One thing about South Florida that is almost always guaranteed, is the weather on a summer day. You are sure to find plenty of sunshine, warm temperatures and clear skies. This outdoor environment makes South Florida a great place to take on nature. You can spend your summer days doing a variety of outdoor activities. Whether you are a local, or visiting for the summer, here are some great activities to take on!

Paddleboarding

A relatively new “sport” to many, paddleboarding is a great way to enjoy the ocean or lake waters while using your core at the same time! Paddle your way through a great workout. There are also different variations of paddleboarding. Stand Up Paddle in Fort Lauderdale offers yoga paddleboarding. Learn as you use only your body weight to guide you through a workout testing the best of your balance. If you are not into yoga, you can always enjoy a nice slow-paced ride on the waves!

Cycling

Getting on your bike is an efficient way to get around and get a workout in! For those who enjoy a slower paced ride, beach cruisers are available for rent all throughout the South Florida regions. There are many bicycle sharing programs such as Deco Bike in Miami. If you are up for more adventure, you can head to Quiet Waters Park in Deerfield Beach where you can take your mountain bike throughout the seven mile loop!

Horse Back Riding

We may not have mountains and hills in South Florida, but that doesn’t mean we can’t get our riding on! Tradewinds Park in Coconut Creek offers a scenic trail perfect for a quaint ride. Walk or trot your way through the beauty that South Florida has to offer.

Golfing

If you are a golf lover, coming to Florida could be extra special for you! There are so many golf courses and country clubs scattered all over the region. If you are all the way down in Miami or up in West Palm Beach, there is sure to be an area nearby. You can practice your swings, take private lessons or enjoy a round with the locals.

No matter what you decide to do, try to take it outdoors this summer. The sunshine and clear skies are calling your name!

By Lauren Grossberg

Photo By Visit St. Pete/Clearwater

The post Outdoors for Summer in South Florida appeared first on Hollywood Florida Ocean View Hotels.

The lure of the peaceful water, the blue of the sky, and the gentle rocking of the boat are all reasons for visitors to South Florida to enjoy taking a chartered trip and explore all that chartered trips have to offer.

Mainstream Charters

Danger Charters offers charter cruises and vacationers can choose from a variety of different adventures, including snorkeling, kayaking, or sailing. Key West’s Danger Charters offers tours of the mangrove islands and the guide can easily give instructions to kayaking novices, regardless of your age. All their day excursions feature guided kayaking, snorkeling and sailing. If you’ve never snorkeled before, not to worry – there’s no danger with Danger Charters guiding you every step of the way. Danger Charters accepts passengers of all ages and levels. Danger Charters also offers Sunset Sails, and it’s one of the best ways to spend your time in South Florida according to both TripAdvisor and Coastal Living Magazine. Wine, beer, and hors d’oeuvers are included in this intimate evening.

Women-Owned Charters

Also in Key West is Venus Charters, a lesbian-owned and operated eco-friendly charter company run by Captain Karen Luknes and Captain Debra Butler. Venus Charters was established in 1997  and features daily eco-friendly dolphin watching charters, snorkeling trips, fishing charters (they’ll clean and filet your catch so you can bring it to your favorite Key West restaurant),and even at-sea romantic unions with a maximum of four guests. The unions include an officiant and Champaign. Venus Charters also welcomes friendly pets on board. Venus Charters offers snorkel trips to the Atlantic Ocean or the Gulf of Mexico.

What Do I Bring?

On most charters, you’ll bring towels and eco-friendly (or Reef Safe) sunscreen and the charter company will provide whatever equipment is needed including masks, snorkels, fins and other gear. Remember to contact the charter before you leave and double check what they will be providing. Prices for services vary based on the company.

What will you enjoy about a special chartered trip?

By Marissa Cohen

Photo By Fifth World Art

The post This Summer, Fall for Key West, Hook, Line, and Sinker appeared first on Hollywood Florida Ocean View Hotels.

Florida is a prime destination for those of us who love all things green, redone, recycled, or reimagined. Why green travel? Because we want to reduce, reuse and recycle while plunging into all the adventure that South Florida has to offer!

Reusable Water Bottle

Plastic water bottles are one of the most used and least recyclable travel items. According to National Geographic, Americans drink approximately 29,000 bottles of water per year and only about 13% winds up in the recycling stream. And we’d imagine that we can increase that number when we’re heading to Florida, land of sun, sun, and, oh yeah, sun. One BPA free and/or stainless steel water bottle can save dozens of water bottles per person per week. It’s important to stay hydrated in Florida’s heat, so make the reusable water bottle number one on your list of green South Florida travel items.

Safe Screen

Enjoy the gorgeous South Florida weather and protect your skin with green sunscreen that doesn’t have parabins (which some feel can cause cancer) or oxybenzone (which can cause immune system problems). As of 2012, the FDA increased regulations prohibiting sunscreen buzz words such as “waterproof” or “sweatproof.” I love the Alba Botanica line or Aubrey Organics for green sunscreen, and Burt’s Bees is great too.

Green Apps

Florida’s fresh and organic markets are vibrant places to explore. Among my all time favorites are Josh’s Organic Market on Hollywood Beach and Batten’s Farm in Davie, only a few minutes away from Fort Lauderdale. But if you’re looking for the nearest green farmer’s market, download Lovavore for a farmer’s market listing. It will tell you what’s in season and recipes – and it was voted #1 for Green Shopping. Another favorite of mine is the Find Green app, which helps you locate green and eco-friendly businesses. Travelers can use the Good Guide to scan barcodes on products to find out the impact on the environment, health, and community. And of course, an e-reader (greener than newly purchased books) is the way to go if you plan on catching some sun on the South Florida beach.

Can you think of other green items to bring to South Florida?

By Marissa Cohen

Photo By Earthworm

The post Green Travel Items You Have to Bring to SoFL appeared first on Hollywood Florida Ocean View Hotels.

South Florida is a commuter culture, so most of us are often in the car, traveling on the road, or going to work. Plastic is everywhere, from water bottles (because South Florida calls for a lot of hydration!) to plastic food covering to music and movies. Here’s how to say no to the plastic menace.

Be Bottle Prepared

Get creative with your liquids. It’s no secret that stainless steel or BPA free travel bottles are great for travel, but with summer approaching, it may be tempting to grab water or soda in a plastic bottle. Instead, try to plan ahead, Florida lover, and make sure you’ve got a travel bottle with you. A friend of mine leaves a few in the car, much to his wife’s eternal annoyance, but at least he’s prepared.

Bag the Bags

On her fantastic blog, author Beth Terry writes about the many different ways to give up plastic – and it’s a must read that got me thinking about all the ways that we use plastic in South Florida. It’s not until we try to give up plastic that we really realize just how often we use it. From bags to bottles, plastic is everywhere. We’ve got constant chances to green up our car snacks and our beachgoing. See how long you can go without using plastic bags to hold snacks. What are your options? Glass tupperware is one – and many green advocates suggest finding creative ways to use paper for sandwich wrapping or glass jars for snacks.

Green Entertainment

Music is everywhere in Florida, from our local bands to our street music. But all those cds are made of plastic.  The e-reader and the digital age practically eliminated the need for paper books. While real, paper books will always have a green place in my heart, I’ve learned over the years that reading green means buying used books  or going digital. The same goes for dvds and cps – so if you’re not buying them used or online, you’re contributing to a global plastic problem.

By Marissa Cohen

Photo By sielju

The post 3 Ways to Avoid Plastic in South Florida appeared first on Hollywood Florida Ocean View Hotels.

 

What is a cable water ski system, you ask?

Fun For All

By Nuria Almeida

Photo By moron noodle

The post Ski-cation in South Florida appeared first on Hollywood Florida Ocean View Hotels.

French fries. Cookies. Onion rings. Donuts. These foods are just a few of the unhealthy choices waiting for us inside airport terminals. How can you survive your air travel and still eat healthy?

The Ancestor Rule

One of my favorite rules from the book Food Rules is “Don’t Eat Anything that Your Great-Grandmother wouldn’t have recognized as food.” That’s a simple rule that can inspire us to eat simply – no junk food or frozen pizza – and avoid anything that comes in a wrapper. But what if you’re stuck in an airport, in-between a terrible layover? Would great-grandma have recognized pizza from a box as real pizza? If you’re craving something that comes in a box, try to go with the healthiest, most natural version of that food that you can find. There’s a difference between, say, cookies from a big brand cookie company or cookies from a smaller, more natural and organic line. There. You’ve made the spirit of Great-Grandmother very happy. But can you travel with the Food Rules? Of course, with a bit of careful planning.

Stay Hydrated

It’s very easy to get dehydrated while traveling, especially when you’re on a longer flight. Why? Because the typical humidity level in an aircraft carrier is much lower than the humidity level in the outdoors, making you more vulnerable to dehydration, colds, and dry skin. Drink as much water as you can while you’re on the flight. Packing some green moisturizer or lip gloss on the flight will also keep you moist and comfortable.

Plan Ahead

Traveling with food can be challenging for natural food lovers. How can you stay healthy when airline food is practically made of trans fats and white enriched everything? If you know that you’re going to be stuck on a layover for a few hours, pack a sandwich or salad in your backpack or carry on. If you’re suddenly delayed, make the best choices you can: fruit or salads are usually available in any airport. You’ll have to trash any bottles of water or soda when you go through security the first time, so to avoid wasting bottles that you’ll just have to pitch later, bring along your stainless steel water bottle and fill it up when you can. Between the water bottle and any homemade, healthy items, you’ll be set.

What are your healthy travel ideas? Tell us!

By Marissa Cohen

Photo By Incase.

The post 3 Tips for Healthy Airport Eating appeared first on Hollywood Florida Ocean View Hotels.

Isn’t green guilt a thing of the past? Originally, I thought so since environmental awareness, green modes of travel, and e-marketing are absolutely everywhere. Consumers can’t walk into stores without offers to join an email list and travelers have many options to make their trips more eco-aware.

But some of us still feel confused by the green tide. And some of us are still – even in 2013 – not sure where to begin.

Green Basics

Are you just becoming aware of green travel? If you’re wondering about your carbon footprint, keep your green awareness steady but sure. Here are a few of my favorite ecoaware travel tips. If you can only pay attention to a few green principles, these carry a great deal of environmental weight.

Water Bottles

If you’re traveling by car or train, be sure to take along a reusable cup of some kind. Stainless steel water bottles are the best for quick refills.

Why It Matters

There are several movements across the country to actually ban the plastic bottle and several colleges and universities (such as Harvard University and Emerson College) have successfully banned plastic bottles on campus. But what about those water bottle companies that advertise themselves as using less plastic? Does it really make a difference? Not really. Plastic water bottles often travel thousands of miles to hydrate you. Overall, the bottled water stats are still scary – we still drink more bottled water than any other nation, which result in only about 13% actually being recycled. The best way to cut down on plastic bottle usage is to use a stainless steel water bottle and avoid the plastic bottles as much as you can, especially when on the road. For more stats on plastic bottles, please go here.

Turn It Off

Remember to turn off the lights when you leave your hotel room. Switch off the hotel tv when you’re not using it and follow those principles on your trip. Watch your water usage, turn off the a/c when you leave the room and consider leaving the “Do Not Disturb” sign on the door to conserve cleaning materials and laundry.

Why It Matters

Saving every little bit of energy helps, whether it’s turning off water when you’re done washing your face or saving electricity by not leaving the tv blaring. So save what you can, while you can.

What travel tips will you use? How do you overcome green guilt?

By Marissa Cohen

Photo By michael pollak

The post Don’t Leave Home Without These Green Travel Tips appeared first on Hollywood Florida Ocean View Hotels.

We know that Florida is more than a beach-lover’s paradise. We know that its unique and interesting, with dozens of ways to get lost in nature. And this year, it looks like the American public knows how special we are. According to the Sun-Sentinel, we ranked Number 6 in Labor Day destinations for 2012. And that makes sense. I mean, we don’t like to brag, but we’re a very pretty state – and it’s hard for us to say goodbye to summer in South Florida.

Even though it’s summer pretty much all year round here, Labor Day weekend means that the kids will go back to school, the weather might turn occasionally cool in the coming months, and we might even have to drag our barely-used sweaters out of hiding.

So, get out there and say goodbye to summer by appreciating these little South Florida tips.

Stargaze

If you’re looking for an inexpensive and natural way to appreciate the end of summer (and what’s going on in the heavens), consider visiting the South Florida Amateur Astronomers’ Association. At 6:30 pm on Saturday, September 1, you can take the kids and observe the movement of the planets at the Fox Observatory (located in Markham Park) until midnight.

Watch a Sunset

Pour yourself a glass of something, find a terrace (or a towel on Hollywood Beach) and watch one of our famous sunsets. If you’re feeling adventurous, take the drive down to Key West and watch the oranges and yellows of the setting sun from the famous Mallory Square.

Stress Free

Schools are back in. You’re back to the daily grind. Once summer is over and fall is in full swing, it’s easy to forget that traffic does not have to be a way of life. Rebel against overstuffed highways and make the time to reconnect with nature, whether it’s thirty minutes of quiet time in a park or five minutes of breathing deeply and appreciating the scenery.

Water Lovers

Spend some time in the water this Labor Day weekend. Whether you’re swimming laps in a pool, floating on a raft in the Atlantic Ocean, or on a boat excursion with friends, appreciate one of South Florida’s most common pastimes and enjoy a refreshing time in the water.

How will you say goodbye to the South Florida summer?

By Marissa Cohen

Photo By jk_scotland

The post Labor Day in Florida appeared first on Hollywood Florida Ocean View Hotels.

South Florida moms may be getting sick of taking the kids to the beach, but what else can you do with water-loving kids? Plenty as it turns out. From two kid-friendly water parks to the Miami Seaquarium, there are plenty of ways for your water babies to get their water fix.

In Broward – Paradise Cove

Paradise Cove is an almost five –acre water park located in CB Smith park. Revamped in 2004, Paradise Cove contains lots of splashy fun for children, including Sharky’s Lagoon, a water playground for kids and adults which includes three huge water slides ranging from 83 to 125 feet long; Parrot’s Point, a water playground for kids ages 5 and under, with tot-sized slides and swimming areas; Crazy Creek, an over 400 foot inner tube rafting ride, and the huge H20 waterslides. Admission for Paradise Cove is $9.50 all day and $6.50 after 3 pm, plus a regular gate entrance fee of $1.50. Food is available at Paradise Cove, as are swimming lessons throughout the summer. If you plan on bringing diaper-wearing kids into Paradise Cove, bear in mind that waterproof diapers are required. For more information about Paradise Cove, visit their website  or call 954-357-5170.

In Miami – Grapeland Water Park

Grapeland Water Park has many things to recommend it to kids and parents who are a little bored with the beach, including Dive In Movies once a month, (including Smurfs, Iron Man 2, and Gremlins). Patrons of the park can choose from four different water pools, including Shipwreck Island (for tots), Pirate’s Plunge, Captain’s Lagoon recreational pool, and the Buccaneer River Ride. Admission for kids under a year old is free, $6 for kids ages 2 to 13, everyone else, $10-$12 depending on Miami residency. Grapeland Water Park is located at 1550 NW 37th Avenue in Miami. For more information about Grapeland Water Park, please go to their site or call 305-960-2950.

In Biscayne Bay – Miami Seaquarium

This seaquarium, founded in 1955, has over five decades of charming the locals as the largest operating oceanarium in the US. The Miami Seaquarium is almost 40 acres. It offers several different shows about sea life, a swim with dolphins, and much, much more. The Miami Seaquarium is perfect for kids who are curious about marine life and great for adults who want to experience something different. It’s located at 4400 Rickenbacker Causeway, in Key Biscayne. They can be reached at 305-361-5705 or visit them on the web here.

Can you think of any more water-related fun to have with kids?

By Marissa Cohen

Photo By Krosstok

The post Fun for Water-Loving South Florida Kids appeared first on Hollywood Florida Ocean View Hotels.

Even with the beach access, the kids can go stir crazy. Well, South Florida provides some great water park to help them burn all that excess energy. Nothing beats the laughter and thrill the kids will exude when they see the slides, the rafts, and other rides. With lifeguards constantly keeping watch, these parks are a safe and extremely fun way to spend the day, enjoying the warm Florida weather. Clean, with bathrooms nearby, colorful pavement that is never as hot as sand, and plentiful parking, the following water attractions are an easy choice.

Rapids Water Park

Rapids Water Park is a gigantic wet wonderland is north of Miami, in Riverside.  It is officially the largest water park in South Florida and very popular.  Featuring seventeen slides, the Lazy River, the Big Surf wave pool, and the Big Thunder, where the lot of you can ride a raft down a big open water slide, this place has something for everyone. Open from April to September annually, and only on weekends while school is in session, this place is replete with various snack bars, restaurants and ice cream parlors. From relaxation to thrilling times, even the charge for parking and somewhat hefty entrance fee does not put a damper on the draw this place has. It is well worth the extra expense, as it rivals even Orlando’s water park circuit.

Grapeland Water Park

This city run water park offers many choices for the kids including a lagoon pool and a river-style pool. At Grapeland Water Park there is Shipwreck Island, which is for kids 5 and under. The delight of this attraction is a huge bucket of water which tips onto the heads of anyone under it. For your older kids, there is the Pirate’s Plunge, equally as fun.  This is no Rapids Water Park but is a great inexpensive alternative the whole family will enjoy.

Paradise Cove Water Park

Located in Broward County’s beautiful CB Smith park, Paradise Cove Water Park aquatics complex offers the Crazy Creek, which starts with a 410-foot-long tube ride. What makes this ride even more interesting are the interactive play features along the curved tube slide. The little tykes can hang out at Parrot’s Point, which includes two water slides. Another great section is Sharky’s Lagoon which has an 18-inch-deep pool with three water slides, each of increasing height, up to 125 feet long. Yet another section, the H2Whoa! has two 450-foot water slides.

Castaway Island

Castaway Island‘s newly renovated water playground features a new and enhanced water playground, a kiddie pool, and a swimming lagoon with waterfall. Food and snacks are available at the concession stand, and more than ten giant umbrellas are available for rent. Located within the county park Topeekeegee Yugnee, which means “gathering place” in the Seminole language, this water park sparkles with its new equipment.

By Nuria Almeida

Photo By Frank Padron

The post Waterpark Action on South Florida appeared first on Hollywood Florida Ocean View Hotels.