Hey Guys!

This post continues our time in Santa Rosa Beach, Fl.

Read Days 1 & 2 here and Click here to see links to all of my blog posts

Once again we woke up to rain so we spent our morning just relaxing at the condo.

At around noon, the rain had finally stopped so we packed up and headed back to Grayton Beach State Park to spend the day.

Read reviews for this park, here

Thankfully, the beach wasn’t very crowded….this is my kind of beach! 😉

Me & my daughter soaking up the sun

I am not a fan of swimming in the ocean but I do enjoy spending a couple of days on the beach.

I am more of a mountains kind of person.

Florida beaches, especially the Daytona Beach area, has a high rate of shark attacks.

However, the beaches in the Santa Rosa Beach area, have only seen a few but just a few is too many for me!

There were 3 shark attacks back to back in this area in 2024 and in 2021 a young adult was attacked by a shark in Grayton Beach State Park!

So, we enjoyed the beach from the shore! 😉

There was a lot of seaweed along the shoreline and in the water!

I sat and watched the ghost crabs going in and out of their underground homes.

After spending several hours at the beach, we headed back to our condo and decided to stay in for dinner.

Later that evening, we headed back to the beach to watch the sunset.

The sky was stunning…filled with soft shades of pink and blue.

We strolled along the shoreline letting the waves roll over our feet.

The moon had risen on one side while the sun was setting on the other.

I felt like we were too far away to get a good picture of the sun setting…

Not to mention, the sun was obscured by the clouds.

Later, we called it a night.

The next morning, I enjoyed my coffee on the balcony.

I loved how quiet and peaceful this place was.

Read reviews here

Later that afternoon we decided to head to a nearby place called, Alys Beach. 

It was a 15 min drive from the condo.

On the way, we made a quick stop at Black Bear Bread Co to purchase a coffee.

It was so good!

Read reviews here

Alys Beach is a stunning, planned community just a short drive from Inlet Beach along scenic Hwy 30A.

It’s famous for its bright white, stucco buildings and Mediterranean inspired architecture.

As we neared Alys Beach, tall palm trees lined the road, swaying gently as if welcoming us in.

Once we found parking, we began exploring the beautiful area of Alys Beach.

You felt like you were walking through a town in either the Mediterranean or Southern California.

With stunning bright white facades and beautiful architecture, it exudes simple elegance and is the most unique of all the towns on 30A.

Alys Beach is a private community so you won’t find any hotels, you’ll have to look for a rental if you’d like to stay here.

There are over 11 green spaces and parks including a playground. All of which are meticulously manicured. The also have a 20 acre nature preserve with a boardwalk at the northern end of it’s property.

We walked up and down the courtyards checking out the incredible architecture!

You felt like you were walking around a small European village!

There landscaping here was just as beautiful as the houses!

Of course, we stopped several times to take pictures …how could you not in a place like this?!

The homes here were incredible!

I couldn’t believe this place was only 15 mins from our condo and I had never heard about it until my daughter told me about it!

After all of that exploring, we were ready for lunch.

We decided on place called, Fonville Press Cafe.

After walking inside, we spent a few minutes looking over the menu.

We both decided on the turkey bacon club with a side of tots.

We had to order at the bar and then they notified you when it was ready….so, while we waited, we went outside to find a table.

This place was so nice!

I loved the vibe….it was very casual and relaxed.

After a few minutes of waiting, our food arrived.

It was so good!

Read reviews here

After lunch, we continued our walk.

There is a small shopping center located here but be prepared to be sticker shocked!

After checking out the shops, we continued our walk.

Taking lots of pictures along the way!

We found so many hidden little areas to check out!

We stumbled upon this area that had a beautiful water feature.

It made the perfect spot for pictures! 😉

Continuing our walk

There were so many incredible water features, statues, green spaces, etc!

We stopped way too many times for pictures!

After spotting a place called, Raw & Juicy, we decided to stop in and check it out.

It was really nice on the inside

They offered organic coffee, smoothies, raw juices, organic teas, smoothie bowls, and more.

I decided to purchase one their juices and my daughter ordered a coffee.

After ordering, we sat outside and enjoyed our drinks.

Read reviews here

After finishing our drinks, we headed to another nearby place called, WaterSound...it was only a 5 min drive from Alys Beach.

It was cool too but very different from Alys Beach…..it was also super crowded so we drove through and headed back to our condo.

On the way back, my daughter wanted to stop at Free People and do a little shopping.

After a few minutes of shopping, we headed to a restaurant called, Steamboat Grill to have dinner.

We were seated at a table outside where we took a few minutes to look over the menu.

We ordered the fried crab balls as an appetizer and the fish and chips as our main course.

The food was not good….it had so much batter on it that I barely even ate half of it!

Read reviews here

Later that evening, we headed to the beach to watch the sunset.

This is one of my favorite things to do when at the beach.

Since this was our last night here, we didn’t want to miss it.

And not to mention, my daughter wanted us to take some pictures on the beach. 😉

While I’m not a fan of being in front of the camera, my daughter happily takes center stage. 😉

The sky was so beautiful!

This sunset was definitely the best we had seen so far!

After taking our pictures, we headed to a place my daughter had wanted to go for ice cream called, Blue Mountain Beach Creamery.

After driving 20 mins to get to this place, we turned around and headed back to our condo after seeing that the line was a mile long!!

The ice cream must be really good!

Read reviews here

On the way back to our condo, we spotted a small place called, Hokulia Shave Ice …they had ice cream too so we decided to stop.

It was a 2 min drive from our condo!

This place was busy too but nothing like Blue Mountain!

They had so many choices …it was hard to choose! I settled on the cookies and cream ice cream and it was very good!

Read reviews here

After our ice cream, we headed back to the condo and called it a night!

The next morning, we headed home.

Thanks for reading!

Stay tuned for our next adventure!

Read Days 1 & 2 here and Click here for links to all of my blog posts

 

 

 

 

Hey Guys!

My daughter decided she wanted a beach trip for her birthday so, she and I packed up and headed to our favorite beach town, Santa Rosa Beach, FL.

On the way, we made a quick stop at Buc-ees because she had never been before.

This mega gas station has everything….a bakery, hot sandwiches, jerky of all kinds, breakfast, home decor and snacks galore! They also have the cleanest bathrooms you will find at a gas station!

After driving for what seemed like forever, we finally made it to our VRBO property.  The condo is located in the Rollin’ Tide Villas in Santa Rosa Beach.

This is the third time we have rented a property here and I would highly recommend them…they are in a great location. Not to mention, they are clean, quiet and very affordable!

Click here to read about our last stay in Santa Rosa Beach

The property has two bedrooms, one full bath, a full size kitchen and a living room.

Each condo has has either a balcony or a patio that overlooks the private pool.

After getting settled in we headed out to the famous Hwy 30A to eat dinner at a place called, Pickle’s. 

It was only a 7 min drive from the condo.

We had eaten here the last time we visited and the food was really good.

See their menu here & read reviews here

We both ordered a burger since that’s what they are known for…I ordered the cheeseburger and my daughter ordered the fried pickle burger.

This time, we were not impressed…..the food came out in like literally 3 minutes so, we knew it wasn’t fresh. The fries were cold and the burger was very salty!

After dinner, we walked down to the beach…..we entered at the Coleman Pavilion near the Bud & Alley’s restaurant.

Click here for public beaches along Hwy 30A

The beaches in this part of Florida are gorgeous!

The sand is white as snow and the water is a beautiful emerald green!

I’ve been to Daytona Beach many times and the water and sand are both dirty looking….there’s just no comparison to the beaches in the Destin area!

Me and my daughter 🙂

We spent a few minutes strolling along the shoreline, letting the waves roll in at our feet.

Tip: At night, people will go to the beach to crab hunt

Later that evening, we headed  out for some ice cream….ice cream is a must when on vacation! 😉

We found a place called, Pecan Jack’s ….it was less than 5 mins from the condo.

The inside was so cute!

Besides ice cream, they also had pralines, brittle, chocolates and more!

They had an extensive ice cream menu.

I ordered the Elvis….which was chocolate ice cream with peanut butter, bananas and marshmallows.

I thought it was way too sweet and ended up throwing half of it away.

Read reviews here

Later, we called it a night!

The next day, we woke up to thunderstorms…..you just never know what you will get with Florida weather!

We spent the majority of the day at the condo.

When we first arrived to Santa Rosa, we went and picked up a few things at a nearby Publix so we had lunch at the condo.

Tip: The nearest Publix is only 8 mins from the condo.

After the rain finally stopped around 2 pm, we decided to head to Grayton Beach State Park to spend a couple of hours on the beach.

Tip: There is a small fee to enter this park

Besides the gorgeous stretch of beach located inside the park, you can also hike unique trails through the dunes, see rare coastal dune lakes, kayak, fish, picnic, and more! It’s a great place to spend your day!

Click here for 20 things to do while in Santa Rosa Beach

Relaxing on the beach

We spotted this plane flying over the ocean

The one thing I love about this beach, it never felt very crowded! I am not a fan of crowds.

After our beach time, we decided to order dinner from a restaurant that we had eaten at before called, Angelina’s Pizzeria & Pasta.

We decided to order online and go pick it up since we didn’t feel like getting dressed to go out.

The restaurant is located 1 min (or a 5 min walk) from the condo.

I ordered the chicken pesto pasta and my daughter ordered the lobster ravioli.

The food was pretty good.

Read reviews here

After dinner, we headed to a nearby coffee shop called, Turbo Coffee.

This place was beside the Pecan Jack’s ice cream shop that we had visited the night before….so, it was very close to our condo.

The inside of the coffee shop

I ordered the honey nut latte and my daughter ordered the cinnamon toast latte.

The coffees were delicious!!

Read reviews here

Later that evening, we decided to walk to the beach to watch the sunset.

The beach access was about a 5 min walk from our condo.

Click here to read about the best places to watch the sunset

Once we waked outside, we knew it was going to be a beautiful sunset….just look at this sky!

Unfortunately, once we made it to beach, the sun was mostly already set and obscured by the clouds.

But, it was still beautiful nonetheless!

I mean, is there ever a bad sunset when you’re at the beach? 😉

Later, we called it night!

Stay tuned for Days 3 & 4!

Click here to see links to all of my blog posts

 

 

Hey Guys!

In July, I surprised my hubby with a weekend stay at the Opryland Hotel in Nashville for his birthday.

Since we couldn’t check in until 4 pm on Saturday, I had purchased tickets for the General Jackson Showboat.

After getting parked at the Opry Mills shopping mall, we walked over to get in line for the boat.

There are several informational signs along the railing that tell you about the history of the Cumberland River, Nashville, the General Jackson and more.

After a few minutes of waiting, we boarded the General Jackson.

We found a couple of seats towards the front of the boat.

At approximately 12:00 pm, we were called inside the dining room to find our assigned seats….we had to sit at a table with several other people and I was not a fan of that.

The boat ride included a buffet lunch and musical entertainment.

After getting seated in the dining room, you had to wait until your table number was called before going up and making your plate.

The buffet consisted of pulled pork BBQ, chicken, baked beans, potato salad, mixed veggies, macaroni & cheese, salad, rolls and a dessert.

The food was a lot better than I thought it would be.

After lunch, my hubby & I headed back outside to enjoy the views.

The majority of the others stayed inside to listen to the music so it felt like a private boat tour!

The boat headed towards downtown Nashville. 

Arriving to the Nashville skyline

We passed under several bridges along the way.

They were filming for the show, 911 Nashville on this bridge when we were there.

Going under the bridge

After passing under the bridge, we spotted the metal sculpture called, the Ghost Ballet.

It symbolizes the industrial history of Nashville.

It sits near the Nissan Stadium ...Nashville’s premier sports and entertainment destination.

A shot of the “batman” building…..which is the AT&T building that was nicknamed the “Batman Building“ for its distinctive twin spires and sloped facade that resemble the superhero’s cowl.

After reaching downtown Nashville, the boat turned around and headed back.

Of course, we snapped a few pictures along the way. 😉

On the way back, a group of jet ski riders followed our boat, keeping us entertained with their incredible stunts and daring maneuvers!

They were doing all kinds of crazy spins and jumps!

We also spotted a boat in the water called, the Pontoon Saloon. 

The Pontoon Saloon offers all kinds of different cruises.

Read reviews here

The General Jackson is one of Nashville’s most legendary attractions …it was built to echo the elegant showboats of America’s past.

At nearly 300 feet long with four decks and a towering paddlewheel, the General Jackson is one of the largest showboats in the world and a living tribute to the region’s river history.

After about an 1.5 hr ride, we were back at the boat dock.

Read reviews here

A couple of shots of the boat

After the boat ride, we headed to the Opryland Hotel.

The drive is only 5 mins from the Opry Mills shopping center.

Once we arrived, we asked if we could go ahead and check in even though it was an hour before our check in time….thankfully, our room was ready and they let us check in.

Tip: Even if your room isn’t ready, they will hold your luggage and you can walk around the hotel, have lunch, shop etc until it’s time to check in….lots to keep you busy at this hotel!

After getting checked in, we headed to our room.

I love this place….it’s so beautiful!

We stayed here for our anniversary in Dec. 2023….you can read about that stay, here.

Pictures of our room

Once again, I booked a room that had a balcony overlooking the atrium.

We had views of the Delta atrium from our balcony.

The Delta atrium is a massive, 4.5 acre indoor garden featuring a 1/4 mile long river with flatboat tours, tropical plants, waterfalls, shops, restaurants, and a skywalk.

We could sit on our balcony and watch the Delta riverboat float by…

After getting settled into our room, we headed out to walk around the hotel.

The hotel is massive….it’s a resort and a convention center that sits under nine acres of climate controlled tropical gardens, waterfalls, rivers and walking paths, all under a soaring glass atrium.

There is so much to do here ….from shopping, restaurants (like 10 different ones), a spa, an indoor/outdoor pool, the gardens, arcades, fitness center, fountain shows, and lots of different activities throughout the year…..especially during Christmas!

There are 3 plant filled atriums in the hotel….so, bring your walking shoes!

Tip: You can download the hotel’s app to help guide you around the hotel

We passed the Cinnabon bakery and it took everything I had not to purchase a cinnamon roll….we love cinnamon rolls! 😉

The hotel has stores where you can purchase snacks & drinks, an ice cream shop, a Starbucks, and much more!

We walked over to check out the Old Hickory restaurant where I had made dinner reservations for my hubby’s birthday for later that night.

The restaurant sits under the glass dome atrium and looks like an old plantation home.

Continuing our walk around the hotel

The hotel is filled with tropical plants, stone bridges and koi ponds.

Waterfalls, fountains, and lots of hidden spots just begging for photos. 😉

It’s truly a micro-world of greenery and architecture.

You don’t have to stay here to enjoy this hotel….you can visit anytime of the year and take advantage of the shopping, shows, restaurants and more.

After walking around for a while, we headed back to the room to get ready for our dinner reservatioins.

Tip: Be sure to book your dinner reservations well in advance or you may have to wait a while to be seated.

Once we were ready for dinner, we took a few pictures on the balcony.

Then we headed to the Old Hickory Steakhouse…

After arriving, we were seated right away…

We took a few minutes to look over the menu.

We started with a loaf of the sourdough bread and honey butter.

It was delicious!

We then ordered a salad

Tip: Everything you order is a la carte.

For our main course, we both ordered a steak with mac & cheese & potatoes.

We only ordered one side of the Mac & cheese and one side of the potatoes to share because our waiter had told us the sides were enough to feed 2-3 people and he was right!

My hubby was excited about his steak 😉

After dinner, the birthday boy got to pick a free dessert off of the dessert menu.

So, he decided on the chocolate truffle cake that was served with a side of vanilla gelato.

I think he was more excited about the cake than the steak…lol!

After dinner, we decided to walk off some of those calories!

This area is located in the Cascades atrium

There’s the Delta, Cascades and the Magnolia atriums…each have their own unique water features, plants, fountains etc.

We stopped for a quick photo at this beautiful pavilion.

There are lots of waterfalls and fountains along the plant filled paths.

After walking off about 50 calories, we headed back to our room to relax on the balcony.

Later, we watched the light show from our room.

Tip: Each night in the Delta atrium, they have a free, nightly spectacle of dancing water set to music and lights….there are multiple showtimes.

After sitting on the balcony for what seemed like hours, we finally called it a night!

The next morning, we enjoyed our coffee on the balcony.

Later, we got ready and headed down for breakfast at the Cascades Cafe. 

Our stay included a free breakfast so we were definitely going to take advantage of that!

After arriving to the cafe, we were put on a wait list where we waited about 20 mins for a table.

Once we were seated, we ordered our coffee and then headed up to the buffet to make our plates.

We couldn’t believe the variety of food they offered!

You can have pancakes made to order, waffles, omelets and more.

Or you could choose the already fresh made eggs, bacon, sausage, biscuits, potatoes, gravy, grits, fruit, pastries, bagels, toast, oatmeal, and so much more!!

We filled up our plates and headed back to our table.

The food was delicious!

Tip: If you have to pay for this breakfast, it will cost you $40 pp!!

After breakfast, we headed back to our room to pack up and check out.

I highly recommend this hotel and we have now stayed here 3 times in the last 2 years!

Read reviews here

Thanks for reading!

Stay tuned for our next adventure!

Click here to find links to all of my blog posts