Posted on 09/19/2019 7:54:37 AM PDT by MplsSteve
OK, the wife and I are planning a week long vacation in early October. We're flying into Orlando, spending a few days there and then heading eastward and then north along the Atlantic Coast. I don't think we'll go much further than Saint Augustine.
Yeah, there's the obvious places to go - like Kennedy Space Center. Saint Augustine looks very interesting too. There's a few national parks I wanna check out along the way too. I'd even settle more good recommendations that are even a bit inland from the coast.
I'm up for anything in the way of recommendations - restaurants (yes, we're gonna stop at a Waffle House), attractions, parks (local, state and national), accommodations, etc.
I'd appreciate any ideas you can give me. Thank you!
With all of the advertising, is it still a ‘surf shop’ or has it become a ‘tourist trap’?
If you want to get the feel of a emerging third world country, visit certain parts of Boward county...
“If you want to get the feel of a emerging third world country, visit certain parts of Boward county...”
Western Palm Beach County is the same way. Ever been to Belle Glade or Pahokee?
Yikes!
"Kids, are you noticing all this plight?"
Oh...yes...
That’s a short list...
Bring your raincoat.
The sea is rapidly rising. Stay away from either coast.
Cape Canaveral and cocoa Beach
The inlet water way
Cocoa beach is fun in a kitschy super dude way. Straight out from Orlando. Just keep going straight until you cant go further. Park on your right. Literally.
Eat at the Funky Pelican in Flagler Beach. Great seafood!
You ever see a geological map of the sink holes on the west side?? uh,no, thank you. I’m in Palm Coast. This is old Florida..came down 6 years ago. By the Grace of God we landed here. Told those folks up north not to die cause we ain’t coming, Thank ya, Jesus!
Leave Orlando and travel WEST to Southwest Florida. Do not stop...do not collect $200. White sands, gorgeous sights...
For something different, take the free 2-hour Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive just north of Orlando. It is only open on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. Lots of water birds of all kinds and the occasional alligator - all in the wild outside of your car window. Proceed at your own pace.
Have you ever visited any of Florida’s many fresh water springs? Here is a link to a list and over a hundred photos: https://www.orlandosentinel.com/travel/orl-trav-springs-intro-story.html
Leni
I’ve traveled down the east coast of Fla MANY times via the ICW waterway and by A1A over the years I lived there.
One thing I did NOT see mentioned is that St. Augustine has motorized tours AND carriage rides. You might get a discount if you look at the usual places. My favorite is the carriage ride. Go just south of the fort in St. Augustine and talk with the carriage drivers. Find out the prices, where they are going to stop.....
Flagler built a church and his daughter is buried there after she was killed in a ship wreck. Flagler built several landmarks in St. Augustine that you’ll see including the hotel turned into Flagler College. The carriages stop and allow time at each stop.
I would highly recommend the Cape tour. I stopped for several days at a marina once and rented a car. We did what they sold as the behind the scenes tour which of course costs a few extra $$. At the time, they were “decommissioning” one of the shuttles so we got lots of info with the rather small group we were with. The most memorable part was the tour of the Vehicle Assembly Building. Two of the other things that stood out was the trip out to Pad 39A and the beach. There is a bunker out there that was for the generator they used for the cameras. It turns out that with early launches the camera didn’t work as the generator shut down. They found that the sound intensity would boil the fuel out of the carburetor so to keep it running they put it “underground.” And of course you get to walk down the Apollo rocket stages that are inside and on display horizontally.
I stayed at some of the Bed and Breakfasts in St. Augustine over the years. Several are done very well.
Parking in St Augustine can be a challenge. There is a parking garage near the Fort. I highly recommend that!
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