Looks like we'll be in FL for two weeks in July. The first week will probably be spent sight-seeing. Any must-see suggestions?
Suggestions for a non-diving week in FL
- Thread starter El Orans
- Start date
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KWBuddy
Registered
El Orans:
Remember that Florida is a relatively large and diverse state.
What part of Florida will you be visiting? It takes all day to drive from one corner of the state to the far end. 850 miles from Key West to Pensacola.
What do you want to see or do? We have everything from family amusment parks to the adult playground of Key West.
However there are some "old Florida" parks that are uniquely Florida (rather than the Disney, SeaWorld, Universal type resorts) such as Weeki Wachee Springs or Cypress Gardens. While you *can* dive Weeki Wachee, it is also a great waterpark in the old Florida tradition. Cypress Gardens, if it survived the latest round of problems, does a great water ski show. Either one will leave you feeling like you visited Florida in the 1950's.
There is a *lot* to do here in Florida, but in order to get helpful suggestions, you might give us some guidance as to what you might be interested in doing.
--
Bud
OP
I'm thinking about the area Miami to Orlando.
I don't really want to spend a lot of time driving.
We'll be visiting Key West in the second week (Spiegel Grove etc.)
I don't really want to spend a lot of time driving.
We'll be visiting Key West in the second week (Spiegel Grove etc.)
Cape Canaveral is pretty cool. There's always Big Daddy Don Garlits Drag Museum! In Kissimmee (outside Orlando) you can shoot real machine guns with live ammo! I have other bad ideas if anyone is interested.
scubafool
Contributor
If you are interested in some really unique & absolutely beautiful snorkelling, there are a couple of springs ABOVE Orlando that are worth the extra drive time.
murphdivers286
Guest
Try Orlando....There are plenty of theme parks and other things to do.. It is a large tourist attraction.
If seas are calm, and you can swing a day at Garden Key (Dry Tortugas National Park), you won't regret it! A couple of high speed catamarans in Key West ferry passengers out and back daily. Bahia Honda State Park (mile marker 37 oceanside) is a great place to spend a day at the beach. Don't forget to pack your snorkel gear and a picnic lunch! Dolphin (the fish, not the mammal) fishing in the Upper Keys is red-hot in July. You can take your catch to a local restaurant, and they'll turn it into a feast fit for kings. Enjoy!El Orans:
When in July? If it's at the begining you'll be able to see the July 4th celebrations. Orlando has several. If it's at the end of July, there is also lobster mini season. 
Unless you're flying into Orlando, you may want to rethink driving there. Miami is 4hrs from Orlando, and Key West is 8 hrs from Orlando. The Keys themselves are 2-1/2 hours long from Largo to Key West. This state is a lot bigger than people realize
If you will be in Orlando though, there's;
Gatorland in Kissimmee,
Islands of Adventure is a fun park (best roller coasters in central Florida),
Sea World of course,
Kennedy Space Center is less than a hour due east from Orlando and an interesting place,
half way between Orlando and the space center you can take air boat tours of the St John's river (eco-tourism of the swamp variety),
I'm not sure about the local beaches, haven't been out there since the 04-05 hurricanes removed vast quantities of sand from many of them,
Ichiban for Sushi in Orlando,
If you'd like to let out the redneck in you, Bithlo Speedway has figure 8 bus races that time of year, I think. I've never been to one, but I'm told they're fun.
Flea World in Sanford, grab a beer and walk the isles of a giant flea market, they may even have real fleas!
Jetty Park in Cocoa Beach
If you're starting in Orlando and want a nice leisurely trip to the Keys, head to the coast via the Beach Line and take A1A as far as it goes. It rides along side the ocean almost the whole way (a few easy work-arounds) and goes almost all the way down. It's a nice scenic drive. Then, you just head over to the turnpike south to get down the rest of the way.
You don't say if you've ever been to the keys or not but you've got the Dolphin encounter in Duck Key (I was diving when the family went so couldn't tell you how it was),
the Hungry Tarpon restaraunt in Key Matecomb (I think it's known as Robbie's now). You can buy a bucket of fish and feed the massive tarpon that congregate around the docks. They are an impressive fish.
Try to find the No Name Pub in Big Pine, and get one of their massive messy pizzas.
Everything else down there is pretty well known.
If it is the begining of July that you'll be in the Orlando area, let me know and I'll get you information on the big fireworks show on the 3rd. It's a rogue show, but it blows Disney's away.
Jason
Unless you're flying into Orlando, you may want to rethink driving there. Miami is 4hrs from Orlando, and Key West is 8 hrs from Orlando. The Keys themselves are 2-1/2 hours long from Largo to Key West. This state is a lot bigger than people realize
If you will be in Orlando though, there's;
Gatorland in Kissimmee,
Islands of Adventure is a fun park (best roller coasters in central Florida),
Sea World of course,
Kennedy Space Center is less than a hour due east from Orlando and an interesting place,
half way between Orlando and the space center you can take air boat tours of the St John's river (eco-tourism of the swamp variety),
I'm not sure about the local beaches, haven't been out there since the 04-05 hurricanes removed vast quantities of sand from many of them,
Ichiban for Sushi in Orlando,
If you'd like to let out the redneck in you, Bithlo Speedway has figure 8 bus races that time of year, I think. I've never been to one, but I'm told they're fun.
Flea World in Sanford, grab a beer and walk the isles of a giant flea market, they may even have real fleas!
Jetty Park in Cocoa Beach
If you're starting in Orlando and want a nice leisurely trip to the Keys, head to the coast via the Beach Line and take A1A as far as it goes. It rides along side the ocean almost the whole way (a few easy work-arounds) and goes almost all the way down. It's a nice scenic drive. Then, you just head over to the turnpike south to get down the rest of the way.
You don't say if you've ever been to the keys or not but you've got the Dolphin encounter in Duck Key (I was diving when the family went so couldn't tell you how it was),
the Hungry Tarpon restaraunt in Key Matecomb (I think it's known as Robbie's now). You can buy a bucket of fish and feed the massive tarpon that congregate around the docks. They are an impressive fish.
Try to find the No Name Pub in Big Pine, and get one of their massive messy pizzas.
Everything else down there is pretty well known.
If it is the begining of July that you'll be in the Orlando area, let me know and I'll get you information on the big fireworks show on the 3rd. It's a rogue show, but it blows Disney's away.
Jason
odiecho
Contributor
It may get pricey but at the beginning of July there should be a NASCAR race in Daytona (Pepsi 400). Its usually a night race under the lights. NASCAR has a website with dates/times/prices.
And a side trip to the Everglades should be interesting although probably very buggy since it will be hot/humid in July.
Please remember to plan for the hot/humid summer in south FL. It can sneak up on some folks.
And a side trip to the Everglades should be interesting although probably very buggy since it will be hot/humid in July.
Please remember to plan for the hot/humid summer in south FL. It can sneak up on some folks.
It's more a matter of what you'd like to do. As was said, Florida is a big state, even the Miami to Orlando area you mentioned has thousands of things to do. You like fresh water fishing? Okeechobee. You like canoeing? Peace River. You like hanging at the beach? Cocoa Beach Pier. You like surfing? Sebastian Inlet. Want to see sea turtles nesting? Melbourne Beach. Night life? South Beach. The list could go on forever.
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