Florida Travel Diary: The best eats, shops and unexpected moments

I had been looking forward to this trip to Florida for months. In fact, we booked it right after returning from Cancun—the travel bug bit hard, and my desire to explore new places has only grown stronger. I want to prioritize travel during this season of my life. Before October 2024, I had never been on a plane and had only visited New York. Naturally, I have some serious catching up to do! For the next couple of years, I’ll be catching flights, not feelings, so don’t be surprised if this blog turns into a travel memoir.

A Trip Worth Vlogging

I actually vlogged the entire trip and am currently editing the footage. There’s so much content that I think it’ll turn into a one-hour travel diary by the time I’m done. If you want to see the trip in motion, subscribe to my vlog channel so you’ll know when it’s posted!

The Journey Begins

We left for our flight at 3:30 AM, parked at Park’ N Fly, and met up with family before boarding at 6:30 AM. The flight to Florida was short—only about two hours—but pretty turbulent. Before we knew it, we had landed and were ready to explore.

Since we had a rental car, we drove straight to the resort. One downside of driving ourselves? Navigating unfamiliar roads. We hit a toll road without realizing it, so we got a toll pass to make future drives smoother. Orlando has far more toll routes than Toronto, so be mindful when using Google Maps!

First Stop: Food

Before heading to the resort, we stopped at Cracker Barrel, which had a cute little souvenir shop inside. However, since it was packed, we went to Steak ‘n Shake instead—one of my husband’s favourite spots in Orlando. He finally got to enjoy their happy hour shake deal on our last day!

The Great Steak Tour

Speaking of food, steak dominated this trip. We stumbled upon Freddy’s, which quickly became our most-visited restaurant. My husband even declared it the best steakburger, dethroning Steak ‘n Shake.

We also visited our cousins at their resort for a BBQ lunch—steak, baked potatoes, zucchini, and, of course, Chick-fil-A sauce.

One day, I tried a social media recommendation called K-Bob. They’re known for wings and burgers, but their bibimbap caught my attention. It was okay—maybe a 7/10—but not something I’d get again.

Café Hopping in Orlando

I visited three cafés while in Orlando:

1. But First, Coffee (near Florida Mall)
2. Foxtail Coffee (at Vineland Premium Outlets)
3. Gideon’s Bakehouse (at Disney Springs)

Each had its own vibe, and I always enjoy experiencing the coffee culture in a new city.

Grocery Shopping in the U.S.

Our resort had a full kitchen, so we went grocery shopping—an experience in itself! American grocery stores are next-level. The sheer variety of products was overwhelming, from Cherry Blossom LaCroix to an endless selection of Chobani oat creamers. I wanted to bring so many things back home but settled for some white hot chocolate.

At Trader Joe’s, I asked an employee for popular recommendations and tried their incredible dinner rolls, Unexpected Cheddar, and General Tso’s Chicken. I also picked up hand sanitizer sprays (perfect for Disney days) and some agave syrup to bring home.

Let’s Talk About the Resort

We stayed at Sheraton Vistana Villages – I-Drive, a Marriott Bonvoy property. If you’ve read about my Montreal stay at Courtyard Brossard, you know I’m becoming a big Marriott fan. Their hotels are clean, modern, and well-maintained. The only downside? Limited TV apps—no Disney+, so bring an HDMI cord!

The resort itself was beautiful. Palm trees everywhere, pools, and plenty of activities. We didn’t explore much since we spent most of the week at Disney, and the weather was colder than expected. But on our first day, it was warm enough (about 20°C), so we went swimming with our nephew. The pool was surprisingly warm! They hosted a pirate-themed pool party for kids, which eventually led to the parents joining in on the splash contests. It was hilarious and also weird.

I love being in the water, so I’m itching for a hot vacation where I can swim from sunrise to sundown. Praying it happens soon—so far, rain has followed us everywhere.

Shopping in Orlando

We visited Disney Springs, a nearby strip outlet, and The Florida Mall.

• The strip outlets were our first stop, where we browsed Burlington, TJ Maxx, a Disney gift shop, and Five Below (which surprised me with its great finds!).

• Target was a must-visit—I grabbed some Lemme gummies and Tree Hut body lotion, which now reminds me of this trip. Pro tip: Buy a new lotion or scent when you travel. Scent memory is powerful.
• The Vineland Premium Outlets were gorgeous, but we arrived during a terrible storm, so I didn’t get to explore as much as I wanted. The outdoor mall looked stunning, though.

• The Florida Mall was impressive. In Toronto, we have beautiful malls like Yorkdale, but Florida Mall felt like Scarborough Town Centre—just 10 times nicer.
• Hot Topic in Orlando is elite. I walked into two Toronto locations recently, and their Disney selection was gone. Orlando’s Hot Topic had fantastic merch, and it was so nostalgic to browse through.
• I was excited to visit BoxLunch, but it was under renovation—so disappointing.

Final Thoughts

Florida was beautiful, and even though I wished it stayed 20°C all week, I’m so grateful for the experience. I’ll be writing a separate blog about our Disney adventures, so stay tuned for that.

If you’ve been to Orlando, what are your must-visit spots? Let me know—I’m already planning my next trip.