Memorial Day Weekend Did Not Miss: Jellyfish, Mermaids, Wings, and My New Pelican Best Friend

I’m going to need you to clear your afternoon, because I had a day and I have things to tell you. What went down once I had learned I had the day off.

Best Breakfast: Diner by the Sea, Lauderdale by the Sea

We started the morning at Diner by the Sea in Lauderdale by the Sea, which, in my personal opinion, is exactly the kind of place you want to start a day that you know will undoubtedly be a good one. Corned beef hash, scrambled eggs, hash browns, and yes, gravy. I added gravy. This is my life now, and I am not ashamed. You see, my granny raised me in a no-gravy household despite her being from the Deep South. But God bless her heart, I love her deeply, but I have been making up for lost time recently. I poured every drop across the entire plate, and every bite was just as delicious as the one before. I have zero regrets. From the staff to the food and the warm welcome of complimentary watermelon as we walked in the door, this place is great. Definitely starting more mornings off there.

After breakfast, we visited a few spots around the area and bought matching shirts, which, despite my doubts in the beginning, actually turned into a pretty cute ensemble for later in the day.

Lunch: Beach House Pompano, Because Obviously

By midday, we landed at Beach House in Pompano Beach, which has one of those views that makes you feel like you’re winning at life. You got this. The Pompano Beach Pier was right below us, the beach was absolutely packed with Memorial Day energy, volleyball games raging, and people just living their best lives in the sun.

Lunch with a view at Beach House Pompano. That’s the pier right behind us, and we were not mad about it.

I had a virgin mango daiquiri because I am that guy sometimes, and then we got sticky and had the “Oh Honey!” BBQ chicken wings, and when I say “Well, Damn,” I really mean it. Sticky, smoky, deeply satisfying, dunked in blue cheese because that is the only correct choice. If you haven’t been to Beach House, add it to the list. Thank me later. 

Also, a big shout-out to our waiter! Wishing you the best of luck forward in your new journey! You got this!

Oh Honey! BBQ wings at Beach House Pompano. Dunked in blue cheese. No notes.

After that quick snack, we walked down to the pier and met a pelican, whose name is Rafael. He and I have a connection that I think most people wouldn’t understand. P.S. Rafael is just what I’m calling him, so don’t expect a response.

Afternoon: The Jellyfish Museum Absolutely Delivered

Made it to the Jellyfish Museum, and yes, we were excited about it.

Okay, so the Jellyfish Museum. I was not prepared for how much I was going to love this place. Fort Lauderdale is home to what I believe is the only jellyfish museum in the world and honestly, good. Keep it here. It belongs here.

Zero shame.When the jellyfish tank becomes your entire personality for the afternoon.

Tank after tank of jellyfish lit up in deep purples, blues, and pinks, creatures that look like they came from another planet entirely. It’s the kind of place where you walk in slightly overstimulated from the day and walk out completely reset. My nervous system personally thanked me. Go with friends, go on a date, go alone, just go.

Then, after a quick disco nap and some light video gaming, it was time for the final event to close a perfect day.

Evening: Mermaids at the Wreck Bar, B Ocean Resort

We ended the night at the Wreck Bar inside the B Ocean Resort in Fort Lauderdale, and I genuinely cannot believe this place exists and people don’t talk about it more. There is a large window behind the bar that looks directly into the ocean, of course, where real mermaids entertain you while you eat. Mermaids glide past the glass and share their trinkets with you throughout your visit, and for the sake of their dignity, just pretend you have never seen that fork, and it is, in fact, a dinglehopper. The experience is absolutely, completely surreal in the best way.

For the food, the lobster quesadilla had a creamy guacamole sauce that I am still thinking about. Yummm. The crab cakes were exceptional. The atmosphere is Fort Lauderdale history with a full cocktail menu. It’s a gem and I will be back to see the mermen. Please send the invite to john@johnpalmerpayne.com.

Lobster quesadilla with creamy guacamole sauce at Wreck Bar. Still thinking about it, honestly.

And that, my friends, is the complete day. Gravy for breakfast, wings for lunch, jellyfish in the afternoon, and mermaids at night. South Florida, am I right? There is truly nowhere else like it.

If you made it this far, you clearly have good taste.

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And if you went anywhere this Memorial Day weekend that deserves a spotlight, tell me about it in the comments. I am always looking for the next great discovery.