YOU make OUR itinerary

[dk22]

Originally Posted by Vera.

Wow. dk22, those pics are beautiful. Thanks alot for posting. Well, not really. I thought we had decided for certainty that Key West was a no-go, being too far to drive and back in 1 day. Then I just changed my mind again for half a second. But now I do realize it's too far again. We'll save that for another trip. You mentioned to did a road trip, too. Where did you leave from?

& Kali's Grandma, thanks for your response. I think you and AONE win this thread. After additional research, we've decided that St. Augustine and Cocoa are a must. If you don't mind, I'll be PM'ing you with some additional questions.

I live in South Florida so it only takes me about 1 1/2 hours to get to the northern tip of the Keys. I still enjoy the drive through the Keys everytime I get a chance. I hope you will make it down here one day and see how it is. You must stop at all the state parks along the way like Long Key and Bahia Honda. The water is crystal clear and just amazing.

[thebalogas]

Oh, and I also forgot, if you want to take a break from driving for a day, you can go to Downtown Disney and shop or go to the hotels and walk around. We like to go to the Boardwalk. There are shops and restaurants and you can walk in a full circle and go to the Yacht Club and the Beach Club and the Dolphin and the Swan. Their lobbies are beautiful. They have a lake in the middle.and the Beach and Yacht club share a sand bottomed pool that is out of this world and there is an ice cream parlor if you are hot. We actually used to go there in the evening. There are clubs and a sports bar. There are a couple of really nice restaurants in the hotel, but you do need reservations. I think one is Ariels, my husband took me there or or anniversary one year. Don't let the guards at the gates intimidate you. They are there for guest protection, but all you have to tell them is that you have reservations at whatever restaurant is in that particular hotel or if you go to the boardwalk just say, I'm going to the Boardwalk. We used to go to the Disney properties after dinner all of the time and it was free.

[florida road dog]

Hi Vera--

Do both coasts, both the Atlantic and Gulf coasts offer very different beach experiences. On the Atlantic side, Daytona, Cocoa, New Smyrna, Ormond are all decent choices. We used to consider them all one big connected beach when me and my brother were younger, but they are quite different towns. Stop at Ron Jons in Cocoa off A1A, good place to shop for beach stuff and not too expensive. Yeah its touristy but still kinda cool. You can drive on the beach in Daytona, access off A1A and pay the fee (maybe $5 or $10), or just park in the lot and walk in (it's free). If you're a race fan, The Daytona 500 Experience is worth the time. There are also a few famous biker bars off of A1A if you like that kind of thing, though tthe big bike crowds will not be there during your visit.

There are some worthy state parks and attractions up I-95, such as Bulow and Tomoka, but St Augustine is probably the most noted and visited. It is a charming and historical town and well worth the time, but access it by driving up A1A, and not 95. It will take longer (an hour or so), but you will miss some nice scenery by using the interstate. Amelia Island is also up that way.

If you go south on 95, you can stop by Kennedy Space Center, a really cool place, Sebastian Inlet State Park, which is south of Melbourne, and the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, if you are into ecotours or just want to get close to Florida's nature.

To the west, is Sarasota, home of the Ringling Bros museum and the Dali museum, Tampa, a big city which may or may not be worth your time, Tarpon Springs if you like good Greek food, and Caladesi Island State Park, part of Honeymoon Island State Park, located in Dunedin, which is by Clearwater Beach. Caladesi is consistently voted one of the best beaches in the USA and it is well worth the time. You can also take trips to Sanibel and Captiva islands, which are located a few hours drive south.

As much as I love the Keys, they are simply too far to drive for the time you have. The Everglades, to be fully appreciated, needs a few days and some prior planning. In December you can go look at Miami Beach but there probably won't be much happening, since, by Florida standards, it is cold in december.