On Oct 8, 9:43 pm, Brian K wrote:
> On 10/8/2007 6:01 AM Dan24 consulted a Magic 8 Ball and declared:
>
>
>
> > On Oct 8, 7:26 am, Brian K wrote:
>
> >> On 10/7/2007 12:00 PM Dan24 consulted a Magic 8 Ball and declared:
>
> >>> On Oct 7, 9:23 am, Brian K wrote:
>
> >>>> On 10/6/2007 2:55 PM Dan24 consulted a Magic 8 Ball and declared:
>
> >>>>> Hello everyone!
>
> >>>>> My gf and I are planning our second trip to the states and we wanted
> >>>>> to collect some suggestions. In our previous trip (which we really
> >>>>> enjoyed!) we visited New York city, Vegas, Los Angeles, San Francisco
> >>>>> (took the amazing route 1 drive from LA), Orlando (went to the major
> >>>>> theme parks) and finally Miami (South Beach, which we enjoyed least).
> >>>>> We loved New York city and had a great time in Orlando's theme parks,
> >>>>> especially Disney's. We also enjoyed shopping in malls and outlets and
> >>>>> dining in famous American chains like the Cheesecake factory, Outback
> >>>>> steakhouse, California Pizza Kitchen, etc.
>
> >>>>> Our trip was 30 days long during September. This time we have only 14
> >>>>> days during February. Now I know this isn't the best time of the year,
> >>>>> but I noticed there are still several sunny getaways such as Florida
> >>>>> and California. But this time we'd like to find some new attractions
> >>>>> and places we haven't been. I've been thinking about the Key West and
> >>>>> the Caribbean which we haven't got a chance to visit the last time but
> >>>>> I'm not sure if there's 14 days of travel for just those two or if it
> >>>>> would be diversified enough (we don't want to lie around on the beach
> >>>>> as beautiful as it may be, for 14 days). We'd love to visit NYC again
> >>>>> but weather.com shows it's going to be freezing cold...
>
> >>>>> So I guess my questions are -
> >>>>> Should we go anywhere else? And if so, where?
> >>>>> Should we stay in the southern east coast or also go to the west?
> >>>>> Any other tips / suggestions are welcome :)
>
> >>>>> Thanks in advance,
>
> >>>>> Danny
>
> >>>> Danny,
>
> >>>> Ft. Lauderdale and Key West Florida are some of my favorite vacation
> >>>> spots. But there is something you should know. Anyplace warm in
> >>>> February is going to have very high hotel rates. Reservations three
> >>>> months in advance are necessary at most places, if you want a decent room.
>
> >>>> Unless you are fishing, snorkeling or scuba diving Key West is mainly
> >>>> about R&R. One of my favorite things to do is rent a bike for the time
> >>>> of my stay and use it to explore Key West's back streets and alleys. If
> >>>> I need a refresher, theres either Smathers, Higgs beaches, my B&B pool.
> >>>> If I am near Atlantic Shores, I use their pool. AS as many people call
> >>>> it has the largest clothing optional pool on the island. All are welcome
> >>>> to use the sun deck, pool and bar. Only hotel guests may use the towels
> >>>> and lounges. The sun deck goes out over the ocean. Unless it was
> >>>> destroyed in a storm, they have a stairway where you can go down and
> >>>> swim with the fishes in the ocean.
>
> >>>> It's not as hot in February as say July. Actually you can get a cold
> >>>> snap where it can go down to 40F at night.
>
> >>>> There are all sorts of dive boats, you need to shop for the best deal.
> >>>> This is true for fishing boats as well. There really isn't anything
> >>>> close to shore where you can dive or fish. Boats are a necessity. There
> >>>> are some marinas where you can rent a boat. Anything of substance will
> >>>> probably cost more than your entire vacation budget. There are open
> >>>> "dingy" boats with 5 hp motors. But unless you are with someone
> >>>> familiar with the waters it's not a good idea. Aside from safety
> >>>> issues, the area is under environmental regulation. You can only drop
> >>>> anchor in certain locations. Areas over reefs have stationary floats
> >>>> that you moor up to.
>
> >>>> I was in Key Largo when someone inexperienced sailed their sailboat and
> >>>> went aground on a reef. The fine is $1,000. an hour and he had to wait
> >>>> 5 hours for the tide to come in to get a tow.
>
> >>>> If you take your time, the drive down to Key West can be fun. Each key
> >>>> is a little different and has different attractions.
>
> >>>> One thing that's true, if you like seafood that's fresh, you have come
> >>>> to the right place. I've had some of the best seafood in the keys. You
> >>>> can get it gourmet, but at it's best is simple preparation of the catch
> >>>> of the day, grilled, breaded pan fried , or blackened.
>
> >>>> Another possibility is New Mexico, see the Pueblo Indians outside of
> >>>> Taos, or take in the outdoorsy artsy culture in Albuquerque.
>
> >>>> --
> >>>> ________
> >>>> To email me, Edit "blog" from my email address.
> >>>> Brian M. Kochera
> >>>> "Some mistakes are too much fun to only make once!"
> >>>> View My Web Page:http://home.earthlink.net/~brian1951-Hidequoted text -
>
> >>>> - Show quoted text -
>
> >>> Guys,
>
> >>> Thanks for all this wonderful load of information. I just wanted to
> >>> clarify some additional points:
> >>> We never tried diving but we're not really into it so as far as that
> >>> goes, we'll probably skip...
> >>> Hiking / camping is not our style of vacation, we are very spolied and
> >>> like to drive around in a car and sleep in hotels :)
>
> >>> Thanks again,
>
> >>> Danny
>
> >> Then maybe you might want to arrive at Ft. Lauderdale Hollywood Airport,
> >> and spend some time in Ft. Lauderdale. It's not as trendy or expensive
> >> as Miami but has a lot to offer besides beaches. There are museums,
> >> shopping and a healthy slice of nightlife. From there you could go west
> >> and check out the Everglades for a day or two. Then wind up in Tampa
> >> with Ybor City the adjacent entertainment area. Alternatively you might
> >> consider heading south when you reach the west coast and check out Ft.
> >> Myers Beach, and/or Naples.
>
> >> Google up Tampa, Ybor City, Ft. Myers Beach and Naples to get more
> >> details about lodging and things to do. Ft. Lauderdale is easy to
> >> remember athttp://sunny.org
>
> >> --
> >> ________
> >> To email me, Edit "blog" from my email address.
> >> Brian M. Kochera
> >> "Some mistakes are too much fun to only make once!"
> >> View My Web Page:http://home.earthlink.net/~brian1951-Hide quoted text -
>
> >> - Show quoted text -
>
> > Guys,
>
> > How many days out of the 14 should I spend in the Caribbean? and if
> > so, where should I spend them there?
>
> > Thanks,
>
> > Danny
>
> I suggest you get a Caribbean travel guide out of your town library or
> pick one up cheap on Amazon.com. As I understand it, you aren't into
> beaches, diving/snorkeling and outdoor activities. Basically, that's
> what one does in the Caribbean. Sure some have gamboling casinos, old
> plantation house tours, booze cruises and the like. The main attraction
> is things you can do near, on or under the water. II could suggest
> Montserrat which has an active volcano with tours and an interesting
> history. But I don't think there are 4-wheel drive vehicles that take
> you all the way into the safe zone. Then there's Dominica thermally
> active with hot springs, over 300 waterfalls, and a boiling caldera
> known as the Boiling Lake. It is only partially reached by 4-wheel
> drive, the rest is a hike through rain forest jungle. Total one-way trip
> time over 4 hours. But none of these attractions are reachable by car.
>
> I am not saying this to blow you off. But, only you know what you will
> enjoy in the Caribbean. Do a little research. Find the island that
> offers what you want. I have experience on Grand Cayman, Jamaica,
> Dominica, and Cozumel. Ask me any question about these islands and if I
> know, I will answer. How much time? Depends upon what you want to see
> and do or, how laid back of an experience you want.
>
> --
> ________
> To email me, Edit "blog" from my email address.
> Brian M. Kochera
> "Some mistakes are too much fun to only make once!"
> View My Web Page:http://home.earthlink.net/~brian1951- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -
I definitely want to sit back and relax, enjoy the beach and see new
sights. I'm just saying that I wouldn't want to do this all day, that
is I'm not into a "relax-only" vacation meaning that we'd also like to
visit some attractions or discover new places as we stroll around. One
of the things we loved about NYC is that we were continuously
exploring the city, discovering new places and attractions.
I'm still kind of confused though when it comes to choosing islands in
the Caribbean. It seems like there are a lot of places to go, and I
was wondering if we should choose one and spend our 7-8 days there or
perhaps jump between 2-3 places for an average of 2 nights per island.
About these cruises everyone's been mentioning - what exactly do they
include? being on a ship, luxurious as it may be, sounds kind of
boring... If the cruise only takes us around from Island to Island so
we can visit each one and spend some time there that would be great
but the highlight should be touring the islands and not the ship.
Thanks again!
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