Florida Beach Vacation

Millions of people every year opt for a Florida beach vacation; that opportunity to stay directly on or very near the ocean surf and sandy shoreline. Dreams of sun-drenched days lazing on the beach and moon-lit walks on sandy, surf-washed shores waft through the minds of many preparing for their annual vacation. Inexpensive they are not and individual desires of spouses, family members and friends can impact choices and compromise fantasy visions. Serious planning for a Florida beach vacation may provide the best opportunity to please everyone concerned and maximize your time and dollars spent.

First, insure that the vacation planner gets a good idea of what everyone wants to do. A Florida beach vacation doesn't mean spending every waking minute at the beach. Florida has a wide range of vacation activities and a little research will provide an outstanding list of selections for almost any taste. Is Disney World or the theme parks around Orlando in anybody's vision? If so, both the Atlantic and Gulf coasts have great beach cities within 60-90 minutes of Orlando by car. This makes it easy to stay on the beach and make as many visits as you wish to the theme park area. Many tour operators working out of these beach cities provide transportation into the Orlando area also, in case you can't or don't want to drive. Another popular area for tourists is the Kennedy Space Center. It is located on the Atlantic coast but you can select a favorite beach city well north or south along the coast and still access the space center easily by car or tour. Florida's road system along its coastlines is well developed and, except for the most heavily trafficked, will allow easy and quick travel to most favored destinations. No matter what activity or attraction entices you to Florida, it's pretty easy, with a little planning, to incorporate a beach vacation into the mix.

Florida has the nation's best and most extensive state park system. The parks are scattered throughout the state and several will certainly be close enough to explore no matter where you vacation. Many of these parks provide acres, if not miles, of beach access as well as picnic grounds, watercraft rentals, fishing, hiking, biking, horseback riding and kayak trails and special activities and attractions based on the location. Many parks are well known for their wildlife habitats and a range of creatures from ocean-going turtles to alligators and crocodiles to American bison may be seen, especially during certain seasons in the parks. Birding is a popular feature in almost all state parks and one doesn't have to be a "birder" to appreciate the smallest 3-inch hummingbird up to the tallest 5-foot whooping crane or the 11-foot wingspan of the white pelican. Complimenting the state's park system are state owned and accessible forests and wildlife preserves, local county and city parks as well as national parks, forests and preserves. A vacation spent touring Florida's parks will be richly rewarding, genuinely fun and... inexpensive.

After the activities and location have been selected, the type of accommodations should be the next consideration. All but the smallest of beach cities will have hotel, motel, resort, vacation rental and "bed and breakfast" (B&B) selections. Families traveling to Florida for a week or more will generally benefit from staying in vacation rentals. There are plenty of beach houses and larger ocean front condos that are economical and allow the family to stay together without being cramped. Partners traveling together or singly can easily book any accommodations, including some very interesting and historic B&B's in many parts of Florida. These are not always inexpensive selections but most of the time are strongly oriented for the touring guest. Resort selections can be great for those wanting to take advantage of the many amenities of a resort. This can be one of the more expensive choices and may not work to your satisfaction if you or family members are not going to spend much the day at the resort. Hotel and motel selections can often boil down to "name" and price. Easily recognized franchised hotels and motels in most areas of Florida charge up to 50% or more than an equivalently featured room in what is considered a local or "mom & pop" establishment. Often the local motel or hotel makes up in charm and friendliness what they may lack in some areas but there are no standards and, if not checked out properly, this can be a chancy practice where one gets stuck in a less-than-satisfactory arrangement.

Make sure that you have satisfactory finances to take advantage of your Florida beach vacation. Whether staying directly on the beach or not, you will want to shop and eat and play locally and beach locations are almost always the costliest. From restaurants to t-shirt shops, you'll pay more for purchases on the beach. For a happier, more satisfying vacation, insure that you have budgeted properly for all that fun in the sun.

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