Our Spur-Of-The-Moment Trip to Southern Florida
We decided on a Tuesday in February to go to Southern Florida on the following Thursday, giving us all of two days to plan a ten-hour road trip (one way) and a five day vacation with four kids.
This is where the flexibility of homeschooling is so nice!
We made the road trip to our hotel near Miami in one day, stopping only three times for the essentials: gas, bathroom, food.
Our kids do great in the car; we’ve done enough road trips over the years that they’ve become rather seasoned passengers.
Check out our Tips and Ideas For Surviving Road Trips With Kids post!
Southern Florida With Kids
We went to Southern Florida because it was a great opportunity to see Daniel’s grandpa, to visit the Everglades, and to get out of the absolutely freezing, wet weather we were having in Georgia.
We accomplished all of this, and it was a great trip overall!
Shark Valley Visitors Center
Our first full day in Florida was spent searching for alligators and visiting a unique fruit stand.
We started at the Shark Valley Visitor Center, located in Everglades National Park. We accidentally went early-ish, which was awesome timing because by the time we left, the parking lot was full and the line to get in was long.
On the way into the park, we saw a few alligators drifting in the swampy waters; that was exciting!
We did not make it to the observation tower; it was a two hour trip by trolley, or 15 miles (there and back) via bike or our own two feet. We didn’t think the littles would last either biking or walking there, and the trolley ride felt too long for our youngest.
So, we enjoyed a nice stroll along the paved path, veering off occasionally to go deeper into the swamp on wooden boardwalks.
We saw many birds, turtles and then, quite suddenly- an alligator snoozing just a foot or two off the path.
Our kids soon became SO HOT (apparently living in the south has not made them more hearty; it was a mere 80 degrees with relatively low humidity.)
So we turned back for our next destination.
Loop Road
We then headed to Loop Road, an area known for swarming with alligators and not far from the Shark Valley Visitors Center.
It is just simply what the name implies; a road that loops off the main road.
And yes, it is absolutely FULL of alligators.
It was awesome! We drove slowly down the quiet two lane road, stopping occasionally to get a better glimpse at an alligator or two.
We saw a few people fishing on the side of the road, some didn’t even bother pulling their vehicles over to the side of the road.
The waters are teaming with fish- probably the reason the gators take so little interest in us humans– they’re well fed enough.
This is the place to go if you want to see so many alligators that you begin to take them for granted. Just…don’t plan to do any swimming.
Robert Is Here Fruit Stand
We drove an hour out of our way to go to a fruit stand that came heavily recommended on many Reddit Southern Florida boards.
There are several fruit stands on the way to this particular location, but it turned out to be well worth the drive.
Robert was, in fact, there. I don’t know if he always is but he’s an unassuming chap who was running one of the cash registers in this very busy road side stand.
We tried their smoothies- they were YUMMY. We also got a few cuban sandwiches which were one of the best sandwiches I’ve ever eaten– no joke.
Along with fun and exotic fruits, they also have a selection of local honey, jams and jellies, and canned foods, a petting zoo, food trucks, and a large selection of ride-on toys for kids.
Out youngest could have been here for another hour- we had to literally pull him away from a trike and a play gas station.
Miami Beach
We spent much of the next day at the beach, and we had the sunburns to prove it. It still amazes me, having grown up near the Pacific Ocean, how incredibly warm and swimmable the Atlantic is.
Granted, there are definitely more sharks, but being able to go into the ocean in February?? Amazing.
Our older three spent hours in the waves, and our youngest was content to play in the sand nearby (which by the way has NEVER HAPPENED BEFORE.)
Our kids were the only ones wearing life jackets, btw….is that just not a thing on the east coast? I eventually let them take them off if Daniel or I were nearby, but I definitely felt like an overprotective mom when I looked around.
It was excellent weather and a really nice day overall.
Palm Beach and a Motorcade
The next day, we checked out of our Miami hotel and drove north to Palm Beach. I thought it would be fun to drive by Mar-A-Lago and to see the impressive homes in that area.
We happened to be driving by the airport and saw Air Force One, and then pulled over at a Publix parking lot to investigate why so many people were standing along a barricaded street.
It just so happened that we caught the President’s motorcade leaving for the airport; that was an impressive sight with all the police, motorcycles, and vehicles!
Family Visit
From there, we drove further north to visit Daniel’s uncle, aunt and grandpa.
We had a lovely visit with them; its always a pleasure to see family but we appreciate it even more now that we don’t live in an area with any family close by.
Orlando
We made it to Orlando that evening, where we stayed overnight and then left in the late morning for home.
We enjoyed a fun view of lit-up Ferris wheels and other rides out our hotel window, but when it came down to it, we weren’t up for doing anything in Orlando other than a quick swim at our hotel.
We’ll definitely have to be back to Orlando some day.
Back Home
On our way home, had a couple stops- one was Buc-Ees, which Daniel and I love but our kids don’t like the crowds and could have done without this stop (what curmudgeons).
Overall- this was one of the best family trips we’ve taken, despite the short notice and relative lack of planning. Maybe it was BECAUSE of the lack of planning that gave us low expectations and therefore a more enjoyable time?
I don’t know, but regardless…I highly recommend visiting the Everglades and Southern Florida with kids!
