Northern FL - Jan 2024

We returned to our East Coast roadtrip after spending a little over a week in LA and TX.

Miami

We flew from Dallas into Miami and picked up our car where we left it at the Park and Fly.  It was easy to get the car and we were delighted that everything was still in it!!  We drove to our hotel near the airport where we stayed one night at the Element Hotel which was super clean but lacked amenities and was located in an industrial area so not much around it.  But a good place to stay if you just need something for a night.

We were both craving Cuban food but were too lazy to drive very far so we found the Kuban Kitchen which was not far from our hotel and much to our surprise, it was very tasty!  The restaurant is very clean and bright with some cheesy decor.  We shared the churasco steak and friend plantains which were very good.

The next morning, Shawna woke up a bit stuffy and decided to test herself for Covid - unfortunately, she tested positive so we had to cancel our plans to meet up with one of Shawna's colleagues in Stuart FL for the next two nights.  Thankfully, she never felt terrible and got through it pretty quickly so it did not mess up anything else on the trip.  With now two days to replan, we decided to relocate to Titusville and along the way, we stopped to do a few touristy things:

• Henry Flagler Museum - Located in West Palm, this was a beautiful, stately home build by Henry Flagler for his wife.  We did the self guided audio tour which was very informative.

Henry Flagler Museum

• Mar-a-Lago - Located in West Palm, only did a quick drive by to check it out!

• Manatee Lagoon - Located in West Palm, this is a free small museum with a lagoon to see the manatees. Unfortunately, we didn't see any so this was a quick stop.

• Navy Seal Museum - Located in Ft Pierce, this is a very informative museum about the Navy Seals and all of the major missions they have been involved in.

Black Hawk at Navy Seal Museum

Titusville

We wanted to see the Kennedy Space Center and since touring it would take a full day, we decided to drive up the night before and stay at the Courtyard Marriott in Titusville.  This is the best Courtyard we have ever stayed in so far - very new, clean, modern with great amenities.  That night, we even ate at the roof top bar at the Courtyard, called The Space Bar, where we shared a pretzel and yummy quesadilla and had a few beers.

Space Bar Rooftop Restaurant at Courtyard Marriott

The next day, we spent the day at the Kennedy Space Center.  We did all the major attractions as well as the bus tour.  This is a really well done museum with lots of videos, artifacts and a few fun rides to simulate flying in space.  While we did it in one day, it's probably best to do it in two if you want to try everything (there are a few things we missed).  

Kennedy Space Center

Jacksonville

We then drove to Jacksonville where we stayed at the Residence Inn for four nights.  The hotel was relatively new - clean with a few good amenities (e.g. pretty good free breakfast) - we had a studio suite.  Our goal for this part of the trip was to spend time with Kim and Keith who live in nearby Ponte Vedra.  We had so many laughs and you would not even know it that it had been many years since we last saw one another - so much fun!

While here, we did the following:

• Hockey Game - Saw the Jacksonville Icemen crush the Savannah Ghost Pirates.  Our seats were really good - just a few rows up from the ice.  Cool, small arena and the game was fun to watch.  Oh and there were lots of laughs!

Jacksonville Icemen Hockey Game

• Beach Walk - We drove down to Vilano Beach and strolled along the beach, looking for the 'elusive' shark teeth that we were promised we would find!! 

Beach Walk - Vilano Beach

• Tuk Tuk Tour - We did a one hour tuk tuk tour of downtown Jacksonville where we learned more about the upcoming development underway than the history.  

Tuk Tuk Tour of Jacksonville

And ate at the following:

• Cava - Located near our hotel, Keith and Shawna ate here when we first arrived - quick and tasty Mediterranean.  We each got a pita sandwich wrap - both of which were good.
• Lemongrass Thai - Located near our hotel, we had dinner here with Kim and Keith.  Really yummy.  We shared a red curry and shrimp potstickers.  
• Palm Valley Outdoors Bar & Grill - We had lunch here with Kim and Keith. It's a great place located in Ponte Vedra along the inner coastal with outside seating.  We each had a salad.
• Casa Reina - We had dinner here with Kim and Keith in St Augustine.  We sat outside and had a yummy fish dish with black beans and rice.  
• Southern Swells Brewing Co - We stopped here for a beer.  Beer was yummy.
• Treylor Park - We had dinner here with Kim and Keith in Ponte Vedra near their house.  Good southern style food.  We shared the avocado fries and the fried Oreos for the table and Keith and Shawna split a flatbread and shrimp and grits tacos for our entree.  

'Duck lip' photo