Planning a Florida Road trip - any tips appreciated please

[zippy99]

After our bargain flights to Miami will will be back in Florida this August - arriving in Miami at 18.20 on 18th Aug and returning at 20.40 from Miami on 1st Sep.

We will be travelling myself, DH, DS15, DD17 and DD's Best Friend 17. Our daughters friend went to Florida last April with her parents and Grandparents - her Grandpa is disabled and struggled to leave the villa before 10.30am and by 4pm wanted to head back - as a result she did not get to experience as much as we had told her and she missed riding many of the attractions. My husband and I decided we would pay for her flight and she is paying for her own park tickets. So a week in Orlando is a certainty for this trip.

I was thinking staying in Miami Beach for the first two nights
Travelling to St Petes via Naples for lunch and driving over the Sunshine Skyway
A couple of nights in St Petes/Clearwater
A night at a cheap hotel by Busch Gardens before heading to Orlando for 7 nights
We then intend to travel back down the east coast with an overnight stop on the way
A final night in the Miami area before flying home.

Would love some advice from those who have explored Florida more. I think we are looking at an Art of Animation suite for the Orlando leg as it will be 7 nights and myself and DH can have the separate room, DS can have the table bed and the girls will share the sofa bed. We also think being on site will give the the kids the opportunity to use the transport and go and explore themselves. (quite excited at the prospect of DH and I having some Disney time just the two of us!!)

Would love some recommendations for places to stay/visit - having an artistic daughter we like the idea of the Dali Museum in St Petersburg and would like to see the Space Centre. We are also looking to visit Busch/Seaworld - no Universal this year.

Looking forward to some tips and ideas

 

[leiaorgana]

I would suggest getting this book as it has some great ideas for road trips around Florida

 

[Kath2003]

Naples is gorgeous, could easily spend weeks there!
Venice in Sarasota is nice, similar feel to Naples but on a smaller scale. Lots of arts & music.

 

[Eliza32]

We've done a couple of 'road trips' but neither involved Orlando.
Flew into Miami both times....first time drove straight across Alligator Alley as we had booked an apartment in Fort Myers. Did day trips out to Sarasota, Naples etc. then back across and down to the Keys, 2 nights in Key Largo, 4 in Key West. If you fancy the Keys, you can take a day trip by catamaran from Fort Myers to Key West. a Long day, but lovely with lots of sunbathing opportunity on deck going and a fabulous sunset on the way back. Think we got 6 hours in Key West.
Second time, 2 nights in Miami, across to Fort Myers again, then back across and up to St Augustine, then down the coast via Kennedy, Hollywood, Ft Lauderdale etc to Miami.
lots of options. Some of the coastal state parks are lovely for taking a picnic and relaxing (Got stuff from Publix for ours), can recommend lunch at Tommy Bahama, St Armands Circle in Sarasota.
Shopping at Sawgrass Mills is a must!!!

 

[Eliza32]

Have you done Miami before? We stay at the Holiday Inn, Port of Miami. We taxi from the airport as it saves parking fees and 2 days car hire. The hotel is just across the road from Bayside so handy for eating on the first night. We then used buses to take us to Lincoln Road Mall and South Beach on the second day, then got taxi back to car hire place on third morning. Felt chilled not having to drive for first 2 days. If you go to Lincoln Road Mall, I would recommend Nexxt Cafe.......similar to cheesecake factory but great for people watching.

 

[Woodview]

Start Thinking through your plan

( Day 1 ) Your Holiday really starts on the morning of the 19th .....

( a ) Take " The Duck Tour " of Miami Bay. ( look it up )

( a ) Visit south Beach

Stay overnight in Miami.

( Day 2 ) 20th of August set out to drive Hwy 41 to Naples

Stopping to " Have an Airboat Ride " on the way Then spend the Afternoon

in " Shark Valley " .... doing the train tour .

Spend the night in Naples


***** Remember to think about the Heat & BIG Millage .... and slowish Speed limits *****

( Day 3 ) 21st Drive from Naples on Hwy 75 or slow Hwy 776 to join the Sky Bridge to St Petersburg


Stay that night ???


( Day 4 ) 22nd Clearwater & Treasure Island

Stay that night ??/

( Day 5 ) 23rd Drive towards Busch Gardens Stay ???

( Day 6 ) 24th Busch Gardens

Stay night in same Hotel / Motel

( Day 7 ) 25th Drive to Disney

Stay night of 25th 26th, 27th 28th IN DISNEY

( Day 11 ) Morning of 29th Go to Kennedy Space Centre

Back to stay night of the 29th in Disney

( Day 12 ) 30th Drive BACK to Miami VIA Hwy 27 VIA Sebring ( Non Toll Road )

Take a look at Lake Okeechobee at Clewiston on the way

Stay the night of the 30th back in Miami

( Day 13 ) 31st One last look at Miami before going to Airport


............................. Note the Turnpike is a Non Manned Toll road so you need Tokens

The Road Hwy 95 is Slow moving as it serves All crowded resorts on the coast

..................

Hope this helps you to Re think your journey.

Note I am NOT from Florida or the USA

But I do like to Travel about when we visit from Ireland

 

[zippy99]

Thanks for tips so far.

We love August in Florida so are very aware of the heat - lots of research to do and planning

 

[dixonsontour]

Not been to Miami for years but we used to love Venetian pool - an outdoor art deco
pool in coral gables. It has pics of old movie stars and costs $12 each. I also would have thought teens would be impressed to see south beach.

Onsite with use of disney transport sounds good for the reasons you have mentioned.

 

[bex7583]

we drove from the outskirts of miami via the tamiami trail then all the way up the coast to clearwater, we stopped at some nature reserve areas and a gator park for an airboat ride. we had our starting hotels and last few days booked but the days inbetween we had nothing booked , just booked hotels on the go .

i had done lots of research before and shortlisted hotels that could fit our party of 5 and to do things in places we were possible passing

i have to admit the venetian pool was on one of our lists and we didnt get to do it , i would have loved to have fitted this in somehow as it looks amazing

also miami traffic was hectic so allow plenty of time to get out of town area and the hotel parking was extortionate !

 

[Portugal1000]

As part of our 23 night trip last August we stayed at the Tradewinds Resort in St Petes. It was the first time we had gone go the beach and we loved it. Only downside was that it was just so hot it was difficult to be on the beach after 1pm. So we would be up early, get our cabana and swim, paddle board etc until we couldn't take the heat anymore. Then find somewhere nice for lunch. We loved the revolving restaurant a bit further down the beach. Our son loved everything on offer at hotel especially the inflatable slide which was included. I loved the inflatable cabanas which you could take out to sea. The hotel was a bit pricy but you couldn't beat the location. We stayed for 4 nights at beginning of holiday after spending first night in Orlando. That way we still had 18 nights for Disney, universal etc. I found the drive really easy. Exactly 100 miles from St Petes to Bonnet Creek.

 

[cheryl.UK]

My vote goes for a stopover at Anna Maria island. You can hire a wooden beach hut style accommodation right on the beach. Its an amazing laid back place .

 

[Gumshoe]

Personally I would try Capitiva and Sanibel, two gorgeous islands and you could throw in Naples as well. all really beautiful places to see and stay at.