If your looking for a tucked away spot to spend your Florida vacation, maybe you should consider Pass-a-grille. Located on the Gulf side of the state, an island just off St. Pete, you will find a one block wide and a few miles long stretch of pure Florida heaven. Nestled between long, white sandy Gulf beaches on one side and the Boca Ciega Bay on the other, it is probably one of the prettiest spots in the area.
Not all Florida beaches are created equal. Some have great surf, some are beautiful but are difficult to access…but there is one spot on the central gulf coast that has been a favorite of mine for as long as I can remember. That is Whitney Beach on Longboat Key. The sand is white and soft, the water is gorgeous, and there is hardly ever anyone there.
While Bradenton, Florida might not be the most sought after destination…it does have it’s hidden jewels. The beaches are beautiful (and there is actually parking), the people are friendly, and now to add another to that list…you can find some great live music here. Downtown consists of about 5 or 6 bars, all of which are decent, but on Sunday and Tuesday evenings, something special happens and the sounds of blues and swing come out of Corks cigar bar. You almost can’t help but be drawn in…
When visiting cities I always like to go somewhere with a nice view if possible. The view from the Alter Peter Church in the city center offers some of the best views in Munich. I hesitated to put this on my blog for a long time because I thought, this isn’t really a hidden travel treasure. Certainly everyone who comes here knows about it and goes to the top. But after talking with some friends who had lived in the city for some time, I realized that it might not be as well known as I thought. So I thought I certainly must mention it, as it is one of my favorite things to do in the city.
It’s a pretty far climb to the top and the staircases are very narrow at certain points…but the view, the view is worth it. On a clear day (as in the photo above) you can see the alps in the background. It’s quite beautiful, this country, and for only 2 Euros you can see it for yourself. Definitely something worth checking out if your here in Munich…not to mention a great way to burn off some of the beer and schweinebraten you probably have consumed while visiting the city. ;)
There are numerous beautiful lakes around Munich. Starnbergersee is lovely, but often full of people and quite difficult to find a nice spot to stay for the day. This can of course be the case with any of the lakes on a gorgeous, sunny day…but I did find that one lake seemed to be quite a lot less crowded than the others, Walchensee.
I must start off this post by telling you I know nothing about hiking. Nothing. Which is actually quite sad being that I live 45 minutes away from the Alps. Maybe because I am from flat Florida, I was always a bit intimidated by the thought. Which, I now realize, was very silly of me. After some awesome friends of ours took us on our first hiking trip in Washington at Rattlesnake Ridge…I can now without a doubt say, I will be doing this wayyyy more often!
First off, I must apologize for not posting all that much recently. I’ve not been out and about quite as much due to my German classes which have consumed most of my time in the last month. I hope as spring settles into Munich and I have a bit more free time, I will be able to hunt down some more hidden travel treasures!
With that being said, I do have one little thing to suggest if you are visiting Munich (or live here) and would like a great…scratch that…AMAZING Italian meal. Please do yourself a favor and go to Il Mulino. It is located in the Maxvorstadt area of Munich and is probably the best Italian food I’ve ever had. (Although Ville Dante is still one of my favorites in town)
If you are going to Costa Rica and are looking for somewhere a little extra special to stay, I can highly recommend Hotel Makanda by the Sea. We stayed here for our visit during Christmas and could not have been happier. It was absolutely perfect. From the tropical setting to the spacious rooms, they really don’t leave out one detail!
(Photo above: view from our room)
Last year I wrote a post on one of my favorite places to go in Bavaria, the Partnachklamm in Garmisch-Partenkirchen. While it is definitely very beautiful in summer, I might be so inclined to say, it was even more beautiful in winter. I suppose it was because it is really unlike anything I had ever seen before. Anywhere the water flows in the summer has now turned to ice, creating stunning natural ice sculptures all over. It is truly magnificant.
While camping Florida may not be quite as awesome as camping in Austria, there are still some great places to go. On our last visit to the sunshine state, we went camping with some friends at the Edward Medard Park and Reserve and had a great experience. Despite the fact that Florida doesn’t have crystal clear lakes or mountains, we still have a lot of wildlife and stunning landscapes for a very enjoyable camping experience.
