🍩 Texas to Miami: Donuts, Detours, and a Dash of Chaos
We left Texas before sunrise, chasing donuts and adventure. First stop? Bee’s favorite donut shop—because obviously. The detour put us off course, but it was totally worth it. We ended up taking the scenic backroads to the toll road, where the speed limit is a glorious 80mph. Honestly, it felt like freedom.
Donut stop!
We passed the giant Tesla building—it’s so long it takes half a minute to drive by at full speed. Texas does everything big.
Austin’s South Terminal was next. It’s not connected to the main terminal, and since we were arriving back at the main one late at night, we parked there and Ubered over. Shuttle? No thanks—“every 15–20 minutes” doesn’t work when you’ve got an 8-year-old and six pieces of luggage. Uber dropped us right at the door.
Flying Frontier out of South Terminal was actually kind of amazing. TSA PreCheck, short lines, and—get this—an outdoor taco truck with margaritas after security. It felt like the start of vacation already.
We upgraded our flight, and it was so worth it. Two seats with room to breathe and a free carry-on. I even got to enjoy a Jack & Coke in peace. Bonus: no driving for the next six days. That’s vacation.
Bunnies got their own seat!
Just like that—one book, one nap, and multiple bunny checks from Bee later—we were landing.
Bee peeked out the plane window and declared, “We’re in the Orange Miami.” And just like that, it became part of our trip’s vocabulary.
We made it to the hotel (note to self: don’t wait for the shuttle—just grab an Uber) and dropped our bags. Then we set out to explore.
Frost Science Museum
First stop: the Frost Science Museum. If you’re ever in Miami with kids, this place is a must. It’s part children’s museum, part science museum, and completely immersive. They have everything—from marine life and physics to outer space and artificial intelligence. Bee ran from one exhibit to the next, wide-eyed and full of questions. I just tried to keep up and soak it all in.
Outside the museum, we stumbled on a sculpture walk filled with painted dogs and cats by local artists, and a nearby park with a dog park and outdoor gym. It was such a fun, unplanned bonus. We wandered, explored, and finally searched out some food before heading back to the hotel.
Cat from the statue garden.
By the time we got back to the room, I was wiped—but also completely content. If I were on my own, I probably would have moved faster, done more, or spent the evening reading by the pool. But that’s not what this trip is about. Watching Bee explore a new city, soak in science, and chase painted dog statues through the park—that’s the kind of day I didn’t even know I needed.
Next stop- BOARDING THE CRUISE!!!!
