Prospective visitors from the UK ( 3 kids, 17, 13 and 10 + 2 adults),really no interest in 'doing' the Orlandos, Disneys and Wet 'n Wild type venues, but are looking more for glorious beaches, good bathing, access to golf, perhaps a villa/condo with a pool near to smart, elegant towns with good dining.And solid points of interest for excursions...

Or is not possible to avoid the swirling mass of humanity that vacations at all the good places in Florida in August?!

Any hints - should we be looking at the Pensacola area or Gulf of Mexico side, Naples, Sarasota? Any ideas for your cousins across the pond as to whom we might secure more info or book something through?

Bob G

I'm not really the one to offer exactly where you should go to meet your interests, but I will comment that you have picked a good time of year. It's the places you mentioned that you don't want to go to that are very crowded in August. The heat of the summer is actually low season at the resort-type areas. High season there is winter time through Spring Break.

Now that doesn't mean there will be no one around by any means. It's just a lot less crowded in August than during the winter through Spring Break.

Bob,

I can address Naples. My husband and I have stayed a few times at the Ritz. It is a lovely hotel and your children would also enjoy staying there. Good friends spent a week last Aug. with their 2 children and had a lovely vacation. But be forewarned - the temperature will be quite warm.

I'd like to suggest
Destin...particularly Sandestin, which is a resort with condos either directly on the beach or nearer their golf course, which is supposedly wonderful. I know they have a web site, perhaps you'd like to look into it.

Sandestin is nice, I agree, beautiful beaches, sugar white sand, turquoise water, good golf BUT no smart cities nearby nor easy touring other points of interest.

Naples and Sarasota also have beautiful beaches, white sand, turquoise water, good golf AND smart towns, good restaurants, interesting shopping etc.

Are you aware of how very very hot and humid FL is in the summer though, especially for those coming from cool delightful England? We come your way in the summer to escape the heat here.

Partially because of the heat, my vote has to go to Sandestin and vicinity. It's just a bit further north and a tad, a very small tad but a tad none-the-less, cooler than Sarasota or Naples. We are in Tampa...same climate as Sarasota, and summers are pretty bad unless you stay right on the water.