Road Trip – Old & New Adventures

[anji]

ROAD TRIP – OLD & NEW ADVENTURES

After doing my first ever trip report last year, when we went from Seattle to San Francisco, I thought I’d have a crack at doing one about our Florida Road Trip too. I really enjoyed writing the last one as it seemed to prolong the holiday a bit and is a good record for me, as much as for anyone else who stuck with it!

So, it’s me and Will - much to our grown-up children’s annoyance. ‘Another holiday?!’ We're not going to any parks this trip so they've not taken it tooo badly haha! We decided to go back to Florida again to explore parts we’d not seen. We’ve been when the kids were small and large and previously just as a couple too. We haven’t visited since 2012 and I needed my Caladesi Island fix!

We fly on 22nd May with BA from Gatwick to Tampa, staying the night before at the Regency Hotel. We used this once before – it’s very reasonable, great breakfast, outside swimming pool if you want to brave it and maybe just a tad spooky!

We’re staying the first couple of nights in Clearwater and then setting off north then down to Key West and flying back to Tampa, leaving the car at Key West. We’re only staying in one ‘chain’ accommodation – we prefer smaller, quirkier places! Happy to say I’ve never picked a bad one … yet!

First is 2 nights Clearwater Beach at Sta n Pla Marina Resort (wanted Amber Tides again, same owners, but fully booked months ago). Will go to Caladesi Island (my favourite place in Florida) on the first morning. I love waking up that first morning, full of excitement about the coming weeks. We'll get the first ferry at 10am as we'll be awake early and we'll have the pick of the shells and beach to ourselves for a while

We'll just unwind in Clearwater, see the sunsets and enjoy!

Next day it’s off into unexplored territory! Driving north, we end up at Crystal River at the Plantation Inn – the pool looks sooo inviting! They also have shuffleboard, which we played in Texas and is a real laugh to play. Small things matter! Plan on visiting Weeki Wacchi on the way up and seeing the mermaids and also Tarpon Springs.

We have a 7.15am booking for swimming with Manatees the next day and I’m so excited about this. There are manatees which stay all year round at Crystal River, so I know there won’t be as many as in winter but we will see them.

Then it’s over to St. Augustine for 2 nights at the Penny Farthing Inn, via stop at Micanopy. This is a beautiful Victorian House and we are saying in the Elizabethan Bedchamber. Fellow Dibber Elaine is also there at that time, so will say hello! We have a ghost walk booked (love to do these) and I’m looking forward to exploring the town as it’s somewhere I’ve always wanted to visit. We’re also looking forward to the Happy Hour with wine and nibbles each day, sherry in our room and a different breakfast cooked freshly for everyone each day!

Mount Dora is next and our only chain – Quality Inn & Suites. I do regret this one a bit but was silly and booked it on a non-cancel basis as a great offer came up. It looks fine though, just a bit out of town. Here we’re going to do a Seaplane ride (eek!) over the lake and also the self-drive Cat boat tour. This seems to be a cross between a catamaran, an airboat and a pedalo – you do get to go at full pelt across the lake, which looks fun, as well as sedately going up the canal which is meant to be the most beautiful mile in the world! I’m looking forward to the little shops in the town too.

Next is our first ever AirBnB experience at Anna Maria Island for 2 nights. The owner has been really helpful and they have offered to take us out kayaking  It’s also a bargain and looks beautiful! We went to Anna Maria for lunch at the pier on our last trip just to break the journey and we loved it, hence the return trip.

After this it’s all old favourites as we head south. We’ll stop for lunch at Yoder’s, Sarasota and I want to visit the Marie Selby Botanical Gardens. I’m an orchid fanatic and they have hundreds to see 

Two nights on glorious Sanibel Island awaits us – at the Parrot Nest. We’re staying in a cottage called The Doll House! I’m looking forward to shelling at dawn again – so unlike me to be up at that time unless going on holiday! – and we want to visit Captiva too this time. Also the Ding Darling park, where I had a close encounter with an alligator last time. I’ve booked a Sunset cruise here too, hopefully will spot some dolphins as well.

Our longest drive follows as we head down to the Keys. We’re going along the Tamiami Trail. Last time we did this we saw a roadkill alligator which had obviously been hit by a truck, judging from the body parts! Poor thing was being munched by about 30 vultures! They did not want to get out of the way either!

The Robert is Here farm shop is on my list of stopping places, near Homestead. From here it’s down to Key Largo and the Seafarer Resort. We’re doing two overnight stops down the Keys as there’s so much to see on the way and I can’t bear to miss stuff. Top of the list is John Pennekamp State Park. We went to Miami and the Keys just after my Dad passed away – the little café here reminds me of him as I remember sitting there and thinking about him, looking out at the water and egrets walking round my feet.  This will be the third visit there for us and I'd like to do a boat trip and snorkel the reef.

Our next night is at Marathon and we’re staying at the Blackfin Resort & Marina. We want to go to the Turtle Hospital again, Pigeon Key and I’m determined this time to see some Key Deer too.

Finally it’s down the rest of that beautiful road to Key West, where we’re staying 4 nights at the Westwinds Inn. We’ve stayed there before and much preferred it to the Southernmost Hotel, which we used on our first trip, as it was a bit out of the way. Westwinds is far enough away from noise but close enough to fun, if you see what I mean. Easy walking distance to everything! It’s a beautiful old house and has lush grounds with two pools and you have breakfast outside. Just gorgeous.

This will be chillout time here – but I do want to go to Hemmingway’s House again to see the cats, the Martello Tower Gardens (more orchids!) and this time the Butterfly building, which we’ve not been to yet.

We’re flying back with Silver Airways to Tampa. We thought it would be a great way to end the holiday and give us more time too. The afternoon flight was perfectly timed to link with our flight back to London. Then we had an email to say it was now 7.30am! They were really good about changing our booking free of charge though, but it was annoying to ‘lose’ a day in Kay West and ‘gain’ one in Tampa. So we booked another car for a day exploring Tampa! Then a couple of months later another email came – flight changed to 9.30am. Better for us as can have breakfast and drop off car far easier. I fear another email!

We’ll do some shopping and then we’ve booked lunch at the original Columbia Restaurant in Ybor City – it’s the most amazing building and the food equally good, so the change has at least given us that. Then back to the airport for the flight home in the evening.

Last year we flew overnight 23/24 June and landed to Referendum chaos. This time it’s 8 June and General Election – what is it with us and election results!?

So there it is. I have a huge Excel spreadsheet and have planned obsessively for stops and restaurants – bring it on! Thanks for reading x
Index - https://www.thedibb.co.uk/forums/sho...5#post12643435

[Vinniecat]

Sounds amazing, enjoy I'm sure you will.

[mickey68]

Sounds like a fantastic trip with some great places to visit! We did a road trip in 2014 and plan to do another as there are so many wonderful places to see. Have a great time and I look forward to the trip report!

[lexie32]

Wow sounds like a great trip, looking forward to reading.

[Disneycraft]

That sounds completely wonderful.i hope you have a fabulous time

[Love*my*hols]

See you in St Augustine! We are flying out to Atlanta next Wednesday,driving to the Smokey Mountains ,Savannah and Hilton Head before arriving on 24th .Cant wait!

[anji]

Originally Posted by Love*my*hols

See you in St Augustine! We are flying out to Atlanta next Wednesday,driving to the Smokey Mountains ,Savannah and Hilton Head before arriving on 24th .Cant wait!

See more...

Looking forward to meeting you! Have a great time - your trip sounds just amazing My brother-in-law and family used to live on Hilton Head when he worked there for a couple of years!

[flo-tinka]

A good few miles to be covered: sounds fab!
We are doing some of that in the summer so will follow ur trip report closely!
Have a great holiday

[mick]

Hope you have a fantastic holiday it sounds brilliant

Joan

[katebush95]

Wow what a trip! I can only dream of doing something like that one day 😍