Dingdongler

Thinking of taking the kids to Florida in May/June. Obviously we'll be doing the Disney world thing for the kids but is there anything else to do?

I don't want to spend two weeks just wandering around theme parks, so is there anything else to do/see within a fair distance?

Thanks

Aaron1978

iTrader: (12)

I'm currently deciding on a holiday and fancied Florida, so i looked at other things to do and came across this. Not personal experience but might be of some help


http://www.uptake.com/blog/family-th...rida_3317.html

duckdo

hi there thers a cracking car show every saturday night in old town on the 192 wich a raod theres loads of shops there to keep her indoors busy two a few child frendly bars two i go fishing out there twice a year

Daryl

There's a million different things to do, so it depends what you like really. Shopping, bars, restaurants, golf, beaches, air-boat rides etc. Let us know what you like doing and what your budget is and I'm sure we'll think of something. How old are the kids?

Personally, I would recommend that you stay at the Waldorf Astoria or Hilton, which are side by side and 5 minutes from the parks. They aren't much to look at from the outside, but the rooms and facilities are great.

Dingdongler

Thanks.

Azz thanks for that link but it's all still amusement park type stuff. I want something that is not like that though I know I need to be more specific.
I don't even mind a short flight but I want to see some of the 'real' America and it's natural beauty.

Daryl, the budget is flexible and as mentioned above I want to see something of America that is not amusement park based. I have two small kids so bars etc are not really that important (though I do, ahem, like a drink, ahem) and shopping is not of interest either.

Thanks

Mrfastbaz

you could travel down to the everglades airboat rides, then move on down to the keys superb done it a couple of times its a fairly long drive from orlando but worth it about 350 ish miles from memory and remeber the speed limit is 65 and they enforce it highway patrol lurk on the interstate and use radar...but the keys driving over the bridges built over the ocean weird feeling when you lokk around and just see the sea no land really......

zip106

Yes, of course you are.

You can't wait to have your piccy taken with Minnie, can you?

Caged "R"

iTrader: (4)

We went over at Easter, did the theme parks for a week then hopped over to Miami for the winter music conference. Awesome!

FlightMan

Rent a villa. Your kids will be happy with a few 'pool days' to recover from the parks.

May/June? Google 'Love Bugs'

And if you want the real America, well in this case the real Florida, try Anna Maria Island.

nik52wrx

We have booked our family holiday in Florida. As we, as a family like beach holidays, we opted for a week in Disney then a week in Clearwater.
Not cheap but looking forward to it, roll on August!!
Nik.

Hysteria1983

+1 on the old town..... the sound of all those old V8 Pops and muscle cars roaring away...... mmmmmmm Oh Yes!!!

Like FlightMan said, rent a villa, don't stay too close to the centre, unless you don't want to sleep much that is.

Downtown Disney at night is great too even with the children before it gets late.

Honestly, there is so much to do opnce you are there, we didn't even manage to do all we wanted in the two weeks we were there.

The Zohan

Hire a car and travel down the Florida Keys to Key West - it is well worth the trip. Last time i went we stopped around half way (i'll try to remember the name of the place) hired a boat and went snorkelling, also went to an alligator farm and with out on an air-boat - both great fun!

Key west is fab - open pretty much all night, friendly and a great night out. you can do it in a day/nigh but allow 2-3 days.

here you go: http://www.fla-keys.com/islamorada/ and http://www.keywest.com/

Hemmingway loved it and lived their a long while so it can't be bad

Trout

iTrader: (1)

Learn to play banjo and head into the Everglades...

Go alligator hunting with a bow and arrow on Lake Okeechobee

Go bass fishing for trophy bass on Lake Okeechobee

Help clean up the oil spill on the Gulf coast

Check out the top class totty in Miami

Head offshore in a powerboat to do some drug smuggling

Eat yourself obese in Denny's and a variety of other much worse eateries


All things real Americans do in real America.

room 512

Don't forget to do the stingray shuffle if you are going into the sea

Dingdongler

Thanks.

I was thinking of flying from Florida to the Caribbean for one week but that seems like a waste of time as the beaches in Florida look really nice. So I want about 5 days in Disneyland/Universal studios/Bush gardens and then the remainder by a really nice beach. I'll have a car so will drive around and see NASA etc.

1) For Disney/bush gardens etc is it better to stay at a hotel (ie those advertised as being a 5 minute drive) or to hire a villa. If the latter what is the best area to stay in?

2) For the beach part Anna Maria island looks really nice. What is the THE best beach resort in Florida ie with the clearest water etc.


Thanks

Geezer

You won't see much of that in Florida to be honest! Unless you are down at the Keys, or some of the places on the Gulf coast, it's pretty much a swamp with stuff to do.

We went in October, and there's loads to do that isn't theme parks, but to be honest, they're not like the tat we have over that call themselves themes parks! I wasn't looking forward to going that much, but they were great. Didn't have enough time to see them all actually.

Depending on how old your kids are pretty much decides how the holiday will shape up. If they are really small, I wouldn't bother at all, go somewhere in Europe.

Geezer

FlightMan

Ding I've done Florida with the family 3 times in the last 4 years. We stay in the Championsgate area. Lots of local shops, restaurants and its 5 mins from I4. From there your 10 mins to Disney maingate.

Best beach and water I've found is Anna Maria. Nothing on the island is more than two stories, no chain restaurants. It's proper old school Florida, but it is pricey. From Championsgate its 1hr 40 min away down I4. Busch Gardens is 45 mins away.

Not sure how old your kids are but KSC is worth a visit. 60 mins from Championsgate. My two girls, 11 and 7 loved it, much to my surprise.

jods

http://www.daytonainternationalspeed...xperience.aspx


Done this - Awesome

We fly out on 29th April (Royal Wedding Day)

martin850

iTrader: (51)

I went a couple of years ago for the fist time and loved it, we are planning to go again next year as my son will be nearly two so will enjoy it more. We stayed in a villa with a nice pool and jacuzee which was a great way to unwind at the end of the day after walking around the parks and malls and would keep the kids happy whilst in it.

As for what to do with the kids all the mentioned are great ideas. Not sure it has been said already but wet and wild water park is always a winner with kids and obviously Disney world which has several different parks in one.

Sea world is also great for kids with plenty of animals to see and some amazing shows (dolphins etc )

Downtown Disney is great for something to do in the evenings with some nice restaurants including a dinosaur themed one and the obligatory planet Hollywood.

Hope this helps you mate, whatever you descide to do you and your family will have a treat time

Daryl

1) It's personal preference really - have done both and each has its advantages. If you only want to stay for 5 days, I would suggest a hotel, because you won't have much time to relax in the villa. Agree with Flightman about the ChampionsGate area though - we've stayed in a villa at Reunion several times and it's a fantastic place.

2) The best beach resort I've been to is the Ritz-Carlton in Naples, but it's a bit of a long drive. There are lots of good beaches on the Gulf coast, including Anna Maria, Longboat Quay, Lido Key and Siesta Key, which are all in the Sarasota/Bradenton area. I've stayed at the Ritz-Carlton in Sarasota a couple of times and the Beach Club (on Lido Key) is fantastic.

If you want really clear water and brilliant beaches though, you should go to Roatán, Honduras - unbelievable!

SJ_Skyline

The museum of speed and Nascar passenger laps at Daytona

Dingdongler

Thanks to all.

Flightman where did you stay in Championsgate and Anne Marie island.

What is ksc??

Daryl, how far is the Ritz Carlton from Championsgate? When I'm staying at one of the beach resorts is it still worthwhile me having a hire car then?

And a general question, is everything back to normal after the oil spill on the gulf coast?

Thanks again

FlightMan

KSC = Kennedy Space Centre.

In Orlando we've stayed at Watersong and Lake Wilson Preserve. Both villas we rented through The Dibb. Google it. Lake Wilson was nicer, but only if your really picky.

In Anna Maria we stayed at;

http://rentals.amgcrentals.com/RNS/s...il.aspx?ID=446
which was without a doubt the most perfect place I've ever stayed in.

And here:
http://www.annamariabeachcottages.com/cottage-107.htm which was only for 3 days , we discovered Anna Maria sort of by accident.


And here (actually Bradenton Beach not Anna Maria): (ignore the cheesy music!)
http://www.tecdiv.com/tours/tradewinds/tw004.html

The website is here.

http://www.tradewinds-resort.com/

Any other questions just ask mate.

Daryl

It's about 100 miles. You don't need a car at the resort because they provide regular complimentary transportation between the hotel and beach club (a 10 minute drive). It also stops at St Armands Circle on the way, where there are lots of shops and restaurants.

Fortunately, the oil never reached the beaches in that area - I was in Sarasota last June at the peak of the Deepwater Horizon spill, but fortunately the wind and currents kept the oil away.