Why Florida ?

[kitch50]

I have just met my friend for coffee for the first time since we came back from our holiday in Orlando, and she asked me where we would like to go for our next holiday. My answer was "Florida again, without a doubt, we love it" "why?" she asked "you have been there so many times, surely you and the kids get bored of seeing the same things every time you go", "OMG" I said "no, we never get bored." " I can't think of anything worse than going to the same place time after time" she said. (sort of what the conversation went like)!

So, guys and gals, everyone has a different take on what draws them back to FL time and again, what draws you?[?][?]

[wendim]

Me too, i fell in love with Florida 15 years ago and have returned every other year since. I came back on October 3rd this year, it feels like a lifetime ago especially now the dark nights are drawing in but my my mind often wanders to "Roa's rapids" at Aqatica.......sheer bliss

[becbecs]

We get asked the same question, but until you have been you will never know what Florida has to offer.

We love the Parks, Restaurants, the life stile & people oh and the weather.

Florida is a huge place and we have only done a small part so another reason for us to go back again. (Any Excuse)[msnwink]

[luckylady]

I have one question for you Wendy. Has your friend ever been to Florida?I am guessing they have not, if they had I doubt the comments would have been said.

I first visited Florida over 25 years ago, fell in love with the place.Why!! so many reasons, the weather, the relaxed way of life, the shopping, the parks,the Floridians they are so hospitable,value for money So much to see in Florida without going to the parks.

After so many years, and many visits I have lost count now.Yet I still get excited when I land at the airport, collect the car, feel the warmth of the sun on my face.Just wonderful [msnsmile2]

[kitch50]

Barbara

Funnily enough she has never been! Too commercial for her, they prefer Europe, each to their own I say. Florida is not for everyone but I love it. We have been to lots of places in the US, Tennessee, Georgia, North and South Carolina and New York but for a family holiday, Florida is top for me, from the beautiful villa we always stay at, to the mickey mouse shaped ice creams and the chunky chip grass! (a family joke) and everything in between. Unfortunately we can only manage to go every 3 to 4 years, triple rollover on the lottery tonight so you never know......

[MarkJan]

Florida is commercial but so is any holiday destination. There is so much countryside, lakes, state parks, beaches, all easily accessible.

[mfairhurst]

We have been all over the world and still love Florida more than any we have been even going back to our villa time & time again .
There is so much to do and see and always find more each time we go from this forum or driving around we have been in cafes and the Americans tell us of places to visit even not touristy spots .
MAUREEN
www.onlinefloridavillas.com/villas/1683.aspx

[ellie]

For me the first and most enduring memory of Florida has to be the very first time we landed there. We had had a long journey via New York and were pretty tired, but as we went through the doors of the terminal we felt a rush of warm air on our faces - and it was nearly midnight in December.

We have never forgotten it, or the tall palm trees outlined against a velvet black sky.

So for us, it is the warmth that draws us back time and time again, combined with the million and one things to do - and believe me, even after 10 years of visiting Florida there is still SO much we haven't had time to do.

I could go on and list some of the wonderful things we have experienced in Florida - walking into our beautiful villa for the very first time and knowing that we had our own little bit of the sunshine state, lying back in our pool at the end of the day and looking up at the starry sky and needing to pinch myself that it is all real, eating a fantastic Christmas meal at a superb hotel and NO washing up or cooking for mum, the magic of walking into a Disney park and hearing the music, soft sand between my toes on a Gulf Beach, watching the fireworks at Epcot and feeling goose bumps as the introduction begins, seeing Tinkerbell fly across the sky at Magic Kingdom, watching the launch of the shuttle as it leaves a zigzag of white smoke in the sky, seeing a manatee as it swims slowly past us at Blue Springs, oh I could go on and on, but I don't want to bore you.[msnwink]

What those who have never visited Florida don't realise is that of course, Orlando IS Disney and theme parks, but it is not JUST that. There is SO much more to enjoy and explore. That is what keeps up coming back time after time.

[Lyn]

The first time we went was in 93, we went for our children, I fully expected it to be a once in a lifetime trip for them, not my sort of place at all, would probably have said the same as Wendys friend. What a difference two weeks can make to your life, have now been to the States 21 times 14 of them to Florida, we will be making our 15th trip in January. There is everything you could possibly want in Florida (except mountains[msnsmile]) scenery, theme parks, animal parks, shopping both cheap & designer fabulous villas, I am now totally hooked, will go elsewere but only if I can go to Florida as well.[msnwink]

[Jill]

We thought we would only once for the children as a holiday of a lifetime, so stayed in a Disney hotel (bad idea - bit cramped for 4) and spent 2 weeks 'doing' the parks.

Then our boys went to a scout camp in Florida and found there is a lot more to Florida than theme parks and we ended up buying a villa.

Then both boys decided they liked America so much they each spent a year at an American university, and gained a lot from their experience and not just on the education front.

Although most people still think the only thing Florida has going for it is the theme parks they could not be more wrong. There are so many things to see and do and that is before you start visiting the other states.