Help please? First time in 15yrs no Disney. Flying to Miami. Ideas for family holiday in Southern FL

[Psychodisney]

Have you considered a hotel/house/condo rental in Naples or Marco Island area? beautiful beaches, tons of ..all types of shopping ( malls,boutiques, up scale, ) it’s for beach goers,foodies ( there are tons of restaurants at all price points) check out fifth avenue Naples, Mercato, Waterside...culture... Artis Naples, think live theaters, typical theaters as well, Zoo, water park, fishing, kayaking, airboat rides, fishing excursions, shell hunting, botanical gardens, rookery bay options are endless, rentals: bikes, segways, boats, jet skis.. honestly the list is endless
Google it and you may be amazed. Its an area that has something for everyone ..at all ages. Simply Paradise.
You’d be easily driving ur car from Miami and basically come straight across on Alligator Alley 1.5 hours to the west coast. Maybe see Miami/ft Lauderdale area and then come across.
Wherever you decide, enjoy and safe travels!

Also a big fan of Naples/Marco Island. You can also take a ferry to Key west from this area. It’s much less of a big city than the Miami area. If you like shopping, there are cute boutiques and malls with a nice outlet mall up in Estero.

 

[elaine amj]

Perfect timing. I am cruising out of Miami and staying for an extra 3 nights post cruise. First night will be in South Beach. The next 2 nights I want to go somewhere else in Southern Florida. Two sets of my friends have made the drive to Key West and both said it was just OK and they didn't find it really worth the drive (they weren't interested in the party vibe there since they had kids).

So my plan is to drive across to Naples/Ft Myers and spend 2 nights there. My mother is intrigued by the Ten Thousand Islands in the Everglades National Park and I'm looking at maybe canoeing/kayaking there. Also, thinking of Sanibel Island, which I hear is pretty fun

 

[dish rag]

I made it a day trip to Key West. Wasn't quite sure if I was going to head for the Everglades or Key West that day and didn't decide until someone at a visitor center in Homestead talked me into it. They'd just gotten out of a storm and a mandatory visitor evacuation order, and the employee said they were hurting for business. It was a really good trip too. I know it's over 3 hours, but that was still reasonable for me. I originally had plans for two nights and a trip to Fort Jefferson, but the storm changed those plans.

That's true. I've also done road trips that long in a day and it wasn't too bad. Slept well that's for sure.

 

[Deb & Bill]

Stay inside as much as possible. It will be hot and very humid.

 

[DopeyDame]

Everglades National spark is a must-do. It’s jst so different from anything most of us see in our lives.
Within Miami, maybe one day at South beach, just for the people watching and craziness, but no more than that. If you want beach time, you’re better off someplace like the beach in front of Biscayne Nature Center.

Frost Science Museum is a great science center if your kids are into those things, and there’s an awesome view of the cruise terminals from there.

 

[Deb & Bill]

Have you considered the SW Florida coast? Not nearly as busy as Miami and beaches aren't as crowded. You can still go to Everglades via Shark Valley. It will still be very hot and humid, but more laid back than the SE Florida coast.

 

[Deb & Bill]

Also a big fan of Naples/Marco Island. You can also take a ferry to Key west from this area. It’s much less of a big city than the Miami area. If you like shopping, there are cute boutiques and malls with a nice outlet mall up in Estero.

And if you are coming after April and before Dec, the crowds will be minimal. But you might find some of the restaurants closed a few nights a week. Population on Marco goes from around 16,000 off season to 45,000 during the Season (Dec through April).

 

[tarheelmjfan]

It really depends on your kids & their interests. I'd plan a lot of water activities, during the day.

You may want to reconsider spending time in Miami. Along with every water activity you could imagine, there are also several museums & other attractions. It's a major city that has anything you could possibly want to do, other than theme parks. Personally, I think it's your best option for finding a lot of things to do to keep the kids busy. A split stay between South Florida & the Keys would be a nice trip, but you could probably find enough to do in the Miami area to fill 2 weeks.

If you want to share the kid's ages & your interests, I could offer a few suggestions.