The Boca Raton

We had a getaway planned that fell through and at the last minute we booked a long weekend at The Boca Raton and oh my gosh was it phenomenal! I would come back here a thousand times again for so many reasons. Let's list them.

 

1. Location Location LOCATION

 

You honestly cannot beat the ease of getting to Boca Raton from the Northeast. Straight flights, under 3 hours. And the resort itself is barely 30 minutes from multiple large airports. AND the best part of their location is that the property is so huge, you don't have to leave! 

 

2. Amenities

 

Like I said with regards to location, they have everything on property so you don't need to leave. Restaurants, the beach and multiple pools, water slides and an awesome lazy river, activities, and so much more. 

 

The lazy river was a family favorite, without question. One piece of advice- if you have younger kids, bring your own tube and blow it up there. Snag a $3 one at target and just pass it on to another family who's staying longer than you. We did that and it was great not only so our son could fit in it and not fall through, but also you're always guaranteed a tube. Which I'll be honest, on a busy weekend day, finding a tube for each family member can be tough.  

 

 

The waterfront location can't be beat. Whether you're bay side or ocean side, they're both fantastic.

The beach is glorious but just note during sea turtle season many parts are sectioned off as to not disturb them! The best part is there's awesome staff on the beach AND by the pool to get your towels and chairs set up. AND NOTE, they are a tip-free establishment and you are encouraged not to tip.

Also, you can order poolside and it is delivered to your seat, as they are numbered. So you can order, float down the river for a bit, and come back to lunch on your lounger! 

 

And also note, if your child knows their room number they can charge things to your room, like my child did as while we were floating and he was eating his lunch, we came around to him enjoying a chocolate shake, which he had gotten and charged to the room. Beware LOL. 

 

3. The food 

 

Everywhere we ate, the food was delicious. Not extremely overpriced but expected for a high-end resort. Every restaurant had a solid kids menu with many choices and kids were welcome at every restaurant. We made reservations ahead of time and I'm glad we did, made getting in to many of them super simple.  

 

One of our favorite spots was the beachside restaurant, Marisol. They say you need reservations but people would walk up and be able to get a table but we made reservations for all 3 times we ate there.

 

If you have kids, you MUST get the tacklebox sundae at Harbor House. It was so so SO fun!! 

 

Restaurants we ate at and thoughts...

Princesspa was Italian, it was fine, we weren't overly impressed and will skip it next time. 

Flamingo Grill, a steakhouse, we absolutely loved it and compared it to Bern's Steakhouse in Tampa it was THAT good. We also had an amazing waiter and it was a very slow night (maybe 7 tables total) so I'm not sure if that had anything to do with it but we are still talking about dinner that night months later! 

Harbor House, right by the pool, easy in and out, the tacklebox sundae is worth it and then some.

 

Sadelle's, we went for brunch, it was fine. We actually preferred their walk in fast serve over the sit-down restaurant. 

 

Palm Court, we did drinks and apps and it was just fun for a slower night. 

 

Marisol, Greek and beachside, was our favorite and we ate lunch and dinner there more than once! 

 

Burger Bar was super easy for a quick bite, totally affordable, and fast! It's also right by the pool.

 

4. The staff

 

Every single person who works there, from the pool staff to the beach staff to the front desk to the waitstaff, every single one of them goes above and beyond. They are a tip-free establishment so they aren't dependent on tips.  They're just really nice people. And, a huge perk for us, they're all amazing with kids too!

 

5. Inclusivity 

 

All amenities are included. The activities, the chairs and towels, the wave machine, the lazy river and water slides, the transportation to and from the beach (by boat no less!), they even have a car service you can use for free to take you within 5 miles of the resort! 

 

We had an incredible long weekend staying at The Boca Raton and cannot wait to go back again. Yes, it is pricey, but if you book far enough in advance, catch a sale, or don't go on a holiday weekend it's completely managable. And worth EVERY penny. 

The Baha Mar, Bahamas

For one of my best friend's birthdays, we went to the Baha Mar resort in Nassau, Bahamas. 

To say it was glorious would be an understatement. It. Was. GLORIOUS. Here is my full review with recommendations as well as pros and cons.

 

POOLS & CABANAS 

There are a ton of pools on property, including a giant water park. They also have a few adult only pools and being on a trip with girlfriends without children, the adult only pool was a huge perk! 

You can purchase cabana access for the day and we actually ended up doing it twice at two different pools. The large pool with the waterfall was our first cabana and I recommend the cabana closest to the waterfall, the sound was so relaxing and since we were at the end, there was much less traffic and people around us so the seclusion was nice.

 

We also got a cabana another day at the Elixir Pool which is adults only. Supposedly the only people who can use this pool are those paying for a cabana but we found out late in the afternoon when a family who had not rented a cabana was in the pool that anyone can be IN the pool, just can't use the cabanas or facilities within the area. A tad annoying as you pay for the perk of being there but oh well. It was incredibly worth it as we could relax in the pool and watch football games on the TV in our cabana from the pool. HUGE perk during the playoffs for sure!!

 

RESTAURANTS & BARS

We went to several restaurants and bars on property and enjoyed each of them. 

 

Marcus is right on the beach and the food (and drinks!) were glorious. It is definitely one of the more expensive restaurants on property but the view can't be beat. DEFINITELY get the cornbread!

 

To get to Costa, you have to go through the Rosewood and the decor and ambiance of the property is beautiful. The trees, the lighting, the sky, all of it is just perfection.

 

 

 

We even found this little secret nook tucked into the trees where we enjoyed after dinner drinks when we finished up at Costa.

It was a delicious dinner and a great spot to enjoy a birthday celebration.

 

 

Costa has inside seating, but the outside seating is surely worth enjoying. Sitting atop a koi pond, does it get more Bahamas than that?!

 

Cleo was our favorite we had dinner at. The food, the cocktails, the ambiance, everything. The mezze platter for two was enough food for 3 even 4! And it gives you a full taste of almost everything they offer!!

 

 

Inside of Rosewood there is this little bar tucked by the lobby and it was an absolute score for us! A fantastic musician played with comfy seats and little tables, it was definitely a hidden gem.

 

 

The Jazz Club was my favorite night out spot without question. Two pianists and a singer made for a night of singing along fun.  

 

THE BEACH

We had a blast on the beach. Everyone who works on the beach made it easy to sit back and relax. They set up your chairs and towels and find you the perfect spot too.

THE ROOMS & PROPERTY

 

We stayed in the Reserve section of the hotel so the rooms there are more suite-like than the main building. We had a living room with a half bath then a king bedroom with a full bath that also had a soaking tub. We had sliding doors to open but no balcony. 

While we did not have an ocean view, the fountain view was fabulous because at night you could watch the entire fountain show. It was like being at the Bellagio in Vegas.

 

Every day we walked by this adult only pool. In order to access it, you had to have a cabana there for the day. For $600 a day, you should be the only ones in it. LOL. It sure is stunning though. 

Everywhere we went, it was just gorgeous. The attention to detail is on point. One of our favorite parts was the lighting everywhere but more so was the scent. Everywhere not only smelled clean and fresh but also this faint scent of happiness. It's almost indescribable.

Now for the good stuff. The pros and the cons. 

 

Pros:

- It is absolutely stunning.

- The rooms are perfection. They have Balmain bath products. Even without an ocean view it’s still stunning views no matter what direction you look.

- Everything smells glorious. Clean and fresh with a faint fragrance of happiness (only way I can describe it)

- Cocktails are legit. Pricey but LEGIT. Like $25 and up.

- Every restaurant we went to was delicious. Food was delectable, serving sizes were solid or big, and since it was my friend's birthday every meal came with an entertaining and comped dessert.

- Cabanas are glorious and worth every penny and are reasonably priced.Except one specific pool.

- Water park access is included in your resort fee.

- Property is easy to navigate after the first day.

- You can sit by the pool or beach all day and never move and people will come bring you food drinks snacks and whatever else you need.

- Every person who works there is so happy and friendly. A HUGE pro for resorts of this size and price.

- The lighting. Might sound weird but the lighting everywhere was just magical.

- The decor. Everywhere you turned was just beautiful and the attention to detail is perfection. 

 

Cons:

- It is insanely expensive. If you book far enough in advance your room can be reasonable-ish but every single thing at the resort is just flat out expensive.Just be prepared.

- There’s two add ons to every item you buy, whether it’s a water bottle, a souvenir, or a meal. VATS and Grats, a 10% tax then a surcharge for a service fee. Then tip is expected on top of it. So your $14 water bottle is really $20. 

- It’s family friendly. Since we went for an adult trip this was a con but my son would absolutely love it here.

- The lazy river isn’t lazy, more like mild river rapids. Our plan to leisurely float each day only happened day 1 and after a rough ride that plan fizzled.

- Being in Connecticut, we have to fly out of LGA/JFK/NWK/BOS for a direct flight. Can’t get there direct from Hartford or Tweed. Whomp whomp. 

 

Overall the best comparison is to say that we stayed at the Fairmont Southampton in Bermuda in 2017 and the only resort that’s come close to being as wonderful was The Boca Raton in Florida last year. This was the same on the level of just glorious and would love to go back.

Nashville Favorite Spots

I had the pleasure and luck to visit Nashville TWICE this September. 

 

The first was over Labor Day weekend for my birthday with girlfriends and the second was the end of the month for a friend's stunning wedding. I could go on for hours and hours about the city and my thoughts but I'll stick with my top spots and tips and why! 

WHERE TO STAY

THE GRADUATE HOTEL 

 

First and foremost, this is the perfect hotel to stay at for a girls trip. Hands down. The aesthetics, the attention to detail, THE PINK!, the Dolly Parton inspirations, the glittery wallpaper and cowboy boot carpets and light fixtures, and more. We were SO happy to have picked this hotel.

 

 

 

The lobby when you walk in. It's a tapestry- just so fun and unique. 

 

 

Even the coffee shop in the lobby is "extra". I mean, the chandeliers. Can you even?!

 

The lobby decor is so unique and has such a fun twist on style. 

 

These couches and loveseats set up as stadium seating were adorable and a very popular spot to sit. 

The vintage signage when you walk in adds some fun character too.

 Even at night it's just gorgeous!

 

We had a junior king suite and the attention to detail was so fun. Not only the painting of Dolly Parton over the bed, but there's a mini chandelier inside the headboard top. Different textures, stripes on floral on more stripes, and PINK, so much pink!!

 

Look closely at the mirror- under the bird, do you see the two guitars?! Everywhere there were hidden details. I don't think we found them all, although we surely tried!

 

The rooftop has the Governor's Pool. It's small, but if you have a few people, book (and pay!) for your pool time. They only allow 24 people in the 3 hour block of time. You either get lounge chairs, a day bed (we had this), or a bench (so glad we did NOT have that- it was tiny!) 

The pool is not heated but you're greeted with a cocktail and have a $25 credit for food and drinks while you're there.  Our server, Kent, made our morning pool time extra awesome! 

 

You're greeted with a mimosa or beverage of your choice upon arrival. Terrible, just awful I tell ya. LOL.

 

We had a daybed for the four of us and it was perfect! 

Important to note- the pool is not heated, so on a hot summer day it's glorious yet also refreshing. 

 

We did this a lot. Cheers!

THE HERMITAGE HOTEL

On my first trip, we stopped for drinks and to browse the stunning lobby. 

On my second trip, we stayed here. 

 

WHERE TO EAT

THE SUPPER CLUB AT 1230

 

Dinner here was so fun and delicious! We had so many things we wanted to try and share but kept it simple. We were in the back dining room and were so glad- we could still talk AND enjoy the music from the band in the main section. Highly recommend that room if you want to talk at all, otherwise you can't hear anyone but the band. 

 

All of our cocktails were amazing. We had the steak frites (delish), lobster lemon pasta (also delish but heavy) and several of the sushi rolls (the 1230 roll was the best!) 

However, one dish I MUST recommend is their baked potato bread - we would've ordered one for each us if we knew how amazing it was ahead of time!!  

 

WHITE LIMOZEEN 

 

I will be completely honest. It is absolutely gorgeous. It's stunning, The decor and aesthetic is just remarkable. The food is fine. The service is solid. The drinks are delish. BUT it is totally an instaworthy location. It is insanely difficult to get into (reservations open 14 days before your date at 6pmCST and you have to be ready at 5:59 or you're out of luck) 

The outside is first come first served but if it's hot, you'll be miserable. The bar is also first come first served and its small. The entire place is not as big as it seems but it's adorable. We went once and checked it off the list. I'd only go back for a drink to sit on the roof deck. You also have a time limit and they are strict! Depending on where you sit it's either 90 minutes or 2 hours. 

 

 

The patio that's first come first served is so cute. The attention to detail is amazing, I mean, the pink umbrellas with fringe, I can't even. 

 

The inside includes a few tables and a LOT of adorable sitting areas like this. So be prepared you might not get a real table and chairs. We did, but that wasn't our original spot. I can't imagine eating eggs benedict on a large circle bed!

 

JUNE 

 

A Sean Brock restaurant, a James Beard award winner, and a dining experience. You have the choice between an 8 or 16 course tasting menu (we did the 8, it was plenty) and every step of your evening is memorable. You walk in to an introduction of the menu focal points and some information on each. That was the best part honestly! 

 

Each course has that focal point and they were SO accommodating to my friend who's a pescatarian (they subbed out the meat in 2 courses for a fish/seafood/vegetarian focus)  

It is a pricey dinner but it's not a dinner, it's a full dining experience. We were there for 3 and a half hours and probably could have stayed even longer! 

 

 

The kitchen was right by our table so we could watch it all happen! The open format is just the icing on the cake!

BOURBON STEAK, THE 34TH FLOOR OF THE JWMARRIOTT

I had easily one of the best steaks ever here. Hands down. And we go out A LOT. 

Not only were the steaks fantastic, but the ambiance, the staff, the cocktails, everything about it was a 10 out of 10! 

 

The views are 10 out of 10. Everyone said they have the best views of Nashville and it is 110% true! 

 

Lots of cheersing! 

 

The cocktails here were some of the best we've had. 

 

How do you say no to a tableside old fashioned?! 

 

More cheersing! 

WHERE TO GO OUT

1230 CLUB

 

We weren't fans of the downstairs part, it was very young and since it's right on the street level of Broadway, on weekend nights you'll watch a lot of fights, brawls, and honestly things we're just past that stage for. HOWEVER, we loved loved LOVED The Supper Club, it's the second floor. You *should* have a reservation but you can walk in and hang in the bar area. There's also a  dress code on that level so make note. 

The live band was amazing and super fun and the food upstairs there was fantastic (see info above) I cannot wait to go back again. Was a top pick on our first trip and we were so glad it was our first night, it gave us a true taste of Nashville and the music scene.    

 

 

CRITTERS 

 

This is a fun bar/karaoke bar inside the Graduate Hotel. We had an absolute blast and we sooooo grateful it was in our hotel after a few failed attempts at other locations.  

 

RUDY'S 

 

Get tickets ahead of time, they say you don't need tickets but you do. 

WINNERS AND LOSERS 

 

Don't. Just don't. 

SKULL'S RAINBOW ROOM 

 

We were not able to go but it was one of the top spots recommended by every local we spoke to. It's in Painter's Alley and on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights at 11pm they have a burlesque show- you can get in starting at 9 and it's first come first serve. They also have live jazz other nights as well. 

 

JOYRIDE GOLF CART TOUR 

 

We absolutely loved our tour with Sean. When we got there, he customized it for our group and even gave us some spots we would never have thought of ourselves!! Cannot recommend doing this more. This was the top pick of one of my friends who came on the trip.  

 

 

Our main man, Sean, he made our last day in the city so memorable. Entertaining by far, incredibly knowledgeable about the city, and so many random fun finds we'd never heard of!

A mural we absolutely loved, another Sean share! 

 

Tennessee Whiskey & Jack Daniels tasting!

 

 

My favorite, Ole Smokey, has a full tasting room in Nashville. We LOVED our time there!

The Dolly mural with Miley Cyrus in her lap was one of our favorites, we'd never heard about it. Thanks to Sean we had a lot of these "never heard about" finds!

 

 

Did you really go to Nashville if you didn't take this pic?! 

 

What are your go to spots in Nashville? I feel like you could visit every month for years and always find somewhere new and fantastic!  

 

And I had a bunch of requests for links to my outfits from the trip... here's what I can share: 

 

My white dress is from the Love Shack Fancy collection from Target a few years ago. 

My colorful caftan is from Sara Joy. 

My red lace blouse is from Tuckernuck. 

My blue and white striped dress is from Banana Republic last year. This is the new version here. 

My hot pink dress is about ten years old from Ted Baker that I stole from a friend.