After a few days of much-needed downtime at Redington Beach, it was a nice change to head to the Disney Springs area for a little more relaxation, shopping and trying some popular restaurants in downtown Disney.

There are soooo many fun shops in Disney Springs! There’s a section that has more clothing and houseware type of stores, which then extends into an area that has more Disney-themed stores, along with coffee shops and restaurants.

I didn’t go crazy with buying things there but did enjoy window shopping. And definitely loved getting to try a few amazing restaurants!

Chef Art Smith’s Homecomin’

If you love good fried chicken, this is the place to go! I ordered the fried chicken & donuts with mac & cheese and KC greens, and, while the donuts and greens weren’t my favorite (seasoned to be too sweet for my taste), the rest of the meal was delicious. If I visit again, I’d probably order the chicken, mac & cheese and maybe some grits.

I was so stuffed after the meal that I wasn’t planning to get dessert, but once our server, Kenny, said they had hummingbird cake, I just had to try it. It’s just so hard to find hummingbird cake up north that I just can’t refuse an opportunity to have some. I enjoyed probably 1/3 of the slice with a cup of coffee before I had to call it quits and get the remainder boxed.

Overall, I liked this place, even though the side dishes were hit or miss. Service was great and the atmosphere made it an enjoyable place to hang out for a while. They also had live music playing, which was unexpected, and the entire restaurant had a great, laid-back vibe.

The Boathouse

Any restaurant where you can sit outside by the water automatically goes to the top of the list in my book! The weather was absolutely perfect for outdoor seating, and in addition, there was a large patio fan blowing air directly at the table.

I ordered a filet mignon, fries and Brussels sprouts and had no complaints. Everything was good, but nothing I ate really wowed me here.

I really enjoyed the view from the patio, and would come back here again for that alone — maybe just get a drink and dessert and hang out for a while, instead of getting a full meal.

T-Rex Restaurant

This was a fun restaurant, with moving dinosaur models, complete with sounds and prehistoric decor. Service was a bit slow, but since the restaurant was completely packed, that wasn’t a big surprise.  

I wasn’t hungry at all, but felt like I needed to eat since I’d be spending the rest of the afternoon traveling, so I ordered the quesadilla and ate maybe two pieces. It was well seasoned, and the perfect choice to tide me over for a few hours, but I do think people come here more for the atmosphere than the food.