How to be savvy with your shopping
I never seem to understand why people pay full price these days???There is always a deal... Here are some sites I use and how I go about my spending habits:
Hot uk deals: this is a website that is updated constantly with current deals. You can get the app too. The deals may not all apply to you but it's handy doing a search on here for the product you want. This can bring up various discount codes which you wouldn't ordinarily think would be around during the year. Hot uk deals is open to anyone so you can join in and vote on deals or add them yourself. You can put filters on too so if you after a specific item you can check to see if there are any deals for that. http://www.hotukdeals.comhttp://www.hotukdeals.com
Money saving expert: Martin Lewis has been a genius and has enabled me to save loads of money. Sign up to his emails and you will be surprised at what deals are around all year round. The site is great for gaining knowledge on how to be money wise. There are some good forums on there too.
Some of the deals I pick up from him are discount codes, upcoming offers and any potential price rises.
The website also has good links to ways of saving money.
http://www.moneysavingexpert.com
Topcashback or Quidco: these are cash back sites and all you have to do here is search for the merchant and click on the link for this merchant from the site and you will soon start earning some pounds. At first it may seem pointless because the cash back for some items is 1% however over time the money will accumulate. The cash back sites also have money off deals. The pot of money can either be cashed after you have reached £20 or you can overtime exchange it for vouchers which sometimes can be 5% of the value.
Not all merchants are on topcashback or Quidco however it is always worth checking and it is just a matter of clicking.
Once you start using it remember to check the tracker works.
http://www.topcashback.co.uk
http://www.quidco.com
Or any search engine : For those who don't want to sign up for emails and just want to buy an item simply type in 'discount code or voucher codes' along with the merchant name. 9 out of 10 times I have found a code on there that works. Again this may take five minutes but if it's saving you money I am sure it's worth five minutes of your time.
People often think I am crazy when I go on about the deals however they forget I am not the one who is counting the days to pay day... It all about being savvy. This enables me to be smart about my money and live within my means.
Normally if I have seen an item in store I want that is full price I would check for any codes online, copy the code, go top cash back, click on the merchant and then buy my item- this sounds long winded but it is just a matter of a few clicks and I have now got the item I want at a cheaper price.
Yes I admit it is nice to be able to walk into a shop and buy what you want but unfortunately we are not all made of money. Also sometimes you cannot avoid such instances but when you can wouldn't it be even nicer to just do a quick search and tap a few buttons and save money on the same item? Most stores offer free click and collect services so you don't need to pay for delivery.
In addition to all this and if know you can pay off your debt every month get a cash back card. Money saving expert has a breakdown of the options.
Finally if you don't ask you don't get...Independent stores want your busy and a lot of the times offer 10% off if you ask.
The same applies to many big stores. If a button is loose or a stitch has come off on a garment especially on sale items the manager may reduce the item further and make it non refundable. However if you want the item and know how to fix it you have won!
Remember it costs nothing to ask and if you feel embarrassed don't because we live in a competitive world and everyone wants our business.
Happy savings
http://www.moneysavingexpert.com
Monday, 7 December 2015
Friday, 3 April 2015
Florida Road Trip 2015 - UK, Miami , Keys, Naples, Clear Waters, Busch Gardens, Miami, UK
Virgin were doing great deals on Miami flights and I did not hesitate to book a flight for my husband and I. Little did I know the flights are the cheapest part of the holiday..
The research was another hard part - we were going to Florida and we wanted to hire a car and drive around as much as we could in 10 days. All the road trips I found were either too expensive or did not cater for our needs.
Hopefully this post will help anyone wanted to do something similar within a sort of reasonable price.
I booked our flights with Virgin but everything else was either through venere, hotel click, hotels.com, amex travel or onclick. All the bookings worked out fine. I was a bit anxious about using different sites but it worked out in the end and saved us a lot of money.
Virgin Flight:
Our flight was from Heathrow and went pretty smoothly going and coming back from Miami. On coming back the flight arrived 20 minutes earlier too. The only issue we had on our return flight was it was cold. The crew knew it was a cold flight however still ran out of blankets. I feel the cold but this time it was not only me. I am sure Virgin can afford a few extra blankets especially as they know the new plane from Miami to UK has temperature control issues.
Miami Customs:
After a 10 hour flight all you want to do is get to your hotel. This does not happen in Miami. It took two hours to pass customs and there was no air conditioning which meant a lot of sweaty grumpy people.
Taxi:
It is easy to get a taxi from the airport - in fact the taxi/car parking lot is so busy you do not know whether you are coming or going. Taxi to Miami Mid Beach (44th Street Collins Avenue) cost $38. The return taxi from South Beach (20th Street Collins Avenue) cost $35. It is possible to get a shuttle from the Airport to Miami Beach however if there is more than one of you there is no price difference between the shuttle and the taxi. Its about $16 each way per person. In the heat I would always choose a taxi.
MIAMI
Holiday Inn Miami Beach:
The hotel is on the 44th street. It is away from all the hustle and bustle of south beach as well as
anywhere to eat. There is an Italian which is about 5 minutes walk from there but other than that if you want variety you have to catch a taxi to south beach. It is only $5 from 44th to 20th street. There is a little café which sells necessities about 3 minute walk from the hotel but it is not cheap there.
There are a couple of tour buses that stop next to the hotel too.
The staff at holiday inn are friendly and willing to help. The room was clean however was quite noisy especially if you room overlooks Collins Avenue so I would avoid that. The doors are also not soft close so you can hear every door that shuts around you.
The pool area is nice and the hotel has a couple of hammocks, a Jacuzzi and a couple of games. The hotel is situated by the beach. Access to and from the beach is via your room key so make sure you have that on you. The wooden original boardwalk is as soon as you walk through the back access. The beach is also just a few steps away.
Big Bus Tours:
This costs $45 for a day or $50 for two days. If you do not have a car and are in Miami for a few days I would recommend the two day pass. You can use the bus service to get around most of Miami. It covers the beach area from South Point to Fountainbleau, City tour from Downtown Miami to Havana and the Design District. The little Havana tour on the red route is a good one to go to. It is a 20 minute tour but it feels like you are in Cuba. We were lucky enough to be at there when they had a big block party ( apparently the biggest in the world) which was help in Little Havana. There was lots of loud music, good food and entertainment. I had read reviews that people go there early to get a whole bag of freebies and that is exactly what was happening. A total treat for locals.
All buses change at Biscayne Bay which is a great place to shop, eat and just people watch.
Lincoln Road Mall:
Great place to eat and shop. Its a long road with shops and restaurant and its all outdoor. It one of the very few roads where no cars are allowed.
The shops range from Victoria Secrets to Aldo
We ate at Nexxt - this serves a variety of dishes at reasonable prices including two lobsters for $36 dollars. As with all American restaurants the portions are massive so though some items are overpriced you probably get two meals out of it. They always have boxes to take home extra food.
Shore Club
https://www.morganshotelgroup.com/special/ppc-shore-club?cid=PPC:ShoreClub:offer&gclid=Cj0KEQjw_9OoBRChj9vMo5CHrdUBEiQAJ6YRPc5GZqbakLLZ5j59xZtFJkGhfRNZY8Nm9j1jvdO27lgaAie08P8HAQ
The hotel is located on the 20th street. The hotel is a great location and all the staff are so helpful and friendly. We got upgraded to the deluxe room. The rooms are clean and pleasant. The corridors need to be carperted and signs to lifts and rooms need to be better posted.
The atmosphere was great at the hotel and the pool and lounge area was totally relaxing. The hotel has two pools and is just by the beach.
As part of the hotel you get two free beach beds which is a great bonus. You can pay extra for an umbrella or a canopy. The shore club staff run part of the beach which makes you feel a bit exclusive.
The hotel is suitable for everyone. Nobu is located within the hotel and there is a Sky bar here too.
As with many of the hotels and most apartments in Florida there is a resort fee here. It ranges between $18 - $20 a day so this will bump up the hotel costs.
I would definitely stay here again.
In addition to the beaches, celebrity house spotting, flash cars and shopping it is great just to walk along Ocean Drive, Washington Avenue and Collins Avenue to soak up the culture and see the Art Deco building. We spotted the Miami Ink Tattoo store and if I was brave I would have had a tattoo because they looked like they knew how to design good tattoos.
I wanted to see the Dash store and it was a bit of a disappointment. It was also expensive.
We were undecided between an apartment and a hotel and I wish we had gone for an apartment for the first few days in Miami. Unless you plan to stay in the hotel and use its facilities, an apartment in south beach is probably cheaper and is a good base to go around Miami.
Next time I am in Miami I would definitely not stay at any hotel which is further than 23rd street just because there is less to see especially if you want to walk around rather than get a taxi everywhere.
Car Rental:
We did not realise we were in Miami during spring break...this meant everywhere was fully booked and all convertibles were out on rental. Even though we pre booked a convertible two months ago from Sixt Rental on Collins Avenue, we were informed the night before they had run out of them - talk about bad logistics.. The staff member on duty on the Sunday evening was so rude and said " you can come tomorrow but we have no convertibles so there is nothing we can do". This ruined our night a bit. The lady offered us a refund however, we could not get anything reasonable for the amount we paid. Approx £150 for a week. The next morning we went to the branch again and the manager was there who was more understanding and managed to get us a Camero an hour later and knocked off some money and add a few freebies due to the inconvenience.
FLORIDA KEYS
We had planned to visit Islamarado and Marathon. It took us about 2 hours to get to Islamorado. There was no traffic however as the speed limit is about 40-50 mph though out its a slow drive. The drive was pleasant especially when you could see the water on either side of the bridge. We did not have time to drive all the way down to Key West but I am guessing the scene is the same. Apparently the waters do get more clear and the shades of blue are more evident are you drive down.
Islamarado is in between the Keys and is a good base.
There is a fly boarding/ jet packing place located in Islamorado run by Justin and that was totally awesome. It can be pricey however I checked travel zoo before my visit and managed to get them to match the price.
La Siesta Resort
http://www.lasiestaresort.com/
This resort felt welcoming and almost felt like it was family run. The staff are friendly and went the extra mile. The room we had was big and came with a kitchen and a little living room area. The resort is located by the beach and the view is stunning. You can hire bikes and kayaks for free. We went for a short bike ride in the dedicated pathway and it was great. The air was so fresh and we felt safe.
There is a resort fee at this hotel.
The only downside was the continental breakfast was really basic. They could have had more varieties of bread and more fruit.
Old Seven Mile Bridge:
We drove 45 minutes of Marathon to view this bridge. Yes, it is just a bridge but it was a nice piece of history to see. We managed to get there just as the sun was setting and it was a great view. There were people fishing around and it was busy. We just managed to find parking. It is a two way traffic so you need to be alert as you approach the bridge so you don't miss the parking. If you do its about 10 minute drive to get back to the parking
Ma's Kitchen
http://www.masfishcamp.com/ordereze/default.aspx
I had reserved best Key Lime Pies at the Keys and Ma's Kitchen came up. We went there for dinner and their home made key lime pie.
The reviews lived up to their expectation. Not only was the pie scrumptious, the main meals were tasty and I managed to finish most of mine.
If you are visiting this area make sure you make a stop here.
CooperTown Air Boats Tours
http://coopertownairboats.com/
On route to Naples from Islamorado we made a stop at the Everglades. As with other activities I researched deals and spotted Cooper Air Boats on groupon. I emailed them and they were more than happy to match the price on the day. It cost $36 for two tickets.
There are many tour companies around the area however the fact that I could hold a baby alligator at the end drew my attention to this one.
The air boat drive was fascinating and interesting. As well as alligator spotting we got to learn about the birds and the nature around everglades.
There is a restaurant in the same location that serves gator tails and frog legs. We had the gator tails and they were amazing.
NAPLES
It took about 2.5 hours to drive to Naples from Everglades. The roads are straight and pretty boring. You could drive straight for miles and not see anything but trees. However having a convertible make the drive bare able and more enjoyable. Not sure if it was that and the combination of the warm sun.
DoubleTree Hilton
http://www.doubletreenaples.com/
We got there late afternoon, checked in and just chilled out by the pool area. We stayed at DoubleTree Hilton and it was great. The warm cookies on arrival were a nice twist. The hotel was clean and the staff were friendly and helpful. Their breakfast was delicious and there was everything from waffle maker to sausage gravy.
The pool area was ideal and there was a Jacuzzi available too. The pool was warm too which was ideal for a swim at 7pm.
We fancied an American Diner and went to Rib City. It is an average restaurant that served a lot of yes, ribs! The restaurant was reasonable but nothing special. It was basic and so was the food. We did have our rib quota. For three meats it was $14 and the portions were big however after having pulled pork, chicken, shrimps and ribs we decided it was only the ribs which were enjoyable.
Naples Pier
The next morning we drove to the pier which was about 30 minutes from the hotel. We drove down 5th street. It was a great shopping area with little boutique type shops. It was difficult to find parking on the same street as the Pier however a few street down we got a spot. It was 25 cents for 20 minutes and the good thing about parking in America is you have set big spots.
The Pier is like any other one but it was nice to absorb the atmosphere. The beach was clean and we had a nice walk around.
CLEAR WATERS
Holiday Inn
http://www.ihg.com/holidayinn/hotels/us/en/clearwater-beach/clwgv/hoteldetail?cm_mmc=GoogleMaps-_-hi-_-USEN-_-clwgv
It took us about 2.5 hours to drive to Clear Waters. The drive into the beach are took about 20 minutes. It was very busy again because of spring break. We stayed at the holiday inn. There were issues with the booking and the staff member was apologetic and upgrades us to a Gulf View room with a balcony. The room was clean and ideal. It had a microwave, coffee maker and a kitchen sink.
The beach was clean and white and there was a good buzz in the area. There were many seagulls around and they were rather loud and annoying. I would never take food on the beach because they all seemed to be on the watch and dive for the food. It was quite funny seeing people being chased but yet put me off the beach.
I was expecting the Gulf water to be really warm but it was cold. The sand was soft and white however after about 30 minutes of noisy birds we decided to head back to the pool in the hotel. The hotel pool had a good view of the gulf and there was live music from the hotel restaurant as the evening set in. We went up to our room balcony to watch the sunset and it was amazing to sit in the balcony and watch it while listening and watching the live music which was just below us.
I would stay at this hotel because the location was great and the staff were friendly.
Back Water on Sand Key
The concierge recommended we go to this restaurant for dinner especially as we had a car. The car journey was about 5 minutes. The restaurant was located by the gulf however it was dark by the time we got here so did not get to appreciate the settings. The food however was great and good value. I had a Blue Hawaiin cocktail of the day and it was $3.75. Also the alcohol content was much higher than you would get in any cocktails in the UK. We ordered a pasta dish and the speciality. This was crab cakes make from blue crabs. They were tasty and amazing. Also for once we had a meal that did not come with fries and a load of other carbs which is a norm in many of the restaurants.
TAMPA
The next morning we set off early to Tampa North Hilton Garden Inn.
Hilton Garden Inn Tampa North
http://hiltongardeninn3.hilton.com/en/hotels/florida/hilton-garden-inn-tampa-north-TPANHGI/attractions/index.html
I had contact the hotel previously with regards to Busch Garden tickets shuttles etc and the manager had said they offered good deals. From the UK it was not possible to get cheap one day tickets. We got there about 940 and unfortunately the hourly shuttle which was due at 10am was already booked. If you are going to do this is it best to prebook the shuttle to avoid disappointment. We managed to get on the 11 a.m. one. The staff said we could leave our luggage inside and told us to help ourselves to the coffee. There was also a nice lounge area to wait in the restaurant.
We bought tickets from the concierge for Busch Gardens. It was $68 for a normal single ticket and $78 for an all dining ticket. The all dining ticket was definitely a bargain. You can eat and drink as much as you like ( a side/dessert, drink and main meal) through out the day.
Busch Gardens
http://seaworldparks.com/en/buschgardens-tampa/
We arrived around 1120. The first ride you come across is the Cheetah Hunt and the queue time was 75 minutes. I am not sure if it was a marketing thing or if it was just really busy but almost everyone who went here went straight to the self service quick queue pass that was located right next to the ride. This was $29 each.
During the visit this was the only time we saw this ride with a long wait. All other rides were under 20 minutes and as the day went along, after about 5pm the queues were kept to a minimum. If we had known and planned the visit better we would have got there earlier, had breakfast, visited the animal park, then pace the rides. About 6pm there was barely any queue. We used our fast pass tickets for all the bigger rides but by the time we got to Falcon fury it was 6pm and there was no need for them.
We saw the ice show and the pet/animal show and it was definitely worth it. The talent of the ice skaters and the pet trainers is amazing.
If you do not get an all dining packet and each more than once be prepared to pay about $20 a time. For a meal on its own (e.g. spareribs and fries) it is $15.99.
The theme park is sectioned into different countries and ideally you need a whole day if nor two to see every bit of it.
It was a great day. If you do want a rain poncho make sure you get one from home because they are $8 here.
Kennedy Space Centre
https://www.kennedyspacecenter.com/
It took us almost 3 hours to get to the space centre from Tampa. We only had about 4 hours and the staff member at the ticket office told us we should go on the bus tour and go to Atlantis.
As soon as we went in we got on a bus tour. They run every 15 minutes and are about 90 minutes. I am not that interested in rockets and all but my husband is. I was surprised that I did actually enjoy it. The bus tour is worth it because it takes you through the different sites and also you can see the tracks the rocket carrier goes on. It is also a little wildlife tour and you can spot some gators. You get off at one of the stops and see the actual Apollo set up and get to watch a clip about the process and how it all went. You then get to see the Apollo plane that made it back from space. There is also a very little bit of moon rock you can touch. It is very small and nothing like you would imagine.
Back the centre we went to Atlantis section which provided you with more information on the space shuttle Atlantis. You can get to see it too and then within that centre go on a Space Shuttle experience. Being an astronaut is definitely not for the light headed. We had a quick look around the rocket garden and then bought some astronaut icecream before setting off.
If we had more time we would have seen the IMAX shows.
Cabo Flats
We went to see some friends at Delray Beach and went to a great Mexican Restaurant. The best thing about it was the value for money and the tasty margaritas. I had a mango one and it was delicious. The tacos and burritos we had were tasty and a good portion size.
Kilwins
We had a little tour of delray strip which was busy and had a mix of cafes, bars and clubs. We stopped at Kilwins and had icecream and coated Marshmallows. I was undecided between the candies apple of marshmallow. There was a nice layer of chocolate and nuts on a bit marshmallow. It was tasty and nothing like I had before. The icecream was also creamy and came in many flavours.
Saw Grass Mills Outlet
http://www.simon.com/mall/sawgrass-mills
We left shopping to the last minute and thought an outlet store would be good.
The dollar rate was $1.47 to the pound so wasn't as great as it had been so some items were not as cheap as we were expecting. Designed shoes were a bargain there - from Manola's to Jimmy's and Louboutins. The shoes were available at Bloomingdale, Saks of 5th Avenue and Neiman Marcus. They all had about 25% off sale prices so for a good pair you could would be paying less than $300 which is great if you like that sort of stuff and if you have the money. Kate Spade was definitely cheaper than the UK and so was the Levis, Nine West and Converse store. I did not find the UGGS cheaper either.
There is a good range of restaurants to eat at here but we always have to make a Cheesecake factory visit when in America and they had one there. The food and cheesecakes are amazing and not only that it is all good value for money.
I am not sure whether it is because the in the UK you get various great deals which meals that you get spoilt and are always able to get a bargain or if it was the poor dollar rate but nothing was as cheap as it used to be in America.
The staff member at the Jimmy Choo outlet was shocked when I said we had one in Bicester. They also thought they were the only ones with a SuperDry outlet.
Now that is another blog I will be working on next....Keep an eye out!!
The research was another hard part - we were going to Florida and we wanted to hire a car and drive around as much as we could in 10 days. All the road trips I found were either too expensive or did not cater for our needs.
Hopefully this post will help anyone wanted to do something similar within a sort of reasonable price.
I booked our flights with Virgin but everything else was either through venere, hotel click, hotels.com, amex travel or onclick. All the bookings worked out fine. I was a bit anxious about using different sites but it worked out in the end and saved us a lot of money.
Virgin Flight:
Our flight was from Heathrow and went pretty smoothly going and coming back from Miami. On coming back the flight arrived 20 minutes earlier too. The only issue we had on our return flight was it was cold. The crew knew it was a cold flight however still ran out of blankets. I feel the cold but this time it was not only me. I am sure Virgin can afford a few extra blankets especially as they know the new plane from Miami to UK has temperature control issues.
Miami Customs:
After a 10 hour flight all you want to do is get to your hotel. This does not happen in Miami. It took two hours to pass customs and there was no air conditioning which meant a lot of sweaty grumpy people.
Taxi:
It is easy to get a taxi from the airport - in fact the taxi/car parking lot is so busy you do not know whether you are coming or going. Taxi to Miami Mid Beach (44th Street Collins Avenue) cost $38. The return taxi from South Beach (20th Street Collins Avenue) cost $35. It is possible to get a shuttle from the Airport to Miami Beach however if there is more than one of you there is no price difference between the shuttle and the taxi. Its about $16 each way per person. In the heat I would always choose a taxi.
MIAMI
The hotel is on the 44th street. It is away from all the hustle and bustle of south beach as well as
anywhere to eat. There is an Italian which is about 5 minutes walk from there but other than that if you want variety you have to catch a taxi to south beach. It is only $5 from 44th to 20th street. There is a little café which sells necessities about 3 minute walk from the hotel but it is not cheap there.
There are a couple of tour buses that stop next to the hotel too.
The staff at holiday inn are friendly and willing to help. The room was clean however was quite noisy especially if you room overlooks Collins Avenue so I would avoid that. The doors are also not soft close so you can hear every door that shuts around you.
The pool area is nice and the hotel has a couple of hammocks, a Jacuzzi and a couple of games. The hotel is situated by the beach. Access to and from the beach is via your room key so make sure you have that on you. The wooden original boardwalk is as soon as you walk through the back access. The beach is also just a few steps away.
Big Bus Tours:
This costs $45 for a day or $50 for two days. If you do not have a car and are in Miami for a few days I would recommend the two day pass. You can use the bus service to get around most of Miami. It covers the beach area from South Point to Fountainbleau, City tour from Downtown Miami to Havana and the Design District. The little Havana tour on the red route is a good one to go to. It is a 20 minute tour but it feels like you are in Cuba. We were lucky enough to be at there when they had a big block party ( apparently the biggest in the world) which was help in Little Havana. There was lots of loud music, good food and entertainment. I had read reviews that people go there early to get a whole bag of freebies and that is exactly what was happening. A total treat for locals.
All buses change at Biscayne Bay which is a great place to shop, eat and just people watch.
Lincoln Road Mall:
Great place to eat and shop. Its a long road with shops and restaurant and its all outdoor. It one of the very few roads where no cars are allowed.
The shops range from Victoria Secrets to Aldo
We ate at Nexxt - this serves a variety of dishes at reasonable prices including two lobsters for $36 dollars. As with all American restaurants the portions are massive so though some items are overpriced you probably get two meals out of it. They always have boxes to take home extra food.
Shore Club
The hotel is located on the 20th street. The hotel is a great location and all the staff are so helpful and friendly. We got upgraded to the deluxe room. The rooms are clean and pleasant. The corridors need to be carperted and signs to lifts and rooms need to be better posted.
The atmosphere was great at the hotel and the pool and lounge area was totally relaxing. The hotel has two pools and is just by the beach.
As part of the hotel you get two free beach beds which is a great bonus. You can pay extra for an umbrella or a canopy. The shore club staff run part of the beach which makes you feel a bit exclusive.
The hotel is suitable for everyone. Nobu is located within the hotel and there is a Sky bar here too.
As with many of the hotels and most apartments in Florida there is a resort fee here. It ranges between $18 - $20 a day so this will bump up the hotel costs.
I would definitely stay here again. In addition to the beaches, celebrity house spotting, flash cars and shopping it is great just to walk along Ocean Drive, Washington Avenue and Collins Avenue to soak up the culture and see the Art Deco building. We spotted the Miami Ink Tattoo store and if I was brave I would have had a tattoo because they looked like they knew how to design good tattoos.
I wanted to see the Dash store and it was a bit of a disappointment. It was also expensive.
We were undecided between an apartment and a hotel and I wish we had gone for an apartment for the first few days in Miami. Unless you plan to stay in the hotel and use its facilities, an apartment in south beach is probably cheaper and is a good base to go around Miami.
Next time I am in Miami I would definitely not stay at any hotel which is further than 23rd street just because there is less to see especially if you want to walk around rather than get a taxi everywhere.
Car Rental:
We did not realise we were in Miami during spring break...this meant everywhere was fully booked and all convertibles were out on rental. Even though we pre booked a convertible two months ago from Sixt Rental on Collins Avenue, we were informed the night before they had run out of them - talk about bad logistics.. The staff member on duty on the Sunday evening was so rude and said " you can come tomorrow but we have no convertibles so there is nothing we can do". This ruined our night a bit. The lady offered us a refund however, we could not get anything reasonable for the amount we paid. Approx £150 for a week. The next morning we went to the branch again and the manager was there who was more understanding and managed to get us a Camero an hour later and knocked off some money and add a few freebies due to the inconvenience.
FLORIDA KEYS
We had planned to visit Islamarado and Marathon. It took us about 2 hours to get to Islamorado. There was no traffic however as the speed limit is about 40-50 mph though out its a slow drive. The drive was pleasant especially when you could see the water on either side of the bridge. We did not have time to drive all the way down to Key West but I am guessing the scene is the same. Apparently the waters do get more clear and the shades of blue are more evident are you drive down.
Islamarado is in between the Keys and is a good base.
There is a fly boarding/ jet packing place located in Islamorado run by Justin and that was totally awesome. It can be pricey however I checked travel zoo before my visit and managed to get them to match the price.
La Siesta Resort
http://www.lasiestaresort.com/
This resort felt welcoming and almost felt like it was family run. The staff are friendly and went the extra mile. The room we had was big and came with a kitchen and a little living room area. The resort is located by the beach and the view is stunning. You can hire bikes and kayaks for free. We went for a short bike ride in the dedicated pathway and it was great. The air was so fresh and we felt safe.
There is a resort fee at this hotel.
The only downside was the continental breakfast was really basic. They could have had more varieties of bread and more fruit.
Old Seven Mile Bridge:
We drove 45 minutes of Marathon to view this bridge. Yes, it is just a bridge but it was a nice piece of history to see. We managed to get there just as the sun was setting and it was a great view. There were people fishing around and it was busy. We just managed to find parking. It is a two way traffic so you need to be alert as you approach the bridge so you don't miss the parking. If you do its about 10 minute drive to get back to the parking
Ma's Kitchen
http://www.masfishcamp.com/ordereze/default.aspx
I had reserved best Key Lime Pies at the Keys and Ma's Kitchen came up. We went there for dinner and their home made key lime pie.
The reviews lived up to their expectation. Not only was the pie scrumptious, the main meals were tasty and I managed to finish most of mine.
If you are visiting this area make sure you make a stop here.
CooperTown Air Boats Tours
http://coopertownairboats.com/
On route to Naples from Islamorado we made a stop at the Everglades. As with other activities I researched deals and spotted Cooper Air Boats on groupon. I emailed them and they were more than happy to match the price on the day. It cost $36 for two tickets.
There are many tour companies around the area however the fact that I could hold a baby alligator at the end drew my attention to this one.
The air boat drive was fascinating and interesting. As well as alligator spotting we got to learn about the birds and the nature around everglades.
There is a restaurant in the same location that serves gator tails and frog legs. We had the gator tails and they were amazing.
NAPLES
It took about 2.5 hours to drive to Naples from Everglades. The roads are straight and pretty boring. You could drive straight for miles and not see anything but trees. However having a convertible make the drive bare able and more enjoyable. Not sure if it was that and the combination of the warm sun.
DoubleTree Hilton
http://www.doubletreenaples.com/
We got there late afternoon, checked in and just chilled out by the pool area. We stayed at DoubleTree Hilton and it was great. The warm cookies on arrival were a nice twist. The hotel was clean and the staff were friendly and helpful. Their breakfast was delicious and there was everything from waffle maker to sausage gravy.
The pool area was ideal and there was a Jacuzzi available too. The pool was warm too which was ideal for a swim at 7pm.
We fancied an American Diner and went to Rib City. It is an average restaurant that served a lot of yes, ribs! The restaurant was reasonable but nothing special. It was basic and so was the food. We did have our rib quota. For three meats it was $14 and the portions were big however after having pulled pork, chicken, shrimps and ribs we decided it was only the ribs which were enjoyable.
Naples Pier
The next morning we drove to the pier which was about 30 minutes from the hotel. We drove down 5th street. It was a great shopping area with little boutique type shops. It was difficult to find parking on the same street as the Pier however a few street down we got a spot. It was 25 cents for 20 minutes and the good thing about parking in America is you have set big spots.
The Pier is like any other one but it was nice to absorb the atmosphere. The beach was clean and we had a nice walk around.
CLEAR WATERS
Holiday Inn
http://www.ihg.com/holidayinn/hotels/us/en/clearwater-beach/clwgv/hoteldetail?cm_mmc=GoogleMaps-_-hi-_-USEN-_-clwgv
It took us about 2.5 hours to drive to Clear Waters. The drive into the beach are took about 20 minutes. It was very busy again because of spring break. We stayed at the holiday inn. There were issues with the booking and the staff member was apologetic and upgrades us to a Gulf View room with a balcony. The room was clean and ideal. It had a microwave, coffee maker and a kitchen sink.
The beach was clean and white and there was a good buzz in the area. There were many seagulls around and they were rather loud and annoying. I would never take food on the beach because they all seemed to be on the watch and dive for the food. It was quite funny seeing people being chased but yet put me off the beach.
I was expecting the Gulf water to be really warm but it was cold. The sand was soft and white however after about 30 minutes of noisy birds we decided to head back to the pool in the hotel. The hotel pool had a good view of the gulf and there was live music from the hotel restaurant as the evening set in. We went up to our room balcony to watch the sunset and it was amazing to sit in the balcony and watch it while listening and watching the live music which was just below us.
I would stay at this hotel because the location was great and the staff were friendly.
Back Water on Sand KeyThe concierge recommended we go to this restaurant for dinner especially as we had a car. The car journey was about 5 minutes. The restaurant was located by the gulf however it was dark by the time we got here so did not get to appreciate the settings. The food however was great and good value. I had a Blue Hawaiin cocktail of the day and it was $3.75. Also the alcohol content was much higher than you would get in any cocktails in the UK. We ordered a pasta dish and the speciality. This was crab cakes make from blue crabs. They were tasty and amazing. Also for once we had a meal that did not come with fries and a load of other carbs which is a norm in many of the restaurants.
TAMPA
The next morning we set off early to Tampa North Hilton Garden Inn.
Hilton Garden Inn Tampa North
http://hiltongardeninn3.hilton.com/en/hotels/florida/hilton-garden-inn-tampa-north-TPANHGI/attractions/index.html
I had contact the hotel previously with regards to Busch Garden tickets shuttles etc and the manager had said they offered good deals. From the UK it was not possible to get cheap one day tickets. We got there about 940 and unfortunately the hourly shuttle which was due at 10am was already booked. If you are going to do this is it best to prebook the shuttle to avoid disappointment. We managed to get on the 11 a.m. one. The staff said we could leave our luggage inside and told us to help ourselves to the coffee. There was also a nice lounge area to wait in the restaurant.
We bought tickets from the concierge for Busch Gardens. It was $68 for a normal single ticket and $78 for an all dining ticket. The all dining ticket was definitely a bargain. You can eat and drink as much as you like ( a side/dessert, drink and main meal) through out the day.
Busch Gardens
http://seaworldparks.com/en/buschgardens-tampa/
We arrived around 1120. The first ride you come across is the Cheetah Hunt and the queue time was 75 minutes. I am not sure if it was a marketing thing or if it was just really busy but almost everyone who went here went straight to the self service quick queue pass that was located right next to the ride. This was $29 each.
During the visit this was the only time we saw this ride with a long wait. All other rides were under 20 minutes and as the day went along, after about 5pm the queues were kept to a minimum. If we had known and planned the visit better we would have got there earlier, had breakfast, visited the animal park, then pace the rides. About 6pm there was barely any queue. We used our fast pass tickets for all the bigger rides but by the time we got to Falcon fury it was 6pm and there was no need for them.
We saw the ice show and the pet/animal show and it was definitely worth it. The talent of the ice skaters and the pet trainers is amazing.
If you do not get an all dining packet and each more than once be prepared to pay about $20 a time. For a meal on its own (e.g. spareribs and fries) it is $15.99.
The theme park is sectioned into different countries and ideally you need a whole day if nor two to see every bit of it.
It was a great day. If you do want a rain poncho make sure you get one from home because they are $8 here.
Kennedy Space Centre
https://www.kennedyspacecenter.com/
It took us almost 3 hours to get to the space centre from Tampa. We only had about 4 hours and the staff member at the ticket office told us we should go on the bus tour and go to Atlantis.
As soon as we went in we got on a bus tour. They run every 15 minutes and are about 90 minutes. I am not that interested in rockets and all but my husband is. I was surprised that I did actually enjoy it. The bus tour is worth it because it takes you through the different sites and also you can see the tracks the rocket carrier goes on. It is also a little wildlife tour and you can spot some gators. You get off at one of the stops and see the actual Apollo set up and get to watch a clip about the process and how it all went. You then get to see the Apollo plane that made it back from space. There is also a very little bit of moon rock you can touch. It is very small and nothing like you would imagine.
Back the centre we went to Atlantis section which provided you with more information on the space shuttle Atlantis. You can get to see it too and then within that centre go on a Space Shuttle experience. Being an astronaut is definitely not for the light headed. We had a quick look around the rocket garden and then bought some astronaut icecream before setting off.
If we had more time we would have seen the IMAX shows.
Cabo Flats
We went to see some friends at Delray Beach and went to a great Mexican Restaurant. The best thing about it was the value for money and the tasty margaritas. I had a mango one and it was delicious. The tacos and burritos we had were tasty and a good portion size.
Kilwins
We had a little tour of delray strip which was busy and had a mix of cafes, bars and clubs. We stopped at Kilwins and had icecream and coated Marshmallows. I was undecided between the candies apple of marshmallow. There was a nice layer of chocolate and nuts on a bit marshmallow. It was tasty and nothing like I had before. The icecream was also creamy and came in many flavours.
Saw Grass Mills Outlet
http://www.simon.com/mall/sawgrass-mills
We left shopping to the last minute and thought an outlet store would be good.
The dollar rate was $1.47 to the pound so wasn't as great as it had been so some items were not as cheap as we were expecting. Designed shoes were a bargain there - from Manola's to Jimmy's and Louboutins. The shoes were available at Bloomingdale, Saks of 5th Avenue and Neiman Marcus. They all had about 25% off sale prices so for a good pair you could would be paying less than $300 which is great if you like that sort of stuff and if you have the money. Kate Spade was definitely cheaper than the UK and so was the Levis, Nine West and Converse store. I did not find the UGGS cheaper either.
There is a good range of restaurants to eat at here but we always have to make a Cheesecake factory visit when in America and they had one there. The food and cheesecakes are amazing and not only that it is all good value for money.
I am not sure whether it is because the in the UK you get various great deals which meals that you get spoilt and are always able to get a bargain or if it was the poor dollar rate but nothing was as cheap as it used to be in America.
The staff member at the Jimmy Choo outlet was shocked when I said we had one in Bicester. They also thought they were the only ones with a SuperDry outlet.
Now that is another blog I will be working on next....Keep an eye out!!
Wednesday, 25 February 2015
A good cocktail
I always love a good cocktail and it wasn't until I came across a nice little bar in Leicester that i realised what a proper cocktail was.
Turtle bay, las iguanas, TGI and all the other chains serve a nice range of cocktails but the alcohol vs ice balance is not great. Also I always thought I was getting a good deal with bogof but I now realise it's quality over quantity when it comes to cocktails!
At Bar Cank in Leicester every cocktail is made with an extra touch from rose spray to candy floss to petals and of course a good amount of alcohol. Also they are under a ten pounds.
The bar is small so make sure you ring up and reserve a table. In addition to the fantastic cocktails it is table service only and you get complimentary cucumber water. What more can you want on a night out.
I am on the hunt now for other cocktail bars in the Midlands and support local businesses that give better value for money and offer a great service.
Turtle bay, las iguanas, TGI and all the other chains serve a nice range of cocktails but the alcohol vs ice balance is not great. Also I always thought I was getting a good deal with bogof but I now realise it's quality over quantity when it comes to cocktails!
At Bar Cank in Leicester every cocktail is made with an extra touch from rose spray to candy floss to petals and of course a good amount of alcohol. Also they are under a ten pounds.
The bar is small so make sure you ring up and reserve a table. In addition to the fantastic cocktails it is table service only and you get complimentary cucumber water. What more can you want on a night out.
I am on the hunt now for other cocktail bars in the Midlands and support local businesses that give better value for money and offer a great service.
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