Gulf Coast Ideas?

[Leota]

We'll be doing a week at WH for the whole family - a couple days each at WDW & USO. After the kids all leave, DH & I would like to do a little traveling around Central FL. It's our 20th anniversary & we want to do more than just the Disney thing. I figure for the Atlantic Coast, we'd drive over to Kennedy & to Cocoa, but that's close enough to just drive back & stay in Orlando.

For the Gulf Coast, I know it's a longer drive, so I was thinking we'd drive over & stay a couple nights. We'd like to see Busch Gardens 1 day & I'd like to do a nice beach day to, preferrably someplace with good shelling.

Does anyone have any recommendations for the best place to stay on the Gulf? I'd like to keep it within 3-4 hours drive of Orlando if possible.

 

[sk8jdgca]

Would love some ideas too. I am doing the same thing. I have booked at tropical shores in Siesta Key-they have good reviews on tripadvisor and were fairly inexpensive

 

[wiserabbit]

We've stayed at St. Petersburg Beach - at the Grand Plaza Hotel - they have a multitude of hotels/condo type places that are right on the water - it is close enough to do Busch Gardens for the day and come back - but for shelling I think you'll need to go to Sanibel and/or Captiva Island (also in the same general area I think - maybe a little further south)..... Have a fun trip

 

[LadyBeBop]

Actually, Sanibel and Captiva Islands are a good way from the Tampa-St. Petersburg area...about 150 miles south.

Siesta Key and the small islands off the coast near Sarasota are good. I love Tarpon Springs, which is just north of the Tampa Bay area. I'm not sure about the beach though. I go there for the shopping and the food. I've stayed overnight there twice, but stayed several blocks from the gulf.

 

[GoldenAfternoon]

We vacation in Pass-a-grille beach every year. It's beautiful, there are all kinds of shells everywhere and it's roughly 90 minutes from WDW. Check it out