Naples or Clearwater - extra night
Jul 28th, 2006, 03:59 AM
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Naples or Clearwater - extra night
Hi all, its us folks from way down south needing some advice again.
We have made a very slight change to our trip reducing the nights in Orlando to 7. This gives us one more night in either Clearwater or Naples - we must decide quickly and would like your input.
The trip looks like this:
Naples
Day 1 explore Naples - New Years Eve
Day 2 Sanibel/ Captiva
Day 3 Fort Myers
Clearwater
Day 1 Clearwater - Dunedin, Tarpon Springs
Day 2 Tampa/ Ybor
Day 3 St Petersburg? or somewhere?
Perhaps we should spend a day at Sarasota and Venice, but would this be from a base at Naples or at Clearwater.
We are stuck with those 2 bases so need to work around them
Don't particularly wish to visit Busch Gardens as will have plenty of theme parks in Orlando and we see lots of anumals at home.
Thanks in advance for your help
We have made a very slight change to our trip reducing the nights in Orlando to 7. This gives us one more night in either Clearwater or Naples - we must decide quickly and would like your input.
The trip looks like this:
Naples
Day 1 explore Naples - New Years Eve
Day 2 Sanibel/ Captiva
Day 3 Fort Myers
Clearwater
Day 1 Clearwater - Dunedin, Tarpon Springs
Day 2 Tampa/ Ybor
Day 3 St Petersburg? or somewhere?
Perhaps we should spend a day at Sarasota and Venice, but would this be from a base at Naples or at Clearwater.
We are stuck with those 2 bases so need to work around them
Don't particularly wish to visit Busch Gardens as will have plenty of theme parks in Orlando and we see lots of anumals at home.
Thanks in advance for your help
Jul 28th, 2006, 04:35 AM
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When I was a child, Clearwater was a delightful place. Last time I was there, it was not. Scientologists downtown, moldy hotels on the beach (my experience only).
I owned a condo in Naples for five years. It has beautiful accessible beaches, plenty of hotels in all price categories, and lots of restaurants.
If I were going to Naples and had not been to the Everglades, I would spend the third day in Everglades City and Chokoluskee rather than going to Ft Myers. You will see a lot of Ft Myers on the way to Sanibel anyway. If you make a very quick trip to Captiva -- not difficult since there is nothing to do there unless you are staying in a hotel -- you will have time to stop at the Edison and Ford estates in Ft Myers. It is a good lesson for us all to see how simply two of the richest men in the country lived only two generations ago. Today's McMansion millionaires would be horrified!
Be sure to go to the Ding Darling wildlife preserve on Sanibel to see flamingoes and roseate spoonbills.
I owned a condo in Naples for five years. It has beautiful accessible beaches, plenty of hotels in all price categories, and lots of restaurants.
If I were going to Naples and had not been to the Everglades, I would spend the third day in Everglades City and Chokoluskee rather than going to Ft Myers. You will see a lot of Ft Myers on the way to Sanibel anyway. If you make a very quick trip to Captiva -- not difficult since there is nothing to do there unless you are staying in a hotel -- you will have time to stop at the Edison and Ford estates in Ft Myers. It is a good lesson for us all to see how simply two of the richest men in the country lived only two generations ago. Today's McMansion millionaires would be horrified!
Be sure to go to the Ding Darling wildlife preserve on Sanibel to see flamingoes and roseate spoonbills.
Jul 28th, 2006, 09:28 AM
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Naples would be my rec here. Rather than Fort Myers or the Everglades, I'd do Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary. Awesome place. I also highly recommend stopping at the Edison Ford Winter Estates on your way to Sanibel/Captiva. Take McGregor Boulevard all the way to Summerlin down the national historic road which is lined with huge royal palms all the way. This was Mrs. Mina Edison's lasting gift to my city. LMF
Jul 28th, 2006, 10:55 AM
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And a nice gift it was too. LilMsFoodie, do you remember when there was a letter to the editor in the News Press asking how they get all those palm trees on top of the concrete poles? I can't drive down McGregor to this day without thinking about that.
I'd second the Corkscrew Sanctuary suggestion.
If I'm reading your itinerary right, you plan on doing Sanibel on New Year's Day. That might be a good option as it probably will be less traffic, especially early in the day. But be sure to make sure what is or is not open.
I'd second the Corkscrew Sanctuary suggestion.
If I'm reading your itinerary right, you plan on doing Sanibel on New Year's Day. That might be a good option as it probably will be less traffic, especially early in the day. But be sure to make sure what is or is not open.
Jul 29th, 2006, 01:07 AM
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Hi All
Naples it is - i kinda hoped you would say that anyway but thought I'd best check.
We will spend this "extra day" at Corkscrew swamp - thanks for the suggestion.
We will be visiting the Everglades from the Miami side on the very first day of our trip - that should remove any airport cobwebs and images and get us right into vacation mode- the next day we are diving at John Pennekamp.
We planned to spend a whole day at Ford Edison and exploring Fort Myers - do not want to rush around - need time for the lazy lunch as well as the sight seeing
Sanibel/ Captive - will check its open on NY Day, but agian had planned the whole day there to include Ding Darling, then Bowmans or Turners Beach. Over the bridge to Captiva and lunchat the Green Fish? suggestions? Then maybe a trip on the Lady Chadwick to Useppa - does this about cover it?
My next "challenge" will be the Orlando part - I am shocked at the exorbitant price of the entry fees to the various parks, and the fact that according to Disney you stop becoming a child at Age 9!!!! grrr. maybe I need to get it down to 2 parks, but not an animal theme one as we do go on safaris here in Africa - maybe Univresal studios for son and husband, and magic Kingdom for me, daughter and grandma - will think more then post a question or to
thanks for all your patience with my mental wanderings. If we can be of any help ever re Cape Town please just ask
Naples it is - i kinda hoped you would say that anyway but thought I'd best check.
We will spend this "extra day" at Corkscrew swamp - thanks for the suggestion.
We will be visiting the Everglades from the Miami side on the very first day of our trip - that should remove any airport cobwebs and images and get us right into vacation mode- the next day we are diving at John Pennekamp.
We planned to spend a whole day at Ford Edison and exploring Fort Myers - do not want to rush around - need time for the lazy lunch as well as the sight seeing
Sanibel/ Captive - will check its open on NY Day, but agian had planned the whole day there to include Ding Darling, then Bowmans or Turners Beach. Over the bridge to Captiva and lunchat the Green Fish? suggestions? Then maybe a trip on the Lady Chadwick to Useppa - does this about cover it?
My next "challenge" will be the Orlando part - I am shocked at the exorbitant price of the entry fees to the various parks, and the fact that according to Disney you stop becoming a child at Age 9!!!! grrr. maybe I need to get it down to 2 parks, but not an animal theme one as we do go on safaris here in Africa - maybe Univresal studios for son and husband, and magic Kingdom for me, daughter and grandma - will think more then post a question or to
thanks for all your patience with my mental wanderings. If we can be of any help ever re Cape Town please just ask
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