• Harry Potter World - Orlando
• Cheeseburger Baby - Miami
• Stone crab - Miami

TRULUCK'S777 Brickell Ave (at 8th Street)

• Key Lime Pie - Key West

BLUE HEAVEN729 Thomas St (at Petronia St)

• Prime 112 - Miami

In a city known for its glitz and glamour, Prime 112 is a sparkling fixture in Miami's posh South of Fifth neighborhood. The steakhouse echoes its luxe environs with wood floors, exposed-brick columns and champagne leather-upholstered chairs. On those sultry Miami nights, you'll want to snag a seat on the sweeping outdoor terrace overlooking Ocean Drive Avenue, prime real estate for people-watching and celebrity sightings (the restaurant is notoriously popular among A-listers like Jennifer Lopez, Alex Rodriguez and Lebron James). The menu boasts classic prime steaks such as rib eyes, filet mignon and a porterhouse for two, as well as sought-after specialties such as wagyu, which is also featured in a classic tartare preparation, and Japanese A5 Kobe (go all out with the $230 rib eye). Steaks are a draw, but don't miss local seafood such as the blackened swordfish paired with papaya salsa, and (when they're in season) stone crab claws, steamed and served chilled with homemade Dijon mayonnaise. Stepped-up sides such as creamed corn with black truffles, truffle lobster mac and cheese, and Kobe beef and sausage stuffing round out the menu.

• Scuba dive - Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary

As a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Great Barrier Reef is not only the largest coral reef system in the world, but also the largest living organism; so great, in fact, that it can be viewed from space. Alas, time and money make this bucket list fave a once-in-a-lifetime trip for many scuba divers. If this is not the year, then consider the coral reef along the Florida Keys. It’s the only tropical reef system in the U.S. Atlantic, and the third largest reef in the world. Luckily, the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary protects more than 6,000 types of marine critters, plants and objects. Divers in the know favor Sombrero Reef, off of Marathon in the Middle Keys, for its array of coral, tropical fish, barracuda, stingrays and sea turtles. Another area highlight is Thunderbolt, an intentionally sunken ship from the WWII era. Three decades of corals and sponges cover its surface, attracting angelfish, amberjack, goliath grouper and more.

• Hanson’s Shoe Repair - Orlando

A cool speakeasy bar that you need a password to get into — we always end up taking out-of-town guests there.

• El Pub Restaurant - Miami

Here, we tucked into picadillo-stuffed empanadas, a strong start I wondered if we’d be able to beat.

• Yisell Bakery - Miami

Guayaba pastelitos, or guava pastries, from Yisell Bakery. While they weren’t something I’d have picked out for myself, I adored the smooth, flakey and flavorful dessert — discoveries like this are one of the reasons I love culinary tours that push me outside my comfort zone a bit.

• Ball and Chain - Miami

With a bandstand in the back shaped like a pineapple and the best mojitos in Miami served up in the bar up front, it’s like a dream come true for the modern millennial — though having first opened its doors in 1935, this bar and lounge holds decades and decades of history.

• Los Pinarenos Fruteria - Miami

Guarapo fruit juice from Los Pinarenos Fruteria. Made of fresh mango, sugarcane juice, and whatever else was fresh, it was tropical bliss in a sip.

• Old Havana Restaurant - Miami

Cubanos

• Azucar - Miami

Our final stop was, unsurprisingly, a sweet one –mantecado ice cream at Azucar, an ice cream shop that promised to combine abuelita’s secret recipes with fresh and local flavors and ingredients.

• Nancy's Bar - Miami
• Union Beer Store - Miami
• Latitudes - Key West
• Fort Zachary Taylor Beach - Key West

This state park is a bit tucked away, but well worth seeking out — it definitely disproved the oft-repeated rumor that there are no real beaches in Key West. This one was a beauty! You walk past a Civil War fort to reach the pebbly white beach, where there is loads of shade, a little cafe, and the clearest water we’d seen in Key West. There is a $2.50 entrance fee for all pedestrians which is super reasonable and I think keeps it from being overrun.

• The Gates Hotel - Key West
• Turtle Hospital - Marathon

I had long heard raves about The Turtle Hospital in Marathon, a popular stop breaking up road trips up and down the Keys. You will need to time your visit here to the ninety minute guided tours — they run every hour on the hour from 9am to 4pm — as there’s no strolling through unguided allowed.

• Do a conservation dive - Key Largo

https://www.coralrestoration.org/dive-programs

• Via Verdi Miami

For aperol spritzes

• Ft. Lauderdale

This warm, sunny city on Florida’s southeastern coast would be a perfect winter getaway with temperatures in the high 70s and so much to do. With beaches, boating canals, hotels, boutiques, art galleries, culture, and history, there’s something for everyone to enjoy. A stroll along the beachfront promenade would be a worthy introduction to the gorgeous coastline, while historic Las Olas Boulevard welcomes visitors to downtown Fort Lauderdale’s restaurants and shops. Newly opened includes dining venues, a full production brewery, culinary classes, art, and entertainment. The Broward Center for the Performing Arts offers a full schedule that covers opera, dance, popular music, and lectures. Boat trips along the Intracoastal Waterway are another way to see the Fort Lauderdale area. New luxury hotels blend with historic buildings, as an example the Stranahan House, a preserved 1900s home furnished with antiques, and Bonnet House Museums & Gardens, a 35-acre historic estate, open to the public. , a new 25-story luxury hotel from Marriott’s Tribute Portfolio, will feature the city’s highest skyline rooftop bar. The will host two events during the South Beach Wine & Food Festival to be held Feb. 20-24.

• Try a cuban sandwich
• La Centrale Food Hall (Miami)

Expect all things Italian at this gleaming 40,000-square-foot food hall. On the ground floor of La Centrale is Mercato, where you'll find everything from pressed panini stuffed with prosciutto, artichokes, arugula and curls of Parmesan to fresh cannoli overflowing with pistachio-studded cream. In the floors above, you'll find restaurants galore—seafood-focused Pesce, meat-centric Carne, vegetarian Stagionale, gelato emporium Venchi, and more—plus Italian wine bar Enoteca on the top floor.

• Aperitivo Bar at La Centrale — Miami

Italian food hall La Centrale opened last year in Miami’s Brickell neighborhood, serving up 40,000 square feet of restaurants, bars, caffès, markets and a wine shop. While there are four different bars to choose from, we’re partial to the Art Deco-inspired Aperitivo Bar, a space that perfectly fuses Miami vibes with Italian cocktails. While you can get your Aperol Spritz fix anytime, we suggest popping in for the daily aperitivo hour when cocktails — and snacks like spicy chicken wings — are all $5.

• Dali Museum - St. Petersburg

With a thought-provoking permanent collection of original objets d’art, prints, photos, sculpture, paintings and illustrations, the Dali Museum in St. Petersburg lends an immersive peek into the life of the eccentric artist and master of Surrealism.

• Nikki Beach - Miami
• Islamorada beer company - Islamorada
• The Florida Keys

In Key Largo, there’s the 200-room , which reopened this fall following a major rebrand and reno, and the all-inclusive 135-room , which finally made its debut in December. The property is tailor-made for couples, with coastal cottages starting at 900 square feet, complete with bicycles, Adirondack chairs, and enormous soaking tubs. Over in Marathon, the 24-acre is set to open in March 2019 with 199 rooms, all with ocean views. And there’s yet another new place to bunk in the American literary capital of Key West: the , a cluster of rooms in a historic home across from the main property. While you’re there, book a sightseeing excursion with the , which takes visitors to the former stomping grounds of Elizabeth Bishop and Ernest Hemingway, as well as local lit-scene favorites such as . The Florida Keys is always good for a surprise or two, and this is no exception: Swing by the shop on the right day and you may get rung up by none other than proprietor Judy Blume.

• Foxtail Coffee - Orlando

Orlando’s very own ethically-sourced coffee roastery doesn’t disappoint. With multiple locations throughout the city, you’ll never be far from caffeination. Coffee here isn’t the sugary stuff of classic chains, but more the simple style of European coffee houses. Its warm interior and local baked goods make this the go-to coffee spot for long conversation amid rustic, industrial digs.

• Buttermilk Bakery - Orlando

Have you ever had avocado toast worth hopping on a plane for? Well, if you’ve been to Buttermilk Bakery, you have. Crusty boules form the hearty base for lemony avocado mash in this brunch favorite. Also on the menu are luscious danishes, melt-in-your-mouth croissants, and soft cookies the size of your hand.

• Santiago's Bodega - Orlando

Recreate your study abroad in Barcelona by heading to Santiago’s Bodega. This colorful, artsy restaurant has Spanish classics like patatas bravas, as well as Florida-inspired local bites like Yellowfin Tuna Ceviche. Items come out with impeccable timing as you enjoy the night alfresco, watching Orlandoans stroll by the open-air patio.

• Domu - Orlando

Outside of Tokyo, ramen doesn’t get much better than this. Flavorful broths simmer all day and act as the foundation for Domu’s soups. Asian small plates also make the menu memorable. For an appetizer, order the crispy chicken wings and dare yourself to share. For a cocktail, order the smoked old-fashioned and watch the bartender infuse your drink with a smoking plank of wood.

• Market on South - Orlando

Vegans unite at this unassuming market space on South Street. Bring your barbecue jackfruit outdoors to enjoy beneath the shade of an ancient oak. Market on South is home to two vegan eateries, Dixie Dharma Cafe and Valhalla Bakery. The two unite to feed vegan cravings both sweet and savory. You’d be doing yourself a great injustice not to try the city’s best donuts (vegan or otherwise!).

• The Ravenous Pig - Orlando

The Ravenous Pig

An Orlando staple and the one of the major reasons Orlando has made it on the foodie map, the Ravenous Pig is a French-American gastropub with a menu revolving around fresh Florida ingredients. Try the shrimp tacos or the Pub Burger, a mouthwatering tower of short rib brisket, caramelized onion, and buttermilk blue cheese.

• The Sanctum - Orlando

Another haven for veggie lovers, the Sanctum pledges that there was no flavor sacrificed in the making of its menu. Try one of their hearty bowls available in flavors from every corner of the globe. Go here for a healthy brunch on the weekend and recover with turmeric potatoes or chocolate-hazelnut toast sprinkled with hemp hearts.

• The Greenery Creamery - Orlando

The equivalent of Portland’s Salt & Straw, The Greenery Creamery is a homespun ice cream shop specializing in local flavors and dairy alternatives. Indulge in flavors like black ash coconut, whiskey vanilla, and cardamom rose while strolling around downtown’s Lake Eola.

• Better Than Sex Desserts - Orlando

Book yourself an evening at this speakeasy-style dessert restaurant with some girlfriends for a guaranteed night of giggling and reliving your most cringe-worthy sexcapades. Desserts are coyly named, with titles like “Italian Stallion” and “Missionary Crisp,” sure to inspire some reminiscing.

• Bar 17 Bistro at The Aventura Hotel - Orlando

Get an alternative look at Orlando’s skyline by sipping on a cocktail in the clouds. The Aventura Hotel’s rooftop bar is the place to be when the sun sinks below the horizon. Don’t forget to look south to see the theme parks’ fireworks pop off in unison.

• Hansen’s Shoe Repair - Orlando

A true speakeasy, call ahead to get the password and tell them how many “shoes” you need repaired (that is, how many are in your party). This tiny brick bar in the heart of downtown has an Instagram-worthy rooftop and even more picture-perfect cocktails.

• The Enzian - Orlando

The home of the Florida Film Festival is a real Orlando pride point. Get there early and grab a cocktail at the outdoor Eden Bar beneath a grove of ancient live oaks. Then, slip into the retro theater and grab a couch for a good indie flick or foreign film. Munch on truffle popcorn or an assortment of elevated theater eats from their menu.

• Lake Eola - Orlando

The heart of downtown Orlando, Lake Eola centers the city and brings the community together around festivals, fairs, and the Sunday Farmer’s Market. The circular path that winds along its shores is an easy and peaceful walk. Stroll here at dusk and catch the sunset reflecting in the fountain.

• Park Avenue - Orlando

Winter Park’s brick-paved streets enchant everyone who happens upon this North Orlando suburb. Stroll down the well-loved Park Avenue for an afternoon of boutique shopping, croissant munching, and iced-coffee sipping. Fall and spring art festivals here bring visitors and artists from all over the country.

• Harry P. Leu Gardens - Orlando

Orlando’s very own tropical jungle sits right in the heart of the city. Just south of downtown Orlando is Harry P. Leu Gardens, a sprawling 50-acre maze of rose gardens, tropical blooms, enchanting forests, and trickling waterfalls. Bring your camera and have a spontaneous photoshoot at this scenic spot, or come here for their movie nights on the lawn.

• Museum Hop - Orlando

Orlando doesn’t have a museum mile, but it does have a cluster of fine art museums that are often overlooked by visitors. Orlando Museum of Art is the resident museum hosting rotating exhibitions from artists around the world. Around the corner is the Mennello Museum of American Art celebrating folk art among other American styles. Not far away in the suburb of Winter Park is the Albin Polacek Museum and Sculpture Gardens, a stunning private home on a lake turned into a beautiful display of the artist’s 3D work. And for those who love the art of stained glass, the Charles Hosmer Morse Museum of American Art — featuring the glass works of Louise Comfort Tiffany — is just a short walk away.

• Dechoes - Orlando

Orlando’s very own resale shop has a few locations around the city. You never know what you’ll find at this funky boutique, but whatever you take home will smell of their iconic grape-scented interior.

• Mucky Duck - Captiva

You’ve probably heard of the Mucky Duck or, even more likely, you’ve been here yourself. The owners of this place were smart enough to combine two of my favorite things: warm Floridian weather and drinking on the beach that propelled the Mucky Duck into vertiable landmark status. The Mucky Duck was recommended to me by literally every person I spoke to about Captiva. And with picnic tables in the sand, I can see why. Emma played while Kelly and I ate all her food. It’s a great little place!

• Keylime Bistro - Captiva

I should mention right off the bat that Keylime Bistro was Kelly’s favorite place on the island. It’s this perfect little restaurant right in the middle of Captiva’s bustlingAndy Ross Lane. It’s also about 10 feet from the rest of the places on this list. I’m not going to lie to you: Keylime Bistro isn’t any impressive to look at. But the minute you sit down out on the patio, catch up with the live music, let the sun hit your face, and perhaps have a drink or two, things start to make sense. This is the kind of place where you look around and realize everyone is having a freakin’ great time. Like this single meal is not only the highlight of their trip but maybe the best moment of their whole year! The food is great; the vibe is great. Overall, I’d give it a Great out of Great.

• Cantina Captiva - Captiva

Mexican is my favorite food category, which stinks because Kelly has cilantro aversion. So Mexican is a rare treat to say the least. But on Captiva, Kelly got a miraculous pregnant Mexican food craving and, lo and behold, Cantina Captiva was right around the corner. I’ll admit that I can get a little snobby with my Mexican food. Chicago is full of killer neighborhood Mexican places. But out of nowhere, Cantina Captiva brought that Mexican food fire. This is one of those places that’s inexplicably covered with dollar bills both inside and out which makes me think that either A: They are the worst business people in the world or B: They are such an incredibly good business that they literally paper their walls with money. The only issue was that I ordered for the table and proceeded to eat an entire family-style meal by myself. Diez out of diez.

• Bubble Room - Captiva
• Doc Ford’s- Captiva

When you think of a beach bar in Florida, Doc Ford’s is what pops into your mind. It’s got the big deck out in the Florida heat, a bar everywhere you look just in case you find yourself without a drink, and food so deliciously deep fat-fried that you’ll need oil-based paint thinner to clean your hands after it’s all over. You won’t be able to decide what to order because everything looks so good on the menu! While it’s not technically on a beach, Doc Ford’s is the perfect beach bar. And I like beach bars. It’s a short walk from town or from South Seas, and I’d add it to the “must” list for anyone visiting the island. No offense to the Bubble Room… lol.

• Green Flash - Captiva

Remember having lunch at your grandmother’s? How she used bizarre little ingredients that you’d never even consider but made her dishes unique and delicious? Like, seriously, how frequently does my grandma shop for cantaloup? And who first thought to put grapes in chicken salad? Anyway, the Green Flash is that restaurant, with a menu full of time-tested and well-reviewed recipes. You might just run into your grandmother there. I should also mention that the Green Flash has a patio with an elevated view of Pine Island Sound. The restaurant faces west which is where it gets its name. The Green Flash is a rare atmospheric phenomenon that occurs when the sun sets and illuminates an brief emerald bulb at the horizon. The more you know!

• Scoops and Slices - Captiva

Scoops and Slices is the hottest raw, vegan, paleo restaurant on the island where celebrity chef Jean Carlo turns the culinary tradition of sea plankton right on its head. I’m just kidding. It’s a pizza and ice cream place near the pool at the Sea Island resort and we ate there four times. It’s perfect. They designed it like it’s a 1950s diner, it has a candy wall, and everyone in there is smiling hard. Take your kids!

• Harbourside Bar and Grill - Captiva

Kelly and I like to save our biggest and best meal of a vacation for the last night, and Harbourside was that meal this time around. We sat outside and quickly made friends with another family who was in the exact same situation with the weather back home. We shared our meal together and Emma made friends with their children. It was a great way to end the trip, and it kind of summed up the magic you’ll find on-island. Not only does Captiva have about a dozen of these perfect little restaurants, each of them are filled with people and families who are also experiencing Captiva and are also having a great time. You can’t help but connect with these people!

• J.N. Ding Darling Wildlife Refuge - Captiva

It turns out that South Florida is just as appealing to huge numbers of migrating and tropical birds. I mean, you’d fly here if you had wings, too. Though technically on Sanibel Island, the Ding Darling Wildlife Preserve is a short drive from Captiva and well worth the trip. Ding was a guy who started out as a comic strip writer and ended up being one of the most important naturalists at the turn of the century in America. Luckily his efforts resulted in this 5,200-acre wildlife refuge where Florida in its natural state is preserved and easy to appreciate. We drove through the park (because it was raining), stopping at a serious of vantage points to take in all kinds of tropical birds and plants. Emma loved the wild flamingos! (Update: They were likely Roseate Spoonbills) My only regret here is not spending more time exploring. Next trip!

• Sunset SHELLebration at South Seas - Captiva

Captiva looks west across the Gulf which means only one thing: sunsets on the beach! South Seas hosts a daily Sunset SHELLebration with music, libations, gaity and, you know, the sunset. We joined the party on the last day of our trip and was the perfect wrap to a great week on Captiva. There were dolphins playing in the surf and tons of kids playing around the beach. We loved every second of it!

• Miami Beach

Visit South Beach at 13th and Ocean, and stroll through nearby Lummus Park Beach while you’re there.

• Clive’s Café – Miami

This Jamaican and Caribbean restaurant was in the Wynwood neighborhood for nearly 40 years before moving to Little Haiti. You won’t find better conch, jerk pork and oxtail in Miami.

• The Surf Club Restaurant - Miami
• Byblos - Miami
• Casa Tua - Miami
• Joe's Stone Crab - Miami
• Los Fuegos - Miami
• Taquiza - Miami
• 1-800-Lucky - Miami
• Swan - Miami
• Plant Miami - Miami
• Mandolin Aegean Bistro - Miami
• Doya - Miami
• Ghee - Miami
• Kiki on the River - Miami
• Versailles - Miami
• Cote - Miami
• Vizcaya Museum and Gardens, Coconut Grove - Miami

It's a quick (30 minutes, give or take) drive from Miami Beach to Vizcaya Museum and Gardens, but you'll feel worlds away. The property was once the home of James Deering, a man who took antiques just as seriously as he did growing his thriving businesses. From the outside, the sprawling waterfront estate (completed in 1923) is a pastiche of Mediterranean Revival and Italianate Villa elements. Inside, it brims with imported European art and decorative arts spanning the Renaissance to the Rococo and more. Then, there are the gardens, a composite of designs pulled from Italy and France's best examples. The pièce de résistance is really outside in the bay—a carved limestone barge that resembles a sunken ship. It's all delightfully over the top and luxurious—what could be more Miami?

• Zac the Baker - Miami
• Florida's Forgotten Coast

Arrayed along the Gulf of Mexico between Port St. Joe and St. Marks, this unheralded slice of the Florida shore is about as authentic as it gets in the Sunshine State. Talcum-powder-fine beaches on the St. Joseph Peninsula and St. George Island offer an uncrowded alternative to Florida's more storied (and crowded) strands. Manatees and monarch butterflies are among the wildlife denizens of Wakulla Springs and St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge. Fresh-off-the-boat shellfish and live music are the twin attractions of the St. Mark's Stone Crab Festival (October) and Florida Seafood Festival in Apalachicola (November).

• Los Felix - Miami
• Paradis Books and Bread - Miami
• Sunny's Steakhouse - Miami
• Cafe La Trova - Miami
• St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge (Florida)

Spanning 43 miles (70 kilometers) of Florida's Gulf Coast, the park revolves around bays and bayous flanked by coastal grasslands and forest. Established in 1931 and one of the nation's oldest federal wildlife refuges, St. Marks harbors a range of wild things from alligators, manatees and dolphins to bobcats, black bears, white-tailed deer and hundreds of bird species including the bald eagle and whooping crane. The reserve is renowned for its colorful monarch butterfly migration and historic St. Marks Lighthouse, built in 1831. Just passing through: Venture to the reserve by car from a room at the Sweet Magnolia Inn, a bed and breakfast in a vintage building that previously served as a general store, brothel, church and St. Marks City Hall. Deep dive: With seven campsites for through hikers, St. Marks makes it easy to backpack 45 miles of the Florida National Scenic Trail that meander across the reserve. Best time: During the Monarch Butterfly Festival at the refuge in October.