valleygirl777

Hi, I have already posted a question asking for suggestions for 2 seniors for 10-14 days anywhere from mid-Feb. to early Mar. We're looking for a beautiful warm beach, don't care much about nightlife/entertainment, don't golf. Like shopping, museums, but hate big cities & crowds. Thanks to your suggestions, I am looking at Siesta Key, Anna Maria Island, St. Pete, Fort Myers & a few others. Can anyone tell me what the possibilities are of not seeing tons of families with small children during these dates? I was almost ready to reserve a place in Siesta Key & then read comments on TripAdvisor about beaches being "packed". Any information would be greatly appreciated!

schmerl

Hmmm...friends of ours have stay in Siesta Key every Feb. and said the beaches are not at all crowded and are some of the most beautiful beaches they have ever seen.
They rent a condo on VRBO.

nlg

We love Marco Island.

Nepheline

Another vote for Marco Island, which would pretty much fit your description. Very quiet, no partying, no college kids drinking on the beach, not much night life either. Plenty of restaurants; very nice beach,great for long walks, tapers off at one end to undeveloped wildlife area. Easy half hour ride into Naples, museum, fancy-shmancy restaurants, etc.

stumpworks73

You must be as far south as possible to be as warm as possible. February is not assured tropics.
West Coast is less urban than East.
I agree that Mrco is your best solution.

Siesta is beautiful and tranquil, but riskier for temp.

clarkgriswold

Last weeks of Feb, Northeastern schools are on vacation and there is a flood of kids/families. Mid March brings the spring-breakers so your best bet is probably first week of March.

http://www.floridarent.com/seaoatsbeachclub.html

Ackislander

You are right to look at the West Coast of Florida.

February vacation in the New England states generally is the week that includes Presidents Day.

College vacations are all over the map, but you should not have to worry about them since the only kids who go to the West Coast are generally visiting their grandparents. This is not an area for party animals.

The last week of February and the first week in March should be fine, but I agree that the further south the better. I like Naples better than Marco, but that is only a personal preference.

What you MUST DO is starts working on reservations YESTERDAY. You are looking for lodging at the height of the season. If you plan to fly down, the same applies to airline and car reservations.

hotzim

Come to Venice. Its just 25-30 miles south, but a way calmer ambience. Plenty of shopping and restaurants, Venice Theater usually stages musicals, and you are close enough to drive to The Ringling Mansion/Museum, Selby Orchid Gardens, and the various theaters and opera in Sarasota. The sand is not quite as white or walkable as Siesta Beach, but the water is lovely, and so are the views, and there are several different beaches to choose from.

NeoPatrick

Weather and temperatures are always "iffy" in February, but you can be assured whatever the temps are, they will be a few degrees warmer in Naples or Marco that they are in Venice, Siesta, or Sarasota -- sometimes as much as 10 degrees.

I always think how crowded beaches are depends on where you choose to be on the beach. In Naples, almost the entire length of the beach within the city itself is private homes and for the lower mile or so of it, you could easily spend the day with no one at all within say 150 feet of you, and you might be surprised if more than a dozen or so people pass by you in in a couple of hours. But stay in one of the condos on the north parts of the beaches, or at the resorts, and sure -- they will always be "crowded" with other people including families. But still "crowded" is always a relative term.

Ackislander

As usual, NeoPartrick is spot on. The same thing applies on Nantucket. I can take you to an essentially deserted beach on the busiest day of the summer season. When we wintered in Naples, we walked over several days, from Delnor Wiggins State Park all the wy to Keewadin Inlet in the south.

If you park as far south as you can go on Gulf Shore Drive, then walk further south on the beach, you will be pretty much alone and have the pleasure of checking out the mansions that face Gordon Drive. The beaches are all public.

AAFrequentFlyer

Historical temp averages show that Naples area is about 2-3 deg. warmer than Sarasota, not 10 as posted above. Water temps are about same.

Beach vacation choice IMHO

Definately Sarasota/Siest Key.

NeoPatrick

"Historical temp averages show that Naples area is about 2-3 deg. warmer than Sarasota, not 10 as posted above."

Apparently the poster had a hard time comprehending the meaning of "a few degrees" and "SOMETIMES as much as 10 degrees". I'll stand by my original comment, even though it is very much true that the "AVERAGE is about 2 to 3 (which in my book translates to "a few", just as I said).

And since someone apparently wants to split hairs, the highest February temperature in Naples in the past 17 years was 5 degrees higher than the highest in Sarasota and the lowest was 5 degrees colder in Sarasota than in Naples. And while the "average highs for that period in Naples were just 2 degrees apart, the average lows for the same period were 4 degrees apart. Don't forget how averages work -- sometimes the temperatures are the same, lowering the average from the few times the spread is considerably greater than a couple of degrees.

Quiet or deserted beaches in February? Compare Siesta Key to Naples. No contest. Clearly if you like a beach party atmosphere -- Siesta Key would be the better choice.

NeoPatrick

Oh, and by the way, just for fun I looked up the temperatures for Valentine's Day, 2013. The high in Sarasota that day was 68. The high in Naples that day was 79. I rest my case.

AAFrequentFlyer

Compare Siesta Key to Naples

I did and no contest, Siesta Key beach is the best option IMHO. Sure the public beach area may have more of a "party flavor" but the entire length of the island beach is accessible to the public so there are miles and miles of quiet spots to relax, walk the beach, etc. The beach has the most beautiful, soft sand in this part of the country. After all it was picked as #1 beach in the country by Dr. Beach.

http://www.visitsarasota.org/article...n-destination/

As far as the temps go, your argument about higher/lower falls flat on it's face. Occasionally 10 degrees higher in Naples, occasionally 10 degrees higher in Sarasota area. It's true, look it up.

The averages charts are just that, averages, and they don't lie. 2-3 degrees difference at best. If that makes you miss the best beach on the gulf coast, so be it.

BetsyinKY

I have to say that I would cast my vote for Naples. I will admit that I've never been in the winter (unless late March counts), but we spent two weeks of every summer there for more than 20 years. The beaches there have made it hard for me to be happy on just about any other beach. Plus, you have lots of shopping and dining options and the town itself does not have a "touristy" feel to it.

NeoPatrick

I realize you LOVE to try to make an issue where none exists, AAFF, but please explain which parts of my original statement were INCORRECT. I've already given more facts to back them up, (using weather underground, by the way) but you seem to want to insist I'm saying something I haven't said. Read my statement again --

"Weather and temperatures are always "iffy" in February, but you can be assured whatever the temps are, they will be a few degrees warmer in Naples or Marco that they are in Venice, Siesta, or Sarasota -- sometimes as much as 10 degrees."

Both those points are true, weather you want to try to twist them to mean something else or not! And if 2 to 3 is not "a few degrees" please tell me what is? Meanwhile I gave just one date last February (the only one I looked up at random) and found the high was 11 degrees higher in Naples than Sarasota. Which dates in February, 2013 was the high 10 degrees higher in Sarasota? Just curious, because I couldn't find it. I didn't mean to imply that 10 degrees was the normal -- but it is silly for you to think that it happens as much in reverse -- higher in Sarasota than Naples -- is that what you're trying to do for some bizarre reason? I didn't know this was a contest, just thought we were offering a few facts.

You LOVE Sarasota and Siesta Key. We get that, and I'm not sure anyone would disagree with you that they are lovely beaches. But that doesn't make anything I said at all incorrect.

AAFrequentFlyer

and which part of my first reply you don't understand?

Historical temp averages show that Naples area is about 2-3 deg. warmer than Sarasota , not 10 as posted above. Water temps are about same.

NeoPatrick

What part didn't I understand? The part where you said "not 10 posted above". You say the temps average 2 to 3 higher in Naples -- the SAME thing I said when I said "a few degrees" and you seem to suggest that it can't be "sometimes as much as 10 degrees" which I've already shown you I can. If you somehow thought I was even remotely suggesting that the AVERAGES can be 10 higher, then you desperately need to do a reading comprehension course!

That's what I didn't understand about your post. The fact that you essentially said the same thing I did, but wanted to suggest that I posted something wrong. I didn't. OK?

By the way, now since you started it, I am waiting to see which dates in February last year the temps were 10 degrees higher in Sarasota than in Naples as you insisted they can be. Such specifics wouldn't be an issue to me, but since they seem to be to you, I'd like you to complete your insistence.

joethekay

Anna Maria island gets my vote. Much like "old Florida" used to look like.
No high rises mostly single house rentals or motels.
Rent a house or condo with a pool.
Yes, weather can be iffy but we go late Feb early -mid March to catch spring base baseball in the area.

DCarla

South Florida Beaches on the Gulf of Mexico has calm eater, smooth sand. High temperatures on Florida west coast into 70’s during February and the beaches are sunny and comfortable.