My adventures usually cost little to nothing – other than gas for the van.

I’m not able to do most tourist activities due to my Multiple Chemical Sensitivities (MCS). This may be a blessing in disguise as Tourist Traps tend to be costly.

MCS may dictate what I can and can’t do but, many years ago, I vowed not to let MCS stop me from living my best life!

I’m well aware I’m not normal and my adventures are not typical. But I enjoy sharing them with you and hope you find my stories entertaining and/or informative and/or possibly inspiring.

Another Mom-n-Nikki Adventure…

Nikki and I recently spent a little time in Key Biscayne – approximately an hour drive from Homestead/Florida City.

We know our priorities so, before leaving Homestead, we stopped at Starbucks.

It never hurts to have one for the road!

I Never Pay For Starbucks…

I’ve mentioned this before but I (almost) never pay for Starbucks.

I pay for my coffee using rewards earned from the Fetch, Ibotta, Receipt Pal and Upside apps.

I upload my reward earnings to my Starbucks app to pay for my coffee. Then… because I use the Starbucks app to pay for my coffee… I earn additional rewards from Starbucks (such as free coffee).

Admittedly, it’s become an obsessive game for me to never pay for Starbucks.

Now on with the story…

Arriving At Key Biscayne…

Key Biscayne is just minutes from downtown Miami across the Rickenbacker Causeway. 

The weather was perfect!

We tried to stop at the first beach we saw but we missed the entrance.

No worries! There are more free beaches down the road.

Stopping At Historic Virginia Key Beach Park…

After we park and regain our land-legs, we wander across the parking lot to the beach at Historic Virginia Key Beach Park.

The white sand is soft and moves beneath our feet.

Nikki immediately walks into the water with no concern about getting the bottom of her jeans wet. She’s a Pet Stylist/Dog Groomer and says she’s used to wet clothing!

The ocean water is cool. It’s nice for wading along the shoreline but probably too cold for swimming (not that I’m a swimmer).

There are just a few sunbathers scattered about and some playful dogs with their Human’s.

After some time on the beach… people watching, dog watching, and enjoying the sun… we head back to the van.

Our Feet Are A Sandy Mess…

I keep a small hand broom in the slot of the driver side door. We use the broom to brush the sand off our feet but, somehow, sand still gets in the van.

I’m pretty sure there’s still Pacific Ocean sand in the van from my summers spent on the Oregon Coast back in 2016 and 2017. I wouldn’t doubt there’s also sand from the north Atlantic, Gulf Of Mexico and any other sandy beach I’ve traipsed upon.

An Island Observation…

Key Biscayne is quite close to Miami but, as we drive through the island, both Nikki and I comment that it doesn’t feel like Miami.

Miami is more hustle-n-bustle with LOTS of traffic .

There’s a fair amount of traffic in Key Biscayne but I don’t feel the hustle-n-bustle of a major city.

Stopping At Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park…

We end up at the very end of the island at one of the many Florida State Parks.

We pay the entrance fee to Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park and head on down the road to see what we can see.

At the very end of the road lies the mesmerizing blue ocean.

To the right… there’s a bike trail.

Nikki and I head down the bike trail (on foot). The trail includes a mix of bicyclists and pedestrians.

Stiltsville…

Along the bike trail, we stop to check out what’s left of Stiltsville. Only a few houses remain after Hurricane Andrew hit in 1992.

There’s a binocular/viewer to get a closer view of the houses built on stilts in the ocean.

I try to capture a picture with my phone using the zoom function but it comes out grainy. I still don’t have the hang of everything my phone camera can do.

On The Shoreline Side Of The Path…

There’s a rope preventing people from walking onto the rocky shore.

But the rope doesn’t stop us from admiring the boats and ships docked or sailing the ocean blue.

Rain Is Heading Our Way…

Nikki notices rain heading our way. It’s currently off-shore but looks to be coming towards us.

One thing I’ve learned about Florida is the weather is unpredictable. If the Weather Man says there’s a 99.9% chance of rain there’s still a darn good chance it won’t rain at all. And, seeing rain coming towards you in the distance doesn’t mean you’ll actually get rained on.

Nikki and I briefly discuss whether or not to walk further.

We decide to head to the van and, ultimately, back to Homestead.

Parting Thoughts…

Todays adventure cost $8 (for the State Park) plus approximately $13 for gas (I get 18 MPG). Our Starbucks was free and we didn’t stop anywhere to eat (sometimes we do, sometimes we don’t).

There’s a lighthouse and other trails still left unexplored (by us) at Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park. These are on our ever growing list of future fun things to do.

Regardless of how many things we do or sights we see… Nikki and I always have fun and enjoy our time together!

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