a2zmom

Hi all! I'm looking for any suggestions regarding a vacation by the water with my family within 8-10 driving hours of Jacksonville, FL. We've thought about the Keys, Outer Banks, a lake vacation in the mountains...but nothing is jumping out at us. There are 5 of us -- 2 adults and 3 teens. I'd love to find a place to relax, take in a few sights, and reconnect w/ my family (who are active). We're on a "recession" budget ;-) Thanks so much for any advice!!!

longhorn55

Maybe you've been there already, but why not just drive up to Jekyll Island, Georgia? We love to go there with our teens--beach, water park, bike riding, relaxation, minigolf, fishing, etc. and it certainly fits a "recession" budget. We generally stay in one of the apartments at Villas by the Sea--more space for us all and we save money by eating in for breakfast and lunch.

GoTravel

Isle of Palms and Sullivans Island are both close to Charleston and there is tons to do in that area.

I LOVE Jekyll Island, Georgia!

Palm Beach and Singer Island Florida are both fabulous! Lots of boating and water things to do.

Pawleys Island, SC is one of my favorite barrier islands anywhere. Also close to Myrtle Beach and teens love MB.

The keys are magical to me.

As far as lakes go, Lake Keowee is one of the most beautiful lakes I've ever seen. Because it is in the SC/NC mountains, the water is the clearest blue I've ever seen on a lake. With the mountains in the background it is simply stunning in some places.

Personally, I love Ponte Vedre and the Ponte Vedre Inn in your area!

Geographically, the beaches are very similar from Daytona up through NC.

CarolWeaver

Gulf Shores and Orange Beach on the Alabama Gulf Coast are great locations for a family vacation. The beaches are wonderful and there are lots of other things to do (like hiking, museums, amusement parks). Look at this web site, it has a lot of useful information: www.thebeachiscalling.org.

Wayne

I get the impression that you aren't necessarily interested in broad sandy beaches on big bodies of water. There's plenty of that all around you and everywhere else in Florida. So for a different kind of vacation, I suggest you might want to consider the mountains and lakes of north Georgia. In particular, Lake Burton and Lake Rabun have vacation rentals available. There's also Lake Chatuge a little farther north on the GA-NC border.

Just google "Lake Burton Vacation Rentals" and you'll get lots of info on several places. My favorite is the old Lake Rabun Hotel, a moderately priced old hotel by Lake Rabun that has been recently updated and is a wonderfully peaceful place that makes you want to relax, enjoy renting a boat in the lake, or just wander around the surrounding woods.

WeLiveAtTheBeach

We moved to Gulf Shores, AL almost 14 years ago, and I now work for a great vacation rental company with more than 1900 accommodations options along the Alabama/Florida Gulf Coast - Gulf Shores/Fort Morgan and Orange Beach, AL plus Perdido Key, FL. We have gorgeous white sand beaches, plenty of history and activities, etc.

There are lots of SPECIALS being offered now - see http://www.meyerre.com/rentals/specials/.

Or try the HOT DEALS on individual properties, from small condos to very large houses, on or off the beach, backwaters or golf courses. See http://www.meyerre.com/rentals/specials.aspx.

We'd love to have you stay with us! Book online, or please feel free to call the reservations experts at 800-213-9544.

Best wishes as you plan your memorable vacation!

SAnParis2

Since you live by the Beach the Mts may well be the way to go. Check the Lake Lure/Chimney Rock area of NC.www.townoflakelure.com, www.lake-lure.com, www.chimneyrockpark.com, chimneyrock.org. This will also put you in close proximity to Asheville.

a2zmom

Great advice! Thanks so much. I think we are leaning toward a mountain vacation and checked out a few mentioned websites. Any advice/recommendations on the difference between staying in Asheville vs. Douglas Lake? We found a few houses on the lake but are not familiar at all with the area. Thanks!