Florida vacation - what to see?

[Slaughter]

Hi guys

 

I'm going to Florida this summer with my girlfriend, and would like some tips on what to see and do. We land in Miami on June 29th, and leave Miami on July 14th. A few things we have considered:

- Licking sun and reading books on the beach (Miami beach, Fort Lauderdale etc.)

- Kennedy Space Center (yeah, I love space and sci-fi )

- Some theme parks (Epcot, Waterworld etc.)

- Shopping (for the girlfriend, Miami Beach etc.)

- Going to Key West, Orlando etc.

- Going to Bahamas for a few days (maybe a cruise from Florida to there)

 

We don't have a lot of time with just over 14 days, and I don't like stressful vacations, but we'd like to experience as much as we can. Any advice would be welcome!

 

Olav

[Space Voyager]

I hear there's gators to be found... And elderly people.

[Thorondor]

I do have one suggestion, Slaughter: how about you stop by and say hi to the good Doctor ? ZuckerDoc lives there, remember?

 

::

 

I still have his e-mail address. If you want to surprise him and need directions, telephones, etc. PM me: I have detailed files... :D

 

And if you do go by, give him my best...

[Zombie]

Have you checked with Florida's official tourist page on the net? Lots of great stuff there.

 

Gee, there is so much to do in Florida other than the beach life. I don't know what your spending limit is for your vacation either, so that makes it a little difficult to suggest activities but I'll give it a go. First off, you'll be in the US on July 4th which is Independence Day so stick close to a major city that day (I'd suggest Miami). There isn't going to be much to do that day anyway as most businesses and attractions will be closed for the day and the weekend but in the morning there is usually a parade while in the evening there are fireworks (check the date though, some cities have fireworks the day before or even the day after the 4th). I'd try to get on top of a roof somewhere to watch them, but if you don't mind being elbow-to-elbow you can always battle it out on the beach for prime real estate. If you are really adventurous (and have money to burn), you could charter a boat along with a few others to watch the show on the water. Might be a little more romantic at least. Of course, keep an eye on the weather.

 

Summer is baseball season in the US and even if you don't like the game you should go and see one. In Florida you have two options: the Florida Marlins in Miami and the Tampa Bay Rays in St. Petersburg. It's not expensive to see a game either. On the day of the game go to the stadium and buy a couple seats in the nosebleed section. After the third inning or so, move down below to unoccupied seats. Free upgrade! I always opt for the first base side as there is a lot of action there but have been known to rough it out with the common folk in the bleachers too. $10 is the going rate for sub-par seats, a bottle of ice cold brew is about $5 (yes, 5) while a hot dog may set you back $3-4. Not bad for an afternoon though.

 

Do you get seasick? Charter a boat for a day of sport fishing on the Atlantic Ocean (can usually call the Captain of the vessel and ask to go in with another group). It's going to cost some money, but may be worth it if you catch the big one. (It's really more exciting than it sounds; you are responsible for reeling the fish in yourself). As an alternative, charter a sailing vessel. That may be a little more conducive to couples and romance. (Hint, hint, wink, wink). Afraid of heights? Get in on a hot air balloon ride. Florida's weather is perfect for this. It's fairly expensive though.

 

There are a lot of different tours and activities you can pursue. I know there are a few places which offer a Skydiving experience without going up in a plane. (There is a big fan under you which blows air up allowing you to "float" in the air). Exciting-ish. An Everglades tour is something to consider. Some of them are on Airboats which is cool. As some lower cost alternatives, there are some pretty good bike paths in Florida and kayaking/canoeing is popular too. Some people swear that the "swimming with the dolphins" feature at Discovery Cove at SeaWorld is a must-do activity. It's pricey and exploits trained captive animals, but it allows you to get up close and personal with dolphins. (Your significant other will probably love you to death for this experience). As an added bonus, it's all you can eat and all you can drink (even beer) at the park, so knowing you, you'll come out ahead.

 

Like Thorondor mentioned, Florida has gators. And gator farms too. Might want to visit one of those.

 

A word of warning: there isn't much to do in Key West. Besides the "monument" the only other thing to see is Ernest Hemingway's house/museum.

 

Hopefully this gives you some ideas.

 

- Zombie

[Slaughter]

@SV: Nonsense! I'll walk barefoot in the Everglades with bacon tied to my calves to prove it...

 

@Thor: I'll likely meet ShadoWarrior, but it would be cool to hook up with he good doctor too. Of course, meeting my "Web friends" will probably cost me DEARLY in "better half credits" . Please send me the doctors e-mail and I'll see.

 

@Zombie: Great suggestions, thanks! My budget is decent (as in normal folk decent, not renting a yacht decent ), so we'll definitively look into a baseball match and some dolphin swimming at least.

[Zombie]

@Zombie: Great suggestions, thanks! My budget is decent (as in normal folk decent, not renting a yacht decent ), so we'll definitively look into a baseball match and some dolphin swimming at least.

Cool. (Or should I say "Stay cool")?

 

If you are mostly going to be in Miami and Orlando, then you can probably focus your attention on those two areas at the link above to hash out a rough itinerary. Don't try to pre-plan your whole vacation though. Leave some space in between activities to recover and do a little sightseeing.

 

My brother took a cruise on a bigger ship to the Bahamas a few years ago. He was sick the whole time even though the ship had state-of-the-art stabilizers. (The seas were not that rough even). So beware. His biggest gripe was that there was nothing to do between POCs (Port Of Calls). You can take a chance if you want, but I'd suggest finding other things to do on the mainland. Shouldn't be too hard.

 

Please take plenty of pictures!

 

- Zombie

[FullAuto]

There is a brilliant restaurant in the Bahamas, on the end of a transparent pier which is lit from underneath, allowing you to watch the sea life even at night. Major better half credits. It's fantastic and if I hadn't been really drunk I'd be able to remember what it was called.

[Slaughter]

Hehe, nice! Do you remember which island at least?