South Florida

After living in many different cities & countries around the world, we’ve called South Florida home for the last 4 years – and loved every minute of it!

South Florida is a fantastic place to raise kids. We have world-class attractions, award-winning beaches, and international experiences right on our doorstep.

Here are just a few of our adventures so far.

South Florida is the perfect base to set off for international adventures too. We’ve headed North, South, East & West, and you can find those stories here.

I’m also a featured writer over at Traveling Dad, where you can find more about our domestic & international adventure stories.

Top 5 Zoo Miami Birthday Party Memories

March 16, 2018March 17, 2018JetSetDaddy

When our littlest turned two we celebrated with a day at Zoo Miami.

We invited family friends to spend the day with us visiting all the animals & attractions at Zoo Miami & here are our Top 5 favorite memories of the day.

zoo miami

Top 5 Zoo Miami Birthday Party Memories

Zoo Miami is pretty spread out, but you can rent Safari Cycles to get around with.

They were a HUGE HIT with both the kids & the adults.

Walking through the zoo with all the kids & all our stuff would definitely wear us all out, but having these cycles made the day even more fun.

The kids happily got into the cycles & loved sitting next to each other while we rode through the zoo.

The cycles come in 2 different sizes: small accommodates up to 3 adults and 2 small children & large holds up to 6 adults and 2 small children.

Just make sure you grab your cycle early before they sell out for the day!

miami zoo prices

The animal are the star of the show at Zoo Miami.

They all look comfortable & well cared for.

The kids were VERY excited to see what was around each & every corner.

miami zoo animals

We had no idea we could actually FEED the animals at Zoo Miami until we spotted the giraffes.

You’ll get lots of great shots of your little ones up close encounter with the zoo animals!

They have lots of antibacterial hand wash at the exhibit too!

miami zoo attractions

And just when we thought feeding the giraffes was the highlight of our day, we spied the rhino!

I won’t lie – it was pretty awesome to be so close to such a big rhino.

zoo miami animals

We capped off the day with a few rides around the carousel.

The kids couldn’t be happier with this day out & despite the heat (in October!), it was an awesome birthday.

zoo miami attractions

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Fort Lauderdale Air Show 2017

March 6, 2018March 17, 2018JetSetDaddy

The Fort Lauderdale Air Show is coming up again soon!

Last year we spent the perfect day on the beach with the kids watching the show.

Just bring your own beach chairs & blanket, and you’re all set.

There were plenty of food trucks to choose from, so you don’t need to bring any food or drinks with you.

We had to park to walk & walk a few blocks, so it was great not to have to drag the cooler along.

The kids loved played at the beach while watching the planes whiz by.

It’s the perfect day out with the whole family!

I just started a brand new YouTube channel, so I can clear the travel videos off my phone.

Just subscribe to the Jet Set Daddy YouTube channel to get the latest.

Spring Break Backyard Fun

February 26, 2018March 17, 2018JetSetDaddy

Spring Break is just around the corner & we have a steady stream of friends & family coming to visit us.

That’s what happens when you live in South Florida – the Spring Break capital!

We spend Spring Break outside enjoying the warm Spring weather.

Here are a few activities to keep your kids busy in the backyard during Spring Break.

And always stock up on Kleenex Wet Wipes from Target to wipe up messes & sticky hands.

Because Kleenex Wet Wipes are free from dyes, alcohol, parabens, sulfates, and phthalates we feel comfortable in using them for the kids.

To make things easier they have made the packing in 3 different colors to remember their specialty.

Blue is for gentle cleaning.

Orange is for germ removal.

Green is for sensitive cleansing.

They came in handy even BEFORE we left the Target parking lot.

Hey, when you gotta go, you gotta go!

Now we’re ready for Spring Break fun.

Show Me Your Imagination

Nothing is more fun than seeing a child using their imagination.

Have them grab some sidewalk chalk and draw in some props, a background, whatever they can think of and join in!

Cleanup is simple with Kleenex Wet Wipes for Germ Removal to clean up those little dirty hands & faces after a wonderful afternoon of creating adventures on the sidewalk.

Feast Outside

Spring Break is the perfect time to plan a picnic.

To make the picnic that more fun have them help you with the prep work and have your kids help pick what they want to eat.

They could even help making sandwiches and packing some snacks.

We kept it simple after an afternoon of swimming – pasta!

Those Kleenex Wet Wipes are perfect both before & after eating.

They are gentle enough to clean up kids hands and faces.

Feed The Wildlife

We love feeding our local ducks & birds.

The fun actually starts by making the ducks a special treat that’s super easy to make with the kids.

All you need is:

2 cups Old Fashioned Quaker Oats
1 cup brown rice
1 bag frozen assorted vegetables (peas, corn, carrots and green beans)

Mix it together, grab your Kleenex Wet Wipes & you’re ready to go!

What are your plans for Spring Break?

Mandarín Oriental Hotel Miami

November 16, 2017March 17, 2018JetSetDaddy

Last week I had meetings in Miami & stayed at the Mandarín Oriental Hotel Miami.

When traveling with work, I rarely get a chance to get outside during the day.

Luckily I’m solar-powered & my eyes pop open at dawn everyday.

One of my favorite things to do when traveling is to walk around an empty city at sunrise.

It’s the best way to take in a city at my own pace, before the hectic workday begins.

I clear my head, get in some exercise & discover a new city, all at once.

We live about an hour away from Miami, so I rarely visit – probably only once or twice a year when friends are visiting.

Here are my pictures of the Mandarín Oriental Hotel Miami pool and room & nearby Brickell neighborhood.

Quiet morning walk around the Mandarín Oriental Hotel Miami Pool

Sun coming up at the Mandarín Oriental Hotel Miami Pool

Outside view of the Mandarín Oriental Hotel Miami

View from my balcony at the Mandarín Oriental Hotel Miami

My suite at the Mandarín Oriental Hotel Miami (checkout that view!)

Another view from my Mandarín Oriental Hotel Miami suite.

Time for breakfast! Mandarín Oriental Hotel Miami Brunch & Decor

A final fantastic view of Brickell in Miami Florida

Highlights Of Our “Hurrication”

September 15, 2017March 17, 2018Jet Set Daddy

We spent this past week on a “hurrication” (the “vacation” you take while running away from a hurricane!).

Here are some highlights of our 2017 “hurrication”, thanks to Hurricane Irma.

2017 Hurrication Highlights

Living in South Florida is mostly fantastic, despite the hurricane scares.

This year was a little different.

Predictions of a direct hit from Hurricane Irma freaked us out enough to pack everything into our mini-van & make a run for it.

We stayed in a number of hotels along the way, but we kept moving as Irma’s path changed.

We made it all the way up to Alabama before we finally felt able to relax – safely out of the storm’s path.

Spending days on the road meant eating out more than we would like!

Once we checked into our hurrication hotel in Alabama, we hit the local Publix in search of our favorite snacks.

My wife loves that Liberté is an organic snack & I love the adventurous flavors!

I always pickup the coconut flavor for myself, but we usually grab a few of the mango flavors too.

We settled back into our hotel to watch the storm from a video camera in front of our house.

The power stayed on almost all of the time, so we were able to see the wind & the rain.

Once the worst was over, I attempted to catch up on a few work emails missed during the last few days…. which wasn’t easy to do with the kids going stir-crazy!

We needed to get outside ASAP!

Luckily there was a park right next to our hurrication hotel, so we spent a few hours exploring Alabama’s great outdoors.

FINALLY, after a week, it was safe to drive through Florida & go back home.

We drove to Georgia in heavy traffic & spent the night.

The plan was to sleep early & wake up early to hit the road & beat traffic.

Believe it or not, the highways were packed ALL NIGHT.

This is a picture we took at 4am!

Our 6 hour drive turned into an 11.5 hour drive, but the kids were fantastic.

While the hurrication itself was stressful, it was replaced by the RELIEF to be back home to a house fully intact with AC, water & electricity.

Our only “damage” was a blown-over fence.

WE WERE LUCKY & grateful to be home.

Thank you to Liberté for sponsoring this post & helping cover some of our hurrication costs.

A Day Of Go-Karting, An Evening Of Pain Relief

August 29, 2017March 17, 2018Jet Set Daddy

Who knew a fun day of go-karting would turn into an evening – actually a weekend – requiring pain relief?

That’s when you realize you aren’t as young as you used to be!

The day started innocently enough – a welcome day out of the office racing coworkers around the track.

We raced not only to record our best time, but also to beat each other’s best times.

Oh yea – this was serious business.

Maybe it was the intensity of the competition or maybe it was the adrenaline of speed, but once I arrived home, I realized I was in PAIN!

After limping around for a few hours, I admitted I could use some pain relief.

Always on the lookout for products with ingredients that are safe for the whole family, my wife handed me PROCure Epsom Salt Gel Rub.

I’ll admit it – I wasn’t convinced about this chemical-free approach to pain relief – but luckily this gel really works!

Go-karting was insanely fun & now that I know I can handle the pain, I’m ready to go again.

And because this is so easy to use on-the-go, I can keep one at my office for next time.

Make sure you have PROCure Epsom Salt Gel Rub when you need it – order it on Amazon here.

Legoland Florida Hotel: Is It Worth It?

June 2, 2017March 17, 2018Jet Set Daddy

Recently we stayed at the Legoland Florida Hotel, which is immediately next to the Legoland Florida theme park.

If you’re wondering whether it was worth the cost to stay at the Legoland Florida Hotel, keep reading!

Legoland Florida Hotel: Is It Worth It? We took the kids and the grandparents to the Legoland Florida Hotel to stay on the property. Here's what happened: http://www.jetsetdaddy.com/legoland-florida-hotel-review/

Legoland Florida Hotel: Is It Worth It?

Not only did we take the kids to Legoland… we took the grandparents too!

Legoland is not only a fun theme park for the whole family, but it’s much less crowded than many of the other major theme parks, making it a better overall experience!

The Price Is Right

Believe it or not, the Legoland Florida Hotel is much less expensive than you might imagine.

We’ve looked many times into stay on property for other theme parks, but usually the cost is astronomical. Not so for Legoland Florida!

And, if you get the Awesomer or Awesomest annual passes (also very reasonably priced – especially if you’re Florida residents like we are), you get a 10% DISCOUNT on your hotel stay too.

Location Location Location

Staying on property gives everyone the flexibility to enjoy the day.

We like the idea of being able to go back & have a nap in the middle of the day… With grandparents & toddlers this can make or break the day.

Luckily our toddler managed to completely knock out in the stroller.

Staying on property means we can enjoy the theme park even from our room!

We could see some of the rides & caught a huge fireworks show just before bedtime.

Early Admission After Breakfast

Staying in the hotel comes with a full buffet breakfast and early admission to the park.

We get up EARLY with kids, so we definitely used this perk.

More Entertainment Inside!

The kids were obsessed with the Lego decor & activities inside the hotel lobby: bricks, bricks, bricks!

I can’t believe we managed to get out of the hotel without taking any pictures of the rooms!

There was a treasure hunt inside the room with free lego toys for the kids to build & keep.

Plus, the bunk beds & kids lego movies playing in the room – it’s heaven for the kids & the adults.

Since we bought the annual passes, we will just have to go back again to get you those pictures – stay tuned!