KATIE KENNEDY

Florida Weekend Destinations

Florida Weekend Destinations

Florida, weekend trips, sunshine state, travel

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With back to school and fall fashion starting to take the forefront, it seems like summer is starting to wind down. Meanwhile, I’m still trying to hold onto my favorite season for dear life. That means keeping my closet cheerful and daydreaming of last minute weekend trips to some of my favorite Florida destinations. If you’re a fellow Floridian, and itching for some change of scenery, here are my favorite ideas for quick (even last-minute) weekend trips in the Sunshine State.

St. Petersburg

Well of course I have to start with my very own city as an option! If you haven’t visited St. Pete recently, my how it has grown! One of the reasons I love living here is because it’s turning into such an art and culture hub. We have so many art museums, music venues, a cherished brewery scene, and quick access to Gulf beaches. Our newest attraction, the Pier, has helped revitalize our Tampa Bay waterfront. Stay at the Vinoy Hotel, right in the heart of downtown, for a quintessential St. Pete experience.

Boca Grande

David and I had the opportunity to visit Boca Grande at the beginning of the summer. It’s easy to say that it instantly became a family favorite. Just a quick drive away, you’re transported to Florida, how it was meant to be. The rush is gone and spending all day on the water is a way of life. While they don’t open again for the season until October, the Gasparilla Inn is the place to stay. Access to their private beach club, and front row view of turquoise waters, is worth the trip alone!

Florida, weekend trips, sunshine state, travel
Miami

Can you believe I’m a lifelong Floridian, but my first visit to Miami wasn’t until March of this year! That being said, I can’t wait to go back and take David along for the ride. There’s so much to love about Miami and South Beach, it requires multiple weekend trips to truly see it all. City-musts include wondering the Art Deco District, visit the Wynwood Walls, and stuffing yourself with delicious Cuban food. For a place to hang your head, I had a chance to visit the Savoy and their staff was absolutely wonderful!

Islamorada

One of my best friends recently visited this Florida key with her family and I think it may be my next place to visit. Again, I lived here all my life, but have yet to see the Keys for myself. That needs to be fixed right away! Of course, we have to monitor potential tropical storms and hurricanes very closely. So, booking a stay at one of their hotels, probably the Checca Lodge, will be last minute. This will be all in the name for Key Lime Pie!

Florida, weekend trips, sunshine state, travel
St. Augustine

Our state’s (and country’s) oldest city needs to make the list! St. Augustine is an absolute must visit for any Floridian. Of course, you have the huge historic element: Ponce de Leon, the Civil Rights Moment, and Henry Flagler. This town also has an amazing food culture to go along with it! One of my favorite restaurants, aptly named The Floridian, can be found here. Visit the fort, spend an afternoon on the beach, and get to know this little slice of Florida.

Apalachicola

This small town in Florida’s panhandle was a frequent day trip for me during my college days at FSU. It’s definitely a trek to get to, but an extremely picturesque one along the Emerald Coast. Since my last visit, Apalachicola has really started to get a second wind. Despite being hit by a Category 4 hurricane in 2019, it continues to rebound with new restaurants, boutiques, and the historic Gibson Inn. I was really hoping to get here at some point this summer, I’ll have to raincheck, perhaps during the fall.

Tallahassee

Why not take the time to get to know the Sunshine State’s capital city? I spent four great years living in Tallahassee, getting to know the town away from the college campus. Since FSU’s football games seem very unlikely this year, at least to the scale, it would be the perfect opportunity to see what else it has to offer. Because it’s farther from the coast, you can appreciate different outdoor pursuits, like the many hiking and biking trails. Work up an appetite and eat at some of my favorite college haunts. Gordo’s, Jim and Melts, or Cabo’s are just to name a few name a few.

Palm Beach

Maybe I’m saving the best for last, but there is something truly magical about Palm Beach. It’s so opulent, but somehow feels welcoming and familiar. It’s a city that helped put Florida on the map as a star tourist destination. I personally love Palm Beach for it’s antique shopping and picturesque alleyways. While visiting on my bachelorette weekend, we stayed at The Colony Hotel and it was the perfect home base for our visit.

Florida, weekend trips, sunshine state, travel

From coast to coast, Florida just has so much to offer. Instead of hopping on a plane and jetting to some far distant location, stay close to home and learn to love even more of the Sunshine State.

Love from Florida,
Katie

Thanks for stopping by! To keep up with all things about the Sunshine State, be sure to visit my exclusive Florida page, here.

Prepping for a Hurricane

Prepping for a Hurricane

Prepping, Hurricane, Florida, Tropical Storm, J. Crew

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We in the middle of hurricane season and, as my friends in the northeast recently found out, even a tropical storm can wreak havoc. August and September are the months where even the most seasoned Floridian holds their breath, as the worst storms of the season begin to form. Studies show that the 2020 hurricane season may be the worst yet, because of course it would be, and I wanted to give you some sound advice to consider as we’re prepping for a hurricane

Prepare Early and Stay Prepared

Make or restock a hurricane box. It’s just something that you need to have. When Irma came through in 2017, our St. Pete apartment was without power for over a week. Luckily, we were able to bunker down with my parents and they happen to have a generator. Because of that, I saw how mission critical it is to have a healthy stock of non-perishable food items. Peanut butter and crackers are the top of that list, for dire cases, but you should also think soup or canned fruit. No hurricane box is complete without backup batteries, water, and your favorite candy. If you have pets, don’t forget to include them in your count, especially for water.

Follow the Storm from an Accurate Source

I hate to say it, but sometimes national news channels seem to make things worse than they are and panic ensues. All storms, no matter the size, should be taken seriously, but listening to your local news station could give better insight. As far as websites, I always turn to the National Hurricane Center first for up-to-date information. As silly as the name sounds, I also look at Spaghetti Models because it gives you a complete look at the storm from several different sources.

Prepping, Hurricane, Florida, Tropical Storm, J. Crew
Create an Evacuation Plan

This should be discussed at the beginning of every hurricane season, but better late than never! Depending on the path of the storm, do you have a place to bunker down? If not, think about where you’re going, when you’ll get there, and what path you’ll take. Last time, David and I opted to take both of our cars to my parents and then meant caravanning, taking the roads a little less traveled.

Know How to Protect Your Home

If you make the very difficult decision to leave your home, you want to ready it the best you can. It goes without saying to bring your most precious belongs with you, but not everything can fit in your car. Pick the safest place in your home, one with no or minimal windows, and barricade. Any potential projectiles in your yard need to be brought inside and windows should be boarded up. Try and get the boarding materials at the start of the season, or invest in reusable fixtures.

Prepping, Hurricane, Florida, Tropical Storm, J. Crew

I’ll say it again, whether it’s a Tropical Storm or Cat 5, all storms needed monitored and taken seriously. Prepare early and you’ll be lightyears ahead of getting ready for hurricane season. On one more note, don’t forget to check in with and help your neighbors. It’s important to remember that we’re all in this together!

Love from Florida,
Katie

Thanks for stopping by! To keep up with all things about the Sunshine State, be sure to visit my exclusive Florida page, here.

Shuffleboard: The St. Pete Pastime

Shuffleboard: The St. Pete Pastime

St. Pete, Florida, shuffleboard, club, J. Crew, gingham

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St. Pete’s is certainly full of its sports fans, I’m one of them, but there is one in particular that has definitely made it’s mark on our city’s history. Don’t laugh, but shuffleboard is the game to play. Normally associated with retirement homes and cruise ships, it’s come back with a breath of fresh air. Since so many of us are looking for a new excuse to get outside, let me introduce to the pastime that put my town on the map.

St. Pete, Florida, shuffleboard, club, J. Crew, gingham
What’s the History?

Sometimes called 52 feet of history, the game started at least 500 years ago. Honestly, the exact origins are still a mystery. We know that King Henry VII liked to play, but that doesn’t mean England can claim it. It’s such a simple premise, I can almost envision this game being played during the time of Cleopatra or Julius Caesar. Now a days, it’s become extremely popular in retirement homes and even makes some appearances at bars in the miniature version.

What are the Rules?

Like I said, this game is pretty simple. You and your partner stand on opposite ends of the court, with another team. At each end, there is a segmented triangle with each section representing different points. From top to bottoms: 10, 8, 7, and negative 10 (called the kitchen). You and the opposite team use a cue stick (called tang) and four discs each (called biscuits) to either score points or play defensive. If the biscuit touches the line, sorry no points! After eight rounds, the team with the most points wins. Depending on the venue or club, there are some different quirks or interpretations on the rules. So, if you’re playing for the first time, it doesn’t hurt to ask!

St. Pete, Florida, shuffleboard, club, J. Crew, gingham
Why Saint Pete?

That’s a fair question. Shuffleboard came to the Sunshine City nearly a century ago, in 1923, as a leisurely activity during the Florida population boom. If you’re a history enthusiast, I highly recommend reading Bubble in the Sun, one of my favorite summer reads. Anyway, as the popularity of the sport grew, a need for a formal court presented itself. It made its home at Mirror Lake and the world’ largest shuffleboard club was born. In 1979, the International Shuffleboard Association was founded here to help the sport become more popular in the USA. Funny enough, shuffleboarders come from around the world to play here.

How do I join?

As far as I can tell, there isn’t a shuffleboard club database, but a simple Google search should go along way. In St. Pete, you can join the league and play in weekly tournaments or just the fun of it. David and I are a part of a league and I don’t want to brag, but I’m pretty good. We even have our own set of tangs. Maybe someday, I can go pro! While we lived in NYC, we joined the league at Royal Palms in Brooklyn (also in Chicago). It took us an hour to get there by subway, but it was such a fun release and felt like a little slice of Florida in the Big Apple. The aesthetic was definitely vintage St. Pete inspired!

St. Pete, Florida, shuffleboard, club, J. Crew, gingham

Shuffleboard… It’s not for retirees anymore. I used to get strange looks when I told people I was in a league, but it’s a great stress reliever. It’s extremely casual, relaxed, but most of all fun! Be part of this St. Pete tradition and join the club today!

Love from Florida,
Katie

Thanks for stopping by! To keep up with all things about the Sunshine State, be sure to visit my exclusive Florida page, here.