Ideas of where to spend 2nd week in Florida after 1st wk Orlando

Greenlights16

Hi all!

Move this to USA if needs be..

So - Big family holiday, probably the last one. My family and I are travelling, consists of 4 couples - 3 in their 20s and their 3 respective partners. Then our parents who are both 50. Group of 8 people.

We will fly into Orlando MCO from Dublin approx Tues 27th December 2021. (side issue: having trouble getting any direct from dublin/belfast, virgin Atlantic via heathrow looks best option)

Our first week will be spent revisiting the parks after coming 7/8 years ago as kids. That will be long, active days.
Previously on a few occasions we have driven to Miami, Key West, Clearwater, to name a few in Florida.

Accom wise - for 8 people we have considered the villa with a pool option, however we did this previously and most were quite far out from I Drive and park areas, in Kissimee etc. Previously stayed @ Hilton Orlando, Waldorf astoria and JW Marriott, Bonnet creek. Looking most likely hotels but it is expensive and availability seems to be limited already on Booking.com

Cars - I am not sure whether we will rent one big vehicle or rent 2 between 8 of us. At night we will be taking taxis anyway to restaurants/bars.

For the second week, for 4/5 days we would like a beach/relaxing holiday near the coast. I will do my research, but Key West was quite a drive, Fort Lauderdale sprung to mind - however I am not sure if it is the same place it was years ago? Miami was lovely but we don't like cities, it was very much a celebrity hideout as we stayed in South Beach.

What the group likes - warm/hot weather, great choice of restaurants, bars (not big drinkers or partiers), luxurious/4 star+ accommodation or resorts. Beach would be great but pool at accom is fine. We are all quite fit and healthy. Maybe golf for the 3 boys but not a deal breaker.

We will probably depart Orlando for Dublin on approx Sun 9th January 2022, so my guess is we will travel back up to Orlando for 1/2 nights before we leave. However this is not a given, we could fly out from somewhere else, it's just getting flights with minimum stopovers and journey duration that's the problem from Ireland.

TO SUM ALL OF THAT UP: 8 people, 1st week in Orlando at parks, 2nd week we need help choosing a destination that fits - beach/coast, relaxation/luxury within driving distance of Orlando.

Thank you in advance

pocketse

Miami and Ft Lauderdale are fine and within driving range. Was out that way before and kicking myself i never drove out the keys. Drive from orlando to Key west is 6:30 hours. Im sure you'd find something on the beach. Don't even have to go out as far as key west, plenty of other spots on the way.

Greenlights16

Greenlights16 wrote: »

Hi all!

Move this to USA if needs be..

So - Big family holiday, probably the last one. My family and I are travelling, consists of 4 couples - 3 in their 20s and their 3 respective partners. Then our parents who are both 50. Group of 8 people.

We will fly into Orlando MCO from Dublin approx Tues 27th December 2021. (side issue: having trouble getting any direct from dublin/belfast, virgin Atlantic via heathrow looks best option)

Our first week will be spent revisiting the parks after coming 7/8 years ago as kids. That will be long, active days.
Previously on a few occasions we have driven to Miami, Key West, Clearwater, to name a few in Florida.

Accom wise - for 8 people we have considered the villa with a pool option, however we did this previously and most were quite far out from I Drive and park areas, in Kissimee etc. Previously stayed @ Hilton Orlando, Waldorf astoria and JW Marriott, Bonnet creek. Looking most likely hotels but it is expensive and availability seems to be limited already on Booking.com

Cars - I am not sure whether we will rent one big vehicle or rent 2 between 8 of us. At night we will be taking taxis anyway to restaurants/bars.

For the second week, for 4/5 days we would like a beach/relaxing holiday near the coast. I will do my research, but Key West was quite a drive, Fort Lauderdale sprung to mind - however I am not sure if it is the same place it was years ago? Miami was lovely but we don't like cities, it was very much a celebrity hideout as we stayed in South Beach.

What the group likes - warm/hot weather, great choice of restaurants, bars (not big drinkers or partiers), luxurious/4 star+ accommodation or resorts. Beach would be great but pool at accom is fine. We are all quite fit and healthy. Maybe golf for the 3 boys but not a deal breaker.

We will probably depart Orlando for Dublin on approx Sun 9th January 2022, so my guess is we will travel back up to Orlando for 1/2 nights before we leave. However this is not a given, we could fly out from somewhere else, it's just getting flights with minimum stopovers and journey duration that's the problem from Ireland.

TO SUM ALL OF THAT UP: 8 people, 1st week in Orlando at parks, 2nd week we need help choosing a destination that fits - beach/coast, relaxation/luxury within driving distance of Orlando.

Thank you in advance

I would definitely look at spending a few nights in Fort Lauderdale. I love it there. Been there a few times because i have family living not too far from there. Nightlife is good too

pocketse

pocketse wrote: »

Miami and Ft Lauderdale are fine and within driving range. Was out that way before and kicking myself i never drove out the keys. Drive from orlando to Key west is 6:30 hours. Im sure you'd find something on the beach. Don't even have to go out as far as key west, plenty of other spots on the way.

Keys are amazing. Next time your over definitely venture down there

Greenlights16

We spent one night in Key West previously, few famous bars about. It was busy though, good fun vibe from the town. Really old style shack/saloon bars? Maybe I'm imagining it wrong..

Not sure if we would go back to spend a few days in Key West as we thought it was a bit limited during the day...

Greenlights16

pocketse wrote: »

Miami and Ft Lauderdale are fine and within driving range. Was out that way before and kicking myself i never drove out the keys. Drive from orlando to Key west is 6:30 hours. Im sure you'd find something on the beach. Don't even have to go out as far as key west, plenty of other spots on the way.

Yeah will definitely have to do some research on Ft Lauderdale.
We stayed in South Beach, Miami previously. Beautiful and very luxurious but not sure if we'd go again. Very much a millionaires / playboys hideout.

Kablamo!

Look into Naples, sounds like it might fit the bill.

RedPaddyX

Kablamo! wrote: »

Look into Naples, sounds like it might fit the bill.

Yeah. I was in Naples in December. Nice easy drive from Orlando. Beautiful really laid back City with stunning beaches. Highly recommend.

Greenlights16

We’ve decided on arriving into Orlando mon 27th December at about 6pm.

Head straight over to cape/port canaveral and stay there for one night.

Royal Caribbean cruise departs evening tues 28th for 4 nights, stopping in paradise cococayman and Nassau.

Back in port canaveral Saturday 1st Jan, leave Orlando back to Dublin Saturday 8th/Sunday 9th Jan.

Our big predicament is now - villa or hotel in Orlando.

I know I drive is commercial, from memory that’s where all the restaurants and bars are though? Glad to be corrected if there’s new areas or others..

We never eat in, we will go out every night of the 7/8 nights in the evening at 6/7pm and have dinner and a few drinks. So it will be taxi both ways for 8 people.

We will have 2 cars rented for driving to the parks during the day.

Villas are mostly located in southwest Orlando, whereas the hotels appear to be on “the strip” or I Drive.

The villas are amazing, and can be cheaper than the hotels. The hotels we are viewing - Hyatt regency, Renaissance at sea world, Wyndham resort I Drive, and Hilton Orlando.

As far as villa rentals are concerned - we’re looking at VRBO, “top villas” and Air BnB.

The only reason we would opt for hotel over villa is the convenience aspect of being within walking distance of activities during the day, and to cut down taxi costs to restaurants/bars at night. However I haven’t done enough research yet to see if the villas will be too far away to keep taxi costs down at night.

holly8

Kablamo! wrote: »

Look into Naples, sounds like it might fit the bill.

stayed near Naples years ago and we did a boat trip to Key West from there ... had a great time, no hassle of driving

eabhaniamh

Can I ask how your trip went? Planning something similar for next summer. Hoping to do a week at Universal Orlando followed by a weeks cruise. Family of 5 with 16, 14 and 12 year old girls. Just waiting for flights to be released in next few weeks.