luvtravelin2

We were thinking about vacationing in November for our Anniversary in Florida. Thought about going to St.Petersburg or Ft. Lauderdale. Which would you prefer and why. We are in our 30's. Also, thought about Clearwater. What is the difference between Clearwater & St.Petersburg?

casinoair

Hi -- I live in St. Pete and can give you a little feedback. The City of Saint Pete is primarily the interior portion of Pinellas County -- I assume you are interested in the beach areas which line the western portion of Pinellas County and include (from South to North) St. Pete Beach, Treasure Island, Madira Beach, Reddington Beach, and end with Clearwater Beach. The beaches are nice, but most areas are not all that hip. There is not much difference in these beach areas, although Clearwater probably has more to offer than most of the other areas in the above list. There are the usual tacky T-Shirt Shops, seafood restaurants (some very good), and other basics -- but the Beach will be the primary attraction. If you want to enjoy the beach, rent a boat and explore the nearby barrier islands, see dolphin, this area would be a good choice. There is a great area called Fort Desota (top ranked beach in the US) where with a boat rental you can find a spot to have a beach all to yourself.

Lauderdale has much more to offer in terms of restaurants, shopping, as well as some fine beaches. The Las Olas area (a famous street in Lauderdale) has great night life, restaurants, and shopping. Nearby Bal Harbour has all of the Designer boutiques (Armani, Chanel, Versace, etc.). And hotel options include world class resorts as well as luxury boutique hotels. For top end hotels, try slh.com and lhw.com -- 2 of my favorite sites for hotels.

You may also want to check out Miami Beach, about 1 hour South of Lauderdale. It is without doubt the most hip area in Florida for dining, music, people watching, etc. It also has a remarkable selection of stylish hotels with great pool areas, bars, and restaurants. Each night the beach front's outdoor cafe's, bars, and clubs swarm with a multi-ethnic crowd. You can easily visit this area (called SOUTH BEACH, but located in Miami Beach) from Fort Lauderdale.

Hope this helps.

Wayne

Having spent some time in Ft Lauderdale and Miami Beach / South Beach, and having lived in St. Pete Beach for the past 15 years, I can give you some pretty good points that will allow you to discriminate among all of them.

St. Pete Beach is primarily a family vacation spot, with a nice beach and lots of hotels, motels, and restaurants. The beaches farther north as mentioned by casinoair also are nice, with Treasure Island's main beach being probably the widest and flattest of all of them. Treasure Island doesn't have quite as many restaurants as St. Pete Beach. Clearwater Beach does have the liveliest activity and as many shops and restaurants as anywhere else, more than most places.

St. Petersburg itself has a reborn downtown area with lots of shops and restaurants, as well as the famous St. Petersburg Pier. There's an excellent fine arts museum in St. Petersburg also.

There's a downtown area in Clearwater that doesn't seem to attract many people, but it has a number of shops too. Probably it is less popular than other areas because it is a fairly long distance from the beach. But for more action, more spring breakers, and more illegal beer being consumed on the beach, Clearwater Beach wins the prize.

Wayne

Sorry, I failed to mention Ft Lauderdale. It's kinda neat, but you will find the traffic to be frustrating, and the parking to be impossible especially on Fri, Sat, and Sun. Indeed Las Olas Street has tons of neat shops and restaurants, and it is usually overrun by tourists. The beach areas of Ft Lauderdale are nice, but frankly I don't like the Atlantic beaches as much as the Gulf Beaches on the west coast of Florida. And as for Miami Beach and South Beach, I can only advise you to go there if you want to be where the joint is hoppin', the people a bit strange, the costs out of sight, and the traffic very congested.
Good luck.

Stephanie

I can't get the thrill of the Gulf. Been to St. Pete's, does nothing for me. I'd go for Ft. Lauderdale (I'm in my 30s). It's nice to go just 26 miles South to Miami and then maybe another 50 and go to the Upper Keys (Key Largo specifically). I'd stay at Lauderdale-by-the-Sea (5 miles north of Ft. Lauderdale). Less crowded with a small town feel (no motel over 3 stories) and its right on the Atlantic. November is beautiful in FL - month with the least amount of rainfall and really not crowded (just before high season).

Janny

Been to Ft.Lauderdale and enjoyed it thoroughly!! We had a lot of fun. Stayed right on the beach- Marriott Harbor Beach Resort. Lots of good restaurants and shopping.

luvtravelin2

I'm more confused. Which place has the more prettier beaches? Is the gulf water more prettier than the Atlantic?

Tandoori_Girl

Gulf beaches are quieter because the Gulf has a relatively shallow continental shelf. The Atlantic has a steeper drop-off so more waves, move splash.

I like the sandier calmer balmy Gulfside -- but if you're a wave-rider, head to the Atlantic.

cdt

We just returned from a week on Anna Maria Island (a bit south of St. Pete) and while we had a good time, it confirmed our preference for the Atlantic Coast for beach vacations.

Our experience has been that the water in the greater Fort Lauderdale area is clearer and bluer than the Gulf. We also prefer the sand in SE Fla. - but not everyone agrees.

After several FL trips we always feel that we'd rather vacation on the southern Atlantic side, but we'd rather live on the Gulf side. The west coast has a more laid-back atmosphere.

We don't stay in Ft. Laud. itself but in quieter towns just north of it.

luvtravelin2

That was another question, I was wondered which water is bluer? The Atlantic or the Gulf. I was thinking the gulf side may have more of a Caribbean feel?

Tandoori_Girl

There are little barrier islands that run from Marco Island north (and actually south of Marco but you can only access them by boat). These give you more of a Caribbean feel on the Gulf. Try Captiva or Siesta Key for a Caribbean honky-tonk feel -- and definitely the Keys, although their beaches are rocky or full of mangroves.

I don't know what to tell you about the water. It's really all the same water, but the sky and the water depth give it color. It's more aqua in Florida than the turquoise in the Caribbean.

Judyrem

Fort Lauderdale IMO. The Atlantic sdie has clearer blue water, great for snorkeling and diving. FLL and eastern FL are more crowded, but I think it has a more vibrant, younger "feel" to it than the Gulf side(and we live here). It ALL depends what you want. IMO the Gulf is more laid back. Yet it has some lovely spots such as Naples. Sarasota and Sanibel. YET FLL is great IMO. Judy

luvtravelin2

Which airport do you fly into to get to Naples? Also, what activities does Naples have?

luvtravelin2

TTT

Tandoori_Girl

You would fly into Ft. Myers airport. But if you will be going to rent a car, then you might want to check out FLL. The savings could be worth the drive, so I've heard.

As for what to do, Naples is a shopping, walking, go to the beach, town. Last time I was there they were having a skim board competition on the beach, which attracted a young crowd of high schoolers. It's not full of activities, IMHO. Corkscrew Swamp is worth a a day trip, so is Marco Island and Goodland. There's an old tabby cottage that's been restored in the old town. Day trips to Ft. Myers to see the Ford and Edison homes, also check out Sanibel and Captiva islands. At one time, there was a shuttle to Key West but I don't know what happened to it.

Good luck.