Easter 2013 - Booked :)

[wayneg]

Been watching prices all week since Jeanette tempted me with a trip to Key West http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2981604

I wanted to fly into Miami spend a week driving to Key West, Everglades then up the west coast ending in Orlando for another week, flying back home from MCO or TPA.
Flights I wanted have been £560-over £600. Tonight I did usual searches, Expedia still £609, Ebookers £570, Lastminute.com £560 but I also did a Kayak.co.uk search. it showed exactly the same flights on LM.com but instead of being £560pp it was saying £477pp. I clicked thru expecting an error but it let me book, I have confirmation and chosen my seats, Delta App on my phone also updated itself.

I have no experience of Miami or anywhere from the Everglades upto St Petes so any info/advice/recomendations would be appreciated. We do have a little experience in Key West having spent 2 days there on cruises but no idea on accomodation.

 

[jtlover]

Don't go near the Everglades there's alligatos

Good price

 

[wayneg]

Don't go near the Everglades there's alligatos

Good price

I could just goto GF car park for those, save some time & money.

 

[jtlover]

I could just goto GF car park for those, save some time & money.

 

[Kath2003]

My advice is get out of Miami as soon as you can - it's the only place in Florida I wouldn't wish to return to!

Naples area is my absolute favourite but also Manasota Key/Siesta Key area around Sarasota is wonderful. Manasota beach in particular is filled with fossilised shark's teeth which is a lot of fun. Siesta Key has some of the whitest sand in the world!

Down in the Keys - Key West is fun but there's a lot of hype. It's about the watersports but none of it is cheap! You can also swim with dolphins in several places, look out for those that offer a "natural" experience where you do literally just swim alongside them - totally different to the "forced" interaction of most other places including DC in Orlando. Oh and forget chain restaurants - it's mainly local seafood places that are spectacular!

 

[ben1993]

We absolutely loved Miami! South Beach is amazing but we are young adults, maybe we would be less fond if we were traveling as a family with kids.

 

[Kath2003]

We absolutely loved Miami! South Beach is amazing but we are young adults, maybe we would be less fond if we were traveling as a family with kids.

Yeah see I'm a young adult but I found it dirty, and seedy. It's the only place I have ever been where I really have no desire to go back

 

[DISWolves]

I have no experience of Miami or anywhere from the Everglades upto St Petes so any info/advice/recomendations would be appreciated. We do have a little experience in Key West having spent 2 days there on cruises but no idea on accomodation.

A retired ex work colleague is also a big fan of Naples area on the west coast
He visits 3-4 times each year
http://www.naples-florida.com/
http://www.explorenaples.com/vanderbilt_beach.phtml

Venice is another place he likes
http://www.venice-fla.com/

Also Fort Myers
http://www.cityftmyers.com/
http://www.fortmyers-sanibel.com/


He has done the route that you are considering along Alligator Alley

 

[CAROLINE4]

Hi Wayne are your prices for the school Easter hols? I cannot find flights for less than £788 march 29th for two weeks!

 

[wayneg]

Hi Wayne are your prices for the school Easter hols? I cannot find flights for less than £788 march 29th for two weeks!

Thankfully with Matt at Uni next Easter(he gets a month off) we can fly a couple of days later to avoid the higher prices. Ideally we wanted Sat 30th for 2 weeks but it was £200+pp more than flying Mon 1st -15th Apr, just means taking 2 days off work more than we really wanted.

 

[CAROLINE4]

Wow! Thanks Wayne what a difference a few days make! How is Easter we have never been in school time before. X

 

[wayneg]

My advice is get out of Miami as soon as you can - it's the only place in Florida I wouldn't wish to return to!

Naples area is my absolute favourite but also Manasota Key/Siesta Key area around Sarasota is wonderful. Manasota beach in particular is filled with fossilised shark's teeth which is a lot of fun. Siesta Key has some of the whitest sand in the world!

Down in the Keys - Key West is fun but there's a lot of hype. It's about the watersports but none of it is cheap! You can also swim with dolphins in several places, look out for those that offer a "natural" experience where you do literally just swim alongside them - totally different to the "forced" interaction of most other places including DC in Orlando. Oh and forget chain restaurants - it's mainly local seafood places that are spectacular!

A retired ex work colleague is also a big fan of Naples area on the west coast
He visits 3-4 times each year
http://www.naples-florida.com/
http://www.explorenaples.com/vanderbilt_beach.phtml

Venice is another place he likes
http://www.venice-fla.com/

Also Fort Myers
http://www.cityftmyers.com/
http://www.fortmyers-sanibel.com/


He has done the route that you are considering along Alligator Alley

Thank you, will do lots of reading about all these.
Miami was not somewhere I was too bothered about going to but it saved us almost £200 compared to flying into Key West and better flight times, we will probably stay in the airport hotel the first night then get an early start next morning, look around Miami beach area and set off to Key West.
Matt has blogged my initial route which we can tweak. http://mathewgillings.wordpress.com/2012/09/02/florida-april-2013/

 

[wayneg]

Wow! Thanks Wayne what a difference a few days make! How is Easter we have never been in school time before. X

Easter is a very busy time, we hope by doing a week travelling first we miss the really busy Easter period, our 2nd week should be better in the parks.

 

[dixonsontour]

Great price.

We've done a loop down to key west and back up west coast to Orlando a few times before we had DD.

In Miami, we stayed on south beach at the cardozo. We've been to venetian pool a few times at coral gables - well worth a visit. I also remember doing a boat tour of stars homes from the bayside marketplace.

I know you're not a shopper but there is an outlets just before florida keys - always used to be really quiet and get great bargains there.

At key largo - worth visiting john pennecamp state park - did a glass bottomed boat tour. Eating wise I think you would enjoy mrs mac's kitchen - bit like mannys decor - have eaten there a few times and enjoyed. If you look on trip advisor there are lots of pics. Harriettes was also good for breakfast.

Further down I can remember going in no name pub on pig pine key - you write on a dollar and pin it on the wall.

Key west we have stayed at ocean key resort and spa zero duval street - great hotel and location but $$$. Have also stayed at key lime inn which was nice.

We travelled across through everglades to Naples - can remember doing an airboat tour and also stopping to see smallest US post office at ochopee.

Then to Naples - nice beach but very upmarket eg the shops are like those at mall of millenia.

We love Anna maria island further up the coast - lots of decent places to eat.

Happy planning.

 

[luke]

Excellent stuff Wayne! I take it you'll be staying offsite when in Orlando?

I've still not booked my post cruise/pre SSR night yet, just had an off the wall idea of staying at that hotel attached to Florida Mall, and making that our main shopping day as its only a short drive to Mall At Millenia too.

It's about 3rd on the tripadvisor Orlando ratings and isn't THAT expensive

Hope to see you somewhere round WDW aT some point

 

[wilma-bride]

Eating wise I think you would enjoy mrs mac's kitchen - bit like mannys decor - have eaten there a few times and enjoyed. If you look on trip advisor there are lots of pics. Harriettes was also good for breakfast.

We had our first dinner at Mrs Macs - just posted on Day 0 of our trip report if anyone is interested. We also had breakfast at Harriette's.

Wayne, our trip was very similar to what you have planned so you may want to read my trip reprot to get ideas of what you want to do - or avoid

 

[Kath2003]

We stayed here: http://www.cocoplum.com/

On Marathon Key, with it's own beach. Spectacular!

Have also stayed at the Naples Beach and Golf Club which is nice and right on the beach.

The Venice area near Sarasota has some lovely villas which we have used.

 

[irenep]

Were those direct flights from London, Wayne? I have been looking at Easter next year but can't find anything under £1000 and I am fed up going indirect as we already have a flight to London before that so at this rate I think we might skip it.

We just did 2 nights in Miami after WDW. Stayed at The Surfcomber on Miami Beach. The hotel was lovely, but the rooms are tiny and walls are a bit thin. Nice pool and great position for the beach. Personally, though I prefer Key Biscayne for the beach and it's not so busy.

We did a boat trip out of Bayside which we all really liked but didn't do much else 'touristy' - it was more a trip to catch up with old friends and visit old haunts (house/school etc) from when we lived there (many moons ago!)

Agree with pp about Venetian Pool in Coral Gables (check that its open first) - and if you're in the area, swing by the Biltmore Hotel just to look around - the pool is magnificent

On the other side of Florida, I would definitely head for Naples - nice shops and galleries etc.

Sounds like a great trip

 

[luke]

I went to the Venetian Pool at Coral Gables when I was a kid, can remember being about the only
People there too, it's a great place!!

 

[Elise79]

Thats good news

Are you organising a meet???