Living the Good Life at Margaritaville: Food, Friends, and Everyday Moments
When we arrived at Latitude Margaritaville, it was already dinner time. With the Bar & Chill right on site—both convenient and reasonably priced—it was the perfect choice. It gave us a chance to relax after the drive while still getting started on unpacking, which we finished the next day.
We ended up dining at Bar & Chill many times throughout our month-long stay, but we balanced it with local restaurants, home-cooked meals, and plenty of dinner and game nights. During our remote work trips, we’ve found a rhythm that works well—enjoying new places while still keeping an eye on the budget.
For Pat’s birthday, we headed to The Crazy Crab on Hilton Head Island for dinner. Afterward, we stopped at an ice cream spot Alan and Carie had introduced us to earlier in the trip. It turned out to be the perfect birthday treat since they offer a free dessert—so Pat went all in with a big sundae.
One day, we made a quick run into Hilton Head Island to switch over to Spectrum Mobile. As luck would have it, there was a Duck Donuts nearby, so we picked up a dozen to share with Alan and Carie.
Another morning, just as we were starting our workday, Alan messaged us about a Cinnabon food truck visiting Margaritaville. We didn’t hesitate—quick break, sweet treats, and back to work.
Some mornings were a little slower. We’d join Alan on his front lanai with a cup of coffee before diving into the workday, easing into the routine.
Pat especially enjoyed his frequent walks throughout the community. It’s such a simple thing, but one that really connects you to a place. He’d wave hello to other residents out on their own walks, take in the exterior décor of the colorful Key West–style homes, and explore the many amenities along the way. He even found a peaceful stretch of the nature trail—luckily without any alligator sightings.
I found my own rhythm through the community activities, most of them centered around the Paradise Pool. Right away, I joined Carie for a few aqua Zumba classes and Alan for aqua strength training. One of the most surprising things for me was how well I was able to work out in the water, even in the heat. I had been struggling with traditional aerobic workouts—low stamina and short durations—which had been frustrating. Being able to move comfortably in the water was completely unexpected.
While I couldn’t take the Paradise Pool home with me, it definitely left an impression. Once we returned, I started working on creating a similar experience at home—more on that later.
I also treated myself to a relaxing massage at the Fins Up Fitness Center, and we did manage to work out there… once. As expected, I still struggled with stamina on land, so I found myself drawn back to the pool. It was easy to do. There was plenty of space every time I went, with lots of lounge chairs—some tucked under palm trees on a small patch of sand where the warm breeze drifted through. Even when I wasn’t in a class, I loved just floating and relaxing in the water.
Another fun part of our days at Latitude Margaritaville was joining Alan and Carie—and their friends—for game nights.
Thanks to my daughter and son-in-law’s love of board games, I had already started to enjoy a variety of games. Pat took a little more time to warm up, especially with anything strategic or complex, but he quickly found he enjoyed simpler games—particularly dice and card games. I had played Wingspan and Ticket to Ride before (and Pat loves that one too), so it made it easy to jump right in and join the group.
We also picked up a few new favorites along the way. We had a blast playing Hellapagos and quickly got the hang of Qwixx and Sequence—both of which Pat really enjoyed.
One of the group favorites was Skull King. I struggled with that one at first, mainly because my learning style leans more toward reading instructions or watching videos on my own. While I didn’t quite get it during our visit, I ended up buying it afterward, figuring it out (I knew I would), and now I’ve been playing it with my grandsons—even getting Pat on board.
Back at Margaritaville, the game nights weren’t just about the games—they were about the food and the time together. From full meals to snacks and desserts, it became something we always looked forward to after a day of remote work… from paradise.
We also discovered Eggs Up Grill, a regional breakfast chain that quickly became a favorite. Fresh, delicious meals every time—definitely one of those places we wished we had back home.
In other posts, we’ll share more of the trips we branched out on during the month—Savannah, Georgia, a quick trip to a few Margaritaville locations in Florida, and time spent in Charleston.
As our month came to a close, it felt fitting that our final night mirrored our first. We spent it back at Bar & Chill, sharing one last meal, followed by hugs and goodbyes. It had been such a gift to be neighbors for the month, settling into a routine together. But as they say, all good things come to an end…until the next time.
🔗 Related Links
- Finding Our Own Margaritaville: A Road Trip Story That Changed Us
- The Trip That Started It All: Car Camping to Margaritaville
- What’s Not to Love? The Next Chapter in Our Margaritaville Story
- Back to Margaritaville: How a One-Week Trip Turned Into a Month-Long Stay
- Margaritaville for a Month: First Stop in Pigeon Forge
- COMING SOON:
- Living the Good Life at Margaritaville: Food, Friends, and Everyday Moments
- Day trips to Savannah, Charleston, Beaufort, and more
- The road trip stops along the way
- And how the music became part of the story
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