The Travel Brats

Unique Places in Florida

• Marie Selby Botanical Gardens - Sarasota
• Bok Tower - Lake Wales
• Ancient Spanish Monastery - North Miami Beach (diff royal vibe) stone
• The Fairchild Tropical Botanical Gardens - Miami (beautiful lawn)
• Vizcaya Museum and Gardens - Miami (stunning wedding, courtyard, water)
• Leu Gardens - Orlando 
• Wall Murals -  Downtown Orlando (modern artsy)
• Wynwood Walls - Miami (modern artsy)
• Dickson Azalea Park - Orlando (very natural)
• Winter Park Train Station & Gannibal Square - Winter Park (40s vibe train track)
• Ringling (NOT), COVID, no pics inside etc.

Churches

• Memorial Presbyterian Church - St. Augustine, FL
• Plymouth Congregational Church - Coconut Grove, Miami, FL
• St. John’s Cathedral - Jacksonville, FL (Stain glass)
• Immaculate Conception Catholic Church - Jacksonville, FL (Fave inside)
• Episcopal Church of Bethesda-by-the-Sea - Palm Beach, FL (courtyard)
• First Baptist Church of Citra - Citra, FL (little, cute and white)
• St. Ann's Catholic Church - West Palm Beach, FL
• Sacred Heart Catholic Church - Tampa, FL (stunning inside)

Where to Stay - Sites Hotel in Medellin, Airbnb in Old Town Cartagena 

Recommended Tours - El Penon de Guatape for incredible views

Museums - Emerald Museum in Cartagena, Inquisition Museum, Naval Museum

Extra Tips - Global Entry Enrollment Upon Arrival program, Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) 

As always, stay safe, enjoy, and make some amazing memories. Share your favorite Colombian moments with

 The Travel Brats. 

Gloria Ferrer Winery

Since we hired a driver to pick us up from San Francisco, we decided to put two renowned wineries on our itinerary that day before being dropped off at our hotel in downtown Napa Valley. We had to drive through Sonoma, so we made that our first stop at Gloria Ferrer Winery. The most beautiful views I had ever seen as it had a long driveway up to the wine tasting and you overlooked Sonoma while diving right into your pairings.  We chose to do Taste on the Terrace, which allowed us to try 4 different wines and incredibly prepared food that was beyond my palette. There are many options for tastings so be sure to browse their website for what works in your plans. Also a pro tip - most vineyards and wineries are only open until 3pm - 5pm so you’ll have to start early. 

Domaine Carneros Winery 

Since we hired a driver (which I highly recommend), he waited for us to finish our 12:30pm tasting at Gloria Ferrer and took us over to Domaine Carneros Winery, which was basically a breathtaking castle. The pictures just don’t this place justice, but the pairing and tasting options were high quality and worth the price of admission. We did the Bubbles & Bites - Journey To Spain for $95 a person, which by this point, we were quite tipsy and absolutely loved every second. Their tastings are constantly changing, so stay up to date with them on their website and social media. We were set after 2 wine tastings, and definitely couldn’t have handled a third for the day. 

Robert Mondavi Winery

One of the most epic scenes and classic look was the infamous Robert Mondavi Winery and we splurged and did the Vineyard to Table lunch which included a tour, lunch, and a delicious tasting geared towards red wine lovers. The culinary experiences are what they are known for, and this is a great spot for couples, honeymooners, and smaller, more intimate groups. Culinary Experiences | Robert Mondavi Winery It was on the pricier side by being $165 per person, but browse their selection to see what experience fits into your price range. The grounds were beautifully kept and the tour really made the experience top notch, whereas most tastings didn’t involve a tour or walking around. Robert Mondavi Winery was established in 1966 and proudly brands this quote all over their website: 

“Walking through To Kalon, admiring its contours and vines, smelling the richness of its soil, I knew this was a very special place. It exuded an indefinable quality I could not describe, a feeling that was almost mystical.”

JaM Cellars - Sponsor for the renowned BottleRock Festival 

I truly saved the best for last with JaM Cellars, as they put a hip, new spin on wine tasting and entertainment. Known for their delicious buttery Chardonnay and concerts at their wine tastings, JaM Cellars is also the sponsor of the BottleRock Festival, which is one of the coolest festivals to attend. While JaM Cellars hosted me at a wine tasting, their electric energy was undeniable - the nicest people worked there, the wine was so good that we had to buy some and ship it home, and the concerts they have are the perfect balance between entertaining and chill. It’s also located downtown Napa Valley and is a must visit. Fun fact for you all, the J in JaM stands for John and the M stands for Michelle because they started this winery together and they even have a podcast called JaM Happy Hour. You can easily shop their wine online and order it right to your door steps. 

Enjoy your wine tastings and as always, drink responsibly. 

Be sure to Follow the Travel Brats on IG and tiktok to see all the travel tips and bachelorette party content. 

After planning of months, our Napa Valley trip was destined to begin in San Francisco. Flying from south Florida to California meant our flight options required a layover, so we chose to splurge to fly first class on American Airlines (AA). American Airlines seemed to have the best options to fly from Southwest Florida. After a pretty easy travel experience, thanks to TSA Pre-Check and Global Entry, we arrived at our hotel, the Marriott Fisherman’s Wharf which was just. short walk to all the action at the Fisherman’s Wharf and Pier 39.

Since we were staying for two nights, we stayed at the Marriott and used Bonvoy points, and enjoyed the Marriott accommodations like food/drink vouchers and credits. The next morning, we woke up early to walk around Pier 39 and had a quick bite to eat and drink at Biscoff Coffee Corner, which had the best White Chocolate Mocha EVER. Pier 39 was so much fun and worth seeing because they have Sea Lions there that you can’t miss. Especially during the summertime, this spot has tons of restaurants and entertainment for the whole family. After a morning exploring nearby, we headed off to Bay City Bikes where we booked a tour of the Golden Gate Bridge to a neighboring town called Sausalito. This was a guided tour on Electric Bikes that lasted about 3.5 hours before we were able to do our own thing and have options once we arrived in Sausalito. Our experienced tour guide from Bay City Bikes took us on bike paths through the city showcasing Fort Baker, views of Alcatraz Island, the passing of Ghirardelli Square, history of the city, and then we got to go over and UNDER the Golden Gate Bridge. That experience was somewhat wild - as it’s very narrow on the walking/biking path on the bridge, but the views were truly unmatched and the pictures will last a lifetime. 

Once we were done with the Golden Gate Bridge, we made our way down some winding paths to Sausalito. The town was lined with boat home communities, painted mailboxes, quaint coffee shops, chocolate stores on every corner, and the most delicious restaurant, Poggio. After biking around for a few hours, the tour ended in Sausalito and you could either bike back on your own through the city, continue on to Tribuon, return your bike there for a surcharge, and take the ferry back. The ferry cost $16 a person and would take you back to San Francisco with your bike, but we chose to return our bikes in town, find a fun spot for dinner, and Uber back to our hotel. Uber was readily available everywhere we went in the city, and seemed to be somewhat cost effective compared to renting a car and paying for parking. 

The beautiful thing about traveling is when your friends and family are all spread out and your travels allow you to connect with the ones you love most. Our second and final night in San Francisco was dedicated to getting together with my high school best friends who reside in Berkeley/ Oakland area. For seafood lovers and a more high end atmosphere with one of the best views in San Francisco, the Waterfront Restaurant was perfect for lovers, friends, and celebrations. We wrapped up our night there, and began preparing for the next 3 days in Napa Valley. Before getting picked up in the morning to begin our wine excursions, we ate at Boudin and had lunch for breakfast - chili and soup in bread bowls. Best meal of the trip. If our trip was extended, we would have loved to go to Chinatown to explore, get a tour of Alcatraz island, and actually stop at Ghirardelli Square. Also, there are tons of great museums to visit, such as the pop up immersive museum for Frida Kahlo. 

Enjoy your next trip to San Francisco and as always stay safe and share your favorite recommendations with the travel brats. Thank you for tuning in and stay connected for the ultimate guide to Napa Valley coming your way. 

Connect with the Travel Brats on Social Media, and be sure to follow along Ashley's journey to Napa Valley in the coming weeks. 

Where to Stay 

Naay Curamoria Tulum Hotel Caruma - went through booking.com, but also can book directly through them. Their suite style room was perfect and we stayed there comfortably for 3 nights and 4 days. There is a spa style bathroom shower, but the best part had to be how kind the entire staff was and the rooftop bar and pool. If you’ve been researching where to stay in Tulum, this location was so centralized that we were able to walk around and only take a scooter when we needed to go a little further. 

How To Get Around 

Transport STP - Caribe set up through Naay around $280 round trip plus tip but felt secure and I liked that it was partnered with the hotel for security purposes and they were highly rated. 

Ask right away if you can rent a scooter with them, it was $39 a day and we only got one because I don’t necessarily like driving unless I have to. Some roads were busier than others, but we stayed super close to everything we went to and felt relatively safe driving those short distances plus it was so easy to park ANYWHERE. There’s also IBike, which is a reputable place to rent from. I have friends who did rent a car there and I think it wouldn’t take too much skill to drive. It just might be inconvenient to find parking safely for that car everywhere you go. 

Places to Eat -

Taboo Tulum - $$$$ but you have to go especially if you are celebrating something. It was a full moon when we went & after a delicious dinner, we walked the beach and found swings and literally had the time of our lives. 

Pink Lobster Tulum 

Playa Paraiso Beach Club on the beach, perfect for a quick bite/ area to hang out

Ahau Tulum Sculpture Park Tempts Visitors To Tulum

Named a haven for wellness and relaxation 

Raw Love Cafe for Coffee ABSOLUTELY LOVED THEIR COFFEE and shopping if you want something unique and have enough space in your luggage. 

Bonita Burger Tulum - AMAZING for brunch/lunch

THINGS TO DO & SEE

Tulum Archaeological Zone for Mayan Ruins 

Mystika Immersive Museum

Go to at least one Cenotes while you are there. A very small and simple one we went to was 

Tripadvisor and Viator were great resources when planning excursions, but most of them were all day excursions and our short trip didn’t allow us to capitalize on that. Tulum is about 2 hours from Chichen Itza, a modern world wonder, and staying in Tulum might be the perfect time to make the trek across the country to see the wonder. 

Follow the Travel Brats on IG and Tiktok! 

Follow The Travel Brats on IG & Follow along #traveltiktok with Ash.