Florida
Processing photos from older trips often feels like trying to hold onto memories that are slowly slipping through your fingers—the details blur a little more with time. This journey began in central Nebraska, with an ambitious goal: to make it all the way down to Key West, Florida, with hopes of venturing out to the Dry Tortugas. Along the way, we made some meaningful stops, starting with Kansas City, where we visited the Harry S Truman National Historic Site. The first batch of photos below is from one of our favorite early stops—Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park in Georgia, a place rich in culture and quiet, ancient beauty.
Our first big stop in Florida was in Largo, where we took time to visit family and catch our breath after the long drive. While in the Tampa Bay area, we enjoyed some quality time with my grandparents and my uncle’s family. We filled our days with local favorites—exploring the Florida Aquarium, making the classic trip to Tarpon Springs for some delicious (and obligatory) Greek food, and going to the beach.
Somehow, I lucked out with the most beautiful Airbnb in Homestead, Florida—a little eco-farm tucked away in a peaceful corner of paradise. The host went above and beyond, serving us a fresh breakfast made with duck eggs and fruit picked straight from the trees just steps from our door—bananas, avocados, and all. It was the kind of place that felt both grounded and magical. The only wildcard? A spicy little farm cat with a serious attitude. Let’s just say Caitlin got the full experience… and managed to snap a perfectly timed photo mid-attack!
The details are a bit fuzzy now, but I remember stopping at a small photography spot near the Big Cypress National Preserve—tucked-away and surrounded by lush tropical plants, as if nature had framed the entire scene just for us. From there, we spent the day exploring Everglades National Park, wandering along boardwalks that snaked through wetlands and sawgrass. It was beautiful, wild, and humid—and yes, we were absolutely chased by swarms of relentless bugs. A classic Everglades experience.
As we made our way down the Florida Keys, it felt like we were driving across the sea itself—mile after mile of bridges stretching between the islands, offering stunning views in every direction. One of our favorite stops along the way was the Florida Keys Wild Bird Sanctuary, a peaceful spot filled with feathered personalities. Brian made an instant connection with a parrot who seemed just as captivated by him as he was by it. Meanwhile, Caitlin and I had fun feeding fish near the dock—and a few opportunistic pelicans who weren’t shy about swooping in for a snack.
By the time we finally reached Key West, it felt like the entire day had been spent just getting there. With daylight quickly fading and parking nearly impossible, we made a spontaneous decision to take a sunset ride on a glass-bottom boat. It sounded perfect in theory—but the choppy water had other plans. The views through the glass were murky at best, but even so, cruising into the golden hour on the open water gave us a peaceful (and slightly bumpy) end to our long journey south.
