Advice Needed: Any great cities left in Florida?
 

I am planning a trip with my husband and three year old in January and we are picking Flroida because of the quick flight from Boston and warm weather. We have been to Clearwater, Key West, and Delray already and not sure if there's any new place to go.

We are looking for someplace on the coast, similar to Delray, that has a quaint downtown center and not lots of strip malls. Does this place even exist?

Maybe you could try Marco Island?

Why did you tag this Georgia?

There are several places you will love. In the east side (Gulf Side) Sarasota (Lido Beach and Siesta Key are amazing), Clearwater, St. Pete and Fort De Soto are wonderful cities. Google them and you will see for yourself.

Naples is also a great beach town.

Another vote for Naples.

yeltiz, I think you meant "west side"...anyway.... We have spent a lot of time in Delray Beach over the years & I can't think of any place in Florida that feels like Delray. Lately we have been going to Singer Island (fly direct to PBI). You might want to take a look at that.

I always suggest Amelia Island & it is in close proximity from the JAX airport (about 45 minutes). The weather can be a crap shoot however. If you want to be assured of being warm, go to the Keys.

I accidently tagged this Georgia. Anyway, thanks for the replies. I haven't spent any time on the East side, except for Clearwater--is there a big difference?

What about Captiva--is that a nice town?

Fixed tag.

Well, I dont think anybody would characterize Captiva as a town. It is a very nice island with a clump of stores near the entrance to the South Seas Resort. Which is very nice I might add.

New Smyrna Beach is very nice. January can be warm or cold though, anywhere in Florida! There is a very nice downtown area to the west of the Intracoastal, and to the east a little shopping area too. There is the Smryna Dunes Park and the National Seashore...both spectacular areas to be. You could look here for more info - http://www.sevchamber.com/

Try Miami, Naples, Daytona, and of course Orlando. All for are fun cities when you have a family.

-Jonathan
http://www.askoncall.com

what about St. Augustine--I have no sense of what that area is like? Is it quaint with restaurants, nice beaches nearby?

You run the risk of cold weather in Saint Augustine in January - it is far enough north that it could be in the 30s while you are there if a cold front comes through. Even if it is not that cold, it won't be as warm as points farther south.

I don't think I would want to get in the water there in January, either (but anything less than 80-degree water is too cold for me!).

I would say if you want warm, stay south of Orlando, and the farther south, the better.

Anna, I agree w/ Cranachin. The farther south the better in January. But even in Southeast Florida temps can range from the low 40's (Cold!!) to mid 70's @ that time of year(Jan/Feb).
You ask about East vs. West. There is a huge difference! East: The amazing sound of surf crashing into the shore, huge waves, hard packed brown sand, the smell of the salty ocean.
West: It's "calmer". No crashing surf b/c you are on the Gulf, sand tends to be whiter & softer, lots of seashells. And, spectacular sunsets.
Each side has its "little problem" the occurrence of which varies in frequency. East: Sea Lice generally from "Mother's Day to Father's Day."
West: Red Tide...unpredictable in onset & duration.
You will find that people fall into 2 sharply divided camps in their Florida preferences: East or West. I have never met anybody who loves both East and West.
Having spent time on both side, I prefer the East coast. You may too b/c you are accustomed to Delray Beach. However, we have friends who had spent s lot of time in Delray over the years. Then they went to Sarasota one year & never went back to Delray! They absolutely love the Sarasota/Longboat Key area.

Thanks OceanBreeze. I was actually thinking about Sarasota/Siesta Key. I had the impression it was more for retirees but a friend said that has changed and they have a fairly vibrant village area?

Regarding your topic, I never thought there were any "great" cities in FL. Beyond saying that however, I'd agree with OceanBreeze1 on Delray and Singer Island. The thing I like about Delray is just what you like, the beach, downtown, and the lack of malls. On the other hand, I like Singer Island for the beach and the quiet, but have the option to head into Palm Beach Gardens for good food and shopping. I was stationed in the panhandle with the USAF years ago and haven't been back, but it was pretty much a "wilderness" at that time.

Sarasota! Stay on Siesta Key, visit the shops and resturants downtown, enjoy Mote Marine and Jungle Gardens with your child.
I grew up visiting the East Coast beaches. But the traffic on the east coast (south) is awful. The calm waters of the Gulf are great for kids, and I think the overall experience on the West Coast is much more relaxing.

So Fl_Mom is the traffic near Siesta key and Sarosota awful? We are trying to decide betwee Siesta Key and Singer Beach. The only downside is Singer Beach doesn't seem like it has an immediate downtown area but we would have to drive to restaurants/shopping...

I've never been to Delray so I can't compare, but if you're looking for small, homey towns how about either Lauderdale by the Sea on the east coast (approximately 20 minutes from Ft. Lauderdale airport) or Treasure Island on the west coast (about 1/2 hour from Tampa airport).

I would have to concur with the other poster who stated that it can actually be cold in January. I lived in West Palm Beach for 17 years and although January in Florida is definitely warmer than Boston you are taking a risk going that time of year. As for Singer Island it has a nice beach, but it's a horrible area and I would not recommend it for a family. St. Augustine is great, the Keys, Sanibel and Captiva are some of my favorites after living there so long. I would highly recommend Sanibel and Captiva for the beach, the biking, and peace and quiet.