Travelling Florida

Everything you want to do is possible in beautiful Florida (except snow skiing!): relaxation, sports, partying, beaches, shopping... whatever you want, you'll find it here.

Quick Tips:

Enjoy yourself!

Bring plenty of dollars.

Bring an open mind and sense of humour.

Best Way To Get Around:

Good Greyhound bus services. Car is best though.

This is a UNIQUE place centered around music and trains! Depending on your perspective, it's really cool or bloody awful. Only you can decide. Dorms are squashed train carriages sleeping six (fine if you don't move much)for $18 a night, or privates for $50 a night. Music is piped throughout the compound (for want of a better word) constantly, and there's a bar, whirlpool, outside shower, and cool tree-top deck area.

It is in a residential area but close to the main bus routes and not far from Ybor, the city within a city. Ybor is a lovely place to visit, combining history, charm, and nightlife. Busch Gardens is approximately 30 minutes' drive away. Find it on Hostels.com.

This is by far the best hostel I’ve stayed in. There are no outward signs indicating hostel accommodation, and the locals I spoke to didn't even know it was there! Funny, as I asked in the motel next door! Or maybe they were touting for business…

Anyway, step outside, cross over the road, and you're on the beautiful Lauderdale beach, and a 10-minute walk to the right puts you in the lovely Las Olas area, with lots of restaurants, pubs, shopping, and other activities. Turn left for a 20-minute walk or hop on one of the frequent buses into central Lauderdale and party the night away on the beach with excellent pubs serving lovely food at a very reasonable price.

The staff is very friendly and always willing to help any way they can. The dorms are clean, comfy four-bed rooms ($18.50 per night), mixed or female or male, each complete with own bathroom, kitchen, TV room, and key. A few privates are also available. Free breakfast is served in the fully equipped upstairs kitchen (one of three available for guests).

A freshwater hose just outside the secure hostel gate provides a way to rid yourself of sand after a hard day on the beach. The main gate is code-operated and changed regularly. Photo ID is necessary on arrival. There is a pool room, barbeque area, parking, bike rental, patio, and free Internet access. Self-service laundry is $1. It’s a great place to stay! Visit www.FortLauderdaleHostel.com

This hostel is well located for exploring Key West. A kitchen and bike hires are available. I stayed in the HI dorms, which were $30 per night, which was very expensive, especially considering that I can only describe it as a ****hole. The female dorm has 5 bunk beds in a tiny, cramped room. Two steps from my bed and I was in the toilet, literally! There was one sink, one toilet, and one shower in minute cubicles (and I’m small). Beds are covered with plastic sheets.

I really would avoid this place if you can. However, that said, I didn't see the motel rooms, as they were much pricier, so possibly nicer. And when in Key West, you won't be spending much time indoors.

This hostel is in the small town of Clearwater on the Gulf of Mexico, 20 miles from Tampa. The beach is rated in the top 10 of the US. The hostel has a pool, canoes, bikes, barbeque area, car park, and internet access. The dorms are clean, and staff is helpful and friendly. Beds cost between $15 and $18 per night. A short walk gets you to the beach, shops, pubs, and restaurants, as well as various sports areas.

This is a great place to relax and chill in a gorgeous setting. It is well worth a visit. Find out more on hostels.com.

The South Beach Hostel is a great place to stay. It is in the Art Deco area of South Beach, 1 block from the beach. Prices range from $13 to $30 per night, depending on the size. This is a friendly, clean, trendy place complete with its own lounge/bar, Internet access, and pool table. Unfortunately, there's no parking except the expensive multistory lots nearby. But there's excellent public transport around the area. Nearby are numerous bars, restaurants, sights, various attractions, clubs, galleries, etc. Pretty much anything you want you'll find close at hand. This is a really great place to stay.

This is a nice enough hostel/hotel only 2 blocks from the beach, complete with a pool, Internet, and open-air kitchen and patio. Unfortunately, the only parking is in the expensive multistory lot nearby. The dorms are clean, comfy, and en suite, usually two bunk beds costing $18.50 per night. While the rooms and facilities are nice, I found it a bit noisy, as the place never seems to sleep, but I guess that’s Miami for you.

The park is easily accessible and has a full service dive shop. It's a wonderful place to relax. A small fee is payable on entrance. The diving was excellent, and the boat crew was excellent. The value for your money was good. A full set of rental equiptment is available, or bring your own. Boat diving has half- or full-day options.

Skydive Miami is an excellent professional outfit on the outskirts of Florida City. While this experience isn't cheap, it's well worth it as a 'once-in-a-lifetime' thing. All in all, I was at the airfield for approximately 2 hours and spent nearly $300! However, I did buy the photos and DVD (I needed proof I'd leapt out a perfectly good plane). The jump itself is a tandem jump and costs around $200.

I stayed in the Hosteling International hostel in Florida City, which is only a 10-minute drive from the 'drop zone', and transport can be arranged for a fee. It is a very laid-back, welcoming place with friendly, helpful staff. Their policy is to never turn away a genuine traveller, even if they're full--you can sleep in the garden tent! Rooms are nice, bright clean dorms of four beds for $18 per night or slightly more expensive private rooms. It is on the edge of the Everglades National Park and offers various trips into the glades. Bike rental is also available.

I used this as my base for a couple of days to catch up on sleep and relax. Close by is the Everglades Alligator Farm, which you can stroll around, watch various shows, and enjoy a thrilling airboat ride through the Glades, all for the very reasonable price of $17.50. This is a very good place to stop for a breather before setting off down the Keys.

This is a small family-run shop. They are extremely friendly, go out of their way to help and are very reasonably priced. Crystal River has an abundance of dive shops/operators to chose from; however, the larger operators seem to herd divers and snorklers on and off the boat as quickly as possible, and boats often look cramped. STADT Aquatics were prepared to take me out alone to swim with the manatees and do two dives at a bargain price. Other shops were quoting $120 for one dive and manatee swim! I spent a lovely, relaxing morning with dive master Dan as we leisurely swam and dove with the manatees. This is an excellent shop that I'd highly recommend.

Devils Den is a lovely natural freshwater spring with clear 72-degree water year-round. The staff are friendly, and a wide range of equipment is available. This is a lovely place to dive, and with the blue grotto just over the road, a place for a full day of diving fun. RV sites and cabins are available to rent with fishing, vollyball, picnic tables and BBQ for your 'dry' time. Both of these places are fairly expensive for diving, but I’d say worth it for the been there, done that value. A short drive down the road brings you to Forty Fathom Grotto, home of the Guinneness World Record Deep Diver Hal Watts. Unfortunatley due to the recent hurricanes i was unable to dive here but i did meet Hal who was very informative, helpful and willing to take time out to chat. The Grotto has guided tours to depths exceeding 61m (suitably qualified only) or platforms at various depths for training. There is a full service dive shop, picnic area, BBQ grills, showers, and WC's. Web sites are; www.devilsden.com www.mrscuba.com

This is a nice little shop in Lauderdale-by-the-Sea. It is a full-service dive shop with a full range of rental equipment. It is only 1 block off the beach. They have a friendly, helpful staff.

The journey down through the Keys is beautiful and scattered with dive shops for the adventurous. Take time to stop and enjoy if you've the time and money. Mallory Square (KW) is a must-see with its evening entertainment. The street musicians, dancers, etc., offer all types of entertainment. Visit numerous tacky souvenir shops, but shop around for bargains. The beaches are nice, but many are private--hotel guests only. Whatever type of nightlife you're looking for, there's a good chance you'll find it here. Try the Irish pub, then cross the road for New Orleans-style music. Nightlife and partying are what Key West is about, and after visiting here, you'll know why!

Quick Tips/Suggestions:
Visit here with an open mind and expect lots of fun. Crime doesn't seem bad, but as always, keep close guard of valuables. Bring plenty of money and book early. I stayed in a hostel dorm for $30 off-season. Avoid this like the plauge if you can afford to!

Best Way to Get Around:
From Miami, it's a 162-mile trip to Key West. Travel by Greyhound bus or car, but once in Key West, the best way to see it all is definitely by foot, and there'll be no worries about a DUI after sampling the numerous bars! Both bike and scooter hire are readily available. While bike hire is cheap, scooters can get costly.

All three places above are well worth a visit. They are laid-back, naturally beautiful, and perfect for relaxing. All offer fresh-water springs diving at its best. The water is clear and warm. Homassasa and Crystal River fill up with the gentle giant manatees in November, so be sure to make time to swim with them. The nature parks are gorgeous, especially Hommassa Springs, where you can visit various animals in the park and go downstairs to a 360-degree underwater observation area to watch the manatees feeding. Accommodation is readily available, and there are plenty of bars, restaurants, and fast-food places to keep you well-fed and watered.

One word for Daytona Beach has to be Octoberfest. This was an excellent week on the beach, with plenty of R&R and partying.

The town was overrun with Harleys. Now, bike fan or not, I defy you not to be moved by the sight of hundreds of gleaming Harleys roaring down the street, the ground shaking, accompanied by leather-clad, denim-clad, and barely clad bikers! The work these people put into their machines is astounding. For many of them, it’s a way of life, and the time and effort spent has to be admired.

Of course, with this many people descending on the town, accommodation must be booked early. Try the Outback Steakhouse on the edge of town for a gorgeous meal and friendly staff.