What to see in Florida?

[isbre]

I'm planning a east coast roadtrip this summer, see my plans here http://www.mazdas247.com/forum/showthread.php?p=4567407#post4567407.

I don't have much time driving though, but hints on places to see, things to do and maybe also forum members to meet would be appreciated.

btw: I have gotten the OK from Antoine to post multiple posts about my trip.

 

[EvilJen]

My only advice is to check out the FL beaches on both sides of the state. The Gulf side and the Atlantic side are very different. Not really much worth seeing in my neck of the woods (Tampa / St. Petersburg area) except the beaches. Good luck and have fun!

 

[JCell]

definitely check out Kennedy space center

 

[isbre]

My only advice is to check out the FL beaches on both sides of the state. The Gulf side and the Atlantic side are very different. Not really much worth seeing in my neck of the woods (Tampa / St. Petersburg area) except the beaches. Good luck and have fun!

I'll definitely figure out the difference in beaches. I'm going to drive through St. Peteresburg anyway, still nice to know that I will not miss anything if I haven't got to much time when I get that far.

definitely check out Kennedy space center

Thanks for the tip, I'll definitely check that out

Now that's 2... Thanks guys!

 

[dquarasr]

Are you planning any time for leisure?

Here's what I recommend:

Hit Sanibel / Captiva Islands on the West Coast - Near Fort Myers. Lots of nice relaxing places to stay. Our favorite place is Beachview Cottages on Sanibel Island. Individual cottages within walking distance of the beach (walking distance? Hell, they're only about 20 to 60 yards from the beach, private beach access!).

Lots of great places to eat on Sanibel.


On the east coast, there's the Space Center, like was previously mentioned. There's Delray Beach, just north of Boca, along Atlantic Avenue: lots of great restaurants.

Of course, there's South Beach in Miami, for a highly cosmopolitan and trendy experience - lots of beautiful people, expensive nightclubs, etc.

According to your map, the east coast stuff won't really work, but if you go on the West Coast of Florida, check out Naples and visit Tin City. If you are on the West Coast, I can't recommend Sanibel enough. Just dont go there and expect night life. Expect instead a place to kick back and RELAX.

Of course, if you're gonna end up at Key West, you can't go wrong. Go down to Mallory Square and see the sunset. In the Keys I recommend Lorelei's at about mile marker 79-80-81, or so. They were in receivership as of a month ago; I hope they don't close. If you do go, try to time it for lunch. They have the BEST dolphin sandwich (dolphin the fish, not the mammal) and really good frozen Rum Runners or Pina Coladas. Or get the Candy Cane, a striped mixture of both.

In Key West it's hard to not have a good time, so just about any place you visit will have, um, character.

Hope you enjoy your trip.

 

[isbre]

A very nice read! thanks for posting that up!

How much time I will have in Florida is hard to know. It all depends on how long it takes me to get down there, it might be mostly driving, but it may also be lots of things to spend time on and / or 247 members to meet, but I do hope to have some time for leisure in Florida.

I'll definitely find some nice restuarants on the east coast, experience the sunset in Key West and drive to Naples.

Thanks for all the hints.

 

[unwound]

You have gotta spend some time in St Augustine. Historic district is pretty slick; not to mention the fort and the lighthouse (you can go all the way up to the top). The best ghost tour I ever went on was there (some dude named Dion). They have a trolley to tool around town in as well.

Take a drive down through south beach in Miami as well. Its almost guaranteed you will see a few Ferrarri's, Lambo's, and many other exotic cars made.

And you cant go wrong with anything in Key West. Just takin a walk down Duvall Street is worth it. Sunset festival, six-toed cats, too much awesomness to list.

Catch a Rays game at Tropicana Field in St. Pete... if they are in town.

There are a couple books call One Tank Trips that might give you some more ideas as well.

 

[dquarasr]

You have gotta spend some time in St Augustine. Historic district is pretty slick; not to mention the fort and the lighthouse (you can go all the way up to the top). The best ghost tour I ever went on was there (some dude named Dion). They have a trolley to tool around town in as well.

Take a drive down through south beach in Miami as well. Its almost guaranteed you will see a few Ferrarri's, Lambo's, and many other exotic cars made.

And you cant go wrong with anything in Key West. Just takin a walk down Duvall Street is worth it. Sunset festival, six-toed cats, too much awesomness to list.

Catch a Rays game at Tropicana Field in St. Pete... if they are in town.

There are a couple books call One Tank Trips that might give you some more ideas as well.

^^^^^ What unwound said about St. Augustine. Really neat place to visit.

 

[isbre]

...
too much awesomness to list.
...

(cool) I like having much awsomeness options!

I ordered one of the One Tank Trips, probably a lot more local information in there than the Danish one I have covering all of USA.

 

[isbre]

Well, I'm in Florida now. I'm staying at at motel in St.Augustine now. Unfortunately I can't stay here longe before I have to get town to Miami tomorrow. I have a hotel booked from 17th to 19th, but to get back OK I might have to take the Key West trip on the 18th.

Anyways, if any one of you Miami / Key West members want to meet me, let me know!

 

[cold2568]

o man i just came back from key west today it was sick just walk up and down duval st and bar hop u must go to the garden of eaden (its a clothing optinal bar lol) umm cowboy bills is a cool bar do the sunset snorkal cruise from fury u go out on a boat at 5pm and u snokal on the 3rd largest coral reef in the world then u gt to see the sunset on the boat thats about all i did for 4 days bars most of the time but u should have a great time

 

[BillTheCat]

Another St. Petersburg option: The Salvador Dali Museum. If you're into that sort of thing. Don't know if I am posting this in time to help or not. If you were in Miami until the 19th, you may already be in, or have gone thru the Bay Area.

Clearwater Beach was once rated as having the best sand in the U.S. by some famous oceanographer at the University of Maryland who studies beaches. If that sort of thing interests you.

On the Tampa side of the Bay, there's also Lowry Park Zoo, Busch Gardens, Adventure Island. Bayshore Boulevard sports the world's longest uninterrupted sidewalk (side walk is right on the seawall on Tampa Bay... but the Bay smells like dead fish in simmering urine because it's so shallow there) Florida Aquarium and Channelside shops are only a trolley ride away from Ybor City- where you go for nightlife in Tampa. Ybor is also the Latin Quarter, and features the Columbia Restaurant, which is a Tampa landmark.

 

[EvilJen]

Clearwater Beach is nice, but since it's the summer right now, it's really touristy.

Another beach to hit up is Siesta Key in Sarasota. It's beautiful and it was also rated as having the whitest, best sand in the world, at one point.

+1 on the Dali Museum. There's also the Museum of Fine Arts in St. Pete.

 

[isbre]

I'm actually in Washington d.c. now and there isn't much time before I have to fly home and start working again. I'll probably return to the Miami area to try too see what I missed on this trip so keep this thread open for new ideas I and other forum members can use.

Here is some samples from what I did see in Florida:
I was meet with a warm welcome to the sunshine state:
<embed width="448" height="361" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" src="http://i299.photobucket.com/player.swf?file=http://vid299.photobucket.com/albums/mm303/isbre/Roadtrip/Sunshine-state.flv">
It was worse - far worse - when I got to Miami, but the video of that is in my video camera, and I don't have the converter program on the laptop...

I started in St. Augustine by going to the fort:

Including the "hidden" gunpowder storage room:

They were even kind enough to shoot a cannon for us:
<embed width="448" height="361" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" src="http://i299.photobucket.com/player.swf?file=http://vid299.photobucket.com/albums/mm303/isbre/Roadtrip/Cannon.flv">
(Sorry about the crappy quality)

I also visited Ripley believe it or not:

Then I drove down to Miami, mostly on A1A. Downtown I mostly drove around, saw some of the cruise ships docked, drove around in Miami beach and left for everglades:

Unfortunately we didn't see any family memebers of this guy:

I also visited Miccosukee music and trade festival while I was there:

Then it was time for Key West with a walk down duval st, a ride in a glass bottom boat and the southernmost point:

Next was Naples, but since I didn't have Corbs' contact information and it was raining I just drove through.

last city I visited in Florida was St. Augustine. Pretty much just drove around and took a ride on the dolphin cruise, only saw a couple of young ones like theese two:

We also cruised by the rich district of St. Petersburg, with houses like theese:

I wonder how many times theese houses gets photographed every day.

Thanks for all hints guys!

 

[mazdaspeedfreek]

true story when we had the jet ski we drove it up to the fort and they shot the cannon scared the s*** out of me lol