Need a new warm-weather vacation spot

[strokeoluck]

Wife and I have been taking the kids (now 10 and 9) to Myrtle Beach, SC for spring break most of the last 10 years. We live in MN. We're tiring of Myrtle Beach and want to find a new destination. I travel frequently but when I travel for business I rarely get out to enjoy much of the tourist stuff, so I'm a little lost when it comes to picking a family friendly place. Our requirements for a new place:

* 80% to 90% chance we're going to have warm weather (70+ during the day) and sun. MB is too "iffy" on the weather front during the first three months of the year. Pretty tough to have fun on the beach wearing sweatshirts and long pants.

* Beach...and a nice beach where the kids can run into the water w/out experiencing a nasty drop-off (as we had in Cabo a few years ago)

* Ideally not an overwhelming # of tourists around. We are not Disney folks - for a reason. One of our (wife and I) fondest memories was of the Ponte Vedra Inn & Club in FL. It was a nice resort, felt secluded, not overrun with people when we were there, and a nice beach. I forget what time of the year we were there; it was PK...pre-kids. And I'm not sure how kid friendly the place is.

* Ideally U.S. based. My wife and I have done half a dozen vacations outside the U.S. and she really enjoys it. But I feel like a) I don't want to spend the better part of a day in airports and on planes (despise connections), and b) I hate arriving at intl security/customs and finding 500 other people waiting to get checked before they can enjoy their vacation. I'd much rather just fly to a U.S. destination, hop in a shuttle and be on the beach - all within four hours of leaving Minneapolis.

Sorry for the long message. But do any of you have recommendations for places that meet these criteria? I may think of other criteria if you have questions. Thanks in advance!

 

[eaglejim]

Re: Need a new warm-weather vacation spot

Check out Savanna Ga, lot of history, kid friendly,Tibey Island ,good food

 

[Beefer]

Re: Need a new warm-weather vacation spot

I'd suggest the West Central Florida area. I live here (Largo), and we have incredible beaches with very gentle slope. The sand is sugar white and soft, and the water is almost always warm enough to swim in (except Jan/Feb, but some folks still do it).

Clearwater Beach may be too touristy for you, but there are ton of hotels in the general area, and Clearwater Beach isn't the only 'perfect beach' around. Some of other areas are Dunedin (Caladesi Island & Honeymoon Island), St. Pete's Beach, Treasure Island, Madeira Beach, Reddington Beach, Sand Key, just to name a few. These are all in Pinellas County. I wouldn't recommend Tampa as a vacation destination.

There are other great destinations in the area, mostly to the south of Pinellas, but I haven't been to them yet (no need really).

As with all of Florida, weather is almost guaranteed to be perfect.

Spring break in the area is not crazy like some of the more known college-kid-attracting cities.

Other advantages include the close proximity to the theme parks that Florida is known for. All of them less then 2 hours drive.

I don't work for the tourism board, and quite frankly, there are other places I'd rather live (wife loves it here, 'nuff said), but for a vacation destination, it's kind of a hidden gem.

 

[Edko]

Re: Need a new warm-weather vacation spot

Islamorada, but I'm selfish...I wish I could live there.

In all seriousness now that I think of it, they have fun things for the kids there like the Theatre of the Sea and Robbies (feed the Tarpon), Dolphin sanctuary (swim with em) and some other stuff I can't recall. Of course great water, fishing, state parks up and down the road.

Drawback of course, you are flying into Miami and driving another hour or so.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Need a new warm-weather vacation spot

Ponte Vedra is very kid friendly these days. the beach, pool, cabana club, tennis, also there is terrific golf, if you golf. there is St Augustine, the nations oldest city just 20-25 minutes down A1A, also Marineland, and Fl Gator Farm. all educational fun for the kids.

we live here and hit PV Club atleast once a year for a couple of day. did not do it last year, as my knees are too bad for tennis any more.

 

[strokeoluck]

Re: Need a new warm-weather vacation spot

Ponte Vedra is very kid friendly these days. the beach, pool, cabana club, tennis, also there is terrific golf, if you golf.

Thanks. Like I said we really liked the PV Inn & Club. I checked out their rates online - wow! Last time we stayed there was a company trip, so obviously I paid little attention to the rates. Looks like they start at ~$300/night (?) before taxes and "resort fees", and it's not all inclusive. By the time we factor in flights, meals and fun activities for 7-8 days we're looking at a $6k to $7k vacation. Ideally I'd like to keep it to less than $5k. I guess that's a new criteria - budget = $5k or less.

 

[KurtG]

Re: Need a new warm-weather vacation spot

Sarasota, FL is nice. Local airport and there are a couple hotels close to Lido beach (Holiday Inn and Helmsley) and lots of other condo type rentals. You can walk to St Armands (restaurents and window shopping), the beach is nice (white, shallow, small waves), and there are other things to do (Mote Marine Aquarium, bay boat tours, mini-golf, etc.).

 

[ezmobee]

Re: Need a new warm-weather vacation spot

Sarasota, FL is nice. Local airport and there are a couple hotels close to Lido beach (Holiday Inn and Helmsley) and lots of other condo type rentals. You can walk to St Armands (restaurents and window shopping), the beach is nice (white, shallow, small waves), and there are other things to do (Mote Marine Aquarium, bay boat tours, mini-golf, etc.).

I second this. Gulf Coast, FL is beautiful.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Need a new warm-weather vacation spot

Sanibel Island. Beautiful.

 

[mhlbnghm]

Re: Need a new warm-weather vacation spot

Give Mexico Beach, east of PCB, a look!

JMB

 

[scrat]

Re: Need a new warm-weather vacation spot

I vote for Savannah also. I was raised in MB in the 70's. Tybee reminds me of MB before it come the comercialized crap it is now. Plus's also include great fishing, It's not a tourist town so you don't have the tourist problems, and plenty of other stuff to do.

 

[CheapboatKev]

Re: Need a new warm-weather vacation spot

Sanibel Island. Beautiful.

Yep, Sanibel is nice..The Sanibel Resort & Spa there has a sunset dinner cruise that I've been on....

The Fort Myers beach area is nice as well..But both Sanibel and FMB get a bit populated..I have had to wait over 30 minutes to get over the bridge to FMB

 

[KurtG]

Re: Need a new warm-weather vacation spot

fwiw, we did St. Augustine, Orlando, Sarasota and Sanibel this past fall on a several week trip and everyone (wife and kids too) liked Sarasota the most. St Augustine was #2 followed by Orlando and Sanibel.

We used to live in Sarasota, but the kids hadn't ever been there. So its not all prejudice on our part.

 

[aspeck]

Re: Need a new warm-weather vacation spot

I like West Palm Beach on the East coast of Florida ... beaches are bit more private and much "lower key" than Ft. Lauderdale and some of the other places on the east coast. Want to try the west coast sometime. Have been there on day excursions and the soft, white, fine sand and the gentle beach are inviting. The fact that there are not quite as many time-share condos to trade for is a testament to the non-touristy apeal of the area.

Want to do Georgia and S.C. coast as some point.

 

[eeboater]

Re: Need a new warm-weather vacation spot

Wisconsin Dells, WI... just sayin...

 

[strokeoluck]

Re: Need a new warm-weather vacation spot

Wisconsin Dells, WI... just sayin...

Thanks everyone. I'm making a note of all these locations and will probably search online for reviews as well as talk with a local travel agent to see what they know.

As for the Dells...we love it. It's definitely "touristy" in a big way, but sometimes we really enjoy the cheesy (pun intended) tourist stuff when it's done in a fun, inexpensive and family-friendly way. My personal favorites in the Dells are: 1) the duck boat rides, and 2) Paul Bunyan restaurant. The water parks are great too.

 

[heyttown]

Re: Need a new warm-weather vacation spot

Another vote for sarasota...Ive been going there since 1989 or so... got decent beach fishing (you never know what you will catch from 1 cast to the next) a few years ago my stepdad and uncle caught a 6' black tip shark right from the beach...took both of them to hold the pole and fought it for 90 minutes before it got tired and came in......
plus minutes away from tons of charter boats.. the sand is soft and white and unpopulated like frt myers and other areas. go there every year and love it. We stay at sarasota sands which have ammenities for the kids with the pool and game room...plus its at most a 200' walk onto the beach. Its at the end of lido beach and not a whole lot of traffic....
Its a time share but I think they also rent out weekly units that are available.

Plus its not that far of a drive if you wanted to hit sanibel or head north towards tampa or other attractions for the day..

St armands circle is nice for the wife, doubt the kids would like it much..but neat to go see
Last year I took my 11 yr old niece with me and she loves all kinds of animals so she enjoyed the moat aquarium
http://www.sarasotasandsresort.com/

Definetly try and get a flight into bradenton/Sarasota airport...lot less hassle then tampa or frt myers

 

[chiefalen]

Re: Need a new warm-weather vacation spot

Oh for sure Islamorada island, just a perfect place, lots of kids, all you can eat seafood place 1/4 mile south. We couldn't get a room at the holiday isle resort complex cause they were sold out but about 1/8 mile south was a sign Days inn gorgeous hotel cheap and i got to tell you secluded.

Private beach, and key west down the road to walk around during the day.

My self and my wife went there on a anniversary after dropping our 3 kids at my mothers in Del-ray beach, nice there also for kids nice beach's.

Now we have 4 kids made the last one on Islamorada island.

Want to rent a house we did on big pine key, i would live there also. Key deer running around all over and have picture of my eldest daughter at 2 feeding the deer, they ate right out of her hand. She is now 21.

Don't like Disney oh well to each his or her own, cheap there can stay in a 3 bedroom condo with 2 bathrooms, want 2 bedrooms like 20 bucks a night cheaper and still 2 bathrooms, a master suite with a door and a full kitchen with dishwasher and a washing machine and drier. for like 150 bucks all you can eat lobsters in the boston lobster feast.

I wouldn't stay on the property with my crew just to mush money.

Just a tip if your going to fl use hotelkingdom.com they are based in orlando or hotels.com they get you sometimes 50 percent off worth looking at.

 

[Edko]

Re: Need a new warm-weather vacation spot

all you can eat seafood place 1/4 mile south.

The Coral Grille? Is it still there? Man I loved that place.

 

[kenmyfam]

Re: Need a new warm-weather vacation spot

Just go for an all inclusive to the Dominican Republic and you will never look back.
We have been going twice a year for the last 8 years.
Beautiful !!!!!!

You will get everything you want and more with the exception of the airport thing, however we always fly out of Detroit and are on the beach within 6 hours of take off (and on our 4th or 5th cocktail !!!!)