While in search of adventure recently in south Florida, we decided to stop for lunch at Jane’s Garden Cafe down in Naples. It is nestled in the Courtyard Shops at 3rd Street and 13th Avenue. That’s in the midst of an upscale shopping and dining area. The place is not easy to find.
We finally located the sign and ended up coming in the back way. Admittedly, it was late in the day. One of the staff members already was gathering up cushions from the back outdoor dining area. As we walked by the kitchen, the hostess asked us whether we preferred indoor or outdoor seating. It was a pleasant day so we opted to sit outside.
The main outside dining area at Janes is a quiet, comfortable place
Edison Beach House from the famous Fort Myers Beach Pier
Generally when we travel, Mrs Funmeister and I like to explore new things. And that includes places to stay. However, we have started to find locations in some of our favorite spots that have become go-to options. That is, places we have found that we can count on. Reliable choices for dining, exploring or lodging. Such is the Edison Beach House.
A Wonderful Discovery
We were duly impressed on our first visit. There we had a three room suite. We had a kitchen/dinning room, living room and bedroom. There were sliding glass doors leading to a balcony overlooking the Gulf on the north side of the building. It was impressive and we had a lot of fun. This engendered a second visit. On our second go ’round we were two stories higher. This time we were on the south side of the building. At first blush I was a bit disappointed. Thia was a one room suite with a full kitchen, sofa, TV, dinning table. and a queen bed. It did have a view of the famous Fort Myers Beach pier. Bur the view did not seem as panoramic and we also could see part of the Times Square area. It was not until later that we discovered what a nice room we had drawn.
The view from our fourth floor balcony.
When you are on the Gulf side of Florida, you naturally look forward to the sunset. Seeing the sun go down over the water is something special. Moreover, a lot of folks gathered on the beach to enjoy it with you. But did you know there are places where you actually can see the sunrise as well?
The Sunrise
The Edison Beach House is exactly one of those locations. Upon realizing we had a front row seat, we took advantage of every second. The folks at the hotel have helped immensely by posting the local sunrise and sunset times on the back wall of the elevator. There, you cannot miss them. We took note and on our second morning we were ready for the experience.
Although the local sunrise was not set until after 7:00 eastern, we could see the beginnings of the sunrise shortly after six, Mrs Funmeister brewed some coffee and tea (using our distilled water), and we sat on our balcony to enjoy the show.
We saw the dolphins tails from our suite balcony but we missed the feeding of the dolphins up by the shoreline at the base of the pier. Apparently the fish were running and word got out fast – as dolphins and birds descended for breakfast. It drew an immediate crowd but it did not last long.
Within Walking Distance
As noted in our original post, The Edison Beach house is a place where you literally can park your car stay put. You can walk to Times Square, or up Old San Carlos Street to access any number of restaurants tourist shops or other points of interest.
That being said, the hotel owners have overbuilt the parking lot and have a strict rule on the number of autos guests may bring, so we never had a problem finding a spot to put our vehicle after having been out for the day.
Fort Myers Beach is a Great Place
Another thing that bears repeating is that Fort Myers Beach is a hidden gem along the Gulf. Although not as well publicized, Mrs Funmeister found as many shells – and as diversified – as while we were in Sanibel. The beach is a pleasant walking experience with a number of establishments, bars, restaurants, and hotels pointed out toward the water.
If you are looking for a place to stay while traveling Florida’s Gulf coast – we can recommend both The Edison Beach House Hotel and Fort Myers Beach in general as a wonderful vacation destination.
Enjoy a snippet of our Fort Myers Beach sunrise – here
How you pack for travel can determine how good or how badly your vacation outing might go. We are pretty much ready to leave at a moment’s notice.
When we go on our trips about the state, some of our items already are packed, while others have an itinerary. Of course, we have learned to pack light. It’s easier and it provides plenty of space should we find something we simply cannot live without.
Our Bags
Over the course of time, we have developed a number of pretty-much pre-packed cases that stay ready to go out the door. We have two baskets and a cooler that generally can be taken to the car at a moment’s notice, leaving only our suitcase to be packed for our current excursion. For instance, the Travel Basket stays ready.
It is a basket containing a night light with extra bulb, essential oil and diffuser, door stop alarm, projection clock, small blow dryer, multi electric plug with USB ports We also carry a note book and pen among other things.
The other is a picnic basket. We carry that for our grocery needs. For instance, we don’t do Styrofoam – so there are paper cups. There also are some paper plates, paper bowls, a small pack of plastic dinner ware and napkins.
Rather than relying on motel fare, we carry our favorite teas, coffee bags, MCT oil powder and small bottles of honey. We always have small bottles of apple cider vinegar,small bottles of naturally sweetened ginger ail’ small bottles of extra virgin oil. Himalayan sea salt, and small plastic bags of organic waffle mix.
Because of the shelf life, we can re-stock these at the end of each trip and have them ready to go for the next time. Just before we leave, we throw in a couple of fresh bottles of purified water. We use bottled water in the coffee maker in the room inasmuch as it makes the coffee taste so much better than if we rely on the motel’s tap water.
Our Suitcase
In our suitcase, each of us has a clear plastic toiletries bag that has soap, deodorant. razor, small shampoos and hair care products. which stay pretty much intact and in the suitcase. Some of the items, such as small bottles of shampoo or small soaps actually are souvenirs of previous motel stays.
When it comes to packing the suitcase, less is better. We carry fresh underwear, some lounging clothes. a couple pair of casual pants. one pair of dress paints (maybe a skirt for the Mrs.) and several choices of tops. However, we don’t pack a lot of clothes because we are traveling to different locations and can get a couple wears of our outfits.
Additionally, there are “souvenir clothes” we pick up in our travels, and having space in the suitcase allows us to bring them back without traveling with shopping bags full of miscellaneous items. Because we live in Florida we have beach shoes and beachweare packed in the car at all times. Bags for shelling is also found helpful. For our trip we generally only carry one extra pair of shoes.
Most people consider packing to be tedious. However, having a couple bags already packed and having your list of necessities can take a lot of the hassle out and keep you from forgetting important things at the last minute.
Heading home from an adventure in Fort Myers Beach, we stopped at Sandra’s in Punta Gorda. It was a German cuisine experience not to be missed. .
Sandra’s is German owned and operated, They serve authentic German & European Cuisine and are prod of it. The owners tout their high quality ingredients and the food is cooked to order. It all comes from their own traditional German and European family recipes.
It’s the Real Deal
Sandra’s menu offerings included Weiner Schnitzel, Jager Schnitzel, Kasespatzel, and Goulash. Of course there were appetizers, salads and a host of desert options.
Not knowing German fare well enough, we opted for the buffet. They treated us to a selection of Schweinbraten, Bratwurst (smoked and regular), Saurkraut, bread dumplings and potato salad with Avocado soup as an appetizer. The spicy mustard and curry sauce were flavorful but not overly spicy – which is a bonus for me (the wife likes it a bit more stout).
We wanted to try some of their deserts – including the legendary Apple Strudel or the HeiBe Liebe (Hot Love), however, we were too full.
Sandra’s also offers a great selection of German beer, schnapps and brandy – which I would like to sample. The menu offered some domestic and imported wine selections as well.
We vow to make a return visit to Sandra’s for dinner when we return to Punta Gorda.
If the site is looking different to you, well, it should. We have a new name – Florida Fun Travel and we have changed the layout of the site. Hopefully it will make it easier to find the content you are looking for as well as being brighter and more exciting.
It is a new name and a new focus on bringing better information about the Sunshine State.
Coming Changes at Florida Fun Travel
Over the next little while, we will be tweaking and revamping some of our older articles, while adding new reviews on cities, points of interest, festivals, places to stay and places to eat.
We also will have more video for you and will be answering your questions about where to go and what to do while looking for vacation destinations in the state of Florida.
“Thanks to all of our regular visitors and welcome to all of our new friends, this coming year will be the best yet. “
Funmeister
We thought the name Florida Fun Travel would be a better indication of what we do. The idea is to show you our experiences. We will be heading to many different locations in the Sunshine State.
As we visit new places, we’ll tell you what it’s like. We’ll show you where we stayed, where we ate and talk about a lot of the different points of interest.
Additionally, we are now on several different social media platforms. Join us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest.
So please come back to Florida Fun Travel. Visit us often and follow us on our various adventures as we travel the Sunshine State.
When we stay at various hotels and motels during our travels, one item we generally pick up on the way is a gallon of purified or distilled water. The stop usually takes just a couple minutes at a big box or grocery store. Let me tell you why it is worth it’s weight in gold. If there is one thing we have learned as we visit an array of locations around the Sunshine State, it is that not all water systems are created equal. In the morning, when we make our coffee and tea, the major ingredient is the water. The equation is pretty simple. Bad water = bad coffee. So when we use our in-room coffee maker, we use our own purified or distilled water and the tea and coffee we brought from home.
We can also use it for other purposes – such as brushing our teeth.
You might want water you can trust
Test yours against their water
It becomes even more obvious when we go downstairs to breakfast and try some of the coffee the hotel has on tap. Many restaurants will have filters for their water, but it has been our experience that hotels and motels don’t usually do that. Additionally, we use the purified or distilled water when we brush our teeth and for other drinking applications. Usually we spend less than a dollar and can spot a grocery store or big box store either on our way in or during our travels around the area. This is a very simple thing that makes our stay a lot more pleasant with little effort.
Most of the time, we go through a gallon in a single overnight stay. If we don’t, we just leave what’s left in the bottle behind. For less than a dollar and a few minutes of our time, we can enjoy one of the best comforts of home…..a great cup of coffee.
Officials at the American Automobile Association have predicted that a record-setting 5.9 million Floridians will travel 50 miles or more for the Christmas holidays this year. That’s the most since AAA began tracking holiday travel in 2001.
The Auto Club Group projects additional 266,000 Floridians will hit the holiday highways and skyways this year.
The roads will be jammed with Christmas cheer
“Low gas prices and a strong economy continues to drive up demand for seasonal travel,” said Mark Jenkins, spokesman, AAA – The Auto Club Group. “With more Floridians hitting the road than ever before, AAA urges drivers to reduce the risk of a holiday hazard. Get your vehicle inspected by a trusted mechanic, minimize distractions while behind the wheel, and do not drive impaired.”
During this festive Christmas season, the Florida Highway Patrol is joining with other law enforcement agencies and will be cracking down on impaired driving by sharing the message: Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over.
For all the years we have lived in Florida we never really knew much about Eau Gallie. We were aware that it was a town someplace but never knew exactly where it was. We recently found out when we went to Melbourne and attended their First Friday celebration.
Eau Gallie in fact is not a town – but the arts district of Melbourne. Centered around Highland Avenue and Eau Gallie Boulevard, it is a compendium of art galleries, bars, restaurants and interesting little shops.
It also is the home of the Foosaner Art Museum of the Florida Institute of Technology. The exhibition that was on display when we visited was “Derek Gores: Local Edition” – a mid-career retrospective of work by Melbourne resident, Derek Gores.
Enjoying our First Evening
We started our evening with dinner at the Cottage Inn, a traditional Irish pub which is owned and operated by the Hogan Family from Co. Mayo, Ireland. They boasted “real Irish food, beer and wine.” It might be argued that they forgot “great music” in the mix.
The night we were there the place was packed, with folks trying to find a spot inside, or outside. They have decks in the back and the front. We were fortunate enough to grab a table on the front deck in time to hear the musical stylings of Dave Burch. He sang and played Irish ballads on his acoustic guitar.
We got a great seat at The Cottage in Eau Gallie
The food was tremendous, and I must say there was lots of it. I had the Guinness Beef Stew. It’s a hearty mix of Guinness Foreign Extra Stout braised beef with vegetables and herbs, while my wife had the “soup of the day”- a wonderful Tomato Basil. We each got slices of the heavy Irish brown bread as well.
Not knowing what we were in for, my wife also ordered their “Irish Nachos” which were french fries smothered in Irish beer cheese, bacon and chives, with sour cream for dipping. We ended up taking those home.
Strolling About Eau Gallie
The walk around the neighborhood showed the success of the First Friday event. There was good traffic at many of the galleries. We toured Art Expressions, Shambala and The Art & Antique Studio among others. Other restaurants and pubs along Highland Avenue also were doing a brisk business with few open tables at Chef Mario’s Cafe.
Shambala had a lot of traffic
There also wer some wonderful street musicians as. We stood by as a young cellist entertained with Christmas carols, Just up the street another troubadour was singing classics from The Moody Blues.
A Party on the Square
a The centerpiece of the evening was Eau Gallie Square, where they held the annual lighting of the Chistmas tree. Santa Claus held court for young and old alike while Groove Connection played from the main stage
One of the coolest features was the way they used projection lights to illuminate the trees – but what did you expect from the creative minds at the Eau Gallie Art District (EGAD).
GtooveAffiliation was rocking it
There were vendors at the park, making it a totally encapsulated experience – so once you were there you did not have to leave. However, we did leave and walk the streets, taking in music at some of the local bars – including a very loud rock band and a drum circle that was locked in on a rhythm.
Dessert in Eau Gallie Means Joan’s
One of our best decisions was to stop by Joan’s Perfect Pies. We had read an article that said it was one of the top locations for pies in the Sunshine State. Boy were they ever right! They hand make all of their fillings and dough and crust is an all butter crust; brown and flakey.
Our choice was not easy. Joan offered lots of choices. There were traditional flavors such apple, cherry, key lime and pumpkin pies. We also saw less traditional creations such as almond joy pie, hula pie, derby pie and four berry pie.
Joan and her crew worked hard to make LOTS of perfect pies
We highly recommend the four berry and sitting under one of her canopy-covered tables. Personally, I am glad we don’t live any closer to this place – it is simply irresistible!
Eau Gallie is a Lot of Fun
We found Melbourne to be a very interesting place. They have a funky and interesting little downtown area. But there’s also West Melbourne, East Melbourne. You can add Melbourne beach in the mix as well as Indian Shores Beach and Satellite Beach.
To be honest, it encompasses a good chunk of the Space Coast in general . We’ll be blogging about that later. But of the First Friday events that are scattered around the Sunshine State, the EGAD First Fridays are some of the most fun and culturally interesting.
On a recent visit to Melbourne, we had the opportunity to visit the Melbourne Christmas Lightfest. What a wonderful experience it was. There were a reported three million lights sprinkled over hundreds of displays Some of them moving and others that were static.
An Annual Fundraiser
The display at Wickham Park is held each year It benefits the local Boy Scout troop – which is just another reason to drive through. The first weekend it was opened, visitors were allowed to walk through. By the time we arrived, was a drive-through. For us that was good. After all, it’s a long way for us to walk. Plus, once inside the park we could drive the mile long circle as many times as we liked.
In the middle of the tour, there’s a place to stop and see Santa. He was set up to talk with young and old alike asking “What do you want for Christmas?” At the site, there’s also hot chocolate and the ability to roast some marshmallows over an open fire.
The Melbourne Christmas Lightfest was as much fun as it was beautiful.
When you are ready to leave, you have a chance to drive through one of best light displays on the property – a 200-foot light tunnel vibrating with multi-colored bulbs. We shot some video and although we were blessed to be able to avoid tail lights for the most part, it really does not do it justice.
We have been to many Christmas displays. This one was as good as any – and better than most. One of the most desireable parts of the tour is, you can go as fast or slowly as you like. That means you won’t miss a thing.
Our congratulations to the Melbourne Boy Scouts for a job well done and we highly recommend The Melbourne Christmas Lightfest as a great Christmas display (yes, there IS a manger scene.)
We always are looking for ways to improve our travel experience – this new extension cord is just the ticket. The recent addition of a new multi-plug to our travel bag has proved to be both handy and dandy.
In the past we have been using a specialized multi plug – which allows us to both use our electronic devices and our USB chargers even when all the electric sockets in the room are in use.
The Perfect Little Solution
It was a really great and useful addition, especially when we got to rooms where all the plugs virtually were in use. One of the problems has been that the lamps at motel room work stations would not accommodate our multi-plug. That meant we would have to leave our phones on the floor and stretch our computer cords onto the bed.
Our new extension cord was both inexpensive and functional
That problem now seems to have been solved with the purchase of this short extension cord. It’s less than a foot long and is a perfect tool to set up a multi plug from a lamp socket.
The Dollar Store Strikes Again
We found this extension cord while on one of our forays to the dollar store. It’s a great place to find items for our tool box, first aid kit, travel bag or picnic basket. Moreover, you would be surprised to find how many of the items are Made in USA – which is a major enticement for us to purchase. On our last trip, we put it to the test. Everything appears to work flawlessly. Granted, we don’t pull a whole lot of electricity with our machinery so it does not put a lot of stress on the new equipment. The best part is how darned convenient it is and the fact it was so inexpensive.
Our recommendation; go to the dollar store, get one of these cords and throw it in your travel bag. It is a wonderful little tool when you are on the go.
