What isn't there to do in Florida?

Some popular spots that are a must:
Disney theme parks (obviously) are all great.
MGM
Universal Studios
Cypress Gardens
The Everglades National Park
Daytona Beach
Ron Jon's Surf Shop

Some not so known places to go:
New Symrna Beach
The Masquerade Venue
Bono's Real Pit BBQ
The Science Center

Some of my most memorable times have either been spent at the Disney theme parks or Daytona Beach. I love them both and hold them close to my heart.

I've had dreams of pirates and depths of 20,000 leagues, thanks to Disney. I've met friends to last a lifetime, thanks to Disney and their Grad Night. I've been inspired to draw, thanks to Disney. And I have had a lifetime of entertainment, thanks to Disney.

Ive spent week-long vactions with my first love in Daytona. I took friends to see the ocean for the first time in Daytona. I've had several birthdays in Daytona. And I am in love with this nostalgic city.

Quick Tips:

All the hotels you stay at will have an information desk. These people are great not only for advice and dirctions, but they have special coupons for places, like 2-for-1 drinks and things of that nature. And they are more than happy to give them away.

Keep an open mind when you stop at stands offering free Disney tickets or theme park tickets. While the tickets are usually free, it almost always means sitting through at least an hour of timeshare or hotel pitches. So keep this in mind when making your schedule, if this is something you want to do.

Best Way To Get Around:

In smaller beach cities, it's easy to get around on foot, so most people just leave their cars in the hotel parking lot for the duration of their stays.

There is public transportation in major cities in Florida, but most tourists don't use this. I guess you could, but most people drive to Florida, so they have no need to.

This is a great place for families or even groups of families to come on vacation. There are three main reasons why:

1. You can get rooms with kitchens, so that you don't have to eat out all the time. There is a grocery store just a few miles down the road, as well. Some kitchens have full-size refrigerators and freezers, while others have only small dorm-style ones. There is also a stove and oven, along with a sink. A few dishes are provided in the motel rooms, but we usually just bought disposable dishes at the store.

2. If you are coming down with another family, you two can get adjoining rooms. This could be a plus or not! I guess it depends on who you're traveling with!

3. The water slide is by far the main attraction and selling point to this motel. It's fun for kids and adults alike. They have two pools, but only a water slide in one.

The motel also offers games and kids' activities during the day. They say that no pets are allowed, but I saw two families there with their dogs, and they said all they did was call ahead of time. But even if they let you bring your dog, dogs are not allowed on the beach.

You can start the day with a great free breakfast and newspaper. The hotel is only about a 20-minute drive from the airport and about a 20-minute drive to Universal Studios. Disney is a little bit farther, but not by much. My favorite thing about the hotel is that it is a nice hotel that accepts pets. Those are few and far between. They also offer free high-speed Internet access in the rooms. Why is it you have to pay for high-speed Internet in the expensive hotel but get it for free in the cheaper ones?

The resort is right in the heart of Orlando, so it’s great for families who are in town for the local amusement parks. The resort is also a great place for when you have family in town but don't have enough room in your house for them. You can go take a stroll on the beaches of the lake or go play volleyball on the beach. If you have any problems with your accommodations, the staff is more than willing to go the extra mile to help you out.

The hotel offers a free shuttle to the parks nearby. You’re only a 2-minute drive from most of the parks in case you feel like driving, though. The rooms have high-speed Internet access, and there is wireless high-speed access in the lobby area.

Take advantage of the luxury shuttle bus to any of the parks. There is also great shopping right outside your hotel in downtown Disney. The Lego statues that decorate the walkways are my favorite part. There is no shortage of Disney shops here, hence the name Downtown Disney. The animation store is a great place to collect original pieces of Disney animation.

Tourists will be happy to know that this beautiful condo resort is only a short 10-minute drive to Disney and the other theme parks. When not seeing the sights in town, you can check out some of the great services at the resort. There is a small "movie theater;" children’s playroom; a lake with fishing, swimming, and boating; and a great sand shore complete with palm trees.

You can catch a water taxi to City Walk, which is a touristy place that has tons of great shopping and dinning. I like the Bob Marley House myself. It is a restaurant that is a replica of Bob Marley’s house. What’s with all these replicas? Another benefit to this hotel is that, if you take your hotel key to the park, you can show the key and get to skip all the long lines!

In the last three years, water parks have been created, much larger hotels erected, and a city walk designed. They are turning this old beach city into a growing tourist trap. For now, though, the changes are nice. It's helped the city to grow with the times. As long as they don't over do it, the city should be able to keep its charm.

The newly created city walk boasts a few more expensive resturants, a movie theater, and some expensive stores. It looks nice, though, and has a walkway over the road from the parking garage, to the stores, and beach access. I personally never did much here because it was too touristy for me. I like the older side of Daytona myself.

The beaches are wide, and the water is nice. The time of your visit will determine the crowd. I like to go around the beginning of July, for my birthday. The crowds aren't too big, there's plenty of room on the beach, and the hotels aren't all booked up. If you come here during race week, bike week, spring break, or any holiday weekend, it's a whole different story.

As an interesting fact, Daytona is one of the only two beaches in the state of Florida that you can drive on. Actually, I think maybe in all of the USA (the other being New Symrna). You will also notice that the ocean-facing side of all the lights around your hotel's pool area are painted black. This is to keep baby turtles from mistaking them for the moon and crawling the away from the ocean.

If you're heading out this way, I suggest the Ocean Villas Hotel. Families and groups of friends will love this place!

As always, this is one of those landmark stores that locals and tourists alike can point you in the direction of if you get lost. All you have to do to get there is head south down the street from the pier a few blocks, and you can't miss it.

This place has everything, from their famous shirts and surfboards to shoes, sunglasses, and stickers. Everything in the store is name-brand and mostly over-priced. You can find half of their stuff cheaper at other shops in town, but it's world-famous, so they can do that.

The employees don't really pay much attention to you unless they think you are stealing. The store itself is nice and clean, and it's fun to have a t-shirt from there, but other than the shirt, there is no reason to buy anything here unless you want to pay too much for it.