Tag Archives: day trips

A Visit to the Space Center

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Hey everyone! I hope you all are off to a great April so far! My mom and younger brother were in town recently, and I had the opportunity to visit the Kennedy Space Center for the first time. Despite going to Riddle for almost three years and going to the cape as credentialed media for rocket launches, I never took a day to visit the space center and visitor complex until now.

September 2024 when I got to interview the Crew 9 astronauts at the Space Force Base!

We started off our day with the bus tour through the different launch sites on the Cape. This was so cool to be able to see the roads where they transport the rockets from the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) to the different launch pads. The day before we visited, they had moved the Artemis II rocket from the VAB to its launch pad in an operation that took over 12 hours. We didn’t know this going into our day trip, so this was a super fun surprise. We could see the rocket waiting on its launchpad off in the distance for the Artemis II launch that happened a few weeks later.

The Artemis II rocket off in the distance!

Another cool thing that you are able to see are different museums for the space missions. My favorite museum was the one that had the Space Shuttle Atlantis in it. Getting to see the shuttle up close was super cool, and the exhibits inside the museum were also super informative.

The Space Shuttle Atlantis on display for visitors in one of the museums!

And of course we could not leave the Space Center without getting our Astronaut Ice Cream! These freeze dried ice cream sandwiches were so good, and a great way to end my first time visiting the Space Center! Embry-Riddle students can get discounted tickets through the ICI center, just like they do for theme park tickets. And since it is only an hour drive away, it is super easy for Embry-Riddle students to get to.

A view of the Vehicle Assemble Building (VAB) from the bus tour!

Have you ever been to the Kennedy Space Center, or to the cape for a rocket launch? Let me know in the comments down below!

Thanks for stopping by,
Dominic ☀️

A Day at Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens

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Hey y’all!
I recently spent the day at the Jacksonville Zoo, and honestly it was such a fun and refreshing experience. There’s something about being outside, walking around, and seeing animals that instantly puts you in a good mood. It felt like the perfect little escape from everyday routines.


So Much to See
One of my favorite parts of the day was just wandering through all the different areas. Every section had something new, whether it was colorful birds, playful animals, or peaceful scenery. I loved how the paths kept leading to something unexpected. It made the whole visit feel exciting without ever feeling rushed. This is one of the Zoo’s tortoises, and his name is Goober. His name alone is the reason that he is my favorite animal that I saw that day.


The Best Moments
Seeing the animals up close was definitely the highlight. It’s one thing to see pictures online, but it’s completely different when you’re standing there watching them move, interact, and just exist in their space. Those little moments made the day feel extra special.


The Overall Vibe
The whole atmosphere was really cheerful and relaxed. Families were laughing, people were taking photos, and everyone just seemed happy to be there. It’s the kind of place where you can take your time, enjoy the surroundings, and not worry about anything else for a while.


Final Thoughts
Visiting the Jacksonville Zoo ended up being one of those simple days that turns into a really great memory. Between the sunshine, the animals, and the peaceful walking paths, it was such a feel good experience. I’d absolutely go again.
Until next time,
Olivia Strickland ✈️

A Day at Magic Kingdom!

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Happy February everyone! It’s certainly been an unusually cold few weeks in Daytona. I don’t know about you, but I am ready for the warmth to return like we had just a few weeks ago. On our super warm Sunday, I had the chance to go to the Magic Kingdom for a day trip! Now, sit back and come along as I tell you about my magical day:

Main Street U.S.A. at sunset!

My day started bright and early at 7 AM, as I left Daytona Beach in the dense early morning fog to beat the I-4 traffic. I was able to get parked and onto one of the Ferry Boats right as the park opened at 9 AM, and meet my family from New Jersey that was visiting for the week.

Family day at Disney!

In our day at the park, we were able to ride most of the rides, including the tea cups, It’s a Small World, Pirates of the Caribbean, Dumbo, and more! It was my nephew’s first time at Disney World, so we also took him to meet Mickey Mouse and the Winnie the Pooh characters at lunch, and watched the afternoon parade!

Obligatory Mickey ice cream sandwich!

Overall, it was a magical January day with perfect weather! The proximity to the theme parks is one of the perks of Embry-Riddle. I find myself at the parks or Disney Springs at least a few times a semester, even if it’s just for an afternoon to evening. Students and faculty can get discounted theme park tickets for Disney, Universal, Sea World, and more at the ICI Center! Have you been to the parks at all?

Pastries and Science Museums

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Hey y’all!
This past weekend I took a little trip to Miami, and it ended up being such a fun change of pace. I love trips that feel productive but still relaxing, and this one was the perfect mix of exploring, learning, and of course, good food.


A Stop at Maman
I started the day at Maman, a French bakery and café that honestly felt like stepping into a Pinterest board. The atmosphere was cozy and calm, which was a nice contrast to the busy city around it. I grabbed a coffee and a pastry and took a moment to slow down and enjoy the morning.
It was the perfect way to start the day. There’s something about sitting with a warm drink and good food that instantly puts you in a better mood. If you’re ever in Miami and want a cute spot to grab breakfast or coffee, this one is definitely worth it.


Exploring the Frost Museum of Science
After breakfast, I headed to the Phillip and Patricia Frost Museum of Science, and I was honestly impressed by how much there was to see. This isn’t one of those museums you rush through. There are multiple floors with interactive exhibits, an aquarium, and even a planetarium.
I really enjoyed how hands on everything was. I could easily spend hours walking around and still feel like there was more to see. It reminded me why I enjoy museums so much. They make learning fun without it feeling like school.

P.S.: Here is one of the many cat statues they have outside the museum. They were from all over the world, and so fun to look at!


Why I Loved This Trip
What I liked most about this day was how balanced it felt. I wasn’t rushing from place to place, but I also wasn’t just sitting around all day. It was a good reminder that short trips don’t have to be packed to be meaningful.
Getting out of town for even just a day helped me reset and come back feeling refreshed. Sometimes that’s all you need.


Final Thoughts
This Miami trip was such a nice break from routine. Between the cozy bakery stop and spending the afternoon exploring the science museum, it was the perfect mix of relaxing and interesting. If you’re looking for a fun, low stress way to spend a day in Miami, I’d definitely recommend something like this.
Until next time,
Olivia Strickland ✈️

Some More Local Activities

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While trying to plan the big move and such, we have discovered some new local activities!
In Winter Park, they had a duck derby! Which I admit, looked to be mostly for kids, but my boyfriend and I had a ton of fun. They had fresh coconuts, you could decorate and race your duck, there were little crafts table; it was great. Then, we went to Zaru for dinner in Mills50 district which had amazing fresh udon noodles and tempura.
More locally, we took a sunset beach walk, collected shells, and took pictures of jellyfish! Highly recommend downloading the Volusia beaches app that gives you information such as a live map of which beach entrances are open to vehicles and/or people.

New Semi-Local Adventure Discovery + Small Local Businesses

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Ok! So, I want to split this blogpost into two little parts. The first will detail a little adventure with some recommendations about it. The second will detail a few local businesses that I’ve found recently around campus.

Firstly, my boyfriend and I took a little day trip to Savannah, GA the other day. I was born/raised in Florida and never knew that Savannah was THAT close or that fun!! Driving from around campus, it was only about 3 hours each way which is the perfect length for a fun road trip. We left around 7am and got home by around 11pm. The historic area is the perfect few streets to have some good food and walk around little shops. The JW Marriott on the waterfront has an enormous lobby that is open to the public where you can see tons of fossils, rocks, and other cool displays for free. You can also drive a few minutes from the historic downtown to see a few local forts, walk on the beach, see the lighthouse, or visit the marine museum/aquarium. Those attractions usually close around 4:30pm though, so I would time your activities carefully. For dinner, we went to a restaurant that was on Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives called Sea Wolf on Tybee Island. The day trip was so fun, and surprisingly not too far from Daytona! I highly recommend doing this with some friends.

Secondly, I wanted to offer a list of some local, small businesses that I’ve discovered lately for you all to support if you would like. This ranges from fun activities and fitness classes to restaurants.

  • Pho To Luv
    • Their food is the BEST Vietnamese food that I’ve had in the area. It seems to be family owned and JUST opened about one month ago. They are so nice, and their pho is my comfort meal. All the prices are super reasonable too. They are right next to the Starbucks on ISB near the high school on the corner.
  • Art Rageous
    • They have a website where you can sign up for a bunch of different art classes. My boyfriend and I made some custom glass bowls. They also have some pottery and painting classes among other things. The instructor was so nice, and it was a great way to spend an evening.
  • CORE Pilates
    • This is a smaller local Pilates studio run by a really nice lady. As a hypermobile person, I can also testify that she really knows how to modify anything if needed, even for injuries. Her classes are a ton of fun and a really good workout (plus sometimes she brings her dogs).
  • Bounce and Bang
    • This is a cute place that does things like drum and bungee fitness. It has a cool night-club vibe with the lights inside, and they do a bunch of fun fitness classes throughout the week. This is a great way to do a little cardio with a fun spin, and the people are really kind.
  • Don Giovanni’s
    • This is a semi-local Italian place. They have 2 locations, one in Port Orange and one in Ormond I think. I go to the one in Port Orange which seems to be run by a family. Their food is SO GOOD, and the people the work there are fun and extremely nice. I come here super often with my family.
  • Beauty Lounge
    • I go here to get my nails done (highly recommend getting luminary gel). I personally go to Milan, but all of the people here are extremely good at what they do. This place is right next door to Home Depot on ISB, and they even have a little cafe next door that you can order from while you get your nails done.

New Year, Busy Me

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This new year, and a new decade, has gotten off to the quickest start. Classes are already talking about first exams, clubs are kicking off their semesters, time seems to go by quicker and quicker with each minute, and you still have to figure out how to fit work and sleep into your schedule.
This semester is a semester full of projects for me. I am quickly learning that time management for me if more than essential to living on an everyday basis. I wake up and am immediately given notifications about where I need to be when, but it keeps me on top of my game.
As I am approaching my expected graduation in December, I am trying my best to get the most out of my last year at Embry- Riddle. I am taking an industrial math research class where I am in contact with Pacific Northwest National Laboratory that works under the U.S. Department of Energy on a project to use math models to interpret data from nuclear energy, and it is truly a class for practical experience. I am also in a senior capstone project class for my space studies minor that focus on the practical operations of mission control operations. In addition, I am getting proposals ready for undergraduate research this summer, hoping to explore the ways the space industry impacts the environment.

The Ponce Inlet Lighthouse


With such a busy, but promising semester, I am trying my best to stay on top of things as my schedule gets busier with projects and meetings. Staying healthy both physically and mentally is my top goal for 2020 and am lucky to have friends and workout partners to assist me in keeping on track. Even with a busy schedule, I have still found time to hang out with my friends and go to the beach and the lighthouse (an activity we do often to relax), and despite the fact that we have had a bit of rain and cloudy days, we still manage to find ourselves at the beach with the clearest skies.
This year will be the year of progress and learning how to make the best out of the busiest situations and I cannot wait for every second of it!

The light over the horizon at the beach

What’s so Great about Florida?

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Being new to Florida, you may think we’re all about the beach. But as someone who’s lived in Florida all her life, I thought it would be a good idea to tell you more about all the things you can do in the area. Just this past month, I’ve done some fun things I want to share so you can think about experiencing them yourself.

I’ll start with the Annual St. Demetrios Greek Festival. Every year, around the second week of November, people everywhere come to check out Greek Fest right here in Daytona Beach at the Greek Orthodox Church. Going to this Festival is a literal taste of the Greek culture including authentic foods, music, and dancing. The festival has wonderful scenery as you sit back eat delicious food and enjoy an amazing view of our beautiful Florida waters. This event is an excellent idea to keep in mind as it is an annual event.

Another amazing thing about Daytona is how close we are to Orlando! Orlando is full of different exciting places, but it’s quite a busy place to live, which is why I personally think being in Daytona is a nice distance and a lot less traffic! With all there is to do in Orlando, I’m specifically talking about Universal. As college students, it’s nice to take a break and do something fun and since Universal is so close, it’s hard to pass up the opportunity to take advantage of such a super, awesome, fun escape! The most amazing part about all this is that Embry-Riddle sells discounted tickets, so with if you’re afraid to break the bank too much, you can purchase discounted tickets in the ICI Center in the Rec sports office (cash only). And although Universal is my favorite, discounted tickets for different parks like Disney World, Sea World, and Busch Gardens are also available for students.

Even if you don’t go to the parks at Universal, the best part about it is the grand entrance that is City Walk. City Walk has amazing stores, great restaurants, and awesome night life fun. And it’s all just about an hour’s drive away.

The End of the Semester is Approaching… Bring on the Stress

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It is the middle of November, and it seems like classes are speeding up, rather than winding down. With three projects due the day before Thanksgiving, weekly assignments, and endless meetings, I feel like I will never make it to Winter Break. However, it is a refreshing feeling knowing that once I make it to Thanksgiving, I will be stress-free.

That being said, where has the semester gone?! I feel like I have been in Daytona for two months, not four! It seems like each semester flies by faster than the last one did. I cannot even imagine how fast my senior year will go by…

I know this time of year is full of a lot of stress, so I wanted to share some ways I am coping with the stress. I believe it is so important to do something for yourself at least once a week, whether this be going out for ice cream, going to the beach, or just watching a good movie. Taking time for myself helps me to forget about my stress for awhile, and focus on having fun.

Lately, I have been doing active things to keep my mind off of school. Last weekend Tri Sigma had our Fall Sisterhood, which was bio-luminescent kayaking at Mosquito Lagoon. We went kayaking in the dark, in the middle of nowhere. It was so amazing to see the water light up every time your oar hit the water. The stargazing was also incredible! However, just like the name, I ended the night with 60 bug bites all over my leg, and am still recovering. Getting out into nature was just what I needed to kick-off the month of November.

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This weekend I started my open water diving scuba certification course. The first day was spent in a classroom learning information, while Sunday was spent in a pool learning skills. I am not going to lie, I was pretty scared when I first went under water, however, I got used to it, and actually really enjoyed it. I cannot wait until next weekend, when I get to dive at both Alexander and Ginnie Springs. I will be completing the course, while diving at two beautiful springs in Florida!

Being busy and active on the weekends has helped me to have something to look forward to, besides due dates for final projects! When I look at my planner and see a full week, I know I have to plan in something fun to do on the weekend. This strategy has helped me throughout my three semesters in college, and I would recommend it to you, as well! For now, I will say good luck with any finals you have coming up, and I hope you are not stressing out!

Until next time,

Lindsey

Life @ Riddle – The First Half of Fall

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Hello Riddle Kids! Hope your week is going good! Before you know it, it will be the end of the week! Regarding the fall semester, we are halfway through it! A lot has happened and it has flown by! With midterms coming up, it really is good timing!

So let’s talk school. What has happened in this half of the semester? New professors, new classes, and new adventures. Currently I am taking EGR 120 Graphical Communications, EGR 115 Intro to Computing for Engineers, COM 122 English Composition, PSY 310 Sensation and Perception, and MA 241 Calculus and Analytical Geometry I. For those engineers out there, yes they don’t advise you to take EGR 115 & 120 at the same time, but I had no choice. Being dual major means you are jam packed for your career here at Riddle. Classes have been going well and homework stacks up. Staying ahead has been a plus. It has allotted me free time. Being involved in all the clubs and organizations has also kept me busy. We have broken ground and made a lot of progress. All the hard work has definitely paid off!

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Space Shuttle Toy taken apart

Fall has been jam packed with exams, projects, and homework. I would have to say I am really excited about my EGR 120 final project. I get to take apart and build (in CATIA) a Space Shuttle Pullback Toy! I will admit I am a total space nerd so yes, I am really excited! Today, I got to take it apart and inventory all the different parts. It was really interesting to see how everything fit together. There were actually more parts then I believed to be, but hey, more work! As an engineering student a Riddle, I always thought that it was going to be impossible to understand the material, but it has been coming to me easier than I thought. Not all the material comes to me right away but it takes practice and dedication. You certainty will not get everything on the first try that is for sure!

Being an engineering student gives me and all you other students the opportunity to grow and create the next big thing. We are the next generation to shape and build the future. How cool is that?! The fact that Riddle has such a great engineering program, assures me that I can shape the future. I do love that feeling.

For the full part: in between school I have traveled a little bit. I’ve gone to Orlando, St. Augustine, New Smyrna Beach, Coral Springs, FL and Savannah, GA. It was a lot of fun traveling and seeing parts of Florida and Georgia that I haven’t seen in quite a while. In St. Augustine, I had the chance to see a luau! It was my second luau I have ever seen and it was totally an amazing experience! I know they have one more luau on October 24th so if you have time to drive to St. Augustine, it is a lot of fun! Escaping from Daytona was a nice break.

Although it is almlost over, I will still be hitting the books and watching the stars. With 3 exams this week and upcoming projects there is no time to waste! Have a great rest of the fall semester everyone!