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Articles for ‘Florida Vacation’ Category

Holiday travel in Ft. Lauderdale

Tuesday, November 3rd, 2009
up-north-033

Fort Lauderdale Beach off of Las Olas Boulevard

By John George

I’ve always had relatives in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., and my family lived there in the early aughts. We are returning for a week around Christmas, and will definitely utilize the following tips to help make our trip go smoothly.

Find Appropriate Accommodations
We’re lucky enough to be staying with relatives this trip, but have spent enough time visiting to know some of the better hotel options that suit our needs. Our current favorites in town are the Marriott Harbor Beach and the Riverside Hotel—we used to love staying at Ireland’s Inn Beach Resort, but it closed two years ago for renovations and no new information is currently available. We have also used the Embassy Suites on the 17th Street Causeway; although this hotel is about two miles from the beach, the suite layout is very family friendly.

Pack for the Weather
December weather in southern Florida is definitely unpredictable. We’ve enjoyed marvelous beach time and also some chilly days in late December—and even early January (we, of course, console ourselves by remembering the weather back home up north. If you are planning on visiting before about mid-January, be sure to monitor weather conditions before packing for your trip. One year, we had some of our cousin’s visit for New Year and during their stay, the weather turned cool—shorts and tank tops gave way to jackets and sweaters. Good thing we were there to lend some clothes! (more…)

Posted in Beach Vacation, Family Travel, Florida Vacation, Holidays & Events, Orbitz Parent Panel | No Comments »

Top domestic beach vacations: Hilton Head and Amelia Island

Saturday, October 24th, 2009

By Lena Katz

With summer in the rearview mirror and Thanksgiving around the next curve, the landscape may look a little dreary to you these days. Maybe it’s time for a quick change of scenery. Quickie beach vacations, golf getaways or spa weekends are an easy way to perk up a blah autumn. Last installment was all about the Florida Keys—considered by many to be the ultimate Florida beach vacation spot. This time, we focus other domestic destinations: Hilton Head and Amelia Island on the western Florida coast.

Hilton Head

Hilton Head

Hilton Head

While Hilton Head Island has a storied history dating from Colonial times, it wasn’t until the 1950s when builders developed Sea Pines Resort that really transformed the island into a tourist destination. From the start, the intention was to maintain the simplicity and serenity of island life, while bringing in a range of high-end experiences and accommodations that could satisfy wealthy clientele. Today, the island has 24 golf courses, including Harbour Town Golf Links which hosts an annual PGA tournament. Apart from this it remains fairly pristine: Bike trails wind around groves of 100-year-old trees, while inlets and slow-moving creeks offer kayak fishing. People walk out to meet the incoming fishing boats in the harbor daily, selecting fresh catch to bring home and grill up, or eating at one of the waterfront restaurants.

Located in the Low Country coastal area, this is part of the Sea Islands system. It’s a quick drive from Savannah/Hilton Head airport, though it’s actually across the state line in South Carolina. At four hours’ driving distance from Charlotte and Atlanta, it’s a popular weekend getaway for residents of those cities as well as people flying in from the Midwest. Many of the big hotel chains have a presence here. Marriott Hilton Head Island Resort & Spa recently completed a revamp and opened a new spa with 15 treatment rooms. The Westin is a frontrunner as far as spa goes: the chain’s Heavenly Spa program, which draws upon indigenous ingredients from whichever region the spas are located, has a variety of inspirations to work with on this Low Country island. Signatures are the indigo massage and sweet grass wrap and—for people coming in with stiff shoulders after a day on the greens—a heated golf ball massage. For anyone who prefers to experience all the island’s dining and shopping, the Holiday Inn is right across from Coligny Plaza, which boasts more than 60 shops and restaurants. (more…)

Posted in Beach Vacation, Family Travel, Florida Vacation, Spa Vacation, Sports Travel | No Comments »

Clearwater, FL home to the 2009 Foster Grant Ironman

Tuesday, October 20th, 2009

By Joanna Citarella

On November 14 more than 1,800 athletes (plus myself and countless other spectators) will converge on Clearwater Beach for the Foster Grant Ironman World Championship triathlon.

The start of the Foster Grant Ironman World Championship

The start of the Foster Grant Ironman World Championship

This race is the real deal, the holy grail of triathlons and the stakes are high with a purse of $100,000 split between the top 10 athletes. Participants will travel from all over the world and must complete a 1.2-mile swim in the Gulf of Mexico, a 56-mile bike ride through Pinellas County and 13.1-mile run through downtown Clearwater and the neighboring beach communities—all within 8 hours.

Admittedly this does sound like hard work, and not for everyone, but as I pondered my own upcoming Clearwater vacation (and by the way, the fall is a great time to visit Clearwater with average temperatures in the high 70- to low 80-degree range—perfect for enjoying the great outdoors) I thought it might be useful to share a few suggestions that will hopefully inspire you should you decide to reconnect with your inner athlete on your next vacation (yes, there is one hidden inside each of us!).

Swimming, skimming and sailing
The award-winning beaches of Clearwater and St. Petersburg, lend themselves to a little more than just sunbathing and paddling. Year round, the Gulf of Mexico enjoys warm and generally calm waters—excellent for a family vacation. The translucent waters of Caladesi Island State Park are great for swimming, and at Fort Desoto Park, there are two well-marked swimming beaches. While the gentle swells of the Gulf of Mexico aren’t entirely conducive with traditional surfing, there is plenty on offer for the water sports enthusiast. Children spend endless hours skimming on boards along the shallows, and for the more daring, kite surfing is extremely popular. If you want to venture a little further offshore, try your hand at sailing, with several schools in the area offering everything from basic skills training to advanced certification. (more…)

Posted in Beach Vacation, Family Travel, Florida Vacation, Sports Travel | No Comments »

Top 10 scary Halloween travel destinations

Wednesday, October 14th, 2009

Fall travel is in full swing, and with Halloween around the corner, many fall travel destinations are looking to give visitors a scare. From Disney’s haunted theme park to Las Vegas costume parties, there is an endless amount of Halloween fun this fall. Check out some of the top fall travel destinations for Halloween.

Disney Halloween (Photo copywright Disney/Kent Phillips)

Disney Halloween (Photo copywright Disney/Kent Phillips)

  • Disney World & Disneyland: Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Fla., is perfect for families with younger children. Children of all ages can dress up and trick-or-treat throughout the Magic Kingdom. The party runs through early November. Disneyland in Anaheim, Calif., also serves up an age-appropriate scare with a haunted mansion, fireworks, trick-or-treating and more.

  • New Orleans: This year, New Orleans plans to host a 4-day charity Halloween Party. The Twisted Seasons event features dance parties, costume contests and New Orleans-themed surprises.
  • Las Vegas: Las Vegas hotels are teaming up to host the biggest and best costume party in the country. If it can get any bolder, Las Vegas kicks it up a notch on Oct. 31 with all-night parties and over-the-top shows.
  • Salem, Mass.: Home of the infamous Salem Witch Trials, Salem, Mass., is thought to be one of the most haunted places in America. As local hotels book up quickly, consider Massachusetts hotels north of Boston .
  • Chicago: Check out the spooky side of the Windy City. Haunted Chicago tours and lakefront haunted houses are just the beginning. Even Six Flags Great America, an amusement park in Gurnee, Ill., hosts Fright Fest, a zombie-filled festival sure to be a wild ride. (more…)

Posted in Disney Vacation, Family Travel, Florida Vacation, Holidays & Events, Top 10 Lists | No Comments »

The inside scoop on Florida Keys vacations

Tuesday, October 6th, 2009

By Lena Katz

It’s sunset in Key West, and as usual, at least three people in Mallory Square are playing with fire. One’s juggling it, one’s dancing with it, and the third seems to be ready to eat it. A few yards away, a man in a straitjacket and chains hangs upside down above an excited crowd.

Mallory Square, Sunset Celebration. Photo by Gary Sibley

Mallory Square, Sunset Celebration. Photo by Gary Sibley

Oblivious to the street theater, German tourists push forward to the seawall, straining to snap photos of the sunset over the ocean. A cruise ship looms large on the horizon, with a few sailboats floating serenely in the mist. Even though autumn’s officially started, this town is eternally on a beach holiday—as are all of the Florida Keys. It’s one of several island clusters that offer Midwest and East Coast residents an easy golf getaway, fishing trip, spa weekend…not quite a full vacation, but enough to tide you over till the holidays.

The Florida Keys are just a half-hour jaunt from Miami, but many of its return guests are from Indianapolis and Ohio, Chicago and Boston…chilly cities that excel at business, but have forgotten how to relax. With mile after mile of peaceful, barely trafficked islands connected by narrow bridges and populated mostly by birds, the Keys literally offers a journey into to serenity.

The uppermost island, Key Largo, is the busiest except for Key West. Dozens of fishing expeditions and dive boats go in and out daily, the fishing boats in search of tarpon and bonefish (catch-and-release only), and the dive boats cruising to the offshore coral reef.  It’s hard to choose between the many boat operators, but locals recommend Florida Keys Outfitters for fishing. Atlantis Dive Center is a hugely popular snorkel/dive boat operator—founder Spencer Slate’s shtick involves feeding moray eels chunks of fish from his mouth (he used to do barracuda till one of the fish chomped his mask off). (more…)

Posted in Beach Vacation, Florida Vacation, Holidays & Events, Miami Vacation, Spa Vacation, Travel Tips | No Comments »

Key West’s Fantasyfest: Parties, parades and dancing in the street

Monday, September 7th, 2009

Key West hotelsBy Ian Whitney

I’ll begin by pointing out that while our Fantasyfest experience is hardly unique, it is from the perspective of two guys in their twenties who happen to be lucky enough to live in Key West all year. For us, Fantasyfest begins a week before the parade with Goombay, a Caribbean street party. There is great people watching, street food and steel drums.

(more…)

Posted in Florida Vacation, Gay Travel, Nightlife | No Comments »

Disney World, Universal offer fun ways to celebrate Halloween

Friday, August 28th, 2009

Family vacation

Rocky Horror Picture Show characters at Universal Orlando's Halloween Horror Nights. (Copyright 2009 Universal Orlando Resort)

By Mary Flynn

I have taken my two oldest kids, ages 19 and 21, to Universal’s Halloween Horror Nights in Orlando for the past five years, and it has now become our family tradition to go each year. The first time we went in the middle of the week, which I preferred since there were less people, the tickets were cheaper, and the lines to the rides and haunted houses were not very long. Universal’s event is designed for adults and kids alike and is considered the largest of its kind in the United States.

We like attending the Rocky Horror Picture Show on stage, where we can laugh and get a bit frightened all at the same time. And the nighttime parade, with its costumes and crazy floats, is so much fun — a lot like a Mardi Gras parade, where they throw beads and little prizes.

(more…)

Posted in Disney Vacation, Family Travel, Florida Vacation, Holidays & Events, Orbitz Parent Panel, Orlando Vacation | No Comments »

Miami neighborhood boasts luxury hotels, restaurants and more

Thursday, August 13th, 2009

By Brian Chapman

Miami hotels

Coconut Grove dining. (Photo: Maegan C. Paniewski/Image provided by Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau www.gmcvb.com.)

After moving around as an Army brat and growing up all over the world, I finally found a place to settle down: the Coconut Grove area of Miami.

Like the rest of Miami, Coconut Grove is blessed with warm weather and tropical sunshine year ’round.  However, unlike the hustle and bustle of Miami, Coconut Grove is a quaint historic section of south Miami that is known for luxurious living, small town boutiques, and unparalleled dining.

I love driving home through the canopies of enormous banyan trees, and seeing the same indoor plants from Virginia growing naturally all around me.  If our yellow lab, Sunshine, lets us leave the dog park, my girlfriend and I walk into the very pet friendly heart of the Grove regularly for drinks and dinner.  While enjoying cool breezes at sidewalk tables, it’s easy to look around and see why Miami vacations are so popular — incredible sunshine, tropical environment, luxurious cars, and exotic people.

(more…)

Posted in Beach Vacation, Florida Vacation, Miami Vacation | No Comments »

Top 10 ways to enjoy the water in Florida

Friday, August 7th, 2009

Florida vacation

Aquatica

By Samantha Chapnick

A Florida vacation is usually about water — either a day at the beach or a dip in the hotel pool. But there are plenty of other, unique ways and places to enjoy the water while you’re in Florida. Here are my family’s top 10:

  1. Aquatica: Simply the best water park we’ve been to. A 4x speed lazy river, flumes going through dolphin tanks, huge childrens water playground with plenty of lounges, and most importantly — a quota! After the park reaches capacity they close it, so crowds and long lines are NEVER an issue! We live in New York and STILL have a yearly pass. (more…)

Posted in Beach Vacation, Family Travel, Florida Vacation, Top 10 Lists | No Comments »

Disney vacation, cruise, through the eyes of a 6th grader

Friday, July 31st, 2009

Disney vacation

(Copyright: Disney)

By Zeke George

My family and I recently went on a one-week family vacation at Disney World in Florida. The trip was three days at an Orlando hotel, and four days on a Disney cruise.  I will give you some of my impressions in this blog. Just so you know, I’m in 6th grade and this was really my first Disney World vacation.  We went there for a day when I was a toddler, but I really don’t remember too much about that.

Day 1

Today I’m going to write a lot, as this was my first impression of the Disney vacation experience. Once we got off of the plane I learned the meaning of waiting in a line to get in another line. My dad waited in line at the Disney Magical Express to hand a man our documents. Then we got in another line and waited half an hour to actually get on the bus. The bus took us to our resort while we watched a video on how to check into the hotel. The nice thing was we didn’t have to carry our luggage — they just dropped our luggage off after we got there.

(more…)

Posted in Cruise, Disney Vacation, Family Travel, Florida Vacation | No Comments »

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