CELEBRATING MY BIG 3-0 IN ORLANDO

Wanting to do something big for this milestone, we decided Disney World was the way to go. So we flew to Orlando on my birthday and then spent the next day — my first full day of my 30s — at the happiest place on earth.

… Although to be honest, it probably would have been a lot happier if it were a lot less crowded … which we maybe should have considered before buying tickets for the Saturday between Christmas and New Year’s! But regardless, this was an exciting trip that also included a couple of days at the ocean, where we happened to get life-changing news.

day 1 • 12.28.13

Disney World

Cinderella Castle stands at the center of Disney World’s Magic Kingdom and is intended to welcome visitors to a magical world where dreams come true. 



With lines being super long, we didn’t hit nearly all the rides in the park — but one we did do was Dumbo the Flying Elephant. 


And the fireworks and parade at the end of the night were great! Definitely a memorable way for me to begin a new decade.

day 2 • 12.29.13

Downtown Disney & Lake Eola Park

We started this day with some shopping at Downtown Disney — where we bought the requisite Mickey Mouse shirts — before heading to Lake Eola Park in downtown Orlando. We walked the 1-mile path around the lake, then set off on the one-hour drive to our next destination: New Smyrna Beach.

day 3 • 12.30.13

New Smyrna Beach, FL

Waking up at our Airbnb apartment just a short walk from the beach, Seth had an e-mail with a job offer requiring a move — meaning this coming year will be bringing some big changes for us!




And what better place to celebrate this big news than at the ocean, complete with sand for marking the moment. As well as for marking my milestone that inspired the trip:


After grabbing a bite to eat, we walked to the Indian River that evening to see the sun set.

day 4 • 12.31.13

New Smyrna Beach, FL & Orlando, FL

We marked New Year’s Eve by getting up bright and early to see the last sunrise of 2013 over the Atlantic Ocean. It was truly a beautiful bookend for this trip and this year!




After a balcony breakfast and a drive through town, we headed back to Orlando to fly home.




We did make one stop along the way, to see the world’s largest alligator in Christmas, Florida. It’s named Swampy, and this 200-foot, 1-inch structure actually is the entrance to an alligator farm where we saw live alligators (above). So with that, I’d say this Florida trip was officially complete!