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We recently returned from a 7-night Caribbean sailing aboard the MSC Seashore out of Port Canaveral with the Aurea experience, ocean view balcony, the works. We came home with mixed feelings, a story about a watch shop you need to hear, and a clear picture of what MSC gets right and where it falls flat. Here’s the unfiltered version.

The Ship Itself

The MSC Seashore is a beautiful vessel. There’s no arguing that. The design is modern, the public spaces are well laid out, and the ship was kept immaculately clean throughout our sailing, credit to a housekeeping team that is genuinely relentless and clearly takes pride in their work. That’s not a small thing on a ship carrying thousands of passengers, and it deserves to be said plainly.

The Seashore had just come out of dry dock before our sailing. We expected a ship in pristine condition. What we found instead was worn, tired carpeting throughout the hallways, loose hinges on doors in the Thermal Spa and our own bathroom, and ongoing balcony construction and power washing happening while guests were trying to enjoy their balconies. For a freshly dry-docked ship, the level of deferred maintenance was surprising and genuinely disappointing.

The Aurea Experience — Worth It?

The Aurea tier promises a premium experience over standard MSC cabins with priority boarding, a dedicated dining time, and Aurea amenities. In theory it’s MSC’s answer to a more elevated onboard experience without going full suite.

In practice, the gap between what’s promised and what’s delivered is wide enough to matter. If you’re considering MSC and debating whether to upgrade to Aurea, go in with realistic expectations. The priority boarding worked. Beyond that, we didn’t feel the premium in any meaningful way across the rest of the sailing.

The Food — Where MSC Struggles Most

For a cruise line with Mediterranean roots and a genuine reputation for food, the Main Dining Room was the biggest letdown of the trip. Multiple nights featured dishes that were bland, poorly seasoned, and uninspired. Not inedible, just forgettable, which on a cruise is almost worse.

The Marketplace Buffet was predictable and underwhelming. For a ship this size, the variety and execution were below what you’d expect.

The specialty dining was the clear bright spot. Hola! Tacos & Cantina, Kaito Teppanyaki, and Butcher’s Cut were all solid. This was a noticeable and welcome step above the included dining. If you’re booking the Seashore, budget for specialty dining from the start and spare yourself the MDR frustration. It’s not optional if you want to eat well.

The Entertainment and Activities

The Madison Theater shows were hit or miss, with more misses than hits. Onboard activities were thin for a ship of this size and price point. My wife attended a scrapbooking class that amounted to staff putting materials on a table and telling guests to do whatever they wanted with them. Not quite the class described.

The cocktail program was an afterthought. The drink menu felt limited and the execution was underwhelming. If you’re a cocktail person, lower your expectations significantly before you board.

The Watch Shop — Read This Before You Browse

I need to tell you this story because it happened to us and it will happen to other people.

I spotted a watch the previous evening at a certain price. When I returned the next day to purchase it, the salesman quoted a significantly higher price, then proceeded to “discount” it in a way designed to make me feel I was getting a deal on a thousand-dollar watch. He physically positioned himself between me and the exit, making it difficult to leave. Out of frustration, I completed the purchase. I know, that’s on me.

When I researched the watch afterward, the actual retail price was far lower than what I paid. The discount was theater. When I returned the watch, another staff member argued with me until I firmly demanded my money back, at which point she relented.

This is textbook high-pressure retail manipulation. False pricing, manufactured urgency, physical blocking, and resistance to a legitimate return. Go into the onboard shops with your guard up, and research any purchase on your phone before you commit to anything. The shops are not on your side.

Ocean Cay — Beautiful and Unfinished

MSC’s private island is marketed as an exclusive marine reserve and pristine Caribbean paradise. The beach itself is genuinely beautiful and the water is stunning. That part lives up to the brochure.

What the brochure doesn’t show you is what’s sitting directly behind that beach. Ocean Cay is currently a full-scale active construction zone. Multi-story buildings wrapped in scaffolding, cranes operating, staging yards filled with shipping containers, heavy equipment, debris piles, and construction materials, all clearly visible from the beach and from the ship. If you’re booking this cruise specifically for the Ocean Cay experience, understand that what you’ll find is a destination that is still very much a work in progress. What’s being sold in the marketing materials is not what’s being delivered on the ground.

The One Thing MSC Gets Genuinely Right

The crew. The vast majority of staff we encountered were friendly, warm, and professional. The housekeeping team in particular was exceptional and the ship was spotless from embarkation to debarkation, every single day. That level of care on a vessel this size is not easy and it showed.

The crew is the best part of the ship. Unfortunately, the crew can’t fix the MDR menu, the entertainment gaps, the construction at Ocean Cay, or the watch shop.

Would We Sail MSC Again?

Not at this price point. The Aurea experience promises a premium. Reality does not deliver one. If you’re considering MSC, go in with honest expectations, book specialty dining from day one, skip the shops entirely, enjoy the crew, and know that Ocean Cay is still a work in progress. The ship is beautiful and the crew is excellent. Everything else needs work.

Trip Jar tip: A cruise is one of the easiest vacations to oversave for and overspend on. Soon you’ll be able to build your cruise budget into a dedicated My Jar goal — specialty dining, excursions, and gratuities add up fast, and arriving knowing those costs are already covered changes the whole experience.

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A cruise looks like a vacation. It is also a floating medical situation waiting to happen, a weather-dependent itinerary with zero flexibility, and a financial commitment with almost no refund protection if something goes wrong close to sailing date. We sailed the MSC Seashore in April 2026 and came home with a lot of opinions about the cruise industry, as we do after every cruise. One of the strongest is this: if you are getting on a ship without travel insurance, you are taking a risk that no amount of beautiful ocean scenery is worth.

The Medical Reality Nobody Talks About

Many U.S. health insurance plans have limited or no coverage abroad, and Medicare is especially limited outside the United States. If you need medical care onboard or at a port of call, you could be paying the entire bill out of pocket. Cruise ship medical centers handle basic care. They are not equipped for serious emergencies, and when something goes wrong at sea, evacuation alone can reach devastating costs without coverage.

A helicopter evacuation from a ship in the Caribbean to a hospital capable of treating a cardiac event can easily run tens of thousands of dollars. Those costs are not theoretical. Emergency medical evacuation can reach five or six figures depending on where you are, how far you need to be transported, and what kind of care you need. It is the documented real cost of emergency medical evacuation at sea, and it happens to healthy people who never expected it would happen to them. Recommended emergency medical coverage for cruises starts at $100,000, with medical evacuation coverage of at least $500,000. Those numbers sound large until you understand what they are protecting against.

The Ship Will Not Wait for You

Ships depart on schedule. That is not a guideline. It is a hard fact of the cruise industry, and it creates a risk that doesn’t exist with any other form of travel.

If your flight is delayed and the ship departs without you, catching up at the next port or absorbing the cost of missing the cruise entirely comes out of your pocket unless you have coverage. This scenario is far more common than people realize, and it is especially dangerous for travelers who fly in on embarkation day rather than arriving the night before. One weather delay, one mechanical issue, one gate change that costs you forty minutes, and the ship is gone.

Cruise travel insurance covers missed connections and helps cover the cost of catching up to the ship at the next port of call. Without it, you are booking a last-minute flight to a foreign city, arranging your own transfer to the port, and hoping the ship is still there when you arrive. The stress and expense of that situation is avoidable.

What Standard Travel Insurance Misses

Cruise travel insurance also covers something standard policies often don’t: missed ports and itinerary changes. If the ship can’t dock somewhere, you booked a private excursion to visit, a cruise-specific policy may reimburse that prepaid excursion cost. Weather reroutes happen constantly in the Caribbean, especially during hurricane season. A ship that skips Cozumel because of rough seas is not going to refund the $300 snorkeling tour you booked independently on shore.

That kind of coverage only exists in cruise-specific or comprehensive policies that explicitly address itinerary changes. Worth reading the fine print before you assume your standard travel policy has you covered.

The Cruise Line Plan Is Not the Same Thing

One of the most common mistakes travelers make is assuming the cruise line’s own protection plan is equivalent to comprehensive travel insurance. It is not.

Cruise line plans typically come with lower medical coverage limits, fewer covered reasons to cancel, and reimbursement in the form of future cruise credits rather than cash. That last point deserves emphasis. Future cruise credits are not your money back. They are obliged to book another cruise with the same line, on their schedule, under their terms. If you had a bad experience and have no interest in sailing that line again, a future cruise credit is worth exactly nothing to you. Third-party insurance pays in cash.

We experienced enough on the MSC Seashore to know we would likely not sail that line again. If we had purchased the cruise line’s own protection plan and something had forced a cancellation, we would have been left with a credit toward a product we had already decided wasn’t for us. That is not protection. That is a sales tool dressed up as peace of mind.

What It Costs and What It Covers

Comprehensive cruise travel insurance typically costs between 4% and 10% of your total insured trip cost. On a $5,000 cruise for two, that is $200 to $500. A solid policy at that price point covers trip cancellation and interruption, emergency medical expenses, medical evacuation, missed connections, baggage loss or delay, and itinerary changes.

Measured against what a medical evacuation or a missed embarkation could cost without coverage, it is one of the easier financial decisions in travel planning.

The Bottom Line

Get cruise insurance. Get it from a third-party provider, not the cruise line. Get it within 14 to 21 days of your first deposit to make sure pre-existing condition coverage applies. Make sure the medical and evacuation limits are high enough to actually protect you.

The ocean is beautiful. The industry that takes you to it has a lot of fine print. Go in with your eyes open and your family protected.

We recommend Allianz Travel Insurance based on personal experience. Trip Jar is not currently affiliated with Allianz and does not receive compensation from them. Always compare policies, read the plan documents, and choose coverage based on your own trip, budget, and risk.

You saved for this trip. You planned it, booked it, and put it on the calendar months ago. Travel insurance is the part most families skip, until the moment they desperately wish they hadn’t.

This is the first part of our Travel Insurance Trifecta: road trips, flights, and cruises. Each kind of trip puts different money at risk, and families need to know where the gaps are before something goes wrong.

Most people think of travel insurance as a single product, like car insurance or homeowner’s insurance. It isn’t. The risks you face on a road trip are different from the risks on a flight and understanding those differences before you book is the only way to make sure the money you worked so hard to save doesn’t disappear because of something you never saw coming.

On the Road: More Gaps Than You Think

Most families assume their regular car insurance covers everything that could go wrong on a road trip, and for accidents on the road, it largely does. Your car insurance follows you from state to state and can even increase to meet higher coverage limits if you drive somewhere that requires them. That part most people have figured out. What they haven’t figured out is everything else.

Car insurance typically doesn’t cover items stolen from your vehicle. Luggage, electronics, camping gear — gone, and your auto policy won’t replace any of it. Standard auto policies also cover you in the U.S. and Canada but not in Mexico or elsewhere. The moment you cross the border for a long weekend; you may be exposed in ways you never anticipated.

Then there are the prepaid costs. You booked two nights at a resort, bought concert tickets, and reserved a guided kayaking tour. None of that is covered under your auto policy if you must cancel or cut the trip short. Travel insurance picks up those prepaid, nonrefundable expenses when a covered reason forces you to change plans, and it kicks in from the moment you leave your driveway as long as your destination is at least 100 miles from home.

There is also the rental car question, and it matters more than people realize. Your regular auto insurance might technically cover a rental, but if you file a claim after an accident, you could be paying higher premiums on your personal policy for years. A separate travel protection plan with rental car damage coverage keeps that claim off your personal insurance entirely — no deductible, no rate increase.

Medical evacuation is the one most road trippers never think about. A serious accident in a remote area, hours from the nearest trauma center, can generate evacuation costs that standard health insurance won’t fully cover. Travel insurance can pay to airlift you to a hospital that can treat your condition and can cover transport back home if you can’t drive yourself. That coverage exists for domestic trips, not just international ones.

On a Flight: The Money Is Already Gone Before You Board

Flying puts a different kind of money at risk. The hotel is booked, the tickets are paid for, the tour is reserved, and none of it is coming back without a fight if your flight falls apart before you ever reach the gate.

Comprehensive travel insurance covers expenses caused by canceled or delayed flights, hotel stays, meals, and other necessary costs when you’re stranded. What most people miss is the cascade effect. A delayed flight means a missed connection. A missed connection means a missed first night at the hotel you already paid for. If your flight to Orlando gets grounded by a storm and the next available departure isn’t until morning, trip delay coverage can reimburse that first hotel night at your destination if the hotel won’t refund it.

Here is the distinction that matters most: when an airline cancels your flight, federal rules require them to refund your ticket. Travel insurance covers everything else. The resort deposit, the theme park tickets, the tour you paid for won’t wait for you. The airline takes care of the seat. Nobody else takes care of the rest without a policy.

Trip cancellation coverage typically costs 5% to 10% of your total trip cost. A $3,000 trip costs $150 to $300 to insure. For a family that spent six months saving toward that vacation, that is a reasonable price for knowing the money doesn’t disappear because of a crew shortage or a January ice storm.

One option worth knowing about is Cancel for Any Reason coverage, commonly called CFAR. Standard trip cancellation covers specific listed reasons. CFAR covers anything. The best CFAR policies reimburse up to 80% of your prepaid, nonrefundable costs and allow you to cancel as late as the day of departure. It costs more, typically 40% to 60% above a standard plan, but for families with unpredictable schedules or health concerns, it can be worth every dollar.

Before you buy anything, check your credit card. Many travel cards offer trip protection as a complimentary benefit, including cancellation, delay, baggage, and travel accident coverage. You may already have more than you think, or you may find the limits are lower than what your trip actually requires.

The Bottom Line

Travel insurance is not a luxury and it is not a scam. It is a financial tool that protects the money you already spent on a trip you are still planning to take.

A road trip needs gap coverage for your prepaid costs and medical evacuation in remote areas. A flight needs cancellation and delay protection for the nonrefundable expenses your airline won’t cover when the unexpected happens.

Buy it early. Most policies require purchase within 14 to 21 days of your first trip deposit to unlock pre-existing condition coverage and full benefits. The best time to think about travel insurance is the same moment you decide where you want to go, which if you are using Trip Jar means the day you start your jar.

We recommend Allianz Travel Insurance based on personal experience. Trip Jar is not currently affiliated with Allianz and does not receive compensation from them. As always, compare policies, read the plan documents, and choose coverage based on your own trip, budget, and risk.

Next in the Travel Insurance Trifecta: cruise insurance — where the risks are different, the fine print matters, and the wrong assumption can get expensive fast.

Ready to book your Savannah stay? Search hotels on Booking.com

Most Savannah guides stop at River Street and call it done. The city is much bigger and more interesting than that. Here’s where to go once you’ve covered the historic district basics.

Forsyth Park — Go on a Saturday

At the southern end of the historic district, Forsyth Park is anchored by one of the most photographed fountains in the South. It’s beautiful, but the real reason to go on a Saturday is the farmer’s market. Local vendors from across Georgia and South Carolina bring produce, prepared food, baked goods, flowers, and crafts. Locals are out with dogs and frisbees, SCAD students are scattered on blankets, and the whole thing has an energy that the touristy parts of Savannah can’t quite replicate. If you’re staying in an Airbnb with a kitchen, this is where you shop for dinner.

Collins Quarter has a location in the park itself, perfect for coffee before you walk the market. The trolley runs down to Forsyth, so you don’t have to hike it.

Midtown Savannah — Where the Locals Actually Live

South of Forsyth Park, the Midtown neighborhood is where the city feels most like itself. Less polished, more real. Two stops worth making: Big Bon Bodega with it’s cult-following bagels, lavender honey coffee, and lines out the door at the right times, and Black Rabbit Bar and Restaurant, a proper neighborhood dive with creative sandwiches, good drinks, and a mix of locals that makes you feel like you found something. Neither of these are on the main tourist circuit. Both are worth the short detour.

This is also where Sanctuary Place Inn, the converted church Airbnb we mentioned in the accommodations post, is located. Staying in Midtown gives you a completely different feel than the North Historic District and easy access to both the park and the historic area.

SCAD’s Invisible Footprint

The Savannah College of Art and Design has quietly bought and restored dozens of buildings throughout the historic district, using them as classrooms, offices, and dormitories. You’re often looking at a SCAD-restored building without knowing it. The school’s presence keeps the city architecturally maintained and brings a creative energy that you feel everywhere, from the design quality of local shops to the general vibe of Forsyth Park, where art students congregate.

Bonaventure Cemetery — More Than a Photo

You’ve seen the Bird Girl statue, the arms-outstretched figure from the cover of Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. The original is now inside the Telfair Museums, but the cemetery is still worth the drive. Bonaventure is where Johnny Mercer (Moon River, That Old Black Magic) is buried, along with many of the people who shaped Savannah into what it is. It’s genuinely beautiful in the way that only old Southern cemeteries can be with Spanish moss, elaborate Victorian monuments, and yes, reportedly haunted.

Colonial Park Cemetery — Walk Right Through It

You don’t have to drive anywhere for this one. Colonial Park Cemetery sits right off Oglethorpe Avenue next to the fire station, in the middle of the historic district. It has some of Savannah’s oldest headstones and a quiet, slightly eerie character that’s different from Bonaventure’s grandeur. Worth a slow walk-through if you’re passing by.

Savannah Bananas — If You Can Get Tickets

The Savannah Bananas are a baseball team that plays like the Harlem Globetrotters of baseball, with trick plays, choreographed routines, players doing backflips between pitches. Tickets sell out fast. Check their schedule early and plan your trip around a game if you can. It’s genuinely one of the most entertaining things you can do in any American city, not just Savannah.

Tybee Island — A Half-Day Worth Taking

About 20 minutes from downtown, Tybee Island has a relaxed Georgia coast vibe that’s distinctly different from the Florida beach scene. Low country boil spots, casual bars, a lighthouse, and a beach that draws a mix of locals and vacationers without feeling overcrowded. A lot of famous people keep vacation homes out here. If you have an extra half-day in Savannah, the drive is easy and the change of scenery is worth it.

Mercer Williams House — Midnight in the Garden

If you’ve read the book or seen the film, the Mercer Williams House on Monterey Square is worth a tour. It was home to Jim Williams, whose trial anchored the story, and is filled with his antique collection. Johnny Mercer, the songwriter who wrote Moon River and dozens of other American standards, was connected to the Mercer family that built this home. Savannah has a lot of historic house museums, but this one has cultural weight beyond architecture.

Savannah is a city that rewards repeat visits. We’ve been more times than we can count and still have a list of things we haven’t done. That’s not a warning, it’s a promise.

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Savannah doesn’t slow down when the sun goes down. If anything, it gets better. The city’s history is dark and layered, and the bar scene leans into it in all the right ways.

Artillery Bar — The Best Bar in Savannah

This is the one. Housed in a former armory, Artillery Bar is an upscale historic cocktail bar with a dress code, impeccable craft cocktails, and an atmosphere that earns the word ‘stunning’. It opens at 4pm and fills up quickly. Their version of the Chatham Artillery Punch, a locally famous recipe that has been around since the 1800s — is outstanding. This was my favorite bar of any trip to Savannah, and that’s saying something given the competition.

Alley Cat Speakeasy — Newspaper Menus and Craft Cocktails

Down a back staircase off West Broughton Lane, literally in an alleyway, Alley Cat is a dimly lit, exposed-brick basement bar with a menu formatted like an Art Nouveau newspaper. The drinks are creative and complex, the bartenders know what they’re doing with house made syrups and technique, and the moody atmosphere is genuinely impressive. You walk off a side street, head downstairs, and suddenly you’re somewhere completely different. It’s one of those Savannah experiences that feels like a discovery even when it’s not a secret.

Baobab Lounge at the JW Marriott

African-inspired decor, taxidermy, fossils and minerals on display, and seriously creative smoked cocktails. Small plates available if you need something to eat. The atmosphere is theatrical in the best way. Mr. Kessler’s properties always have that art-gallery quality, and the Baobab is no exception.

The Pirate’s House — Artillery Punch and History

On the east side of the historic district, the Pirate’s House is part museum, part restaurant, part bar. The food is good and the drinks lean into the nautical theme. Order the Chatham Artillery Punch, they have their own version, and it will sneak up on you. The building itself has a legitimate history of piracy connections and is considered one of Savannah’s haunted landmarks.

Ghosts and Gravestones — The Ghost Tour Worth Taking

There are a lot of ghost tour options in Savannah with hearse tours, bar crawl tours, walking tours. The one we recommend is Ghosts and Gravestones run by the Old Town Trolley company. You’re in the trolley for most of it (your feet will thank you after a full day of walking), and the tour stops at a few exclusive after-hours locations. The production value is high, the storytelling is genuinely good, and they’ll take you into the old cotton warehouses in a way you won’t experience otherwise. Don’t skip this.

The trolley company also owns the American Prohibition Museum in City Market, which has a basement speakeasy serving 1920s-era cocktails. Do the museum tour, the wax figures are genuinely impressive and the historical presentation is well done. The speakeasy in the basement is accessible separately in the evenings if you want the bar experience without the tour.

The Pirate Museum — Real Artifacts, Great Bar

Also in City Market, the Pirate Museum is tucked into the old underground cotton storage warehouses, exactly the kind of place real pirates would have moved through. The exhibits include actual swords, cannons, blunderbusses, and treasure, with detailed histories on famous and lesser-known pirates. The little bar inside serves grog, rum punch, and pirate-era drinks. It’s fun, well-executed, and different enough that it earns a stop even if you think you’re not a museum person.

A Note on the Squares

Savannah’s famous grid of squares, small parks every few blocks throughout the historic district, are part of what makes after-dark wandering here so enjoyable. You’re never far from a bench, a fountain, and some Spanish moss overhead. Walk between bars rather than taking a ride. That’s how you actually experience this city.

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Savannah is a serious food and drink city, and the historic district alone could keep you busy for a week. Here’s where we actually go and what we like to order.

The Old Pink House — Book Months Ahead

If you do one sit-down dinner in Savannah, make it this one. Housed in a colonial mansion on Abercorn Street overlooking one of Savannah’s many squares, the Old Pink House has won awards for years and earned every one of them. The decor hasn’t changed much over the decades, which is exactly the point, you feel like you’re dining in someone’s historic home. The food ranges from classic Southern (fried chicken, roasts) to beautifully executed steaks. Staff is excellent, drinks are solid.

There’s also a cellar bar downstairs, intimate, first-come-first-served, and reportedly haunted. If you want a spot by the fireplace, call ahead. The whole building is supposedly one of Savannah’s most famously haunted properties, which adds a layer of atmosphere that’s hard to manufacture.

Vic’s on the River — Anniversary-Worthy Views

Upstairs overlooking the harbor, Vic’s on the River is a throwback to Victorian-era fine dining, white tablecloths, classic dishes, river views, and the occasional steamboat floating by. We’ve had anniversary lunches here and it never disappoints. If you want something elegant without the Old Pink House wait times, this is a strong alternative.

Huey’s on the River — Beignets and Morning Sun

New Orleans-inspired cuisine right on River Street, open for breakfast through dinner. The beignets are almost as good as the ones in New Orleans. We won’t say they’re equal, but they’re close enough to be worth the trip. Order them to split before your main meal, and get the coffee. Fair warning: the morning sun comes directly through the river-view windows, so bring sunglasses or request a table farther back.

Collins Quarter — The Lavender Latte Is the Real Deal

Two locations, one near Forsyth Park and one off Oglethorpe, and both are excellent. The food is wildly creative for a coffee shop: shakshuka, short rib breakfast plates, beautifully executed pastries. The lavender latte is legitimately one of the best things we’ve had in the city. If you’re in the Forsyth Park area on a Saturday morning, Collins Quarter is the perfect stop before the farmers market.

Public Kitchen and Bar — Where the Locals Go

Elevated comfort food, great drinks, and a crowd that skews local rather than tourist. Public is one of those places that doesn’t need to try hard because it’s just consistently good. The vibe is relaxed and the food delivers. Right next door is Saints and Shamrocks, a great little store for Celtic memorabilia and Catholic-themed goods if that’s your thing.

Little Crown by Pie Society — British Pasties and Gin

Tucked into City Market, this British-inspired spot does pasties, pot pies, and an impressive gin menu alongside British beers on tap. We had an Earl Grey-infused gin that was genuinely excellent. The Royal Navy Rum Punch and the Rhubarb Fizz are worth ordering just for the names. It’s small, it’s fun, and it’s the kind of place you stumble into and end up staying longer than planned.

Zunzi’s — Don’t Skip It

A Savannah institution with South African-inspired food. They also have Zunzi’s Bar nearby for the same energy with drinks. The food is distinctive enough that it has a genuine cult following, and for good reason. If you see a line, get in it.

Quick Mentions Worth Your Time

Trailer Park (spelled Treyler Park), fun cocktails, decent apps, chain but not bad. Mrs. Wilkes with family-style Southern food served at communal tables, a true Savannah institution; check hours because she closes for vacations. Byrds Cookies on River Street with free tastings of savory and sweet cookies; my favorite is the Benne Wafer. Leopold’s Ice Cream which is made fresh in-house, long lines but worth it; grab a Leopold’s ice cream sandwich at the Savannah History Museum to skip the wait.

Stay tuned for Thursday’s after dark post!!

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We’re going to let you in on two of the best-kept secrets near Walt Disney World near Orlando Florida. They’re not on Disney property. They don’t come with Mickey waffles or a monorail stop. But for a specific kind of Disney fan, the ones who grew up on the Enchanted Tiki Room and Trader Sam’s, the ones who can quote the Haunted Mansion spiel from memory, these two Kissimmee short-term rentals will hit differently than any hotel room Disney sells.

We found out about both of these the way you find out about anything worth knowing: somebody mentioned them in passing and we never stopped thinking about them. Here’s the full story on both.

Option 1: Fare Mananui — Tahiti Gil’s Mananui: Disney Poly & Tiki Inspired!

What It Is

Fare Mananui (pronounced fah-RAY mah-nah-NOO-ee — it’s Tahitian for “Mananui’s House”) is a 400-square-foot tiny cottage in Kissimmee, Florida, about 5 miles from Magic Kingdom. From the outside it looks like a modest little cottage. The moment you open the door, you’re somewhere else entirely.

The interior is a floor-to-ceiling, wall-to-wall tiki hut, bamboo posts, thatching on the ceiling, authentic Polynesian artifacts, a personal collection of Disneyana and tiki mugs, and Easter eggs hidden throughout for guests who know what to look for. Every inch was deliberately built. This wasn’t someone hanging some tiki torches and calling it a theme. This was an 8-month build by people who take this seriously.

Who Built It and Why That Matters

Tahiti Gil is the owner, an artist with genuine roots in French Polynesia, whose family artifacts and photographs are woven throughout the cottage alongside his personal Disneyana collection. He imagined Mananui as a love letter to two things simultaneously: the tiki culture of his heritage and the Adventureland of his Disney obsession.

The designer is Typhoon Tommy and this is where Mananui graduates from “fun themed rental” to “created by someone who actually built inside Disney.” Typhoon Tommy is a former member of the Disney and Universal creative teams. He and his father designed the iconic dive helmet feature at Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto at the Polynesian Resort. He also designed the interior of the Suffering Bastard Tiki Bar in Sanford, Florida; one of the most respected tiki bars in the Southeast and helped oversee the four year, 20-million-dollar restoration of the world-famous Mai Kai in Ft Lauderdale, Florida.

When Typhoon Tommy builds something tiki, it is not decoration. It is storytelling. The nods to Disney’s Polynesian Resort, Trader Sam’s, the Jungle Cruise, and the Enchanted Tiki Room aren’t surface level. They are the kind of details you only catch if you’ve spent serious time at those places.

The property has also been visited and blessed by Tony Baxter, a Walt Disney Imagineering legend responsible for Big Thunder Mountain, Indiana Jones Adventure, and Splash Mountain. When a Disney Imagineer of that stature makes the trip to see your work, you’ve built something worth paying attention to.

What You Get

• One bedroom with a queen bed on a Disney Deluxe Beauty Rest mattress and Thuma bedframe

• Full sofa bed in the living room

• One bathroom with walk-in shower

• Sleeps up to 3-4 adults

• A fully built-in tiki bar (BYOB — spirits not included, but the bar is yours)

• Screened-in lanai with a partial lake view for Florida sunsets

• Smart home capabilities throughout

• Grocery stores, restaurants, and Uber Eats delivery all within easy reach

• Nearly 200 five-star reviews since opening

Who It’s For

Mananui was built for the Disney adult who has outgrown the hotel room. If the Polynesian Resort is your favorite hotel on property but you can’t justify the price, and if Trader Sam’s is your first stop every time you’re on the west side of the park, Mananui was made for you.

It’s intimate, this is a couple’s stay or a solo retreat, not a family group trip. The tiki bar and the design are tailored to adults who appreciate the craft of what was built here. The hosts have even noted they prefer the priceless tiki decorations stay safe from wandering little hands, which tells you everything you need to know about the intended guest.

It is also substantially more affordable than a night at the actual Polynesian Resort, and in some respects more immersive, you’re not sharing the theming with 1,500 other hotel guests, you’re living inside it.

How to Book

Search “Tahiti Gil’s Mananui” on Airbnb. It books out well in advance, availability is limited because it’s one unit and the word is out. Watch for cancellations if your preferred dates are gone. When a spot opens, move fast. Ready to book?

Option 2: The Ghoulish Sanctuary — A Haunted Mansion in Kissimmee

What It Is

“Welcome, foolish mortals.”

Those are the first words you hear when you open the front door of the Ghoulish Sanctuary, an apartment in Kissimmee where the opening monologue of the Haunted Mansion ride plays automatically when guests arrive. From that moment forward, you are inside the Haunted Mansion. Not a hotel with a Haunted Mansion print on the wall. Inside it.

The Ghoulish Sanctuary was created by Aaron Blanton and his partner Estelle, who describe themselves as self-taught designers and year-round fans of the ride. They spent serious time and money turning a three-bedroom apartment into one of the most detail-obsessed themed vacation rentals near Disney World.

The Theming: Room by Room

The living room is the showpiece, a recreation of the Haunted Mansion lobby complete with a Frame TV mounted above a faux fireplace displaying a portrait of Master Gracey, the fictional master of the mansion. The dining room is set up as a “swinging wake”, the dinner party scene from the ride given physical form. The silverware is themed. The wainscoting is authentic hand-cast skull work. These are the details that separate genuine passion from surface effort.

Each of the three bedrooms draws from a specific part of the attraction:

• The Black Widow Bride’s Attic — A queen bedroom themed to Constance Hatchaway, the Haunted Mansion’s most infamous ghost. A raven watches from the corner. Framed art celebrates the many marriages of hapless grooms and Constance. The attic clutter is deliberate and beautiful.

• Master Gracey’s Chamber — A queen bedroom styled after the master of Gracey Manor himself. The room carries the weight and atmosphere of the mansion’s aristocratic history.

• The Hatbox Ghost’s Lair — A double bedroom with a desk, themed to one of the Haunted Mansion’s most beloved characters, restored to the attraction after decades of absence.

Throughout every room: paintings that change depending on the angle you view them from one of the Haunted Mansion’s most iconic effects, replicated in paint and frame in a real living space. Flickering lights. Creaky doors. Surprises around corners the hosts won’t describe in advance.

What You Get

• 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, sleeps up to 6 guests

• Full kitchen that’s stocked and ready to use

• In-unit washer and dryer

• Outdoor space, hot tub, fireplace

• Free parking in a secure gated community

• Fast Wi-Fi

• The ride’s opening monologue greeting you at the door

• Paintings that shift as you move past them

• Rated 10/10 exceptional on multiple booking platforms

The Experience

Staying at the Ghoulish Sanctuary is different from riding the Haunted Mansion. On the ride, you’re a guest passing through for a few minutes. Here, you sleep in it. You make coffee in the morning with the portraits watching. You eat dinner at the swinging wake table. You wake up in the Bride’s Attic with the raven in the corner.

For Haunted Mansion devotees and there are many of them, with their own shirts and tattoos and deep lore discussions, this is not a novelty. This is a pilgrimage.

It also works extraordinarily well for families with older kids who can handle the atmosphere. If your child can ride the Haunted Mansion without issue, they can stay here without issue. The theming is the ride: spooky, theatrical, and deeply fun rather than genuinely frightening.

How to Book

Search “Ghoulish Sanctuary” or “Haunted Mansion Kissimmee” on Airbnb or VRBO. The listing title typically includes “Immersive Haunted Mansion Experience” and “Minutes from Walt Disney World.” Read the full listing carefully, the hosts have put thought into the experience and the details they share in the description are worth knowing before you arrive. Want to book this one?

Why These Beats a Generic Hotel Room

Here’s the honest truth about most Disney-area hotels: the vast majority of them are perfectly comfortable, completely anonymous rooms with a Disney logo somewhere on the key card. You could be in any mid-range hotel in any American city. Nothing about them is memorable beyond the proximity to the parks.

Fare Mananui and the Ghoulish Sanctuary are memorable. You will tell people about them. You will look at the photos years later and feel something. The theming wasn’t slapped on to justify a higher nightly rate. It was built with obsession and genuine craft by people who love the same things you love.

And in most cases, they cost significantly less than a comparable Disney hotel room. The Polynesian Resort starts at $500 and up per night. Fare Mananui gives you a Typhoon Tommy-designed tiki experience built by a former Disney creative, 5 miles from Magic Kingdom, for a fraction of that. The Ghoulish Sanctuary sleeps six in a fully immersive environment for what you’d pay for a moderate Disney resort room.

The Trip Jar Take

At Trip Jar, we believe the best travel experiences come from knowing where to look, not just following the map everyone else is using. These two rentals represent exactly that. They are not in the guidebooks. They are not on the Disney planning websites. They are found by people who are curious, who talk to the right people, and who are willing to sleep somewhere that tells a story.

If you’re planning a Disney trip and you’re a Polynesian loyalist, a Haunted Mansion obsessive, or just someone who wants their hotel room to be as memorable as the park, put these on your list. Book early. Leave a good review. The people who built them deserve it.

Trip Jar is a travel super app for families. We tell you the truth, we find the hidden gems, and we help you save for the trips that matter. Dream it. Save for it. Go.

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Some people book the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin for the Marriott points. They tell their friends about it for the location. Here’s a complete breakdown of everything walkable from your room and why that matters more than the hotel itself.

The Back Door Into EPCOT

The Swan and Dolphin sit about 15 minutes on foot from EPCOT’s International Gateway entrance, the back entrance into World Showcase, between France and the United Kingdom. This entrance doesn’t get the crowds the main entrance does, and it drops you right into the part of EPCOT most adults are actually there for: the food, the drinks, the country pavilions, the festivals.

During EPCOT’s Food and Wine Festival (roughly August through mid-November) or the Flower and Garden Festival (spring), this location is almost unfair. You can dip in for a few hours, eat your way around the world, catch a Garden Rocks concert, and walk home. No bus, no parking, no hassle.

The Friendship Boats

Don’t want to walk? The complimentary Friendship Boats run between the Swan and Dolphin, the BoardWalk, the Beach and Yacht Club, and both EPCOT and Hollywood Studios. The boat ride is genuinely pleasant, especially in the evening. It beats fighting for a seat on a packed bus at 10 PM.

The BoardWalk

Walk five minutes in the opposite direction from EPCOT and you’re on Disney’s BoardWalk, a waterfront strip of restaurants, bars, and entertainment. A few highlights:

• ESPN Club — sports bar, good for game nights

• AbracadaBar — a magician-themed cocktail lounge that’s become a genuine local favorite

• BoardWalk Bakery — morning pastries worth the detour

• Unfortunately, no more Jellyrolls Dueling Pianos — used to be one of the best adult entertainment options on Disney property

The BoardWalk also gives you fireworks viewing. You can hear and see EPCOT’s nighttime spectacular from the water without paying park admission.

The Beach and Yacht Club

A short walk from the Swan brings you to two of Disney’s best-regarded Deluxe hotels, the Beach Club and the Yacht Club. You can’t use their pools (those are for registered guests), but you can eat at their restaurants:

• Beaches and Cream Soda Shop — milkshakes and ice cream that have a legitimate cult following. The Kitchen Sink is a bucket list item.

• Cape May Cafe — seafood buffet, particularly good on weekends

• Ale and Compass — one of the quieter, underrated restaurants in the whole EPCOT resort area

• Yachtsman Steakhouse — features high grade steaks, fresh seafood, and free range chicken. One of the better steaks on property.

EPCOT World Showcase Walkable Dining

This is where the Swan and Dolphin location pays its biggest dividend. Once you’re inside EPCOT through the International Gateway, you have the entire World Showcase within reach:

• Germany’s Biergarten Restaurant — beer garden atmosphere, buffet, accordion music. One of the most underrated dinner experiences on property.

• Tutto Italia in Italy — solid traditional Italian, better than it gets credit for

• Teppan Edo in Japan — theatrical, fun, genuinely good. The Japan pavilion’s omakase experience is also worth researching if you’re a sushi enthusiast.

• Chefs de France — classic French bistro, the crepes are exceptional

• San Angel Inn in Mexico — the atmosphere inside the pyramid is unlike anything else at Disney; food is secondary to the experience

The Kiosks During Festivals

If you’re visiting during a festival season like Food and Wine, Flower and Garden, Festival of the Arts, or Festival of the Holidays, the World Showcase kiosks are a dining experience of their own. Dozens of food and drink booths, each representing a different region or theme, scattered around the path. The Swan’s walkable access to the back entrance means you can time your visits perfectly, come in the early evening when it’s cooler, eat your way around the lake, head home before the late-night rush.

Fantasia Gardens Mini Golf

Across the street from the Swan is Fantasia Gardens Miniature Golf, a two-course miniature golf experience themed around Disney’s Fantasia. It’s a short walk, and it’s genuinely fun for couples or families looking for something low-key in the evening. Not glamorous, but a nice option to have.

The Bottom Line on Location

The Swan and Dolphin is not the most impressive hotel on Disney property from a theming standpoint. It won’t give you the immersive Disney magic that the Polynesian or the Grand Floridian will. What it gives you is practical, walkable access to an extraordinary concentration of dining and experiences, more than any other hotel location at Walt Disney World.

If your trip is EPCOT-heavy, if you’re festival-focused, if you want adult dining variety without a bus ride, the Swan and Dolphin’s location is genuinely hard to beat. Use your Marriott points, get the best room you can on points, and spend your money at the restaurants instead.

Trip Jar is a travel super app for families. Dream it. Save for it. Go.

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Photo credit to Disney Food Blog- an authority of the Disney food scene!!

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We’re going to tell you exactly what happened when we had dinner at Bourbon Steak by Michael Mina at the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin because that’s what Trip Jar does. We were genuinely excited about this meal. We left angry. Here’s the full story.

The Setup

Bourbon Steak by Michael Mina opened at the Swan and Dolphin in late 2024, replacing Shula’s Steakhouse, a Disney institution that had been there for decades. Michael Mina is a James Beard Award-winning chef with acclaimed restaurants across the country. The concept here is a traditional American steakhouse built around butter-poached steaks, an extensive bourbon selection, signature duck-fat fries, and a high-end cocktail program.

On paper, it’s exactly what you want from a signature steakhouse on Disney property. We made reservations for 6:15 PM on a Friday night, dressed nicely, and walked in genuinely excited.

What They Do Well

Let’s be fair, because there are real highlights here.

The space is beautiful with a dark, moody, proper steakhouse atmosphere. The cocktail program is a legitimate strength. Jodie’s tequila espresso martini was excellent. My old fashioned was exactly what it should be. If you’re stopping in just for drinks, you won’t be disappointed.

The complimentary duck-fat fries they brought to the table with three varieties, paprika, herb, and truffle, were genuinely good. Honestly, the best bite of the night. Which, at a $400 dinner, tells you something.

Our server Al had real knowledge about the menu about the cuts, the wagyu sourcing, and the preparation. That part was impressive.

What Went Wrong

The Béarnaise sauce was unpalatably salty. Not “a little heavy on the salt” but unpalatably, objectively wrong. Jodie loves salt. I love salt. This wasn’t a palate issue. Something went wrong in that kitchen.

It wasn’t isolated. The filet was over-salted on its own. The loaded baked potato was over-salted. Multiple dishes, one consistent problem.

When we flagged it to Al, we were not offered a replacement sauce but received a vague apology. The manager didn’t come out. The chef did not come out. Nothing was removed from the bill, not the Béarnaise, not the $75 filet it ruined, not the $120 wagyu New York strip. Instead, they sent us a complimentary slice of cheesecake.

A cheesecake. For a $400 dinner with a broken central component.

The Room

We were a couple celebrating a night out, staying at the Swan, dressed for a nice dinner. They seated us in a family dining room next to a table of children on iPads for the duration of the meal.

This is Disney property. Families are everywhere and they absolutely belong here. But a restaurant at this price point should have the awareness to separate couples’ dining from family seating when possible. The ambience they’re selling and the ambience we experienced were two entirely different things.

The Bottom Line

Bourbon Steak has a gorgeous room, a great bar program, and genuinely good duck-fat fries. The potential is real. But the food execution on our visit was a significant failure, and the response to that failure was inadequate.

At $150–200 per person with cocktails and a shared side, you deserve food that’s been tasted before it leaves the kitchen, and a real acknowledgment when something goes wrong.

We won’t be going back.

Where to Go Instead

If you’re on Disney property and want a genuinely great steak, here’s where we’d send you:

Steakhouse 71 at Disney’s Contemporary Resort — consistently excellent, great atmosphere, and one of the better values on property.

The Yachtsman Steakhouse at Disney’s Yacht Club Resort — a classic Disney steakhouse that holds its standard night after night.

Le Cellier at EPCOT’s Canada Pavilion — the cheddar cheese soup alone is worth the reservation, and the steaks are outstanding.

All three are worth every dollar. Bourbon Steak, on our visit, was not.

Trip Jar is a travel super app for families. We tell you the truth about where we eat or stay so you can spend your money on things that are actually worth it. Learn more at gettripjar.com.

We just got back from a quick overnight at the Walt Disney World Swan, Jodie surprised me with a last-minute Marriott points redemption that landed us in a room on the 11th floor with a commanding view of the EPCOT resort area. Let me tell you what the brochure doesn’t always spell out.

What Is the Swan and Dolphin, Exactly?

The Swan and Dolphin (affectionately nicknamed the “Swolphin” by Disney regulars) is a trio of Marriott-operated resort hotels sitting right on Crescent Lake, wedged between EPCOT’s International Gateway entrance and Disney’s Hollywood Studios. There are three hotels sharing the same address: the Swan, the Dolphin, and the newer Swan Reserve.

Here’s the key thing most people don’t realize: this is technically a Disney resort, with Disney resort perks, but it’s operated by Marriott. That means you can book it with Marriott Bonvoy points, earn Bonvoy points on your stay, and still get Early Theme Park Entry and Extended Evening Hours just like guests at Disney’s own Deluxe resorts.

Swan vs. Dolphin vs. Swan Reserve: Which One?

They share pools, restaurants, and transportation, but the vibe is different between them.

• The Swan: Smaller, more intimate, boutique feel. All rooms were fully renovated in 2025. Closer to EPCOT’s back entrance. This is where we stayed.

• The Dolphin: Bigger, busier, attached convention center. More restaurants and amenities than the other two combined. The Dolphin has a larger lobby fountain and chandelier vibe — grander but more corporate.

• The Swan Reserve: The newest and quietest of the three. More modern rooms, spa-focused amenities, Amare Mediterranean restaurant on-site. It’s across the street from the Swan and Dolphin, so slightly farther from the parks.

The Location Is the Real Selling Point

I want to be honest with you: the primary reason to book here is where it sits. EPCOT’s International Gateway entrance; that’s the back entrance, between France and the United Kingdom in World Showcase, is about a 15-minute walk from your room. That means after spending an evening at EPCOT’s Food and Wine Festival or catching a concert at the American Gardens Theater, you walk home.

No bus. No waiting. You just walk across a bridge, past the boardwalk, and you’re back in your room.

Hollywood Studios is also walkable at about 25 minutes, or you can take the complimentary boat that runs between both parks and the resort. The boat is genuinely nice and it beats fighting for a bus spot at end of night.

What You Actually Get as a Marriott Member

Jodie has Marriott Silver Elite. Here’s what that got us on this visit:

• A complimentary $20 wellness gift from Mandara Spa (travel-size lotion and body wash — bougie brand, not much volume, but a nice touch)

• $5 credit toward the game room (Lagoon)

• Premium high-speed internet

• Swan paddle boat access (yes, actual swan-shaped paddle boats on the lake)

• Access to the fitness center

Here’s the honest part: when we were gold status, they used to upgrade us regularly. Silver got us a good room, 11th floor, gorgeous view of the resort area, Contemporary Resort and Space Mountain visible in the distance, but it wasn’t a guaranteed upgrade. The view we got was outstanding, but don’t count on it unless you’re higher status.

The Room: 2025 Renovation

The Swan’s rooms have all been renovated as of 2025, and the difference shows. Clean, modern, the thick almost-hypoallergenic-feel pillowcases, real closet with bathrobes, mini-sofa by the window. Not themed like a Disney resort, but genuinely nice. They’ve done a good job hiding the cords, a small thing that most hotels completely ignore and that drives Jodie insane.

The room isn’t huge by suite standards, but for one or two people doing a quick park run, it’s more than enough.

The Pools

The Swan and Dolphin complex has a grotto pool setup that’s been well-reviewed for years. The pools are varied and tend to be less crowded than the main Disney resort pools. There’s also a beach area along the lake, which is a nice touch. There’s something oddly calming about sitting on a beach within eyeshot of EPCOT.

What’s Within Walking Distance

This is where the Swan and Dolphin location pays dividends beyond just the parks. Staying here gives you walking access to dining at:

• Disney’s BoardWalk — restaurants, bars, entertainment, nighttime fireworks viewing

• Disney’s Yacht Club and Beach Club — including Beaches and Cream (best milkshakes on Disney property) and Cape May Cafe

• EPCOT’s World Showcase — all 11 country pavilions, kiosks, specialty bars, Omakase at Japan

If you’re a foodie, that stretch of walkable restaurants is hard to beat on Disney property. You’re not trapped on-site at the mercy of whatever your specific hotel serves.

The Honest Catches

A few things the glowing reviews don’t always highlight:

• Resort fees exist. Between the room rate, resort fee, and overnight parking, the final bill can creep up meaningfully on what looks like a reasonable base rate. Price it out fully before booking.

• The Dolphin side is heavily convention-oriented. If you’re booking during convention season (fall especially), the vibe shifts toward business travel, not vacation.

• It does not feel like a Disney resort. There are few character touches, a couple of Disney stores and a character breakfast on select days. If that atmosphere matters to your family, a Disney-owned Deluxe property like the Yacht Club or BoardWalk Inn will feel more immersive.

• Parking is $40/night. They will let you into the lot and then make you hunt for a spot. It was a mess on our visit, multiple rows of people parked illegally, a valet-only lane that wasn’t clearly marked. Budget the fee and the time.

Who Should Book the Swan

The Swan and Dolphin makes the most sense for:

• Marriott Bonvoy members who can redeem points (we got our room for 43,000 points, that’s an exceptional value for a Disney Deluxe-equivalent stay)

• Couples or adults doing an EPCOT-focused trip, especially during festivals

• Florida residents taking advantage of the resident discount

• Anyone who values walkability and a quieter, less theme-park-saturated environment

If you’re bringing young kids who want an immersive Disney atmosphere baked into every wall, look at the Yacht Club or Beach Club instead. They’re steps away, on the same walkable area, and they feel like Disney.

Bottom Line

The Swan is a genuinely good hotel in an unbeatable location. The 2025 renovation makes the rooms feel current and comfortable. The walkability to EPCOT, Hollywood Studios, and the BoardWalk dining scene is the real value proposition — not the hotel itself.

If you’re a Marriott member and you can grab it on points or a good discount rate, it’s one of the smartest moves on Disney property. If you’re paying rack rate without points, run the numbers carefully and compare to what the actual Disney Deluxe resorts next door are charging.

Trip Jar is a travel super app for families. We search, save for, and book vacations — and we tell you the truth about where we stay. Dream it. Save for it. Go.

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Savannah has no shortage of chain hotels, but the city rewards travelers who dig a little deeper. We’ve stayed here more times than we can count, and each trip we’ve found something better than the last. Here are the properties that genuinely earned a recommendation.

The Alita Savannah — A Tribute Portfolio Hotel

Steps from Factors Walk and River Street, the Alita is housed in a beautiful building that opened in 2018 and is named after Alita Harper Fowlkes, the so-called godmother of Savannah’s historic preservation movement. The Art Deco-inspired rooms are stunning. Ours had a built-in bar area for a little in-room mixology, and the staff upgraded us to a gorgeous corner room. One of our favorite touches: each room has a record player, and you can go downstairs to swap records from the hotel’s library. It’s the kind of detail that shows somebody actually thought about this place.

The Alita has two notable bars. The Trade Room on the lobby floor is a sophisticated lounge with great drinks. The Lost Square is the Mediterranean-inspired rooftop bar with clear yurt-style tents in the winter and sweeping views of the river, year round. Seasonal craft cocktails, sparkling water on tap in the hallways, fresh fruit available on your floor, this is a well-run hotel that earns every star. Pet-friendly, on-site parking garage, and the restaurant Rhett serves solid low-country fare with river views.

JW Marriott Savannah Plant Riverside District

Directly across from the Alita on the riverfront, the JW Marriott occupies a converted power plant and they’ve leaned all the way into the concept. Inside you’ll find dinosaur fossils, minerals, a stunning art gallery, the Baobab Lounge (African-inspired decor, taxidermy, and seriously creative smoked cocktails), and the Turbine Market, which serves some of the best breakfast in Savannah. Get the campfire hash bowl with sweet potatoes, smoked sausage, Aleppo flakes, and chimichurri. It’ll fuel you for a full day of walking.

The Stone and Webster Chop House is their premier steakhouse, and the outdoor riverside bar has live music and actual smoked BBQ wafting off the river walk. We haven’t made it to the chop house yet, but it’s on the list. If you want a luxury hotel that feels like a museum, this is it.

East Bay Inn — Historic Charm, Rare Parking

If you want to feel like you’ve actually stepped into Savannah’s history, the East Bay Inn delivers. This intimate inn on East Bay Street, a short walk down to the River Walk that keeps everything period-accurate from the lobby to the floor-to-ceiling curtained windows and incredible beds. The staff is warm, morning coffee is fresh, and the connected Tandem Coffee and Bar does coffee in the morning and spirits in the afternoon. It’s one of those places you’d stay at again just because the rooms are so gorgeous. Oh, and it has its own parking lot, which in Savannah is practically a miracle.

Sanctuary Place Inn — Sleep in a Church Bell Tower

This one needs its own post someday. Located in Savannah’s Midtown neighborhood south of Forsyth Park, Sanctuary Place Inn is a converted 1800s church split into three Airbnb-style units. Ours had flagstone floors, gorgeous hardwood stairs that led up to the choir loft where the bedroom was, and we are not making this up, a soaking tub inside the bell tower. The stained glass, the original beams, and the little fountain in the back courtyard really add to the property. It’s one of the most unique places we’ve ever stayed anywhere.

They gave us a first responder discount, which always holds a warm spot in the heart and in the wallet. You can book directly at sanctuaryinn.com rather than going through Airbnb. We added an extra night because we didn’t want to leave. That says everything.

A Note on Parking

Street parking is limited in the North Historic District. East Jones Street is a notable exception. Otherwise, there are several parking garages in the area, just budget for it. Once you’re parked, Savannah is extremely walkable, and the Old Town Trolley makes it even easier to cover ground without destroying your feet.

Find the perfect Savannah hotel for your trip →

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If you're planning a Walt Disney World trip and wondering whether you need to stay on property, and more specifically, whether Coronado Springs is worth it, here's the honest answer from someone who just got back: yes, with the right expectations and ideally a discounted rate.

The Resort Itself

Coronado Springs is one of Disney's largest moderate resorts, built around a central lake with three distinct sections, the Casitas, Ranchos, and Cabanas. The addition of Gran Destino Tower elevated the entire property. The campus is genuinely beautiful. We're talking manicured grounds, Spanish-inspired architecture, waterfront walkways, and a sense of space that most Disney resorts don't offer. Rooms were immaculately clean and the staff were consistently friendly and professional, the kind of warmth that reminds you why Disney hospitality has the reputation it does.

The Food and Drinks — Where Coronado Springs Really Shines

This resort punches well above its moderate classification when it comes to dining, and that's largely thanks to Gran Destino Tower.

Toledo — Tapas, Steak & Seafood sits on the 16th floor rooftop and has earned a Michelin recommendation that most Disney visitors don't even know about. We ordered the charred octopus, chorizo and potatoes in a red wine reduction, and a charcuterie board loaded with Valdeon blue cheese, Naked Goat Co cheese, manchego, Jamon Serrano and chorizo. Every bite earned its place on the table. The El Pepino cocktail was a highlight as well, bright, creative, and exactly right for a rooftop with those views. The views of Hollywood Studios and EPCOT from up there don't hurt either. If you stay at Coronado Springs and skip Toledo, you made a mistake.

Rix Sports Bar was a genuine standout, not somewhere you'd expect a food highlight, but it delivered. The southwestern burger was exceptional, and the fat washed bourbon Old Fashioned with maple bacon was one of the better cocktails I've had anywhere recently. Breakfast there was equally strong with a stuffed French toast with fresh fruit and an orange and lavender drizzle that was far better than it had any right to be at a sports bar.

Barcelona Lounge in the lobby of Gran Destino Tower is the kind of place you stumble into and end up staying longer than planned. The café bombon, an espresso with sweetened condensed milk, is simple and perfect. The real standout here is their make-your-own tonic program. You choose your gin and your tonic, and the bartender does the rest. We went with Gin Mare and a Mediterranean tonic, a Spanish gin built for exactly that combination and it was outstanding. It's a small touch that says a lot about the level of care behind the bar here. Barcelona Lounge is a quiet, beautiful space that stays calmer than the rest of the resort, and worth every minute you spend in it.

Three Bridges Bar & Grill sits over the water and has a great atmosphere. The chicken rioja was solid. Fair warning though, on a busy holiday weekend Friday, they were out of key ingredients for several cocktail menu items. That's a miss for a resort of this caliber heading into a high-traffic weekend.

The Dig Site Pool is a beautiful complex with a bar and arcade. It gets crowded, especially on holiday weekends with families, but the pool itself is well designed and the atmosphere is fun. Drinks were decent, nothing remarkable.

A Note on Value

Here's the honest part: we wanted to extend our stay and couldn't justify the rack rate to do it. That stings when you're having a great time. Coronado Springs at a discounted rate is an excellent value. At full price, the math gets harder. Book with a deal, use a Disney discount window, or save toward it specifically — and enjoy every minute once you're there.

The Unexpected Highlight

We spotted a small alligator on the resort grounds. Florida gonna Florida.

The Bottom Line

Coronado Springs is genuinely great for both couples and families. The dining alone sets it apart from most moderate resorts. The campus is beautiful, the staff are excellent, and the Gran Destino Tower addition made an already solid property into something special. Go for Toledo. Stay for the café bombon. Book with a discount.

Trip Jar tip: A Coronado Springs stay is exactly the kind of trip worth saving toward specifically. Set your goal, watch the jar fill up, and arrive knowing it's already paid for.

Ready to book an amazing stay in St Augustine? Search hotels on Booking.com→

We’ve been to St. Augustine more times than we can count, and we still find new places. The food scene here punches well above its weight for a city this size, part history, part creative energy, part the fact that tourists with high expectations keep the standards honest. This isn’t a listicle of every restaurant on TripAdvisor. These are the places we actually go back to, the ones we tell friends about, and a few honest warnings about where to skip.

Restaurants Worth Your Time

St. Augustine rewards the curious. Some of the best meals are a short Uber ride off the main drag and if you stay in the historic area only, you’ll miss half the story.

Asado Life

Type: Latin Grill | Our Favorite | Best View in Town | Reservations Recommended

If we had to pick one restaurant in St. Augustine, this is it and it’s not close. The concept alone sets it apart: alongside standard table service, Asado Life offers an Asado Club experience where a small group gathers near an open fire grill and food comes to you, salads, fresh-baked breads, meats cooked right in front of you over a traditional Latin asado grill. Fish, beef, whatever they’re working with that evening. It’s communal, theatrical, and deeply satisfying.

The view is stunning, one of the best dining views in St. Augustine, full stop. The little market inside sells fresh chimichurri, house-made dressings, and other items to take home. And the bar program, led by one of the most well-known bartenders in the St. Augustine scene, is exceptional.

Trip Jar Pick: Do the Asado Club if you can. Call ahead, make the reservation, and give yourself time to linger. This is a dinner, not just a meal.

Odd Birds

Type: Pan-Latin Fusion | Hidden Gem | Speakeasy Inside | Reservations a Must

Odd Birds is a short Uber ride over the bridge from the historic district, and every bit worth the trip. The cuisine is pan-Latin influenced, think bold flavors, garlic-forward dishes, and combinations that sound strange on paper and land perfectly on the plate. The street corn gnocchi with pork belly is the kind of dish you think about for weeks afterward.

The speakeasy tucked inside is a genuine experience, not a gimmick. The drink program is exceptional, developed in part by people deep in St. Augustine’s bar community.

Heads Up: Reservations are not optional here, especially for the speakeasy. Plan ahead or you will be disappointed. Uber in. You’ll want to enjoy the drinks properly.

Modern Rose

Type: Coffee & Small Bites | Eclectic & Artistic | Community Gem

Modern Rose is a coffee and small bites fusion spot with an aesthetic that stops you in your tracks. It’s eclectic, artistic, unlike anything else in the city. The food is creative and thoughtfully made, artistic flavor combinations, and lattes worth writing home about. The lavender latte alone is reason enough to visit.

They host tea parties, bridal showers, and private events. And here’s something worth knowing: Modern Rose hires students from the Florida School for the Deaf and Blind. That’s a business worth supporting.

Good to Know: It gets packed. Go early, or expect to wait. Either way, go.

The Columbia Restaurant

Type: Cuban / Spanish | Historic Staple

The Columbia is an institution, a family-run Cuban and Spanish restaurant that has been serving the same recipes for generations, with locations in Florida. The building is beautiful and the history surrounding it is real. This is a great lunch spot and a genuine piece of Florida culture.

The 1905 Salad is their signature, tableside preparation, perfectly dressed, served with Cuban bread sourced from the same bakery the Columbia has used for decades. Their sangrias are some of the best you’ll find in the state, and the Original 1905 Martini with the house-made blue cheese stuffed olive is quietly one of the better drinks in St. Augustine.

Trip Jar Take: We wouldn’t call it fine dining, but we wouldn’t skip it either. Order the 1905 Salad, get the sangria or a martini, and appreciate what you’re sitting in the middle of.

River & Fort

Type: Upscale American | Special Occasion | Reservations Recommended

River & Fort is where you go when the night calls for something elevated. It’s a little pricey, the view is excellent, and the food is genuinely impressive. The fried green tomatoes here are among the best versions in the city.

Trip Jar Take: Not an every-visit restaurant, but a great choice for a special evening. Make reservations.

Casa Reina

Type: Elevated Mexican | Fort & Bay Views

Beautiful building with a stunning view of the fort, the bay, and the Bridge of Lions. The food is elevated Mexican, Tex-Mex influenced with upscale touches. The appetizers and cocktails are the stars here.

Trip Jar Take: Order appetizers and cocktails, enjoy the view, and you’ll leave happy.

Sandwich Shops That Earn Their Reputation

St. Augustine has a serious sandwich culture. Don’t overlook it.

Drake’s

Type: Sandwich Shop | Local Cult Favorite | Female Owned

Drake’s is a small, female-owned sandwich shop with a massive cult following among St. Augustine locals and once you’ve eaten here, you understand why. No tablecloths, no pretense. Just exceptional sandwiches on phenomenal bread, made with real care. The muffuletta is a standout. The Italian Stallion and the King’s Roast (roast beef with Boursin) are perennial favorites. They also serve breakfast, but get a sandwich regardless of the hour.

Trip Jar Pick: Grab sandwiches from Drake’s and take them to the Castillo de San Marcos. Eat on the lawn outside the fort. It’s one of the great simple pleasures in St. Augustine.

Kaiser’s (Anastasia Island)

Type: Sandwich Shop | Beach Side

A few tables, walk-up ordering, and sandwiches that will genuinely surprise you. Kaiser’s uses the Datil pepper throughout their menu: in a Datil-infused Thousand Island on their Reubens, in pickles, and in a Datil mustard. Messy, fresh, and the people running it are genuinely friendly. A perfect pre-beach stop.

Pizza Worth a Detour

Brooklyn Pizza

Type: New York Style | Full Bar

On US-1, and some of the best pizza either of us has eaten in this city. The space is relaxed and industrial with open ceilings, interesting furniture, full bar. Works for date night or with kids equally well. The pizza speaks for itself.

Pizzali’s — The Chianti Room

Type: Classic Italian | Classic Atmosphere

Pizzali’s is classic. Old school Italian done right. Full bar, fresh pizza, and a menu of Italian dishes that are genuinely tasty. Order the amaretto sour. Seriously.

Nonna’s Trattoria

Type: Traditional Italian | Hidden Gem | Family Owned

Sitting right next to Forgotten Tonic on one of St. Augustine’s most interesting streets, Nonna’s Trattoria is a small, family-owned Italian restaurant that deserves more attention than it gets. A handful of tables, real tablecloths, candles, fresh pasta made in-house, sauces built from scratch. The puttanesca; olives, capers, anchovies, the whole traditional treatment, is outstanding. Patient, unhurried dining at its best.

Worth Saving Room For

Bar Harbor Cheesecake

Type: Dessert & Tea | Wildly Unique

There is no good way to explain Bar Harbor Cheesecake except to say: just go. It occupies a historic cottage decorated like a Victorian ladies’ parlor, and offers tasting flights of cheesecakes alongside tea pairings, small plate items, and wine. The strangest concept in St. Augustine and it completely works.

Whetstone Chocolates

Type: Chocolate Factory & Café | Family Founded | Tours Available

Whetstone is a St. Augustine original, a family-founded chocolate factory you can actually tour. Watch the chocolate being made, browse the shop for treats to take home, and make sure you order the Frozen Hot Chocolate. It’s not a gimmick; it’s genuinely one of the best treats you’ll eat in the city. A great stop for families and anyone who takes chocolate seriously.

Crème de la Cocoa

Type: Chocolatier | End of San Marco Ave

A proper chocolatier at the end of San Marco Avenue. Worth a stop if you have a sweet tooth or need to bring something home.

On the BBQ Question

Smokin’ D’s (South on US-1)

Type: Barbecue | Local Favorite

If you’re serious about barbecue in St. Augustine, drive south on US-1 to Smokin’ D’s. Picnic tables, no frills, and the locals swear by it.

Skip the barbecue spot closer to the historic district, their whiskey program is honestly the better reason to stop there.

The St. Augustine Drink Scene

St. Augustine has a genuinely excellent bar culture. Here’s how to navigate it.

Prohibition Kitchen

Type: Prohibition Era Cocktails | Must Visit | Live Music

Right on St. George Street and one of the most interesting bar concepts in the city. The drink menu leans into Prohibition-era classics done properly: Sazeracs, Negronis, and other drinks that were being made a century ago and deserve to be made well. They do them well.

The design-your-own Old Fashioned is the signature move. Choose your whiskey (all high-end), your sugar, and your bitters. The Demerara sugar with black walnut bitters is our standing order. Solid pub food, live music supporting local artists.

Heads Up: No reservations, always packed on weekends. Get there early or grab a barstool. It’s worth the wait.

Tini Martini — The Casablanca Inn

Type: Martini Bar | Historic Porch | Fort Views | Well Crafted, Be Careful

The Tini Martini bar at the Casablanca Inn is a St. Augustine rite of passage. The porch overlooks the fort and the bay, a legitimately beautiful view shared with about 150 of your closest new friends on any given weekend. The martinis are, without exaggeration, the strongest you will ever have. There appears to be minimal mixer involvement. One is plenty. Two is a commitment.

Skip: The breakfast at the Casablanca. Come for the martinis and the view.

Forgotten Tonic

Type: Craft Cocktail Bar | Underrated | Seasonal Menus

An upscale craft cocktail bar occupying one of the more interesting buildings on one of St. Augustine’s most interesting streets, Aviles St. The bar program here has produced genuinely talented bartenders over the years and the seasonal menus reflect that. At Christmas they go all out. Worth a visit any time of year.

Trade Winds

Type: Dive Bar | St. Augustine Legend

If Bourbon Street in New Orleans had a St. Augustine cousin, it would be Trade Winds. One of the city’s most famous dives with walls covered in photos and history, still allows smoking inside. More importantly, this is a bar where famous musicians have been known to walk in unannounced and pick up a guitar. Tom Petty was among them. Go at least once.

A Few More Worth Knowing

• Roosevelt Room: Right next door to Prohibition Kitchen on St. George Street. Solid breakfast with elevated Southern standards, shrimp and grits, good eggs, fair prices, beautiful atmosphere.

• Harry’s: New Orleans-style cuisine, small chain, decent if that’s what you’re in the mood for.

• Food Truck Scene: St. Augustine had food trucks before most of Florida figured out the concept. Check local listings for where they’re gathered on any given weekend.

• The Datil Pepper: St. Augustine’s official hot pepper; unique to the area and showing up in everything from mustard to martinis to hot chocolate mix. Try it somewhere. It’s worth knowing.

The Honest Local Tips

• Make reservations. St. Augustine is packed, especially on weekends. If a restaurant takes reservations, make one. If they don’t, get there early or put your name in and explore while you wait.

• Uber if you’re drinking. Parking in the historic district is already a headache. If you’re planning to enjoy the drink scene, Uber in. The city is walkable and the rides are short.

• Leave the historic district for dinner. Some of the best restaurants — Odd Birds, Asado Life, Brooklyn Pizza, require a short drive or Uber. Don’t limit yourself to St. George Street alone.

• The fort picnic is underrated. Grab sandwiches from Drake’s or Kaiser’s, walk to the Castillo de San Marcos, and eat on the lawn outside. Free, beautiful, and one of the most St. Augustine things you can do.

• You won’t run out of places. We’ve been going for years and still find somewhere new every visit. That’s the best thing we can say about any food town.

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We’ve done St. Augustine more than once. In fact, more than we can count. That alone tells you something. When you live in Florida and you keep returning to the same city on your days off, it’s earned it.

St. Augustine isn’t a theme park. It doesn’t try to be. It’s 450 years of actual history sitting right there on the street, cobblestones, cannons, and all and somehow it never feels like a museum. It feels like a living town that just happens to be really, really old.

The Trip At a Glance

• Where: St. Augustine, FL

• Best for: Couples, families, history lovers, weekend warriors

• Drive from Melbourne, FL: About 2 hours north on I-95

• How long: 2 nights is the sweet spot

• Vibe: Slow, walkable, surprisingly romantic

Getting There

For us, from the Space Coast, it’s an easy drive straight up I-95, exit 318. Pretty easy to get to from about anywhere though. Skip the GPS shortcuts. Just stay on 95. Parking downtown can be tricky on weekends. We recommend parking at the St. Augustine Visitor Information Center on Castillo Drive. It’s cheap, central, and puts you steps from everything.

The Old Town Is the Whole Point

St. George Street is the main pedestrian strip and yes, it’s a little touristy, but it earns it. Walk it slowly. Duck into the side streets. The real St. Augustine is in the alleyways, the courtyards, and the old buildings that have been standing since before the United States existed.

The Castillo de San Marcos is a must. It’s a 17th century Spanish fort sitting right on the water and it’s remarkably intact. Budget an hour. Read the plaques. It’s the kind of place that makes you feel small in a good way.

What We’d Recommend

The ghost tours are better than they sound. We almost skipped ours. Don’t. Even if you’re skeptical, the history woven into those tours is legitimately fascinating and the guides know their stuff. Book in advance on weekends, they fill up.

Flagler College is worth a slow walk around even if you’re not a history buff. The building is stunning and the story behind Henry Flagler and his role in Florida’s development is one most Floridians don’t know nearly well enough. Don’t miss The Lightner Museum across the street. Amazing place to visit and the A/C works well!

For food, skip the obvious tourist spots on St. George and find something a block or two off the main drag. Better food, better prices, better experience.

What We’d Skip

The wax museum. Just trust us. Maybe that’s your thing. Heck, give it a shot.

What It Actually Cost

A solid St. Augustine weekend for two runs roughly:

• Hotel (mid-range, walkable location): $150–$220/night

• Food (2 dinners, 2 lunches, coffees): ~$150–$180 total

• Castillo admission: $15/person

• Ghost tour: ~$25–$30/person

• Parking: ~$20–$30 for the weekend

• Total: Approximately $500–$650 for two nights

Not bad for a genuine reset.

The Bottom Line

St. Augustine is one of those rare places that rewards slowing down. No agenda, no packed itinerary. Just walk, eat, look around, and let the city do its thing. Jodie and I have done it multiple times and we’ll do it again.

If you’re a family or a couple who hasn’t been then go. If you’ve been once, go back. It’s different every time.

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