Were to go in Florida
 

Next summer we finally wil fly from Holland tot de US with our daughters (14 and 17). We wil start in New York and the plan is (was) after that 3 weeks new England. We are thinking about making it 2 weeks a part of New England and then fly to Florida to have a week rest at a nice beach. But which part of Florida is nice to do. I think we wil like it al the west coast. But wat is the best airport to fly on then. How is the weather in august. Wich city is nice. We prefer a nice beach, nice restaurants etc for the evening.
Thanks a lot.

Elma

August is boiling hot.

I think that Sarasota is nice.

Yes, you would not believe the heat in Florida in August. (Sarasota is nice, though.)

I'd suggest you stay in New England. There are good swimmable surf beaches on Cape Cod, the islands (Nantucket, Martha's Vineyard and Block), and Rhode Island. The seacoast in Maine is beautiful, but the water is too cold for much swimming, if that is a priority. You might also consider the east end, south shore of Long Island (tends to very expensive), or the New Jersey shore.

The last 4 years we were travelling in Asia and there it is hot to. So we are a bit used of it. I found out that beaches at New England are very expensive. I suppose everything is expensive after Asia. If i could find a nice hotel for a reasonable price near cape cod that would be nice to. But the prices are very "hot" there to. I dont know how nice the wetter wil be in New England in august?

Its hot everywhere in August - but it is really, really hot in Florida.

In Florida, I think Sanibel Island is very nice as are the Florida Keys (although again, very hot).

For New England, Nantucket and Block Island are beautiful, with a lot of character and charm. Cape Cod is more commercial but also a cheaper destination. If you want to stay a week you could consider renting a house - which would save you more money since you could prepare your own meals (lobsters on the grill!)

This site http://www.capecodrental.com lets you search by town, number of bedrooms and price. Or try www.VRBo.com

And which town would you advice. I looked at capecodrental and see many places. Which one is really nice.

Don't let people scare you away from FL in summer! I am from NJ and have lived in Sarasota for the past three years....yes it gets hot but the temp in NJ is often hotter than Sarasota. We do not get the extreme heat waves that occur elsewhere in the US. Normal temp in August is high 80s to 90 degrees. But in Sarasota, we often have a breeze so it really is not so bad. And you'll probably be on the beach or at a pool during the afternoon so does it really matter?

You'll love Sarasota. We have many European visitors. The beaches are beautiful, and lots of great restaurants and shopping. Don't miss the Mote Aquarium and the Ringling Museum too. Plus it is an easy hour drive to Tampa if you want to visit Busch Gardens too. Good luck with your planning!

Hi Elma
I happen to agree with Fl mom. Sarasota is beautiful, so is the west coast of Florida in general.
Tampa airport as well as Ft. Myers airport should be on your list for you return flight ticket, they are the least expensive airports in Florida.
The Ft. Myers area is a little cheaper (Hotels and rental cars)and you find America's best beaches. South of Naples you will be able to walk on the beach for hours without meeting anybody.
Enjoy your stay in our Sunshine State.
Manuel

You are likely to hit hot weather everywhere but Florida will be humid with afternoon thunderstorms most days. That said beaches above, Sarasota to Naples are nice and you might get a good off season deal for accommodations right on the beach. If you choose to do the cape, I think the area from Chatham to Provincetown have nicer beaches and except for Provincetown tend to be a bit quieter. Look for something in Chatham, Eastham, Wellfleet, Truro, North Truro.

Summer is not really the time for Florida unless you like weather that is incredibly hot and humid. (Many retired locals head north to visit friends or family in the summer to escape the heat.) think of southern Spain in the middle of the summer.

Agree you can have a nice beach vacation in the North East or New England during the summer. Water is a decent temperature and weather is still hot - but not broiling. Maine is the coolest area but much of the coast is rocky, Cape Cod, Long Island and parts of the Jersey shore all have beautiful white sand beaches perfect for a summer vacation.

Elma
Since you say you have been to Asia (although you don't say which part), you will probably be just fine with Florida heat and humidity in August. To me, Bangkok heat/humidity is pretty hard to top anywhere! I go to St Pete Beach fairly regularly and I think you would like the beach there, or you could drive a very short distance to Ft DeSoto where there are no hotels lining the beach. Just sand and sun (and probably a bunch of people.. haha).

It's true that some places in FL can be bearable in the summer, althouhg my aunt an d uncle always come back to Long Island every summer to get away from the worst of the heat. (They live near Tampa.)

What's nice about Cape Cod is that although it can be very hot in the daytime (but not as hot as FL - usually more in the 80's) it cools down somewhat at night.

I've lived in Clearwater for the past 33 years, and yes, it can be hot, but nothing like when it's hot up north. If you have a place on or near the beach there is always a breeze and the beaches are wonderful. Check out visitflorida.com for lots more info.

I'm also a Sarasota fan, although it is sultry in August. Just follow tropical routines - hide indoors from 11 am to 4 pm or so. :-)

It's also very inexpensive that time of year -- you can get good prices on motels/hotels.

Depending on where you're coming from in New England (Boston is largest airport), you can fly into Sarasota, Tampa, or Ft. Myers, depending on whether you are willing to connect somewhere or prefer a nonstop. Sarasota's airport is small but obviously the most convenient. Tampa's airport is about 1 1/4 hrs. from Sarasota - it's the largest and, in my opinion, the nicest. Rental cars for all but a couple of companies are right in the airport parking garage. Ft. Myers airport is more distant (not sure, maybe 1 1/2 hrs. or more) and smaller but I believe one airline flies nonstop from Boston to Ft. Myers.

Re: towns on Cape Cod. I recommend Truro, Wellfleet, Eastham, Orleans, Brewster, or Chatham - and the towns further "back" toward the canal are also lovely. I chose those because they're further out on the Cape. Be aware that the "outside" or Atlantic side of the Cape has colder, more "vigorous" water but often spectacular views and beaches, while the "inside" or bay-side has warmer, shallower, quieter waters (some of the beaches are so shallow that you can walk quite far out on the sand at low tide).

Key West. FL

West Fla - Gulf Coast. St Petersburg Bch, Treasure Island are most convenient from Tampa Airport and more flights per day. But - a little further south - Sarasota - Longboat Key etc. Then, my favorite-Sanibel. You can fly into Tampa and then drive or fly into Ft Myers. Stay on the beach and really enjoy the beach experience. For your group, I would get a condo. Just google. Lots of choices and all nice beaches. Best for swimming is probably Treasure Island. Gulf Coast Beaches are calmer water and less likely to have undertows etc. As you can tell, my vote is Florida - not any hotter than Thailand or SEA.

Longboat Key is really nice. St. Arman's Circle has excellent shopping and restaurants.

We were in Asia in THailand, and yes Bangkok is very hot. we were in Malasia, KL is also hot. Sulawesi and Borneo. But in the jungle the heat is different is suppose. Its difficult to make a choice. If de States were as small as Holland it would be easy, we do it all. But thanks for al the advices.
Bye

I live in Florida, and Sanibel/Captiva Island is where I go when I want to enjoy the most beautiful beaches in the state (and I've seen most of 'em). Agree that Sarasota is nice, too...although not as quaint and well-preserved form a nature standpoint.