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Started By
Message
Florida winter trip for 70+ folks, suggestions?
Posted on 12/27/24 at 7:06 am
Posted on 12/27/24 at 7:06 am
Trying to help my dad and his lady friend plan a trip. Can get direct flights to Sarasota or Fort Lauderdale. They aren’t very adventurous or mobile, but want to go somewhere. Will probably be mainly dining, driving around, a little sightseeing. Wanting to go in late January. Suggestions on which would be better?
6
Posted on 12/27/24 at 7:18 am to OldHickory
The Villages is what they seek! 
Seriously, grew up in Florida. Are you're limiting only to flying into Sarasota or Ft. Lauderdale only? Why not Tampa? Are they able to drive or is mobility an issue?
Personally, I'd avoid Ft. Lauderdale. Just too crowded and "New Yorky" for me, but that's me.
So, I'd stay on the West Coast.
Probably cheaper and easier, but if not, look into the Don Caesar! Not far from Sarasota either.
If you wanted closer to Sarasota, Long Boat Key is going to be what they'd want probably. Great beaches. Restaurants. Will be fairly crowded with tourists in season obviously. Won't be cheap.
Some Reviews.
I know of the Longboat Key Club. Really nice.
Or look into VRBO?
Seriously, grew up in Florida. Are you're limiting only to flying into Sarasota or Ft. Lauderdale only? Why not Tampa? Are they able to drive or is mobility an issue?
Personally, I'd avoid Ft. Lauderdale. Just too crowded and "New Yorky" for me, but that's me.
So, I'd stay on the West Coast.
Probably cheaper and easier, but if not, look into the Don Caesar! Not far from Sarasota either.
If you wanted closer to Sarasota, Long Boat Key is going to be what they'd want probably. Great beaches. Restaurants. Will be fairly crowded with tourists in season obviously. Won't be cheap.
Some Reviews.
I know of the Longboat Key Club. Really nice.
Or look into VRBO?
Posted on 12/27/24 at 7:31 am to Nole Man
The Villages is exactly their speed. Sarasota, Fort Lauderdale, and Orlando are only direct flights from their closest airport. And I know they’re not interested in Orlando.
Posted on 12/27/24 at 11:49 am to Nole Man
Ditto to all above
Of the three cities they are limited to flying to, how about Sarasota? It's furthest from the Villages so that is a big plus.
https://luxuryhotel.guru/sarasota/
Access to Tampa, Ybor City, etc.
Of the three cities they are limited to flying to, how about Sarasota? It's furthest from the Villages so that is a big plus.
https://luxuryhotel.guru/sarasota/
Access to Tampa, Ybor City, etc.
Posted on 12/27/24 at 4:10 pm to OldHickory
You say they aren't that mobile. Can they walk on the beach? I assume they will be renting a car.
I live on the east coast of Florida, in Vero Beach. Vero is know as "Zero Beach" by the young folks, because it is slow, so t's not for everyone. I prefer to call it relaxing.
Vero is one of a number of small towns along the Treasure/Space Coast. If they want to walk the beach, shop, eat at some nice restaurants, visit botanical gardens, maybe see a space launch, then that area is very good. There is very little traffic - certainly, nothing like you would see along 30-A, or in Tampa/Orlando/Ft Lauderdale.
If they like walking on the beach, shelling, and smelling the saltwater breeze, they can do it on a beach without a lot of other people. There won't be any kids and families on the beach in late January.
Going North to South, Cocoa Village, Melbourne, Sebastian, Vero Beach, Fort Pierce, and Stuart are all nice quiet beach towns. If they want to go fishing, Sebastian, Stuart, and Ft Pierce are good bets. Cocoa is probably 40 minutes from the Orlando airport, and Stuart is probably 2 hours. The rest are in between. Easy drive - all highway driving. If you go to Ft Lauderdale, it could take you as long to drive 15 miles as it does to go 75 miles going east out of Orlando.
All will have nice restaurants, quiet beaches, and other activities. Vero Beach has a very nice beach front shopping district with some nice restaurants. The McKee Botanical Gardens are there, and they have a very active music scene. They have several breweries and two distilleries. They have a really nice performing arts center, theatre guild, and comedy club that are far nicer than a town of 17K people should have. The also have the Vero Beach Museum of Art, which is really nice, as well. Lots of golf courses and Big Shots Golf is our version of Top Golf - with a restaurant and bar. All of this is easily accessible, as traffic is minimal for a beach town and it just isn't that big.
They have free concerts every Th/Fr/Sat nights at Riverside Park - usually Jazz on Thursday, and rock and roll on Fr/Sa. Very nice atmosphere under the live oak trees. Also very easy to get in and out of, as the parking lot is 50-100 yards away from the venue. They have tables, chairs, and servers to bring you food and drinks that are reasonably priced.
I thought it was hysterical when I saw a bunch of guys in their 70's who were dancing their asses off to the best of their ability to heavy metal cover bands at a festival in downtown Vero. Then I realized that this was THEIR MUSIC. That's what they grew up on. I'm just ingrained with the thought that 70 year olds should listen to Lawrence Welk. That's why their is so much music that I like in Vero Beach. No Clubs, no hiphop, or any new shite. Just bars with live music - most of it is what I grew up on in the 70's and 80's. Some of it very good, some of it is not so great.
What airport do they fly out of?
I live on the east coast of Florida, in Vero Beach. Vero is know as "Zero Beach" by the young folks, because it is slow, so t's not for everyone. I prefer to call it relaxing.
Vero is one of a number of small towns along the Treasure/Space Coast. If they want to walk the beach, shop, eat at some nice restaurants, visit botanical gardens, maybe see a space launch, then that area is very good. There is very little traffic - certainly, nothing like you would see along 30-A, or in Tampa/Orlando/Ft Lauderdale.
If they like walking on the beach, shelling, and smelling the saltwater breeze, they can do it on a beach without a lot of other people. There won't be any kids and families on the beach in late January.
Going North to South, Cocoa Village, Melbourne, Sebastian, Vero Beach, Fort Pierce, and Stuart are all nice quiet beach towns. If they want to go fishing, Sebastian, Stuart, and Ft Pierce are good bets. Cocoa is probably 40 minutes from the Orlando airport, and Stuart is probably 2 hours. The rest are in between. Easy drive - all highway driving. If you go to Ft Lauderdale, it could take you as long to drive 15 miles as it does to go 75 miles going east out of Orlando.
All will have nice restaurants, quiet beaches, and other activities. Vero Beach has a very nice beach front shopping district with some nice restaurants. The McKee Botanical Gardens are there, and they have a very active music scene. They have several breweries and two distilleries. They have a really nice performing arts center, theatre guild, and comedy club that are far nicer than a town of 17K people should have. The also have the Vero Beach Museum of Art, which is really nice, as well. Lots of golf courses and Big Shots Golf is our version of Top Golf - with a restaurant and bar. All of this is easily accessible, as traffic is minimal for a beach town and it just isn't that big.
They have free concerts every Th/Fr/Sat nights at Riverside Park - usually Jazz on Thursday, and rock and roll on Fr/Sa. Very nice atmosphere under the live oak trees. Also very easy to get in and out of, as the parking lot is 50-100 yards away from the venue. They have tables, chairs, and servers to bring you food and drinks that are reasonably priced.
I thought it was hysterical when I saw a bunch of guys in their 70's who were dancing their asses off to the best of their ability to heavy metal cover bands at a festival in downtown Vero. Then I realized that this was THEIR MUSIC. That's what they grew up on. I'm just ingrained with the thought that 70 year olds should listen to Lawrence Welk. That's why their is so much music that I like in Vero Beach. No Clubs, no hiphop, or any new shite. Just bars with live music - most of it is what I grew up on in the 70's and 80's. Some of it very good, some of it is not so great.
What airport do they fly out of?
This post was edited on 12/27/24 at 4:13 pm
Posted on 12/27/24 at 5:18 pm to OldHickory
I would say look into St. Augustine. About 1 1/2-hour drive from Orlando.
Had family that lived there. Actually got married there!
So much to do. Great restaurants.
Bayfront?
Had family that lived there. Actually got married there!
So much to do. Great restaurants.
Bayfront?
Posted on 12/27/24 at 6:48 pm to OldHickory
Venice is great. Right next to Sarasota. A lot to do and the average age is around 70, so there's a ton of things to do for older folks
Posted on 12/29/24 at 1:56 pm to Nole Man
quote:
look into St. Augustine. About 1 1/2-hour drive from Orlando
Excellent suggestion.
Posted on 12/29/24 at 2:38 pm to OldHickory
It's a shame that you can't get direct flights to RSW because the further south you are in Florida in January the better the weather is. Naples and Bonita would be perfect for them. Naples has an incredible dining scene no matter the cuisine (except Chinese, the Chinese food sucks there).
Posted on 12/29/24 at 6:43 pm to Jax-Tiger
Jax Tiger has me now thinking about a trip down to Vero
Posted on 12/29/24 at 11:20 pm to OldHickory
I second St Augustine…
Went there this summer. Stayed n the beach at the embassy suites… awesome resort! Great restaurant… “free” breakfast Buffett (included in the $40 resort fee per day…)
5 minutes from the Historic district, which is easily walkable.
Could rent a golf cart for a few hours to explore without walking as well. We did it for a whole day, but 2-3 hours is plenty z
Went there this summer. Stayed n the beach at the embassy suites… awesome resort! Great restaurant… “free” breakfast Buffett (included in the $40 resort fee per day…)
5 minutes from the Historic district, which is easily walkable.
Could rent a golf cart for a few hours to explore without walking as well. We did it for a whole day, but 2-3 hours is plenty z
Posted on 12/30/24 at 7:39 am to oldtrucker
quote:
Jax Tiger has me now thinking about a trip down to Vero
Let me know if you need more info. In a nutshell, Vero Beach is a normal town, but on the beach and without the congestion. It has a quaint shopping/restaurant district on the beach. It will be about as peaceful and quiet as anyplace in Florida.
Posted on 12/30/24 at 9:24 am to OldHickory
If you're dead set on those two destinations, from experience, my friends and their family do a once a year week long stay at Lago Mar (NOT the Mar-A-Lago) and have been doing it for over 20 years now. it's about 30-40 of them at a time. It's in Fort Lauderdale. There's a lot you can do in the area. I'd prefer that over Sarasota, but that's because I'm from there.
Another post mentioned St. Augustine. I think you would find it to be a little quieter up there and very pleasant. You can find a direct flight to Jacksonville and drive to St. Augustine in less than an hour if that's possible.
Another post mentioned St. Augustine. I think you would find it to be a little quieter up there and very pleasant. You can find a direct flight to Jacksonville and drive to St. Augustine in less than an hour if that's possible.
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