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Use our Travel forum for recommendations on everything from day trips to the best family-friendly holiday destinations.

Original poster

Florida Gulf Coast recommendations

22 replies

baileyjo · 13/08/2025 08:29

Hi, planning a holiday to Disney Florida in Easter 2026, currently looking at a week at the theme parks and then 3/4 days over at the gulf coast. Kids are 14 and 11. There seems to be so much choice of hotels and resorts that I’m a bit bamboozled. Can anyone recommend a nice hotel or accommodation along that coast? There are so many options online! Ideally looking for somewhere beachfront or very close, pool, around 2 hours max from Disney and up to £450 a night ish, easy access to a few restaurants. What I don’t want is somewhere too crowded and busy as we’ll probably have had enough of the crowds by the end of the theme parks! I get the impression that Clearwater is probably the busiest resort? I visited st. Pete’s as a kid and always remember the perfect beach. Really I just want somewhere nice and chill to relax before flying home. Any recommendations gratefully received ☺️

also is it good weather in April at the gulf coast or will sea and pools be cold?

thanks in advance!

OP posts:
Tourist29 · 13/08/2025 12:40

We’ve stayed in Sarasota, Naples and Anna Marie Island. Anna Marie Island is our favourite. We hired a house with a pool but it’s no longer available to hire. There is lots of accommodation to choose from, I would go to the north end, google the pier and two scoops ice cream - we were in walking distance of both as a rough guide. It’s very relaxed, white sand beaches, a free trolley bus round the island and lots of good places to eat eg rod and reel on the pier and sandbar on the beach. We hired bikes and paddle boards, saw manatee and dolphin very close to shore, it’s one of our top 5 places.

Florencesndzebedee · 13/08/2025 12:51

Would also recommend Anna Maria island, beautiful beaches.

Original poster
baileyjo · 14/08/2025 09:51

Ah thanks that’s super useful! Yes I’d been looking at Anna Maria Island and also Indian Rocks but looks like Anna Maria may be the winner. I’ll investigate! 😀

OP posts:
Yachtingaroundtheworldiwish · 14/08/2025 09:55

We went to Clearwater Beach. We absolutely loved it and went again two years later, it was still amazing. My kids were a similar age to yours.

HorrorFan81 · 14/08/2025 09:56

Another vote for Anna Maria, we have been a few times and heading back in two weeks. Absolutely gorgeous 😍

Snippit · 14/08/2025 10:41

You seriously want to go to America with Taco Tits at the helm 🥴

You’ll need very deep pockets. My husband was in the USA recently and was shocked at how expensive it’s become, $10 for a pint, food is also expensive. He had a surf and turf in a shopping mall with a beer $75, plus tips.

A lot of resorts are strangely empty, Vegas is especially dead, even Disney isn’t as busy as it usually is. At the famous Bellagio in Vegas an all you can eat buffet is $99, plus tips 🥺, even the shitty Circus Circus buffet is $39, plus tips, which is ironic as you serve yourself 🤦‍♀️

The tariffs are now taking affect and the cost of living over there is unbelievable. I personally wouldn’t go to the USA, but that’s me, I hate what the country is doing to its people.

jeaux90 · 14/08/2025 15:04

Anna Maria is lovely but with teens I picked Siesta key, stayed at a house with a pool just in the village and the drumming circle is on the Sunday I think that the kids enjoyed. Just a bit more lively there I thinn. I actually have a thread on here from 3 years ago when I was planning something similar. We did universal, then over to cocoa beach for a couple of nights to do Kennedy SS then over to Everglade city for airboat ride then finished at siesta key.

StrawberryWasp · 14/08/2025 15:42

Anna Maria is great but the Rod and Reel pier and city pier were washed away by the hurricanes last year and haven't yet been rebuilt.
The island sustained a lot of damage but is apparently all open again now.

There aren't any big hotels, it's more of a house rental place which is part of it's charm. It has a laid back beachy vibe like the Caribbean but floridean.
We love it.

thinkfast · 14/08/2025 15:52

I’d hire a condo on the beach at Anna Maria island OP. Captiva also lovely.

EmpressoftheMundane · 14/08/2025 15:58

These are all good suggestions. The barrier islands off the bay from Sarasota are all nice: Anna Maria Island, Lido Key, Siesta Key. Further South Captiva and Sanibel Islands are nice. The Florida keys south of Miami are a long drive from Orlando and don’t really have beaches.

fatgirlswims · 14/08/2025 16:18

We are doing the same OP! a week at disney then a week at a resort so following with interest. I have been to Naples before and I remember it being nice but can’t remember much else!

Its just me and DH so looking for a resort with a few thing to do or look at.

Oriunda · 14/08/2025 19:16

Naples is lovely, as is St Pete's.

Original poster
baileyjo · 14/08/2025 19:32

Ahh so many good suggestions thanks everyone!! Got to love mumsnet! What a shame about the hurricanes and Anna Maria island… glad to hear that they’ve rebuilt though. Do you think villas/ holidays homes on the gulf coast is a better way to do it rather than a hotel there then? Also - temperature wise anyone been in April before? I’m envisaging lazy days on the beach but never been at that time of year! Thanks again 😁

OP posts:
Chefbenmj · 14/08/2025 20:53

With your kids ages 14 and 11, would you consider Universal over Disney? What I find with my clients is that they would like to do both theme parks, and Universal seems to be the better option.

Rattyandtoad · 14/08/2025 21:14

Check Anna Maria - perhaps some of the PP can come back and tell you what it's like now? We went just after the two big hurricane and it was destroyed. Second siesta key and the drumming circle - lots of lovely memories there!

EmpressoftheMundane · 14/08/2025 22:12

April is ideal. Sunny warm, but not the overwhelming heat of high summer.

It’s the expensive, high season though.

Oriunda · 14/08/2025 22:39

Chefbenmj · 14/08/2025 20:53

With your kids ages 14 and 11, would you consider Universal over Disney? What I find with my clients is that they would like to do both theme parks, and Universal seems to be the better option.

We're a Universal family. Son not interested in Disney. Universal has Spiderman and DC etc, Minions, Kung Fu Panda plus of course Harry Potter.

Radiatorvalves · 14/08/2025 22:58

Had a lovely holiday at the Sandpearl in Clearwater about 10 years ago. It was recommended on Mumsnet. But I wouldn’t go now. Not until that mad man has gone. It’s also staggeringly expensive now.

Vanillalime · 15/08/2025 00:20

I stayed at the Hilton Clearwater beach & it was a lovely property. I really like the look of the Don Cesar on St Pete’s Beach. If I went back to the gulf coast I’d probably stay there for a few days.

jeaux90 · 15/08/2025 07:43

Yes get a house in siesta key village, I used Siesta Key rentals.

https://www.siestakeyluxuryrentalproperties.com/

Original poster
baileyjo · 15/08/2025 15:47

Chefbenmj · 14/08/2025 20:53

With your kids ages 14 and 11, would you consider Universal over Disney? What I find with my clients is that they would like to do both theme parks, and Universal seems to be the better option.

Hi, do you know we offered them both options but they were both super keen for Disney! I think the magic of it is still appealing to them ☺️

OP posts:
Queenage · 15/08/2025 15:49

I love love love Postcard Inn at St Pete Beach, it’s lovely. Hope you have a great time x

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