I am asking for some good info about Florida. Really. I mean, some of you have been there, no?

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So my wife and I have decide to go to Florida in a couple of weeks. Why Florida? Because:
1/ Really cheap flights
2/ Want to go where its warm, and inexpensive
3/ Lack of imagination (little help in ideas on a previous post)
4/ Both of us have never been

But because we've never been, we're at a loss for specifically where to go. Here's what we think we know already, and some questions:

1/ Would like to spend time on a low-key beach (we've hardly ever done that, but we're both primed for some of that right now
2/ Would like to stay away from the cliche springbreaky sights filled with drunk tennagers (I live in Windsor...I can see drunk kids from Michigan and Ohio any weekend
3/ Heard that St.Augustine is worth seeing. Is it? What else in that area?
4/ Someone told me for a really cheap and relaxing time, go to where all the old folks are. Is this true, or BS, and if its true, where is this?
5/ I'd like to spend a day in Lakeland to see the Tigers.
6/ What about the Everglades?
7/ Is the Gulf coast more easy going that the east coast?
8/ Not interested AT ALL in any the themed parkedness.

Again, any help would be appreciated.

― peepee (peepee), Sunday, 27 February 2005 01:25 (twenty-one years ago)

I've been. I kid of hate it without reservation but I'm always told there are pockets of niceness. The Everglades are certainly worth a visit.

Disney World is fun, though!

― adam.r.l. (nordicskilla), Sunday, 27 February 2005 01:28 (twenty-one years ago)

tampa has the trashosaurus!

― jbr (Jody Beth Rosen), Sunday, 27 February 2005 01:34 (twenty-one years ago)

how could you not want to visit the magic kingdom, the happiest place on earth?

― phil-two (phil-two), Sunday, 27 February 2005 01:35 (twenty-one years ago)

i'm sorta curious about this book, even though it's an obvious ripoff of the new jersey one.

― jbr (Jody Beth Rosen), Sunday, 27 February 2005 01:39 (twenty-one years ago)

I really like northern Florida - like around Ft Walton Beach and Destin.

― luna (luna.c), Sunday, 27 February 2005 01:41 (twenty-one years ago)

peepee, it sounds like you want Sanibel Island!! I'm no expert on Florida, but I think you'd like it. The first time I ever went to Florida as a kid, my parents took me there and i loved it. Granted this was about 25 years ago, but um, my memories of it are pretty strong, and it definitely doesn't feel like a drunken college kid place. It's pretty serene. I have a great picture somewhere of a 9 nine year-old Stormy's encounter with a gigantic turtle along the beach.

It's on the Gulf Coast so yeah it is probably quieter over there. And it is directly west of the glades, so you could check them out. And you could fly in to Tampa/St. Pete and it's probably a 2 hour drive south of there. And at some point coming or going, you could scoot over to Lakeland as that is right next to Tampa. Go Tigers!! (i'm actually pretty excited about them this year myself. so glad they got Maggs; living in Chicago I've watched and admired his whole career since he was a September call-up)

― Stormy Davis (diamond), Sunday, 27 February 2005 02:37 (twenty-one years ago)

Aside to Stormy: Maggs' knee worth the risk then?

― peepee (peepee), Sunday, 27 February 2005 02:41 (twenty-one years ago)

with that contract, most emphatically yes worth the risk! the Tigers got him to sign a contract which basically allows them to cut him immediately if the problem recurs (bone marrow edema or whatever it's called) and voids the rest of the years. So they are well protected. Only thing is, they are paying him a ton of money over the length of that contract should he serve it out. But hey, it's Ilitch's money, and it looks like he finally wants to spend some on the Tigers!

― Stormy Davis (diamond), Sunday, 27 February 2005 02:52 (twenty-one years ago)

No complaints with Pudge's contract after the season he had last year!

I quickly checked out Sanibel Island and looks good, just like you said. Also saw this place, which got rave reviews:

http://www.sanibel-westend.com/

Any idea of the temperature (water and atmospheric) for mid-March?
What are the beaches like? My hope is that seafood is abundant and relatively cheap!

― peepee (peepee), Sunday, 27 February 2005 02:59 (twenty-one years ago)

hmmm ... yeah, I'm not sure I can really speak to the temperature. I can't even remember what time of year it was when we visited. I'm sure it would be fine, though. it's Florida! I don't remember it being too crowded though, the beaches are nice. and yeah, as that site mentioned, lots of wildlife on the island. I remember playing lots of shuffleboard at the resort where we stayed, which is always a sure sign of an older crowd!

― Stormy Davis (diamond), Sunday, 27 February 2005 03:11 (twenty-one years ago)

Go to Ft. Lauderdale and look for a houseboat called the Busted Flush.

― Curious George Rides a Republican (Rock Hardy), Sunday, 27 February 2005 03:31 (twenty-one years ago)

whereever you go make sure beforehand it's not a spring break locale

― j blount (papa la bas), Sunday, 27 February 2005 03:46 (twenty-one years ago)

my folks go to this place on the panhandle called grayton beach, it's about 20 miles from destin. it's really nice, not touristy. calm waves, big clattery old houses for rent. (and it's not far from the bizarro-town of seaside, where every house is a pastel color and no one is allowed to drive! (and where the truman show was filmed, i think.))

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Sunday, 27 February 2005 08:40 (twenty-one years ago)

rock hardy your suggestion sounds somewhat malodorous

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Sunday, 27 February 2005 08:41 (twenty-one years ago)

seaside's one of them disney fake towns like celebration right?

― j blount (papa la bas), Sunday, 27 February 2005 10:15 (twenty-one years ago)

Any other ideas before I book a flight?

― peepee (peepee), Monday, 28 February 2005 17:57 (twenty-one years ago)

Also look for flights into Fort Meyers (RSW) .. it's further South on the Gulf side - there are often cheap flights and there are a lot of places within driving distance.

― dave225 (Dave225), Monday, 28 February 2005 18:12 (twenty-one years ago)

Actually, our right now plan is to fly to Ft. Myers!

― peepee (peepee), Monday, 28 February 2005 18:15 (twenty-one years ago)

seaside isn't a disney town, it's just naturally weird

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Monday, 28 February 2005 18:17 (twenty-one years ago)

three weeks pass...

Thank you ILE!!!!!

Sanibel Island was so laidback and wonderful. I highly recommend it, especially the place we stayed at (see above). The everglades were amazing. I was shocked at how much I enjoy it (esp. Shark Valley) because I'm not really into that nature crap. Watched the Tigers play the Devil Rays as my wife read her novel (odd to see two teams play a game and not try so hard to win). Then off to St. Augustine, which was less great, but then again, the weather was terrible at that point.

Thanks again for the great advice!

― peepee (peepee), Wednesday, 23 March 2005 18:15 (twenty years ago)

five months pass...

I'm going to Florida in two weeks' time - a week in Orlando then a week in St Pete Beach. Obviously we're going for all the theme park stuff but is there anything else in Orlando we should do? And any decent restaurants / bars downtown?

― Mog, Friday, 9 September 2005 09:54 (twenty years ago)

Fuck, I don't know. I went to Orlando for the first time in six years recently so I don't know what's there, and I've never been to St. Pete Beach (and I've only been to the Tampa Bay area once, and that was when I was 9 to see a hockey game). Sorry.

― Ian Riese-Moraine: Let this bastard out, and you'll get whiplash! (Eastern Mantr, Friday, 9 September 2005 12:02 (twenty years ago)

six months pass...

Revive!

So I am headed to Miami at the end of the month for a wedding and then off to the Everglades for a few days camping. Can someone recommend places to see/avoid while in either places? Great beach spots, great galleries, clubs, bars, museums, restaurants, etc?

Good camping spots in the Everglades? Is the end of april, beginning of May a bad time to try to camp in the Everglades. I have heard it's rainy and mosquitos are awful. Your thoughts?

I'm curious about the FL Keys too. Worth visiting?

Also, where does Robert Rauschenburg live? Is that town worth checking out?

I searched the archives and every Miami or Florida related thread seemed to die on the vine. Does no one have anything positive to say about that place?

― ianinportland (ianinportland), Wednesday, 5 April 2006 21:56 (nineteen years ago)

sorry, i don't.

― mookieproof (mookieproof), Wednesday, 5 April 2006 22:04 (nineteen years ago)

Also, where does Robert Rauschenburg live? Is that town worth checking out?

he lives either on sanibel or captiva island, i forget which. they're nice, if a bit expensive.

― hstencil (hstencil), Wednesday, 5 April 2006 22:10 (nineteen years ago)

I know someone who moved there and didn't like it.

― Rockist_Scientist (RSLaRue), Wednesday, 5 April 2006 22:25 (nineteen years ago)

Yeah, south Florida is realll nice in March, when it's not too 'hot'....

― beachy, Thursday, 6 April 2006 03:36 (nineteen years ago)

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