Margo

Husband and I have found ourselves with 5 days and nights in which to revisit Central Florida. We will be leaving Siesta Key on a Monday and then plan to drive to Cocoa Beach (for maybe 2 nights) then on up to (perhaps) Daytona Beach then back to Tampa to fly home on Saturday. We would like suggestions on any other places instead of these these towns which would be nearby Also we would like to avoid the Orlando area and any theme parks. Our interests are history, wild life, scenery, parks and things that are real Florida.

Any suggestions for motels on the beach (just for the views, no sunbathing) in Cocoa Beach, or near Daytona, and at the Tampa airport. About $150 or so a night such as a Hampton Inn that have special appeal. Route to drive, especially from Daytona area to Tampa. Good restaurants, too, that are not touristy but have local appeal.

I know this is rather vague, but I am not coming up with anything exciting by myself.
Thanks,
Margo

Orlando_Vic

I'm not a fan of Daytona Beach. I would prefer that you spend this time in St. Augustine instead, especially if you're interested in history.

As far as good restaurants in St. Augustine, here are my restaurant recommendations, based solely on my personal preferences... and 25+ years of enjoying their cuisine:

For Lunch

Café Alcazar (25 Granada St, Saint Augustine, FL 32084-4387) is a true hidden gem…and is definitely off the main tourist path. It is a small restaurant located in what was once the deep end of the world's largest indoor swimming pool, now the Lightener Museum building. The food is quite good (I love their curried chicken salad.) and the atmosphere is absolutely unique and very conducive to conversation. They don't take reservations and only serve lunch. If you have trouble finding them, you can phone them at 904-825-9948. Check out their Trip Advisor reviews: http://tinyurl.com/5qlvrq

For Dinner

Old City House http://www.oldcityhouse.com/
Outstanding breakfasts and dinners. Located just steps away from the Casa Monica.

The Raintree http://www.raintreerestaurant.com/

La Cocina International Restaurant http://lacocinarestaurants.com/index.html

The Reef http://www.thereefstaugustine.com/index.html?
The food is very good, and the ocean views are even better. Be sure to arrive before sunset (or for Sunday brunch) for best views. Request a window table when making your reservation.

Saltwater Cowboys
(My personal favorite for ambiance and value combined)
http://www.saltwatercowboys.com/

Gypsy Cab Co. http://www.gypsycab.com/

Creekside Dinery http://www.creeksidedinery.com/

Le Pavillion http://www.lepav.com/

Purple Olive http://www.purple-olive.com

Casa Maya
This tiny restaurant offers fresh, organic ingredients to make the most delicious Mayan dishes.

17 Hypolita St
St Augustine, FL 32084
(904) 217-3039

And, for a special treat...you should try Collage http://www.collagestaug.com/ It is strictly a special occasion restaurant, but if you like good service, warm & relaxing ambiance and a creative, eclectic menu, this restaurant is a wonderful experience. They do everything right! It is the best restaurant in town, hands down!


Honorable mention

O'Steens
(Perhaps the best shrimp in town. ZERO ambiance, no reservations, reasonable prices)

You'll notice that I did not mention the Columbia restaurant. IMO, their food is good, but not as good as any of the other restaurants I have mentioned.

Also, it is somewhat of a tourist trap and one of about 6-8 other Columbia's around the state. This may qualify them as a chain restaurant. I know a lot of people eat there, but the other restaurants I have given you are all better.

_______________________________________________
Vic's travels: http://my.flightmemory.com/vogilvie

Macross

New Smyrna Beach is great. We call Daytona "Dirtona" it is nasty. La Quinta on Cocoa Beach is a good price and across the street from the Publix shopping center with some places to eat but Publix has great deli and take out.
We only eat at the Port so not much help as far as food goes. Not a bad ride to the port though from LaQuinta. There is also the Florida Beer company and it is fun to go there.
http://www.floridabeer.com/

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Re...h_Florida.html

It is not on the beach but on the street to the beach which has a ton of great places to eat and shop. Great vibe here.

vincenzo32951

What Vic said about St. Augustine, with a minor quibble:

While I agree that there are restaurants with better food (though you could say that about just about any restaurant) I wouldn't call the Columbia a "tourist trap." To me, a TT is a place with high prices for low-quality food and service. The prices at Columbia are about average, and the food and service are decent.

hpeabody

Hilton Cocoa Beach has available views

http://www3.hilton.com/en/hotels/flo...HHF/index.html

If you get to the Titusville area look into restaurant Dixie Crossroads. Known for their great rock shrimp.

http://www.dixiecrossroads.com/

Macross

They have a better place on South Street, Wild Ocean Seafood. Once you get over the smell the food is so good and they are owned by Dixie Crossroad's owners. It is where they bring in all of their fresh catch so has that odor. They also have a place at the port that they sell fresh off the boat seafood.
http://wildoceanmarket.com/

I love the salad that they make at the table at Columbia.
I can drink a whole pitcher of their sangria and not get a buzz though.

What was the Hilton price hpeabody?

hpeabody

>>>>>>

I have no idea, it has been too long. I would just check current prices on their website or other websites like Kayak or Trivago to get an idea.

bachslunch

Agreed, St. Augustine is well worth a 3 day visit. It's arguably the most interesting city to visit in Florida. And I definitely agree that Columbia is not at all a tourist trap.

My trip reports are below for this city:

http://www.fodorstravel.com/communit...-augustine.cfm

http://www.fodors.com/community/unit...rip-report.cfm

Margo

I am finally getting back to planning this trip. Thank you to those of you who offered suggestions. To bachslunch and Orlando_Vic: St. Augustine would add some more driving from Cocoa Beach and the two days spent driving from Siesta Key to Cocoa Beach and then from New Smyrna Beach back to Tampa would be more then we want to do in the 5 days. I must say that the list of restaurants in St. Augustine was impressive. And to Macross: We are planning to avoid Daytona Beach and stay in New Smyrna Beach. Looking along the route from Cocoa Beach to NSB, is there any place to avoid seeing wall to wall condo on the beach and perhaps get a feel for the "Old Florida"?


What routes would be recommended to drive from Siesta Key to Cocoa Beach to avoid as much of the interstate highway and maybe visit parks or other places of interest? Same goes for the route from NSB back to Tampa (though Route 4 from the Orlando area seems to be about the only way). Any sights to take in on the trip through Orlando area or Lakeland?

Thanks again,
Margo

bachslunch

Haven't been everywhere in Florida, but my impression is that "Old Florida" will be hard to come by outside of historic houses with plenty of grounds like Bonnet House (Ft. Lauderdale), Barnacle State Historic Site (Coconut Grove), or the Vizacaya (Miami).

Macross

That is why I said the Hampton Inn in NSB, it is in the old Florida style town. Not on the ocean but a quick walk and great places to eat.

Macross

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Re...h_Florida.html

On the ocean but you could still walk to Flagler for dining and shopping.

http://spanishrivergrill.com/ This is actually in the Publix shopping center
Third Wave Café is on flagler as well as the Gnarly Surf Bar and Grill