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So, I need some info from members (Sticky, Barr, Suncoast, and others) about the best places to visit in Florida. I've never been there before and we are planning a trip sometime next year to the Sunshine State.
A little info about me: I'm not a theme park kinda gal. I also don't get into "clubbing." I enjoy touring historical sites, national parks, and I am not into the beach body scene (though I very much do want to get to the beach). I like checking out local artist galleries/shops, and I very much would like to take a charter boat for an afternoon cruise. If there are any botanical gardens you guys would recommend please share. I do also like aquariums.
We have considered St. Augustine/Jacksonville area as one of our choices. We have also thought about St. Petersburg, Sarasota, and the Pensacola area. However, having never been to the southeast part of the US I am truly overwhelmed when trying to determine the best place to go taking into consideration our budget (which isn't huge), weather (we plan on going either next spring or early fall), and activities available. Can anyone give me some suggestions? I know it's a pretty broad request but I need some info from folks that have either visited before or Florida residents. Thanks in advance, guys, and I look forward to reading your suggestions 
Don't live in Florida, but been there many times. Considering your interests, and time, money and geographic efficiency, you might want to stay in the northern half. Was thinking St. Augustine as I read this before you mentioned it. One of the first settlements in America. A lot of history there. The whole St. Petes area is really nice, too. Didn't get to spend a lot of time there, but my kids loved Clearwater Beach. Panama City Beach up by Pensacola is maybe the best beach I've been to north of Mexico. Sugar sand and greenish blue water. Plus, when there you're only a couple hours from New Orleans if you wanted to venture west a bit. Now there's a city with great food, art, music, history and cultural diversity. If you're traveling to the SE for the first time, it would be a shame if you didn't get in a little N'awlins.
Quote: @"MaroonBells" said:
Don't live in Florida, but been there many times. Considering your interests, and time, money and geographic efficiency, you might want to stay in the northern half. Was thinking St. Augustine as I read this before you mentioned it. One of the first settlements in America. A lot of history there. The whole St. Petes area is really nice, too. Didn't get to spend a lot of time there, but my kids loved Clearwater Beach. Panama City Beach up by Pensacola is maybe the best beach I've been to north of Mexico. Sugar sand and greenish blue water. Plus, when there you're only a couple hours from New Orleans if you wanted to venture west a bit. Now there's a city with great food, art, music, history and cultural diversity. If you're traveling to the SE for the first time, it would be a shame if you didn't get in a little N'awlins.
We're definitely planning to check out New Orleans, hopefully in the next couple of years (though yes it would be incredibly tempting to venture west and visit since it's not all that far away). We had sort of zeroed in on St. Augustine or Pensacola before I decided to write this post but just wanted some anecdotal info. Where else have you visited in Florida, MB?
You would definitely like St Augustine based on your preferences.
I hit there every couple years. Ask around about who does the best walking tours. Or you could ride in the horse carriage that's fun. They usually are pretty good about knowing the local history. There's plenty there mixed in with the usual tourist crap shops. Flagler beach is nice. The A1A drive has a few smaller roadside attractions that aren't to expensive and close to St Augustine.
St Pete has a number of museums I've been to. That can get pretty expensive though. The Dali museum is cool. The Holocaust museum I seen for free. If I paid regular ticket price I would have been disappointed. However is was kinda humbling reading survivors letters and the pictures. They have one of the actual train box cars used to cattle them off to their death. So much for the fun stuff.
The St Pete museum of history is only like $15.
I like the Tampa Aquarium it's worth the money.
I would say based on your tastes you would enjoy St Augustine. If you rent a car you can get to St Pete in like 4 hours and spend couple nights if you like museums. They are all pretty close down there. You could hit a few in one day. Even do a couple early and get back on the I-275 jump across the bridge and your at the aquarium. The aquarium takes a couple hours to tour. If the money's right for you.
Used to live there, and based on your criteria, I'll second the St. Augustine recommendation. One of best family trips was going up the Coast to Savannah, consuming copious amounts of fresh seafood. Lot of History and great eating without having to look real hard.
Thanks Suncoast and BigAl. Haunted history is kind of a big thing too for us and so that was also a main draw to St. Augustine. Fresh seafood is definitely a must do! We have a friend who told us to take a drive up to Savannah too so we're looking into that.
Quote: @"prairieghost" said:
Thanks Suncoast and BigAl. Haunted history is kind of a big thing too for us and so that was also a main draw to St. Augustine. Fresh seafood is definitely a must do! We have a friend who told us to take a drive up to Savannah too so we're looking into that.
I did a ghost tour there one night. My daughter and wife are really into that too.
Funny story here. My son was about 13 then. There was one lady on our tour who was say...really into the storys. My son pulled a feather off a bottle brush tree. Right during a scary story by the old cemetery he brushed the back of her neck with it. She screeched and jumped then realized what happened. Looked at me and said. I'm gonna kill that boy. Then we all had a good laugh.
Quote: @"prairieghost" said:
@"MaroonBells" said:
Don't live in Florida, but been there many times. Considering your interests, and time, money and geographic efficiency, you might want to stay in the northern half. Was thinking St. Augustine as I read this before you mentioned it. One of the first settlements in America. A lot of history there. The whole St. Petes area is really nice, too. Didn't get to spend a lot of time there, but my kids loved Clearwater Beach. Panama City Beach up by Pensacola is maybe the best beach I've been to north of Mexico. Sugar sand and greenish blue water. Plus, when there you're only a couple hours from New Orleans if you wanted to venture west a bit. Now there's a city with great food, art, music, history and cultural diversity. If you're traveling to the SE for the first time, it would be a shame if you didn't get in a little N'awlins.
We're definitely planning to check out New Orleans, hopefully in the next couple of years (though yes it would be incredibly tempting to venture west and visit since it's not all that far away). We had sort of zeroed in on St. Augustine or Pensacola before I decided to write this post but just wanted some anecdotal info. Where else have you visited in Florida, MB?
All over really. Jax (don't go there), Daytona, Miami, Disney, Universal. Didn't mention a lot of these because it didn't seem to suit your interests. What's great, and different for this Montana boy, is that you can go from Atlantic coast to Gulf coast in just a few hours. And as Big Al says, Savannah's pretty cool too, and just across the border. A lot of civil war history there. And the houses are amazing. Big southern gothics, victorians, etc.
I live in Tampa, so I know this area the best. I would say it you're a water person (swimming, snorkeling, paddle boarding, kayaking), you want to check out the Crystal River/Three Sisters Springs area. Ocala national forest is nice. Fort De Soto park is a nice beach and also has the old fort that you can walk around, it's just south of St Pete. Busch gardens is really nice (and a block from my house), the animal setup and the train ride through the savanna is pretty neat, but I'm not sure how budget friendly it is for out of staters. There are always discount ticket available. I could give you some restaurant recommendations in Tampa, if you end up around this area. Ulele is a must and it's on the river walk by downtown Tampa, which is an area I'd recommend with a walking path along the river, restaurant, a water taxi, the Tampa aquarium...
One thing you should know, discount tickets can be found for almost everything. Try to avoid paying full price.
Loved the spooky story, Suncoast! My son, my best friend and I are all into the paranormal. We went to Deadwood in June and toured the Bullock Hotel....got some pretty interesting pictures, actually...the tour guide was so good and she had so much back info on the hotel and the town. I love history and the paranormal pretty much goes hand-in-hand with it.
MB, I'm definitely interested in the Civil War and though I've never been to Georgia either I have always wanted to go to Savannah and see the Antebellum South firsthand. Is Jacksonville not a good place to visit? We figured we'd have to fly in there in order to drive to St. Augustine so let me know what your thoughts are on Jacksonville.
Joel thank you for all the info! I do NOT know why but I completely spaced out Busch Gardens. Zoos and aquariums are very interesting to me, pretty cool that you live a block away! The river walk sounds fun too, and I'll definitely take you up on your restaurant recommendations. Even if we don't get to Tampa this time, I'm sure we'll want to go back again to visit Florida.
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