go_laura

We are an early 50's couple, no kids, originally thought we'd be going to Puerto Vallarta last week, health issue intervened, and now are looking to go somewhere a little closer and with less potential for spring break kids (heard PV gets many in mid-late March). Given how soon this is, need to book quickly! Flying from Philly. Air prices look decent to go to areas of either St. Augustine, Ft. Myers, Ft. Lauderdale and West Palm Beach - not having been to any before, looking for recommendations!

We're mostly looking for relaxation, don't even care so much about going in water but do want it pretty much guaranteed to be warm enough to sit on beach and read, listen to waves. Like to have a little downtown area with either quirky shops/restaurants or historical stuff to explore. Good non chain, not too upscale, restaurants a big plus. Hearing live music one or two nights also a plus but not required. St. Augustine intrigues us but am a little concerned about unpredictability of weather. From Ft. Myers would likely head to Sanibel or Captiva if can find a reasonably priced place to stay (this was one of our options for our original week and it proved difficult). Haven't yet investigated places to stay in or near Ft. Lauderdale or W. Palm Beach.

Open to ideas outside these areas as well, they're just what I found in a quick search for decent airfares. Think we do want to try to keep the travel time to 6 hrs. or less, tho'. Thanks in advance for your thoughts and experiences!

Kathy_from_FL

I recommend Hollywood Beach. The north end has some small older hotels, but no public parking, so the beach is very quiet. The middle has a long broadwalk with lots of sidewalk restaurants/t-shirt shops/bike rentals, etc. The bandshell on Johnson street & the beach has outdoor concerts several times a week. Downtown is a mix of quirky shops and restaurants. You can take the water taxi up to Fort Lauderdale and shop on Las Olas.

Hollywood's close to the Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood airport.

lacohn

You may want to consider the Sarasota area. Just was there again last weekend. St. Armand's Circle is really nice--lots of fun restaurants and shops, and you could stay either in Sarasota or Longboat Key. Very pretty there!

Dukey1

If you are coming down to Fort Lauderdale and environs, book soon. Last weekend 15 hotels here were completely sold out since this has been one of the warmest winters down here in some time.

Ackislander

Naples, Naples, Naples.
Bonita Beach second.

You can fly to RSW (Ft Myers) for both. Look at Naples Cay condominiums, right on the beach, but there are many other places.

qwovadis

www.casamonica.com

Awesome historic great place to chill in the oldest town in the US beaches close NO spring breakers a big plus for me.

ccolor

Lauderdale by the Sea - wonderful small community and just 20 minutes from Ft. Lauderdale airport.

go_laura

Wow, thanks all, for the quick replies! Will research these right right away.

Bowsprit

We love Naples! My recommendation is to go as far south as you can to 'up' the chances of consistently warmer weather! I'm sure everyone here remembers the frigid weather of spring a few years ago. The only place we didn't wear our winter coats was in Miami! (fluke weather, I know, and not typical, but memorable enough)

Dukey1

It is NOT going to be "cold" anywhere in South Florida even in overpriced Naples <G>

Bowsprit

You can check typical and historic weather patterns and temps on wunderground.com. Very helpful site.

Lorrieishere

Delray Beach is beautiful and downtown is right there with lots of shops and places to eat and listen to music. You would fly into either West Palm or Fort Lauderale.

go_laura

Thanks again, am busy looking into these...

What do those who suggested Naples, love about it? I thought someone who'd been there once told me it's just a lot of extremely expensive real estate, not much else...which left a bad impression in my mind. Maybe they said it about somewhere else and I remembered wrong. In any case I'm open to having that impression, replaced with other images!

Also, I forgot to mention, I prefer an area not built up with lots of high-rises, if that makes a difference to any of the recs.

Ackislander

Naples: reliably warm, a beautiful city, great beaches, a fun pier with a fascinating multi-ethnic group of people fishing and picnicking, great shopping, an art museum, concerts, restaurants for all tastes and budgets.

Some sections are high rise, some are low rise. All beaches are entirely public as far as you want to walk; even those sections lined with mansions are available for you to swim and picnic. Easy to fly to, and close to the Everglades for day trips. You can also do a day trip to South Beach on US 41.

go_laura

Thanks ackislander. If I wanted to look for a place to stay in a more low rise section, are there particular names of areas or places you'd recommend I look for, as I head to vrbo, kayak, etc.?

Ackislander

Old Naples and the Moorings would be two good places to start that would likely be within walking distance of the beach. The Venetian Village area is mostly mid rise (+/- 5 stories)and on or across the street from the beach.

There are excellent places in North Naples but it varies a lot street by street and from the west to the east end of the street.

Using google maps with satellite view is great for viewing places in Florida. You can see the car in the driveway if not the owner in the pool!

gail

I am currently at Fairfield Inn in Palm Beach - it is truly an inexpensive gem in the area (read some reviews on TripAdvisor). For $150-175/night you get a decent room, breakfast - but the best is that it is across the street from the beach and right on the intercoastal. Walking distance (across a bridge over the intercoastal - you could also drive since there is ample street parking) from downtown Lake Worth, with shops and restaurants.

Palm Beach area has a few museums, several really nice public beaches. I recommend Flagler Museum and ?name Japanese Gardens. Assuming you are renting a car, so depending on airfare, you could fly into either PBI or FLL (I have even flown into Miami for my annual trip to this area, but have been scolded on this board for suggesting that - although airport is only about an hour away)

rattravlers

I second Delray Beach--great active area; tons of shops, dining, festivals. Residence Inn by Marriott & the Marriott are right in the middle of things.

I like Palm Beach as well & that's a great Fairfield Inn!

This part of the coast (flying into West Palm), you can really get to so many areas, I'm sure you will find something you like. Easy drive to Miami, Fort Lauderdale & an awesome drive up the coast of AIA...one of my favorites.

barefootbeach

In Naples, try the Naples Beach Hotel, an older but renovated family type resort right on the beach....close to the charms of Old Naples. For more of a bargain, the Cove Inn is on Naples Bay...more basic but you can overlook the boats docked outside. Both are in great locations for discovering the charms of downtown Naples. Yes, there are some expensive shops and restaurants....and a drive around Port Royal and Gulfshore Blvd is an exercise in eye-popping grandeur. But, there's a lot more to the area. The beaches are beautiful and varied...from downtown near the Naples Pier where people congregate to fish and watch the sunset...to Clam Pass, reached by riding a tram across the boardwalk, an estuary cuts across the beach....to the prettiest beach of all....Barefoot Beach (and yes, I'm prejudiced) in the northern stretch of Collier County, just south of Bonita Beach. You can tour Historic Palm Cottage...go north to Ft. Myers and tour the Thomas Edison Estate. Take a couple mile walk at Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary where you can observe alligators and tons of birds...sometimes little Key Deer. For more action, head south to Everglades City and take an airboat ride through the mangroves and have lunch at the historic Rod & Gun Club, where you eat on a long screened-in verandah. Visit the charming Art Museum, next door to the Naples Philharmonic, where you can catch fine performances....or catch the local theater performances downtown. The weather will be beautiful, the people friendly...and it's not so hectic and crowded as Florida's east coast venues.
P.S. I hope your biopsy results turned out for the best.

go_laura

Thought I'd update the couple threads I started, thanks to all for responses. Took longer than we thought to get the health clearance to finalize plans, but we got them! And this time around, are heading to Sanibel Island for first time ever, because I'm ready to do a lot of nothing but hanging out on the beach reading and taking walks (and spending one day going to spring training). But now I'm intrigued by Naples and will plan that for a future trip! Thanks, all.