Your Florida Vacation: Tips for a Great Time

You\'ve saved for your Florida vacation, and you are excited! You
are counting the days until you can travel to the Sunshine
State. Or perhaps you are planning a trip to Florida in the near
future.

The purpose of your Florida vacation is to relax and have fun. I
am a Florida native, and I also like traveling around this great
state. Here are a few tips to make sure you have a great time.

First, know the weather in Florida. I have seen statistics
posted that our average temperature is in the mid 80\'s in the
summer, and the mid 70\'s in the winter. As a Florida native, I
can tell you that the averages don\'t reflect reality. In the
summer, expect temperatures in the 90\'s with very high humidity.
In the winters, daytime temperatures in the 50\'s are not
uncommon. I don\'t want to dissuade you from visiting Florida. I
just don\'t want you to be unpleasantly surprised.

Florida is a long state, and it takes time to travel to the
different areas. If you want to visit both the Florida Panhandle
and also Key West, be aware that you will spend a lot of time on
the road. If you have at least two weeks for your vacation, it
may be feasible; if you only have one week, you will miss much
of Florida\'s charm. Instead, you\'ll be in the car, fighting the
traffic.

If you plan to bring a notebook computer with you, be aware that
not all hotels offer high-speed internet access. And the ones
that do offer this service tend to have only wireless access. If
surfing the internet on your Florida vacation is important to
you, call ahead to the hotel and verify the connection you can
expect.

Speaking of hotels, you tend to get what you pay for. Many
hotels offer prices of $29 or lower per night. You will get a
bed and linens, but don\'t expect anything more - including extra
towels. It is usually worth spending a little more money for
another hotel; you\'d be surprised at what a nice room $45 a
night can buy.

If you don\'t like crowds, plan your Florida vacation for the
shoulder seasons. You tend to get a bit better service and often
a break on hotel prices. February and October are the two best
months, and as a bonus tend to have some really nice weather.

In your vacation planning, take into account not only major
holidays, but local events as well. These events can
substantially increase both hotel prices and crowds. Some
examples of local events are the lobster mini-season in the
Florida Keys, the seafood festival in Cedar Key and the
Firecracker 400 NASCAR race in Daytona Beach. I have seen hotel
prices literally double for some events.

If you\'d like some more information and fun facts for planning
your perfect Florida vacation, I\'d love to have you visit me at

http://www.great-florida-vacations.com