Trying to plan a week in Florida in October ... need help picking up places to visit

jackieblack

mgdavid wrote: »

Strongly disagree, some people travel well, sleep on planes, aren't affected much by jetlag and would be perfectly capable of a 3-4 hour drive, especially if they get the flight that lands at 14.20

I have heard of these people,
but I have never met one

mgdavid

jackieblack wrote: »

I have heard of these people,
but I have never met one

come on over !

Backbiter

Alan_Bowen wrote: »

Don't drive any major distances the day you arrive. It will be at least mid afternoon when you arrive, allowing even an hour, and you may be a lot longer, to get through immigration and customs and another hour to collect the car, you will frankly be wrecked and in no fit state to drive any distance at all.

Book a hotel on Miami Beach for at least 2 nights, then drive down the Keys, some like Key Largo, frankly I don't get the attraction unless you want to go diving at the John Pennekamp Coral Reef but it is a slow journey to Key West and you should allow yourself the day to get there, stopping along the way. You need at least two nights to chill out and realise it is not like any other part of the US, if you want to travel further, drive back and go across to Naples in the west coats which has phenomenal beaches and is a reasonably easy drive back to Miami Airport on your last day

I agree with both paragraphs. Very sound advice.

Mr_Wang

Backbiter wrote: »

I agree with both paragraphs. Very sound advice.

Disagree.

I flew 7 hours, connected 2 then flew 16 hours to Miami and then drove 4 hours up to Orlando. The flight from the UK to Orlando is puny and saying 'don't drive' is like saying don't get up at 7am, work all day and then drive home at night.

My advice for Florida - Having traveled the State extensively my favourite place is Clearwater and more specifically, the walk from Clearwater to Caladesi.
Hit up some of the natural springs in Central Florida, mooch round little Havana in St Petes and then spend a day in St Augustine. Throw in a bit of Cocoa beach if there is a launch but catch it from the highway (end of the last bridge on the left).
A day in Miami is worthwhile as is a couple of days in the Keys.

John259

Regarding driving a long way after a long haul flight: some people can do it, some people can't. If you've never done a long haul flight before then it's very difficult to judge how you'll feel, but to some extent it depends on how you react to significantly different sleeping times (late nights, for example). Another factor is whether you've ever driven in the USA before, and how complicated the exit from the airport and city area would be. If in doubt, stay near the airport for the first night, possibly using an airport motel free courtesy bus and delay the car pickup until the next morning when you're refreshed. But if you know you can do it, go for it - I've done it on a number of occasions (for example San Francisco to Vacaville, and Dulles/Washington DC to Front Royal).

[Deleted User]

Mr_Wang wrote: »

Disagree.

I flew 7 hours, connected 2 then flew 16 hours to Miami and then drove 4 hours up to Orlando. The flight from the UK to Orlando is puny and saying 'don't drive' is like saying don't get up at 7am, work all day and then drive home at night.

This is correct.
I'm on a 10.30 LGW-Orlando flight next week.By the time I get to my hotel in St Petersburg it will be the equivalent of arriving home at 11pm at night.I have a full night of hoonery planned after that.
Driving for a few hours after a UK flight is perfectly okay.

jackieblack

John259 wrote: »

Regarding driving a long way after a long haul flight: some people can do it, some people can't. If you've never done a long haul flight before then it's very difficult to judge how you'll feel, but to some extent it depends on how you react to significantly different sleeping times (late nights, for example)

I agree with this, I'm an 'early to bed, early to rise' person and can never sleep on a plane. I'm ready for my bed by 9pm and I know that I would not be safe to make a long drive after getting off a flight.
It takes me until the third day after arriving in the USA to adjust to the time difference.

stoneman

We did a week traveling. 1 night in Miami, then onto Orlando for 2 nights, drove down to Clearwater beach for a night and day, then onto Naples , then back to Miami

jumperabv3

stoneman wrote: »

We did a week traveling. 1 night in Miami, then onto Orlando for 2 nights, drove down to Clearwater beach for a night and day, then onto Naples , then back to Miami

It sounds nice ... we're planning something similar.
I'm not a jetlag person, and forgot to mention we would be 1 week first in NY so might be jetlag there ... when we get to Miami we would be fine ...

And in NY my wife wants us to drive from NYC to Niagra Falls, stop in Finger Lakes for 1 night, and then spend some time with my family in Spring Valley for a couple of days ... I know driving 6-7 hours for one day is a lot but I'm up for it. I already did it once with my mom (before I got married), we drove from London to Scotland for 1 day, but my mom didn't want to go just to "same old same old" Edinburgh or Glasgow, we had to go to North Scotland where there are no motorways (!!!), only dangerous roads (people drive there and overtake without caring who's coming from the other side lol) .... we just been there 1 day and spent the night, then we drove to Leeds, spent some time there, and from there back to London ...

Lol