Trip report: FL east coast & Keys
 

Jacksonville Beach: spent 3 nights at Comfort Inn on the ocean. Nice facility with large pool, beautiful beachfront, and terrific continental breakfast which our kids enjoyed. Ate at Joe?s Crab Shack (kids? choice, fun atmosphere, good simple seafood) and Lighthouse Grill (beautiful building and location, delicious salad and honey-butter crescent rolls). Stormed pretty bad two afternoons. Drove to Amelia Island because that is where I had originally wanted to stay. Looks like a nice area. Drove by Big Talbot and Little Talbot parks, but the lightning was too bad to get out of the vehicle and explore.

Port Canaveral: spent 2 nights at Ron Jon Cape Caribe Resort. We had asked for a poolside room, but those were in high demand. We were offered another room, so decided to get settled. The room was gorgeous?two bedrooms, two baths, kitchen and living area all decorated in a tropical theme. The water facilities were great?huge pool with volleyball net, lazy river, large water slide, and wading area with sprinklers for little ones. There were several resort activities like water aerobics, music, champagne bingo, and dance contests. Two negatives about this resort?restaurant is open for breakfast on weekends only and we couldn?t charge to our room account because that feature hasn?t been set up yet. The resort just opened in late 2003. In Cocoa Beach we ate at Florida Seafood Grill (excellent crab legs!, great food, good service), and Cocoa Beach Pier (enjoyed scallops & lobster au gratin was yummy).

Lauderdale By The Sea: spent 2 nights at Captains Quarters, a quaint hotel directly on the beach. At check-in we learned that someone had changed our reservation from 4 ppl to 2 ppl. The only rooms left with two beds were efficiencies, but she only charged us the $75 we had originally booked at. Pool was nice with beautiful shrubs and flowers surrounding the patio. Very relaxing atmosphere, nice beach, simply decorated, clean rooms. Our kids were a little bored at this hotel because of the lack of action. We ate at Aruba (mahi sandwich was good, seafood pasta marinara good) and Shooters (OK, but not one of my favs). Drove to Los Olas Blvd. one evening and shopped. Next night we took the Water Taxi and looked at all the beautiful homes on the intracoastal. Drove A1A to Bal Harbour area. It was Saturday night, so a lot of traffic.

Islamorada: spent one night at Cheeca Lodge. Beautiful resort. Kids wished we had stayed more than one night. Ate at Islamorada Fish Co. (neat location on the water, good food). We enjoyed watching the tarpons being fed. Visited World Wide Sportman right next door?loved it.

Key West: spent 3 nights at Southernmost Hotel. Nice property, which includes Southernmost On The Beach, Dewey House, and La Mer. We had originally reserved 2 nights, but added a third once we got there. I loved Key West and would have preferred 4-5 nights there. Many shops, which I love (yes, even some of the tacky T-shirt shops!). Mallory Square was very crowded, but fun. Ate at A&B Lobster House (great food, wonderful service, entrees $25 and up), El Silboney (good Cuban food, small restaurant), Papa?s on Duval (breakfast was good), and Billie?s (breakfast?nothing special). We took the Conch Train Tour. I thought it was worthwhile for a first timer to Key West. I had anticipated renting bicycles, but there was so much traffic that I felt safer walking or taking a cab. BTW?a cab ride from Southernmost to A&B Lobster House on Front St. was $7.50 for 2 adults/2 kids. I had so wanted to snorkel at Bahia Honda, but couldn?t get anyone else to drive there with me from Key West. I should have insisted that we stop there on the way, but we were so anxious to get to Key West.

On the way out of the Keys we got Key Lime Pie at Manny's & Isa's in Islamorada. Oh, wow! Heavenly.

Took Rt. 41 through the Everglades on the way home and kids loved the gators. Fun trip, but a long drive home with two nights on the road.

Thanks for the trip report. It sounds like you had a fun trip. I bet lots of folks will find your experiences with the various resorts quite helpful.

Sounds like you done well, Sunbabe! Nice trip report. I'm sure you'll stay longer in the Keys next time through.

Particularly enjoyed your reports from the upper part of the state. We haven't done the drive down yet (always fly into Miami,) but we do wanna give it a try one day....

Thanks Suki & Bookhall!

Bookhall--here are a few comments of my experiences on the northern east coast of Florida.

Amelia Island looks like my kind of beach vacation, meaning nice beach, good choice of shops and restaurants, smaller community, and less hectic than a metropolitan city. The Ritz and Plantation properties look beautiful, but there appeared to be many nice rentals available right on the beach, too. (Ritz and Plantation are a little too pricey for us)

I was pleasantly surprised by the Jacksonville Beach area. Like I said, the Comfort Inn on the beach is nice. Beachfront is beautiful and clean. Neptune Beach, just north a few blocks of where we stayed, looks very nice. The Sea Turtle Inn, which has been mentioned on this board, would be my choice of hotels. Also, Punte Vedra, just south of Jacksonville Beach is a gorgeous area.

New Smyrna Beach has a relaxed atmosphere; at least it did when we were there 8 years ago. We were there 3 nights and enjoyed the quiet after having done Disney. I loved the natural look of the beach area.

I've been to Daytona many times, but it doesn't appeal to me the older I get. It was great as a teenager, but driving on the beach turns me off now.

Cocoa Beach is very touristy; lots of T-shirt shops and such. Of course, we visited the Ron Jon shop even though we'd been before. Just can't go to Cocoa Beach w/out doing Ron Jon. We've been to Kennedy Space Center, so didn't do that on this trip.

Truly enjoyed Lauderdale By The Sea, particularly the area in which we stayed. There were several restaurants, bars, and shops just down the street from Captains Quarters. Mac's Grove is a really nice shop with clothing, household items, and souvenirs. The Water Taxi is great.

Hope this helps!

Thanks for the additional comments, sunbabe. Sounds like we're very similar in likes and dislikes. You have, indeed, confirmed that we'd enjoy a look at that area.

Particularly glad you mentioned Daytona. Was thinking about that for a visit. But my daughter, who's been, indicated otherwise. "You wouldn't like it, Dad, a bit too tacky. Remember, it's where they host Bike Week...." Worth passing through, I'm sure, but there are nicer places to stay along that shore.

Bookhall- can't resist pointing out that after Bike week in Daytona it seems like most bikers head on down to their second favorite place in Florida- The Keys! The Keys are quite a mecca for Bikers, as you probably know. So I wouldn't write off a place just because bikers like it- if that is the case you might never have visited Alabama Jacks!

Larry: Had a hunch you'd chime in. Not writing off Daytona, just saying there are probably places along that shore we'd prefer to stay....