Beach weekend in Florida

[kermit116]

Needing some advice on a quick weekend beach getaway to Florida. DH has spent the entire summer working his normal job and then spending every weekend and nearly every evening renovating our new house. The renovation is just about done, and he would love to take a weekend in September to go to a beach in Florida. The one restriction is that I just started a new job, so this really can only be a weekend trip because I can't take time off yet. Fortunately we live in a major city so getting a direct flight to any of the relatively large airports in Florida looks like it will be simple and inexpensive.

Now, he's left it up to me to figure out where to go! DH is very active, so he loves to snorkel, swim, kayak, surf, basically just do any activity on the beach. We'd prefer southern Florida/the Gulf side because we've already done the Atlantic side a lot. We both prefer more quiet, less developed beaches as opposed to beaches lined with big high rise hotels and condos. We will be renting a car, so we are open to staying a large city and then driving an hour or two to a more seclude beach.

Any tips? Right now we're considering (a) flying to Miami and then driving to someplace in the Keys, (b) flying to Fort Lauderdale (cheaper airfare than Fort Myers) and then driving to Naples/Sanibel, or (c) flying to Pensacola and then driving to some smaller beaches nearby. We're also open to other ideas.

 

[havaneselover]

Sanibel island. Marco island and Naples are nice too.

 

[TinCanTee]

John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park on Key Largo?
Honeymoon Island outside of Tampa is also very nice, not crowded and no hotels.

 

[JoeyEmmaMomma]

Destin is our favorite!

 

[disneymagicgirl]

We are spending the week before our wdw trip at Marco island.

All the 30A beaches are very popular too...watercolor, rosemary beach, etc. You could fly into either Pensacola or Panama City and drive from there.

 

[dpswift]

We liked Pensacola. It seems that the beaches further south are more crowded. however when we have been further south it has been during school breaks.

I would love to go back to Pensacola.

 

[Gumbo4x4]

We love PCB & this time of year rates are dropping like a rock. Not at all where you mentioned though (panhandle vs Southern end) and don't know about flights there. But, sounds like fun all the same. I'm sure you'll find someplace

 

[LovesTimone]

Cape San Blas is very quite, and relaxing. The beach is really great, nice waves, and great sand. You can get some great seafood as well. They have condo rentals for the weekend, Its near Apalachicola, in the bend where the panhandle starts gulf coast. They really don't have any night life. DH and I enjoy going here, its really for us to recharge the batteries so to speak.


Orange Beach, Dauphin Island Alabama They are just over the Florida line, and very drive able from Pensacola, or maybe cheaper to fly into Mobile. Nice sand and surf. GREAT seafood options.

 

[csm101]

Marco or the Tampa area we find very nice. Good mix of quiet yet all amenities are withing walking distance.