Rotonda

[julieanne]

Can someone tell me where Rotonda is in relation to Sarasota/Siesta Key area?

Thanks :)

[andrewmckay5]

Julie,
approx 50 minutes south of Sarasota on the I75.
You get off at junction 193 and then 15 to 20 minutes drive.
Let me know if you want exact directions
Hope this helps,
andrew

[julieanne]

Thanks Andrew.

As you probably already know I just love Sarasota/Siesta Key area.
Just wondering if next time I am able to go (don't know when that will be yet)I should explore somewhere else [8D]

[Mo Green]

Julie if you love the Siesta Key area I am sure you will love Rotonda. Whatever you want for your ideal holiday - beautiful beaches for shelling/dolphin watching, local nature reserves, fishing, boating, several excellent golf courses, excellent restaurants all within a short drive. For retail therapy there is a huge Mall at Port Charlotte and within an hour 2 factory outlets.

It is such a relaxing area, once discovered, people keep returning.

[julieanne]

Sunshine, shopping and lots of food are all I require :D

Is there a good choice of restaurants?

[andrewmckay5]

Lunch on the beach at The South Beach Bar and grill, Boca Grande:


http://www.orlando-guide.info/forums/Data/andrewmckay5/200533155155_aaa.JPG



http://www.orlando-guide.info/forums/Data/andrewmckay5/200522711470_aaa.JPG

Loads of good restaurants:
http://www.usrg.com/script/bycuisine.asp?CITY=Englewood&STATE=FL+

andrew

[Mo Green]

Julie, some of our favourites are:-

Rum Bay – on Palm Island – only reached by 20 minute water taxi
Johnny Leverocks – good steaks and seafood.
Mama's - Italian and great value. Try the Joe Special pizza I can guarantee you will need a 'doggy-bag'.
Farlows for seafood
Lickerty Split Café – stuck in a 1950’s time warp! Great for snacks and ice cream. Try the sweet-potato fries with sugar and cinnamon, yummy.
Tiffany’s for the best breakfasts - where else!

I could go on but within 10-30 mites drive you could eat at a different restaurant each day without repeating yourself!

Next to the Port Charlotte Mall you will find Red Lobster, Olive Garden, TGI Fridays, Mel's Diner etc etc.

[julieanne]

Thanks Mo [msnsmile2]

All I need now is to get a trip booked [msnwink]
If and when I do - I'm sure I'll have lots more questions.....

[heathercobbett]

We stayed in a villa (of course) on Rotunda a couple of years ago and loved it.Within reach of lots of different beaches/islands and we visited a different one every day.We also enjoyed cycling round and getting lost.The residents are very friendly.We would certainly go again!

[andrewmckay5]

Julie,
I've posted this picture before but just in case you haven't seen it this is Rotonda:




http://www.orlando-guide.info/forums/Data/andrewmckay5/200562615450_D0E1997A-9E42-43FE-8E82A83E13CD9CAA.gif

[Mo Green]

<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by heathercobbett
We also enjoyed cycling round and getting lost.[/quote] We thought we had mastered the short cuts Heather but it took 30 Minutes to find a friends house last time we were over there. One of the local residents confessed he always drives round the outer circle to get from A to B.

[Ruth]

We have just spent 3 weeks at Port Charlotte before coming to our villa in Orlando. Our favourite restaurants are Johnny Leverocks at Cape Haze and South Beach on Boca Grande:)We also frequent the restaurants at Port Charlotte especially the Olive Garden and Carrabas:)The area is fantastic, with lots to do, you will have a great time:)

[Sally D]

We are off to Orlando in October, but I am already thinking about next year (don't tell my husband, I'll work on him).

We always just go to Orlando with a couple of days trips out ie Clearwater etc, but was thinking of having a week in Orlando and then a week on the Gulf.

There is myself, husband and 3 girls (15,13 and 10).

I have been looking at villas and most seem to be in the Rotonda area, would this be a suitable place to go.

What sort of places could we go while there?

My husband is a keen golfer, fisherman, walker so guess there would be plenty for him to do.

[andrewmckay5]

Sally,
check out Gerry67's thread ,I've put a few links on there:
http://www.orlando-guide.info/forums/topic_22923.asp.

I'm sure Maureen will list some places for you to go.

andrew

[Sally D]

Andrew, thank you for the e-mail.

I am almost sure that next time we will do a two centre holiday, it sounds great and has all the things that my husband loves to do.

[andrewmckay5]

Just found some more sites that may be of interest:

http://www.sunsplashwaterpark.com

http://www.gasparillamarina.com

http://www.simon.com/mall/default.aspx?ID=134

http://www.jamsrestaurant.com/index.htm

Andrew

[Mo Green]

Also:-

Don Pedro island - accessible only by boat

Myakka River State Park

Fishermans Village, Punta Gorda

http://www.edison-ford-estate.com Fort Myers

Plenty of retail therapy at Port Charlotte Mall with Old Navy, The Limited and 5 department stores or for more up market try the Bell Tower Shopping centre, Fort Myers with Saks Fifth Avenue and also Banana Republique and Gap. Try Johnny Rockets for lunch – 50’s style diner – great entertainment value. Next to the Bell Tower there is a 20 screen cinema to occupy any members of your group who hate shopping.

[lisi]

Hi - read my posting on this site from last year "What I loved about the Gulf Coast!

Says it all

Lisi

[andrewmckay5]

Hi Lisi,
This is tthe link to your post:
http://www.orlando-guide.info/forums/topic_15845.asp
andrew

[marion]

We have just returned from Florida and had the most fantastic holiday we stayed at Port Charlotte for a few days before returning to our villa in Orlando.

We have just fallen in love with this aria of the gulf cost the beaches are out of this world Safe swimming and golden sands.
We had lunch at the South Beach Bar and grill, Boca Grande
And there are so many more good restaurants to choose from

We also had a day out at the local nature reserves along with an air boat ride it was absolutely fantastic.

We spent quite some time in Rotander and was very taken by it in fact we fell in love with Rotander.
There is so much to do there

You can fish on the canal.
Play golf.
Bike Ride
Play tennis.
There is a picnic aria.
A nature trail.
and much much more

[Macka]

That's so nice to hear Marion, [8D]

Thanks for the update.

Paul.

[Mo Green]

We have friends staying with us in Rotonda at the moment -their first visit. They are amazed at how much there is to see and do and are already talking about 'when we come back again'.
Following Andrew's suggestion we had lunch at South Beach Bar on Boca Grande. We were the only people eating outside and in front of us was a view of the empty beach, perfect clear sea and blue skys - as my friend said 'Paradise can not be much better than this'.
My friend's hubby, who normally hates shopping, had to be restrained in the Port Charlotte Mall with the pre- Christmas sales selling tailored shorts, shirts for $4 each.

[andrewmckay5]

Maureen,
for your friends here's the photos again:

http://www.orlando-guide.info/forums/Data/andrewmckay5/200533155155_aaa.JPG

http://www.orlando-guide.info/forums/Data/andrewmckay5/200522711470_aaa.JPG

andrew

[Mo Green]

Great photos but obviously crowded on the day you were there Andrew - we had the entire beach to ourselves[8D]

[andrewmckay5]

True Maureen; it was one of those busy November days:)
I can almost tatse the fish sandwich and fries[msntongue]

[Ruth]

This restaurant is a favourite with all our family. The kids meals are so much better than the normal ones:)We ate there on our last trip and then walked along the beach at sunset. It truely is paradise and I can't wait until our next visit[8D]

[Macka]

We're off to Rotunda for 10 days, the villa looks fantastic, the only thing we were just a little concerned about was it's proximity to restaurants and beaches, we've always been within walking distance of the beach at Siesta key. Is it really just a 10 minute drive to the nearest beach?

I've looked at rotunda on the map, can someone tell me how far the nearest restaurants are?

It won't matter of course, I know it'll be fantastic, I just like to get these things straight in my mind.

[^]

[Ruth]

Macka, I have stayed at Rotonda twice and loved it each time. Your exact time to restaurants, beaches etc will depend on whereabouts on Rotonda you are so be guided by your villa owner. Our all time favourite local restaurants are South Beach on Boca Grande, and Johnny Leverocks at Cape Haze[:P]There are also lots of other local independent restaurants in Englewood/Cape Haze, and also many of the normal chains of restaurants at Port Charlotte. You will have a fantastic time[8D]

[Macka]

Thanks Ruth, we'll most certainly try your recommendations there, I'm actually looking forward to being somewhere new, it adds an air of excitement to it.[^]

Paul.

[Mo Green]

Paul - we have been staying in our villa on Rotonda for nearly 2 weeks and have eaten at a different restaurant each day only travelling 10-20 minutes.
A favourite with all our visitors is Rhum Bay restaurant at Palm Island. The only access is by boat so you need to book in advance. A water taxi ($5 return) collects you behind Johnny Leverocks for a 15 minute journey to the restaurant. We try to get there early enough to be able to walk down to the beach afterwards and watch the sunset. We also try to go during the week when there are less boats as the boat is normally followed by dolphins on the return trip.

[Macka]

<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by Mo Green
Paul - we have been staying in our villa on Rotonda for nearly 2 weeks and have eaten at a different restaurant each day only travelling 10-20 minutes.
A favourite with all our visitors is Rhum Bay restaurant at Palm Island. The only access is by boat so you need to book in advance. A water taxi ($5 return) collects you behind Johnny Leverocks for a 15 minute journey to the restaurant. We try to get there early enough to be able to walk down to the beach afterwards and watch the sunset. We also try to go during the week when there are less boats as the boat is normally followed by dolphins on the return trip.
[/quote]
Wow that sounds fantastic. I'll arrange that for sure, My Mom's really got the dolphin thing quite badly so if she sees them, it'll make her holiday.

Thanks Mo,

Paul.

[Mo Green]

Paul - just in case you can not find it when you get over there the number to contact for Rum Bay restaurant and launch is (941) 697-0566.
Just go easy on the coctails - they are lethal!! Our friend asked for a Jack Daniels with not too much ice and was given a tumbler with two ice cubes filled to the brim!

[Macka]

Sounds like me Mo.
[drinkbeer]
Thanks!

[Clare R]

Sitting in our villa in Rotonda at the moment, 30th September, 2 p.m and 93F and not a cloud in the sky; an alligator gliding past in the canal at the bottom of the garden. Bobcat and panther also seen this past week.

[floridadreamvilla.co.uk]

Can I ask that only photos relevant to Rotunda be posted here - I've just removed the irrelevant ones as they do not add anything of use to this thread [msnsmile]

[Macka]

Sorry John, that would be my fault.

I was under the impression this was the only way to get an avatar in.

Paul.

[floridadreamvilla.co.uk]

No problem - you enter the path to your avatar by clicking Profile at the top of any forum page and then putting the path to it in the relevant field. Tezz in the Forum Support section of the forum should be able to help you further if you get stuck.

<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by Macka
Sorry John, that would be my fault.

I was under the impression this was the only way to get an avatar in.

Paul.
[/quote]