With winter firmly settled in France and my craving for sunshine impossible to ignore, it was decided: I was going to take my first trip to the United States. At first, I had my sights set on California, but when I saw the prices, I switched to Florida instead. And I absolutely did not regret my choice to visit Florida. I did not know it yet, but a few years later, I would move there with my little family!

STEP 1: ORLANDO

Here we go, off for 3 weeks to Florida and then the Bahamas, with Orlando as the first stop. Back then, like many people, I went there to discover the theme parks. I do not know if you know this, but Orlando is one of the most visited cities in the United States because you will find many theme parks there, including the unmissable Disney World, but also Universal Studios, Legoland… I chose Disney World and Universal Studios during this road trip.

As I got closer to the park, I started seeing “Mickeys” on the road because Disney World in Florida is so huge that it even has its own roads. I only did Magic Kingdom and Hollywood Studios because the park is enormous and there are so many attractions. Disney is a magical world that delights both children and adults.

I also visited Universal Studios which is simply amazing. Since I had also been to the one in Los Angeles, I have to say I preferred Orlando’s. It has more themed worlds and more rides. I loved the Marvel area, especially the Spider-Man attraction. You can also read my article about The Wizarding World of Harry Potter.

STEP 2: MIAMI

After Orlando, I headed to Miami by car along the coast. Driving at an easy pace and enjoying the scenery, it takes a good half day. Once I arrived in Miami, I went to downtown where my hotel was located. At the time, the city center was being completely redeveloped and looked like one huge construction site. So I did not spend much time visiting downtown and quickly made my way to Miami Beach. In fact, when people talk about Miami, they often really mean Miami Beach with its sandy beaches and Art Deco buildings.

A must-see spot for shopping fans: Sawgrass Mills. This shopping mall is located in Fort Lauderdale. It is the 4th largest shopping mall in the United States and the biggest in Florida!! I went in right when it opened and came out at closing time 🙂

A complete change of scenery with the Everglades, famous for their swamps, crocodiles, and airboats. This national park contains the largest subtropical natural environment in the country. I went to one of the farms where you can get close to many species, especially reptiles roaming freely. And I could not resist taking an airboat ride. Guaranteed adrenaline, with the driver having fun doing 360° turns right in the middle of the swamps and crocodiles.

Then it was time to head to the famous Keys, an archipelago of islands connected by roads and gigantic bridges above the ocean. You can go from Key Largo all the way to the farthest island, Key West. I obviously went all the way to Key West. There I discovered beautiful beaches, breathtaking scenery, and colonial-style houses. I also tasted one of the Keys’ specialties, the Key Lime Pie (lime pie).

I have wonderful memories of this first stay in Florida and the United States. During this trip, I was able to visit Orlando and some of its parks. Then I drove down the coast to Miami and discovered Fort Lauderdale, Miami Beach, the Everglades, and the very famous Keys.

The icing on the cake: thanks to the short distance, I was able to end my trip with a beautiful week in the Bahamas!

Treasure Cay – Bahamas