luv2plan

I have been reading other posts, but I'm still having a difficult time pinning down what I am looking for. So, here it is: very nice beach (soft & clean), ocean waves big enough to boogie board on, nice hotel/resort ($300-400/nt) with elaborate pool system (slides, sprinklers, zero entry, maybe lazy river) and kids club and game room.

Please Help! We have two boys age 4 & 7. Thank you for your time.

mrsd2fan

As far as very nice beach, I would suggest Panama City Beach or Destin. You may want to start with those 2 suggestions

Ike

The Sandestin Hilton is just what you asked for. You will love this place with your kids.

You won't find the elaborate pool systems you mentioned but the pool is as nice as I have ever been in and the Destin beach ranks in the top 10 in the U. S. each year. The rooms are extra nice and come with a small room with bunk beds for the kids and a refrigerator and sink. You should be pleased. There's a lot to do in Destin but I don't know where you are coming from. It may be too far to Destin but you can easily fly into Ft. Walton about 20 miles west of Destin. You can find all the water slides and water parks you will ever need in Destin also. The resort will be full of kids until school starts.

http://www.sandestinbeachhilton.com/

starrsville

The gulf doesn't have the waves big enough to boogie board on though. For that you'd want the Atlantic coast.

olesouthernbelle

For her age range, 4-7, I think the waves might be just perfect at the gulf. There are waves, of course, just small.

starrsville

luv, take a look at this website -
http://www.florida-family-vacation.c...lestpools.html

lscott

We went to St Augustine for the first time the last week in May. Family included 2 seniors, 26 yr old grandson and his 7 yr old son. Did not realize that St Aug had such fine and extensive beaches! Clean, white sand, waves a bit tame while we were there but just right for the little boy and his boogie board, and not as crowded as some beaches. Plus, the Old Town sightseeing, the Alligator Farm, all enjoyable for all ages. Can't recommend a resort as we stayed at a timeshare, but they're there.

luv2plan

I really like the Hyatt Reg Coconut Point resort, but what is the nearest beach like? It is in Bonita Springs. It says they have a 5min shuttle to the beach. And we would have a car & don't mind driving to nice beaches in the area, but are there any waves on the gulf side around there?

Thank you for your time

happytotravel

I don't know about the gulf side, but we freguently go to the atlantic side. I would suggest Disneys vero Beach resort. Heres the trip advisor review. http://tinyurl.com/ynws8e
We stay just up the road at Melbourne, but usually dine at Disney 1 or 2 times a trip. Disney has water slides, a large pool, tennis, and a nice beach with waves.

beachbum2

Destin will give you the clear blue water...beautiful. St Augustine is a great town. I would recomment the Ginn Hammock Beach Resort. Great property with pools, slide, lazy river, kids club. Very nice and reasonable for what you get. The beach is a shell beach with the crushed shell sand and there are a few rocks. There are public beaches with no rocks within a few miles. There is actualy one within walking distance. You have Marineland and St Augustine within an easy drive. Good restaurants on and off site. www.hammockbeach.com I'd recommend the condos or even Cinnamon beach if you want 2 seperate pools to use and don't mind driving to the lazy river/slide pool.

beachbum2

Destin will give you the clear blue water...beautiful. St Augustine is a great town. I would recomment the Ginn Hammock Beach Resort. Great property with pools, slide, lazy river, kids club. Very nice and reasonable for what you get. The beach is a shell beach with the crushed shell sand and there are a few rocks. There are public beaches with no rocks within a few miles. There is actualy one within walking distance. You have Marineland and St Augustine within an easy drive. Good restaurants on and off site. www.hammockbeach.com I'd recommend the condos or even Cinnamon beach if you want 2 seperate pools to use and don't mind driving to the lazy river/slide pool. We took our kids 8 and 4.. They loved it.

luv2plan

Maybe we should stay 4 nights on Atlantic side, like West Palm Beach or Ft Lauderdale then drive 3 hrs to the Gulf side and stay 4 nights at Sanibel or Ft Myers or something? Then we would know what we like? I know it would be a bit of a pain to pack and move, but we have done it before, just at WDW (and Hawaii).

If it helps any, my kids were born in San Diego and loved the beaches there. We just moved to Illinois a few months ago, so lots of different vacation options to research now.

Thank you all for your time & suggestions. Have a great weekend!

starrsville

That sounds like a good plan. Then, you could see the differences.

I was on the gulf 10 days ago. There were some little waves and I was so surprised. But, there was a storm off shore. The next day, the water was just lapping the shore. The sand of the gulf is gorgeous sugar white sand - but if you want to boogy board, I'd suggest the Atlantic. Splitting your time sounds like a great option.

Barbara_in_FL

Given your idea of splitting time, which is not bad, you probably won't come up to the Panhandle. But there is a very fun water park in Panama City Beach called Shipwreck Island which you might enjoy if you ever come up this way. It is a bit pricey but not as much as a day at an amusement park, and our boys (3 and 8) had a blast there recently. The beach in PCB is soft, clean, and very nice, and it is within easy distance of even nicer beaches. As for boogie boards, it depends on the weather and the wind. We've certainly been at the Gulf when there were waves big enough to keep kids happy, but it's not always that way.

luv2plan

I know this isn't what I asked about, but after talking about everything here is what we decided:

drive from Ill to Mason, OH and take the kids to Great Wolf Lodge
leave the kids in Cincinnati with their grandparents and husband & I are going to st john, caneel bay

We first wanted all of us to go to the caribbean, but it was too expensive (airfare, food, etc). So that's when we started talking about FL. But, then we realized we wanted to go to Caribbean originally so we could snorkel everyday. So, my in-laws have agreed to take the kids and we are going without them!

Thank you so much for all the info! I have printed it off and put it in my FL folder for future reference.

Have a great weekend!

olesouthernbelle

Maybe you've already been & know this but you will love ST John! Where will you be staying? Are you planning any day trips to the BVI?
Will you do a TR when you return,
pleease?

luv2plan

We have not been there yet. We are staying at Caneel Bay. We will only have 3 1/2 days, so I'm not sure we will go on any daytrips.

Thanks!