. I personally love fresh-squeezed orange juice as it’s sweet and has fewer added chemicals so why not pick your own?

The best time to pick oranges is in the fall and winter and you can find a farm near you to pick from here.

~ Visit Disney’s Magic Kingdom

I think everyone, everywhere knows Florida is home to the most magical place on earth, Dinsey World. No Florida vacation would be complete without visiting at least one of the parks. Reconnect with your childhood or let your kids enjoy theirs at Disney World..

~ Snorkel a Reef

I have snorkeled in the keys several times. For about $50 a person, you can take a boat ride out to a reef. If you’re lucky you’ll spot a sea turtle amongst the fish and jellies.

Check out 24 hours in The Upper FL Keys for more information.

~ Zipline over live Gators

You can’t visit Florida and not see a real-life gator! Why not make Florida Man proud by doing something as crazy and ziplining over a pit of possibly hungry gators?

I suggest you check out Gatorland for this wild experience.

~ Visit a Beach

Don’t immediately shoot this recommendation down. You can’t visit Florida and not hit the beach. Even if you’re not a fan of the beach, you can not deny the beauty of our beaches.

If you’re looking to spend some time on the coast, you will usually find the most unique beaches in our State Parks.

Check Out: Dry Tortugas, Ponce Inlet & Lighthouse, Clearwater Beach, St. Pete, Fort De Soto, Destin, Cocoa Beach, Anastasia State Park, Daytona Beach and Pier, Flagler Beach and Pier, Bahia Honda State Park, Sanibel Island, Marco Island

I hope you enjoyed this list! With so much diversity, unique nature scapes, amusement parks, and attractions, this list could go on forever.

What are your top recommendations for things to do in Florida?

Monthly Snapshots: August and September, 2021

I ended summer with a bunch of fun activities I can’t wait to share with you.

I also changed the format of these monthly posts and retitled them from Monthly Highlights to Monthly Snapshots. I think the new format of the photos with the name is really cute! Let me know what you think.

~ The Keys

This August, I spent about four days in the upper Florida Keys enjoying the island views, swimming with sea turtles, and taste-testing Key Lime Pies. I turned the trip into my post 24 Hours in the Upper Florida Keys.

Oftentimes, the upper keys can get overlooked in favor of Key West. If you find yourself near Islamorada, Key Largo, or Tavernier, take some time to explore the upper keys as well.

Robbie’s Marina, Anne’s Beach, and Pierre’s Restaurant are all beautiful upper key gems you won’t want to miss.

~ Whetstone Chocolate Factory

Did you know that white chocolate technically has no cacao in it, but is still considered chocolate due to the amount of cacao butter used in its recipe?

Have you ever seen the cocoa plant that cacao beans come from that give chocolate its unique flavor?

Any idea how chocolate is actually made and prepared for consumption and sale?

On this chocolate factory tour, we learn all about chocolate, tour the factory, and sample some delicious locally-made chocolate.

The orange-flavored chocolate shells were a big hit. We also enjoyed ice cream and my favorite, chocolate-covered orange rinds, in the Whetstone Chocolate Store.

~ St. Augustine Pirate & Treasure Museum

We finally had the pleasure of visiting the St. Augustine Pirate & Treasure Museum. This museum houses the largest collection of pirate artifacts in the world. There is so much information and items on display to teach you everything you could ever want to know about the golden age of pirates.

This is not the typical museum you or your kids will get bored of. In addition to a treasure hunt, the museum houses play cannons, interactive games, a knot tying station, a cargo ship sniff station (my fave), movie props, and real shipwreck treasure. Believe it or not my kids had the most fun with spinning the ship wheel.

For added charm, the recording of Black Beard’s last battle was actually designed by Disney’s Imagineers. It’s lovely to see how much care was put into this pirate experience.

~ Castillo de San Marcos National Monument

Castillo de San Marcos is really a wonderful historical monument and integral piece of St. Augustine History.

I thought this location would be a good fit for the castle series I have been working on.

The kids found it quite intriguing to see the old soldiers’ sleeping quarters, what they had worn, eaten, and how they lived their day. You could even crouch down into the old gunpowder storage room.

~ The Colonial Quarter

THIS IS ST. AUGUSTINE’S #1 HIDDEN GEM!

Colonial Quarter is a live tour, nestled in the Colonial Quarter off St. George Street in Downtown St. Augustine.

The experience takes you back in time to learn about pirates, blacksmithing, weapons, the early settlement of the city, and the daily life of the era.

The live demonstrations were a big hit, especially the grand finale, a CANNON demonstration.

This REALLY was fun for everyone. We all thought Cooper the pirate was hilarious and charming. Scarlett even spelled LOVE to him at the end.

We had such a blast at Colonial Quarter and consider it a hidden gem. Add this to your itenierety.

~ Washington Oaks State Park

This State Park is home to a lovely rose garden filled with huge bushes with multicolored rose blooms. I saw few rose varieties I did not recognize.

Across the street from the garden is a beach approach, which is also part of the state park. Here you will find an unusual array of coquina rock.

I loved exploring all the little tidepools and warm puddles between the rocks. The pictures also came out beautiful. Thanks for helping with these Nia!  

~ Calle Grande Arches / Gateway

 I am obsessed with these ruins! Constructed in the 20s, these arches were intended to be an entranceway to a luxury housing development.

A devastating hurricane and the economical collapse stopped the development of both. Now they stand on either side of a backroad.

The steps were built to allow for gondola rides through the small canal. I think that would have been so fun!

These little ruins have so much personality and intricate detail. They made another great backdrop for my castle series.

~ Family Movie Nights

If you are not looking to be out in public much with the ongoing pandemic, I highly recommend creating an at-home movie night.

I am not a fan of movies, but I love a good theme and snacks! At-home movie nights complete with crafts, dinner, and décor have been a fun activity for me to plan and a great way to take a normal everyday activity and make it memorable and fun.

I also want to point out that almost all of the items are from Dollar Tree mkaing this super frugal.

If you’re looking for more ideas I made a post on 30 Best things to do in Florida in the Fall.

 I hope you enjoyed these snapshots of our month. If you haven’t been to any of these locations, I highly recommend you check them out. October is what my son calls ‘spooky month’ and we have lots of season fun planned.

See you after spooky month!

30 Best Things to do in Florida in the Fall

 It doesn’t seem like we get much of a fall season here in Florida, as the weather doesn’t shift much and the leaves don’t change colors. Just because the ground isn’t covered with rainbow leaves and we usually don’t even need a sweater until January, there are still so many ways to enjoy this season in Florida.

If you are looking for the best things to do in the fall in Florida, look no further. I’ve compiled a list of the best activities, locations, and festivals best enjoyed during this time of year.

Even better, I’ve organized this list into categories: The Great Outdoors, Halloween Specific, At the Parks, and Festivals. You’re guaranteed to find a handful of things you will want to do in Florida in the fall on this list.

The Great Outdoors

~ Visit a Springs

The springs are usually less populated in the colder months, so that’s my favorite time to visit them. Some springs are especially pretty in the fall as their banks are lined with trees that are changing colors which perfectly set the mood for the fall season right here in Florida.

Check out: Alexander, Gilchrist Blue, Royal or CLICK HERE for more my Florida Spring Guide.

~ Pick the Perfect Pumpkin

Pumpkin picking is without a doubt the most quintessential fall activity for adults and children alike. Whether you’re picking out the perfect pumpkin to turn into a jack-o-lantern with your kids or just choosing a festive decor piece, you will be sure to get into the fall spirit.

A lot of patches are unnatural and the pumpkins are brought in on trucks, but if you want this to be a truly authentic experience plan to visit a farm that grows their own pumpkins.

Check out: Southern Hills Farms, Santa’s Tree Farm, or visit Pumpkin Patches and More to find a location near you.

~ Get Lost in a Corn Maze

In the fall, farms shape their corn husks into intricate mazes. Take your pick between a haunted maze if you feel like being chased by a man with a chainsaw or a more family-friendly option if you’re looking to take some photos and enjoy your walk.

So long as you go in on a dry day to avoid mud, you’ll have a blast getting lost and finding your way out of a corn maze this fall.

Check out: Harvest Fields, Harvest Holler, Corn Maze Orlando, or try Haunt World, Maze Play or Corn Mazes and More to find a location near you.

~ Take a Camping Trip

Fall is the perfect time to start camping season here in Florida. As the weather cools down, many find it more comfortable to spend a night in a tent or hammock. You really don’t need more than a spot to sleep to go camping, but feel free to glamp in a camper if that’s more your style. It doesn’t really matter how you do it, just unplug and get outside!

Check out: Reserve America, Hip Camp, Florida Hikes, Visit Florida, Florida Backroad Travel

~ Perfect Your Outdoor Chili Recipe

If you do end up going camping, AND YOU SHOULD, why not perfect your campfire chili recipe? Even if you make it at home and take it to-go, spice it up a bit.

Experiment with different spice combinations, meats, and beans. Have fun experimenting and try and hone in on your perfect recipe to have ready when it does finally get cold in Florida in January.

Start with one of these epic recipes:

Mom’s Easy Vegan Chili Recipe (5-Ingredients!)

Easy One-Pot Vegan Chili Mac

White Chicken Chilli

Campfire Chili 

~ Remix the Original S’mores Recipe

S’mores are a favorite camping treat you can easily make at home in your backyard or in the microwave. Get creative switching up the standard s’mores ingredients.

Don’t be afraid to remix your s’mores recipe by swapping the typical chocolate bar for a Reese’s or the graham crackers for a waffle cone or banana.

Check your local grocery store’s baking aisle for fun-shaped and flavored marshmallows. Are the flat marshmallows really better for s’mores? Only one way to find out.

Check out: 6 S'mores Remixes and Chocolate Covered S’Mores Snack Mix

~Pick Sunflowers

Several sunflower patches are ready for picking again in the fall. This is one of my favorite activities to do and the pictures are beautiful. They are usually only a few dollars a piece and the perfect souvenir to bring some home to your friends and family.

Check out: Sunshine Ranch, Sledd’s, or click this link to find a farm near you

~ Pick Squash, Tomatoes, Corn, or other veggies

I am a huge u-pick fan. I love picking and eating fresh produce while spending some time outdoors with my family.

Check out: The crop calendar for Florida, Vo-LaSalle Farms, Southern Hills Farms, Ever After Farms, DeLand Blueberries, Meadors Blueberry Farm, Artisan Acres, Far Reach Ranch, Pappy's Patch U-Pick or click this link to find a farm near you.

~ Hunt Down some Fall Foliage

If you happen to tire of green leaves and palm trees, hunt down some fall foliage this fall. Yes, there are spots in the state that will make you double-check your location!

Check out: Torreya State Park, Three Rivers State Park, or Suwannee River State Park.

~ Take a Weekend Trip to Providence Canyon

This isn’t technically in Florida, but it’s the perfect weekend trip to take in the fall. I recently visited Province Canyon this summer, but love to visit in the fall when the leaves have all changed color. It is so beautiful! and the perfect fall setting as most of the canyon is shades of red and orange.

 

Halloween Specific

~ Take a Haunted Hayride

Most locations offering pumpkin patches and corn mazes will also offer hayrides. Like the corn mazes, some are haunted and some are family-friendly. I love these during the day to get enjoy the expansive peaceful views around a farm and love the creativity of a good haunted hayride at night

Check out: Haunt World and I Love Halloween to find a haunted hayride near you.

~ See a live Rocky Horror Picture Show

The Rocky Horror Picture show is an older popular cult classic movie. The live show is fantastic and very interactive. Watch a trailer here.

If that looks like a fun way to spend an evening, I highly recommend finding a local live show with actors. Beware, it’s a tradition that if you’re a virgin (their word not mine!) to the live show, they will mark you with big red Vs in lipstick - if you’re lucky.

Check out: The Florida Theatre, Dr. Phillips Center, or the official Rocky Horror Picture show, website to find a location near you

~ See a Scary Movie

If Rocky Horror Picture Show isn’t your jam, take your pick from any of the Halloween and scary movies currently playing near you.

Check out The Adams Family 2, Candy Man, Don’t Breathe 2, Malignant, or this list showing upcoming releases or 2021 and beyond.

~ Do a Home Movie Night

Still, want to see a movie, but don’t want to leave the house? In these times, who can blame you? How about doing a home movie night? I shared a bit about our recent movie night here for some inspiration on how you can go all out at home.

Check out these lists for some great movies to watch at home:

-65 Greatest Horror Movies of the 21st Century - Rolling Stone

-57 Best Kids' Halloween Movies

-35 Classic Halloween Movies to Watch for a Scary Evening In

~ Check out a Haunted Location

Explore some of the most haunted locations in Florida. Take a tour, learn a little history and get ready for the possibility of a real ghost encounter. Who doesn’t like being scared?

Check out: The Devil’s Tree, Fort Pickens, St. Augustine Lighthouse,  Robert the Haunted Doll, Witch’s Grave, Biltmore Hotel, Capitol Theatre in Clearwater, The Cuban Club, The Devil’s Chair, Greenwood Cemetery, Cassadaga, The Devil’s School, Bellamy Bridge, Castillo de San Marcos, Flagler College or check out these links to find a spooky location near you: Haunted Places, Fright Find, or Haunt World.

~ Go on a Ghost Tour

I love ghost tours. Even if you don’t believe in ghosts, these tours are basically history tours with a spooky twist that won’t bore you to death.

Check out Ghosts & Gravestones Tour in St. Augustine or click here to find a ghost tour near you:

~ Zombie Runs

Zombie runs and zombie games both involve being chased by ZOMBIES and look so fun!

Check out: Zombie Fun Run or Zombie Run 5K

~ Find a Scary Espace Room

This might sound like the plot of a horror movie, but scary and murder mystery escape rooms are a unique way to spend a night this fall, especially if the weather is bad outdoors. See if you and your friends can beat the clock and escape!

Check out Haunt World to find an escape room near you.

~ Find a Local Group

I use local mom groups/websites to find small events such as wildlife walks and festivals held by local businesses and churches. We have found so many fun activities from these resources. This year we will be going to several local pumpkin patches, a Candy Land Festival and to see a movie in the park.

At the Parks

Most Florida theme parks, zoos, and attractions have Halloween special events. Here’s a bit about the top choices.

~ Halloween Horror Nights

Halloween Horr Nights is my favorite Halloween park event. In my younger years, I would get the Frequent Fear pass and visit every single Friday for the whole season plus opening weekend. This would be my recommended way to experience Halloween Horror Nights.

My top reason for going multiple times is that they change the houses. Not just adding a few scare actors, they CHANGE the houses so much as the season goes on that it’s really worth multiple trips.

What’s there to see at Halloween Horror Nights? Enjoy the haunted houses and scare zones in addition to live shows, and several rides, restaurants, and shops are open.

~ Brick-or-Treat

Brick-or-Treat is Lego Land’s Halloween bash complete with Halloween Lego characters, Brick-O-treat trick or treating Halloween shows, and fireworks.

~ Mickey’s Not to Scary Halloween

Mickey's Not so Spooky Halloween is Disney’s Halloween celebration. The park is decked out in Halloween decor, the characters are in their Halloween costumes, you can watch themed cavalcades and of course, there is trick or treating.

This event is perfect for smaller children to enjoy as the title says, it’s not so scary. One thing you may not know is that Disney offers several options for treats you can receive in your treat bag so if you have an allergy or dietary preference they can probably accommodate you,

To experience this event at the magic kingdom, you must purchase a ticket in addition to the normal day pass.

~ Busch Garden’s Howl-O-Scream

 Busch Garden’s Howl-O-Scream is an even scarier, though a smaller, version of Halloween Horror Nights. The park is turned into a terror zone after dark complete with haunted houses, terror-tories, sinister shows, and party zones.

~ SeaWorld’s Halloween Spooktacular

 SeaWorld’s Halloween Spooktacular is another family and personal favorite event. SeaWorld hosts a darling “fatasea” event complete with characters in costumes, games, trick-or-treating, meet a mermaid and a live DJ.

~ Boo at the Zoo

Similar to the events above, most zoos also get into the Halloween spirit and offer special trick-or-treating and more Halloween fun.

Check out: Brevard Zoo, Gulf Breeze Zoo, Naples Zoo or click here to find a zoo near you.

Festivals

Several festivals take place in Florida in the fall. Here’s a list of the top festivals.

~ Epcot Food Festival

The Epcot Food and Wine Festival is a yearly event offering a plethora of options for entertainment including live bands, both food and wine tastings, and demos with famous chefs.

~ Oktoberfest

Many locations here in Florida have Oktoberfest celebrations modeled after the German volkfest. There is lots of beer, German music, authentic German food, and costumed party-goers.

Check Out Oktoberfest Florida

~ Biketoberfest

Biketoberfest is an enormous motorcycle rally hosted in Daytona Beach, but celebrated in many surrounding areas. If you like barhopping, riding, and getting your bike washed by ladies in bikinis you will love this celebration. I’ve been out to this before for the food trucks as the food is great!

~ EDC

Electric Daisy Carnival is an epic music festival for all kinds of electric dance music. If you like that at all this is the one festival to go to. Lights, fireworks, costumes, great food, and amazing music. It’s an epic experience but you must go VIP for the ease of access to food, water and restrooms.

~ HULUWEEN

Hulaween is a similar festival to EDC, however, it’s more laid back. Enjoy camping in the woods with giant art pieces and sculptures at Hulaween for a unique music experience.

I am really excited about all the outdoor things; the return of camping, pumpkin picking, and celebrating Halloween this fall. What are you most excited about this season?

The #1 Trip Planning Tool You Must Use for Your Next Adventure

I love the trip planning process. I can spend hours browsing Airbnb, reading reviews, saving photos, researching the most exciting activities, and trying to configure the best route. I recently found the website and application, Wanderlog, which takes the trip planning process to the next level. Wanderlog is a free itinerary, vacation, and road trip planner.

Wanderlog allows you to fully customize maps, bucket lists, and guides with reservations, pictures, notes, colors, and more. Wanderlog doesn’t make you do all the work though, they have a lot of information and photos already on the platform if you don’t wish to take full advantage of the customizable features. You can even view other’s guides and maps for more travel inspiration.

Map thanks to Wanderlog, the best travel planner app

If you are looking for things to do along your route, Wanderlog can help you find the best stops without taking you too far off course. Even better, you can add a trip mate with editing privileges to your project and the maps are sharable across most social media platforms, email, and text messaging. The best part of Wanderlog for us bloggers is that the maps are embeddable, meaning you can post the code directly to your website as I did above.

Nothing makes a trip feel more real than seeing all the pins of new places to explore laid out on a map. I don’t know about you, but the option to customize the colors of these maps to make them more appealing was the most exciting feature of Wanderlog. Don’t you just love when things are visually appealing? You can view the full tutorial on Wanderlog by clicking here.

  Creating, editing, and sharing your customized map could not be easier. This is my favorite trip planning tool, especially as a blogger. I highly suggest you try out Wanderlog to help you plan your next trip.

Cave Waterfalls, Castles & Canyons: A Cross Country Road Trip

Map courtesy of Wanderlog, a road trip planner

I recently flew to Connecticut to meet up with my good friend, Naty, and we road-tripped cross country down to Florida together. In between lots of driving and less than 5 hours of sleep each night, we had a blast exploring cave waterfalls, castles, canyons, and more in four different states. I can’t wait to show you all the cool places we visited.

~ Testimonial Gateway, New York

Our first stop was added to the trip itinerary last minute. Lately, I have been super inspired by castle/renaissance/princess and royal core aesthetics. A Google search for local castles led me to this adorable archway. The Testimonial Gateway tower was constructed in 1907 and formally served as the entrance to Mohonk Mountain and now sits on the Mohawk Preserve. The gateway was the most adorable little castle of sorts and my unexpected favorite stop of the trip.

If you plan to visit, please note that the few reviews online seem to be outdated. There was no fee to enter and there was a parking lot with restrooms.

~ Minnewaska State Park, New York

Our next stop was Minnewaska State Park. We planned to hike to the bigger waterfall here, but the rain sent us back to the car almost immediately. We did get to see this tiny waterfall, however, it was already raining when this quick picture was taken and we did not want to risk our gear.

~ Devil’s Bathtub, Virginia

We stopped in Virginia on the second day of our trip. We didn’t end up getting into the woods until late in the day, which was beyond stressful. It was raining a good portion both ways and getting dark on the way back so were SURE we were going to get stuck out there in the dark. Luckily we made a mad rush after our photoshoot back to the car and made it before sundown. Since it was just before dark when we arrived at the Devil’s Bathtub, this allowed us to take our photos in private, so I’d say it all worked out.

The hike to Devil’s Bathtub is not for weak hikers. The bathtub is located on a 3-4 mile looped trail marked with yellow markers, very reminiscent of the yellow brick road. Unless you’re up for the 7-mile hike, make a left at the second creek crossing. There are roughly 13 creek crossings and a lot of climbing on this trail.

The Devil’s Bathtub itself is a kidney-shaped bathtub-sized natural pothole filled with a pool of blue-green water. Be warned - it's cold, dark and deep once you get in it! There is a waterfall behind it as well. If you’re up for the hike, the views are spectacular and unique.

~ Ruby Falls, Tennessee

Our next stop was Ruby Falls, a 145-foot waterfall located inside a cave. Ruby also happens to be the largest of its kind open to the public in the United States. If you've never been on a cave tour, this is the one to see!

The tour is around an hour long and starts with ride in a glass-front elevator 260-feet into Look Out Mountain. During the tour, we were lead through the caverns while learning about the different structures and history of the Ruby Falls.

A series of very well-done videos conveyed even more about the history, discovery, acquisition and construction of Ruby Falls. The videos are quick and educational and really bring Ruby Fall’s founder, Leo Lambert's, vision to life. I love learning fun facts like the fact that the castle-eque exterior of the building was actually created using limestone removed from the cave, always makes it seem so much more special.

Near the end of the tour, we were lead into the main cavern space. It was dark and music was playing to set the mood for the reveal of the waterfall. Not long after, the colored lights came on and illuminated and enhanced her natural beauty. Cheers echoed through the cavern, making the experience even that more awe-inspiring.

Tours of Ruby Falls are timed and you must purchase your tickets ahead of time online. Included with your ticket, you will also receive access to Lookout Mountain, where a colorblind viewfinder is located. This viewfinder allows those with colorblindness to also be able to enjoy the colors of the mountains on this scenic lookout. We opted to take the daytime cave tour but if you’re looking for an even more unique experience, the same tour is offered at night by lantern.

If you can fit this into your travel plans, it's a must stop!

~ Downtown Chattanooga

After Ruby Falls, we wandered around the shops in downtown Chattanooga, specifically around Frazier Street. For locally made and sourced goods, Locals Only Gifts & Goods is the spot. For the new age group, All Things Groovy. For Chattanooga/TN gear we shopped at MoonPie General Store, Boxcar General Store, and I can't forget to mention the smoothies from Tienda La Antigua. For lunch, Mamacita had a wide variety of Mexican flare with delicious vegan and vegetarian options, which are hard to find.

~ The Englund Estate, GA

For our lodging in Georgia, we stayed at the Englund Estate. The England Estate is a restored 1840 Greek revival-style home and event venue. The highlights of this beautiful home were definitely the antique tub and backyard boxwood garden. We grabbed bath bombs and facemasks and Rounding down the trip here was the perfect restful activity between driving and hiking.

~ Providence Canyon, GA

We spent the final day of our trip at Providence Canyon. Nicknamed Georiga’s Little Grand Canyon, these huge craters and cliffs were actually caused by improper farming practices. It’s really beautiful at Providence Canyon and in the south, we don’t have landscapes such as this. We had a blast exploring the miles of trails and little caves.

I hope you enjoyed hearing about our cross-country road trip! I was so fortunate to be able to take time away to enjoy this epic adventure with Naty. If you’re ever traveling along this route do yourself a favor and stop at as many of these locations as you can. You will not regret it.

Which destination do you most

want to visit?

24 hours in The Upper FL Keys

I was inspired to write this post after spending a few days in the upper keys around Tavernier, Key Largo and Islamorada. All of the keys are beautiful with plenty to offer visitors, yet the upper keys often get overlooked in favor of Key West. These are my suggestions of things to do and places to dine if you happen to find yourself with some time to explore the upper keys, either on your way down to Key West, or as your main destination.

The one stop you must make along the way

I despise navigating the roads around Miami, but Los Pinarenos Fruteria is worth any amount of traffic you could find yourself in. I like to get mamey sapote here; a tropical fruit with bright red flesh that tastes most like a sweet potato with a hint of caramel flavor. Los Pinarenos has a great selection of tropical fruit, but the most fun thing about Los Pinarenos is that staff will hack open a coconut for you to drink from! I highly recommend making this stop for a fun touristy way to start your keys vacation.

Grab Breakfast at Pinecrest Bakery

Pinecrest Bakery is the sweetest Cuban bakery and cafe. Not only do they have indoor and outdoor seating, but they even have a drive through! Inside Pinecrest you will find cases full of decadent pastries and cakes. If you’re not into feeding your sweet tooth first thing in the morning, fear not as they also offer standard breakfast favorites.

Take a stroll on Anne’s Beach

Surprisingly, the beaches in the upper keys aren’t what you might be used from other parts of Florida. It’s hard to find a great beach where you can set out a blanket and enjoy the water. Nevertheless, Anne’s Beach is a charming beach and the perfect spot to take a walk before the sun gets too hot.

Shop for souvenirs at Shell World

I stop at Shell World for souvenirs on every trip to the Keys. They have everything you could think of from toys to key lime juice to home décor. I can usually find something for everyone on my list at Shell World.

Feed the tarpon at Robbie’s Marina

There is a lot of hype around Robbie’s being the number one must-stop tourist attraction in Islomaraoda. Robbie’s has a restaurant, bar, food trucks, souvenir and art shops along with fun water sport options such as parasailing, kayaking or snorkeling. However, the main attraction here is the marina. For just $4, you can buy a bucket of fish and hand feed the (seemingly) giant tarpon. Pro tip: it’s way more fun if you scream when the fish jump up and grab the bait! I’d have to agree that it’s worth the hype and defiantly worth a visit.

Grab a quick & delicious lunch at Leaning Tower of Pizza

I have to admit that I wasn’t too excited to try pizza on my vacation, but I was not disappointed. I ordered the seafood calzone with scallops, lobster and shrimp. I don’t ever eat calzones, but I had to try their seafood calzone and let me tell you - it was bomb! Their pizza offerings all sounded delicious and the Greek salad is out of this world. I will definitely be going back to Leaning Tower of Pizza.

Snorkel a reef & swim with sea turtles

Snorkeling is another activity you must do when visiting the keys. I specifically wanted to see a sea turtle on this trip. I went out with Sundance Water Sports and they took us to a local sea turtle hot spot. I got super lucky and saw two sea turtles, lots of beautiful sergeant anglers and rainbow-colored parrot fish. Snorkeling never gets old and the water was just the right temperature for a mid-day swim. Sundance offers a morning and afternoon snorkel tour as well as a sunset cruise and snuba diving.

Grab an early dinner reservation at Chef Michael’s

Chef Michael’s is an upscale seafood and american fare restaurant in Islomarada. Chef Michael’s offers several locally caught fish options prepared several different ways, along with a sampler. For appetizers, the ceviche was beautifully presented in a hollowed out coconut, adored with star fruit and filled with fresh shrimp. I opted to try the hogfish as my entree as it’s a popular local white fish. For dessert, the creme brulee was highly recommended so I decided to give it a try. If you never had creme bruelee, like I hadn’t, it’s a very sweet dessert of cream topped with a thick layer of delicious burnt sugar. Make sure to snag an early reservation a few days in advance to ensure a meal of one of their famed specials.

Hunt down the best key lime pie

No trip to the keys would be complete without a slice or two of key lime pie. I feel confident saying that Bayside Gourmet has the best key lime pie in the area. I tried several pies that were way too tart and bitter. Don’t get me wrong, I know its supposed to be tart, but Bayside Gourmet’s pie was the perfect mix of buttery crust, sweet whipped cream and tangy key lime filling. You could taste every individual ingredient in this pie. It was so good, I took one home for the family.

Enjoy a rainbow sunset Pierre’s

Pierre’s Restaurant is an indoor/outdoor bar and restaurant with a beautiful outdoor beach scene and the best mulit-colored sunsets. The best way to end the night is with an epic beach sunset.

I hope you check out as many of these gems in the upper keys as you can on your next trip. You are bound to have a blast. What are your favorite places to visit in the upper keys?

15 Ways to Minimize Stress on a Family Vacation

Sometimes, traveling with kids can feel like it’s not even a vacation at all. As an autism parent, I feel this in my core! Over the years, I have learned a few tricks to minimize stress while away from home to insure a more fun and relaxing family vacation for everyone.

Let’s get into the tips!

Carefully plan your packing list ahead of time. Before a trip, I always make a note on my phone and plan out outfits and a list of things I will need for each day and activity. I make sure to include my travel must-haves and any odds and ends I think we might need, like a plastic bag for wet clothes. I suggest you google a few packing lists and make your own list from those , then actually check it off to avoid missing anything. Also, since you’re traveling with children who are often prone to messes and losing things, bring a few extras of your necessities - outfits, pacifiers, blankets, etc.

Make a special trip box/bag. I have done this using square collapsible cloth bins from the dollar tree, but reusable shopping bags also work. Fill the bag/box with different activities, toys and snacks for your kids to enjoy on the trip. Most of these items can be purchased over time prior to your trip from affordable places like Big Lots, Target Dollar Spot or Dollar Tree. Some examples of toys and activities you can include are slime, stickers, coloring books, fun pens, scented/glitter crayons, road trip games and sticker activity sets. You could also include a small blanket or reusable water bottle.

Snacks - Mix up your kid’s snack options with special treats and tried and true favorites. I like to include trail mix, granola bars, and peanut butter crackers along with sweeter treats. When packing a cooler, I like to pack apple sauce, yogurt, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches or fruit and veggies with dipping sauces. You can buy pre-portioned servings or set up your kiddo’s goodies in a bento box for a fun presentation.

Timing is everything. It’s really fun to present a whole bag of fun goodies to your child, but the key is to hand them one item at a time or else they will get overwhelmed with the choices and become bored much more quickly. I also would suggest not giving them snacks until they express they or hungry or else those will all be eaten in the first hour.

Pack the electronics and headphones. Our children have tablets, Nintendo switches and we also have a DVD player. They are entertained for hours with their electronics. This should not be your only option, but I can’t imagine our kids not having their electronics.

Get and stay really organized. This is crucial for everyone. Organize your vehicle and bags. Know where the extra change of clothes, pacifiers, tissues and chargers are located. Put things back in their designated spots. Make a packing list and check it twice. The less stressed out you are, the less stressed out your kids will be.

Get them their own gear. The littles will be much more interested in visiting historical sights and hiking until their feet are sore if they have a cool backpack, binoculars or their own kid camera. It’s all about keeping them engaged and having fun so you can too.

Play Games. Along the lines of keeping your kids engaged, consider playing games such as a scavenger hunt or license plate game.

Set clear rules and expectations. Let your children know ahead of time what the plan is, how long you will be at a destination, how long the travel time will be and what activity is next. Let them know the rules and what you expect from them as well as what they can expect from the day.

Give them something to look forward to and earn. While traveling, you really what your kids to behave so everyone has fun. So, you may have to bribe them. So many times I have traveled with parents who let their kids do what they wanted right as soon as we got to a destination. This often resulted in the adults not getting to do what they planned. My best example of this is at the springs or anywhere with swimming or a playground. I always do what I want to do first, which is usually hiking and taking photos. If the kids are good, we can play after. After swimming and running around, kids are less likely and motivated to participate in other activities that aren’t their favorite.

Let the kids choose some activities. Kids are just like any one else. They don’t like to be told what to do and like to feel that they are included. To cut down on some rebellious feedback, let the kids make some choices on your trip. Giving them ‘this or that’ options might be the best way to do this. You can let them choose the order of some things such a rides at a park or what they want to eat for breakfast.

Avoid long stretches of car rides. Aim to schedule in regular breaks if you plan to be traveling for long stretches of time. Look for parks or rest stops with interesting amenities like small museums, to get your kids out of the car for regular fun breaks

Aim to travel at night or around nap time. I’m sure as a parent, you already do this. If you’re kids can sleep in the car, it will be easier on everyone. I try to leave for trips early in the morning so the kids can fall right back to sleep in the car or in the evening. If your child still naps, make sure they can still do so and keep them on their regular schedule. Don’t schedule a walking tour at noon if they normally nap at noon. You will be setting everyone up for a miserable time.

Plan for downtime and don’t overbook your kids. Plan in their naps, time for them to run around and stretch their legs, but also time for them to relax and unwind during an otherwise busy travel day.

Accept that sh!t happens. I found this gem on my camera roll while looking for photos of the kids to add to this post and I knew I had to include it. For context, Marco somehow kneed himself in the face and knocked his loose tooth out on the way to the flea market half an hour away from our home. Things like this are bound to happen when traveling, especially with children. Therefore, I stress being organized and prepared to avoid scrambling and added stress in moments of chaos. Being prepared and having the mindset that I can handle whatever life throws at me helps me roll with the less savory parts of life, parenting and travel. Whatever happens, hopefully you will be able to look back on it and laugh.  

I hope you enjoyed this post that my tips help you have enjoyable adventures with your children.

Monthly Highlights: May through July, 2021

Monthly highlight posts are not my favorite, despite how quick and easy they are to share. I think I might move these to quarterly highlights. Let me know what you prefer. Anyway, here’s a bit of what I have been up to.

~ Southern Hill Farms

We spent the day picking peaches, blueberries, zinnias and sunflowers at Southern Hill Farms. I shared more about our family day on the farm in this post. I highly recommend finding a local u-pick patch this season and enjoying fresh locally grown produce while supporting a small farm.

~ Beach Photoshoot

It was time for some updated professional photos of Marco so we did a shoot with Wild Artistry Photography. If you aren’t familiar with them, check them out. They have some beautiful and creative themed shoots with epic editing. I have a few more sessions booked with them this year.

~ New Smyrna Beach

This was my first time at this spot and luckily not many people were there and the sand was super white and perfect for photos. First, we flew the drone and explored the inlet from the air and then we enjoyed a swim. If you plan to fly your drone here, you will need to apply for authorization, which you can do from your phone when you arrive.

~ Road Trip

In July, I flew to CT from FL and then road tripped back down to FL with Naty Rocke. We made stops in New York, Virginia, Tennessee and Georgia. I have a full blog post in the works but the title will give you an idea of what’s to come: Cave Waterfalls, Caverns and Castles!

I hope everyone had a wonderful month! What have you been up to?

Best Places to Visit in Florida in the Summer

Even though summer in Florida is hot and crowded, there are so many exciting activities and places to visit that are best enjoyed this season. Here’s a list of a few of my favorite activities and places to visit for those seeking adventure during the hottest months of the year.

~ Spend a Day at the Beach

With 1,350 miles of coastline, Florida provides endless options for beachgoers seeking fun in the sun. While it seems all of Florida is packed during the summer, the beaches are still far less crowded than the springs. For this reason, I would suggest visiting the beach over a spring during peak season. So pack your sunscreen and spend a day at the beach and enjoy what Florida is most famous for.

Recommendations: Dry Tortugas, Ponce Inlet & Lighthouse, Clearwater Beach, St. Pete, Fort De Soto, Destin, Cocoa Beach, Anastasia State Park, Daytona Beach and Pier, Flagler Beach and Pier, Bahia Honda State Park, Sanibel Island, Marco Island

Trip map created using Wanderlog, a road trip planner

~ Snorkel, Scuba or Free dive

I don’t know about you, but due to the heat, I don’t want to be very far away from water in the summer. There is so much to be seen under the surface from reefs, to caves to statues of Jesus. If you are looking for a ‘cool’ adventure, grab your mask and hit up a few of these spots: Christ of the Abyss at John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park, Dry Tortugas National Park, Bahia Honda, Crystal River, Point of Rocks, Phil Foster Park Snorkel Trail, Twin Ledges, Peanut Island, Dr. Von D. Mizell-Eula Johnson State Park, John D. MacArthur Beach State Park, Sebastian Inlet State Park, Venice Beach, Coral Cove Park, Bathtub Reef Park, Fort Pickens, Alligator Reef, Delnor-Wiggins State Park, Biscayne National Park, Regina Shipwreck, Fort Zachary Taylor, Indian Key, St. Andrews State Park, Navarre Beach Marine Park, Shell Key, Sombrero Beach, Red Reef Park.

~ Visit a Waterpark

If you’re feeling up to braving the crowds, but not the heat, water parks are fun for the entire family and have something for folks of any age to enjoy. My recommendations: Adventure Island, Aquatica, Disney's Blizzard Beach, Disney's Typhoon Lagoon, LEGOLAND, Buccaneer Bay, Daytona Lagoon, Big Kahuna, Rapids Waterpark, Volcano Bay, Sunsplash, Shipwreck Island, SailFish Splash, Island H20, Sun-N-Fun Lagoon, Grapeland Water Park.

~ Set up Camp

Camping is a guaranteed good time year-round. A lot of the springs have camping as well as state and national parks. Here are a few resources to help you find and reserve the perfect campsite: Reserve America, Hip Camp, Florida Hikes, Visit Florida, Florida Backroad Travel

~ Swim with Dolphins

We had a blast during our dolphin encounter at Marineland, which I share more about in this post. If you ask the kids, it’s tied with snowtubing in North Carolina as their favorite adventure yet, and we have been on many! Nothing screams summer vacation in Florida like swimming with a dolphin!

~ Kayak or Tube Down a Lazy River

Kayaking and tubing are great ways to sight see, enjoy nature and socialize while still remaining close enough to water that you can jump in to cool down throughout the day. Hunt for a private launch spot or pick one of my recommendations below.

Kayaking: Winter Park Chain of Lakes, Tampa Bay, Shell Key Preserve, Tarpon Springs, Jupiter, Crystal River, Rainbow River, King’s Landing, Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, Wakulla River, Little Talbot Island State Park, Ocklawaha River, Bulow Plantation Ruins, Tomoka River State Park, Juniper Run, Santa fe River, Silver Springs, Three Sisters or try Paddle Florida

Tubing: Ichetucknee River, Ginnie Springs, Rock Springs, Blue Spring State Park, K.P. Hole County Park, Dunnellon Blackwater River State Park, Holt Madison Blue Springs, Weeki Wachee.

Where will you be heading this summer?

Florida's Waterfalls

Ormond Memorial Gardens, Ormond Beach

Are you familiar with that popular TLC tune advising us not to go chasing waterfalls? It’s a catchy tune, but it’s just plain terrible advice. My advice is to chase down every last waterfall.

Although Florida is not known to have the typical terrain that creates natural waterfalls, it is home to a several cascading falls. Check out the following locations to get your waterfall fix in the sunshine state.

Map thanks to Wanderlog, a trip planner app

~ Ormond Memorial Gardens, Ormond Beach

This small botanical garden is located near the intersection of Granada Boulevard and A1A in Ormond Beach. The best part of the Ormond Memorial Gardens, besides the waterfall, is that it is free to enter. The garden shares grounds with an art museum and is a popular spot for photoshoots among locals due to it’s beauty. Although it’s manmade and not in Bali, the photos could fool you.

~ Rainbow Springs, Dunnellon

Rainbow Springs is a former zoo/amusement park and is home to several manmade waterfalls. Admission is only two dollars per person and after enjoying the ‘waterfall walk’, as I like to call it, you can jump in the refreshing blue spring or paddle out to Rainbow River.

 ~ Cedar Lakes Woods and Gardens, Williston

This enormous botanical garden has several waterfalls scattered throughout the grounds, some smaller and some larger. I love wandering through this whimsical garden wonderland. I previously shared more about Cedar Lakes in this post.

~ Falling Waters, Chipley

Located inside Falling Waters State Park, this 73- foot waterfall is the tallest waterfall in Florida and is actually a sink hole. The waterfall’s flow was considered to be low on the day we went, but it is frequently fully flowing. We visited Falling Waters when we explored the panhandle. Check out this post for more recommendations in the area.

~ Falling Creek Falls, Lake City

This charming 10-footwaterfall looks like it’s in the mountains, but it’s actually located off a short path in a public park. Please note that we did have to climb down to get these photos. Check out this post for more recommendations in the area.

~ Steinhatchee Falls, Taylor County

Formed by tannic waters carving their way through limestone, Steinhatchee Falls is the widest waterfall in Florida. I personally have not visited this location, but it’s on my list! This photo was graciously provided for use in this post by Kevin Giese who also allowed me to edit it! Thanks Kevin! Let me know if you’ve been here.

~ Green Springs, Deltona

This ‘waterfall’ is more like a downward flowing creek, but I prefer to view it as a baby waterfall. You can find it hidden off a trail at Green Springs. It is not well marked but located to the left of the playground from the main entrance. Just keep an ear out for the sound of the cascading water to guide your way.

~Bull’s Bay Preserve

Believe it or not, located in the middle of a residential neighborhood in Jacksonville, is a small preserve. The preserve has about a mile worth of biking and hiking paths around a lake, a small bridge, and a waterfall! This is the perfect spot to bring the family for a quick easy hike with a secret hidden natural Florida Waterfall.

Did you know Florida had so many waterfalls? I’d love to know if I missed any and which one is next on your list.

Instagram 101: Maximizing your Profile

Instagram is continuously updating and adding new features to keep up with social media trends and demands. Navigating the platform can easily become confusing and overwhelming.

If you want to attract and keep a following, it’s crucial that you create an intriguing presence that will hook viewers and get them to hit that follow button. At first glance, we don’t get much room, but there’s a lot of information that can be packed into this small space.

I put together this quick guide covering Instagram’s key features and how to fully optimize them to maximize your presence on the platform. I’ve organized them following the order in which they appear on your profile. Let’s get into it!

Your username: Choosing the perfect username is hard and what kept me from making an on-brand Instagram account for a long time. So many of the good usernames are taken and you can only add underscores and dashes in so many different ways. An easy idea is to include your full name or full name + photo and bam - a username! But if you want to be more creative, aim for something that relates to your content or niche. Try and make it unique, but avoid alternatively spelled words, using numbers as letters or using alternate characters in a row as these usernames are hard to remember and not search friendly. You want to make finding and identifying your account as easy as possible. I used a zero in w0nderland since no other alternative spellings were available, but it’s confusing to communicate to others, so I’d recommend avoiding doing anything along those lines.

Your profile photo: Make sure you choose a photo that is both eye-catching and accurately represents the type of content you will be sharing. I’m not the biggest fan of selfies as profile photos, as it can be hard to tell what an account is about. However, I don’t always find logos to be the best option for personal blogs as they can look a little bit too formal and impersonal. Once you choose the perfect profile photo to represent your account, avoid frequent changes as you want people to immediately recognize your account and interact with your content.

Stories:

Instagram stories came about as Insta’s take on Snapchat. Stories are a form of photo and short form video content that expire after 24 hours unless you add them to a highlight, which we go over later in this post.

What to include: This is the perfect place to share content that isn’t feed-worthy. Show little bits and pieces of your life or business to help users form a personal bond with you. For example, I share my own photos, links to blog posts, shop updates, photos I enjoy that I think my followers will enjoy, behind the scene photos, tap to edit posts and quick video clips or photos that I don’t edit but are still related to my content. Create engagement by using polls, sliders, questions and quizzes. I suggest you always have something uploaded to your stories for viewers to click on. Don’t forget to tag relative accounts and hashtags to increase its likelihood of being viewed and shared .

What not to include: My number one complaint is people complaining. No one comes to your page to hear you complain. Who wants to see or hear that? Keep it positive. Keep it to things people want to see and you can determine what that is by taking note of what people engage with. Selfies always seem to do well, your kids, your lunch and memes might be fun, just make sure to stick to your niche.

Highlights:

Highlights are basically organized collections of saved stories that remain viewable for three years. I think highlights are the most underused feature on the platform. When you post an Instagram feed post or story it only hangs around for a limited amount of time before it gets lost in the Instagram abyss. Why spend all that time creating content and not do anything to improve its accessibility? I like to use highlights to organize content for other’s viewing pleasure, to insure my posts don’t get lost on the gram and to easily access specific information without having to scroll through hundreds of photos.

You can also edit the covers of your Instagram highlights to match your branding, add and remove stories from your highlights at any time and send an entire highlight to someone through Instagram messages. I find this really helpful when recommending or discussing specific locations.

What to to save to your highlights: Determine what content you want to showcase in a highlight that others might want to access and make an organized highlight for it. For example, I have created a highlight for each major location I’ve been to and for certain information I want to quickly access and share such as the interactive springs map, an autism awareness highlight, my shop offerings and a highlight that includes links to my individual blog posts. In addition to those, I also have one for flower photos, mushroom photos and butterfly photos, all common subjects of mine. If you’ve worked super hard on a project or campaign, make a highlight for it. A frequently asked questions highlight is also helpful if you receive a lot of the same questions.

Your name: Since my username is not my name, I like to have my name visible so people know who I am. I just find it more personal to use my name instead of a quote or a description of my account, but feel free to do what makes sense for you.

Your category: You can choose a category to appear on your profile that lets everyone know what kind of creator you are. Mine says digital creator and there are many options including blogger, public figure, photographer and other types of businesses. This is really helpful because it’s not always clear at first glance what exactly an account may have to offer. Again, if you have a service/product to sell this is a great spot to choose a fitting category. For example, a health coach’s account can be confusing. There may be fitness posts, food posts easily making that account appear to be just a weight loss diary or motivation account, without clear communication of offered services. Choose a category that fits your account and utilize this little space of advertising if you can.

A clickable link: Instagram allows you the option to post one link on your profile. If you have a blog, website, store or YouTube account, this is where you want to link that. If you have more then one link to share, consider making a link tree or similar service. link tree allows you to customize a profile that provides links to several different web pages. You then put that single Link Tree Link in your bio.

Your Bio:

Instagram only allows us 150 characters to play with in our bio. It’s not a lot considering you want to use this space to describe yourself and what you have to offer while making it as enticing as possible. Make it fun and visually appealing while still keeping it short and sweet.

What to include:

• I suggest you post your location if relevant. I primarily hop around FL so that’s pretty relevant to my content. If you are a brick and mortar business or offer in person services, this is crucial for you as well. When I was traveling often, I had a line that would detail my upcoming locations. Drop a pin or flag emoji to make it extra fun.

• Include a few words to describe yourself, business, brand or content that haven’t been used already in your category, name or user name.

• This would be a good spot to note any specials, sales, upcoming events or projects you may be working on.

• I see a lot of people use this spot to support a cause that is in line with their brand such as springs advocacy or environmental protection.

• Include a call to action or prompt directing users your blog, shop, free download, YT channel etc.

• I also find it appealing to use relative hashtags and emojis in the bio to further create an image for your brand.

What not to include:

• Quotes are not an ideal use of your limited characters as they typically don’t tell anyone anything about you.

• I would also leave anything unrelated, outdated, repeated information or information that can be communicated else wear, like your name.

• I am not a fan of having a lot of information and long sentences in the bio as it’s such a small area and can easily get crowded, losing information. For easy readability, I put each of my main points of information on a separate line.

Contact options: Use as many of them as you like, but don’t leave out an email if you’re hoping to connect with others, work with brands or sell your products/services. These buttons help to make it easier for others to contact you, especially if you are unable to answer all your DMs. I personally put written email address written out in my bio so it can be easily found on both the mobile and desktop versions of Instagram.

Action buttons: If you are selling a service or product, these make purchasing a breeze. Action buttons are great for quick online ordering, gift cards or food deliveries.

Your grid : The most fun I have with Instagram! This is where all your content is shown on your profile. Check out this post for all my tips on perfecting your Instagram grid.

IGTV: IGTV is Instagram’s version of YouTube. Longer videos are able to be uploaded to IGTV than what is able to be posted in a story feed post. If uploading form mobile you can upload up to 15 minutes and from desktop, up to an hour. A one minute IGTV video previews can be shared to your feed as well. Insta allows the option to create and organize videos into a series, which is a great way to give your followers content to keep coming back to on a regular basis. Use the best cover photo you can and make the first few seconds as interesting as possible to keep viewers engaged for longer, which will signal to the algorithm your content is good enough to keep showing to other users.

Reels : Reels came about as Instagram’s take on Tik Tok. Reels allow clips of up to 30 seconds to be created with a variety of editing effects, gifs and music. Reels are really popping right now. So many content creators are preaching the growth from consistently posting reels. Since there are far fewer creators in this space, it increases the change of your reels being seen. This won’t last for long, so get your reels out!

Tagged photos: The is also an option to see all the posts you’ve been tagged in right on your profile. There isn’t really anything you can do in this tab besides making sure you are properly tagged in photos and carefully curate what posts you keep viewable.

And that’s a wrap on this little introduction to Instagram. I hope it helps you make the most out of the app to reach your social media goals. The most frequently asked questions I receive pertain to growing your audience and increasing engagement so let me know if you want to see those tips next.