Here is what I want to do: Fly in to somewhere. Take a shuttle from the airport to a hotel/motel ON the beach, preferably within a one hour drive tops. After that, my plan is to lay on the sand all day, read, drink, read, drink some more, read.... and soak up some sunshine. I don't want to rent a car, I don't want to go to any theme parks, I don't want to visit or even be near any loud discos or party shacks, I don't want to go to any car shows. I just want to fly in, relax for 5-6 days, and fly out. I do this all the time flying into LAX and taking the super shuttle 6 miles south to Hermosa Beach, but now I want to try Florida. Where to go?
When ya going? The weather in the FL panhandle is area is pretty awesome during end of April to May. Hilton Sandestin Image Unavailable, Please Login
endless choices.. if it has to be a hotel close to airport then St. Pete Beach, Miami, Ft. Lauderdale are likely to be best options. if okay for smaller venues then Sarasota, Captiva, Naples are hard to beat, but doubt will have shuttles...but could do the town car thing. can get you names of ideas if you like.
Fly into ft lauderdale. Stay at the Marriott on the beach in delray. 45 min from airport, great beach. Everything in walking distance including great night life Option two is the Sea gate hotel. 5 blocks off the beach but it has a private beach club and spa with shuttle bus to and from beach walk to everything and 5 blocks to public beach. More expensive than the Marriott.
I would say fly into Fort Myers and take a shuttle to Sanibel Island. I would rent a small cottage on the beach or stay at south seas resort. After a week on sanibel, you will quit your job and forget your name.
+1 We spent a 4th of July weekend a few years ago at the Marriott with some friends from out of town and it was great.
Harbor Beach Marriott in Ft. Lauderdale is nice. It is 15 min from FTL, is right on the beach, has one good restaraunt and a casual restaurant, and is a nice evening walk to other restaurants.
As a long time resident of Naples I second this as great advice. If you want a bit more in the way of night life or dining choices Naples gets the nod but from your post it sounds like Sanibel would be perfect. Any resort on the east coast may feel peaceful when you step out back to the beach but the moment you go out the front door you'll know you're in a big city. West coast resorts are a bit different as they have a little buffer from big city life and Sanibel really gets away because its an island.
For getting away from it all I like the Jupiter Beach resort. I am pretty sure they offer shuttle service to the airport, which is probably a 30 minute ride. The West Palm airport is very nice and easy to get in and out of, so you won't have hassles with that portion. Prices aren't terrible, and the staff is friendly. Closer to the airport is Hilton Singer Island, but I am not familiar with how the staff and services are. BT
Marriott on Singer Island. Right on the beach. 2 pools. Good restaurant and absolutely beautiful rooms. About 20 mins from Palm Beach airport.
South of Clearwater are many quiet beaches starting from Sand key all the way down to Madera beach. Plenty of small condos and weekly rentals available and Tampa airport is very close. Just hop on the Super Shuttle of a cab and 30 minutes later, you are there. I was on Indians Rocks beach the other day... 6 people there including me and the wife.
Ft. Lauderdale is a bunch of kids, isn't it? I just want QUIET-read-drink-QUIET-drink-drink-read.... Just be able to do nothing but soak up a tan and relax, no need for a SPA. Christ, I can't remember my name NOW... Yeah, funny: the difference is you are COMING to 30 degree temps and overcast skies, and I'm going to 80-90 degree temps. I appreciate the replies, I am checking things out. I also don't want to spend $500/night. When I go to LA I do it on $180/night.
The quietest beach you'll find is Canaveral National Seashore. 20+ miles of undeveloped shoreline (except for some launch pads just south of the place ). $3 a person to get in and not many people. I walk a mile south of the south entrance to be really far away from others. pic: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FilelayalindaNorthboundViewFromSouthEnd.jpg http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canaveral_National_Seashore Of course no hotels...but guarantee you can separate yourself from others.
St pete beach... Don Cesar So Beach... Loews. Key west... Sunet Key. Sunset key would be my pic. http://www.westinsunsetkeycottages.com/ VERY quiet. beautiful. The hear of Key west a 3 minute shuttle boat away. I LOVE the place.
My wife has a nice Condo for rent, ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE BEACH. Madeira beach, one of the only ones you can drink alcohol on. Here is the link http://madbeachcondorental.weebly.com/
Rosemary Beach community is the premier upscale destination on 30A with pristine beaches. I have been to many places mentioned but none are as nice as Rosemary Beach, check it out on http://www.discover30a.com/30-A_Communities/rosemary-beach/.
Sarasota is a good choice. Great beachs, convenient airport, fine accommodations and lots of good food.
I think GATORGREG had the best advise. Fly into Ft Myers, most carriers go there. You would have to take a taxi, but I would suggest renting a car, actually may be cheaper as the ride is about 35-40 minutes. Check into your wonderful hotel on a very quiet beach in Sanibel. The hotel is the Waterside Inn (239.472.1345), and you have a choice of accomodations. They have these one bedroom cabins directly on the beach, I think the one closest is Blueberry (photos) These are full kitchens, so the reason for the rental car is to be able to go to the grocery one time, and never leave your place. They have a grill, and a pool, but you are on a really secluded beach. Early morning shelling. These photos were from October, as you can see, really secluded. Limited wi-fi, so you really will get away. Sometimes had to go up by the office to get a connection. Liquor store, grocery nearby. They also have a two story apartment style building, also with kitchens, and a newer condo building they manage for the owners. The second floor end unit on the beach in the apartment style building is the one to get. If the airport to hotel trip is too much, then fly into West Palm, and stay at the Breakers. Let me know if you come to south Florida! Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Endless choices, but I would have to recommend where we bought our vacation property this year: Sarasota. If you can get a flight into SRQ, you would be a 15 minute car ride from the #1 ranked beach this year on Siesta Key Beach. Even if you got a flight into Tampa it is under an hour to Sarasota. Or fom SRQ you would be 10 minutes from Lido Key Beach. I would recommend the Lidi Key Beach Resort. My other top choices: -Fly into Tampa or St Pete/Clearwater and you are 20 minutes from either Clearwater Beach or St Pete Beach, 2 of my other favorites. I would highly recommend the Don Ce Sar resort on St Pete Beach. I got married there. -Fly into Fort Myers and you can be on Sanibel in 30-40 minutes. Captiva is just a little further. I am obviously heavily biased to these areas. That being said I just returned from a short vacation in Miami where the temperature hit 82 in the day, 72 every night, and we had the most wonderful constant balmy breeze for 3 days straight. MIA to Miami Beach can't be much more than 20 minutes.
I've really enjoyed the 30A Panhandle area: Seaside, Rosemary Beach, Sandestin and others. Quiet, few kids, but not the most active area in Florida. Good gulf fishing, lots of Wildlife areas but overall nice and quiet, slow and lowkey.
Lots of people like and recommend Sanibel. I guess it would be a good place for a vacation but my memories of that place are pretty bad. I was there in 1975-1976 for third grade. It was terrible. Tons of old people, and rules like you have to have a flag and a bell on your bicycle. The shells are good, and there aren't big waves, but to a kid, it is not fun. We have friends that go about 2-3 times per year and they just love it there. BT
Fly into Tampa. In 25 minutes your on Clearwater beach...one of the prettiest sugar sand beaches anywhere. Stay at the Sand Pearl resort and you can walk onto the beach from the pool. Plenty of Nightlife but a bit touristy. Also another vote for the Sarasota area beaches. Love the suggestions on here previously -- can't go wrong. Enjoy!
