Summer Trip 2023 Florida

[HangOutdoors]

As most know we did Navarre/Destin/Pensacola last year. Towed the Boat down and had a great time. Only bad thing was the ocean and surf where stirred up pretty good, so we didnt venture out of the ICW.

Anyhow we are getting ready to plan another trip for this summer. Everyone liked Pensacola, the beach, the restuarants on the beach and atmosphere. The prices are getting up there, more so than last year for lodging for 8 people.
Also there has been discussion about going down to the Floriday Keys which we know nothing about. I plan on taking the boat and towing it down again from Michigan. Family would most likely fly down and I would start out a day or so earlier.
We have always wanted to go to the Keys, never have been. Would it even be worth taking the boat all the way down to the Keys, or just leave it home?

Any thoughts or Advice? Keys or just back to Pensacola/Navarre area? Any other good destinations in the panhandle or Gulf Coast? (Spoke with the family, they are not ready to cross to Bimini yet
1) Nice Beaches
2) Nice Ocean Water
3) Things to do on land
4) Use the boat for a few days.
5) Possible some restuarants, etc. that we can get to by boat.
6) 5 Teenagers 15-18
7) We will be there for 7 or 8 days, but I will drive out a day a head of time we take the boat.

Any input would be greatly appreciated.

 

[84rzv500r]

As most know we did Navarre/Destin/Pensacola last year. Towed the Boat down and had a great time. Only bad thing was the ocean and surf where stirred up pretty good, so we didnt venture out of the ICW.

Anyhow we are getting ready to plan another trip for this summer. Everyone liked Pensacola, the beach, the restuarants on the beach and atmosphere. The prices are getting up there, more so than last year for lodging for 8 people.
Also there has been discussion about going down to the Floriday Keys which we know nothing about. I plan on taking the boat and towing it down again from Michigan. Family would most likely fly down and I would start out a day or so earlier.
We have always wanted to go to the Keys, never have been. Would it even be worth taking the boat all the way down to the Keys, or just leave it home?

Any thoughts or Advice? Keys or just back to Pensacola/Navarre area? Any other good destinations in the panhandle or Gulf Coast? (Spoke with the family, they are not ready to cross to Bimini yet
1) Nice Beaches
2) Nice Ocean Water
3) Things to do on land
4) Use the boat for a few days.
5) Possible some restuarants, etc. that we can get to by boat.
6) 5 Teenagers 15-18
7) We will be there for 7 or 8 days, but I will drive out a day a head of time we take the boat.

Any input would be greatly appreciated.

Marathon and the Lower Keys...... restaurants off the top of my head reachable by Boat: Dockside and Lazy Days in Marathon... Lower Keys: Kikis SandBar, Looe Key Tiki Bar, Tonios, Geiger Key Marina

You can bring your boat or rent one... there are Boat Friendly lodging places.. Palmers Resort is one that's across the channel from me. There are others... Key West has got tons of things to do... the keys are not know doe the beaches however there are some nice ones by car and some great ones by boat ... Sombrero Beach, Marathon, Bahia Honda State Park, Smathers Beach in Key West via car. Marvin Key, Snipes Key and Saywer Key are out in the back country Gulf side... Skinny water unles you go via channel and come in from the gulf. Tortugas are a short boat ride away...

summertime here is the best as there are way less tourists and we tend to do more locals things on the water... PS I've been out most dyas on the boat... today was 75 and mostly sunny and the water was 76... too cold for me to get in but we found a sheltered beach and hung out in the sun...

 

[Thermobrett]

We are in the Tampa area, nice for boating in the bay/gulf and able to drag the boat to several places to put in within an hours drive, but once you have been there, you kind of seen it all. We are planning a December 2023 trip to somewhere in the keys and @84rzv500r gave me a couple places to look into as we have two tweenagers and a 9yr old that thinks shes's 19, so we are looking more family oriented with a rental house that has a lift.

 

[adrianp89]

We are in the Tampa area, nice for boating in the bay/gulf and able to drag the boat to several places to put in within an hours drive, but once you have been there, you kind of seen it all. We are planning a December 2023 trip to somewhere in the keys and @84rzv500r gave me a couple places to look into as we have two tweenagers and a 9yr old that thinks shes's 19, so we are looking more family oriented with a rental house that has a lift.

This is a bit true, but you can do this for a week to see everything.

@HangOutdoors I am biased but I know the Tampa Bay area. I would NOT stay in Tampa, I would stay in Pinellas County. Tampa Bay sucks for boating, the Pinellas ICW is wonderful. You could snag an AirBNB in Largo and keep boat on trailer to go to different ramps. The Holiday Inn Harborside is also pretty central in the country, has boat slips and a water park attached to it, that is basically across the street from Indian Rocks beach.

1) Nice Beaches - Ft. Desoto & Clearwater Beach are always ranked highly in top beaches in the world (usually both top 10 US)

2) Nice Ocean Water - This is really dependent on conditions. In the center of the county it can be 10 feet visibility or 3 feet, but more leaning towards the latter. The more south or north you go, the clearer it gets... but again it depends on conditions. Our water is not the Bahamas.

3) Things to do on land - The beaches as mentioned above, Rays baseball game, possibly Lightning game, lots of nationally acclaimed food places if your a foody. Tampa has both a water park and amusement park (at very fair prices), of course Orlando is ~90 minutes away. Clearwater Beach has its own Aquarium, and so does Tampa, as well as a Zoo. Downtown St. Pete is very artsy if your family is into that. The brand new pier is pretty cool to take the family, and lots of shops/restaurants in downtown St. Pete (including the Dali museum). Safety Harbor is another cool downtown to see, especially if you happen to catch a 4th Friday. Avoid First Friday downtown St. Pete. Johns Pass is the #1 destination in Pinellas - basically a boardwalk with plenty to do and on water. For a day trip, I would recommended driving to Homosassa or Crystal springs. Basically you rent a kayak and float down a spring fed river (crystal clear water) and make your way back. Almost guaranteed to end up right next to a Manatee. Another day trip is to make your way down to Sarasota/Siesta Key. The Ringling museum is super cool, and Siesta Key, is well Siesta Key. You could also spend a full day just at Ft. Desoto at the beach, cooking out, checking out the Fort, etc. Same could be said for wandering around Clearwater beach. I could probably keep going but I will stop lol.

4) Use the boat for a few days -

You can head south of county to see Ft. Desoto (mentioned above), you can launch out of there or elsewhere and make your way down (To see everything I'd recommend launching out of Bay Pines) While down that way they have their own sand bar (Bunce's Pass) and inlet (Irma Pass), Shell Key is popular but I strongly recommend anchoring at Eggmont key and walking the island to see the old fort. While out that way you can pop up under the Skyway Bridge and make your way to the east side of the county to see downtown St. Pete from water, or cross the bay to Tampa. On the way you can stop at several places to eat by boat.

Or you can head north. Bellaire is the best location to launch, not a fan of the ramp though.... might be ok on a weekday. This will take you up to Clearwater beach area. Again water gets clearer the more north you head. You could dock on the back side of Clearwater beach and find plenty of food and things to do. From a boat perspective, I would take the inlet out to see the west side of the island and head north to Anclote (if conditions are calm). If it's not calm you can take the ICW to Anclote. Along the way to Anclote there is several sandbars, preserves and islands (Caladesi, Honeymoon, Three Rooker). On the subject of Anclote, if your trip happens to fall between 7/15-7/24 - scalloping is a MUST. It's a ton of fun.

As mentioned above, Holiday Inn Harbor side is pretty central county, you can also stop there to check out Indian Rocks beach and food. No matter what you will see tons of dolphins.

Alternatively another boat day could be on the Tampa side and boating along the Hillsborough river (pretty cool at night time). Or you could do a day trip to Silver Glenn Springs (about 2 hour drive). This water is crystal clear to the bottom and a great boating spot. Would recommend on a weekday because the ramps get very busy on weekends.

5) Possible some restuarants, etc. that we can get to by boat. - See above.... I could make a list if needed.

6) 5 Teenagers 15-18 - I'm sorry.

7) We will be there for 7 or 8 days, but I will drive out a day a head of time we take the boat. - Not much to offer on this when driving to Tampa. On the Keys end, I don't even want to drive my boat from Tampa. Key West is 7 hours from me, I HATE the drive. Alligator Alley sucks, Miami sucks, A1A sucks. If you have never been, once you get to the keys it is a 1 lane road for like 3 hours. If there is a car wreck... might as well set up a camp because it's going to be a few hours. If you decide on keys - do your self and your mental health a favor - just fly and rent a boat. On the Keys end - be fully aware of your dates and Lobster season. If you want to go lobstering - be sure to get proper permits. If not, avoid the season like the plague. Very busy and much higher prices.

 

[meaningreen]

If Beaches were a top priority I would not go to the Key's. There are tons of places to eat, stay and party in the Key's but I would go to other destinations for better beaches. You can always stay mainland and take a drive through the keys.

 

[adrianp89]

If Beaches were a top priority I would not go to the Key's. There are tons of places to eat, stay and party in the Key's but I would go to other destinations for better beaches. You can always stay mainland and take a drive through the keys.

Great point. The only beach in KeyWest is so full of shells its miserable. Great snorkeling though.

 

[FSH 210 Sport]

This is a bit true, but you can do this for a week to see everything.

@HangOutdoors I am biased but I know the Tampa Bay area. I would NOT stay in Tampa, I would stay in Pinellas County. Tampa Bay sucks for boating, the Pinellas ICW is wonderful. You could snag an AirBNB in Largo and keep boat on trailer to go to different ramps. The Holiday Inn Harborside is also pretty central in the country, has boat slips and a water park attached to it, that is basically across the street from Indian Rocks beach.

1) Nice Beaches - Ft. Desoto & Clearwater Beach are always ranked highly in top beaches in the world (usually both top 10 US)

2) Nice Ocean Water - This is really dependent on conditions. In the center of the county it can be 10 feet visibility or 3 feet, but more leaning towards the latter. The more south or north you go, the clearer it gets... but again it depends on conditions. Our water is not the Bahamas.

3) Things to do on land - The beaches as mentioned above, Rays baseball game, possibly Lightning game, lots of nationally acclaimed food places if your a foody. Tampa has both a water park and amusement park (at very fair prices), of course Orlando is ~90 minutes away. Clearwater Beach has its own Aquarium, and so does Tampa, as well as a Zoo. Downtown St. Pete is very artsy if your family is into that. The brand new pier is pretty cool to take the family, and lots of shops/restaurants in downtown St. Pete (including the Dali museum). Safety Harbor is another cool downtown to see, especially if you happen to catch a 4th Friday. Avoid First Friday downtown St. Pete. Johns Pass is the #1 destination in Pinellas - basically a boardwalk with plenty to do and on water. For a day trip, I would recommended driving to Homosassa or Crystal springs. Basically you rent a kayak and float down a spring fed river (crystal clear water) and make your way back. Almost guaranteed to end up right next to a Manatee. Another day trip is to make your way down to Sarasota/Siesta Key. The Ringling museum is super cool, and Siesta Key, is well Siesta Key. You could also spend a full day just at Ft. Desoto at the beach, cooking out, checking out the Fort, etc. Same could be said for wandering around Clearwater beach. I could probably keep going but I will stop lol.

4) Use the boat for a few days -

You can head south of county to see Ft. Desoto (mentioned above), you can launch out of there or elsewhere and make your way down (To see everything I'd recommend launching out of Bay Pines) While down that way they have their own sand bar (Bunce's Pass) and inlet (Irma Pass), Shell Key is popular but I strongly recommend anchoring at Eggmont key and walking the island to see the old fort. While out that way you can pop up under the Skyway Bridge and make your way to the east side of the county to see downtown St. Pete from water, or cross the bay to Tampa. On the way you can stop at several places to eat by boat.

Or you can head north. Bellaire is the best location to launch, not a fan of the ramp though.... might be ok on a weekday. This will take you up to Clearwater beach area. Again water gets clearer the more north you head. You could dock on the back side of Clearwater beach and find plenty of food and things to do. From a boat perspective, I would take the inlet out to see the west side of the island and head north to Anclote (if conditions are calm). If it's not calm you can take the ICW to Anclote. Along the way to Anclote there is several sandbars, preserves and islands (Caladesi, Honeymoon, Three Rooker). On the subject of Anclote, if your trip happens to fall between 7/15-7/24 - scalloping is a MUST. It's a ton of fun.

As mentioned above, Holiday Inn Harbor side is pretty central county, you can also stop there to check out Indian Rocks beach and food. No matter what you will see tons of dolphins.

Alternatively another boat day could be on the Tampa side and boating along the Hillsborough river (pretty cool at night time). Or you could do a day trip to Silver Glenn Springs (about 2 hour drive). This water is crystal clear to the bottom and a great boating spot. Would recommend on a weekday because the ramps get very busy on weekends.

5) Possible some restuarants, etc. that we can get to by boat. - See above.... I could make a list if needed.

6) 5 Teenagers 15-18 - I'm sorry.

7) We will be there for 7 or 8 days, but I will drive out a day a head of time we take the boat. - Not much to offer on this when driving to Tampa. On the Keys end, I don't even want to drive my boat from Tampa. Key West is 7 hours from me, I HATE the drive. Alligator Alley sucks, Miami sucks, A1A sucks. If you have never been, once you get to the keys it is a 1 lane road for like 3 hours. If there is a car wreck... might as well set up a camp because it's going to be a few hours. If you decide on keys - do your self and your mental health a favor - just fly and rent a boat. On the Keys end - be fully aware of your dates and Lobster season. If you want to go lobstering - be sure to get proper permits. If not, avoid the season like the plague. Very busy and much higher prices.

Thats a great post!

 

[84rzv500r]

yes the land accessible beaches in the keys are mostly man made.... however the best beaches/sandbars in the back country are only accessible by boat and can be a little sensitive to tides... I'm planning a trip to The Content Keys for Thursday...

 

[HangOutdoors]

This is a bit true, but you can do this for a week to see everything.

@HangOutdoors I am biased but I know the Tampa Bay area. I would NOT stay in Tampa, I would stay in Pinellas County. Tampa Bay sucks for boating, the Pinellas ICW is wonderful. You could snag an AirBNB in Largo and keep boat on trailer to go to different ramps. The Holiday Inn Harborside is also pretty central in the country, has boat slips and a water park attached to it, that is basically across the street from Indian Rocks beach.

1) Nice Beaches - Ft. Desoto & Clearwater Beach are always ranked highly in top beaches in the world (usually both top 10 US)

2) Nice Ocean Water - This is really dependent on conditions. In the center of the county it can be 10 feet visibility or 3 feet, but more leaning towards the latter. The more south or north you go, the clearer it gets... but again it depends on conditions. Our water is not the Bahamas.

3) Things to do on land - The beaches as mentioned above, Rays baseball game, possibly Lightning game, lots of nationally acclaimed food places if your a foody. Tampa has both a water park and amusement park (at very fair prices), of course Orlando is ~90 minutes away. Clearwater Beach has its own Aquarium, and so does Tampa, as well as a Zoo. Downtown St. Pete is very artsy if your family is into that. The brand new pier is pretty cool to take the family, and lots of shops/restaurants in downtown St. Pete (including the Dali museum). Safety Harbor is another cool downtown to see, especially if you happen to catch a 4th Friday. Avoid First Friday downtown St. Pete. Johns Pass is the #1 destination in Pinellas - basically a boardwalk with plenty to do and on water. For a day trip, I would recommended driving to Homosassa or Crystal springs. Basically you rent a kayak and float down a spring fed river (crystal clear water) and make your way back. Almost guaranteed to end up right next to a Manatee. Another day trip is to make your way down to Sarasota/Siesta Key. The Ringling museum is super cool, and Siesta Key, is well Siesta Key. You could also spend a full day just at Ft. Desoto at the beach, cooking out, checking out the Fort, etc. Same could be said for wandering around Clearwater beach. I could probably keep going but I will stop lol.

4) Use the boat for a few days -

You can head south of county to see Ft. Desoto (mentioned above), you can launch out of there or elsewhere and make your way down (To see everything I'd recommend launching out of Bay Pines) While down that way they have their own sand bar (Bunce's Pass) and inlet (Irma Pass), Shell Key is popular but I strongly recommend anchoring at Eggmont key and walking the island to see the old fort. While out that way you can pop up under the Skyway Bridge and make your way to the east side of the county to see downtown St. Pete from water, or cross the bay to Tampa. On the way you can stop at several places to eat by boat.

Or you can head north. Bellaire is the best location to launch, not a fan of the ramp though.... might be ok on a weekday. This will take you up to Clearwater beach area. Again water gets clearer the more north you head. You could dock on the back side of Clearwater beach and find plenty of food and things to do. From a boat perspective, I would take the inlet out to see the west side of the island and head north to Anclote (if conditions are calm). If it's not calm you can take the ICW to Anclote. Along the way to Anclote there is several sandbars, preserves and islands (Caladesi, Honeymoon, Three Rooker). On the subject of Anclote, if your trip happens to fall between 7/15-7/24 - scalloping is a MUST. It's a ton of fun.

As mentioned above, Holiday Inn Harbor side is pretty central county, you can also stop there to check out Indian Rocks beach and food. No matter what you will see tons of dolphins.

Alternatively another boat day could be on the Tampa side and boating along the Hillsborough river (pretty cool at night time). Or you could do a day trip to Silver Glenn Springs (about 2 hour drive). This water is crystal clear to the bottom and a great boating spot. Would recommend on a weekday because the ramps get very busy on weekends.

5) Possible some restuarants, etc. that we can get to by boat. - See above.... I could make a list if needed.

6) 5 Teenagers 15-18 - I'm sorry.

7) We will be there for 7 or 8 days, but I will drive out a day a head of time we take the boat. - Not much to offer on this when driving to Tampa. On the Keys end, I don't even want to drive my boat from Tampa. Key West is 7 hours from me, I HATE the drive. Alligator Alley sucks, Miami sucks, A1A sucks. If you have never been, once you get to the keys it is a 1 lane road for like 3 hours. If there is a car wreck... might as well set up a camp because it's going to be a few hours. If you decide on keys - do your self and your mental health a favor - just fly and rent a boat. On the Keys end - be fully aware of your dates and Lobster season. If you want to go lobstering - be sure to get proper permits. If not, avoid the season like the plague. Very busy and much higher prices.

So you are thinking somewhere in this area?

 

[fatboyroy]

If you stay in the keys or just driving to the keys for a day. Bahia Honda State Park beach is great, though sometimes there is sea grass floating,not sure if its seasonal or weather driven.

 

[adrianp89]

So you are thinking somewhere in this area?

Yeah, Largo is one of the only cities to legally allow AirBNBs.... though you can find others that were grandfathered in, and of course people do it even though its not "legal". Indian Rocks Beach is another option especially if you can a house with a lift. Largo saves you some time since closer to the interstate.

I circled some of the major boat ramps, if that helps.

 

[kgower]

As most know we did Navarre/Destin/Pensacola last year. Towed the Boat down and had a great time. Only bad thing was the ocean and surf where stirred up pretty good, so we didnt venture out of the ICW.

Anyhow we are getting ready to plan another trip for this summer. Everyone liked Pensacola, the beach, the restuarants on the beach and atmosphere. The prices are getting up there, more so than last year for lodging for 8 people.
Also there has been discussion about going down to the Floriday Keys which we know nothing about. I plan on taking the boat and towing it down again from Michigan. Family would most likely fly down and I would starYo may want to considert out a day or so earlier.
We have always wanted to go to the Keys, never have been. Would it even be worth taking the boat all the way down to the Keys, or just leave it home?

Any thoughts or Advice? Keys or just back to Pensacola/Navarre area? Any other good destinations in the panhandle or Gulf Coast? (Spoke with the family, they are not ready to cross to Bimini yet
1) Nice Beaches
2) Nice Ocean Water
3) Things to do on land
4) Use the boat for a few days.
5) Possible some restuarants, etc. that we can get to by boat.
6) 5 Teenagers 15-18
7) We will be there for 7 or 8 days, but I will drive out a day a head of time we take the boat.

Any input would be greatly appreciated.

You may want to consider Siesta Key, Sarasota and Ft Meyer area. Obviously, Ft. Myers was hit hard by a hurricane last year so may not the first choice. We were in Siesta Key April of this year and checks off most if not all of your boxes. We are looking at going back around November 23.
If you're near us and need a place to stay on the way down, you have my number.

 

[HangOutdoors]

You may want to consider Siesta Key, Sarasota and Ft Meyer area. Obviously, Ft. Myers was hit hard by a hurricane last year so may not the first choice. We were in Siesta Key April of last year and checks off most if not all of your boxes. We are looking at going back around November 23.
If you're near us and need a place to stay on the way down, you have my number.

If I leave a day earlier by myself, I would definately take you up on your offer if you are around

 

[lazergeek]

The best thing about having the boat is your don't need a beach . I would opt for the keys, There are sandbars if you really want to do that but snorkeling the reefs in the keys is worth it. Although the overly friendly 8 foot galiath grouper at Looee key is a little unsettling at times but that is the coolest dive site ever.

 

[NewGuy]

Great post. Decided I'm headed to the Keys for Spring Break. Great points all across the board here and you wont go wrong with any of these. Not sure what the near future condition of Sanibel will be post Ian, but this area is another favorite of mine. Great fishing (easy snook, tarpon, etc. - lot's to explore by boat (Cabbage Key -inspiration of "Cheeseburger in Paradise") is a have to do and running that whole stretch from Sanibel past Captiva to Cabbage is an awesome day by boat. You can also explore Ft. Myers - it's a highly highly underrated city.

 

[HangOutdoors]

The best thing about having the boat is your don't need a beach . I would opt for the keys, There are sandbars if you really want to do that but snorkeling the reefs in the keys is worth it. Although the overly friendly 8 foot galiath grouper at Looee key is a little unsettling at times but that is the coolest dive site ever.

Although I could stay on the boat for the entire week doing things, the family and kids get wore out quickly after a couple days or so.

 

[adrianp89]

Although I could stay on the boat for the entire week doing things, the family and kids get wore out quickly after a couple days or so.

8 hours on a boat for 8 days straight in FL summer would require another two weeks of recovery lol.

 

[HangOutdoors]

Well as of this afternoon, we are targeting the area of Clearwater and surrounding areas, as indicated to me by the admiral. Figured there is more to do for the kids. Also figured if they want we could go to Volcano Bay which is about 90 minutes to 2 hours, away for a day. The lodging is more affordable than Pensacola it appears. At least this is the direct they are looking right now....

How are the water conditions in Tampa Bay typically for boating? What about Clear water Harbor?

 

[Thermobrett]

Well as of this afternoon, we are targeting the area of Clearwater and surrounding areas, as indicated to me by the admiral. Figured there is more to do for the kids. Also figured if they want we could go to Volcano Bay which is about 90 minutes to 2 hours, away for a day. The lodging is more affordable than Pensacola it appears. At least this is the direct they are looking right now....

How are the water conditions in Tampa Bay typically for boating? What about Clear water Harbor?

I have no problem with my 19’ in the bay. The closer you get to the gulf, the more rollers come in. We recently found Egmont Key off Fort Desoto, great boat ride and kind of half way point around the gulf coast of Tampa Bay. We also have been trailering down to the Manatee River and running that to the gulf.

Circles Bar and Grill in Apollo Beach



Whiskey Joes Manatee River


Egmont Key

 

[adrianp89]

Well as of this afternoon, we are targeting the area of Clearwater and surrounding areas, as indicated to me by the admiral. Figured there is more to do for the kids. Also figured if they want we could go to Volcano Bay which is about 90 minutes to 2 hours, away for a day. The lodging is more affordable than Pensacola it appears. At least this is the direct they are looking right now....

How are the water conditions in Tampa Bay typically for boating? What about Clear water Harbor?

The bay is extremely hit or miss. It is very finicky - it can be glass on the North side of the bay and 2 feet on the south side, or vice verse. The entire Pinellas ICW is pretty mild even on a windy day.... just not enough area for the wind to affect it too much. For the bay and gulf you want an east wind for best conditions, but a mild west is still fine. During summer time you need to be aware of weather after 1 or 2 PM and have an exit plan. Nasty storms can pop in the afternoon very quickly. (Clear to Nasty in <1 hr) If you start your days early and end around 3 - you should be golden. The storms leave as quick as they come, so most people just go to a restaurant, or idle under a bridge worst case.

Clearwater harbor is more affected by boat traffic than anything else. The channel is super easy to navigate but do not leave the channel unless you know what you are doing. A lot of that water is under 2 feet.

I would also run a chart plotter if you have one and watch your tides - our waters are shallow.