First time visitor from the UK

[shady]

Chaps

Looking to book 21 days in Florida / Orlando for Sept-Oct 2003. What is the best way to go about this ?

I have looked at the UK travel brochures and the prices are fine, however, what grates with me is the car insurance which is not included. The prices for insurance quoted are almost the price of the holiday itself. Is it better to ignore the free car suppled and arrange your own ? what are the standard prices ? We would hope to get something a little more special than the standard economy model - jeep / convertable etc. for at least part of the holiday. I am 35 and my partner who would also like to drive is 27. We both hold clean licences.

Are there any UK travel companies who offer good prices which include insurance ?


On a separate question, is taking a trip down to Miami / Keys possible, or does the distance make this an unwise and fruitless proposition ?

I am really looking forward to my trip out so any help would be appreciated.


Many thanks

[florida4sun]

Hello,
it is usually better to hire the car seperatley and pay all of your tax and insurance upfront in the UK. I would have a look at the car hire on this site. This gives you an all inclusive price and the hiore is with dollar So you collect the car from the airport.

quote:Originally posted by shady

Chaps

Looking to book 21 days in Florida / Orlando for Sept-Oct 2003. What is the best way to go about this ?

I have looked at the UK travel brochures and the prices are fine, however, what grates with me is the car insurance which is not included. The prices for insurance quoted are almost the price of the holiday itself. Is it better to ignore the free car suppled and arrange your own ? what are the standard prices ? We would hope to get something a little more special than the standard economy model - jeep / convertable etc. for at least part of the holiday. I am 35 and my partner who would also like to drive is 27. We both hold clean licences.

Are there any UK travel companies who offer good prices which include insurance ?


On a separate question, is taking a trip down to Miami / Keys possible, or does the distance make this an unwise and fruitless proposition ?

I am really looking forward to my trip out so any help would be appreciated.


Many thanks

[esprit]

We just did a 3 day side trip to Miami. The drive to Miami is 4-5 hours. Whilst you are there you can make a trip down the Tamiami Trail into the everglades which is worth doing. The keys is considerably further on. I would say to make a side trip to Key West comfortably you need 6-7 nights. No point in arriving just to turn round and drive back.

I know you say the prices in the travel brochures are OK but both the management company and the travel company are making commission here. Why not go direct and book a villa or even a condo if there are only two of you from the owner and cut out the middle man. You can book your flights and car hire on line and book your accommodation through a site such as this. Why pay extra? You could even save enough to fund your side trip!

[bellaepovera]

To drive down to the keys you need at least 8 hours. WE did it last summer and very tiring trip. But well worth seeing.. and loads of fun especially in the evenings..

[orlandobabe]

Do you mean 8 hours to the Keys from Miami or from Orlando?

[esprit]

8 hours from Orlando. Miami is over half way there though ut depends which key. Key Largo is not that far south of Miami. That causeway to Key West is a mighty long road. Accommodation in Key West in expensive by Orlando standards. Also if you are going in Sept, Shady,yhat is hurricane season and it is not unheard of for the keys to be hit.

[maniac]

Just a suggestion but you could rent the house and then go on a 3 days cruise out of Port Canaveral which takes in Key West and Nassau...

We did that this year on Royal Carribean and it only cost about 179 USD per person inclusive of all food and accommodation... great value.