Some Advise Needed Pretty Please

[niccola27]

So we booked our flights yesterday to Florida for our honeymoon in September. We're going for 3 weeks. We've been to Florida lots (3 times in the last 18 months alone) and have done the normal Orlando and surrounding area and also Naples.
We like the idea of a 3-5 centre holiday - my bloke wants to spend the first 4-5 nights in orlando and then would like to go somewhere beachy!!
As mentioned above we've done Naples which we loved and we would very much like it to be one of our 3-5 centres but we'd like to explore someother places on the gulf coast - going no further south then Naples.
I would just like to hear where your favourite places are. I've heard about Clearwater, St Petes & Marco Island but don't really know a great deal about what they have to offer. Also have heard of other places like Rotunda, Cape Coral and some others so would like to know what these places have to offer to a couple in their late 20's/early 30's.
Would be nice to experience a varity of Floridian places - some more lively ones and some more chilled ones. Any advice would be fantastic please and a photo or two of some of these places would make my day!!!!
Thanks in advance

[ellie]

Why don't you take a look at some of the wonderful Gulf villas on here? They are usually very near fabulous beaches, and have a more laid back feel after the excitement of Orlando.

Ideal for a honeymoon break. Imagine all that walking along the beach at sunset!

I am sure some of the Gulf owners will be able to tell you more about it all than me, but I do know that repeat guests of mine who booked one of the Gulf villas loved it.

Many congratulations on your forthcoming wedding, and I hope you have a wonderful time in Orlando, too.

[mollymolly]

As a Rotonda (Gulf Coast) owner I'll start off by admitting a slight bias to this area [msnwink]

Rotonda is about 3 hours drive from Orlando and a further two before Naples so it should fit nicely into your holiday plan.

You will find beautiful almost deserted beaches to relax on or watch the sun go down. Hire a boat and go sailing, deep sea fishing or take a leisurely cruise followed by dolphins. Explore the numerous canals by canoe. Cycle round the Rotonda or follow the trails. Fish, golf, play tennis or just chill out.

There's a great choice of places to eat from good value basic eateries to high class restaurants. Try a visit to Rhum Bay Island accessed by water taxi. Most of the villas have outdoor grills if you want to stay "at home" and barbie. Search through this site and you will find lists of suggested restaurants.

Bernadette

[Katys Grandad]

Congratulations on you forthcoming marriage. There a lots of great places on the Gulf Coast. My favourites are Sanibel & Captiva which, in my view, are unique.

My first reaction to your plans is that 3/5 centres are a lot even in 3 weeks. If you're looking to rent a property, I think you'll find it hard to convince an owner to let you have their property for just a few days so it will have to be hotels (nothing fundamentally wrong with that!) and you might be spending a lot of your honeymoon in the car.

[Ruth]

We spend a lot of time in the Cape Haze area, including Port Charlotte and Englewood. I think the beaches are among the best I have ever seen, we love watching dolphins for hours on end

[sunandfun]

Another vote for Sanibel and Captiva. It's my favourite place in Florida. However, it may be that you visit there as one of your quiet, chill-out times. It's just perfect for that. And it's also very romantic - stunning sunsets and beautiful scenery. Congratulations and best wishes for your marriage. Enjoy your three weeks!

[niccola27]

Yeah sorry we hadn't really considered staying in a villa as we might only spend a couple of nights in one place and maybe 5 in another so we thought that hotels would be our only real option - but there again if there is a place that we really like the sound of then obviously we would spend a week somewhere and then a villa would be the way to go as we have stayed in villas before.
Last September when we went to Florida we took an internal flight so that would always be an option for us as neither of us wants to be driving for hours.

[Oceansplasher]

Hi Nikki,

My wife and I had our honeymoon in Florida (Naples) and also enjoy touring the state and mixing beaches with nature and Orlando. Last October we had 3 weeks vacation there. As part of the trip we stayed in hotels every 3 - 4 nights after a family time in a villa. We stayed in a beautiful hotel right on the beach front at St Pete's and had a great room looking out over the beach and a balcony for the sunsets!! When swimming in the sea wild dolphins swam past me really close by, an amazing experience and didn't cost a cent!! [msnwink]

I think a 3 centre trip would be absolutely fine, maybe even 4. If you want the hotel details at St Pete's feel free to DM me.

Stuart.

[SteveandJan]

We have flown over to the Bahamas on a multi centre trip, you can get internal flights cheaply and is only 50 minutes and have also stayed in the Florida keys and Miami beach (Bal Harbour)and stayed in the Sheraton overlooking Miam beach, which we have loved too and the kids always say that was their best holiday. It is something I want to do again

[caroline]

I can't speak for all villa owners but I know plenty that are happy to take gap filler bookings for 3, 4 or 5 nights and mixing your stay up between different types of accommodation will give you the chance to experience more of what Florida has to offer, not to mention the chance to do your laundry[msnwink]