Day Seven: Our Final Journey (In Pictures)

That Includes You!

   Our last day in Florida was totally unplanned with the exception of our 6:30pm flight to Kansas City. Check out time was 11am. It was raining in the morning so, no crabbing are us, we slept in (well, the teenager slept in and I read my book). We decided to take a few detours on our way to the airport. Another, off the tourist track, wonderful discovery. The Fort Lauderdale River Walk just across the street from the Science and Discovery Center. We bought our tickets for the IMAX 3D Movie; Journey 2 The Mysterious Island and since the sun came out we decided to use our two hour wait to head down the River Walk and find some lunch. After lunch and our amazing walk, we relaxed at the movie and then made a few science discoveries. This is a great place to spend a whole day if you have time.

    The River Walk is best explained in pictures:

The River Walk

Along the River

   

   

Many Military Tributes Along Our Walk

   

Peaceful Walkways Under the Trees. . . 

Beautiful Nature Parks Tucked In

Walks along the Docks

Fort Lauderdale History Museum Exhibits

Historic Houses and Modern Structures

The Memorial Brick Walk

Everyone is famous to someone, "Who's Rich?"

Friendly Advice from the Locals

Connor Found a Shark

It tried to eat me!

We found a goofy place...

with goofy gear....

and crab cakes... 

...and shrimp...

and lots of good food for Lunch. 

and even a friend for Connor. 

Then off to the IMAX for our Movie...

and Science Discovery

even some Aviation History!

Oh My! I used to work on these in the Air Force.

     

     After the movie, we headed to airport. We had a quick turn-around in Atlanta and then on to Kansas City. The temperatures dropped about 70 degrees on our flight from Fort Lauderdale to Kansas City and when we arrived it was 11 degrees with wind chills in the single digits. Next Year I am taking vacation the whole month of February!

   Thank you all for taking this journey with us. I hope you enjoyed the chronicle of our week in Florida and got a lot of ideas and Tips for your next vacation. 

TRAVEL TIPS: WHAT ELSE WE LEARNED ON OUR VACATION

1. Take a Detour and discover something off the direct path. 

2. Allow some time in your schedule to embrace the local culture. 

3. Arrive at the airport early enough to allow time for unexpected delays such as having a back pack searched by TSA. 

4. Become a member of a Science Center near you and you can visit over 300 Science Centers and Museums for free or at a discount when you are traveling. 

5. Just because you see stuff in a museum that you used to use or fix, doesn't make you old, it just means you used or worked on really old stuff. 

6. When you travel south in the winter, make sure who ever is picking you up when you get back North brings your coat to the airport with them or leave one in your car in long term parking (it's gonna be a cold shuttle ride back to your car but you don't want to lug around a big coat down south)! 

7. Keep a journal of your trip. I like to pick up a local journal or scrapbook when I am there to log my trip. Of course, you can always blog it!

8. Sleeping in or relaxing in your room is not "wasting time"... you're on vacation RELAX!

9. Get recommendations from locals and try some of their ideas. Just cause it's not listed in the tourist guide doesn't mean it's not great. 

10. FINAL TIP: I know you plan to stick together but always identify a place to meet in case you get separated and some one's cell phone dies. For Example, at the airport tell your kids the gate number you are going to on the way, "We are going to gate D8, can you help me find it?" At the museum: "If you lose me, just come back to the Shark and I will find you. Do you remember where the Shark is from here?"