Sarasota
Sarasota is one of Florida's leading cultural centres. Lively downtown Sarasota is packed with cafés, bars and eateries, or for a more cultured day out, visit the Ringling Museum Complex which houses a Venetian Gothic mansion and a collection of European Baroque paintings. The town is also home to a Classic Car Museum, Botanical Gardens and Bird Sanctuary.
The white sands of the Sarasota beaches are on two spectacular barrier islands, Lido Key and Siesta Key, which are easily accessible from the mainland. The soft quartz-derived sand at the pretty Siesta Key Beach has a sugary texture, whereas Turtle Beach is an alternative small, secluded stretch of sand.
There is a vast range of dining available in Sarasota, with cafes, bars, bistros, restaurants, delis and sandwich shops offering just about anything you could want during your stay. Eating options include salads, sandwiches and smoothies at Nature's Way, mouth-watering Cuban food at El Habanero, Creole/Cajun, Italian, Spanish and seafood – and traditional English fish and chips at The Old Salty Dog waterfront restaurant.
Sarasota offers a less commercialised choice of holiday resort. The apartments are either on the mainland at Bradenton, just 10 minutes drive from Anna Maria Island beaches, or located on Anna Maria Island itself.
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Anna Maria Island
Untouched Anna Maria Island offers tropical scenery, soft white sandy beaches and stunning sunsets. Only 7.5 miles long and less than 1 mile wide, this island with its 6 beaches is the perfect place for a peaceful family getaway.
The Manatee open-air Trolley runs the length of the island and is free, making it a convenient and economical way to get around; travel to the tip of the island to see the Anna Maria Historical Society headquarters – based in a 1920s ice house – and the long-abandoned Island Jail. For a nearby excursion, try kayaking down the Little Manatee River, charter a boat to track the treasures of the sea, visit a citrus farm or the South Florida Museum – highlights include a planetarium and aquarium complex, paleontology exhibit, a children’s discovery room and daily manatee presentations.
The choice of places to eat on the island ranges from elegant waterside dining to beach cafes with steak, seafood, Tex-Mex and BBQ specialities, or it is only a short trip to dine further afield.
The villas on Anna Maria Island are close to the beaches and with the choice of shops, eating places and water sports, it offers everything for the family looking to experience the true Floridian beach life.
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Port Charlotte
Located midway between Sarasota and Fort Myers, Port Charlotte is joined to Charlotte Harbor and the Gulf of Mexico via more than 165 miles of canals and waterways. This welcoming, tropical oasis offers exceptional shopping and dining, as well as an abundance of cultural, recreational and social amenities that include the county cultural centre, an adventure golf park and outside amusement park, bat centre and beach park.
This area is abundant in beauty and natural attractions, so you will never be short of things to do. Water-centred amusements include sailing, cruising (including eco-tours), fishing trips, and boating and kayaking tours, whilst the outdoor activities on offer cover shelling at the beach, biking and of course golf.
Eating out in Port Charlotte offers a wide choice for all the family – why not try Carrabba’s Italian Grill for pizza, pasta and other Italian dishes, or go more upmarket with Jam’s of Cape Haze for the full-blown Italian-American dining experience. For something more traditional, try the Whiskey Creek Steakhouse for seasoned steaks cooked to perfection over a wood-fired grill.
Port Charlotte is a quiet resort on the Myakka River, gateway to the beaches of Manasota Key. This area offers accommodation in a relatively untouched area of the Gulf Coast.
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Englewood
Englewood is located in the middle of Florida's Sun Coast; its tropical beaches and gentle climate create the ideal atmosphere for an array of outdoor activities, cultural events, parks and recreational facilities.
Nearby Manasota Key, one of Englewood's many barrier islands, is a 14-acre stretch of beaches, dunes and nesting turtles. The area's many beaches offer all the usual water-based entertainment you would expect, but why not take the kids beachcombing – along with shells and driftwood, prehistoric sharks’ teeth are often found buried in the sand.
For other family entertainment, Pelican Pete's Playland is an entertainment centre that includes a miniature golf course, go-karts, batting cages, train rides and arcade games. Also nearby and home to the iconic US bald eagle, the 115-acre Cedar Point Park is a large tract of environmentally undisturbed land with over four miles of scenic hiking trails.
For eating out, Englewood has a variety of restaurants specialising in seafood, steaks, salads and the usual American fare. Why not try Farlow’s On The Water for tropical dining and live entertainment, or Prime Time Steak & Spirits for mouth-watering seafood, steaks, Mexican dishes and homemade desserts, complemented by award-winning margaritas.
Englewood is a quiet resort, and this area offers accommodation in a relatively untouched area of the Gulf Coast.
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Naples
Naples is just west of the Everglades at the western end of Alligator Alley. It is a select residential area with great tourist shopping at Tin City and exclusive window shopping in some of the small arcades. The beaches are over 5 miles long with Clam Pass and Vanderbilt amongst the best.
You will be spoilt for choice when looking for something to do in this town! There are a number of golf courses including two designed by Arnold Palmer and Lee Trevino respectively, and Coral Cay Adventure Golf amusement park features two 18-hole miniature golf courses set among caves, reefs and waterfalls. The 19th century Palm Cottage is a historical landmark, while Naples is also home to museums of art and history, a teddy bear museum, botanical gardens, a swamp sanctuary, nature centre and Caribbean gardens.
For the water-borne adventurers in your party there is fishing, an eco-tour safari into the Everglades, complete with a jungle cruise and alligator tours, as well as daily sightseeing or sunset dinner cruises.
Naples offers you a cosmopolitan dining experience, with a massive choice that includes Italian, French, German, Irish, Chinese, Japanese, Persian, Argentinian and Cajun-Caribbean, as well as seafood, steak and American cuisine.
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Marco Island
Marco Island is at the western end of Alligator Alley, adjacent to the Everglades. It is about 30 minutes from Naples and is a quiet, very exclusive resort built on a network of waterways and canals onto which many of the villas face. Some of the most exclusive villas are found on Tigertail public beach.
The range of casual to fine dining options on Marco Island include Italian, Bavarian and French/continental restaurants and cafes, as well as a wide range of seafood options. Why not try Captain Brien's Seafood and Raw Bar, where everything is prepared fresh from scratch and cooked to order? Or for a touch of class visit Marek's Collier House Restaurant, an award-winning restaurant that is located in a luxuriously restored historic home, offering gourmet dishes prepared by its international award-winning Chef and owner.
Attractions on offer include a cinema and community theatre and the Off The Hook Comedy Club. Marco Island also offers a wide range of expert guided sea excursions such as sailing, dolphin, shelling, eco and sunset tours, sightseeing and dining cruises, and river, backwater and offshore fishing excursions.
The Island Country Club features a championship 18 hole golf course, 4 clay tennis courts and a full service restaurant.
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St Petersburg
Set at the entrance to Tampa Bay, St Petersburg is a thriving city housing many museums and art galleries. The array of art on offer includes a major collection of works by Salvador Dalí, and many arts-and-crafts exhibitions are held on the quarter-mile long pier.
The pier is crowned by a building that holds five stories of restaurants, shops and fast-food counters, whilst at its foot, the Museum of History, Museum of Fine Arts and Florida International Museum can be found. There are also tropical gardens galore including the Sunken Garden with thousands of sweet-scented trees and herbs.
For the golfing fanatic there are a number of courses, including a Championship range, right on your doorstep, and in addition there are dozens of outdoor adventures including trails, creeks, parks and a nature centre offering a range of pursuits from birdwatching and nature cruises to kayaking and fishing. Or why not take a ride in a biplane, go go-karting or visit the local winery? And when you tire of all this, there is – of course – the lure of the beaches.
Almost any type of food is available in St Petersburg, from Cuban to curry! Italian, Spanish, Asian, British, Japanese, Greek, vegetarian and of course American, seafood and BBQ are also on offer.
Fort Myers
Thomas Edison, a famous former inhabitant of Fort Myers, lined the roads with royal palms, giving this thriving city its nickname of the "City of Palms". Fort Myers has many historic museums and sites, as well as theatre and arts venues, and two sports parks where the Boston Red Sox and Minnesota Twins train in spring. Nature lovers can hike, bike and paddle along nature trails which include Manatee Park, home to a herd of endangered Florida manatees.
There is a lively, arty nightlife with clubs, bars, coffee houses and street performers whilst cafes, grills, family restaurants and steak houses combine with fine dining and seafood specialists to provide a wealth of choice when eating out.
Hugging the shores of the Caloosahatchee River, Fort Myers is also a gateway to a stretch of barrier islands known for their white sandy beaches, nature and recreation. Fort Myers Beach is a bustling, family-orientated beach town, whilst Sanibel Island has a national wildlife refuge as well as its famous shelling beaches and historic village. Captiva Island with its quirky shops and restaurants, Pine Island with its ancient Calusa Indian mounds and funky artist village and Bonita Beach are also close by.
Fort Myers is a perfect family holiday choice, offering something for everyone.
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