24 Hr Wander: Fort Lauderdale, FL
Because who wouldn’t love a weekend getaway to sunny Fort Lauderdale, Florida! Keep reading for the scoop on where to get your morning cup of joe, the best spots for cocktails & dancing AND how to best spend your limied time. PLUS, I’m giving you the scoop on what I threw in my carry on bag for effortless fashion all weekend long (thanks to my friends at Lane Bryant!)!
I’m a live life to the fullest girl.
I know, everyone says that, but I really do work hard to make every moment of every day count. So, when the time came to book my cousin Tim’s 40th Birthday Weekend and it happened to be just two days after I returned from my week long Italian adventure, I could have hesitated and said no it’s too much. BUT, not me. Nope, I didn’t think twice about it! I thought to myself, sure, I’ll be exhausted, but I can sleep on the plane!
Special thank you to #LaneBryant for providing the Birthday Boy w/ this Sleepshirt! #unisex
My cousin Tim is like a brother to me, so celebrating BIG was the only option. And, if I’m being honest, laying in a pool float drinking spiked seltzers sounded like the perfect post- Italy “recovery” weekend. The one thing I didn’t think about was packing. I had completely disregarded the fact that I would have to unpack, do laundry and re pack all while working for those few days I was home BEFORE leaving again. Fortunately for me, my friends at Lane Bryant were kind enough to help a wandering soul out!
While I could easily make the argument for multiple outfit changes, nine pairs of sunglasses, and 5 pairs of shoes, we were only going for 3 days and so collectively as a group we decide we’d all do carry on bags. It’ seriously SO much easier! That said, I knew I would need pieces that were versatile, easy to pack, comfortable and low maintenance enough to wear with a fun statement earring or simple sandal. The key to a weekend carry on is to make your pieces work overtime for you! With Lane Bryant’s new style fix pieces and some fly new arrivals, I was all set!
Here is a breakdown of everything I packed for a weekend of fun in the sun AND how I think you should spend your time in the "Venice of the USA"!
LOOK ONE
Style Tip: Think outside the box! This is marketed online as a "sleep romper". I ignored the category and turned it into the perfect day to night, super comfortable and easy to wear piece! A lightweight jersey romper is one step effortless style!
Throw on a bold lip and a statement earring and voila- polished and comfortable!
I actually wore this out for a night on the town! For Friday night, we had dinner at an amazing Greek Restaurant and danced the night away in Wilton Manors. Keep reading for my top picks for cocktails and dancing!
LOOK TWO
Make a statement this summer in bold swimwear! There are so many fun plus size swimwear options available now that it may be hard to choose! For my poolside weekend, I chose to have some fun with a play on words one piece that made a splash all on its own!
Honestly, we're the kind of people who have fun no matter where we go. So, we knew it didn't matter what the itinerary involved, the most fun we'd have was likely going to be when we were hanging poolside telling jokes and singing songs! And boy were we right!
LOOK THREE
This pink off the shoulder lace tiered dress was the perfect frock for an evening sail out on the water followed by a laid back coastal dinner. Scroll down for all the deets on our private canal tour (and on this DRESS).
Here's the scoop on coffee, cocktails, fun AND fashion!
COFFEE
I should walk around with a sign around my neck that says “I had my coffee, you’re welcome.” Because honestly, me drinking coffee in the morning makes the world a slightly better place. It’s just not cute if I'm not caffeinated. To that point, as I’ve gotten older I really have stated to become a bit of a coffee snob. I like to relax with a latte, enjoy the smell of the brew, sit al fresco with a macchiato. Ok, you get the point. In any event, It has become ritual in every spot I go to, that I source a cool spot to have breakfast, brunch, or grab a simple on the go coffee.
St. Bart’s Café ; Cute, Casual and GREAT people watching.
The Grind Coffee Project ; Because- support Local!
Stache Drinking Den & Coffee Bar ; Coffee house turned club turned coffee house turned...
Unfortunately, that's all I have for you because I spent most of my coffee drinking time poolside... (with coffee and a mimosa. Because, balance).
COCKTAILS
When I travel, well actually all the time but especially when I travel, I am all about a good cocktail, a great meal and a really good time. Music, dancing, laughter- that'sthe recipe for the perfect night out. And of course, spending time with the RIGHT people :) <3
Nisi ; Gorgeous ambiance, great food, good cocktails!
Nauti Dawg Marina Cafe ; Casual but a really good time.
Rumors Bar and Grill (If you're traveling w/ your LGBT pals) ; DANCE all night long!!!
Coconuts ; Don't go hungry because there WILL be a wait- but its worth it!
Tip: Get a cocktails and some raw bar apps @ the bar while you wait!
LIPS (Drag Show); You know the drill. Fab Drag & Lots of Laughs.
McSorley's Beach Pub ; Pub scene by the beach.
Blue Martini Lounge ; Martinis. Need I say more?
FUN
I will be the first person to say YES to a day of absolutely nothing sitting poolside/beach lounging etc. BUT, at a certain point that gets old. I love connecting with people, I love exploring and discovering the local spots and I really love having an 'Experience' for each trip/location. When I travel I usually am with close friends or family and we love choosing an experience that is fun,different and checks off all of our boxes. Which, sometimes can be a challenge. For FLL, we knew we wanted to hit the water so it wasn't a tough call- we decided to do a boat tour of the canals! I HIGHLY recommend doing some sort of boat tour when you're visiting FLL, especially if you can head out at sunset! It's just beautiful and really fun to explore and see the gorgeous yachts, beautyiful homes and hear about the history of the city your in! After our tour we did dinner at Coconuts (on the water) which was short walk from the Marina. Truthfully, this was the perfect day!
Gondola West : This is the tour we took. IT WAS PERFECT! Just book it, trust me.
Coastal Yacht Tours: we looked into this one but they were booked for the time slot we wanted. Their fleet looks GORGEOUS.
Jungle Queen Riverboat : This looked like a fun one to do with the kids or more family members!
Bluefoot Pirate Adventures: We saw this boat out while we were cruising the canals and it looked amazing. 1000000% booking this with my nieces when we head back down to FLL. The kids get to have a pirate battle on the water and everything!