With Love, Indian Shores

I love a good travel adventure - sleeping in train stations, getting my pack ready, and stumbling across the globe. However, lately I have been wanting nothing more than to lay on the beach in the good ole' USA.

I love many international destinations and sometimes I am guilty of forgetting it, but with views like this - we have it pretty great too!

I landed on the red-eye in from California and landed just in time to grab the 7:00AM to Tampa. Or so I thought - BUMPED. That is what I get for #deltabratting on the Fourth of July but it never hurts to try - especially when I am in the airport anyways!

At 10AM I got the last seat on the MD88 and I was beach bound to meet my best Midwest (and every where else for that matter) friend, J.

We landed in Tampa and drove directly to our little house on the coast. Spending the next few days in Indian Shores to celebrate the Fourth the best way we know how...

with FIREWORKS over the ocean

and 'MERICAN flags in our drinks

Our only plan for the long weekend was to catch every last ray of sunshine, swim in the waves, and to play every night in downtown Clearwater.

  

Finally, I am no longer embracing the pale that is 2013. 

  

We had fresh, rosy cheeks but unfortunately many of our afternoons ended like this. Determined to tan, I was the last chair on the beach.

But it gave us extra time to play. We explored John's Pass Village and walked the boardwalk, stopping for drinks, and watching the boats along the way. 

When the sun was ready to socialize again, we caught the trolley into downtown Clearwater to experience the action and crowds of people enjoying their last bits of summertime freedom. I like to avoid shoes on holiday - and in my real life as often as possible so check out Frenchy's Rockaway Grill for dinner where you can stumble off the beach for drinks, food, and a great time.

It is located directly on the beach with the usual fare and great drink specials. I quenched my thirst with multiple cucumber infused vodkas as the sun quietly sloped below the horizon.

After the pregame dinnertime rush, we were feeling a bit *crabby*

So we set off to Shepard's, a nightclub and outside pavilion along the causeway. We even made it backstage where I was able to put my experience of "band-aid" to good use. Who knew that all those years my father made me haul around and set up his high-hats and cymbals would be good skills to have.

My favorite stop was a simple dive bar across the street from our weekend home in Indian Shores called, Muhaffa's. The ceilings were covered in bras, the jazz band was old, the bathrooms had shower curtains for doors, and the ceiling was caving in. Every turn took you farther and farther into the cave that they called the bar.

It is the best place. It was the best vacation and I am bronzed and happy.

Even if I spent the night in the Tampa airport and finally caught the last flight into Atlanta. Definitely worth it.

Off to my new job tomorrow... can't holidays last forever?