Perhaps you just need a change of scenery. Once you emerge on the other side of Alligator Alley after a two-hour drive, the west coast of South Florida unfurls against the powder white sands of the Gulf of Mexico where Naples is nestled into a corner of the Everglades. Here, you’re never far from a mangrove estuary as herons and brown pelicans swoop peacefully through the sky and you can consistently rely upon dolphin sightings just offshore. It’s a […]
Posts categorized: Florida
Sep 6
2016
2016
5 Quintessential Palm Beach Experiences
It’s all beautiful excess in Palm Beach where limestone mansions peer over manicured hedges to pristine, private beaches on South Ocean Boulevard. It’s here, on this four square-mile strip of a barrier island where drivers instinctually slow down, angling for a glimpse  at swimming pools and tennis courts and maybe a Kennedy beyond the gilded gates. One of the wealthiest enclaves in the U.S., Palm Beach is a mere hour drive from Miami and while it effuses exclusivity, its riches are there […]
Mar 16
2016
2016
Aboard the Norwegian Escape’s Maiden Voyage
There’s nothing I find particularly appealing about cruise vacations, but then again there’s nothing categorically repelling about them either. So when the opportunity presented itself to embark on the two-night maiden voyage of the Norwegian Escape (seven-night Caribbean cruises from $599) from PortMiami, I said, sure, and I brought my best friend Krista along for the ride. I’ve been on a handful of cruises through the years and actually, most of them have been quite memorable. My very first at age 15 […]
One of the first travel stories to captivate me and make me think, “I want to do that” was by New York Times op-ed columnist Maureen Dowd. In January 2009, in place of her typical political and social commentary, which, at the time, I devoured every week, she was moonlighting for the Travel section with a story about her visit to the newly opened Canyon Ranch Miami Beach. At the time, President Obama had just taken office and the nation’s economy was in a free fall. In […]
Nov 24
2015
2015
Day Tripping to Vero Beach
There’s a world of discoveries north of Miami where the pace slows down, the crowds dissipate and everything feels familiar, yet somehow different. Hopscotch past Broward to explore Palm Beach, St. Lucie and Indian River counties on this day trip up the coast that takes you from luxury shopping in Palm Beach to hiking through hardwood hammocks in Fort Pierce. All you need is a tank of gas and your GPS handy. That’s exactly what I did with my mom and […]
Sep 18
2015
2015
Key West: 3 New Hotels & 1 Classic
Looking for a quick getaway to Key West? Now until mid-October is considered the off season, making it the perfect time to snag rock bottom hotel rates, get out on the water (go with my peeps at Fury!) and enjoy the island sans the crowds. There’s also a slew of brand new Key West hotels to check out, plus I’ve included one of my favorite classics below. The New The Marker Waterfront Resort A stone’s throw from the historic seaport and […]
Sep 16
2015
2015
Visiting the new Key West
There’s a classic way of doing Key West. It involves dinner at Louie’s Backyard, drinks and live music at Sloppy Joe’s, photo ops at the Southernmost Buoy, a stop at the Hemingway House, spotting Key West chickens and sunset at Mallory Square. And, of course, plenty of key lime pie, conch fritters and margaritas. But a younger, hipper Key West has emerged thanks to a few longtime locals turned entrepreneurs and restaurateurs who are shaping the culture of the […]
Aug 26
2015
2015
A Day Trip to the Florida Keys
As Jimmy Buffett extols, “Changes in latitudes, changes in attitudes.” If the dog days of Miami’s summer are getting you down, maybe it’s time to hop in the car and head south for a daytrip to the Florida Keys. While a drive to the end of the road in Key West is best reserved for an overnight trip, you can still get into a Keys state of mind (saltwater, conch fritters, key lime pie and all) with a daytrip as […]
Mar 16
2015
2015
Florida Buzz: Spring Training & Film Fests
Looking for a resource for all your Florida travel needs? I’ve joined the team of bloggers at the Florida Buzz powered by Marriott to give you the scoop throughout the year on what’s happening in the Sunshine State. We’re midway through March and that means Spring Training in Florida! Check out my complete guide to navigating baseball’s intimate and exciting pre-season here. (Go Yankees!) In March and April, three major film festivals hit Miami, Palm Beach and Maitland. For film buffs, […]
This week, I had the opportunity to join the City of Miami Beach as they released a nest of little baby loggerhead sea turtle hatchlings at Haulover Beach. To say it was the cutest thing ever is about as accurate of a description as I can muster. The little fellas were about three inches long and wriggled around in the sand, their natural instincts leading them to the water where they swam away to start their lives at sea. […]
