Fla Suggestions-1 Week with Kids
 

My friend would like to spend next February vacation with her husband and 2 kids in Florida. They aren't interested in Disney - she just wants a nice place to stay with a pool. Budget is a huge issue so no place expensive. Her budget would be around $2,500 or less for hotel and air.

Any recommendations?
Does Florida have many all-inclusives?

Any other destination that would fit her perameters for budget and sun?

Thanks!

If SouthWest flys from her market, that is probably her best bet to save on airfare. I would suggest central FLA beaches as a destination. Feb can be very chilly to be hanging out at the pool. She might want to consider a later date. Try condo rentals at the beach. Usually they have a pool and a kitchen so they can save more money by cooking some meals.....Cocoa Beach, Melbourne Beach etc., are nice and only about 1 hour from Orlando airport...also Melbourne has an airport.

Everything is pretty expensive in February, especially "President's Week" when schools are out in the Northeast.

We lucked out at driftwoodmotel.com, but it's just a nice apt-type place on the beach, definitely not a resort. From some cities you can save about $100 per person by flying into Jacksonville instead of Daytona and then making the 2 hour drive.

To guarantee acceptable 'pool weather' you'll almost have to go to the Keys. Otherwise, you'll be rolling the dice.

Obviously a lot depends on where she's flying from. Will they rent a car? If not, that's another consideration. If you mean by all-inclusives hotel with meals and everything, I don't know of any. How old are the kids?

Lauderdale by the Sea is one place that has very affordable hotels/motels but it's been discovered.

Singer Island (between West Palm Beach and Ft. Lauderdale so flying into either airport will work) is another option. She might be best with a condo rental rather than a hotel. Post back with more info. The Caribbean might have more dependable weather at that time of year.

Thanks for the ideas.

More info:
They will be flying from Boston or Manchester, NH. It is fairly easy to get airfare under $200 to Florida from the Boston area. Quite often we can fly for as little as $49 each way (Southwest or Jet Blue.)

Rent-a-car will depend on how much they spend on accomodations. My guess is that they would want to rent a car.

The kids will be 7 & 11 next February.

I think the Carribbean would be too expensive. The Bahamas can sometimes have good deals but it seems like Florida would be the most affordable.

She doesn't have the internet so I will look into some of the places you have mentioned. Thanks!!!

Cathy, here's a recent thread in which several people give me names of inexpensive places on the east coast <i>on</i> the beach (including Singer Island and Lauderdale by the Sea)
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34552576

When I said LBTS has been discovered, I meant others have had problems finding an available room because people book from year to year. It's still worth a shot.

For a family of 4, the Embassy Suites in Deerfield Beach may be a nice option depending on price. In fact, maybe any Embassy Suites hotel (or any all suite hotel) would work.

A condo rental/timeshare rental might be the very best idea as they're usually cheaper than a hotel and you get a kitchen which can save lots in smaller meals. I know the Marriott Ocean Pointe (fly into either West Palm or Ft. Lauderdale) is very nice but it may be one of the more expensive ones. The Marriott website has several other brands too.

Friends of ours recently stayed at the Howard Johnson in Deerfield Beach and thought it was good. The room they had only had 2 double beds though.

If they're going just for a week I think their budget should be fine for air from Boston and hotel. The real issue of weather. The winters in Fla. have not been as dependable as they used to be.