At the start of 2025, I decided to kick off the year with a 6-city road trip in 6 days—from Orlando to Miami, with some unexpected twists along the way. It was nonstop movement, amazing food, and a little bit of chaos (because would it really be my trip without a little chaos?).

Trip Breakdown

✔ Day 1-2: Ocala & Tampa – I was supposed to spend New Year's Eve in Tampa, but listen—I had to do my hair. I left when I was ready, which just so happened to mean hitting the road late.

Enter: LAVA Hookah Lounge. The vibes were vibing—great mix of people, music on point, and I had some surprisingly good wings and fries to ring in the new year.

Once I finally made it to Tampa, I had a much chiller experience: walks with friends, card games, dips in a heated pool, and sipping an assorted (ahem, generous) collection of wine—including my beloved Prosecco.

✔ Day 3: Orlando – FlixBus experience, tacos, and navigating life with luggage. My original plan was to take the FlixBus (because $20 round trip?? Say less), but I ended up catching a ride instead.

I stashed my luggage at a Bounce location inside a boutique—cool concept, but they had my suitcase chilling right in the corner like an afterthought. I kept my essentials in my backpack (because trust issues), snapped a few pics, and then headed to the Orlando Public Library downtown to get some work done.

Libraries are the unsung heroes of travel—free Wi-Fi, a quiet place to focus, and a safe haven for people just trying to make the best of their situation. After emails and meetings, it was taco time at Gringos Locos. They have a self-serve kiosk, and let me tell you—the tacos delivered. I washed them down with a Mexican Sprite, which hits way different than the U.S. version. After that, my next ride scooped me up, and we hit the road to Fort Lauderdale.

✔ Day 4-5: Fort Lauderdale & Miami – Airbnbs, skating, beaches, and a Wynwood pop-up festival. Our Airbnb was a whole aesthetic. Gold-accent appliances, marble countertops, and it looked freshly renovated. Perfectly cozy for two and gave that just enough boujee feel without trying too hard. One of the best parts of this stop?

Skating at Xtreme Action Park. This place was massive—bowling, a bar, arcade games, and a top-tier skating rink. The first session was a Pride Skate Night with a live DJ and a drag show (imagine disco lights, skaters, and pure vibes), and just when we thought it was over, they kept the party going—and the music got even better.

Skating heaven. The next day, we hit the beach, blew bubbles for two little girls (which made their day), grabbed food at Miami Wing & Subs, and later found ourselves at a hole-in-the-wall show that was... definitely an experience. I couldn’t tell you the name of the place, but let’s just say it was a sight to see.

✔ Day 6: Hollywood, FL – Tattoos, farmers markets, and a perfect send-off. Woke up and randomly decided to get a tattoo (because why not?). Found Karl (@karl_thetattoo_plug) at SKN Tattoo Collective in Miami and got "Divinely Guided Discernment Provided" inked on my back. A whole mood if I'm being real.

After that, we hit up the Yellow Green Farmers Market in Hollywood, Florida and let me tell you—the food was SO GOOD. Stuffed crab rolls, fresh fruit juices, cookies, cakes, and Ecuadorian chicken & rice.

A full-on foodapalooza and I was in heaven. We made one last stop in Wynwood for photos, checked out Smorgasburg Miami (more food, obviously), and ended the trip at Hollywood Beach Boardwalk, catching a live band playing old-school jams before wrapping things up with a few slices of pizza from Rocco’s Pizza.

💡 Would I Do This Trip Again?

This trip was fast-paced, packed with adventure, and definitely a wild way to start the year. From Tampa to Miami, every stop had something new to offer—and it reminded me just how much my home state of Florida has to explore.

Need a weekend getaway but don’t want to plan it? Let me do the work for you! Check out my custom 3-day itineraries → HERE!

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