It’s been a really long time since we had a vacation. So long the the last time we were away as a family, we only had 2 children. Fast forward through a home reno, two pregnancies, and a pandemic; well we were in desperate need of a getaway. Since it was a last minute decision and my younger two children don’t have passports, we had to stay domestic. We had been to Florida before and figured this was an easy destination as we had an understanding of the whereabouts of things.
Our last trip to Florida wasn’t exactly a success but that is a story for another day. In all honesty, we have never really left a vacation with the kids and said "we have to do that again". However this go around we had a blast!
Since we are a family of 6, hotel rooms do not accommodate all of us, which leaves us upgrading to a suite, which is fine but does not give us the space we need with so many little ones. AirBNB allowed for extra space and maximum convenience. While we were a little far from the beach (we had to drive), we hit the jackpot with the house we found. The property was exactly as advertised, clean, well maintained and private. The best part was the pool in the backyard. One of the challenges is our girls’ nap schedule and how debilitating it can be to plan our days. So this little luxury kept the girls on their nap schedule and allowed the boys to play all day. It was a total win and we probably won’t stay in a hotel for a while!
Also, a shoutout to our AIRBNB host, Ralph, who went above and beyond for our stay! He brought in 2 pack and plays for the girls as well as a high chair. He had everything we needed for a beach visit and dropped off home made gelato for the kids. He also stocked the fridge with a welcome bottle of wine and some beer. He is probably a very rare find but he made the stay that much better!
Although the AIRBNB allowed for the luxury of space and time, it does come with an added level of work. Certainly there is no pool bar or maid service coming in. There isn't food readily available and no one is there to cook it for you. So as a way to take some stress off, I pre ordered food and scheduled to have it delivered when we arrived. I ordered snacks, milk, yogurt and things for breakfast and lunch. This allowed me to keep my kids fed (no hangry kids on vacay) and on their schedule. With 4 kids, 7 and under, these little wins allow me actually relax. For dinner we would either order in or attempt a restaurant.
Click HERE for the AIRBNB we stayed in.
Our Airbnb host gave us an extensive list of places to try. Specifically he gave us restaurants that were kid friendly. While we were in Ft. Lauderdale we ate at the following places. Please note, we have 4 kids under the age of 7. These places are very relaxed and kid friendly. This is not the blog post for a swanky date night!
Rosie’s Bar and Grill - we ordered from here the first night. Their ingredients were very very fresh. My one call out is they didn’t have a lot of options for kids. But my husband and I loved it.
Aruba Beach Cafe - huge menu, live music and a big bar. They were very kid friendly.
Tee Jay Sushi - We ordered from here on Friday night and the fish was very fresh. They also had a lot of Thai fusion options.
If you followed me on IG Stories you saw that I challenged myself to pack 6 people in 2 suitcases for 4 days. The vast majority of folks on IG said it couldn’t be done! Well I am very proud to announce that not only did I do it - but I was UNDER weight on both. Below is what and how I packed. Spoiler, the real MVP are the packing cubes I purchased.
Suitcase 1:
Grand Dock a Tot
Deluxe Dock a Tot
Puddle Jumper for Makenna
Diapers and wipes (I did ship these down there initially but we had extra so I brought them home).
Monitors
Shoes
Toiletries + Sunscreen + Medicine
Hats
Detergent (I had the ability to do laundry and wanted to bring my own Tide Pods)
Suitcase 2:
6 Packing Cubes
Everyone got 1 packing cube. I strategically picked out exactly the amount of outfits each of us would need:
2 travel outfits (1 to wear and one to bring in case of an emergency change)
3 night outfits
4 bathing suits and swim shirts
4 dry changes of clothing for day
2 sets of pajamas
Bows for the girls
Sweatshirt or sweater in case it was chilly
The packing cubes fit these perfectly for each one of us and in all honesty, we had too much stuff. I was able to do laundry so I could have packed less.
Additional Items and Gear we brought:
Goggles! My boys would have been miserable with me had I forgotten these!
Stroller fans
Car Seats for girls: We brought the Doona for Brielle and the WayB for Makenna. They fit inside a generic carseat cover and we gate checked them.
We also brought he Uppa Baby GLINK. Brought a stroller cover that has the travel safe guarantee on it.
Slumberpod
Hopefully you found this helpful!
~ SNB
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