Tuesday, April 08, 2008

Still Not Insane

Okay. Okay. No need to panic. All is well. I am not in an institution (yet), though my pregnancy related restless leg syndrome may put me there sooner or later. Becca did nap. A GOOD nap. I have no idea how, though it may have had something to do with a morning outing to IKEA. Although, Andrea's comment about caffeine having the opposite effect on children was sure thought-provoking. Is that really true? Maybe I need to slip her a few caffeine mints before every nap. (I'm kidding. Don't report me.)

I'm in the midst of trying to plan a three day kid-free vacation to Florida (thank you to Jo Anne and Jim for offering to babysit) in late May. I don't know the first thing about Florida. Any suggestions? I prefer to be as far from any theme parks as possible. Something grown up and relaxing and beachy.....ahhhh...I can picture it now.....

14 comments:

The Quinn Report said...

We're actually going to Florida in two weeks and Andrew and I will be heading to Miami for some mommy-daddy time..ALONE!!!

I would recommend Jacksonville if you're traveling without a little one. They have beautiful beach front condos and hotels that are just gorgeous.

Yay, planning trips alone are so much fun! Good luck!

Jenn said...

My 3 favorite Florida destinations (away from theme parks) are:

1. Amelia Island (in northeast FL (near GA on the Atlantic Ocean) (http://www.ameliaisland.org/)- Amelia Island is very quaint with few tourists. The restaurants are fabulous! And, there is a lot of southern charm. Great beaches too!

2. Sanibel Island (near Fort Myers - on the Gulf Coast) (http://www.sanibelisland.com/). Sanibel Island is touristy in parts, but there are quiet parts of the island. The beaches are beautiful. It is a great vacation spot. (Little fact: Joel and Angela were engaged on Sanibel.)

3. Naples (south of Fort Myers)(http://www.naples-florida.com/).
Naples is a VERY ritzy destination with great beaches. A lot of celebs have homes there. The shopping is fabulous (if you have lots of $!)

I'm looking forward to reading which destination you choose.

MaryB said...

Assuming that you are traveling with "the company"....I guess my first suggestions are out. They would be Seaside, Rosemary, SanDestin. I LOVE Rosemary! Other than that how about Sanibel Island?
OR, OR...How about Amelia Island?? A shortish drive from JAX.

I always prefer the white beaches of the Gulf Coast, but it sounds like you need some sun and sand anywhere you can find it!

Andrea_Ben said...

I second the gulf coast. Ben is from there and it is absolutely gorgeous. Sandibel is beautiful as are a few other little haunts down that way. We can give you someplaces to see/eat/bask in the sun if you are going that way. There is tons to do in Tampa and the communities south of there. His whole family is from Tampa/St Petersburg and south. I love the gulf coast.

Ben also lived on South Beach if you are headed to Miami. Maybe he can give you some tips. Email us.

If you are up for the Keys, they have military lodging on Key West you can utilize. We went right after we got married (pseudo honeymooon), rented scooters and scooted around the island for a few days.

Don Mills Diva said...

A kid-free vacation? Sounds dreamy!

justme said...

glad all is well after the cup of joe !!

FL without kids, i would do south beach OR amelia island or maybe key west ???? who cares, you could put me in a hojo right in town and i would be happy b/c it would be sans the kids !!

Unknown said...

How dare you leave your precious 2-year-old and have fun w/o her! Horrible. Ha ha. I'm planning on running away from my kids during our Germany trip next month (hopefully) by using my much missed hourly care at the Army post there and Italy next year w/my DH while grandparents watch them. A trip without a kid on my back...I'll feel naked...but free! Oh so freeee!

Liv drinks from DH's Mtn. Dew can before nap frequently. Sleeps like a baby. Maybe Andrea is right.

Jen said...

Oh, how fun. An honest-to-God vacation! I don't have much to offer as far as FL goes (mostly just visited theme parks and my gramma in Sarasota, a town which is pretty but full of old people), but it looks like others have you covered. Oh, but Miami is fun!

Sioux said...

I had fun on South Beach, but it was more party-party than relaxing. Go to the Keys.

joanna said...

What a turnaround your day took! A nap and a vacation to look forward to! I bet any Florida destination that's not inland would be fun for you guys. I'm too jealous to think clearly about it!

renee said...

We love,love,love the Keys. Rent a cute little convertable and drive from Fort Lauderdale alone and carefree.... The Keys are BEAUTIFUL and relaxing and you can do as much or as little as your heart desires. Did I mention the BEAUTIFUL part?

Joel and Angela said...

What part of Florida are you going too? I really don't know much about Florida except around where Joel grew up (Ft Myers). Whenever we would visit (haven't had much chance) we would always go there to see family. I have watched the travel channel on some exclusive beaches in FL that I had never heard of. Go now...before it gets too hot!

Smitty 1, 2 , 3 and 4 said...

if you go to easr south florida. i.e., ft lauderdale, miami (or the keys for that matter) i'll send you my step mom's digits. she works for the convention and visitors bureau and can maybe hook you up with some advise etc. just say the word. she is amazing and so helpful.

Anonymous said...

Any where without kids is fun every once in awhile.Even if it to a hotel on the other side of town. It was 2002 when Justine & I took off for Boston with no kids,I missed deer hunting that year but it was worth it.
You also have relatives that live around Florida