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Family vacations are always a great idea. Our family absolutely loves going on trips and experiencing new things together. However, it can be a bit challenging to find activities that everyone will enjoy. Therefore, we always make sure to plan ahead and create an itinerary that caters to everyone’s interests. A few years ago, we decided to combine relaxation and fun, and it turned out to be the best decision ever! If you want to know all the details of our Florida spring break vacation, keep reading.
Florida Spring Break Part 1 – South Venice
The first half of this vacation was to please Mom and Dad. We wanted downtime and calm. We wanted to drink our morning coffee in the warm humid weather of Florida and take slow walks on the beach.
Furthermore, my husband has always been fascinated with sharks. For this reason, South Venice had always been on his bucket list travel destination.
Venice Beach is a city on the West Coast of Florida. It is informally known as the “shark teeth capital of the World”. As we walked the beach, we found dozens of shark teeth during our short stay.
We arrived at Fort Meyer International Airport in the late morning and then drove approximately 70 miles north to South Venice. We stopped for lunch along the way. Later that afternoon, we checked into our beautiful home rental. The place was perfect!!!
During our stay, we had access to a private outdoor pool which was covered by a large screen porch. This area was perfect for enjoying a morning coffee and was incredibly relaxing. The house itself had three bedrooms and two bathrooms, along with a fully equipped kitchen that we used for most of our meals. The property is situated approximately 10 minutes away from the beach.
The nearest beaches are Manasota and Caspersen. Caspersen Beach is known for its shark teeth collection and is the best spot for finding them. To reach the beach, we had to take a short ferry from the mainland. We spent hours walking on the 4-mile-long beach and collecting shark teeth.
Our stay was not limited to Manasota only. We also took a trip to Venice Beach and the fishing pier. Although the area was more populated, it was equally stunning. It served as a picturesque location to witness the sunset and marked the perfect end to the first phase of our Florida spring break vacation.
Florida Spring Break Part 2 – Universal Park
After having breakfast, we packed up our rental car and drove to Orlando, which is approximately 140 miles or 2.5 hours away from Venice Beach. We stopped for lunch before completing our road trip.
Accommodation
We decided to book a room directly on-site. After researching the various options, we decided on the Hard Rock resort.
The rooms at the resort are very comfortable and clean. The decor is beautiful and adds to the overall ambiance of the place. As for the amenities, the resort has a large pool area complete with fun slides. During the hot afternoons, we took a break from the park to swim, relax, and enjoy some cocktails. It was a great way to unwind and recharge before heading back to the park.
The hotel features a marketplace where you can purchase pre-made food to take with you for the day, and the resort offers both a walking path and a complimentary water taxi to the park.
Activities
We purchased tickets for Universal and Islands of Adventure. As devoted Harry Potter fans, we needed passes for both parks to experience all the HP attractions.
We decided to purchase fast passes at an additional cost and were pleased with the decision. With the fast passes, we were able to ride all the attractions we wanted, some of which we rode multiple times. Additionally, we were able to enter the park earlier than the general public, which allowed us to have some quiet time on Diagon Alley. Overall, it was a great experience that we do not regret.
On our first afternoon, we went straight to Diagon Alley at Universal. Finding the entrance was like being in the movie!
Before you enter, make sure to look for Creature in the window outside of Diagon Alley and get your picture taken with the Night’s bus talking head.
When you cross over, you are suddenly in Harry Potter and everything is magical.
We bought interactive wands for the kids and tried the very sweet butter beer. The Harry Potter world is full of magic tricks for the kids to perform with their wands, making it a worthy investment.
We visited all the stores including Olivander and rode the Gringott bank ride multiple times.
We rode several other rides including Shrek, the Minions, ET Adventures, Men in black, and the Simpsons ride.
On Day 2, we started our adventure again in Diagon Alley. Thanks to our fast passes, we were able to enter the park 30 minutes earlier than everyone else. We took some great pictures of Diagon Alley and enjoyed riding the Gringott bank ride for the second time. After that, we hopped on the Hogwarts Express to head over to Hogsmeade, which is located at Islands of Adventure.
If we thought Diagon Alley was cool, we were equally stunned by Hogsmeade and Hogwarts Castle. That ride is absolutely amazing. We had a good time at Hogsmeade, then ventured to explore the rest of the park.
We rode many rides at Islands of Adventure including Jurassic World, Skull Island, Dudley Do-Right’s Ripsaw Falls, and the Hulk.
We went back to Hogsmeade after dinner to witness the stunning light show on the Castle. Don’t miss it, it’s truly breathtaking!
Meals
We did not eat at any of the resort restaurants. We ate all of our meals in the park or on City Walk.
Our first lunch was at the Three Broomsticks in Hogsmeade. The food is what you would expect from an attraction park but we couldn’t miss out on the experience. I would do it again if I had the chance.
We ate both dinners on City Walk, Our first one was at The Cowfish Sushi Burger Bar. The food and ambiance were great. Don’t let the crowds stress you out, you can make a reservation.
Our second dinner was equally delicious at The Toothsome Chocolate Emporium & Savory Feast Kitchen. This restaurant is so beautiful. You will have an amazing time just looking around while you await delicious food. Once again, I recommend making a reservation to limit your wait time.
Until next time
This concludes our Florida Spring Break. We departed from Orlando International Airport after a fantastic trip.
In conclusion
This Florida Spring Break was the perfect mix of relaxation and fun. I hope it inspired you to consider this combination for your upcoming family vacation.
Bon voyage!
Cat xx