Tailgate Like A Pro

College football is among us again! There's nothing like being in The Swamp with a bunch of screaming gator fans watching Tebow work his magic. But what happens outside of the stadium can be as much fun as what goes on inside the stadium....

College football and tailgating go hand-in-hand. As a recent Gator Grad, I have had my share of tailgating. Recently I had an old fashioned road trip back to Gainesville to tailgate. I didn't even have tickets to the game, but I didn't care. It's all about the tailgate!

The first rule about tailgating is don't count on getting a hotel room. They'll be expensive and booked.Either borrow an RV, finda a rich alumnus with an RV, or find an old college roommate to crash at (as I did.) Air mattress: $20. But there's always a couch or floor.

To get the best tailgate spot close to the stadium, you gotta plan ahead. The primo spots are reserved for rich alumni who donate a hefty amount. The rest of the spots are taken early in the morning by hardcore fans. We all know that the night before is going to be a late night, and the last thing you'll want to do is wake up early to claim a spot. So here's how I get around this...

After about 6 PM the day before the game, parking is lifted, and you can start parking on the grass. What I do is park stategically then, finding a place between some trees in a way that I hog a bunch of space so that the next day if I move a little bit I can fit a couple more cars and no one can encroach on my space beforehand. Trust me, they will try! That way I can sleep in but still have a good spot. You might get a few dirty looks the next day, but after your neighbors have a few beers, they'll be your best friends. We're all rooting for the same team, right?

You'll want to bring some basics: food, sunscreen, water, bug spray, baby wipes, chairs, a table, paper towels, garbage bag, ice, a small cheap grill, shade (unless you are in a big tree area) and beer. Do not bring kegs! The police will shut you down. You don't have to worry about open containers on campus, but beware before you step a foot off campus, even just the sidewalk. If you aren't rooting for the hometeam, you will get a violation. If your in Gator clothes, you'll probably just have to dump out your drink, which is a MAJOR party foul. Don't look like a dweeb.

I almost forgot, bring a battery operated fan. Not only is this a life saver on hot days, but also an affective bartering tools. People will be desperate for a few minutes with the fan. If you're really smart, you'll buy a bunch at the dollar store and offer them for sale or trade. People will give you a lots of beers or burgers for a fan that costs you $1. I promise.

To keep you and your friends entertained, try to bring a few things to do while waiting for kick-off. Frisbees, footballs, corn hole sets, a radio (maybe, you might luck out and have a neighbor with a sweet sound system), and my favorite: posterboard and markers to make signs that make fun of the other team to wave at the opposition. It's almost a competition among tailgaters on who can make the most clever. The more games you bring, the more likely that you will be able to mingle with neighbors. This comes in handy for beer, food, large screen TVs, and extra tickets.

If you don't have tickets, don't worry about bringing an elaborate TV set-up so that you can watch the game. That's what the rich alumni are for. Walk around to see who has the best set up and biggest screen and casually ask what the score is. Than ask if you can watch it with them (they'll be glad for the extra comodery, it's usually just the wives and random relatives who don't have tickets). Then bring your beer in your cooler on wheels (a wise investment!) and a folding chair, and you're in business. They'll probably offer you their food too, and they have the best! These alumni wives have tailgating cuisine perfected! Many times the cuisine is better than what you can get at TGI Fridays. We're talking smoked sausage, ribs, nachos, BBQ, margarita makers, etc..

After the game, you'll want to hang around a little longer, because traffic will be so jammed you'll be wishing to be back at your tailgate site, having some more beer. So make sure you bring a lot! And of course, a designated driver. I don't know how you'll bribe them, but a ticket to the game works well. You can't drink in the stadium anyway, so it will give them a chance to sober-up automatically.

I hope you have fun at your next football game! And don't forget to carpool. If I forgot a detail, please post it here. Look for my next post about the best things to do in Gainesville. This will actually be a few posts, as there is a lot of fun to be had in the area...from floating down a river and camping to the awesome nightlife.

Go gators!

Lobsters and Traffic

Last week an unusual number of friends were planning trips to Key West. Jeff and I figured it was the perfect excuse to take a spontaneous trip to the 'Keys and give Mom and Pops a visit. Little did I realize that everyone was going because it was the first weekend of lobster season, and so practically every other person in Florida was driving down to the Florida Keys that weekend.

The Drive South
Oh the Traffic! We left Friday evening, expecting to hit a bit of traffic once we hit Florida City, but the traffic was annoying and slow from the start. Thank god I downloaded some pretty awesome music that kept us singing and dancing in our seats most of the way. This was my trick to keep Jeff from getting road rage, and it worked!

There must have been an accident right before we hit the 18 mile stretch, because traffic was at a standstill as we approached the infamous gateway to the 'keys. We were forced to take Card Sound Road, which I normally prefer anyway. It is much more scenic I think, and the toll booth workers always give my doggy a biscuit. But I did not get a chance to enjoy the scenery this time. The 2 lane road turned into a deathtrap that night as all of the travelers were impatient from waiting in the previous stand-still and ready to get to their destination. Trailored boats inevitably slowed everyone down, adding to the impatience. And so, for the duration of Card Sound Road, my knuckles were white as streams of cars passed others, only to get a few cars ahead in the constant line of traffic. As oncoming cars came into view the whole stream of cars would slide back in our lane, causing a contagious line of break lights and boats trailers to swerve trying to regain control.

Like I said, scary. If traffic is backed up while approaching the 18-mile stretch, I suggest having a leisurely dinner in Florida City and waiting it out. It's a matter of life and death!

Lodging is Key
Lucky for my wallet, I was fortunate to be able to stay at my parent's house and avoid lodging costs. Since it was a busy weekend (a rarity for Key West in August), most hotels ans B&Bs were booked, if not they required a Sunday night stay as well. The beginning of lobster season is NOT the time to drive down without a hotel reservation. While working at the Westin in Key West, I experienced many Friday nights when visitor after visitor had to be "walked" to hotel after hotel, sometimes having to go as far north as Marathon for a room. Must have been fun to get to Key West only to turn around and drive back up the keys for an hour!

The very best place to stay in the 'keys? A friends house! Even if you haven't talked to them in years, it can't hurt to give them a call. Offer to pay for a cleaning service for after you leave to sweeten the deal, and don't forget to bring grocery's and cook them dinner or take them to a restaurant. That way you'll be invited back.

Some of my friends and family were lucky enough to be able to stay at our neighbor's vacation house. This worked out well for us, as they brought a boat big enough to fit us all, and the more people in the boat, the more lobsters that can be caught!

On the Hunt
There's nothing better than being on a boat on a beautiful day in the 'keys. The water was warm, and I was in heaven. Unfortunately, the ideal weather had attracted many other lobster hunters as well, so our favorite lobster spots had been stripped clean. Luckily, we had some divers on board, a clear advantage in lobster hunting. Although I was limited to snorkeling this weekend, I still enjoyed looking for lobster spots. I highly recommend that any lobster trip include a few motivated divers. Without them, we would have gone hungry.

It takes skill to find good lobster spots that haven't been picked over. It is crucial that you have at least one person on the boat that knows the waters and how to find secret spots. I won't even pretend that this expert is me. I'm too impatient, I just want to jump in and see if I am lucky!

These days there are a whole bunch of fancy contraptions for catching lobster. Save your money and stick to the basics. Those of us who used gloves, basic tickle sticks and hand nets had the best luck. It is also wise to have a bag to store the lobster while you're in the water to avoid trekking back to the boat after each catch.

Even though I didn't catch any lobster myself this trip, the divers had more than enough for everyone, and they were generous.
Upon returning to land, we cooked up a tasty lobster dinner that easily satisfied all 9 of us.

Duval Crawl
No trip to Key West is complete without the obligatory Duval Crawl. Although we were staying on Sugarloaf Key 17 miles from Duval Street, we decided to splurge and take a taxi to Key West. Yes, $55 each way is expensive, but split 7 ways it's not too bad. It's definitely better than a DUI or worse. A designated driver would probably be more affordable, but good luck trying to convince one of your friends to stay sober all night while hanging out with a bunch of drunks until the wee hours of the morning. I for sure wouldn't want to do it, especially if I was on vacation. Plus, once you add up the cost of buying the DD a thank-you dinner, parking, gas, and the cost of their misery, a cab doesn't seem so bad.

Of course, we had to catch Key West's famous sunset. Our group chose Mallory Square, not my first choice but I am an easy going person. Mallory Square's "Sunset Celebration" is famous for (grungy) street performers that perform for tips. On this Saturday the square was packed with people. We couldn't get a good view of any of the performances, let alone the sunset. The city has fenced of the edge of the pier, so you can't even sit on the ledge to view the sunset, assuming there wasn't tons of people already there. Mallory Square was a bust. Save your time, and a headache. In a near-future post, I will give you my favorite spots to catch the sunset in Key West, and they are all a hundred times better than Mallory Square!

After fighting to get out of that crowd, we were all ready for a drink. Well, all of us who remembered our wallets. Jeff had to take the cab back to get his. Always double check for your wallet and ID before getting in a $55 cab ride. Don't roll your eyes at your girlfriend when she reminds you, 'cause she probably has reason.

We stuck to 2 bars on Duval Street. In another post, I will write about my top Key West bars. But Saturday we spent the whole night at Irish Kevin's (always a favorite), and Sloppy Joe's. I prefer Captain Tony's to Sloppy Joe's, as it is actually the original Sloppy Joe's and less crowded, but unseasoned visitors always HAVE to go to Sloppy Joes. I don't blame them, there is usually a great live band. I just feel like all of those annoying people at Mallory Square migrated promptly to Sloppy Joe's as soon as it got dark.

We danced, we drank, we laughed. I was even able to find many of my other friends who were also in Key West for the weekend. By 2:30 we were ready to call our taxi up and head back up the 'keys. But not before getting our cab driver to stop at Mr. Z's to grab some greasy food. Mr.Z's is a Key West tradition, I have found. Anyone who has been roped into going there once with a drunk friend always winds up there on every Duval crawl thereafter. They are open really late, and are pretty quick. Greasy pizza and philly cheese steaks are my top choice. Of course it's not until the next day that you realize you'll have to wear a bikini again. Beer and pizza- not the best thing to consume on a bikini weekend.

I'm going to have to find out the cab drivers name and number for everyone, he was really nice and patient. Virtues that are much needed in a Key West cab driver!

The End is Near
The next morning we ended up going back to Key West for some breakfast and shopping. We ate at Pepe's, on Caroline Street. It is a very small "Key West-ey" restaurant with very good food. Since seating is limited, it is probably better for smaller parties. I had eaten earlier that morning, so I just had some grapefruit. The waiter was kind enough to not charge me, either that or he was still hungover from last night and couldn't be bothered with adding a $2 order to the check.

It was really hot out, so we were all feeling kind of lethargic. I led everyone to Kino Shoe Factory. If you don't know what Kino's are, you must Google them! They are simple leather flip-flops that are made in Key West. They are relatively cheap at $12, but I remember when they used to be $8. I have them in EVERY color, and always stock up when I am there, even though they last forever. If they have your size in a color you like, don't hesitate to get it because they probably won't have it in your size next time you visit....or the time after that either. I have been looking for another pair of bronze kinos for years in fear that my favorite pair will get worn out eventually. No luck.

The staff is not known for their great customer service (I call them the shoe Nazis....I wouldn't be surprised if I heard one of the old ladies telling a tourist: "No shoes for you!"), but I just deal with it and say thank you. You would probably be grouchy too if you had to deal with sweaty cruise ship passengers all day. After our shoe fix, we high-tailed it back to the boat, as we learned of some hot coordinates where lobsters were sure to be at.


All in all, it was a refreshing weekend trip. I was able to see many different friends, go boating, eat lobster, and hang out with my parents. Will I take another impromptu weekend trip to the keys? Of course! Will it be during the first weekend of lobster season? Probably not. Too many people, too much traffic for my taste. But still very affordable.

Budget Breakdown:
Lodging: FREE! thanks to mom and dad.
Gas: probably $70-90
Food: Just sides for our lobster. Basically, $0. oh yeah greasy pizza: $5
Fishing licenses (Critical for lobstering!): $20 for Florida Residents
Average mixed drink downtown: $6
Bar cover charges: none
Taxi: $18 for my share including a nice tip.

Not too bad for a trip to the keys, eh?

p.s. Anyone else have any thoughts about the beginning of lobster season? I know there are some locals reading this ;)

Let the road trips begin!

Welcome to my blog. Growing up in Florida has given me countless road trip adventures, and I hope that sharing my past and future experiences will inspire others to have memorable (and budget friendly) adventures of their own. I also hope to learn from others, so please feel free to add your own 2 cents to my posts.

I grew up in the Florida Keys, and worked for years in the hospitality industry, right in the middle of tourist central. Cruise ships, restaurants, sunsets, tourist traps, Duval Street, hotels, and the like was where I learned first hand about the frustrations and joys of traveling. As a local, I frequently played tourist and experienced Key West from their point of view. Some aspects are amazing, and some are horrible. These were valuable experiences, as it has helped me get the most of my travels, knowing the kinds of things that are rip-offs or memorable.

I left the Florida Keys to study at the University of Florida. Not only did the university offer me football games and knowledge, but also many friends who loved to take weekend roadtrips (and many who's parents lived in interesting locales...score!). We had to travel on a budget, and we soon learned that fun travel companions are more important than any other aspect of the trip. We could have $150 between four of us and have more fun in some old Florida town than if we stayed at the Ritz and drank champagne. But of course, we could have made that fun too.

I have also traveled around the country, and the world for that matter, but I will try to focus on trips that are weekend friendly in Florida. Posts that involve airplanes will be "bonus posts." Some of my posts will be about major tourist destinations (such as Disney or Key West), and some will be more obscure towns (such as Titusville or High Springs). But I will only posts destinations that have the potential to be fun adventures. All you will need to add into the mix are great travel companions of your own! If it is a family trip, leave the grouch of the house at home (just kidding....or not). I will also try to outline the costs and minimal budget needed.

Hey , we're in a recession right now, but that doesn't mean we have to stay at home every weekend! If I could do it on a college student's budget, surely you can too. Take advantage of all that Florida has to offer: from paradises to amusement parks to camping. I can't wait to hear about your own experiences as well. Feel free to use this blog as a way of sharing your trips too. And don't be afraid to ask questions, but beware you might get opinions more than facts!

Don't worry, Florida's tourism commissions aren't paying me- no one is. The only bias you have to worry about is my own. And I'm a believer in making the best of any situation. Even if you drive an hour to the beach just to meet a tropical wave. Bad weather is just one of the many reasons great travel companions are important. You don't want whiners: you want laughers.

See ya on the road! This weekend: Key West!