Has anyone been to Florida and thought "Never again!"

[daffsntulips]

considering it for next Easter but it is so different to our usual type of holiday.
our DC will be 15 and 12
everyone i have spoken to/read about have loved it
but there must be someone who hasn't and i want to hear both sides.

thanks

Hula - when i say we like relaxing hols i don't mean sunbathing/pool/beach. we get up late, have long leasurely breakfast, go off seeing things/places but places like picturesque-sight-seeing not all action/entertainment/theme parks.

i think i am talking myself ou of florida

you sound a bit like us
we aren't lie on the beach types or traipsing round advenure parks people either
we like leisurely mornings, nice food and a bit of sightseeing, then wine /food ..repeat

Yes i have - i have been 3 - 4 times, at all different times of the year and hate it every time - been to Orlando, Miami, Palm Springs area. If it was not for family we would never go back.

Surely there must be somewhere else that you could all go to? When can you get out of Florida hell?

If you go to Orlando- you need to go here.
osceolahistory.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=31&Itemid=6

They rescue old buildings and rebuild them on their site. There's an old citrus packing house,which I believe was founded by a family from England, if I remember rightly. There's also an old school house,cowboy's house etc etc. Children can go round and see everything as it was, and nothing is in glass cases. It's fab. It was the highlight of our trip a few years ago.

Another brilliant place is Bok Gardens, with an amazing carillon Tower, set in the midst of orange groves. Beautiful. A real break from the usual Orlando attractions.

www.boktowergardens.org/

I'd no sooner go on holiday to Florida than go to Butlins in Southend.

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I have been once and said never again. Went when DD was 11. We did a week in Orlando then went to Clearwater for a week of rest. We had to pack all the parks in one week so fairly hectic.

It was the queuing for an hour at a time that I didn't like, also too many people in the parks.

No need to go more that once IMO, hope you have a great time though. It's not for everyone but I still enjoyed it.

I find it profoundly depressing when people go to Florida to go to theme parks. Why? When it's a really beautiful state? You can go to the Everglades, mosey along the Keys, find some lovely beaches, eat, read some Hemmingway. All fabulous without any kind of theme park involvement at all. In fact I don't think you should go to any of the theme parks except perhaps Seaworld.

I hated Florida.

People probably go to the theme parks because they take the children and they generally like them.

Newsflash Most places in Florida take children. It is not the sort of the place where you find signs saying 'No dogs or children'. Take them to Key West and Key Largo. Make them watch some Bogart. Don't take them to those blasted stupid theme parks.

Oh!

Where would you go?

north carolina then ???

Don't get me wrong, I really like Florida. But not for its theme parks.

I've only been to NC once, but I did think it was pretty good. I remember the Great Smokey Mountains, and visiting a Cherokee village. Didn't go with children though.

Kids will love it. I challenge any child not to love it. Grown ups - hmmm. I can see why people would loathe and despise it, to be honest. High culture it ain't

Thinking about this, if your DCs are 15 and 12 then the really good news is that they are BEYOND THE AGE OF THEME PARKS! I mean apart from Seaworld and possibly the Epcot centre. They won't want to go on any teacup rides or be photographed with Mickey. So possibly, you'll get to enjoy Florida

are off this xmas

going on Saturday

thanks for links to other places

plan to do day on day off and include space thing

am a bit freaked about alligators tbh

more than anything else

It's fab and there's something for everyone. Theme parks, beaches, shopping, nice restaurants, galleries, wildlife centres, national parks. Go in October or May so it's not too hot or busy and don't try to do too much.

You'll notice that most of the people who throw up their hands in horror haven't actually been. (please note I said 'most')

I went this year, wouldn't go again. We spent 4 days in New York before going to Florida which all the family loved.
I found Florida depressing.

We went two years ago for the first time. We went with an open mind but I was sure we would hate it - we absolutely loved it and went back this year and going next year lol.

I love the shops, the parks, the whole theming of it. The kids like Universal best but dh and I much prefer Disney :)

DH is persuading me!

well I can tell you how I liked it when we get back if I find the thread!

We are going to Marco Island which is in the south and will be renting a motor boat - dh likes them and he was there on business and said he'd like to go through the everglades and then with the motorboat you travel along the canals inland and into the gulf of Mexico abit. We are not going to the fun parks after all this time but we wanted to jut have some sunshine and a break really. Plan to go to the space place and just have a look around, the Florida keys etc

Have never been there before and not sure what to expect but I'm pretty sure I'll like it

There is no way we could have done Orlando had we done 2 whole weeks of theme/ water parks.

We have been to Florida twice at Easter and both times we spent the first week in the parks and the second at a more beachy resort. Disney and Universal are all very well but don't forget about the fantastic Kennedy space centre- our overall favourite day out.

The first year after the Orlando week we drove down the gulf coast to Naples lovely town with great beaches and restaurants- also not far from the everglades where the kids had great fun on an airboat ride.

The second year we went not quite so far to Bradenton which is near Anna Maria Island (one of the most beautiful beaches I have ever visited) It's also not too far from Busch gardens so one park was left till the second week.

The kids (and us)had a great time on both holidays.