presidents day weekend with friends

I love three day weekends, and this past President’s Day one was spent with friends, so even better than usual! Some of our DC friends came down to Miami to escape the cold, and we had a whirlwind of fun!

First off, we went to Zoo Miami, and Taylor + I got a zoo membership for return visits throughout the year. When we stepped into the parrot exhibit, a very pretty bird landed on Danny, and wouldn’t leave! We got to see many more birds throughout our visit, but I think the highlight was getting to feed the giraffes. They have purple tongues!

On Saturday, we put Maurice in daycare and took a drive down to Key Largo. Well, first we got donuts at the BEST donut place, The Salty. Classic glazed is my fave, but the specialty flavors are worth a try too!

Then, we started the drive. You might be shocked to hear this, but it’s the biggest of the Florida keys! We ate a delicious lunch at the Fish House, and then went to John Pennekamp State Park to take a glass bottom boat tour through the Everglades and coral reefs. It was just like snorkeling, but without the getting wet part. Although I didn’t capture it with my film camera, we saw a plethora of fish, and even *two* sea turtles!

On Sunday, Danny, Chihiro, and Taylor got up bright & early to drive out to the Everglades. Though I stayed home with Maurice, I was told that the trio saw a total of 35 alligators on the Shark Valley Trail, and many (more) birds. Happy they had fun! When they returned to Miami, we (minus the dog) took the time to tour Vizcaya, perhaps the most famous attraction in Miami proper. It’s stunning, of course, but the gardens were even better than the house! So much beautiful greenery!

Plus, Taylor’s family friends Mick and Cherie were able to join us too. Thanks to Mick for the second-to-last picture of me + Taylor! We ended the day by going to my fave Thai place, Khosan Road.

Last but certainly not least, on Monday morning, we finished the long weekend with a visit to the Frost Science Museum. This was the only thing I had already done prior to the weekend, but it was just as fun as everything else. We saw cute burrowing owls, mesmerizing sharks, and yes, more birds.

Afterwards, Danny and Chicchi caught their flight back to DC. Although it was a short visit, we sure packed a ton into it! Can’t wait for more friends to visit, and to explore more of what Miami (and surrounding areas) have to offer.

Bonus: here are some ~pretty cool~ iPhone photos I snapped along the way too (credit goes to Taylor for the alligator basking in sun photo). Hope you enjoy! Stay tuned for an always-popular travel blog soon, because next week Taylor and I are venturing back into the cold to visit my parents in New Mexico!