Florida Feature

I'm not crazy about spending seven nights in hotels. Any affordable alternatives? If you want to pretend you're lucky enough to live here, try a vacation rental. Aside from providing privacy, rentals let you set your own schedule and do your own cooking. The caveat is that you may have to rent in weekly—not nightly—increments. Several companies specialize in the Orlando area, Magical Memories (866/535-7851 www.magicalmemories.com) being one reliable bet. But in terms of coverage, geographically and pricewise, HomeAway (877/228-3145 www.homeaway.com) wins, listing more than 20,000 Floridian condos, cottages, beach houses, and villas.

Will I need a car? Public transportation is limited here. So unless you'll be spending your whole vacation on-site at Walt Disney World (where complimentary shuttles are available to resort guests) or in Miami Beach (where dense traffic and limited parking is the norm), having a vehicle is recommended. Renting one on arrival is wise, unless you drive your own. To make car time less tedious, consider occasionally taking the road less traveled. The National Scenic Byways Program website (www.byways.org) spotlights memorable routes within the state, including the Overseas Highway, which has been designated as an "All-American Road" and is one of only 31 roads countrywide to be so honored.

How do I pick between Orlando's parks and Tampa's Busch Gardens? That's a tough call, especially if you haven't yet seen newer attractions like Manta at SeaWorld or Jungala at Busch Gardens. The good news is you don't have to choose, because the Busch Gardens Shuttle Express (407/423-5566 www.mearstransportation.com) offers same-day round-trip service between designated locations in Orlando and the Tampa venue for only $10. The trip is free when you buy a six-park Orlando Flex Ticket Plus (good for 14 days' unlimited entry to Universal, Islands of Adventure, SeaWorld, Aquatica, Wet 'n Wild, and Busch Gardens) or any Busch Gardens combination ticket.

Is Miami OK for families? Absolutely. Despite all the attention paid to G-strings, it retains areas with genuine G-rated appeal. Beyond the beaches, attractions like the interactive Children's Museum and MiaSci (a museum of science) draw kids in droves. Want to go wild? Bypass the nightclubs and head instead to Zoo Miami or the Seaquarium. If you dream of being named "best parent ever," sign your offspring up for a sleepover at the former or a dolphin swim at the latter.

Will the Deepwater Horizon oil spill affect my vacation? Deepwater Horizon, an offshore oil-drilling platform owned by Transocean Ltd. and under contract to BP, exploded on April 20, 2010. The rig leaked approximately 210,000 gallons per day into the Gulf of Mexico near Louisiana before it was capped three months later. Although a heavy blanket of oil didn't coat Florida's shoreline, more than 100 miles of its northwest coast felt the effects of the crisis. At this writing, the oil spill's impact isn't really evident anymore in the Panhandle region.