A Weekend Getaway - The Florida Recap

Day 1:

The first day started at 6AM when we started the drive to Jacksonville, FL. After a few stops and lots of time on highways we made it to our hotel.

Our first activity of the trip was mini-golf. During the 18-hole course I managed to hit the golf ball into the bush, which meant I had to do a walk of shame to ask for a new one. I did make a comeback from being down but not in time. I ended the game losing to Tyler with a score of 45 to 52. After mini-golf we made our way to dinner. The first night dinner was Landshark, attached to the Margaritaville hotel. Both of us got teriyaki steak tacos with chips and salsa. Dinner was made even better with a view of the ocean from the balcony.

After we had our dinner we made our way to an ice cream place. The ice cream was made in house and Tyler and I both got the "beatles" ice cream. It was made with vanilla butter ice cream, homemade oreos, cookie dough, and chocolate chunks. To end off a great day one we made our way to the pier. We watched the fisherman catch small sharks, people surfing the waves, people dancing with silent headphones, and the sunset.

Day 2:

The second day started with an early wakeup to get ready. After we got ready we stopped at Dunkin' and then headed to the Jacksonville Zoo. I underestimated how much fun I had at the zoo and would recommend it to anyone who visits the Jacksonville area. Once we entered the zoo, we went around a loop housing zebras, bongos, lions, birds and more. While lions can sleep up to 20 hours per day, the male was awake as we approached. He wanted the female to wake up and play with him but she was not having it. She pawed and growled before getting up and moving away from him before going back to sleep.

We saw turtles and reptiles before heading over to Tyler's favorite animal. THE GIRAFFES! With the tickets we got, we were able to give the giraffes food, but we decided to wait and do that on our way back. After the giraffes we went to one of the exhibits I was most excited about. THE PENGUINS! The feeding schedule said the penguins would be fed around 11, so at 10:30 we headed towards their exhibit. After watching them swim around, we got to see them get hand fed by the zoo keepers. One of the cutest things I have ever seen. Another perk with our tickets was an ice age exhibit featuring 3D recreations of prehistoric animals. Once we made our way past jaguars, more birds, otters, and reptiles, we made our way back towards the giraffes. Before the trip, I didn't know that Tyler's favorite animal was giraffe's, so I loved seeing how excited he got. After standing in line for about 5 minutes, WE GOT TO FEED GIRAFFES! Once we fed the giraffes, we went to see the stingrays one more time before heading back to the hotel to get ready for our evening at Amelia Island.

Once we got ready we headed over for a fun dinner on Fernandina Beach. Tyler got chicken tenders and I got the fried shrimp. After we got the best skillet cookie I had ever had, complete with vanilla ice cream and caramel drizzle.

Our last activity before going back to the hotel for the night was a sunset cruise in Amelia Island. Parking was crazy and took us about 30 minutes but once we got to the cruise we were smooth sailing, literally. On our cruise we saw horses on Cumberland Island, Fort Clinch, and a beautiful sunset. After our cruise we headed back to the hotel to rest and rejuvenate before day 3.

Day 3:

Our last day started with a ride to St. Augustine where we boarded the Ripley's Believe it Or Not Red Trolley tour. Our tour guide, Benjy, took us around the historical city and showed us all of the old landmarks. We saw beautiful churches, forts, hotels, and had some recommendations given for some food and treats. After the trolley, we walked around the Ripley's building, seeing 3 floors of interesting pictures, sculptures, and hands on activities.

After we walked through the halls of Ripley's Believe it or Not we walked to lunch, where we both got Philly cheesesteaks. After lunch, we walked around St. George street for about an hour and a half. I got fudge and honey in two of the small shops. Once we finished shopping we headed over to the marina for our historic cruise around St. Augustine. We saw a beautiful lighthouse and some gorgeous beaches. That was our last activity of the trip so once it finished we went to the car. After that we stopped for frozen lemonade before heading to pack up the hotel. We finished the night with a great meal at Texas Roadhouse.

Day 4:

The 4th day consisted of our drive home. The drive went pretty well, and we didn't hit much traffic. We left early in the morning and got home around 2:15.

The Highlights:

• Catching the sunset on the pier in Jacksonville!

• Seeing the giraffes at the zoo!

• The sunset cruise in Amelia Island!

• The trolley tour in St. Augustine!