Talley Your Adventure – The Blog

Florida, as my birth state, is near and dear to my heart but I will selfishly admit that most of my life experiences have been through Central Florida. I was born in Orlando and went to college at the University of South Florida in Tampa. I got married in Cocoa Beach. Central Florida is just part of my normal life! Florida is full of complexities, oddities, and characters but nothing defines Florida more than Disney World! Growing up we always had year passes and now that we live in Florida again, we will be sure to get all the Florida resident discounts that we are able while also trying to pass these discounts off to our clients! There is so much more to Florida than Disney, however, and I’m happy to explain some of those places here in this blog!

Lake Eola is in downtown Orlando and is worth a stroll along the walkway that stretches around the entire lake. There are restaurants and shopping available, but the best is watching the swans swim effortlessly across the lake while sitting in the shade. The surrounding downtown Orlando area always seems to be changing and is constantly busy with events. One of my favorites is the Walt Disney Amphitheater (we locals call it the Bandshell), a huge venue that allows excellent amplification for concerts, demonstrations, and parties take place right next to the lake. Another recommendation is to go just outside Orlando, to the smaller city of Winter Park. The downtown area is quaint, with cobblestone streets and themed music coming from joyously decorated restaurants and shopping areas as you walk along the sidewalk. I love joining my girlfriends for dinner and drinks in the ritzy restaurants. And if strolling, walking, or leisurely living isn’t your think while visiting Orlando – try watching an Orlando Magic (basketball) game at the Kia Center or the Orlando City Soccer Club. Orlando is rich with Hispanic/Latina/Latino vibes so look out for festivals and restaurants leaning more this direction. It is one of the things I love about this amazing city – the flair, the festivity, the attitude.

We cannot talk about Florida without taking a moment to talk about the many natural springs that are within the state. With the highest point around 300ft, Florida has lots of access to water in and around the state! One of my favorite things to do is visit a natural spring – such as Blue Springs State Park! Not only can you see these adorable swimming cows in their natural environment during the winter months (Nov – March) , but you can rent a boat that will safely take you through the area. The Springs stay a constant 72 degrees year-round, so it is also a nice place to visit during the summer months when it is hot and humid all around the state. Take some time when you visit Florida and make sure to get out into the wilderness!

Speaking of Latin flare, lets switch over to the other coast and talk more about Tampa! Home to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the University of South Florida, Tampa has a much faster pace than Orlando, I have to admit! Heading right next door to St. Petersburg, you can visit both the Salvador Dali Museum and the Florida Holocaust Museum. The cultural tour can continue in Ybor, where you can learn to roll your own cigars while enjoying an amazing Cuban meal at the El Reloj Cigar Factory.

The beaches on the west coast are going to be still and less active because it is part of the Gulf as opposed to the Atlantic Ocean. If you want to surf, go to Cocoa Beach! If you want to relax in the water without too much fear of being pummeled by waves, head to beaches like Clearwater. This is also the best place to look for Sand Dollars! Remember that they are living creatures, so put them back in the ocean after admiring them. Tampa and St. Pete beaches are known for their drifting sand bars during certain tides, so don’t be too afraid to venture out a bit and see if you can still touch the bottom!

Heading back over to the other side of the state, Cocoa Beach is completely different. It will not have the Sand Dollars as much as they have Sting Rays, so make sure to do the ‘Sting Ray Shuffle”! This is simple where you shuffle your feet in the sand instead of picking them up and putting them back in the water to step. Shuffling allows you to feel the side fin of a ray, who will scurry along the bottom out of the way. If you come in from the top, you might get stung! Make sure on any beach that you pay attention to the warnings, if there are any, and the lifeguards. They are there to help you, but they also don’t want you to get yourself in a situation of danger. If there is a riptide or a strong current and they ask you to leave the ocean – don’t argue that you are a world class swimmer. They will have to be the ones to rescue you when you are proven wrong, and no one wants the psychological damage of having to tell that I told you so to a dead body. That might be harsh but come on! Be respectful of the safety that is provided for you and we all will have fun on the beach!

Cocoa Beach is home to a world-wide surf annual surf competition and the atmosphere in the area definitely reflects it! The Cocoa Beach Surf Company and Ron Jon’s Surf Shop all call Cocoa Beach their original home and have since branched out too many other beaches along the Florida coast.

Beaches all around the Florida coast are heavily visited year-round but there are many different beaches to visit, so there are chances you will find a less populated beach than another close by. For instance, everyone knows about Daytona Beach. I don’t personally like it too much, mostly because they allow driving on the sand. I like Cocoa Beach, which is less visited but you cannot drive right up to your spot in the sand. I like that sacrifice because it is less busy but I need to lug my stuff further and walk over hot sand. If you want any advice about which beach to visit based on your preferences, make sure to give Talley Your Adventure a call and we will help you out!

There are other amazing places to visit in Florida besides Central Florida, and I will be sure to write another blog about North and South Florida this year as we continue to celebrate America’s 250th Anniversary! Florida was not part of the original 13 colonies, but they still hold the title of the site for the countries oldest fort in St. Augustine and some of the best beaches and tourist destinations in the world. Keep here to read more about the states in our awesome country as we continue through the year!