Florida Getaway

Let the trips for 2019 begin! Florida is the first little vacation for my husband and I this year and the best part, we went with our best friends. I cannot take any credit for planning or booking this trip. That was all thanks to my bestie and fellow Madison blogger Kelsie. (Her blog is kelsiekristine.com) She planned this getaway for her husband’s 30th birthday and it was all a surprise. He didn’t even know Sean and I were coming until we showed up later that night to the Airbnb. It was awesome and I’m so glad that we could make it. Kelsie posted all about the trip too. The best part is the details on the surprise. Be sure to check out her post!

I wanted to give you guys a little breakdown of our stay and a few ideas if you plan on traveling to the same area. We stayed in Cape Coral which is located in Southwest Florida. Even though we spent most of our time by the pool, we still managed to get out of the house for dinner, visit the beach and explore.

Where to stay

• We stayed at an Airbnb in Cape Coral. Again, I cannot take any credit for planning or booking of this trip. The house was really nice and the pool was the best part. It’s heated and there was a jacuzzi as well. The lanai is covered so we could sit outside with no bugs bothering us. The house is right on the channel and just 20 minutes from Fort Myers airport.
• Other options for stay would be VRBO, villas or hotels. There are many in the area.

What to do

• Poolside sitting was at the top of our list the whole trip but if you’re itching to get out and explore there is plenty to do in the area.
• Our Airbnb had bikes which is the best way to get around and explore. Otherwise car rentals are a great idea. Lyft and Uber are everywhere but that can get pretty expensive.
• They also had kayaks which was great since the backyard butted up to the channel. The guys just threw them in the water and away they went.
• There are 3 large beaches in the area; Fort Myers Beach, Sanibel Island and Captiva Island.
• Golf, golf, golf. There are 3 in the area ranging in price ($-$$$). No matter where you go, the golf courses are so beautiful. Be mindful when setting up tee times though, they are always busy.
• If you’re an Instagram buff, which we (we, meaning Kelsie and I) are, then I recommend stopping at Fort Myers Beach for photos on the pier. It’s just a 20 minute drive from Cape Coral. It’s a great spot to watch the sunset.

This portion of the blog post I want to talk about BottleKeeper. Get BottleKeeper on Amazon. There are 8 colors to choose from. The twist off lid has an attachment string so you never need to wonder where you set it down at. Also included is a built in bottle opener. The bottom screws off to get your beer in. Once in, it’s kept cold due to the insulation. I’m a slow drinker so keeping my beer colder for longer is exactly what I need. I loved using this by the pool each day in the 75+ degree Florida heat. The cap also screws on tight enough to seal the bottle inside. Also great for the beach to not only keep your drink cold while you’re sitting out in the sun, but to keep the sand and bugs out. This is dishwasher safe too!

What to eat

• No matter where you go on vacation, eating ‘local’ cuisine is what I love to do the most. I tried to eat as much seafood as I could. Day 1 we found the cutest little seafood restaurant, Fins, that had such a colorful atmosphere. The outdoor seating was beautiful and the food was amazing!
• Beachfront dining is always beautiful. Eating anywhere along the beach will give you great views and great food. We ate at the Salty Crab on Fort Myers Beach and had some of the best grilled shrimp I’ve ever had. Price wise, it was not bad and pretty affordable. Drinks are what spikes your tab.
• The nice thing about an Airbnb is that we had a full kitchen. We grilled out at the house and sat outside to watch the Super Bowl.
• Sean and I found a strip mall gem called Kyoto. The gyoza is nice and crispy and everything came out piping hot. Sushi was great and they also have hibachi. Affordable dining that is close to the airport.

 Thank you all so much for reading. Until next time,

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