Traveling is something that I believe all individuals wish to experience whether for a short or lengthy amount of time. The reason being is that with traveling comes revelation to parts of yourself you never imagined lived within you, an open perspective of different cultures, experiences, and places, and it overall gives you the desire to keep discovering what is around you and at your hands.
It can be of far or near distance, although if you are thinking of traveling domestically in the U.S., check out whether or not you are one of the nine states that will soon need a passport to travel before running into any trouble.
However, if you live in Florida, where we are well known for Walt Disney World, Universal, Beaches, and more... you can sometimes find yourself thinking, "What else is new?" So if you happen to take a Road Trip, Floridians, whether out of spontaneity or out of plans, these Hidden Gems are ones that you will definitely want to make the time out to see.
Siesta Key Beach
When traveling to the beach, you have the fear of compromising one comfort for the other. For example, if you want a non-crowded beach, you are left with a beach far away from anything and everything. Or if you want parking close-by, then one is left with unavoidable expenses such as meter parking, etc.
I have found that Siesta Key Beach changes all of that.
A close competitor to Anna Maria Island (which is just as beautiful), Siesta Key Beach wins the race because you do not have to compromise anything for your comfort. The sand is effortlessly soft, white, and of such fine texture that it barely sticks to you and if and when it does, it does not take long for it to come off. By the time you reach your car, there is no sand on you.
Parking is truly no trouble and is right by the beach, and at no cost to the visitors. I have rarely found it to be crowded, and in addition to all of this, Siesta Key Beach has a wooden pavilion with bathrooms, snacks/drinks that are available for purchase, volleyball nets and even a park for the little ones, all right on the beach side.
Siesta Key can have a variety of things to do for you. Plus, with it being on the West Coast, you have an incredible view of the sunset.
The Dali Museum: Dreams of Dali
From posing in front of the famous Dali Mustache structure to admiring the glass structure that makes up the building itself to other artist exhibitions within it that change every certain amount of months, the Dali Museum offers so much for all ages. However, what makes this a worthy Road trip stop is a virtual reality experience within titled: Dreams of Dali.
The inner child in me who always wanted to jump into a painting with Steve and Blue in "Blue's Clues" finally met its match with this Dreams of Dali and I commend the ones who created it.
It is a three-minute Virtual Reality experience where you truly jump into Salvador Dali's painting: Archaeological Reminiscence of Millet’s “Angelus.” I personally have never felt or discovered something like this and I would gladly go back to do this again. Although you are sitting in a chair with the goggles and headphones, you are submerged into a reality of painting structures, you open yourself up to hearing music, wind, sounds, and heights that leave you having to remind yourself that this is just a virtual reality. I remember holding myself and trying not to squirm and squeal from the excitement. Admission to the Dali is $24, but discounts are offered with a valid form of ID.
Bioluminescence kayak tours
This last stop on our Road Trip tour is one that is out of a movie: Bioluminescence Kayak Tours. Up until recently, I was not made aware of adventures like this but depending on the time of year, essentially, you get to kayak through a river with luminescent jellyfish or plankton right beside you. Paddling by and with such rare and beautiful creatures sounds like a memory that one will truly brag about and with it being offered in the area of Titusville/Cocoa Beach/Cape Canaveral, for a monetary range of $39.95-$55 (depending on the area you choose or company you choose), it is an adventure ready to be taken.
All in all
Florida has Road Trip worthy stops and destinations aside from the ones we normally encounter. So take a moment to travel, whether you stop by these places for a day or multiple, and enjoy the moments and memories that await you.
