Bored with Fla.

[jambo101]

My family lives in Florida and every second Xmas i visit my parents,brother and sister during the holidays and then drive somewhere to explore another activity EG;last year spent 4 days with Mom and Dad,2 days on Daytona beach and 4 days in Charleston,then 2 days in Washington DC,my wife is getting tired of the same old routine as we've been doing it since 1975,we,ve done Disney a dozen times along with Busch gardens, seaworld,space center ,and dozens of other attractions plus most cities up the eastern seaboard,we need some new ideas,Wife is thinking cruise,i'm thinking rent a live aboard boat for a week, We have a year before we go down again.2 things we dont do is fly and golf.

 

[CuppaJoe]

"When you're tired of Florida, you're tired of ...."

Sounds like you've already solved half of the problem: plan some time for yourselves away from the relatives. Let us know what you choose.

 

[Goonie]

You could drive to Lauderdale, and catch a cruise over to the Bahamas. When we were there several years ago we saw found out that you can cruuise over there in the morning, and return in the evening, or stay there for a few days, or whatever. Unfortunately, we found out on the day we were heading home. We'd thought about going just to say we'd been there, since the time between disembarking in the Bahamas is only about 4 hours before reboarding to return to Lauderdale. Now if I was going I'd stay a few days, since I'm no longer in a hurry...ever!

If Lazy pops in here, he might know a bit more of the details, since that's near his 'stomping grounds'.

 

[ls99]

If you can navigate with a boat, rent one, take the inland waterway down to Florida, and back. That should burn up some time and provide endless adventure with sightseeing.

 

[Moemg]

You could rent a houseboat in the Keys or Marco Island or you could take the ferry to Key West for a few days ( no car needed ) or if you arrive the week before the holidays cruises are dirt cheap that week at you can cruise from Port Canaveral and be back in time to visit the folks in Daytona .

 

[Cruisinthru]

This might be an excellent year for a cruise. There seems to be some wonderful deals going on some great ships. You could probably take a seven day cruise for about a third what you could last year.

 

[lazygood4nothinbum]

tough for me to relate as i'm rarely if ever bored. but if i understand what the o.p. is saying, perhaps the problem is less the natural destination of this state and more the constructed attractions which happen to make their homes here. florida is not just disney world, busch gardens & seaworld. you can visit zoos and fantasy anywhere.

i've never known anyone to be bored with snorkling, with diving our reefs, with stopping to say hi to an alligator on a trail through the everglades. of course, if you are traveling with the kids, they might find that boring. though my niece and nephews love that stuff so maybe you can entertain your young'uns without paying admission to disney. if you are not traveling with kids, check out one of our nude beaches and then try convincing us how bored you are.

the cruise idea is great if that's your thing. you might try a disney cruise out of cape canaveral. they will keep your kids completely entertained all day and you'll have good adult time for yourselves. they have two gorgeous vessels just over 800 ft and they do a top notch job.

i also like the small boat idea. charter (we don't rent boats, we charter them) a boat with captain or bareboat (sans captain). you can cruise the intracoastal or the gulf coast by trawler yacht or rent a houseboat on the inland waterways of the st. john's river. better yet, charter yourselves a small sailboat and take lessons for your first day or two of the charter. if you and your kids are still bored with that, then you are beyond my chamber of commerce capabilities: seek professional help.

 

[freebird5825]

...we need some new ideas,wife is thinking cruise,i'm thinking rent a live aboard boat for a week, we have a year before we go down again.2 things we dont do is fly and golf.

Cruise!!!!!

 

[jambo101]

,Wife is thinking cruise,i'm thinking rent a live aboard boat for a week, We have a year before we go down again.2 things we dont do is fly and golf.

I should have mentioned that this cruise idea is my wifes,My picture of a cruise is stuck on a boat for a week with not much to do other than pig out at the restaurants and drink way too much booze (Educate me).My idea is to do a camping trip on the water,lots of fishing diving and way too much booze i was hoping to concieve a few more options than just a cruise, like can you rent something on an island in the keys?Didnt i see somewhere where you could rent a room in an underwater hotel?

 

[Moemg]

There are tons of places to rent in the Keys . Check out VRBO for rentals. Price depends on when you will be there . Why not do a short cruise and then a land stay ?

 

[lazygood4nothinbum]

I should have mentioned that this cruise idea is my wifes,My picture of a cruise is stuck on a boat for a week with not much to do other than pig out at the restaurants and drink way too much booze (Educate me).My idea is to do a camping trip on the water,lots of fishing diving and way too much booze i was hoping to concieve a few more options than just a cruise, like can you rent something on an island in the keys?Didnt i see somewhere where you could rent a room in an underwater hotel?

to the cruise, i thought i'd hate a disney cruise we took mom on but turns out i had a great time. excursions off ship were fun also they stop for a day on their own bahama island for snorkling or just enjoying the beach. the children magically disappear during the day. i visited one of their children's labs/play areas and sort of kind of wished i was a kid. looked like a ton of fun. they have an absolutely amazing theater and i was very surprised by the elaborate set changes, especially considering it was on a boat, not in a building.

i doubt you'll find a houseboat for cruising the keys as the waters are rather open, even if shallow. you'd do better in a trawler or sailboat. if you are not a boater, count on the charter company insisting you spend some time with one of their captains at extra expense, as i'd imagine their insurance would require this.

but you can also just rent an apartment or hotel room and then charter a small open boat for a few hours of day cruising. last time my brother went down he got one which came with gps with waypoints preprogrammed taking them directly over some great reefs for snorkling. depending on landside accomodations, that would probably be less expensive than hiring a boat to liveaboard.

if you plan on getting drunk, please do not operate a vessel on the water until you dry out. also you should only snorkle or dive sober. your best option if you want to party is to hire a boat with crew.

 

[Dennis]

Well, IMBW but Been there , done that and After we Became more Invovled in helping others, we found a new way of life and alot more satisfying in the process..
make alist of Things you think can do to help and go try them out..

We also heard our Kids say they like the idea that we are accomplishing something now in helping others, rather than being greedy and only thinking of ourselves..thus setting a New Example to our kids to follow when they can become financially retired and move onto the next phase of their life..

We refuse to Die Young (under age 85 ) and So far it's working!

 

[W2R]

I could never be bored in Florida! There is so much to do there on vacation, with its amazing natural beauty, beaches, wildlife, not to mention some pretty amazing nightlife, people-watching, and shopping.

I could live a hundred lifetimes there without getting bored, before even beginning to go to places like Disney World or Busch Gardens.

 

[BunsGettingFirm]

I could never be bored in Florida! There is so much to do there on vacation, with its amazing natural beauty, beaches, wildlife, not to mention some pretty amazing nightlife, people-watching, and shopping.

I could live a hundred lifetimes there without getting bored, before even beginning to go to places like Disney World or Busch Gardens.

I could park myself on Lincoln Road in Miami and just look. That would be a nice vacation. Take it with a grain of salt though. I work in a technology company, so the "view" is limited, very limited.

 

[kcowan]

For me, Key West, South Beach and Johns Pass are all interesting destinations when you are sick of the regular tourist traps. Or cruise the canals in Lauderdale and admire the yachts and mansions.

 

[jambo101]

There are tons of places to rent in the Keys . Check out VRBO for rentals. Price depends on when you will be there . Why not do a short cruise and then a land stay ?

Wow i never knew there was that much land to support that many rentals.
Is there some reason that so many people choose to rent their house rather than live in it themselves?
My original thought about renting a place in the keys had a mental picture of something a little more remote,reclusive or solitary.
PS the "bored with Florida" title might have been a poor choice in topic title as i love the state and will never tire of going there.

 

[kcowan]

My original thought about renting a place in the keys had a mental picture of something a little more remote,reclusive or solitary.

If you stay away from Key West, you should find what you want.