Honeymoon in Florida June '08 Ideas ??? (Orlando, Daytona Beach: condos, hotels, trip)

[mari4him]

Hey guys...

We're a little behind in setting this up but with kids and stuff was hard to pinpoint dates for a short honeymoon. We are planning a honeymoon for the weekend of 6/20 through 6/23. Looking to stay in Florida.

Wishlist:

Bed & Breakfast or nice cottage type setting
Full breakfast available (rather than just continental)
Fireplace
Jacuzzi
Area sites to visit
Coastal/beaches would be nice

Any recommendations? Suggestions?

Have been looking into places like Captiva Island, Sanibel Island, Daytona Beach, basically along the coast line.

[sunrico90]

Originally Posted by mari4him

Hey guys...

We're a little behind in setting this up but with kids and stuff was hard to pinpoint dates for a short honeymoon. We are planning a honeymoon for the weekend of 6/20 through 6/23. Looking to stay in Florida.

Wishlist:

Bed & Breakfast or nice cottage type setting
Full breakfast available (rather than just continental)
Fireplace
Jacuzzi
Area sites to visit
Coastal/beaches would be nice

Any recommendations? Suggestions?

Have been looking into places like Captiva Island, Sanibel Island, Daytona Beach, basically along the coast line.

Check St Augustine... St Augustine Bed and Breakfast Information - OldCity.com

[ssg II]

Sanibel/Captiva's more laid back & more expensive. St. Augustine's more touisty, though not in a garish way like Orlando.

If you just want to kick back, Sanibel. If you want bars & things to do, St. Aug.

Hope you have a great time!

[Lindsey_Mcfarren]

My favorite place on the planet is Sanibel and Captiva. The best sea shell hunting in the world so they say. I absolutely love it.

You might check out Periwinkle Cottages on Sanibel, they are walking distance to the beach. I am not sure about what kind of breakfast they have but I believe the cottages have kitchenettes.

I personally don't care for Daytona, its a bit smarmy for my taste. I live only about 45 minutes from it and its just not my taste.

You might like Discovery cove where you can swim with the dolphins, its a bit pricey but I hear its a wonderful experience.

[mari4him]

Thank you both for the responses. SSG II, how you describe the places is exactly how I have heard of them thus far.

Together my fiance and I have 5 kids. He works hard and I'm a full time student as well, so I'm thinking some place nice where we can kick back, relax, get away from it all and spend some nice romantic time together would be nice.

We really don't want to have to follow any itinerary, or be loaded down with things and places to see. Our lives are busy enough as it is LOL. We do however enjoy going out to dinner, maybe a drink and some music (live would be nice). More than anything a romantic setting, which will create long lasting memories, is what I particularly am looking for.

I've had good experience with bed and breakfast places in the past. However, we recently went to one where the picture was a bit misleading as to the place. It was a tiny little room. Nice but very small to what we expected. It also had like a property manager more than an Inn Keeper that I am more accustomed to.

So basically, I am wondering if you guys, or any other CD member has a particular place they have stayed at, enjoyed and somewhat fits what we are looking for that they could recommend. Not only as far as location, but also the accomodations themselves.

We had found one that we really liked a lot and though this was it, however, it was booked for the weekend that we needed it so we're back to the drawing board with this.

[mari4him]

Originally Posted by Lindsey_Mcfarren

My favorite place on the planet is Sanibel and Captiva. The best sea shell hunting in the world so they say. I absolutely love it.

You might check out Periwinkle Cottages on Sanibel, they are walking distance to the beach. I am not sure about what kind of breakfast they have but I believe the cottages have kitchenettes.

I personally don't care for Daytona, its a bit smarmy for my taste. I live only about 45 minutes from it and its just not my taste.

You might like Discovery cove where you can swim with the dolphins, its a bit pricey but I hear its a wonderful experience.

Thank you Lindsey. I think I saw Periwinkle Cottages on Sanibel in some of my searches, gonna have to look it up again. Have you stayed there personally? Or know someone that has?

Discovery Cove... hmmm sounds nice. I'm gonna look that up too.

Daytona was actually like a last resort for me. I haven't been there but just imagine it being more city and busy than what I am hoping for. Wanting something different than what we see regularly.

Thanks for your suggestions.

[ssg II]

Don't know where you're from, but fly/drive time might have some impact since you only have 3 days.

Lately we use vrbo.com instead of hotels or b & b. Condos for less than hotel rooms!

[Lindsey_Mcfarren]

Originally Posted by mari4him

Thank you Lindsey. I think I saw Periwinkle Cottages on Sanibel in some of my searches, gonna have to look it up again. Have you stayed there personally? Or know someone that has?

Discovery Cove... hmmm sounds nice. I'm gonna look that up too.

Daytona was actually like a last resort for me. I haven't been there but just imagine it being more city and busy than what I am hoping for. Wanting something different than what we see regularly.

Thanks for your suggestions.

I haven't stayed there but I have heard good things. Another place that I read about and actually checked out when I was last there (staying with a family friend at a condo) was the Tween Rivers Inn. Right across from the hotel is the beach, you sort of fall out of your hotel room into the beach. There is a pool at this place as well.

There are alot of good places to eat there as well, rather pricey but REALLY good is the Key Lime Bistro. There was also a pizza place on Sanibel that had awesome pizza and pasta, I don't recall the name however. I can pull out my information and post some more info. I keep a larger folder of information I gather on Sanibel and Captiva because I love it so much.

After our visit a year ago in January, we re-decorated my daughters bathroom with a beach and sea shell scene. Her bathroom rug is shaped like a surfboard.

The Ding Darling reserve is a great place to drive through or take the guided tour. They even have a crocodile who prefers it on Sanibel rather then down in the Everglades.

We particularly enjoyed a half day trip out to Cayo Costa. There is a place that you can pay to take a boat ride out there and spend a few hours out there. Its a National Park with only a couple houses on it, you can only reach it by boat. It was like being on Lost. It was also really cool to see the dolphins playing in the bay there and in the wake of the boat.

My personal dream would be to be able to play around on wave runners, maybe some day...

[Lilybeans]

Here's something you might not have thought of-you could rent a houseboat in the keys. You will have all the privacy, swimming, sunning and relaxing you want and you would have a good time too.

[pug_lover]

Wishlist:

Bed & Breakfast or nice cottage type setting
Full breakfast available (rather than just continental)
Fireplace
Jacuzzi
Area sites to visit
Coastal/beaches would be nice

Any recommendations? Suggestions?

Check out Little Palm Island. Little Palm Island I wouldn't go anywhere else. It's private, gorgeous, comfortable as home, and a place we'll never forget.