My wife & I are planning a 15 day trip to Florida starting 7th January. We are looking at Orlando, Miami and Key West as our 3 stops. What I am looking for is advice on the following.

1. How long do we spend in each location?
2. Recommendations on the must do’s in each place.
3. Any help with accommodation suggestions. We are happy with clean motels or 3 star hotels.
4 . Is there such a thing as an ÁirPass as we will be doing 5 flights Los Angeles/Orlando/Miami/Key West/Miami/Los Angeles? If not any suggestions on doing these 3 destinations?

If any local would like to put together an itinerary for me leaving Los Angeles Jan 7th and back to Los Angeles on Jan 21st I would appreciate it. Trying to keep costs to approx USD $4000.

garryoday, Please help us to help you by giving us some additional information on your interests and budget. For example, how much time do you want to spend seeing natural attractions, theme parks, shopping, museums & art galleries, etc.? (It's quite possible to spend $4000 at Walt Disney World in one week...although that certainly is not my style.) What do you want to do here?

Are you open to other places in Florida in addition to Orlando/Key West/Miami? There are lots of other great places to visit in Central/South Florida if you are not locked into these three areas.

When you factor in time getting to and waiting at the airport, you're better off driving- Orlando to Miami's only around 3 hours, then Miami to Key West is 4-5, and it's a fun drive.

And...if you are coming directly from Oz, what about time to compensate for jet lag? IMO, it's always worse going from West to East.

Re: Airpasses, this may be what you're looking for: http://www.oneworld.com/ow/air-trave...erica-a4.pdf?&

You can also do your own web search using "VUSA".

However, I agree with cocontom, you are better off driving. If you decide to fly, you would spend too much time in airports. The main highway from Orlando to Miami (assuming no stops to see the Everglades, etc.) is a limited access toll road with generally light traffic.

Having been born in Miami, the scenery in the last hour or so of the drive from Miami to Key West is worth the trip from LA alone, IMHO. I wouldn't miss that part, no way.

Avoid driving down on a Fri/Sat/Sun and you'll miss lots of traffic.

After reading the responses and after getting caught in LAX previously, we have decided to drive. What is the best drive for a couple of Australians that have never been to Florida previously, the east coast or west coast drive?

Our intention in Orlando is to visit the Epcot Centre, Walt Disney World, and Kennedy Space Centre. What I would like is some input into how long a we should allow in each attraction.

As for Miami and Key West, we like to do the same things that locals do. A day trip to somewhere off the beaten track, have a beer in a remote Pub, park the car and walk around the cities and towns. We live in Cairns, the most northern city on the East Coast so we have plenty of boating and fishing here.

We would like to experience the people and culture as much as scenery and attractions.

Thanks again for the tip on driving against flying!

Regards,

Garry

Hi Garry,
It sounds like a great trip already. I'll just comment on Orlando, as it is the area I know best. First, let me refer you to this recent thread http://tinyurl.com/md3534 which has some information relevant to your proposed itinerary.

What city will be your point of arrival and departure? If it is Orlando (MCO), then you may want to consider staying your first night or two near the airport. You could either schedule a very light day for the first day (e.g. visiting Winter Park) or take off for Kennedy Space Center via State Road 528 (AKA the "Beachline") which is very close to these airport hotels and motels. So, not counting a possible first day of rest, You would need, at a minimum, one day at Kennedy Space Center, one day at Epcot and one day at another Disney park of your choice. These are minimums - you might want to spend more time here.

Let me just clarify something that may be a little confusing. Walt Disney World http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/parks/ is the name of the entire Disney experience in Florida. It includes Epcot, Magic Kingdom, Disney's Hollywood Studios, Animal Kingdom, as well as two water parks: Blizzard Beach and Typhoon Lagoon.

But Orlando is much more than the WDW parks. There is also SeaWorld, Universal Studios/Islands of Adventure, and several more water parks. (The entire area is like the Gold Coast on steroids.)

You will find http://www.disboards.com/ and http://www.mousesavers.com/ to have the answer to every possible question you could ever anticipate. There is probably way too much information there, so ask us here and you will get straight, unvarnished answers to your specific questions and concerns.

When you leave Orlando for Miami, the best route to take would be Florida's Turnpike. As I mentioned before, it is a limited access toll highway with rest stops and gas stations along the way. Depending on how fast you drive and how many stops you make, Miami is 3-4 hours away.

Do not neglect the Everglades on your way south. Even though you live in Far North Queensland, and you have seen plenty of salt water crocodiles, the Everglades is a unique ecosystem definitely worth seeing. It is one of our more important national parks.

Orlando Vic has great tips but I'd do this trip differently

I would fly from Orlando to Miami or Ft. Lauderdale on Southwest. Fares are around $39 per person and I would R&R getting over jetlag on the beach in South Beach.

I would take a cab to South Beach because you do not need a car there and it is expensive to park. January is peak season so hotels will not be cheap.

Check out:
The South Seas
Cordoza
Courtyard Marriott South Beach (NOT Miami Beach)
The Marsielles

Spend two days shopping, dining, and lazing on the beach.

Pick up your rental in Miami and head for the keys.

Take Card Sound Road and stop at Alabama Jacks for a beer and burger.

Spend your first night in Islamorada. Breezy Palms, Pines and Palms, Cheeca Lodge, The Moorings, or Casa Morada are all nice.

Get out on a boat and get on the water. The most spectacular thing about the keys are being on the water. Charter a day boat.

Spend a couple of nights in Islamorada then head to Key West. Dump your rental off in Key West.

Stay at one of the B&Bs in the middle of things. Spend five nights in Key West. Make sure you take the day boating trip to The Dry Tortugas.

I would drive US 1 from Key West to Miami and then take A1A all the way up the coast to Cape Canaveral. It is a beautiful drive.

I would finish up with Cape Canaveral and then Disney. By that time you will be well rested for the madness that is the Orlando theme parks and they are FUN!!

My husband and I have driven from Orlando to Miami twice this year already, and it is a pretty easy drive. Miami to Key West seems longer since it's a two lane road and you can't go as fast, but there are some interesting sights along the way.

You can do this trip any way you like, so you just have to decide if you think you'll have more energy at the beginning or end of the trip. Disney and all of its parks require a lot of walking. We were just there last week, and we did the Park Hopper passes for two days. That allowed us to go to any of the parks on those days. If you like to see EVERYthing there is to see, you will need at least a day in each park, and maybe a day and a half.

Disney:
The Magic Kingdom (mostly rides and interactive exhibits, plus parades and fireworks), EPCOT (multi-cultural exhibits with just a few rides, lots of shopping and food), and Hollywood Studios (several extreme rides like Rock 'N Rollercoaster and Tower of Terror, and a GREAT stunt show, Indiana Jones, etc., etc.), and Animal Kingdom (has Expedition Everest, the best rollercoaster as far as my family is concerned - all 13 who went).

In January we stayed at the Swan hotel, which is in EPCOT. It was a quick boat ride across the lake to the park, and it is actually in walking distance, also. Last week we stayed at the Contemporary Hotel, which was renovated not long ago. It was about a .75 mile to the Magic Kingdom, or you could take the Monorail, which also goes to EPCOT. You have to take a bus to Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom from there, but that was not a big deal.

Sea World is fun, but might be similar to what you could find in Australia.

The drive from Orlando can include St. Petersburg Beach, which is along the West Coast of Florida. We stayed at the Don Cesar Hotel, an old hotel with small, but really nice rooms. It's right on the beach, and they have a piano bar at night with the best food we had on our trip. This hotel is not cheap, but it was extremely comfortable and it was nice to relax there on the beach, even in January. Too cold for a swim, but great for a walk. There are casual restaurants and artist shops in the beach area.

Driving to Miami from there is an easy 3 or 4 hour trip, and you can take some time to drive through Alligator Alley in the Everglades (not recommended to drive at night). There are tours along the way, though I don't know about them personally. I think an airboat tour would be a lot of fun.

We have a condo in Downtown Miami, so we stayed there before heading out to Key West. One of our favorite areas is Mary Brickell Village with lots of shops and restaurants in Downtown. If you can find a reasonable hotel near Mary Brickell Village, it's an easy drive around Miami from there, and you will be in walking distance from many shops and restaurants, including a newly built Publix grocery store. South Beach is a must see, but is probably very expensive hotel-wise. If you are into people watching, Nikki Beach is very entertaining. Mostly 20-somethings with tans and in great shape, so it made us feel a little out of place age-wise. However, they have a good buffet of food, and it's right on the beach. They were closing at 4:00 p.m., so check their hours if you decide to go.

Lincoln Road is the shopping and restaurant mecca in South Beach. There are usually some beggars on the streets there, so I don't know if I'd stay in a hotel too close. A local favorite is Van Dyke's restaurant - casual and reasonable dining.

Parrot Jungle is supposed to be a must-see, as well as Fairchild Tropical Gardens, but I have not been to either of those yet. There are also a number of boat rides that take you to see some amazing real estate, including Stiltsville. My husband went to college in Miami in the '70s and he used to attend parties in Stiltsville. The houses are uninhabitable now, I believe, but it's amazing how people lived there. Also, Oprah Winfrey has a house on Fischer Island, and that is supposed to be one of the most expensive zip codes in the U.S.

My favorite beach so far in the Miami area is Key Biscayne, just minutes from Downtown. It's $6 to get onto the island and $3 to park (I think there is also a bus), but the beach is quiet and serene, and there are no hotels in the public park area - just a few concessions. It's more raw than the Florida Keys, but I like it better. The hotels and residences there are extremely expensive due to the beauty and the proximity to Miami. You could easily pack a lunch and have it on the beach.

Key West was not what I expected. It took us about 4.5 hours to get there, and we did not stop much. There is hardly any beach. The city is geared toward eating and drinking, and there is a lot of partying that goes on. we stayed at the Pier House, again it was a splurge, but very relaxing and not in the center of the craziness. We were just a short walk (1 to 6 blocks) from pretty much everything, and the pier has great entertainment and activity each evening as the sun sets). We bought some great photos from a vendor, and they were less than $10 each. There are lots of inexpensive, but really nice, keepsakes here, and I think the shopping is better than most places.

There are bands playing at Sloppy Joe's bar each night, and there are numerous restaurants up and down the main street.

We did not take any of the excursions from Key West, and I think I would have enjoyed that better than the town itself. One day in the town was enough for us, but including some nice boat rides would make it worth staying a couple of extra days.

A flight to/from Key West would be very expensive, so I recommend driving. If you want to fly out of Miami so you save yourself a day of driving, that would certainly be an option, or you could drive up the east coast through Palm Beach and Fort Lauderdale.

I know this is a lot of information... I hope it helps.

Airtran will have direct flights from Orlando to Key West starting in December- they usually have really good prices.

For Key West I like one of two trips; Danger Charters all-day trip or the Sebago Island T'Ing. They board at 9:30 and return at or just after 4:00 and provide a snorkel stop, lunch, and a kayak padle around a mangrove iskand. Sebago also provides a breakfast. I like Danger a little better since they usually go into the Sanctuary to kayak and it's better there, but they are a little more expensive, about $100.00 pp. Sebago will be about $80.00 pp booking on-line and they occassionally have deal which gives you a free sunset sail.

Danger is here http://dangercharters.com/
Sebago is here http://www.keywestsebago.com/islandting.php

I'va also been doing a nice afternoon snorkel with the Caribbean Spirit which is about $45.00 pp.

The trip to the Tortugas is great but there are things to remember. Whichever boat you take it is very expensive, the board at 7:30 for an 8:00 departure so you have to think about this the night before. And you spend approx 2 hours getting there and two hours getting back.

I, too, stay at the Pier House 1 Duval Street; location, nice beach, free guarded parking.

Pjk

Miami 2-3 days – Food, Hotels Pools, South Beach
Key West 2-3 days driving is half the fun fantastic route
Everglades 1 day trip – boat trip to see the alligators lots of fun
Bahamas 1 or 3 day cruise

Key West
1. Leave relatively early since drive will take 3-4hrs
2. Stop for 2-4hrs at Bahia Honda State Park – very nice beach
3. Get to Key West so you have time to experience the sunset (very nice)
4. Go for a snorkeling trip ½ (to reefs) or 1 day (to dry Tortugas) strongly recommend it! Option is to okay sandy beach at hang at the Fort Taylor beach which is okay

Miami
A hotel I just love is the Fontainebleau, but it is quite pricy if you do not find a private rental for one off their apartments in the classifieds - option is also to get a normal apartment, might be cheapest option try for example
http://www.americanlisted.com/florid...?city_id=10544

Going to Miami from Orlando is a pretty long trip in Florida. Without traffic it takes about 3 and a half hours to get to Miami and is approximatley 236 miles if you take the shortest route. I have taken this trip on many occasions myself and I have found the best method of travel is via shuttle if you arent using your own vehicle. At first glance, renting a car is tempting, but the extra hidden costs and expenses if you forget to refuel on top of the daily fee can be a nightmare. So, what I usually do is get a shuttle from Orlando to Miami because there isn't a lot of hassel involved to get a ticket for whatever date you need, and its really cost effective. If you are travelling by yourself, it is best to get a shared shuttle so you aren't paying too much, but the downside is you have to share the shuttle with people whom you may not be familiar. If you are traveling in a group, it would be your best choice to get a private shuttle. There are a few companies in Florida that do both shared and private shuttle busses. The one I go with is Florida Shuttle Services. This is their site: http://floridashuttleservices.com/bu...mi-to-orlando/

I've used them several times and they are always nice and professional. Hope this helps someone!

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