dave higginson

MY WIFE AND I CAN GET A GOOD DEAL FOR END OF JULY OR DURING AUGUST FOR FORT LAUDERDALE HAVE VISITED THE STATES MANY TIMES BUT HAVE NOT BEEN TO FLORIDA. IS FORT LAUDERDALE A GOOD BASE TO TOUR FROM , AND ON RETURNING IN THE EVENING IS IT A GOOD PLACE TO RELAX AND UNWIND WITH A DRINK

Geo

Ft. Lauderdale is a good base for sightseeing in the Miami area. Many very nice hotels and shopping areas. Convenient to Boca Raton, Palm Beach, West Palm, etc.

However, Florida is a b-i-g state. If you have in mind visiting Disney World and/or Universal in Orlando, or the Tampa-St. Pete, or Daytona area, you're 250-350 miles away.

You might want to visit the MapQuest, or Maps-on-us sites to see the actual proximity of Ft. Lauderdale to the rest of Florida.

Have a good trip!

Melinda

It is way too hot in July?August in Florida. Crazy hot. I would suggest Sanibel Island or the St. Petersburg Beach area. Not the time to be out sightseeing as your "BROIL" in your car. The humidity makes it awful. October is a cheap Florida month with good weather, still hot but not brutal. Daily storms pass thru in August. They come and go in the afternoons usually and remember hurricane season.

Barbara

Dave and Wife:

My personal feeling is--why would anyone leave Ireland to come to Florida??? Love your country!!

You will be miserable in Florida in August. Can you come in Oct through April. Love April in Florida. If you do come, you could drive the Keyes--ocean air would be cool. Florida has had very hot summers the last couple of years.

BE CAREFUL IN MIAMI.

Have you considered the coast of North or South Carolina? Savannah and Hilton Head in GA and SC are excellent. Charleston is great, too. All the south is hot and humid in August.

Keep checking your airlines. Hey, if all you want to do is lie on the beach, come on over!!

Martin

August is terribly hot. Since you're probably not used to the heat, it might really be unbearable.
As afar as Florida goes, unless you are going to Disneyworld (Orlando), I would urge you to consider the western side of Florida (on the Gulfd of Mexico), as it is quieter, safer and less developed (unless you WANT a lot of excitement, as Ft. Lauderdale is very near Miami). Sanibel is great, as if Ft. Myers.

Gian Petersen

Was just in Florida at Marriot Harbor Beach, right on the south end of Ft. Lauderdale Beach. My wife and I had a great time for 6 days. Other than what others have warned about weather (which I am no expert on down there), I would say it is a great spot to base from. Ft. Lauderdale beach strip has lots of shops, restaurants, etc. as does Los Olas Blvd (sp.?) which runs perpendicualr to beach. We took a day trip to Miami one day and saw all we needed (i.e. South Beach), took a day tour to Everglades Nat'l Park and rented bikes, saw wild aligators on the trails, took an airboat ride in the glades. If you have the time, not that far a drive to the Keys, either (probably at least an overnight trip). I wish we would have taken more time to do this. Anyway, IMO, if all you want to do is take a few day trips and spend the rest of the time relaxing on the beach, I'd say it's a go--bad weather advice notwithstanding.

Enjoy!
Gian Petersen
San Francisco

M & J

Just a couple of suggestions when visiting Florida in July/August. It is, as has been mentioned, very hot, very humid. So, when you rent a car, don't accept any car with a dark interior (like dark blue, black, etc), demand a beige color. Also, when you have parked your car and return to it, you can literally burn your fingers on door handles, steering column. Toss a towel over the steering wheel. My parents retired there---father loves the heat, mother hates it ! We are looking forward to visiting Ireland.

Shawn

Dave - As everyone has said, Florida can be pretty hot in the summer (and usually is). But Fort Lauderdale is a fine place to start from - the beach area is fun and the town has gone through a lot of renovation in the past years. Also, very close to Miami which can be a lot of fun, especially the night life. Other great places in FL are Key West (great for bars, restaurants, bike riding, etc.) which is probably the most unique town in FL and also the Sanibel/Fort Myers area which is also very nice.

marie

I bet that "good deal" might get even better if you could plan your vacation for October.(my favorite month in FL) I highly recommend Sarasota on the west coast and Siesta Beach for its sparkling white sand and beautiful sunsets..a good place to unwind and relax with a drink!

Hanna

Why does everyone in Ireland and the UK insist on coming to Florida in July and August? This is your one chance all year to have decent weather in your own country, and yet you leave to go somewhere that's unbearably warm this time of year. For God's sake, go to Florida in February. Use some sense.

By the way, Key West is the best place to unwind and have a drink.

Topper

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Anne

Hanna, I surely wouldn't say that all our visitors from Ireland and the UK come in July and August, but even if they did, isn't there a better way to suggest they try it a differnt time than your phrase, "Use some sense".

YOU need to go to Key West to unwind and have a drink. Sheesh!