Beach travel advice - family in Florida?
 

I'm looking to rent a house/condo near the beach in Florida this Jan/Feb and need some advice on where to go...

It will be three couples (30 somethings), and three toddlers (ages 1 -2). They're too young to do the Disney/amusement park thing...we were looking for a warm, laid back beach environment where we could kick back on the beach, let the kids play in the sand, and of course, enjoy a nice condo or beach house.

We're too old for a wild pick-up scene...but we're not walking with canes, either. Looking for middle ground, maybe even something understated - kind of like the Outer Banks in North Carolina, but obviously, a whole lot warmer than North Carolina in the winter.

Suggested cities/locations appreciated - as well as the closest airports to those locations. Any positive experiences with agencies that represent homes/condos in those areas also welcomed. Much in everyone's debt. Thanks. -BNK

I probably always sound like a broken record on this one, but in your case, from what you say you are looking for, I would suggest Siesta Key beach on the gulf coast. Plenty of condo complexes on the crescent shaped beach, great beach for families, beautiful white sand that stays cool, excellent for walks, jogs and for the kids to frolic, also great for some shelling closer to the Turtle Bay side--sand dollars can be found out in the sand bars on the crescent beach part. You are close enough to Sarasota (about a 20 min. drive) for cultural things--also close to small shopping areas, St. Armand's Circle for a shopping/dining 1/2 day trip. Siesta Key is the perfect place to do as you say, kick back on your beachfront balcony, enjoy some wine and relax as you watch the gulf waves crash.

Here are a few places to look for a condo:

http://www3.cyberrentals.com/FLX/FLSK.html?id=kelly

www.siestakeycondos.com

www.siestakeyonline.com

www.siesta-key.net

You can also try vrbo.com and find Siesta Key through the Florida link.

Depending on what airline you'll be using, we've always flown in through Tampa/St. Pete. There is an airport in Sarasota, but not many airlines fly in there.

Have a great trip!

Fort Myers Beach, Sanibel / Captiva, or south of there in Bonita or Naples or Marco Island.

I believe the Gulf Coast is warmer than the Atlantic, and you really need to be half way down for beach weather, and even then the water will probably be too cold for tiny kids.

but the beaches are fine. At the north end of Naples, and then on and off north to Ft. Mywers Beach, are some state parks with bushes and vegetation and little inlets where the biggest of the little guys can have more fun than just on plain sand.

Naples is my favorite -- lots for adults, but it is a real (small) city and thus is kid-friendly, too.

Naples has a good commercial airport with flights from a fair number of cities, and Fort Meyers has a much bigger one, with planes from many more places. If you own your own private jet, *you did not say, and what the heckm, maybe you do) well, Naples is used to having them land all the time.

Some condos are not very kid friendly -- make sure you check this out and are not surrounded by old grouches. Old nice folks... hmmm, maybe some baby sitting by older people who miss their own grandchildren.

BAK

i also would suggest the gulf coast. the water will still be a bit cold, but not like the atlantic.

i'm from the tampa bay area, and have stayed several times at The Tradewinds on St. Pete Beach. It's a nice resort and i've seen lots of families there.

it's less than 30 min. from tampa international, and theres lots to do in the area.

check it out: http://www.tradewindsresort.com/

Hey bnking! I can only recommend my favorite city in Florida: St. Augustine. About 30 minutes south of Jacksonville and easy to get to from the airport. Small beach town with cobblestone streets and is the oldest continuously occupied city in the US. The Fountain of Youth is there along with a bunch of other family stuff; the Aligator Farm, Lighthouse, etc. The beaches are beautiful, both Anastasia and Ponte Verde Beaches and there are a lot of houses for rent year round both on the beach and in town. Staying in town is nice because you can walk everywhere in the city it's so small and beautiful as well and the beach is only a 5 minute drive away. Do a google search for vacation rentals there and you'll hit a bunch. You can't really go wrong. There is a nice little place called "The Cozy Inn" in the city that rents out little townhouses for about $500 a week. Very nice! Best of luck! Keep us posted!

Gulfbayrealty.com in Anna Maria Island has many listings that you can browse on line to get an idea of what's available and what it will cost for a beach house. There's not alot to do there but it's a very nice beach, very family-oriented.

I agree you need to stick to the Gulf Coast, and as south of Tampa as you can go, for the warmth aspect. I also suggest you check out vrbo.com. I've never had a bad rental from that site.

Exactly where you should go is a matter of personal taste, but I wil warn you about two things:
1. You might be looking at some slim offerings because it's pretty late to be searching for something near the beach in Jan-Feb. I'd say to get right on it, but you may have another problem ...
2. A lot of coastal FL that was hit by hurricanes has been fixed up and is fine, but according to a realtor I spoke to the other day, good rentals are expensive and extremely hard to find. Reason: A lot of locals are having their houses repaired and have moved into rentals (which are paid for with insurance money). That's made rentals all the tougher to find.

k99 has a good point. I was at Sunset beach recently where I have a rental property (which is booked). There were two families frolicking on the beach with young children. I overheard them on their cell phone saying their house on the east coast was being repaired (Ft. Pierce was hit hard) and so they were staying on the west coast to escape the chaos.

A few phone calls should give you an idea of what's available. The real damage on the west coast was isolated to Punta Gorda, Sanibel, Captiva, and isolated areas of Ft. Pierce. Be sure to query about any hurricane damage. In general the beaches are fine and will actually be wonderfully vacant where there is hurricane damage, but there could be construction going on around you.

A recent report on local TV showed that hotel and motel occupancy and profits were at an all time high in Ft. Myers, Bonita, and Naples area in both October and November, partly due to the hurricanes and the many people now staying in rented lodging in these areas. As a result they were making it clear not to expect any big deals in lodging here this winter.

Thanks for everyone's tips...will investigate availability at the recommended locations. Thanks. BNK