Holidaying In Florida???

[Bad Mad]

I was hoping I could get some ideas for this.

Myself and my partner (29 & 25) hope to travel from Belfast/London to Florida for 2 weeks in September/October time. This would be our 1st time.
We would like to spend a week in Orlando -to do all the disney stuff- and then a week somewhere else, possibly Clearwater.
Our best bet, considering cost/quality, seems to be with Virgin Atlantic.
Flights, Car and accomodation at approx. £1900 or $4700 (all together).

Would anyone have any other ideas of companies that do twin-centre holidays cheaper?

Is Clearwater a good option for a nice relaxing 2nd week, after the hubba bulable of Orlando? or any other ideas?

The Shearton Sand Key resort and the Marriot Suites seem to be the 2 best options for accomodation in Clearwater (with Virgin).
Which would you reccomend? (Have read contrasting reviews on both)

I would really appreciate any top tips guys.

Thanks

BM

 

[Ross]

Man that sounds fantastic to me! You'll love Orlando, but after a week, you may want to retreat to somewhere else. Clearwater sounds great. It's been years since I was there, so I'll let those that reside nearby in Florida elaborate on this one.

 

[Bina]

Isn't Sept/Oct hurricane season?

 

[OldManEmu]

Holiday Tip

Holiday Tip

BM
The only tip I have is make sure your travel insurance covers your pre-existing heart condition, the last thing you need on holiday is to have to use the extremely expensive US health system only to find your insurance doesn't cover it. Make sure that you get an acknowledgement in writing from the insurance company that you are covered for your pre-existing condition.

 

[Lynlw]

I don't have any tips about travelling ect, BUT If you are intersted at all I really recomend a day at Discovery Cove in Orlando if you can swing it.https://www.discoverycove.com/explore.aspx
We went a year or so ago and it was really one of the best days our family ever had. you get to "swim w/ a dolphin" which isn't really that long of a time, but a real neat experience and the rest of the day you hang out and snorkle in different "pools" that don't look like pools w/ all these beautiful fish and rays, coral ect. it is man made the entire place is covered with sand, like a big beach that they are constantly cleaning and the day was so nice and relaxing too, we went in the middle of our week in orlando and it was perfect to rest and be peaceful after a few days at the parks, crowds lines also since you have to be at least 6 to swim w/ the dolphins it tends to be a little "quiet" compared to the theme parks, (was that phrased really nice?)and recharged us for the rest of the days at disney and universal. IF you want to go you have to book pretty early because they only sell so many admissions a day so it is not crowded. It IS expensive, but it includes everything for the day including meals and snacks and you also get passes for seaworld for a couple days.if that helps in your mind. We were lucky because Justin asked to go there for his "wish"
Sorry if this sounded like a big sale speech, but as i was typing I was thinking how perfect it would be to run away and hide there now lol
oh if you go to Justin's page in my sig, one of my fav pictures of him is there kissing "our' dolphin. I actually had athat picture put on a travel mug for Don for Christmas.

 

[brd]

Hi I've stayed at the Sheraton at Sand Key and it's very very nice. The Marriott is across the street. Sheraton is on the Gulf side so in my opinion is preferable since you walk right onto the beach and will probably have a room with a view of the beach. Lots to do in Clearwater, St Pete and lots of good restaurants. You need a car though. I can't remember if you said you would have a rental.

Let me know if you want restaurant recommendations etc.

Bon Voyage!

Barbara

 

[lynn]

Yes, you are coming smack in the middle of hurricane season so bring batteries and duct tape!

Just kidding, last year was a wash for hurricanes but the years before were hell! So, just check on (insurance?) for that??

I would suggest if you decide to go to Clearwater that you rent a condo instead of a hotel. You can get them pretty cheap at that time of year and do breakfast and lunch in your own kitchen then go out to the neat restaurants at nite! Clearwater is beautiful!!!

Here's a great place to look: http://www.vrbo.com/vacation-rentals/region/usa/florida/upper-gulf-coast/clearwater-beach

If you click at the top of that page on the Upper Gulf Coast tab you can check other towns in that area. We are probably going to rent one in Reddington Beach for a few days....the water on the gulf is awesome!

Good luck, if you need anymore info I'd be happy to help!

 

[Jim P]

We enjoy going to Sarasota and Bradenton on the Gulf (west) coast, which are not long drives from Orlando (2 1/2 hours) or from Clearwater -- Longboat Key and Anna Maria Island are especially nice and not as crowded or hectic as Clearwater. If you want to go further south, the Ft. Meyers area(Sannibel and Captiva) is also quite nice. Naples/Marco Island is a much further drive south and can be very crowded. In general, the Gulf (west) coast of Florida is less developed with high-rise condos (except for Clearwater and Marco Island) than found on the Atlantic (east) coast. Usually there is less traffic along the Gulf than the choked east coast -- I try to avoid the Fort Lauderdale to Miami megalopolis, although many people enjoy the energy of that pace of life.

Hope this helps. My preferences will not match everyone's, but you have my thoughts. Anyway, enjoy yourself wherever you end up.

 

[Bad Mad]

Thanks a million guys for all your info on Florida
Discovery Cove looks well worth exploring Lynl and I must explore the condo option also, although with Virgin, the value is very much in availing of the full package ,where the hotels are included in the price.

My only reservation with Clearwater is that there is some construction work going on from now until 2008. Does anyone know if this should be a factor?

Trying to get travel insurance to cover the ticker condition may be a problem. Alot of the companies don't want to go there. Just out of interest, do most of you guys have life insurance cover? Unfortunately I only went to look about this after I was diagnosed with BAV but to no avail.

Would I be right in saying that the Hurricane season is August to October time?

 

[OldManEmu]

Insurance

Insurance

BM
Unless I had insurance approval in writing I wouldn't even consider travelling to a country that didn't have a reciprocal national health agreement with my national health system. I would even go a step further I wouldn't even fly if there was a chance a plane could be forced to land in such a destination. I personally don't have life insurance; unless you have dependents I can't see a need for it.

 

[Bad Mad]

OME

I assume you have availed of Holiday Insurance before. Was/Is this likely to be very expensive given your/our conditions?

I have no dependants. But as far as I can see Life Insurance is near impossible to get if you have had/are likely to have further Major Heart Surgery?

 

[hensylee]

well, hello, Ireland. I, too, am in Florida, but a whole different (geographically) sort of Florida. I am in the Panhandle (northwest Florida). We are at the very end of the Appalachian mountain chain and so we have hills, unlike anywhere else in Florida that's flat as a pancake. Panama City is pretty bad this time of year, trafficwise, but we here advertise our beaches as the most beautiful in the world. The water is green instead of blue and we have sand dunes.

Have you thought of Key West? That is a beautiful city at the very bottom of Florida.

I really believe JIm P has it right. There is Lido Beach and Longboat Key in Sarasota. Expensive, but beautiful. I have been to both and everything is very upscale. My son lives in Sarasota-Bradenton area. You can take long drives in the area and visit the countryside. It is orange fruit growing country and cowboy land with many ranches. In my opinion this is the most beautiful part of Florida. You can be lazy or find many things to do. In Sarasota, there is the Ringling Art museum, Ringling's home; there is a dinner theatre or so, varied cuisines available from Pennsylvania Dutch to Mexican or Chinese, much shopping. There are boat day trips or evening dinner boat trips and you can't beat the beautiful sunsets. The city is clean and has old/new architecture. This is probably where you want to go.

I don't recommend Clearwater at all except that it's near Tampa where some theme parks are, but after Orlando's theme parks you might not want that. There is one very famous restaurant in Tampa that has been there for maybe 100 yrs and serves Cuban food. However you might not be interested in American famous restaurant that you never heard about or don't much care about.

Key West is very, very old. Tennessee Williams lived there as did Ernest Hemmingway. My mother was born there when it was only a wee town. My grandmother was born there, too - they spoke of pirates being there way back in the 17-1800s. It, too has old architecture as in my grandmother's day. It has become a bustling city and is so very interesting and has much entertainment going on there all the time. My son and his wife, and another couple I know, consider this their favorite vacation city and would go back in a New York minute (that means really fast).

There you have it from an old lady who was not born, but reared in Miami.

Incidentally, if you are driving, you might want to consider distance. Florida, until Alaska became a state, had the most linear miles than any other state in the U.S. From Key West to Pensacola it is REALLY, REALLY a long drive.

Now we are all going to be wondrin which you choose. Please let us know.

 

[KAJ]

My wife and I spent our honeymoon (Sept 88) on Sanibel Island. It was beautiful. We stayed at a small resort called Song of the Sea. We have been back a few times but not since the hurricane hit 2 or 3 years ago. I know the island took a hit so I am not sure if it has recovered.

Karl

 

[Bad Mad]

Thanks so much guys for all the info. You really have me confused now.
But also have me extremely excited!!
Having priced the option of staying on an extra 3 or 4 nights, it doesn't work out any more expensive!!

So the plan, until someone can change my mind is:

7 nights in orlando
5 nights in Clearwater
5 nights in Sarasota (Jim P and hensylee- You've sold it!!)

You say Sarasota/long boat is expensive. Can you give me a couple of examples? Funds may be lowly at this stage of the hol!!

No doubt my mind is open to change before anything is booked so keep the great advice coming.
Key west is still an option 2!!

How long a drive would it be from Sarasota/Clearwater to Key West....and also from Key West to Miami.
The reason I ask is beacuse Key West could be the 3rd and final stop of the holiday.... and Virgin give you the option of flying back from Miami which I imagine is not too far from KW???

Thanks again

BM

 

[lynn]

Hurricane season is from 6/1 - 11/30....sigh

From Miami to Key West is about a 3 hour drive? From Sarasota to Key West is probably about 7-8 hours. And, we are paying over $3.00 a gallon for gas now, so consider that

 

[dan1961]

dolphins )

dolphins )

if you do indeed settle for clearwater you'l love it. 2 things i'd reccomend amoungst others is....... the clearwater screamer.... http://www.seascreamer.com/
its awesome make sure you sit at the back so you get a great view of the dolphins playing in its wake..... 2nd is hire a water bike and go find the dolphins yourself or should i say let them find you.. and they will
enjoy enjoy and then ENJOY SOMEMORE...............regards dan from london

 

[hensylee]

Sanibel Island close to Ft Myers - my son and his wife went there not long ago and it was ok after the storm. The old restaurant by the water used to be all wood and you could eat outside in the breeze. The children tell me it's all rebuilt and modern and enclosed. There's a HUGE banyan tree that everybody wants to see. It must be hundreds of years old. I asked if the storm had damaged it and was told no. The residents there have so much $ they'd have everything repaired by now. Once a year authors gather at the hotel there for a reception for their fans and a book signing.

Going to Lido Beach is quite expensive. Shops are all high end and so are restaurants and hotels. My son was married at one of the hotels but I don't know the cost. I never paid any of our bills (he did) so I can't quote figures. I did find a shop where we bought some trinkets that were not bad at all. But if you stay in Sarasota and eat in Sarasota it won't be bad. Long Boat Key is about the same. Go on the net and look up Lido and Long Boat and you can find out some of the costs. These are two islands just off Sarasota with bridges to get to them. If you go to Sarasota, you will certainly want to take these two islands in, maybe take a day boat trip and don't forget to see the Ringling museum. That is Ringling of Ringling's Barnum and Baily Circus. Sarasota used to be the circus winter quarters. Ringling's mansion still has the bell pulls to summon the maid and a tube they spoke through to the kitchen. Much of the home was brought to the U.S. from Europe and assembled here.

Wherever you go you will enjoy and if you can work in Key West, I guarantee you will be entertained. It is one wild town now. It has a large gay community and they are always putting on shows, parades, and generally having a great time. Wonderful seafood there, too.

 

[Bad Mad]

Some fantanstic tips there folks.

Have to say though Lyn, gas at $3 a gallon is 3 or more times cheaper than it is in N. Ireland!! we pay approx 96pence per litre...approx £4.80 a gallon!!
So won't complain too much about that Thanks for the estimated times.

Dan...the SeaScreamer will def. be on the list of things to do...looks class!

Hensylee: Key west is a strong possibility. The drive would be very long from Clearwater/sarasota, but al least we would have the option of going home from Miami cutting the driving down to 3 hours on the way back.

 

[Sunshine susan]

Welcome to Clearwater!

Welcome to Clearwater!

Hi! I live in St. Petersburg which is part of Tampa Bay which includes Tampa, Clearwater, and St. Pete. The Marriot is newer, but Sand Key is a great spot as well. Take a side trip a few miles north to Dunedin for a day and go to Honeymoon Island, #2 beach in the world two years running now. Clearwater is a great beach to relax--but then so is St. Pete Beach. Lots to do, drink and eat up and down Gulf Blvd! Check out Sheppard's on Clearwater Beach--great seafood buffet and not too pricey. Don't leave without having a grouper sandwich at either Gator's at John's Pass (St. Beach--south on Bulf Blvd) or the Hurricane (as far south as you can go and still be at the beach).

Speaking of hurricanes, make sure one isn't lurking in the vicinity. Or you may want to stay in Orlando or try Atlanta!

Let me know if I can answer any questions about the Tampa Bay area. Have a great time!

Sue

 

[Sunshine susan]

Construction! Me again!

Construction! Me again!

Yo--construction is going on all over FL! Yellow cones are now the state flower! However, not at Clearwater Beach at this time. Those particular changes have been completed. If you want beach, go for Clearwater, Sanibel, St. Pete, Long Boat Key, or Naples/Ft. Myers. Clearwater/St. Pete Beach are your less expensive options both hotel and food wise. The others take a King's ransom to spend much time. Sarasota is a small town, but growing. St. Armands and downtown Sarasota have lots if kitchey little shops and restaurants, but it's not known as a beach town. Has nice museums also--from Ringling to art/music/theatre. Key West is a cool place to visit if you want to spend a lot of time in the car getting there--you could take a puddle jumper down. However, if you want to just relax--back to Clearwater/St. Pete, Sanibel, they all have good accomodations, beautiful beaches, things to do and great (& some not so great) restaurants. As I mentioned the Clearwater area has the #2 beach in the world at Honeymoon Island!

Sue