Where to Go with 6 mth old baby
 

Hi,

We are coming to Florida ( from the UK) in November for 10 days with our 6 month old baby boy - where should we go???

Is Miami Beach too Adult? Should we go for the Keys?

Neither of us like Disney/Universal

Any help appreciated!!

Sorry should mention that we have the option of either flying into Miami OR Orlando...

You're going to Florida, but where are you flying FROM? And what kind of things are you interested in?

More info from you would be helpful, if you'd like suggestions.....

OP said they were flying from the UK.

I would check out the Keys and Miami Beach. Look for a resort hotel in Miami Beach and veg out there. As far as the six month old, wouldn't worry about trying to entertain him or her or finding a place the baby would like because at that age, the baby will not care.

I would just stay home for at least 2 years, do weekend trips at home., then come to the US and do beach things.

They will love it then, not now.

I think the point is that the parents might enjoy a trip now... A six month old is actually pretty easy to travel with.

I agree with GoTravel, your 6 month old will be happy with a kiddie pool to splash in and sand to dig toes in.

Ho Hum!

More info - We want to relax on the beach for a few days and see some sites as well.

We are in our thirties so clubbing days are over, so we don't want anywhere that is too noisy.

Forgive my ingnorance, but would a 2 centre holiday (Miami & Keys) be possible? Or are distances too great? (I can look on a map but that only shows physical distance - local knowledge would be helpful - e.g. in Southern England a 100 miles can take longer than 300 miles in Scotland because of traffic/roads)

Thanks for any help offered!

Yes, the road from Miami through the keys is two lane and can take forever. I think the distance from Miami to Key West is 151 miles but it can take anywhere from 4 hours on a good day to 8 hours if there is a wreck.

You could stay in Miami part of the time and drive to the upper or middle keys and be there in about 2-3 hours depending on where you want to go.

The Hampton Inn is very nice in Islamorada and it has a fantastic breakfast. Spend your beach time in Miami/Ft. Lauderdale and go to the Keys for the sites, shopping and boating excursions. I've only been to Miami Beach a couple times and prefer Fort Lauderdale beach better.

Sanibel/Captiva are also nice, but the beaches are not as nice as the Atlantic Coast beaches (different sand and waves), so if you want nice beaches, stay on the Atlantic side of Florida.

I think I would stay in one place or another and not drag the little one too much. Been there done that. Hawk's Cay is a nice family place in the middle keys.

Bromfij,

Just an idea, however you may want to consider Seaside FL (www.seasidefl.com) as an option. This would be more of a slow paced beach focused vacation. We're planning a trip there for a family reunion in the fall. The one issue is that Destin is in the "panhandle" part of the state, so it may require a connecting flight (or a long drive) to get there from Orlando.

It's only an hour drive from Orlanda to Daytona Beach on the Atlantic Ocean. But do keep in mind that anywhere you stay in Florida during that time, you may by up against a tropical storm/hurricane. It is rainy season until November 30th. I have lived in Florida (this time) for over 35 years and it's one definate thing about mother nature ... she is unpredictable. Have you thought about coming in early December instead or are your travel plans final?

I wouldn't interject the "Hurricane Factor" into a November visit. It could conceivably happen, but the odds are against it. Do a Google search for "November Hurricanes" for a bit of reassurance if this is a concern.

This from one of the sites: "when Hurricane Michelle became a major hurricane with winds of 135 mph on Nov. 3, 2001, it was the first major Atlantic Basin hurricane in November since Hurricane Lenny in 1999 and only the sixth major hurricane in any November since 1900.

November hurricanes that hit the USA are even rarer than major November hurricanes. Only four hurricanes have hit the USA in November since 1900 and these were all were category 1 storms that hit Florida. While Michelle's tropical storm force winds (39 to 73 mph) hit Florida, its eye didn't cross the coast, which means the storm "brushed" but didn't hit the USA."

I'm probably more sensitive than most to the likelihood of a hurricane affecting us, owning a sailboat that is large enough to have to remain in the water on the FL Gulf coast, and being married to someone whose livelihood is directly affected as GM of a hotel that sits smack on the water in evacuation zone 1, the first to go! We pay if our guests have to be evacuated inland. I would never minimize the danger of a storm, but trust me, when Nov 1 arrives, we breathe a sigh of relief. Odds are, our season is OVER!

Really, we are on edge as far as storms go and how they will impact us--tropical depression #6 worries me for next weekend, way too far off to even think about, but I don't take ANY of them lightly!! November though...for the most part we feel we are home free. Of all the things you have to think about regarding your trip, a hurricane is the least of them, bromfij!

OO has given you excellent advice. Living on the South East coast of the US, we spend a lot of time this time of year watching "Storm Update" on the Weather Channel. Would I let it effect my vacation plans? Absolutely not.