Eat RIGHT on the beach! Our last morning in Florida this past December we wanted to eat on the beach and feel the nice breeze from the gulf. We found everything we wanted in the Salty Crab! Most places ON the beach are not open for breakfast so we felt we hit the jack pot when we found that they were. 

Upon walking up to the Salty Crab you are greeted with bright colors, smiles and a very welcoming atmosphere with music playing that will bring you to the beach! And when I say eat on the beach I mean it. The sand is in between your toes with the tables directly on the sand. This location encompasses the tropical island atmosphere to a T! 

The food was amazing! Big portion sizes and anything you could ever want (we went for breakfast). Our server was knowledgeable in the area along with the history and future hopes for the restaurant. They were fast and friendly in their service as well. 

I also find it awesome that their web page has a designation to being involved in the community. They participate in food pantries, donations, youth events and much more. A company that gives back to it's community should be praised. 

This was a perfect way to end our stay in Florida and for sure made an impact in our memory. This location would get a 5 out of 5 star rating from me and my husband! If you do go make sure to get a picture with their oversized lawn chair as well! 

​https://saltycrabbarandgrill.com/ 

When in the south.....eat Oysters! And the Smokin Oyster Brewery is known for theirs.

This little "shack" of a brewery is delicious. Even if you don't want Oysters the menu is extensive enough that you don't have to order them. While we visited the brewery our waitress personally seemed to want to be anywhere BUT there. But the rest of the staff was very happy to be serving their patrons. 

They are able to be totally open air and have the outside brought in. Located just steps from Time Square in Ft. Myers beach and have live music 7 days a week on their outside porch. 

You will also find memorabilia from all over the world on the walls. These are from patrons that have come to the Brewery over the years. Encompassing the island atmosphere and giving you the ability to feel that you have a hand in the restaurant as well. 

Our food was delivered quickly and was so delicious as well. I had the clam chowder and it was for sure note worthy! Next time you are in the area check them out and then swing next door to pick up your S.O.B T-shirt! 

​https://sob4fun.com/

Looking for a great place to eat and shop all in one? While also being on the water and enjoying the outdoor atmosphere of Florida? You must check out Tin City when in Naples, FL.

Tin City is named appropriately with all the building being made out of metal. Make in a full "city of Tin". Several different restaurants available to eat at and many fun little shops to pick up treasures from. 

You can choose to eat inside or right on the canal. While we were there we watched all the fishing boats coming in for the evening with their catch along with the area sunset cruise and dolphin excursions coming in to dock. Very fun and relaxing atmosphere. 

The Naples area is known for it's many waterways and is an iconic area. Tin City still sports the old historic Florida charm and was developed to help promote the growth and bring attention to the original waterway to Naples. 

The owners have joined the Naples Backyard History to produce A History of the Waterfront Museum. You can check out the website for Tin City below along with a few pictures. It is a must check out experience! Do keep in mind parking can be tight but there is plenty of parking in and around the area.

https://www.tincityofnaples.com/history

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I will try my best to have very few negative reviews. But let's be real. We need to share all our experiences so that we can make educated decisions right? And make the most of the money we are choosing to spend with companies.

I first fell in love with Florida when I was in high school and my parents took me to Ft. Myers Beach. The memories there are so amazing. We would always stay at a fun little location called The Lighthouse Resort. They had a waterfall pool, wonderful courtyard and the rooms all over looked the pool. It was heaven. 

So I decided I wanted to share this experience with my husband for the extra night that we had on a recent trip to Florida. 

This location is no longer as I remember it. And I know my parents would not have stayed here year after year if it was in this condition then...


Furniture dirty, having to close blinds with a magnet, rusted shower rod holder, gap in tiles, soft spot that feels like you may fall through it at the back door, lawn chairs in disarray and a pool that is freezing that is said to be heated.


We did go talk calmly and nicely to the front desk staff and they didn't even care. There was no attempt to make things right (offer refund or a different room) and they even tried to blame this on the hurricane a couple years ago...yeah NO! Lol.

I personally own a condo in the panhandle of Florida and I always want my customers to tell me if something is wrong with their stay in our condo so I can make it right. So we tried to do the same in this situation. And there was no attempt to make anything right. I am glad it is only one night!
I did email the manager with our concerns. He did reply, with what I felt was many excuses vs. solutions. He did say he was going to refund our night stay. We are now about 5 days post that email and I have not received my refund as of yet. I personally would not advise to stay here. 

The good spot of this location for us was the meal we had at the Tiki Bar on site. The staff there was wonderful and the food was great. 

But if you are going to the area, please seek out a different location to stay! 

We were blessed to be able to stay at the Edgewater Resort in December 2019 for a weekend. I have never experienced such amazing customer service at a location before! Every time you walk in or out the front door they have a doorman to hold the door for you, offer you a water on every time you enter or exit as well. The check in was seamless and efficient. With in a hour of checking in we got a person text asking how our room was and if we needed anything. We did have a couple questions and they replied instantly to answer those. We then got a text later in the day inviting us to Yoga on the beach in the morning. Upon check out we also got a personal text thanking us for our stay! I have sense texted them asking about rates for certain days and they have replied quickly to me. Wonderful customer service.

There is a daily resort fee of $35 a day for one bedroom and $45 a day for two bedroom suites. This resort fee includes quite a lot! In most higher end resorts you have to pay to drink the water bottles in the room. The resort fee here covers any water bottles you drink along with the Keurig coffee in the room. Plus you get shuttle to historic downtown Naples with your resort fee. Also provided is a morning coffee bar and an afternoon cookie bar (wonderful for kids!), daily newspaper delivery (M-F), Pool towels and beach chairs along with guest laundry if needed. So a lot of bang for the buck in the resort fee! 

Edgewater also does allow pets! As with any place we have stayed there is a pet fee. The fee runs $75 a night. But oh my gosh does your pet get pampered for that! With this fee you get a gift bag for your pet that includes waste bags and treats, you also get a dog bed/mat along with food and water dishes. These items can be taken home at the end of your stay if you wish as well (fee applies). Just know that the city of Naples does not allow dogs on the beach and if you do you may be fined for this by the city. 

Our personal room was a walk out onto the pool area (view pictured below). We had a one bedroom suit. Our bed was very comfortable. The room was clean and fresh upon coming in. A very nice beachy/country décor. Bluetooth speaker was available to use if we wanted as well. Which we found to be a very cool service as we love to listen to music. All the soaps and toiletry were Opal products. And were amazing. 

Each day we felt like there were little elves waiting for us to leave our room (this is said in good humor) as every time we would return our bed was made and we had chocolates waiting on our pillow. They even treated my personal stuffed animal with such care (yes I travel with a stuffed animal and sleep with him ;) ). So in the resort fee is a turn down service as well. Which is what we were experiencing but wasn't expecting. They did a wonderful job! 

The pools were heated and super clean. You are steps from the beach no matter where you stay in the resort. We did order room service one morning and it was delicious. Nice sized portions. Because we were there for a company party we had a meal that was catered and it was also delicious. 

This area was super quiet this time of year. We are runners and I went for a run down Gulf Shore Blvd. It was beautiful. Tree lined with palms that provided wonderful shade. Dedicated bike lane. I then ran back on the beach. I normally am not a fan of running on the sand because of how soft it is. But the sand here was nicely packed near the water and was nice to run on. It was also fun watching dolphins play and pelicans flying on my run. 

I highly recommend this location. Plan to spend quite a bit for your stay at this location. But truly everything is included (minus your food). So if you are looking for an all inclusive resort in southwest Florida I would recommend Edgewater. Below are some pictures and the link to the resort: 

https://www.edgewaternaples.com/

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 (mom We have been doing quite a bit of traveling (for us) this past year. A few trips a year to Florida and traveling for Lacrosse. I know I have been a bit all over on my blog but thought it would be super fun to start leaving reviews of places we go. Anywhere from places stayed, food eaten, activities and even gifts bought!

So today I wanted to leave a review for 3escargots! We went to Ft. Myers Beach, FL this past weekend. And met a wonderful street vendor with amazing jewelry. Anywhere from rings, necklaces, ear rings, pendants etc. She even offered to make any ear ring into a pendant. 

The pieces I chose are sandal ear rings. They are made from sea shells and made by hand. Both the front and the back are sea shell and she had several different color options from the purple/blue I chose to a green theme and ones that looked like pearls and the shine they have in the light is amazing! 

We promptly went out and spent a hour on sea do's and I had my new ear rings in. Even going fast on the Gulf of Mexico they held up and didn't come loose at all! 

Not only do they do jewelry but they also make the most adorable hand bags. Some jewelry is sea shell and the other is glass. All hand made by the artists. A mother daughter operation (mom makes the cute bags). I will for sure go back to them (even if I have to ship items) if I need or want something for myself or a gift for someone else. 

I would highly recommend giving them a glance on their facebook page. They will also do custom orders. Right now they do not have a website and just their facebook page. But they did say they will happily take messages and make custom pieces if you need them. So check out their page here: https://www.facebook.com/3-Escargots-264735083004/

And just a little picture of my personal earrings! If you grab a piece from them I would love to hear what you think!