If you’re thinking of a country where you can go at any time of the year, where you can swim in the sea all the time, enjoy the sun, I have a tip for you – go to Florida. Florida is a place where it’s perpetual summer, which is why it’s called the Sunshine State.
One advantage is that you can certainly speak English there. Although there was one small difficulty waiting for us immediately upon arrival. We rented a car right at the airport, and when we started it up we found that everything was in Spanish. At first it looked like we weren’t even going to turn on the navigation. 🙂 Yes, a lot of the population here is Spanish speaking. After all, Cuba is very close. But we didn’t get discouraged and eventually switched everything to English after about 15 minutes.
WHY GO TO FLORIDA AND WHAT TO EXPERIENCE THERE?
1. PLAY BILLIONAIRE IN NAPLES
Florida is all about white beaches, soft sand, warm water and most importantly beautiful sunrises and sunsets. What surprised me a lot was that the beaches are almost empty. You have plenty of space for yourself and you can frolic in the waves. The beaches are littered with small shells that you can collect until you die. Beware, it’s quite normal to come across a miniature jellyfish in these waters..
Naples is a billionaire’s town where you can regain the missing energy and strength you need before travelling along the incredibly long motorways. This small town on the west coast of Florida is best known for being home to retirees who live to enjoy their retirement here. You’ll find the town beautifully clean and, most importantly, very quiet. You won’t find a single pub open in the evening. However, what got me about this little town is how magically elegant it is, and how it doesn’t flaunt its wealth in any pretentious way. I loved walking down 5th Avenue in the evening, which is really the center of all the action.
Exclusive hotels with palm trees lit up in front of their entrance, festooned with strings of lights like Christmas trees. I’m not going to lie to you, we have not stayed in one of these hotels, nor have we eaten in any of these restaurants. But I did buy coffee at Starbucks, I’m sure you can see that.
2. IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF ERNEST HEMINGWAY
If you have read my article about Havana, you will have understood that Hemingway is one of my favourite American writers. Hemingway stayed in Key West with his wife, Pauline, in the two-story Spanish Colonial house that is now a museum. Visitors can see his possessions in his house, including his desk along with his typewriter.
This is where he wrote 70% of his books. The novel The Green Hills of Africa and the only drama he wrote, The Fifth Column, were written here. The main attraction is the ubiquitous cats, which are kept like queens. They are said to have five legs. They even have their own cat cemetery in the garden. I had to smile myself when I saw that no one can sit on the sofa in the living room, but the cats can run around anywhere.
3. RUN ACROSS THE MARATHON BRIDGE
On the way to Key West you will find beautiful azure blue seas and I definitely recommend making a little stop at some point. There are countless small islands. Along the way, you’ll come across the town of Marathon, where you can sign up for maybe another run. This almost happened to me because the lady didn’t understand that I was just asking about races. :-)))
The run takes place every year over the seven-mile bridge, when its gates close for two hours to all passing cars, separating Key West from the world for a while. Around 1,500 runners complete the race in his honor.
The seven-mile bridge surrounds the Atlantic Ocean on one side and the Gulf of Mexico on the other. The water here is very shallow and therefore a beautiful azure blue. It’s full of fish. The bridge is very much praised. It is spoken of as an engineering marvel.
4. WARM UP IN KEY WEST
Key West is a stunning place at the southernmost tip of Florida that has an exotic, beachy, relaxing, calming and romantic atmosphere. There are countless art galleries, quaint cute cafes, seafood restaurants and architecturally interesting homes. Everywhere you go, you will feel the island atmosphere.
GO CRAZY IN MALLORY SQUARE
They say Key West is all so crazy. Freedom of opinion and expression reigns here, so it’s the perfect place on earth. I’d rather call the people of Key West very tolerant. You’ll find a large gay community here. Their flag flies proudly in many places. You can also recognize them by the pink color of their vehicles.
Mallory Square has always been the hub of Key West’s social and commercial life from the time of the city’s beginning in the early 1820’s. It is where master wrecker Asa Tift’s ships’ laden goods from the shipwrecks would dock and then be stored in his warehouses on the waterfront. It is where the town folk would come to exchange news, gossip and shop. Fast forward a century-and-a-half and you will find that Mallory Square is still the center of Key West with restaurants, shops, theater, museums, live entertainment and the most spectacular sunsets to be found anywhere.
Key West is a place where you’ll find clouds of bars, and each one has its own charm. I personally liked the one on Duval Street, where money and bras are plastered everywhere. People write their wishes, declare their love or just write down their feelings. Near Duval Street you will find the entertainment district Mallory Square.
Here everything comes alive at sunset. The nightlife here is really colourful. It’s not for nothing that the city is called a drunkard’s paradise. I’d also say it’s a paradise of fools and weirdos. It seems to me that they always get drunk in the evening, probably after they’ve spent the whole day sobering up. I’m not sure they make it to the end, though. You’re kind of amused rather than surprised by it.
6. VISIT HARRY S. TRUMAN’S LITTLE WHITE HOUSE
The Harry S. Truman Little White House in Key West, Floridawas the winter White House for President Harry S. Truman for 175 days during 11 visits. The house is located in the Truman Annexneighborhood of Old Town, Key West.
The house was originally on the waterfront when it was built in 1890 as the first officer’s quarters on the U.S. naval station. The house was designed in 1889 by Scott, McDermott & Higgs, a local architectural firm. The wooden duplex contained Quarters A for the base commandant and Quarters B for the paymaster.
In 1911, the building was converted into a single-family dwelling to house the base commandant, and additional land was filled in front of the house. The waterfront view was eventually blocked by a new building at the station.
The first President to visit the site was William Howard Taft in December 1912. During World War I, Thomas Edison resided in the house while donating his service to the war effort. He perfected 41 underwater weapons during his six-month stay. The house remained command headquarters through World War II.
Probably everyone who goes to Key West wants to take a picture with the big cone that marks the southernmost point of North America. It’s surrounded by tourists all day long, all trying to steal the best photo for themselves.
7. DISCOVER CONCH REPUBLIC
If you pay attention, you will find symbols of Conch Republic in the window niches. This is not a joke, but a real republic with its own leader, government vehicle with flags, its own flag and its own views. Although they don’t officially exist, they have the most loyal proud inhabitants.
8. TASTE THE KEY LIME PIE
One thing to be sure to have in Key West is key lime pie. The factory where it is made is really great and you can find it very easily by its yellow color. The pie is very sour, but really delicious.
9. COLLECT SHELLS ON SANIBEL ISLAND
On the leaflets you will find that this island is called “shell island“. This is not so true. You’ll find heaps of shells, and you can spend long hours collecting them and looking for the best pieces. You can even try to collect six shells, which are called the Sinebel Six here. Whoever succeeds may even make the newspapers. Well, I didn’t.
10. PLAY COSMONAUTS AT KENNEDY SPACE CENTER
I originally thought it was more of a visit for the boys. But we ended up being here all day, and I’m very glad we did. There is a lot to see here and I advise you to plan your trip properly before you go. The atmosphere of space exploration on NASA grounds is really amazing and I have to say that I was totally blown away by all the landing pads, the gardens with the rockets that left our solid earth, the information about all the scientists and space pilgrims who dedicated their whole lives to science.
Probably what got me the most was the simulation of the shuttle launch into space. I have to admit that at first I was a bit scared when we started to sit in the seats like on a roller coaster with safety bars and the whole simulator turned 90 degrees. 🙂 Then everything started to wobble, the noise got louder and I was waiting to see when it would shoot us all into orbit. But then the shell of the simulator opened up and offered us a view of the vastness of space and we went into weightlessness. This is a realistic launch and I have to say that I understood the pride of the Americans in those moments. Another of my experiences was when I was able to touch a small cube brought back from the moon.
A bus will take you through the entire area, with the last stop being the large area dedicated to the Apollo missions. The Saturn rocket passes through its centre, divided into different parts so that everyone can see even the smallest details.
The walk through the complex is pleasant and can be followed by a visit to the complex mapping the fate of the individual Apollo 11 missions. This crew, led by Armstrong and Aldrin, first set foot on the moon. Here you will find discarded notebooks, pens, mugs, jackets, etc. It’s a big theatre without actors, with authentic sound coming from the recordings, the screens showing the rocket launching and counting down the last seconds to the historic moment.
There is also a small museum where you can find various artifacts that NASA has managed to preserve. For example, Armstrong’s logbook entries, helmets, moon rocks, entire spacesuits and other rare pieces. If you’re going to Florida, be sure to visit here because you’ll learn a lot of information.
11. GO SUNBATHE ON MIAMI BEACH
The beach in Miami Beach is exactly as I imagined it. A wide stretch of sand, a head on the head, a heated ocean and ultralights with advertising slogans in the clouds, attracting people to various events and especially parties in South Beach.
I was probably most interested in the watchtowers I know from the Beachwatch series. Unfortunately, I didn’t see any blonde girl dressed in a red swimsuit or the well-sported and tanned bodies of the local lifeguards. I just sighed that it was a pity no one was drowning.
12. WALK ALONG OCEAN DRIVE
Otherwise, you’ll find plenty of rich people either sunbathing on the beach or partying at beach parties. I personally really liked Ocean Drive, which is lined with Art Deco hotels. This is where I took pictures, as perhaps every colorful hotel does. A very nice hotel, Vila Casa Casuarina, where Italian fashion designer Gianni Versace was shot by a fan. Apparently, he even bottled up his rage for seven years. The house has become an iconic place since his death, as thousands of fans want to see and photograph the stairs where the fashion guru was murdered. You can even stay here for ungodly prices.
13. TAME THE ALLIGATORS IN EREVGLADES
This park, located in the southwestern part of the state of Florida, is home to many rare animals, birds and plants. But most importantly, you’ll find crocodiles. For the first time in my life, I was able to hold a baby crocodile in my arms. You can also take a boat ride.
Before our visit we were warned about the large number of mosquitoes. Fortunately, there were no infestations. To see at least part of the park, it’s a good idea to take part in a tour. We participated in an aerboat ride. It’s half boat and half hovercraft. Each boat had its own personal guide and ours was kind of a “macho” boat. He was showing off the whole time, and he was going through the bush at high speed. I have to admit that at times I was afraid we were going to get tipped over. That almost happened when he showed us that he was the master of his boat. When he tried to go through the brush, we told him not to. Eventually we got stuck there and had to wait for the next boat because our star didn’t bring his cell phone or radio. 🙂 First we thought it was part of this whole show. There were alligators in the water all around, so we were praying that one wouldn’t think to come after us. We realized that this was not the plan and we were really in for our lives. In the end, all went well and we made it out of the swamp.
After this experience we visited an alligator farm, which is basically a small zoo. It was also interesting to see a show where we learned interesting information about alligators and witnessed a feeding session. The boy who threw meat to the alligators was really brave. He even had a scarred hand. He told us that such a profession is passed down through generations and he never thought of doing anything else.
14. SEND A LETTER FROM THE SMALLEST FUNCTIONAL POST OFFICE IN THE WORLD
The smallest post office in the world that is still operational can be found in Florida. It is located in the Everglades National Park. To find it, just drive along Highway 41. You can’t miss the small house right by the road near the parking lot. And even though the opening hours are somewhat modest, if you find the post office open, you can send a souvenir home and take a closer look at this adorable hut. It is open every weekday from 8 to 10 am and in the afternoon from 12 to 4 pm, and on weekends only on Saturdays from 10 to 11:30 am. If you want to add this point of your trip to your navigation just in case, the address of the post office is: Ochopee Post Office, 38000 Tamiami Trail E, Ochopee, FL 34141, USA.
15. RETURN TO CHILDREN’S GAMES IN AMUSEMENT PARKS
Amusement parks have become the main reason why so many visitors come here. You’ll find four parks here, Walt Disney World, Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure, and Sea World Orlando.
We chose a hotel close to the parks and it was a 10 minute walk from the hotel. We visited Universal Studios. I think movie fans will enjoy their time here. You will come across attractions like Harry Potter’s World, Transformers, Simpsons, Jurassic Park, a roller coaster and many more attractions. Luckily, we were here during the off-season so we didn’t experience large queues.
16. BUY IN THE ADULT CONFECTIONERY VICTORIA SECRET
For me, every good holiday has to end with a good shopping spree. I like shopping in America very much because clothes are much cheaper here than here. And most importantly, they have my favourite brand, Victoria’s Secret, and a visit to this shrine is a must. And I think every girl who has started to grow breasts should visit it. I always come here in a trance, which usually lasts about two hours.
Most of the time, common sense, or rather the thought of ruining my credit card, saves me. There’s usually Sophie’s choice going on here, too – sportswear or underwear? So this year, I’m taking home sweatpants. Why? Well, logically, you need to play a little sport first and then you can show up in your underwear. And trust me, you’ll never have to play more sports than after American breakfast. :-))
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