Florida in October
 

My DH and I are considering a trip to Florida in early-mid October. We can fly in/out of Tampa, Panama City, or Pensacola. Would it be best to stay in the Tampa/St. Pete/Sarasota area, or the Panhandle, or both? We like to walk along the beach (and hear it from our room), sightsee, and explore. We will stay one week.

Can only speak for Tampa/St. Pete/Sarasota, but if you choose this option, flying into Tampa and then driving to Clearwater Beach, one of the barrier island communities west of St. Petersburg like Indian Rocks Beach, Madeira Beach, or St. Pete Beach (the Don Cesar is a pricey but nice option on St. Pete Beach and within easy driving distance of Pass-a-grille), or Longboat Key/Lido Key in Sarasota (be sure to drive to Sand Beach if you go to Sarasota) would be a good choice.

Do not opt to stay in Tampa as it does not have a beach.

Be sure also to get trip insurance if going in October, as that's still considered hurricane season.

IMO a lot depends on how warm you expect the area and the ocean water to be.

Hurricane season ends on 1 December as has been mentioned.

You say you can fly in and out of three airports. Are there others or have you definitely decided that the areas of Florida around those three are the only ones you will consider visiting?

Early-mid October is still quite hot, around Tampa-Central Florida at least. It is also frequently when blustery rain and tropical weather events occur, so just be aware. Good suggestions from bachlunch.

Can't speak for conditions in the Panhandle.

Thanks for the info everyone. Yes, we're aware of the weather risks, but hoping for the best!
Now that I've checked flights, we're down to TPA and/or Panama City. There may be other airports we could fly into, but those are the 2 areas we're interested in. We've been to southern Florida and Orlando, and we hope good weather is more likely on the gulf side. I'm open to suggestion, though. :)

Is the weather risk too great to go to FL in October? Is either the Tampa area or Panhandle more safe?

IMO, No, and No. No one on earth can tell you whether there will be a hurricane or a tropical storm while you're here, or where it will hit. I live in Tampa and we haven't had even a tropical storm come through in years, but that means nothing. Sorry--I wish I could reassure you!

October is a great time of year in the Panhandle, but Panama City would be my last choice. Pensacola Beach or areas east of Destin would be my choice.

Can't predict the weather. Buy trip insurance when you book your tickets. It's cheap.

Thank you for your clarification as to where you have ALREADY been in Florida as it helps people answer IMO.

Trip insurance? Make certain you understand the requirements for actually making a claim. IME deciding you don't want to go somewhere because something like a storm MIGHT happen, is "expected," etc., may not work unless your airline cancelled flights and you were offered no alternatives, and even then the insurance may not pay.

Panama City is just a possibility for an airport, but we wouldn't actually stay there. I was thinking Destin or somewhere in that general vicinity.
I'm familiar with trip insurance and will check into that. I know there are no guarantees as to weather, but I just wanted to make sure that going in October isn't a dumb idea.
We are also considering a few other destinations...I'll let you know what we decide!
Thanks everyone.

I don't think it's a dumb idea. Hurricane season in Florida extends from June 1 through November, with many years experiencing no hurricanes at all. I don't know of anyone who recommends avoiding the state during that time.

I do think, though, that the small temperature difference between the Panhandle and Tampa should be your guide. If you want it reliably hot, go for Tampa. The Panhandle won't be cold yet in October, but cooler at night.

Thanks for all the great info!

Alas, we've put the Florida trip on hold. I'll check back when we reschedule.