Florida family vacations by the beach

Could there be a more exciting and pleasure filled family holiday destination in the world than Florida?

Located in the South Eastern part of the United States, Florida, also known as the “Sunshine State” has developed a reputation over the last 40 years or so as the number one tourist destination on the planet.

Without doubt, the best way to see this fabled state is by basing yourself in one of the many holiday homes, villas or holiday vacation rental properties, which can be found all over the state.

One of the main reasons behind Florida’s popularity is of course due to the fact that during the late 1950’s, Walt Disney chose to build the now iconic Disney World entertainment theme park complex in Orlando and the surrounding areas.

This has given Orlando the well earned tag of “entertainment capital” of the world and as anyone who has been there will tell you, there is simply no other place like it for the sheer scale and variety of entertainment and things to do for people of all ages, size and background, for children, teenagers, young couples and, of course, families.

Whilst Orlando may be the “epicentre” of the entertainment action, there are now several areas where you can find superbly appointed luxury holiday homes to rent including holiday villas and holiday apartments to rent as well as all manner of self catering accommodation and vaction rental properties in new and fast growing communities such as Kissimmee, Lake Buena Vista and International Drive.

These vacation rental properties are an ideal place from which you can go out and see all of what this area has to offer. There are holiday villas to rent with their own private pools set in beautifully manicured and gated communities as well as holiday homes and vacation rental properties which back onto superb championship quality golf courses. Did I mention that there are more golf courses in Florida than there are days in the year?

But Florida is not only about Disney World and its numerous theme parks, water parks, movie studios, designer and themed hotels,far from it. Florida covers a land mass of over 58,000 square miles and offers an amazing range of attractions to explore and enjoy.

Drive west down one of the many Interstates and you will arrive at the Gulf coast resorts of St Petersburg, Tampa and Clearwater. There are literally hundreds of beautiful holiday villas, holiday condominiums, and all manner of self catering accommodation to rent in these resorts.

Continue a little further South and you will happen upon Naples with its pristine beaches and warm seas and the Everglades National Park which is where you will find the natural habitat of the oldest of Florida residents -the manatee, alligator and crocodile.

At the very bottom of the state, just 50 miles off the coast of Cuba, are the fabled Florida Keys. Adopted home of the author Ernest Hemmingway, the Keys are more reminiscent of the Caribbean in style, culture and feel as the atmosphere is very relaxing and laid back.

Compare this with the largest city in the State, Miami, where Spanish is spoken almost as widely as English. Miami is full of art deco tradition and heavily influenced by the Spanish and Latin American cultures.As a party town and place to let your hair down and experience “la vida loca”,then Miami is a city with no equal.

If you should ever tire of the central belt of Florida which is Orlando, take a day out to visit the Atlantic coast on the East side of the State. The waves here are great for body surfing and you can also visit the NASA Kenedy Space Centre. For a taste of real,down to earth coastal America, head for Coco Beach where you can drink Budweiser eat delicious key lime pie on the pier which juts out into the tempestuous Atlantic surf!

Truly, Florida is an amazing “must ‘go-to” place. But avoid staying in hotels and motels if you can. Renting a new and well appointed spacious holiday home or villa or vacation rental property or for that matter any other form of self -catering accommodation will give you and the family the freedom to come and go as you please which will allow you to make the most of what the “Sunshine State” has to offer.

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The Author, Paul Mitchell, is an independent consultant to the travel industry . He is co-owner of the holiday property rental website – letsbookaholiday.com
To see a fantastic range of holiday homes, holiday villas and vacation rentals throughout Florida, or if you own a holiday villa or vacation rental property and would like to advertise your property, please take a look at his website- letsbookaholiday.com

Perdido Key, Florida is a beautiful area of protected beaches between Orange Beach and Pensacola, near gulf
Shores, Alabama. Located near historic Pensacola, America’s first settlement, Perdido Key, Florida offers a unique blend of traditional beach pastimes like angling, deep sea fishing, and water sports along with shopping, golf, and historic and artistic flavor. Perdido Key, Florida is an ideal place for a family vacation because there is something for everyone of all ages. Below is just a
sampling of the eclectic offerings available.

For water sports aficionados, Perdido Key, Florida offers
common water sports like surfing, deep sea and pier
fishing, diving and SCUBA. For an interesting military
twist, consider diving the USS Oriskany CV/CVA 34, the
largest vessel ever sunk as an artificial reef. The ship is
911 feet long, 157 feet wide and over 150 feet tall. If
this type of exertion doesn’t fall into your vacation
style, try chartering a cruise boat that
offers reduced rates for sunbathers, swimmers and wildlife
aficionados. Your fishing family members will love the
thrill of the chase, while the rest of you relax, walk the
decks, and spot sea turtles, dolphins and other ocean
fauna. Also, considering visiting the longest pier in the
Gulf of Mexico for sightseeing and fishing action.

If you’re more interested in cultural diversions, Perido
Key, has a multitude of local museums, and your
whole family will love the excitement of visiting the home
of the Blue Angels and learning about naval aviation. If
art is more your style, you can visit local studios, or
stop by the Pensacola Museum of Art, which offers
everything from wine tasting classes to Saturday Art
“Ed-ventures” which include tours of the museum and
hands-on creative activities for children. Perdido Key,
Florida visitors in the fall can also enjoy the Great Gulf
Arts Festival, where hundreds of local artists come
together to celebrate their creative endeavors.

Kids also will love Perdido Key, Florida’s eclectic mix of
learning and play. The kids’ parks range in
size and type from the Big Lagoon State Park and wildlife
sanctuary, which offers everything from beaches and water
activities to playgrounds, canoeing and camping, to local
water parks and entertainment arenas. Many of these parks
are located within or near shopping and dining, so that
after a hard day of play the whole family can relax.

And when you’re choosing where to enjoy dinner, remember
that the local seafood is so famous that they
have an annual seafood festival, generally held each
September. All year round, however, Perdido Key, Florida
offers fine dining at both popular chains and local
hangouts filled with local flavor and the finest seafood
dishes.

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Terry Wedding is a custom vacation designer who owns
properties in Sugar Mountain and Gulf Shores. His travels
help him keep a finger on the pulse of his vacation
communities and enable him to create one-of-a-kind
experiences for clients. Learn more about Terry and his
properties at http://www.pleasureislandcondos.com