OT: Planning a Florida vacation

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. 

@"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.

@"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.

@"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?

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.

St. Augustine is your best bet for what you want to do. My neck of the woods is all about fine dining, beach bodies and fun nightclubs and bars. 

@"prairieghost" said: 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.

@"StickyBun" said: St. Augustine is your best bet for what you want to do. My neck of the woods is all about fine dining, beach bodies and fun nightclubs and bars. 

Do I sound like an old stick in the mud Sticky? Truth is, I certainly enjoy fine dining and beach bodies are nice to look at. Nightclubs...well, I've never been to one, being from NoDak and all. We have some fun bars around here but I imagine they'd probably be considered dives to the rest of the world ;)
Where is your neck of the woods if I may ask? This first trip to Florida is more about taking in the sites as opposed to indulging in the den of iniquity. I leave that stuff for Vegas :D

@"suncoastvike" said:

@"prairieghost" said: 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.

You guys would get along well with my wife. I've done a number of ghost tours with her. Truth is while I view it as just that, stories. They are based on historical events so I enjoy that. Been to ghost tours in St Augustine, Charleston even Tombstone.  I didn't even think of Savannah. That is real close and would be your taste. I'm not a big fan of Jacksonville either. Only been there once. They have an decent zoo for the price. One old fort I went through. Busch Gardens is expensive but is an awsome and memorable day. I go every few years. 

@"suncoastvike" said:

@"prairieghost" said:

@"StickyBun" said: St. Augustine is your best bet for what you want to do. My neck of the woods is all about fine dining, beach bodies and fun nightclubs and bars. 

Do I sound like an old stick in the mud Sticky? Truth is, I certainly enjoy fine dining and beach bodies are nice to look at. Nightclubs...well, I've never been to one, being from NoDak and all. We have some fun bars around here but I imagine they'd probably be considered dives to the rest of the world ;)
Where is your neck of the woods if I may ask? This first trip to Florida is more about taking in the sites as opposed to indulging in the den of iniquity. I leave that stuff for Vegas :D

I might be biased, but I do love St Pete...lots of great dining options...good nightlife...close to tons of top shelf beaches...cool local shops...museums...galleries...live music...

If you go to Jacksonville check out St. Johns Town Center. And Maggianos restaurant.The fried zucchini appetizer is to die for.

Trip to Florida huh, my advise is lots of target practice...  ;) B)  

St. Augustine for sure is a cool area.    The space coast and Cape Canaveral is cool.   The Keys are cool.   St. Pete has some awesome galleries like the Dali museum is awesome.

Other neat things I like are some smaller places like: crystal river, Homosassa Springs (has a cool underwater observatory at which Manatees frequently come to the windows), suncoast primate sanctuary, Dolphin tour out of Dunedin ($28 plus all you can drink).

oh and in Dunedin there are 7 craft breweries within a mile of each other so a little craft beer walk is fun - if you can get to all 7.  LOL

Thanks FLVike and TW. I think St. Augustine and Pensacola are the 2 most likely places for us to visit based upon what I'm hearing, but I would love to visit the entire state to be honest. I've never even been to the ocean so this one is a huge bucket list trip for me! (I know, pretty pitiful!) To be technically correct, my mother tells me that she and I went with family to California when I was 1 and there was a trip down to the beach. I'm a little foggy on that memory....
TW you mention the underwater observatory and the dolphin tour. Both of those sound amazing. How far is Dunedin from St. Petersburg? I think the more I'm hearing from guys like you and Barr, the St. Pete area would be an amazing place to visit as well.