The Zohan

Beemerboy
No car is secure, if a car jacker is going to take it then they will do, you think a door skin or a windscreen will stop a round, as you say think on...

If someone is going to break into the car then they will do, we used to leave the Mustang with the roof down or the windows open most of the time to prevent it being damaged, bit of a pian if it rains but it soon dried out, besides it was a rental.

If you drive what the locals drive then you tend to fit in more

If you bothererd to read what i said it makes you look less like a foreign tourist so less like a soft target than all the rest of them driving about in their hired tourist mobiles.

Having done this six or seven time i do know from experience

[Edited by Paul Habgood - 5/1/2003 5:52:54 PM]

Thunderbird555

At the end of July, I have to go to a meeting in Orlando . After this is over, myself and a colleague are going to hire a car for a week and go touring around the coast. We are thinking about driving down one coast and back up the other. We want to do some touristy stuff but plenty of relaxing and sunbathing too.

Has anybody got any recommendation of places we should definitely see, or anywhere to be avoided at all cost. If any one has done this, is it easy to get reasonable, but cheap, accomodation as you go along (thereby allowing us to be flexible) or should we be more organised and plan our route and book accommodation before we go?

The Zohan

Hire a convertable or a Grand Cherokee Jeep if you have a lot of luggage, not a sub compact or compact you will look less like a foreign tourist, if you do get rear ended drive to a Police station before stopping if you do not want a 'cap in yer ***'


Try one of the Alligator farms, the airboat trip is the bollox, keep yer hands out of the water or your mate will be opening your beers for you for the rest of your life!


Florida keys is just the business, stayed in Key Largo, cannot remember the name of the place but it was big and it was brill. Did not book just turned up

We drove from Key largo to Key West at around 21:00hrs in a convertable Mustang - roof down music loud hot and humid - one of the best drives of my life

Drive down to Key West for the nightlife, it goes on all night 'till sunrise it is jus amaizing, hard to explain but it really is just the bollox

The keys are just fab the people are generally friendly and laid back- Hire a boat c/w captain for 1/2 day for $ 100.00 or so - do some snorkeling or scuba - if this is your thing.

I will go back some time soon and spend a couple of weeks.



[Edited by Paul Habgood - 5/1/2003 6:24:07 PM]

beemerboy

yeah, these are safe and secure cars aren't they???

think on....

BB

terzo42

daytona beach is awesome you get all the bikers and posers drivin up and down the beach which is 22 miles long i think,you can park on the beach ,hire a boogie board and see if you can break your nose when a rouge wave wipes you out,pretty cool place

The Zohan

If you want real style then might be worth looking at classic car rentals as well, last time i was in Arizona we drove down to Huntingdon Beach, half way beytween LA and San Diego - we hired a Mustang and a Harley which was fun, the Harley literally weighted a ton but was OK on the move and a good way to get about

super_si

definatly Kenndy space center.

not sure what its like now, i know a shuttles due around that time.

I know theyve not returned to lauch yet, theyve said there going to shoot it up anyway for the ISS.

Si

P1Fanatic

I found Kennedy was about a half day tops. Unless you are there on a shuttle launch day (they have them on the launch pad a couple of weeks before take off).

Take a helicopter flight over disney etc - amazing view and not too pricey.

Daytona Speedway - 4 laps in a Nascar at 170mph is about $90. We went during monster truck festival.

Plenty of dunkin donuts washed down with ice cold dirt cheap Bud.

Go shooting. Universal weapons near Wet n Wild Orlando is great. Mp5's, Uzi's, deagles etc. If you like guns then dont pass up the chance.

Bungee rocket, sky coaster in Old Town, Kissimmee.

Sky venture (sky diving in a wind tunnel - not many in the entire world) - opposite wet n wild.

Loads more I cant think of.

Simon.

The_Lizard

In the Orlando area, consider seeing Wekiwa Spring on the north side of town, or Blue Spring State Park a little bit farther north.

St. Augustine has the old Spanish fort and old town, more relaxed than Orlando. Cross out to Vilano Beach for the Fiddlers Green restaurant, and driving on the beach...



See the Keys if you have time, nothing else like it. The Everglades parks are mostly the "sea of grass" with occasional hammocks (islands) of hardwoods.

Wherever you go, EAT SEAFOOD!

DEEDEE

Been 4 times and the only advice I will give you is GO. You will not be dissapointed. GO GO GO

ariel

Must see the Kennedy Space centre. Everglades just to say you've done the airboat thing. Keys are good too tho a bit of a long drive to the end.
Take a look in the coffee shops (I can't remember the name), you can find books of vouchers for Motels etc and find you get a good discount on some brill places to stay.

Flyboy-F33

Great night life around the south beach area of Miami, but I would deffo recommend Key West. Its a bit of a drive but well worth the effort.

merkin

I think Sanibel / Captiva islands on the Gulf coast are beautiful.
Just north of naples

lovely white sandy beaches, great watersports and very relaxing.
(the north end of captiva voted one of the top 10 beaches in the world)

The only place i've swum in the sea with dolphins literally popping up everywhere next to you.

FOr accomodation there a good start would be to check www.sanibel.com

SUNDAY DRIVER

Rollercoasters at Buschgardens are a must-also Naples is a beautiful town.Thomas Edison/Henry Ford homes are also a good way 2 spend 1/2 a day.

beemerboy

Paul Habgood, i wasnt being funny mate, i didn't realise how serious car crime is out there lately.

i was thinking more about the saftey of possessions, rather than personal safety.

is it still dodgy being an "obvious" tourist??

surely the safest measure would be to dress up like a yank.
you know, where non-co-ordinating clothes, shove a pillow under your shirt, go round whooping and punching the air, eat doughnuts continuously, laugh falsely at jokes, that kind of thing!!!

or buy a gun (no, not really!!)

my brother has a place in Florida, and funnily enough, i have no real urge to visit the place, other than for disneyworld when beemerbaby gets a bit older!!!

BB

CarpetCleaner

Key West is great if you are an **** bandit....full of queers

The Zohan

BB

Sorry that i took it the wrong way

Not sure just how bad car crime is at the mo, just i always try not to look too much like a tourist. I do however like your suggestions on how to fit in – ‘Non co-ordinating clothing’ – Hehe!

The_Lizard

As I like to joke when I visit my sister in Miami: "Don't stop, they'll pick you out."



Here is something from Miami humorist Dave Barry:

Visitors' guide to South Florida

GEOGRAPHY: For eons, South Florida was completely under water. Now, fortunately, this happens only a couple of times a year.

Modern-day South Florida is bounded to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, which provides the area with an abundant natural supply of people on rafts; and to the west by the Everglades, a precious ecological resource containing the world's largest known deposit of free-range muck. The only significant formation between these two major geographic features is Interstate 95, which was left here by glaciers, and when you see it, you will understand why.

CLIMATE: Thanks to its southern location and proximity to the Gulf Stream, South Florida is not subject to the constant nagging ''change of seasons'' that plagues so much of the nation. Instead, the region enjoys a year-round tropical climate that is very similar, in both temperature and humidity, to your armpit.

POPULATION: South Florida is a real ''melting pot'' whose residents come from all over the world, bringing with them a wide variety of languages, cultures, narcotics, etc. Despite our differences, we South Floridians are united by a common belief, which is that every one of us, regardless of race, or religion, or ethnic background, could be armed.

ECONOMY: The largest single industry in South Florida is pest control, followed by sprinkler repair, wiretapping, snake importing and begging at intersections.

SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT: Elections are held at regular intervals as ordered by the courts, with turnout ranging as high as 347 voters, of whom as many as 153 may actually be the same voter, who is not always technically alive. The officials elected via this process traditionally serve for three months or until they are indicted, whichever comes first.

Then we have new elections, usually resulting in the same officials being reelected, because South Florida voters prefer experienced leaders who will ''hit the ground running'' and not waste a lot of time shopping for defense attorneys.

DRIVING: South Florida traffic operates under international standards, under which each motorist obeys the laws of his or her individual country of origin.

The proud motto of the South Florida motorist is ``Death Before Yielding.''

MASS TRANSIT: Miami is blessed with a modern, interconnected light-rail transit system. If you figure out how it works, please let us know.

NIGHTLIFE: The hottest night spot is South Beach where, on any given evening, you'll find thousands of fun-seekers staying up until the ''wee hours'' in their never-ending quest to find a parking space.

Once you find a spot for your car (allow two days for this), you can take your pick among literally dozens of nightclubs that offer hot music, cold drinks and large men outside refusing to let you in because you are, no offense, from Iowa. Or, if you're in the ''mood for food,'' you can go to the world-famous Joe's Stone Crab restaurant and experience, as many thousands have experienced before you, a legendary, world-class wait for a table.

MUSEUMS: Right. Like you would ever go to a museum.

TOURIST ATTRACTIONS: Probably our biggest tourist attraction is naked Europeans on the beach. To find them, walk along the beach until you start seeing people without any bathing suits; these are your naked Europeans.

When you see them, act cool. Don't stare or shout: ''Hey! You people are NAKED!'' Instead, walk back and forth past them 45 or 50 times, sneaking peeks while pretending that you're looking for some object that you lost in the sand. It helps if you periodically remark aloud: ``I'm looking for some object that I lost in the sand!''

A LIMITED GUIDE

Of course, this visitors' guide can only ''scratch the surface'' of the kaleidoscope of people and places and insects that make up South Florida. To really get the flavor of this fascinating community, you need to get out and explore it at your own pace.

So just kick back, have fun, and remember: Your pace should be 75 miles per hour, and your doors should be locked.

P1Fanatic

Two main driving tips:

1. You can overtake in any lane on dual carriageway style roads.
2. You can turn right even when lights are red.

Simon.

Thunderbird555

Thanks for all the advice Keep it coming!!

We definately want to steer away from theme parks - we're going to be in Orlando for 5 days anyway on the work part of the trip, and we've both been there before. That's why we decided we wanted to do something different once we moved onto holiday mode.

Ninnybobs

The best day in Florida I have ever had started with a visit to Captain John's Airboat rides. 2 hours in the airboats spotting gators, bald eagles etc.
As it was on the way to the coast, we followed that with an afternoon at Kennedy Space Centre.
Marvellous!!!!!!
Also, Orlando Science museum if fantastic for 1/2 a days entertainment.
Tried the keys, didn't like it.
Wish I was going

Martin

Diesel

Dont get this huge car safety thing here? I used to ride 'round on a mega noisy Harley (awful flash agricultural thing ) in Miami no probs. Miami Beach is full of such similarly awful posers and open topped tossers that do this daily . There are rougher parts of course where one should not dangle one's Rolex'd hand out of the window, but then you'd be pretty stupid to stop and do that in Hackney or Bristol!

Chrysler Sebring convertibles are cheap to rent, but watch out for getting rear ended over there - the drivers are such muppets and drive into the back of each constantly. It happened within 15" of getting in a cab last week, at the bl@@dy airport!!!

Enjoy and make sure you drive down The Keys and see The Everglades.

D

midget1500

"2. You can turn right even when lights are red."

not at all junctions, but then it will say "no turn on red"

edison/ford homes - defo. worth seeing, as is the space center, etc.