WHIRLWIND TOUR
Four theme parks. Three kids. Two adults. And one seemingly impossible assignment: to visit every Disney World resort on the same day.
BUDGET TRAVEL
Sure, you wanna save some bucks. Here are some deals that may help. Note: For Florida-resident specials, proof of residency required.
BEYOND THE PARKS
Yes, there is life beyond the major theme parks. Here are a few other things going on: At Kennedy Space Center, Shuttle Wing combines astronaut testimonials, artifacts, photos and anecdotes of otherworldly experiences. The permanent exhibit, just opened at the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame, includes flight video narrated by Sally Ride, Bob Crippen, Charlie Bolden and Story Musgrave. Admission to Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex includes the Shuttle Launch Experience, Kennedy Space Center Tour...
More beach resorts are offering pools with water slides, no-cost children's programs and other amenities that make them affordable alternatives for families looking for one-stop vacations, says Parents magazine.
It has taken the entire day to get to St. Petersburg and as daylight turns to dusk over the tangle of sailboat masts at the city marina, I know that my complicated route -- by train, bus and on foot -- is going to cost me some sightseeing.
PET-FRIENDLY DESTINATIONS
jump hed: kicker+6,42,1 cover story/no summary A weekend getaway -- sounds perfect. But wait, what about the dog? Instead of searching frantically for a pet-sitter, how about taking him with you? Sure, Florida might not be the dog-friendliest state in the nation, but it can be done. Plus, we've done all the work for you! Here are three dog-friendly destinations.
SUMMER DEALS
The snowbirds are back up North, streets and sidewalks are less crowded, and upscale shops are putting up sale signs. It's that time of year when Floridians can reclaim their state.
TAKING THE KIDS
On her last morning in Florida, 9-year-old Monica Winter finds a small crab washed up on shore amid the anemones and calico scallops. She touches it with her pink-painted fingernails, then picks it up.
VERO BEACH
When music icon Gloria Estefan purchased and remodeled her first hotel outside Miami-Dade County, she bypassed trendy haunts and the forever-regal Palm Beach in favor of quieter, less well-known Vero Beach. Her 94-room Costa D' Este Beach Resort is slated to open by early summer.
Following is a sampling of Florida summer deals. Be sure to look online and ask when you call about Florida resident specials; many hotels offer them. You're likely to find the best values at big resorts with lots of rooms to fill.
Lodging: Check the daily lodgings list at (www.sanibel-captiva.org, 239-472-1080). For Fort Myers, check (www.fortmyers-sanibel.com, 800-237-6444; you also can get a free 152-page guidebook through the website). For condos, check www.greatrentals.com.
IN THE FAKAHATCHEE STRAND -- We're barely out of our cars before the chorus starts: ``I just want to see a ghost orchid!'' The ghost orchid is among the world's rarest flowers, the star of the popular book The Orchid Thief and the movie Adaptation and is the biggest lure to the Fakahatchee Strand Preserve State Park in southwest Florida.
Three days into the vacation, and the kids are bored with the all-day beach routine. Or are those just my kids? During a family break to Destin, a popular getaway, there are plenty of activities beyond boogie boarding and building sand cities.
Getting there: Take the Florida Turnpike to Fort Pierce, get on I-95 to State Road 60 Exit 147. (You can also drive up I-95.) Follow SR 60 east to the barrier island.
Amtrak, 800-872-7245; www.amtrak.com. Two northbound and two southbound trains daily. The Silver Meteor leaves Miami at 8:40 a.m., stays on the east side of the state and arrives in Jacksonville at 5:10 p.m. before continuing on to New York. The Silver Star leaves Miami at 11:50 a.m., jogs west to Tampa and arrives in Jacksonville at 10:37 p.m., then continues on to New York.
ST. PETERSBURG Getting there: Difficult. I chose St. Pete specifically because the train does not go all the way there, offering a bus transfer in Tampa that -- as it turned out -- is not available on trains arriving from South Florida. This leg took almost nine hours, traveling by train, Greyhound and on foot.
Everyone is always stealing our fame. In Kilkenny, Ire., there's the Key Largo restaurant; in Bangkok, it's the Miami Hotel. In Australia, there's even a Miami Beach! As you travel this summer, snap pix of yourself, friends and family with out-of-state signs claiming Florida fame. Upload them to our Florida signs photo gallery; be sure to include information about where you took the photo. Get snapping!
Florida's theme park-orientation means our zoos aren't just parks, they're experiences. Here are just a few options: Miami Metrozoo: The Bengal tigers are the zoo's biggest stars, but don't forget the new baby giraffe, Komodo dragon, jaguar, aviary and other creature features. Dr. Wilde's World offers displays including crafts, an aquarium and a Jeep simulator -- and hey, it's air conditioned. 305-251-0400; www.miamimetrozoo.com. Admission, $13.95 adults, $9.95 kids.
KEY WEST
If you want a peek into the future of Key West, you'll find it at the new Beachside Resort and Conference Center, at the entrance to the nation's southernmost city.
BY CHELLE KOSTER WALTON Special to The Miami Herald
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