Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Im trying to book a vacation for somewhere in florida on feb, 18-22nd.
Not sure where to go? Thinking of Ft Myers, Marco Is, Fort Lauderdale area or maybe Key West. I want balmy weather so we can snorkle or go fishing. Some say the gulf side would be best for that cause the water is warmer.
Im concerned about the weather in Florida around that time of the year and i see that its been cold down there now. Maybe it'd be better in march???
any help on what to do or where to go, or best airports to fly into would be awesome!! We've been researching all the travel sites but it seems so overwehlming, time for booking is short.
the temps get progressively better on average as you get toward late February, and March is generally pretty reliable for beach weather. We are in a cold snap, but the forecast puts us back over 80 by Saturday. Pay attention to March break and ending up in the middle of a 24-7 frat party whereever you are that time of year. Dec-Feb you have to watch the 15 day forecast and be prepared to bail or put up with cold weather.
as a general comment, if you get one week off in the winter and NEED a nice warm break, and can't cancel if the weather turns cold, go south of Cuba in Dec-Feb, which means Antigua or south of that, Mexico or Central America.
You could fly into SWF airport, rent a car, and treat the entire zone from Marco to Port Charlotte as one play zone. Lots to do in the way of fishing, airboat rides, beach parks, historic sites, everglades boardwalk parks, kayaking, shopping - mix of urban and nature. The hotel on the bayside of Lovers Key has been highly recommended here.
The keys are like going to a small Caribean island and having limited choices, which might be fine for a short trip. There is also the ferry from FM to KW to consider for a day trip or sleep over.The drive down the keys is something that should be on everyones bucket list.
Don't know where the snorkelling areas are. I believe Bahia Honda beach on the keys is good for this...not sure. MY BIL reports that the water just off the north end of FM beach is teaming with fish...so much he was afraid to walk in out in the water to take a dip.
Im trying to book a vacation for somewhere in florida on feb, 18-22nd.
Not sure where to go? Thinking of Ft Myers, Marco Is, Fort Lauderdale area or maybe Key West. I want balmy weather so we can snorkle or go fishing.
First suggestion is to use the search feature on this forum. There are many threads on this subject.
Regarding the time to visit, as you can see from the current temperature of 31 degrees, there are never any guarantees. Yes, March is usually very pleasant, but the Gulf of Mexico is still very cold to me. It depends on your tolerance. The average water temperature in Feb is 66 degrees in Naples. I prefer swimming in 80 degree water, so I wait until June. The very unusual arctic blast we're getting might have an effect on the water temperature in Feb, but I'm not a meteorologist, so I can't say for sure. The further south you go, the warmer the water will be. Right now the Gulf is 54 degrees in Naples and 61 in Key West. Not exactly bath water.
Keep in mind that Feb/Mar are the busiest months in Florida. It's commonly known as "Season" in the retail/hotel business and the rates are significantly higher than after Easter. Obviously, this is the time of year when people want to escape the bitter cold up north.
You can take or leave this small piece of advice from a seasoned traveler. (now I live in Florida so I'm too poor to take a vacation!) If you only have 4 nights, don't hop around from place to place. I've done that a few times and always wonder why I didn't learn from my past mistakes. You will be spending most of your time checking in and out of hotels and fighting the very heavy traffic we get this time of year.
My advice for a short stay is Sanibel Island. Here is the link to the [URL="http://www.sanibel-captiva.org/"]Chamber of Commerce[/URL]. Both Sanibel and Captiva have nice beaches and a lot of restaurants, shops and enough to keep you busy for 4 or 5 days. You can always take a trip to Fort Myers Beach which is 15 minutes away to enjoy its lively entertainment or just to people watch.
Our airport in Fort Myers is an International Airport. The code should still be RSW for Southwest Regional, but it's now called Southwest International.
If you go to the Keys, keep in mind that there is one long road called Route 1 which goes through the towns. So you're often not traveling at 70mph and it can take 3 or more hours to get from Key Largo to Key West. If you decide to stay in the Keys, just pick a spot. The beaches on the Keys aren't my favorite, since many of the them are man made. Yes, Bahia Honda State Park is nice as Kroeran wrote, and the water is crystal clear, but you can walk for 10 minutes and still be only knee deep. (at least you won't drown) It might also be mobbed in February. However, you can rent snorkeling gear or go kayaking, bird watching, and have a great time. Key West is a lot of fun for tourists and has great entertainment. Again, don't expect to get a table quickly in February.
Just a suggestion - if you're only here for a short time, don't overpack since most people who visit wear shorts & tees. You're not camping out in the wilderness, so if you forget something, you can always run into a local CVS. Take a lightweight jacket or sweater in case the evenings are cool. Chances are it will be 75 to 80 during the day and 55 to 60 at night.
Kroeran suggested some destinations that are not in the U.S. and will require a Passport. If you have the money to travel to the Virgin Islands, go to St John or St Croix for snorkeling. You won't need a Passport, but you might have to take off your underwear before boarding.
Last edited by justNancy; 01-11-2010 at 01:36 AM..
Reason: add link
I agree with justNancy ~ Sanibel is a great place to vacation.... you can take a dolphin cruise, play golf, or just sit on the beach & enjoy the sunsets.
"[SIZE=2]Sanibel and Captiva Islands are two of the loveliest barrier islands in the country. Once connected, a hurricane severed the two islands at Blind Pass, and each has developed its own personality, though both cater to upscale winter vacationers. While the islands are known for their first-class amenities, there is room for nature lovers to explore. No high-rises are allowed, and even concrete and asphalt are limited as parking lots tend to be sandy areas under the shade of the large casuarina trees. Because these Australian pine trees are an exotic (non-native) species, the state of Florida has decided to chop them down all along the coast. I believe that this would be a tragic mistake as there are few other large, shade-providing trees that can live so close to the water's edge. One of my joys is to drive my convertible through the lush tunnel of vegetation created by the casua-rina trees on the south end of Captiva Island; I cannot image this experience being eliminated by environmental zealots. Oranges, after all, which appear on Florida's license plate, are exotics; these trees were brought to America from China.
http://www.drbeach.org/drbeach/florida_golfcoast/pictures/sanibel_stoop.jpg (broken link)Sanibel is known as the best shelling beach in the country. The hard-packed sand at the water's edge, where the shells are plentiful, makes for an easy stroll and the casuarina trees provide shade, making Sanibel the Best Walking Beach in the Gulf. So many people lean over to pick up shells that this posture even has a name - the "Sanibel stoop". Whelks, cones, periwinkles, fighting conch, coquina, fan, lion's paw, and sunray venus are in plentiful supply along the 14 miles of beach. The best time to go shelling here or elsewhere is after the January or February coastal storms when big waves drive the shells ashore by the thousands. Sanibel hosts a Shell Fair in March, and serious shell collectors travel from around the world to meet their fellow conchologists at this event. The Bailey-Matthews Shell Museum on Sanibel is a great place to determine the types of shells that you have picked up along the shore. Seashells are considered by many as the Gulf's greatest gifts.
While the wave action is gentle and the water warm, this is not the best beach for swimming. The water is murky because the shells are being eroded out of a fine-grained matrix on the lower beachface. Sting rays also come close to shore on Sanibel's beaches, which introduces another problem for bathers and swimmers. The "Sanibel shuffle" is recommended wherein you stomp your feet and splash the water to make noise upon entering so that the rays will swim away even if they cannot see you.
Sanibel is also known for its restrictions on growth and preservation of nature. I have often spotted large gopher tortoises on the upper beach and dune areas grazing upon various plants and fruits. There are also "gator crossings" along the bayside. The real preserve is at nearby Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge, the home of numerous wildlife, including large birds like egrets, osprey, and roseate spoonbills.
The water is somewhat clearer and the shell deposits correspondingly less impressive on Captiva Island. The crowds have abated and the pace is slower here; the best way to really absorb the island environment and ambience is by bicycle. According to Florida folklore, the name Captiva was derived from the days of Gasparilla, the pirate who allegedly held kidnap victims here. Today, no one has to be forced to come to Captiva; the South Seas Plantation is one of Florida's top destination resorts and a favorite for weddings and honeymoons.
The Gulf beach at Captiva Island has had an erosion problem. While the major development is on the bay side, no one could bear to watch a greenway of the golf course slowly turn into a total sand trap. Because the South Seas Plantation is a private resort and there is no public access at the golf course, this area was not eligible for federal funding through the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which has restored hundreds of beaches elsewhere along the nation's coasts. At a property-owners association meeting, the hat was passed to pay for the sand pumping, and a whopping $6 million was collected. Just wish I had been the one passing the hat! Captiva has maintained its beach by the seasonal population of "old money." "
The Sanibel Shuffle that is mentioned in the above article isn't usually necessary in February. However, I want to add that stingrays are beautiful, gentle creatures that are often victims of fishing hooks. The reason people are told to shuffle their feet is to make a little noise & vibration that the rays will hear/feel. Then they will swim away. I used to swim in water surrounded by hundreds of stingrays. I thought of a water ballet as they'd glide by. Not once was I ever harmed.
Well, this thread isn't about water safety, but I wanted to mention sandbars. That's where the best snorkeling is, but it's also where sharks feed. So don't be foolish. Most of the time they're in more danger from humans than we are from them. Although rare, most attacks are on the East Coast. AFAIK only 4 people (out of millions) were bitten last year. We see more of them in the summer months. Again, I lived on Sanibel for 2 years and Bonita Beach for 13 and I never had any trouble. Although I'm a terrible swimmer (so I don't go out too far) I used to practically live in the water. (Hey, I'm a Pisces!)
I want to make another suggestion to people who plan to stay on Sanibel or Captiva. Some of the beaches are loaded with shells. It's best to buy some beach mocs which are available at any drugstore or Walmart for $10 than to get a bad cut on the bottom of your foot. That's also true in the Keys or anywhere you see lots of sea shells & coral. Maybe the Sports Illustrated models don't wear them with their swimsuits, but comfort is more important than high fashion. However, some people like to buy the Land's End or Speedo shoes. Amazon has lots of water shoes from $15 to over $100. For me, these $15 shoes do the same job as the $100 shoes. [URL="http://www.amazon.com/Speedo-Womens-Wavewalker-Black-Pink/dp/B001IBJ1IC/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=shoes&qid=1263239418&sr=1-4"]Speedo[/URL]
A 6 foot bull shark was just caught from shore on Sanibel... no doubt sharks are very close to shore.A pic is in this weeks Island Sun.
Foot wear for the water is a great idea ~ there is a Croc outlet on Summerlin about 2 miles before causeway. I bought Crocs for young nieces at 2 bucks a pair in October.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
