trvlgrl

Hi - We are lucky enough to be going to Longboat Key at the end of April (our friends are lending us their place for a couple of weeks). We have never been to Florida, and also we will have our eleven-month daughter with us. I have looked through all the posts and it seems LBK will be a great place. I have a few questions... Are the restaurants there baby-friendly?(she is very well-behaved and used to eating out.) Are there any grocery stores on LBK where we can buy baby-food and supplies? What will the weather be like? I'm sure hot during the day, but will we need jackets/sweaters for the evening? We will be coming from the UK and hope to do some shopping while in Florida - any good recommendations? Is it a long drive to St. Armands Circle from LBK? Any suggestions of what to do while we are out there (bearing in mind we will have a little one with us). How long does it take to drive to the aquarium or the botanical gardens? Thanks for your help!

LilMsFoodie

The distances depend on where you are on LBK. At the Longboat Key Club, you are just minutes from St. Armand's, the Mote Marine laboratory and aquarium, etc. There is a Publix mid-island that has everything you could want unless you need special organic baby food or something. Many casual restaurants will be ok with your infant but the better ones might prefer you to dine with them very early or not at all. I'm thinking I've seen small ones at all times at The Columbia on St. Armands. LMF

emd

You will find LBK very relaxed, wonderful atmosphere, and you are going at a good slow time. The "snowbirds" who go down from the east for the winter will be leaving at end of April. It will most likley be warm but not yet really hot like it gets in June. Lilmsfoodie gave you good advice on the dining and groceries. I will add that there is a neat bird sanctuary close to the aquarium at the part of the key close to mainland. It is a great place to visit; not sure if your infant is old enough to enjoy the birds but you will. Have you been to Florida before? If not, it is very very intense sun, hats and very strong sunscreen or you'll likely get a bad bad burn after a winter in the UK. We've never made it into Sarasota to shop but if the baby is rested and you have a few hours it seems to me you could probably do it (depending on where you are on the key)

trvlgrl

Thanks for your replies...The bird sanctuary sounds nice. Do you remember the name of it? Thinking about packing-does it get cool enough at night to need sweaters/light jackets? It's still a month away, but I'm getting really excited for some sun and sand and sea!

emd

trvlgrl: Scarlett (I think it was Scarlett) on this board posted the name of the bird sanctuary a few weeks ago, during a discussion of Tampa- I receommended that someone go to a bird sanctuary there and it sparked a discussion of this one on LBK also. I will try to find the post. But everyoen on LCK knows the bird sanctuary there, it is the only one and they peopel who own it are a big part of the community, and it is across from the Aquarium.

LilMsFoodie

Bird sanctuary is Pelican Man's. I didn't mention it as I thought the birds might be so large as to frighten a small one. This is a place that rehabilitates injured birds. Has been there for years. Mote Marine is a scientific laboratory that has public displays. They study red tide, manatee mortality, dolphin migrations, etc. Fascinating place. Little one will interact favorably with the giant peaceful manatee. On the other hand Pelican Man rehabilitates baby birds so that might be fun for you all. You know you baby best so read these and decide:

http://www.mote.org/~aquarium/Welcome.phtml

http://www.pelicanman.org/

While there, have lunch at the Old Salty Dog. I love this little dive on the water across from Mote Marine. LMF

trvlgrl

That sounds great. She is a very adventurous and adaptable little person, so I don't think the birds will scare her. And my husband and I love birdwatching (though we are not fanatical about it...). How are the botanical gardens - worth a visit? There have been some good mentions here about the Old Salty Dog. I'm looking forward to some good seafood. Another place I've read good reviews about is Euphemia Hayes (sp?). Would that be a good place to take the little one for lunch? Any other recommendations? I prefer good food to fancy surroundings.

LilMsFoodie

Marie Selby Gardens are wonderful, especially the greenhouse with the bromeliads and orchids. This is the most extensive bromeliad collection I have ever seen and the largest air plant display in US.

The bamboo grove is lovely as is the walk along the bay. A lovely morning or afternoon.

Look at http://www.selby.org

The gardens are very close to St. Armand's and LBK. LMF

trvlgrl

LMF (and emd)- Thanks so much for your generous advice. One last question - What do you think about the Myakka reserve? It sounds really interesting, but is it worth a special trip and/or is appropriate to take an infant there? Would it be too hot and "buggy" at that time of year?

LN

Hi

Sorry to get into this late but thought I'd add that renting bikes is a great idea on the island. Bikes are ridden everywhere and our kids take our bikes, put the kid seat on back, add their helmet and off they go. Our little ones love it. Most little ones love making sand castles by the gulf since the surf is generally so easy.

Euphemia haye is undoubtedly closed at lunchtime. They do serve magnificient dinners and are on the pricier end of the restaurants there.

I would imagine that a trip to Myakka Park would be quite a treat for everyone but I can't guess if it will be buggy there at that time. It can actually be buggy at any time.

LN

Gee emd - we must hang out in the same locations!!

DC and Longboat - wow

cd

trvlgrl
We always take a light jacket or sweatshirt to the ocean with us. Sometimes after the sun goes down and you want to take a walk on the seashore it might come in handy.

emd1

LN: I live outside DC, work part of the time in DC. and part in Northern VA, but I try to get around to alot of other places...not as many or as often as I'd like though.

trvlgrl

thanks for all the ideas. Renting bikes sounds like fun. One (hopefully) last question - do you have any suggestions as to how to find a good babysitter in case my husband and I would like to sneak away for a nice meal on our own one night?

emd

trvlgrl: There are likely babysitting services offered there through an agency in the area. When my husband nad I stayed in Clearwater Beach, we used an agency like that. They sent a woman to our hotel room and she played w/the kids that night and put them to sleep. I was nervous about it beforehand, but i liked the woman when I met her (older retired lady), and it went fine. The agency was bonded and she had worked for them for years. If you are comfortable with doing that, then get online and find the yellow pages directory for Longboat Key and Sarasota and also do a general search for babysitting services. I woudl get a bonded agency and not an individual if it was me- unless the individual was personally referred by someone I knew.
When I went to LBK it was the same situation as yours. A friend gave us use of his condo for 10 days. This friend goes to his condo alot from where he lives in Orlando w/his family. I will email him and ask if he has used any babysitters in LBK, and will let you know if he can provide any info.

LilMsFoodie

Long Boat Key Club has a list of bonded babysitters that they use for guests there. I don't know if their concierge will give out names to non-guests. Liability issues and all that. LMF

veenray

trvlgrl,
Very interested in how your trip goes. My husband and I are traveling to Longboat Key May 15-May 22 with our infant daughter (her 1st birthday is on the 19th of May)....when you return would you mind posting some info, or emailing me directly. Have fun in Longboat!!!

trvlgrl

Hi Veenray - I'll try to write to you when I get back and answer any questions you may have. I'm not sure how to email you directly though...

trvlgrl

Back from LBK. Beautiful place, very relaxed. Loved it and hope to go back... Florida was much more beautiful than I expected, really nice place. I can easily see the appeal, and LBK is very special. (Not quite as stunningly beautiful as some of the Asian beaches I have been to, but cleanliness and easy amenities are a higher priorities now with a baby.)

Veenray, not sure what info you would like, but here are some thoughts...

Never had a problem taking the baby to restaurants, everywhere had a highchair and everyone was very accomodating. We did tend to go early though before it got too crowded so we wouldn't have a wait - and so we could get back to the house in time for the sunset.

Publix is a great supermarket that caters to a wide variety of tastes.

Food for the baby was a bit of a problem. Not sure what stage of eating your baby is at - mine eats some finger foods, but still gets most of her nutrition from softer foods. Being on holiday, I did not want to make every single meal for her, but I found that later-stage jarred baby food (food with texture) was very hard to find. When we finally did find some (on a side-trip to San Antonio) we discovered that she wasn't too keen on the taste of American jarred foods. In the end, I ended up making a few different things for her that were easy for me to mash up with a fork: spag-bol, fish, and mixed veg. However, I think she got really tired of little variety in her diet for those two weeks.

It is hot and tropical there, and she loved crawling around with no clothes on. We kept her slathered with sunblock and had no problem. It's much warmer there than in somewhere like San Diego, especially at night, so a long-sleeved cotton shirt was about as much warm clothes as we needed.

Just be careful of the "no-see-ums" as we were told they were called... I think they are biting gnats that are almost too small to see, but do leave very itchy bites. Apparently bug spray works, but we discovered that after the fact (my poor husband got really caught out)... Sunrise and sunset are the worst times... or after a rain.

Hope that answers any questions/concerns you may have had.

veenray

Thanks for the info! Did you guys go to any of the attractions in the area?
I'm a little concerned about the SUN, Erin, my daughter has red hair and has a very fair complextion. I'll keep the sunblock on her... She'll celebrate her first birthday while we're there, so she eats a lot of our food, just cut up in smaller pieces...so the baby food shouldn't be a problem, she doesn't like that stage 3 food either! I'll be sure to get buy some "OFF" for the buggs. My mother lives in New Smyrna Beach, FL so I'm used to that biting gnats....
Thanks again for your info! We leave this Saturday. When we return I'll drop you a line.