People visit Southwest Florida (SWFL) for many reasons including enjoying the beaches, freeloading off relatives with spare bedrooms and experiencing the area's nature attractions. This part of Florida offers a nice selection of nature preserves that are untainted by commercial interests. Most of them are educational and fun places to learn and experience the unique species … [Read more...]
Marriott Singer Island – a great place for a Florida getaway
Looking for a Florida getaway? The Marriott Singer Island, Florida is a recently renovated, all-suite beachfront resort perfect for families - kids through grandparents - weddings and girlfriend getaways. It's basically the Easy Button to get to with its close proximity to Palm Beach International Airport and Interstate 95. Blonde recently visited to do reconnaissance for … [Read more...]
Tracing Lewis and Clark’s expedition with UnCruise Adventures
Discover the legacy of Lewis and Clark with UnCruise Tracing Lewis and Clark with UnCruise, via their Expedition of Discovery cruise, was a great way to appreciate the natural beauty and the difficulties the men experienced. Doing so with expert guides, air conditioning and good wines at dinner may have contributed to our degree of difficulty being somewhat less … [Read more...]
A weekend in Portland, Oregon
Why we went to Portland, Oregon for a weekend A weekend in Portland, Oregon would normally not make geographic sense for either of us but we were there prior to embarking on a much-anticipated Uncruise. We expected Portland to be the land of fit, crunchy people, a good bookstore and excellent restaurants. We were right on two of those three and missed altogether that it … [Read more...]
What is it like to cruise with Un-Cruise Adventures ?
Cruising with Un-Cruise What is it like to cruise with Un-Cruise Adventures? It's unrushed, uncrowded and unbelievable. Oh wait, that's their tagline. But it's true. (Unlike Coca-Cola who, despite their best intentions, never actually taught the world to sing.) We went on the 7 night Legacy of Discovery cruise from Portland, Oregon and traced some of the foot/canoe … [Read more...]
Things to do in Pittsburgh
Why visit Pittsburgh? Why not? There are lots of interesting things to do in Pittsburgh even though it may not be a leading vacation destination. If you're going to Pittsburgh it's probably to check out one of the 11 colleges or universities , go to a job interview, conference or convention or attend some sort of family get-together. So why not have some fun and learn … [Read more...]
What to see and where to stay before a cruise from Fort Lauderdale
Fort Lauderdale, a popular pre-cruise destination Over 3 million people a year leave on a cruise from Fort Lauderdale, "The Venice of America". Fort Lauderdale has come quite a ways from its naughty past as a sandy magnet for poorly behaved college students on spring break. Today's Fort Lauderdale is just the right amount of classier, prettier and more cultural. It's sort … [Read more...]
Florida Manatees and the Plantation on Crystal River
Florida manatees and the Plantation on Crystal River For several years we have nursed a fervid desire to swim with Florida manatees and stay at the Plantation on Crystal River. But we didn't do a thing about it. Then Blonde decided she might move away from Florida and Brunette was preparing to put on her snow bird wings and fly off to Pennsylvania for the … [Read more...]
The Ringling Circus Museum, Villa and Art Gallery in Sarasota, Florida
The Ringling Circus Museum, Villa and Art Gallery If anyone tried to convince two (unnamed) life-long clown haters that they would love the The Ringling Circus Museum, Villa and Art Gallery those two (unnamed) sisters wouldn't have believed it. Wrong again - although "they" didn't really change their opinions of clowns very much (although the video of one doing his make-up … [Read more...]
Our visit to Dry Tortugas National Park
A brief history of Dry Tortugas National Park Dry Tortugas National Park helps the reputation of poor misunderstood Ponce de Leon. His name is firmly linked to the erroneous myth, apparently started by a Spanish court chronicler wanting to make him seem foolish, that he was in search of a "Fountain of Youth". He gets mocked for failing to find what he never sought and fails … [Read more...]