A Day at Volcano Bay

February 28, 2022 / Wayfinding Writer / Leave a comment

My husband and I are HUGE Disney fans. So if we get anywhere close to Orlando, you can bet we’ll sneak in a day or two at the parks.

But when we were in town recently for the Daytona 500, while we did sneak in a Disney day, we decided to step out of our Disney bubble and do something a little different. And I am so glad we did.

We opted to go to Universal’s Volcano Bay water park for one day of our trip. My husband absolutely loves water parks and truthfully, I’m not a huge fan. But marriage is about compromise, so I wanted to make sure my husband had a fun day splashing all his cares away.

*The volcano in front of a wave pool at the water park*

Overall, we had a great time, but here are a few takeaways from our trip:

Get there early

We arrived about 30 minutes after park opening and since we were driving our own vehicle, we needed to park at Universal’s parking garage. I will admit this was a bit of a hassle. Traffic was pretty bad going into the parking garage (parking for Volcano Bay and all of the other Universal parks funnel into one garage). I’m convinced it wouldn’t have been quite as bad had we arrived prior to park opening. But once we were parked, we didn’t have to wait for a bus at all and the shuttle service was a quick and easy ride to the park.

A photo of a volcano bay bus – Image Credit: Best of Orlando

2. Stake out your spot and scan into your first ride

One of the first things we did when we arrived was decide what ride was the most important and find a “home base” for the day. Since rides aren’t that important to me, I like to find a cool spot in the shade or under an umbrella to chill out while my husband gets his water slide fix. We had no trouble finding a table with an umbrella close to the bathrooms and an eating spot.

My husband decided the water coaster was the most important ride to him, so he scanned into that one to get a return time. When you arrive at Volcano Bay, you’ll be given a wearable device called a Tapu Tapu. Similar to its name, you’ll tap the device to a totem pole near the ride you want to get on, and it will tell you if it’s walk-on, or if you are assigned a return time. In my husband’s case, there was a 45-minute wait for the water coaster, so his Tapu Tapu alerted him when it was ready to ride. Prior to that, he was free to swim or enjoy any of the walk-on rides while he waited. I personally LOVED this concept, as it eliminates waiting in the hot sun for ages, and instead allows you to have fun and wait while you do something else. I really wish more theme parks would go to this concept.

A photo of a blue Tapu Tapu – Image Credit: Wareable

3. Be sure to slow down and enjoy the food and drinks

Most theme parks don’t have the best food in the world, but Volcano Bay’s food was pretty good. We personally enjoyed the flatbread pizzas (so delicious and the portions size is HUGE). There are also a variety of other food options, desserts, drinks (both alcoholic and non-alcoholic). So while it’s tempting to focus on water rides and swimming all day, make sure to take time to enjoy the food and drinks!

4. Enjoy all the park has to offer

Volcano Bay has plenty to offer for all who visit, even those who, like me, aren’t too keen on water parks. But if you go for the thrilling water slides, also be sure to take the time to enjoy the other amenities the park has to offer. There’s a relaxing lazy river to enjoy, as well as the wave pool – both of which even I enjoyed. Volcano Bay also has a Raging River, which is a lazy river on steroids…you free float with a life vest through a fast-moving current…it’s so much fun!

The wave pool at Volcano Bay – Image credit: Murphys waves

We had the best time at Volcano Bay and give it 5 stars overall. There’s so much to do and it makes for a great day. So, next time you’re in the area, be sure to check it out, or set a day aside for it during your next Disney or Universal vacation. If you have any questions about Volcano Bay, be sure to ask them in the comments section! And for those who have been, what did you think? What was your favorite part? Sound off in the comments!

Until next time,

Travel safely!

The best place to eat in Daytona Beach

February 6, 2022February 6, 2022 / Wayfinding Writer / Leave a comment

_{Photo credit: Caribbean Jack’s}

Those who know me already know that I absolutely LOVE Florida. It is by far one of my favorite vacation destinations. With so many fun places to visit like Disney World, Daytona Beach, and Cape Canaveral (just to name a few), there is never a lack of fun or adventure when you go to Florida.

You’ll find out in my later blog posts that I absolutely adore going to Disney World, but one of my other favorite spots in Florida is Daytona Beach. My husband and I love going to the Daytona 500 and just taking in the beach when we visit. We’ve even watched a SpaceX rocket launch from our beachfront hotel balcony one night (that was incredible). The area has such a nice vibe. But one of our favorite parts of Daytona is, of course, the food.

And for us, the absolute best place to eat is Caribbean Jack’s! They have the best food, drinks, and atmosphere, hands down. When you dine, you have a choice of indoor or outdoor seating. We always choose outdoor and ask for a gliding table (yes, you can gently rock back and forth while dining waterside, it’s so fun). They often have live music some nights as well (mainly on the weekends).

But enough about the setup, what about the food? Let’s start with the appetizers. I’ve enjoyed several during our many visits, and all of them are SO good.

On our last trip, we tried the spinach dip (one of my husband’s favorite things to eat) for the first time and it was some of the best we’ve ever had. Our usual go-to is an order of alligator bites, which are insanely delicious. I’m not a very adventurous eater, so I was very reluctant to try them our first trip, but I am so glad I did. Now we get them every single time. They have the best flavor and are prepared absolutely perfectly! Who knew I’d end up loving gator? One of the best surprises from our last trip a week ago was the Florida-style crab cakes. I am not usually a huge crab cake fan, but the ones at Caribbean Jack’s are amazing. So good we got them again on the way back home.

But we’re just getting started. Now it’s time to talk about the main entrees. We’ve tried so many of them…grilled mahi-mahi, fried shrimp, fried fish basket, mahi-mahi tacos, and the chicken caesar salad.

My husband’s all-time favorite (and for good reason) is the grilled mahi-mahi with steamed vegetables and a side of fries. The mahi-mahi is the freshest we have ever had and it is grilled and lightly seasoned to perfection. He gets this dish every single time, and I don’t blame him.

I’ve tried several entrees, and while I’ve liked them all, my favorite is the fish and shrimp basket. Great fish and the best fried shrimp I’ve ever had (the flavor is unreal). It’s so good my husband usually orders a skewer of fried shrimp to go with his mahi-mahi.

Honestly, we haven’t eaten anything at Caribbean Jack’s that we don’t love. The flavors are great and the quality is the best. And while we love the apps and the main course, the dessert is probably our favorite.

We usually get the same dessert each time we go to Caribbean Jack’s, but on our last trip, we decided to try something different. So we opted for the Brownie Bliss, which consists of two homemade brownies stuffed with vanilla ice cream and covered with chocolate sauce and whipped cream. It was fantastic, but definitely sugar overload! The portion is meant for sharing, so be sure to grab a few buddies before trying to tackle this one (thankfully we were dining with my brother, nephew, and sister-in-law who helped us out).

My brother tried the key lime pie, and I tried a bite or two. It was amazing and perfectly balanced (not too sweet, not too tart). Highly recommended.

But for me, the holy grail of desserts, the best thing on the menu, and quite possibly the best thing I’ve ever eaten, is their world-famous Bananas Foster. It consists of two puff pastries stuffed with vanilla ice cream and smothered with fresh sliced bananas and pecans with the best bananas foster sauce. It is so good and has incredible flavor. Again, this is one to share though because the portion size is HUGE.

So those are some of my favorites at what I consider the best restaurant in Daytona Beach. If you’re ever in the area (or close enough to make the trip), be sure to check it out. You won’t regret it. Check out their menu here and see all the other amazing things they have to offer.

What looks like something you’d like to try if you make the trip? Have you been and have something else to share? Any other restaurants in Daytona Beach we should try? Be sure to sound off in the comments!

Until next time. Travel safely and make a lifetime of memories.

A little about me

February 5, 2022February 6, 2022 / Wayfinding Writer / Leave a comment

Well, I am finally jumping in headfirst and creating a blog. This has been a goal of mine for quite a while. I’ve even dabbled in blogging here and there, but I never stuck with it like I should.

But today, that changes. I absolutely love to write. It’s a great release for me and a way to express myself, reconnect with myself, and simply work through the challenges of life.

My other love is traveling. So I figured, why not merge the two? So yes, I am starting a travel blog in the vast sea of millions of others that are out there. But that’s okay. Because if nothing else, I get to travel, write, and record my adventures, which is all I can really ask for.

So if you’d like to follow along, welcome. I’m Ashley, a 35-year-old native North Carolinian who still resides in eastern NC. I’m married to the love of my life Kenneth and I’m a dog mom to the sweetest Golden Retriever named Cosmo.

But why “The Wayfinding Writer” as my blog title? For starters, I thought it sounded pretty cool. Did you know that wayfinding wasn’t actually in the dictionary as a recognized word or the longest time? Yet it is used so often, particularly when discussing history and the way people groups navigated the world.

Wayfinding was finally recognized by the Oxford English Dictionary recently, though other dictionaries still don’t recognize it as a word. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, wayfinding is “the act of finding one’s way to a particular place; navigation.”

And that’s what I feel like life is all about. Finding our way and navigating our unique journey and adventure set before us. And for me, a big part of that is traveling and writing, hence the Wayfinding Writer.

This blog will not just share my photos and experiences as I travel, but it will also share tips, tricks, and information on how you can recreate the same or similar experiences. I’ll focus on no-fuss ways to visit popular places, money-saving tips, and unique experiences to make even the most “ordinary” trip extraordinary.

So bookmark this page and buckle up for lots of travel info and tips. I look forward to sharing so many adventures with you. Be sure to drop me a comment and let me know where you’re reading from. And if there is a certain destination or trip you’d like more info on, let me know that, too.

Until next time. Travel safe and make memories!

Share this: