If you need urgent support, call 999 or go to your nearest A&E. To contact our Crisis Messenger (open 24/7) text THEMIX to 85258.
Options
Florida
Former Member
Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
Hi,
I'm going aiming to head to florida at some point this year, probably October time and whilst i'm going to be doing the disneyworld touristy thing i'm also planning on having 5-7 days of chillout. But there are so many places listed and i don't know which would be more suitable so for anyone that's been to florida/lives there etc. could you give me a hand
I'm looking for basically a beach resort but i suppose a bit quieter than places like Miami or stuff. Ideally i'd have liked to go to the Keys but travel times/money says i'm not going. I just want somewhere that i can chill on the beach, eat some nice food and maybe have a wander to a local bar but that isn't overcrowded and full of rugrats. So any ideas appreciated :yes:
I'm going aiming to head to florida at some point this year, probably October time and whilst i'm going to be doing the disneyworld touristy thing i'm also planning on having 5-7 days of chillout. But there are so many places listed and i don't know which would be more suitable so for anyone that's been to florida/lives there etc. could you give me a hand
I'm looking for basically a beach resort but i suppose a bit quieter than places like Miami or stuff. Ideally i'd have liked to go to the Keys but travel times/money says i'm not going. I just want somewhere that i can chill on the beach, eat some nice food and maybe have a wander to a local bar but that isn't overcrowded and full of rugrats. So any ideas appreciated :yes:
Post edited by JustV on
0
Comments
Gulf Coast - Sanibel - though there is only one hotel there - Lido Key - though you could also stay in Sarasota and lastly Long Boat Key & Brandton Beach.
Tampa is also supposed to be good as well - but I have never been there so I cant' really comment.
Basically Atlantic cost is a bit more wind swept with big wide open beaches - but the towns are older and have more charachter. The Gulf Coast is unbeliveabley beautiful with warm aquamarine waters - but lots of it is just mile after mile of condo's with no real town center's and you will need a car to drive most places rather than walking to a restaurant to eat out in the evening - however lido key and brandton beach are both walk around able. All of the above are around a 3 hour drive from Orlando, if you want any suggestions of places to stay then let me know.
Also you could possibly consider searching for low cost airlines to go further afield - I know we found some that had incredibly low priced flights to the Bahama's when we were lookng a few years ago. Or its outside school holidays so i can't imagine you would have any problem in just hiring a car and driving around finding places to stay where you like the look of - get a discount voucher book from Denny's.
But if it's your first time, you may want to experience everything Orlando has to offer, including all the Parks etc. In that case you will need 2 weeks or more.
I'm over there for 3 weeks. The general idea is to travel round a bit. Start at orlando then move on to tampa, then miami then the coast for somewhere quiet. Think from what Wyetry has said it could end up being up St Augustine/ Daytona way. Airlines are pretty cheap for city travel and since i'm not likely to get the chance to do this sort of holiday every year i thought i'd quite like to see the different places as much as poss.
Wyetry, was going to rent a car for about 2 weeks but there seems to be quite a number of people i know telling me that i'd probably get highly stressed trying to drive on the wrong side and in strange cities. :chin:
Its not like taking your own car to france where people drive like nutters and the roads are just as narrow as they are in the UK.
I definately reccomend driving round - we did the route your talking about in about a week so i'm sure you will see most of the places you want to.
If you go to st augustine - i wholeheartedly reccomend saving up a bit and staying in a bed and breakfast or Inn - they are all beautiful old buildings and very in keeping with the surroundings and make the whole visit even more special. Nothing like what you usually think of in the UK when you say B&B i stayed here http://www.oldpowderhouse.com/ and here. Also go on the Ghost tour as well if you've never been on one before - neither of the inn's i stayed in appeared in it - which is good as it means you get a good nights sleep!
For Miami - its really expensive to stay on the beach and you usually pay stuipd ammounts of money for a horrible hotel room - so either do lots of research and book beforehand or stay more in the business district rather than on the beach.
Lots of my friends parents have houses in FL hence my extensive knowledge - one of them went horse riding somewhere near orlando and said it was really good - let me know if you want me to ask her for the details of where it was.
Disney is great but only for a few days me thinks - however if you have children I imagine it must be amazingly magical for them. Oh and if you can find a child to steal do the discovery bay sleep over - you get to camp on the beach and wake up in the morning and see all the dolphins swimming round you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Also downtown Orlando is nice and nothing like all the touristy bits down in the south.
If your friend remembers where it was that would be great.
*shudders* camping, argh, urgh, noooo esp. with someone elses rugrat :yuck: :razz: