5 Things to Do in Southwest Florida

Sometimes the weather in Florida is cause to celebrate. Or, perhaps it’s a long weekend or a vacation? My husband has been quite busy lately at work, and we needed a fun day (and night!) to celebrate his hard work. Since spring training is about to end and that is my husband’s busy season, we took a day to enjoy the nice spring weather and share a yummy meal at Red Lobster. Seaside views and seafood are just one way to enjoy southwest Florida. If you’re heading down to the Gulf Coast of Florida, check out these views!

1. Start the day on the water. There are so many options when it comes to exploring the water here in Florida. From freshwater fishing to saltwater water skiing, there is no shortage of outdoor activities! Travel by boat, kayak, paddleboard, or jet ski! Take in the Florida coastline from the water and enjoy the bright blue water.

2. Take a nature walk. Hiking is a great option when you’re visiting Florida. From parks to forests, there are just so many things to do outdoors! Take a few moments to enjoy the small things around you. There’s beautiful flowers, fish, birds, and other wildlife to explore.

I like finding nature trails near the beach and look for birds and dolphins! I found this pelican hanging out on a pier last week! He didn’t mind when we crept in close.

3. Explore the beach. Of course when you visit Florida, you want to to hit the beach! We have miles of coastline with beautiful sand and shells. I personally LOVE to look for shells during low tide and walk up and down the coast.

4. Consider a spring training game. If you’re a big baseball fan, don’t forget that The Grapefruit League is in Florida! We have several major league baseball teams that call Florida home during the springtime. If you’re in southwest Florida, you can enjoy a game from the Twins, the Red Sox, and even the Rays.

When spring training is over, we do have minor league baseball which is also a good time. What do you do after a day at the beach and a baseball game? Seafood!

5. Celebrate at Red Lobster. You don’t have to be in sunny southwest Florida to enjoy a delicious lobster dinner at Red Lobster, but we sure love having this restaurant as a dinner option in our area!

After spending the day in the sun to celebrate my husband’s successful season at work, we headed to our local Red Lobster.  I started the night off with a Lobster Punch. It’s available exclusively during Lobsterfest. This refreshing limited edition specialty drink features Malibu Red, pineapple juice and mango passion fruit mix, topped with Myers’s Dark Rum.

• Red Lobster is the world’s largest seafood restaurant companywith over 700 restaurants in the United States and Canada
• Red Lobster serves guests freshly prepared seafood at reasonable prices in a lively, contemporary seaside atmosphere
• Red Lobster offers lobster options on virtually every page of the menu at a broad range of price points so guests can enjoy lobster no matter what the occasion
• Red Lobster sources its lobster from Maine and Canada and other types of seafood from over 20 countries around the world.

Lobsterfest is going on now and for a limited time at Red Lobster. It’s the one time of year guests can choose from the largest variety of lobster dishes on the menu. We ordered Roasted Maine Lobster Bake and the Dueling Lobster Tails. Pictured above is the Lobster Bake which is roasted split petite Maine lobster tails tossed in a white wine and garlic-butter sauce, roasted with corn and potatoes. YUM!

We also had Dueling Lobster Tails: two Maine lobster tails, one roasted and topped with tender shrimp in a creamy garlic sauce, the other golden-baked with crab-and-seafood stuffing. With green beans and potatoes as a side, this was a filling and tasty dish. The absolute perfect way to end a special day.

And, of course, each dish had salad and cheddar biscuits to split!

After a Lobster Punch, we also ordered a few frozen drinks. It was a nice cool down after the Florida sunshine.

Other Lobsterfest dishes that you can enjoy:

• Lobster Lover’s Dream® – A succulent rock lobster tail and sweet split Maine lobster tail, roasted and served with lobster-and-shrimp linguini Alfredo.
• Rock Island Stuffed Tilapia – Fresh tilapia roasted with crab-and-seafood stuffing and topped with Maine lobster meat in a creamy lobster butter sauce.
• Wood-Grilled Lobster, Shrimp and Salmon – A Maine lobster tail, jumbo shrimp skewer and fresh Atlantic salmon, wood-grilled and finished with brown butter.
• Lobster Scampi Linguini – Succulent Maine lobster meat over a bed of linguini in a white wine and garlic-scampi sauce.

During Lobsterfest, use the hashtag #lobsterworthy on social media to share special moments that call for one thing – lobster – and participate in special Lobsterfest contests.

Do you love Red Lobster as much as we do? Have you ever been to Florida?

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.
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