We planned a vacation to Florida piggy-backing off my sister-in-law's college graduation and my brother-in-law's master's graduation -- both happening the same weekend at Southeastern University. So we booked a hotel in Tampa and headed down a week early, just the three of us, before the full-on festivities began!
It was magical. JUST MAGICAL. Yeah, the beach isn't the easiest with a 9 month-old. And we learned nap time definitely gets in the way of exploring, and you have to PLAN your day way more as parents...and you might even consider driving through the night to capitalize on those sleeping hours, but nothing beats family fun with our girl.
The sunburns will face, but the memories will last forever. Like Darcie's laugh every time she caught sight of a seagull at the beach or the way she clapped and mimicked "yay" whenever we headed out for the day, or late night chili's in the hotel room after the baby was in bed, or lazy morning cuddles or poolside dinners on the grill or chunky thighs in tiny swim suits or another family selfie in another coffee shop.
Here's some of the places we ventured!
Orlando
- Winter Park (ate lunch at Swine & Sons, of course spent WAY too long in Rifle Paper Company, coffee at Barnie's Coffee)
Tampa
- Armature Works (got coffee (which I subsequently spilled ALL DOWN my white t-shirt), ate brunch, and milled around to smell flowers/sample sweets, before taking a long walk outside along the water)
- Hyde Park Village (ate at Bartaco, cupcake from Sprinkles, and explored all the cool shopping!)
- Buddy Brew Coffee
- Oxford Exchange
St. Petersburg
- Don Caesars Palace
- Pass-A-Grille Beach
- Twistee Treats
- Intermezzo Coffee
