vacation

Road Trip: From Cold Atlanta to the Sunny Florida Keys

/ azlotnik / 2 Comments

While many of my friends were traveling up north to go home for Christmas and the holidays, my fiancé and I took a road trip to Florida. We drove from I-75 to the Florida Turnpike- all the way to the end. What’s at the end? The Everglades (and a bunch of alligators and large snakes!) But we didn’t drive to Florida for the swamp. We went to stay with my fiancé’s family for Christmas. His parents’ permanent home is in the metro Atlanta area, but they are currently residing in Florida City, which is near Homestead. His dad took a temporary job in Homestead and we stayed with them in their condo for the holidays. It was really nice since I was off work for almost two weeks. We spent our entire vacation in Florida and had a blast. It was really nice to spend time with my fiancé’s family and have a nice sunny Christmas Day in which we could wear shorts and T-shirts. It was a little strange not being at their house for the holiday, but we managed in the condo.

It was a 13-hour car ride down to Florida but we made it in 12 hours and it really was not all that bad. It didn’t feel like it was a very long time. We passed the time talking and listening to music. We even made a gas tank last almost 600 miles! My ‘ 99 Toyota Camry (also known as a ticking time bomb) gets great mileage, especially on the highway using cruise control.

We finally arrived to the condo and had a nice few days relaxing and enjoying our vacation. We mainly just hung around the condo and went on errands to a few stores. We drove down to Key Largo to see the sites and ate at a very nice restaurant on a marina overlooking the water called The Pilot House Marina, Restaurant and Glass Bottom Bar. The floor of the patio had a glass bottom, and you could see the fish swim by as you ate. Even tried some fried gatorbites! My fiancé thought the gatorbites tasted like chicken.

Outside the Pilot House

Outside the Pilot House

Christmas day was spent opening gifts, eating a big breakfast and then another big meal for Christmas dinner. Santa was very good to this Jewish girl! On Christmas my fiancé and I took a nice walk around the condo complex and just enjoyed being in the warm weather. If we had spent Christmas in Atlanta, it would have been a very different story.

Later on in the week, we went to the Everglades Alligator Farm, where we went on an air boat ride though the swamp. There definitely wasn’t a splash free zone on that boat. It was really neat to see the wildlife and fun when the airboat did doughnuts in the marsh. We also went to the snake show and the alligator show, which was very impressive. The Everglades Alligator Farm is the only place in the world that houses both alligators and crocodiles in captivity. They are in separate fenced-in areas of course. We saw a lot of baby alligators. Too bad they grow up to be big mean gators!

Everglades Alligator Farm

Everglades Alligator Farm

Baby Gators

Baby Gators

Key West. What an adventure! The three-hour car ride from Florida City to Key West left us in the mood for sightseeing and fun. Once we parked, we set off to walk around the island. Shopping and looking at restaurants took up most of the afternoon. We kept trying to find a place for lunch but ruled out just about every place we walked by. Then we ended up at the end of the island at the Southernmost Point. What a tourist spot! By that time we were so hungry that we bought a coconut on the side of the street. This guy had a big cart with a barrel full of coconuts and a drill. One by one he would drill a hold in the coconuts, put a straw in them and charge three dollars a pop. It was pretty good but so heavy! We ended up throwing half of it away.

IMG_0964

We walked by the Hemingway house but decided not to go in. They wanted 13 dollars per person for admission! We walked back and finally found a restaurant to eat at with a great Mahi Mahi wrap. Then we explored Key West some more. By the end of the day, we had walked across the whole island and back.

Hemingway House

Hemingway House

In the evening, we had tickets to a snorkel and sunset cruise, which started out as a disaster and ended calmly. A rocking catamaran with 40 plus people scrunched in it, led to snorkeling in high waves. There actually wasn’t much snorkeling going on at all, just trying to keep our heads above water and not have the current smack us into the boat. We decided we had enough of it. With our bellies full of salt water and fogged up diving masks, we swam the short distance back to the boat. I tried to board the boat and the waves knocked me into the stairs, leaving me with a huge bruise on my leg that lasted for weeks. It wasn’t all bad though. As we sailed back to the shore, a beautiful sunset was in our view throughout the rest of the cruise. After the cruise, we went out to a restaurant called Turtle Krawls where they race live turtles. The food was superb, and we enjoyed grilled oysters, crab dip and the traditional Key lime pie. Late at night, we headed back through Marathon, Key Largo and the smaller keys to return to the condo in Homestead.

Key West Sunset

Key West Sunset

We had a wonderful experience with all the people throughout the Florida Keys. All the places we went were clean and inviting environments. The Florida Keys have a reputation of being expensive. They do live up to this, but I think it is worth every dollar. I highly recommend it and plan to go back again someday.

The next day we went to Miami. Let’s just say we will not be going back. This is what made our trip unpleasant: Traffic. No place to park. Crowded beach and streets, for starts.  All the restaurants had patios that extended in to the Street. (Ocean drive was blocked off to vehicle traffic to prepare for the Orange Bowl festivities). Servers and hostesses would stand near the patio entrance to each restaurant and try to get tourists to come in and dine with them. There would be a big sign out front with all the specials. We thought wow, lucky us; we’ll get to eat for cheaper! But this was only to lure frugal tourists like us in. My piece of advice: Don’t order the special! The restaurant we ate at did not even want to deal with us since we wanted to only pay $10 per meal like the sign advertised. Not only did we have bad service, we were overcharged and the food was not impressive. Here is a picture of the $50 appetizer that definitely was not worth the money. But if we only had one bad experience on our lengthy vacation, I’d have to say the trip was a success.

Overpriced appetizer!

Overpriced appetizer!

Miami Beach

Miami Beach

Other memorable moments of our vacation included eating at a dive bar in Key Largo called Shipwrecks that had exceptional seafood baskets and our trip to Homestead Bay Park. The park overlooked the bay on one side and the ocean on the other. It was a beautiful day to walk around and enjoy the scenery. There was also a marina at the park that housed a variety of boats. Our drive home went by fast, and overall we had a great tropical vacation!

Homestead Bay Park

Homestead Bay Park

My Travel Bucket List

/ azlotnik / 1 Comment

Places I want to go around the world before I die.

As far as I can remember, I have always loved to travel. I think Family vacations and moving across the country at an early age played a big role in that. I have been privileged to travel quite a bit in my life so far. I’ve been on four cruises, many trips to Florida, back and forth to California countless times, Belize, Cozumel, Costa Maya, Puerto Vallarta, the Bahamas, NYC, most states in the south, Israel, and more that are slipping my mind right now.

It’s good to reflect on fun times in the past, but also to hope, plan and dream for the future.  So here is my travel bucket list for when I have all the time and the money in the world to travel. This year a vacation was not in the cards for us since we are trying to save money. But, one day I will travel to all these places.

Hawaii:  This is my dream vacation spot. The beaches, the islands, the scenery; it is true paradise. My family has spent a lot of time here, but I have never been. Hawaii is a great place for honeymoons. It also helps when your relatives own a condo in Kauai (the most beautiful of the Hawaiian Islands) and will let you stay there anytime they are not using it! I would like to visit Kauai, Maui and Hawaii Island. Everything is very expensive here since it is so isolated and all items have to be shipped in.

About Kauai — Hawaii’s Island of Discovery: “The oldest and northernmost island in the Hawaiian chain is draped in emerald valleys, sharp mountain spires and jagged cliffs, aged by time and the elements. Centuries of growth have formed tropical rainforests, forking rivers and cascading waterfalls. Some parts of Kauai are only accessible by sea or air, revealing views beyond your imagination.”

Things to Do: Kayak the WailuaRiver. Snorkel on PoipuBeach. Hike the trails of KokeeState Park. Go ziplining above Kauai’s lush valleys. Visit a volcano.

Alaska: Not especially in the winter time, but Alaska is such a beautiful place. It’s the last American frontier. From watching Flying Wild Alaska, I have learned what a remote and fascinating this place is. The remote towns are very isolated and the sunlight and lack of the sunlight during the year would bother me. But it’s neat to think about seeing a critter in Alaska like a fox or elk and know that you may be the only human it has ever seen. Many people go to Alaska to hunt, but I want to go to see the beauty of the countryside and get a glimpse of the glaciers in the winter.

Things to Do: Take a sled dog ride. Go hunting (legally of course). Wildlife viewing.  Go fishing. Wintertime skiing. See the Northern Lights. Hike around the backcountry. Go four wheeling and zip lining across the wilderness.

Vegas: Viva Las Vegas! I have been meaning to take a trip here during a visit to California, but haven’t yet. You can get hotel suites at The Palms and many other famous Vegas hotels for very cheap, because they want you to stay a while and spend lots of money gambling in the casino. The shows, the lights, the glitz and glamour, quick weddings, and huge buffets, there is no other city like it. I’m not a huge gambler myself and wouldn’t feel comfortable betting more than a hundred dollars or so, but there is so much more to do here than gamble. Seeing all the neat hotels and shows would be fabulous and Vegas is a great Bachelor/Bachelorette party destination.

Things to Do: Gamble in a fabulous casino. Jump off the Stratosphere Tower at SkyJump Las Vegas. Sky dive indoors. Ride a rollercoaster at Adventuredome at Circus Circus. Dive with Sharks at Shark Reef at Mandalay Bay Hotel. Explore CityCenter on the Las Vegas strip. Get Hitched. See an Elvis impersonator show.

London and the UK: Since the Olympics are going on right now, everyone is talking about London. I have wanted to go here for some time now. London is the birthplace of modern society and also the home of my favorite author Madeline Wickham (Sophie Kinsella) where her books take place. For my first trip to Europe, the first stop would be London since we speak the same language and all. Although, I would have to get used to British English, which has many words and phrases that differ from American English. When I go, I would also travel to the rest of the United Kingdom. The countryside outside of London is quite nice. I hope I can understand the Scottish accents in Scotland though!

Things to Do: Visit the Tower of London, Westminster Abbey, Stonehenge, Canterbury Cathedral, and WelshCastles. View paintings at the National Gallery. Watch the Wimbledon Championship. Have afternoon tea. Shop in London like a Royal.

Greece: This is such a beautiful country. From watching movies and looking at photographs, I have determined that Greece is my ideal European destination. The Greek culture is very unique and the food is delicious. Although the natives are having a major economic crisis, it is still a great tourist spot. Santorini is one of the gorgeous Greek islands. I love the architecture of the houses along the water.

About Greece: “Greek sovereign land includes 6,000 islands and islets scattered in the Aegean and Ionian Seas, of which only 227 islands are inhabited. This is a truly unique phenomenon for the European continent.”

Things to Do: Santorini Architecture. Visit the Acropolis. Meteora. Beaches of Crete. Delphi Ruins.  Ride a boat through the Melissani Cave.

France: Oh Paris. The city of love. The Eiffel Tower. I can’t wait to experience everything that this city has to offer. It is world renown for its museums.  Nice, the south of France would be a wonderful vacation destination. The French Riviera is known for its great beaches.  Although the people of France have been known to be somewhat unpleasant to tourists, I hope they are nicer in Nice.

Things to Do: Louvre Museum, Disneyland Paris, Palace of Versailles, Le Val de Loire (The Loire Valley), Arc de Triomphe, Notre Dam Cathedral.

Italy: This is a country made up of many great cities — Florence, Rome, Venice, etc.  Rome was the capital city of the Roman Empire which is home to many archeological and artistic treasures. Florence is known as the “cradle of the Renaissance” for its monuments, churches and buildings. Venice is a city of small islands that uses canals as the main means of transportation. And let’s not forget the great Italian food including pizza and pasta.

Things to Do: Visit the aqueducts, fountains, churches, palaces, historical buildings, the monuments and ruins of the Roman Forum, and the Catacombs. The Colosseum and the Pantheon. Have a romantic boat ride through a Venetian canal.

Sweden: I have family here that I have never met. The Swedish Zlotniks still reside in here and have lived there since right after World War II. My grandfather lost his wife and kids in the Holocaust and him and his brother were the only two survivors of my dad’s family. They spent some time in displaced persons camps, and then traveled to Sweden. My grandfather met my grandmother and they left to live in other parts of Europe and later America, but his brother stayed and grew his family in Sweden. My cousin went and visited my Swedish relatives for Passover when she was studying abroad in Europe and someday I would like to go there.

Things to Do: Catch a ferry to the Stockholm Archipelago. In Stockholm, see the fantastic architecture of Gamla Stan, the old town. Go to Lapland. Head to the beach in Gotland.

Germany: I would like to visit Germany and travel through Berlin. I want to go to the Concentration Camps and walk around, but I imagine it would not be an easy experience for me. I would not like to ride on the autobahn. I don’t think I could handle the extremely high speeds. It would be neat to talk to the natives because I think hearing Germans speak is kind of amusing. It’s such an interesting sounding language.

Things to do: Experience the Romantic Road. Visit Neuschwanstein Castle. Visit a beer garden such as Schlenkerla Brewery and Tavern. Go to the BMW museum. See the Berlin Wall. Spend time in Berchtesgaden National Park.

Kenya: In Africa, I would love to go on a Safari in jeep and see all the wild animals. I probably would not like the accommodations, being a city girl and all. But, I do know more about this country than any other in the continent of Africa thanks to a report I did in geography class in high school about Kenya.

Things to Do: Visit Nairobi City. Maasai Mara, Africa’s greatest wildlife reserve. Stay at a beach resort in Malindi. The exotic old town markets in Mombasa.

Patagonia: Patagonia is a region that expands into Argentina. It is known as the most beautiful scenery on the planet. During the wintertime you can ski and snowboard. In the summer you can climb mountains and it is known to be the most amazing mountain climbing in the world. You can go sightseeing in the summertime and look at glaciers and crystal clear waters.

Things to Do: Winter Sports. Kayaking, camping, boating, birth watching, scenic hikes. Whale-watch in Puerto Madryn. Stay at a ranch. Horseback riding.

United Arab Emirates: Dubai would be a great city to travel to, seeing as how you can do pretty much anything you can think of here. Except of course, show some skin and the whole men and women embracing in public thing. The UAE is the European vacation spot with indoor skiing and neat resorts. I have to admit, my knowledge of The UAE comes mainly from watching the movie Sex and the City 2. But it just seems so fabulous.

Things to Do: Shop at the Gold Souk in Dubai. Ride a camel through the desert.  Go skiing at the Mall of the Emirates. See the Lost City. Play at Wild Wadi WaterPark.

Australia: Although the plane ride would be hellish, I’d love to go to the land down under. I love it when I talk to people with Australian accents. It would be neat to see kangaroos and meet aborigines in the outback.

Things to Do: Swim, snorkel, ride and sail on the Great Barrier Reef.  Go surfing. Visit Kangaroo Island. Tour the central Australian desert. Hike Franz Josef. Cruise along the beautiful Swan Valley.

Where in the world would you like to travel? Leave me a comment about your dream vacation spot. 

Getting There is Half the Fun

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I’ve done my fair share of traveling in my life and I thought I’d share some great things to do in the Golden State. Originally from California, I have spent a lot of time there visiting. In 2008, my boyfriend and I took a road trip on Highway 1 from Los Angeles to San Francisco. My other favorite vacation spots include New York City, the Bahamas, Mexico (the gulf and the Mexican Riviera), Florida, Hilton Head, Charleston, Israel and the Cayman Islands.

Tip: When planning a vacation to a city you have not been, it is always good to plan ahead. Buy a guide or book about the place you plan to visit. I recommend Fodor’s or Frommer’s. They come out with new tour guides to all the major cities around the world each year. They give you tips about where to stay, what to do, shopping, nightlife, attractions, etc. I have found these books to be a lifesaver when going to a new place. After all, what good is going on vacation when you don’t know how to have fun at your destination?

California: Road trip up the Pacific Coast Highway
From LA to San Francisco: Things to do city by city

The Chinese Theatre in Hollywood

Star hand and foot prints at the Chinese Theatre.

Los Angeles: Walk along the Hollywood Walk of Fame on Hollywood Boulevard. Here you can see the stars of celebrities. In front of the Chinese Theatre you can put your hands and feet into the prints of the stars. I always thought it was neat to see handprints of actors and actresses from the 1930’s and earlier. Be prepared to spend a lot of money if you decide to go shopping on Rodeo Drive. Visit the La Brea Tar Pits, the world’s most famous Ice Age fossil excavation site. (It is also where Veda [Anna Chulmsky] lost her mood ring in the movie My Girl). For a dollar, in Hollywood you can pick up a map of the star’s homes in Beverly Hills and Bel Air. You could try and find the house of Hollywood actor Vincent Chase. Oh wait, that’s Adrian Grenier from Entourage. You can visit the original happiest place on earth, Disneyland. Universal Studios is another great theme park, and in my opinion, better than the park in Orlando, Florida. Too bad they no longer have the Back to the Future ride!

Santa Monica

The Santa Monica Pier

Beaches: In Santa Monica, be sure to walk along the Santa Monica Pier. You can ride on the roller coaster, ferris wheel or play carnival games. Walking along the beach, you may notice the lifeguard stands looks pretty familiar. It is because the show Baywatch was filmed here. Santa Monica beach — where men pretend to be David Hasselhoff and women try to resemble Pamela Anderson. Third Street Promenade in Santa Monica is a great outdoor shopping area and guitar players and other music acts frequent this mall. Venice Beach is a great place to people watch. From artists to dancers, weird dressers, and acts with animals, you never know who you will find. Venice is also the site of Muscle Beach, which is known for bodybuilders working out.  While in Venice Beach, be sure to shop along the strip where outdoor vendors sell all kinds of souvenirs. Other notable beaches in southern California include Malibu and Santa Barbara.

Hearst Castle Neptune Pool.

San Simeon: Hearst Castle is one attraction you won’t want to miss. The magnificent estate of 165 rooms and 127 acres of gardens, terraces, pools and walkways was built by William Randolph Hearst. You must buy tickets in advance and they offer several different tours. Plan to spend half a day at the castle. From the welcome center, you will take a tram up to the castle and then a tour guide will

Hearst Castle.

take you on a walking tour of the grounds. This is one of the most beautiful places I have ever been to and the outdoor pool is a sight to see. Back in the day, Hearst Castle was the site of many parties that famous movie stars attended. It certainly had the space for it!

Big Sur:This region on the central California coast is an area where the Santa Lucia Mountains rise abruptly from the Pacific Ocean. The terrain offers stunning views which makes Big Sur a big tourist attraction. We ate at a restaurant overlooking the ocean called the Nepenthe, and the view was spectacular.

Big Sur.

Carmel: This city by the sea is a charming little town that appears to look very nautical, at least from walking around town at all the little shops and restaurants. Here you can dine, shop or have a wine tasting. Between Carmel and Monterey, venture on the famous
17 mile drive that passes through an exclusive neighborhood, past scenic beaches, golf courses and luxury hotels. Watch out! Golf courses can be kind of expensive. Pebble Beach Golf Course is known to charge $500 per round.

Cannery Row, Monterey.

Monterey: Take a walk down Cannery Row, a waterfront street in Monterey that is a major tourist attraction. It has great restaurants and shops. We visited a candy shop that had quite exceptional fudge. Another attraction is watching the sea animals at the Monterey Bay Aquarium which always has special shows and exhibitions.

San Francisco: One of my favorite cities in world, there is always something to do in the

Fisherman’s Wharf.

city by the bay. Visit Fisherman’s Wharf, and eat some of the delicious seafood. They sell whole crabs ready to eat and clam chowder in sourdough bread bowls. Ride a cable car. It is best to catch one on route. You may have to wait hours at the cable car station. Drive down Lombard Street, the crookedist street in the world. There is usually a long line of cars waiting for their turn to go down. Visit Golden Gate Park. See the view of the city from Coit Tower. Eat a sundae at Ghirardelli Square. Walk along the boardwalk on Pier 39. Travel over the Golden Gate Bridge. Go to Chinatown where you can find Chinese wares and some great Dim Sum restaurants. Shop near Union Square and visit the seven story Macy’s department store. Visit Napa Valley or Sonoma and tour the wineries. The possibilities are endless.

The Golden Gate Bridge.

Highway 1 is a beautiful scenic route and if you are looking to take a great vacation, I highly recommend taking a road trip like the one I shared with you.

San Francisco.

Author’s Note: All photographs in this post were taken by me or my travel companions.