Paddleboard Adventures – FTL

If you are looking for a fun way to explore Fort Lauderdale’s waterways, then rent a paddleboard! It is relaxing, a great way to experience the water, and a killer work out.

In Fort Lauderdale, we have Gold Coast Aquatic Adventures. The thing I love about this company is that they offer you a number of options to enjoy paddleboarding.

Let’s say you want to explore the beautiful new river and Fort Lauderdale’s canals – no problem! Gold Coast will provide you with boards to have a relaxing paddle to really enjoy the water. In the mood for something a little more upbeat- no problem! Gold Coast offers super fun group paddles.

We got a group together for a sunset glow paddle trip. Gold Coast met us at Bahia Cabana where they outfitted our group with glow necklaces, whistles, paddles, and boards. (We supplied the booze and fun!) Our guide was super awesome and took us out in the Intercoastal Waterway briefly and then back into one of the lakes in a side canal. It was a very easy paddle and allowed us to all really enjoy our time together.

Now a few words of caution. If you are a novice, please be careful in the Intercoastal Waterway. The currents can get really strong and there is a lot of boat traffic. You may be surprised at how quickly you can get tired while on the board. Make sure to always bring safety equipment while on the boards – yes this includes having a life jacket with you. (Gold Coast will provide everything you need.) Finally, be sure to tell a relative about your “float plan” – aka where you plan on going and when you should be back- prior to leaving. It is always better to be safe and not sorry!

So get in there and paddle! Oh and follow us on Instagram @lets_go_florida!

Slyce Pizza Bar in Indian Rocks Beach

The mecca of pizza.

Slyce is an amazing little slice (like what I did there?) of heaven in Indian Rocks Beach on the gulf of Florida. The restaurant is located right off of Gulf Blvd. There are three main ways to dine at Slyce: 1. Dine inside – air conditioned and clean but nothing over the top decor wise, carry out (ya- pretty self explanatory on that one), and dining on the patio where there are tables and a bar (open concept with a pizza shaped ring toss game out back).

The great thing about Slyce is that it will suit a variety of tastes. Their menu includes specialty and make your own pizzas, salads, sandwiches, wings, hotdogs, spinach artichoke wontons….I could go on and on- but I think you get the point.

But the main attraction is the pizza. I highly recommend the buffalo chicken. Now many people have tried to make this dish but Slyce is one of the few that really pull it off. Now those of you who are into trying new things should order the Pear a Dice- olive oil, pear, gorgonzola, mozzarella, and thin slices of prosciutto. It is amazing!

Honestly, I have not had a bad meal at this place. There are a ton of options to try and every time I think I have gone too far with my ordering- it still turns out delicious.

The best perk is that the service and staff are amazing. I definitely would put this place on a must eat list if you are in the area.

Don’f forget to Slyce me off a little love and follow me on Instagram @lets_go_florida!

Tequila Sunrise in Oakland Park

Tequila Sunrise is the place to go for delicious, reasonably priced Mexican food in the greater Fort Lauderdale area.

From the moment you walk in, you are greeted with bright orange pumpkin walls, green pleather booths, and a deer head (I’m not sure why either).  The friendly staff quickly supplies green and red salsa and pretty tasty tortilla chips to get you started.

Now, the time to go is for happy hour. The special of every weekday happy hour is a margarita. If you are lucky enough to end up at Tequila Sunrise on a Thursday, you can get the giant margarita for only $3.99! Plus, a Corona is only $2.00. And anyone in Fort Lauderdale for more than 5 minutes will tell you that a $2.00 beer is a steal.

The food is yummy Mexican. My friends always get the Sonora Burrito. They swear that it is the greatest thing ever. I think it is a little like an alfredo burrito.

I get the chicken quesadilla which I enjoy because it has all the key ingredients, tastes great and isn’t too greasy.

 If you are really in the mood to eat, check out Tequila Sunrise on a Tuesday. They have all you can eat tacos for $8.00. Yep- you read that right – $8.00 all you can eat tacos.

Now many people will tell you Rocco’s Tacos is the place to go for Mexican. First, Rocco’s is a totally different experience and scene. Rocco’s is right on Las Olas, way more expensive, and typically (especially on Taco Tuesday’s) a young professional crowd. Tequila Sunrise is a quieter more family restaurant closer to Oakland Park where a meal for 4 costs what a meal for 1 does at Rocco’s. Both are fun- just different.

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Salty Rim Grill in St. Pete Beach

Let me preface this post by saying that it is disgustingly cold in Florida right now. It is 59 degrees outside. For me, that means gloves, winter jackets, hats, thermal long johns-okay maybe not the long johns, but you get the point. Salty Rim is right on Blind Pass in St. Pete Beach- and I have to say I don’t feel as if I was able to get the full experience without dining on the patio. I feel like there may be more to this place on a beautiful warm evening watching the sunset.

But I digress.

The first thing you notice when you pull into the strip mall containing Salty Rim is that there is a bar where you can bring your dog. No- not like on the patio or outside tables of a restaurant. Yes- as in a pet boutique and a human bar all in one.

Once your stomach pulls you back towards the direction of Salty Rim because 1. you haven’t eaten all day and are starving and 2. your dog is still at home at it may be weird to hang out at a dog bar without a dog (I mean I don’t need that dog judgment), you will enter a cute little restaurant. The theme is nautical but it doesn’t go into the realm of overly tacky tourist.

The food is pretty good. I enjoyed the seafood pasta. For the most part, it was a solid dish. The clams were pretty small but the shrimp were amazing. For the service, it was decent. Our waitress was nice enough- but she did seem to be struggling with some kitchen issues.

 

So all in all this is a cute little place to enjoy a meal.

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Sunday Bloody Sunday’s at Filthys

Hearing time and time again that Filthys was the place the go on a Sunday afternoon in Vero Beach, it was time to see what the fuss was all about.

First, I have to say, it was a different experience walking into that particular bar during hours when the sun was shining. It was like a whole new world. I suddenly noticed eclectic star wars themed art on the wall. I was shocked to discover T.V.’s illuminating the bar. And it was really quite clean!

Bloody Mary’s are the menu on Sunday afternoons. Filthys provides a nifty check sheet to aid in your drink selection. Now, on Sunday Bloody Sunday, you aren’t just getting a typical Bloody Mary with a celery stalk.

Filthy’s offers a wide selection of heat, juice mixes, and food to add to your drink. For example, you can heat up your drink with some habenero, buffalo sauce, or horseradish. You can add food such as pizza rolls, white castle burgers, olives, slim jims, or even a doughnut. They even have five different options just for the rim of the glass!

The presentation of the drink was pretty cool. Even the food was all included as a part of the drink. However, the food is pretty much heated up frozen food. The pizza rolls tasted just like the ones you buy in a frozen section and heat up. Which I am actually okay with because I dig frozen pizza rolls.

So all in all, if you are looking for an quality dining experience, then don’t bother.  But,  if you are looking just for a good hangover food at a cool bar, then Filthys is for you.

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The Ultimate Florida Vacation

Sure we live in a place where many vacation…but that just means we try to make our vacations even more epic! I want to share with you the itinerary from one of my favorite vacations.

Day 1:

My friends from up north arrived in Fort Lauderdale.  For dinner, we enjoyed some crispy southern chicken fingers and grabbed a craft beer at Royal Pig Pub. Then, back to the house for a few cocktails. The night was called to an end when my sweet friend from up north was found hugging a palm tree for a solid 30 minutes.

Day 2:

Time for the sun! We launched the boat and headed down the new river for a sightseeing cruise. Captain Bryan (the unofficial tour guide that no one asked for) pointed out celebrity homes and unique Fort Lauderdale spots. We stop to hang out at the Triangle and played a little volleyball with new friends. We rounded out the day with a stop at Bahia Cabana.

Day 3:

Time to head south. We headed down to card sound road to see if we could score any lobster. Unfortunately, the water was freezing that day. But, we lucked out and ended up with about 7 lobster to take with us.

We continued down to the Marriott Hotel in Key Largo. The hotel was nice but a pretty penny. We wanted to have our catch for dinner, but everywhere was an arm and a leg to cook the food we caught! Then we discovered Evelyn’s. They only charged us $1.00 to cook our lobster and the steak we had alongside was amazing!

Day 4:

We started the morning by fishing for dolphin offshore of Key Largo. It was a successful morning and we ran out of bait pretty quickly.  So, we headed into Pennekamp to snorkel the reef. Unfortunately, the wind kicked up and it was a tough swim. I have been to that spot at least five times and still can’t seem to find Jesus.

Big Chill was the place to go that evening. Ladies drink free! Even better, we were thrilled when a rock and roll magician was the hired entertainment for the evening. Yep, let me repeat that… a rock and roll magician.

Day 5:

Key West Bound! On the way down, we stopped at the No Name Pub to grab some tasty pizza and a cold beer. We even saw some key deer on our way back to the main road.

We stopped again in Sugarloaf to jump off the bridge. To be honest, I was terrified. But we all jumped and it was a great moment. (I swear it looks higher when you are standing up there!)

That night belonged Sloppy Joe’s, Irish Kevin’s, and Ricks. We finished strong by sitting on the sidewalk outside of the gas station that harbors the heaven that is Dion’s. Love that fried chicken.

Day 6:

Time to get our tourist on. I have been to Key West countless times, but somehow I have missed so many tourist attractions. We saw the Southern Most Point (nice walk), Hemingway House (just too many cats for my taste), and the Coast Guard Cutter Ingham (interesting but they charge active duty military which is lame).

That night we headed to trivia at McConnell’s Irish Pub and Grill on Duval. It was the hardest trivia ever! They asked us to identify the author by picture. Needless to say we lost.

After trivia, it was time for our reservation at Better than Sex. All I have to say is YES! It was absolutely amazing!

Day 7:

We took advantage of the great day and headed out to Snipe’s sandbar in back-country Key West. If you have never taken the opportunity to see the back-country, you are truly missing out. (Yes, there are things to do in Key West other than booze). The water is crystal clear, the sand is soft, and the little island even has a natural lazy river.

That night we headed to Captain Tony’s and tried unsuccessfully to get our quarter in that darn fish’s mouth. We also took in some chill music at Smokin’ Tuna. The meal of the night was the ever delicious Mr. Z’s pizza – a Key West night out staple.

Day 8:

It was time to head back to reality. But not before stopping at the Key’s Fisheries for an amazing Reuben.

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Sailfish Brewing Company

One of my favorite spots! The staff is welcoming. The beer is delicious.  And even better, Sailfish offers some of the most friendly clientele around. No beer snobs and only a few know-it-alls!

 

This is the perfect place to come in and relax. The property offers indoor and outdoor games. There is also live music some nights. But, the great appeal about Sailfish is that the extra entertainment is merely a perk. This is the type of place you can really meet a new friend!

The only downfall is that they never seem to be open long enough (Most nights close is at 11 and Sundays close is at 6). Make sure to double check the hours before you go!

Happy Sailing!

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Top 10 Things to Do in Fort Lauderdale, Florida

1. Try a giant fishbowl and gator bites from LuLu’s Bait shack on the Beach.

2. Challenge someone to pool at Blondies.

3. Have a nice dinner at Royal Pig Pub. The brave will try a bacon martini!

4. Enjoy the best old bay shrimp in the world while dining on a canal at Southport Raw Bar.

5. Get a unique craft beer and some delicious pizza from Riverside Market.

6. Walk down Las Olas Boulevard and people watch.

7. Catch a country concert Friday nights at America’s Backyard.

8. Check out the view of the Intercoastal Waterway at Pelican Landing.

9. Step back in time and order an Old Fashioned at Stache.

10. The beach! Grab some cornhole, can jam, and friends and have a great day!

 

Balearia Bahamas Day Cruise

As long as it is understood that the ship is a ferry and not a cruise, you will have a great time!

The ship offers drinks and food for purchase on the way over to and back from the Bahamas. There is plenty of room to sit and even a small pool on the top deck. The staff is friendly enough, but don’t expect the over-the-top service often provided on a cruise ship. (I mean the trip generally only costs 80 bucks there and back).

The trip takes about 4 hours each way. On the way over, the staff will attempt to sell bus and travel tickets. However, for those looking for a little more excitement than a touristy straw market or another resort, there are a ton of taxis waiting at the port.

We met our wonderful driver, Woody, who took us to Cleveland’s Beach Club. We enjoyed fresh conch, played dominos, drank Sands, and frolicked on the beach.

The major complaint for the whole trip was the disembarking off the ship- it was really disorganized and chaotic.

All in all, you can’t beat 80 bucks for a trip to the Bahamas! Just remember when traveling to always be safe and smart!

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Spoil Islands of Vero Beach

 

In Vero Beach, Florida? Make sure to check out the spoil islands of the Intercoastal Waterway. The spoil islands offer an amazing place to picnic, play games, or have an awesome bonfire!