Fort Lauderdale, FL Recap: Day 1 of 4

This is the first day of our four day trip to Florida! We landed in Fort Lauderdale, drove to the Keys and Miami, then back to Fort Lauderdale for the plane back. Here’s what we did on our first day. 

Leaving for the Airport / Boarding the Airplane 

We left for the airport around three in the morning as our flight was scheduled to depart at seven. Valkyrie did really well and exactly as I expected her to. She napped the entire plane ride! I couldn’t have asked for an easier ride. 

I’ll include a blog about how to best travel with a little one soon! I can’t wait to share what we packed for V. It was truly our life saver! 

Arrival to Fort Lauderdale 

Once we arrived at the airport, we received our checked bag and received the keys to our rental car. I highly suggest this if you’re traveling with little ones! We didn’t have to bring a car seat with us (as we rented one) and having our own car made the entire trip easier as we planned to move throughout Florida. 

TIP: While Shiina waited in line for the car rental, I kept Valkyrie busy by exploring that floor (not the literal floor.. Haha. But we walked around) and eventually made our way to a seating area where she practiced “writing” with a marker and book. 

Late Lunch 

We had Phat Boy Sushi, Kitchen & Bar, located Downtown, for lunch. I ordered the Kimchee Pork Belly Fried Rice for myself and Valkyrie, the Volcano Roll to share, while Shiina ordered the Tonkotsu Ramen. Then, we ordered the Banana Nutella Dumplings. See our ratings on the food below! 

Lodging

We stayed at the La Quinta Inn & Suites by Wyndam, nearest to the Chase Stadium. I was probably just really tired, but the bed was incredibly comfortable (laughs). The room we stayed in was a standard two-bed, one bathroom, with the typical items of a fridge, microwave, TV, single sofa, etc. 

The only thing I didn’t like was the bathroom size. It was one of those where you had to step in before you could close the door because the toilet was right in front of the entrance. 

Inter Miami CF Game 

After settling into our hotel room and getting some rest, we were ready for the big game! It was such a beautiful experience – the rain, the score, the band, the fans! We sat in the perfect spot to see the score happen. I’m so happy we got to experience this together. 

Back to the Hotel

While we planned to stop by Walmart to buy food and other items, we knew we wouldn’t make it in time. We had thirty minutes before closing, so we made our way back to the hotel and stopped by a gas station on the drive. 

This is where we purchased snacks and beverages for the rest of the trip!