Florida getaways have something for everyone and there’s lots more to see and do within easy travelling distance of your central Florida location. Read on…
Florida getaways are wonderful. It’s not called the sunshine state for nothing and is hugely popular with the over 50’s in Winter. I know it only takes a day or two of Florida sunshine to make my aches and pains disappear and I’m not alone. From romantic weekend getaways to all inclusive Florida holidays or a long term stay living like a local. Florida vacations are popular with everyone.
Temporary residents in Winter are known locally as Snowbirds and there are plenty of us. People who are fed up of the cold weather back home head off for a Florida getaway for months at a time in their droves. A combination of theme parks, sunshine and the Everglades National Park keeps visitors coming back year after year.
Click here to see our article on why holidays should be longer.
Go Straight To: Luxury Travel Agents, Concierge Travel, Villas or Hotels, FairFX, Car Rental, Magic Kingdom, Seaworld, Universal Studios, Discovery Cove, Epcot, Multi Park Deals, Mobility, Zoo Miami, Miami Seaquarium, Everglades, Gulf Coast, Overall Opinion.
Getting There
Direct flights to international airports such as Orlando, Miami and Tampa make your Florida getaway easily accessible. For those with time on their hands you can take the leisurely route and cruise there. Transatlantic crossings to Miami, Fort Lauderdale or even Tampa can be cheaper than a slightly upgraded flight!
Whichever airport or cruise line you choose the offers are endless to the point of daunting. However before you begin trawling through the internet for your perfect Florida getaway, think about how you want to shape your holiday.
Click here for our top tips for travelling with arthritis! See also Travelling with Fibromyalgia?
Package
If you want to book a straight forward package holiday then all the usual travel quotes are out there. This can often be the cheapest option and TUI, Thomas Cook, Virgin Holidays, Ocean Florida and Love Holidays are strong favourites.
Love Holidays are currently offering a one week stay at the Days Inn by Windham, Kissimmee, Florida starting at £378 per person including flights. (Click here for TripAdvisor reviews on Days Inn). But if you prefer the privacy and convenience of a villa then Ocean Florida have good deals all year round. Keep in mind that their villa prices are based on eight people sharing a four bedroom villa and six people sharing a three bedroom villa. Your Florida getaway can work out expensive if you’re only a couple. Ocean Florida (click here for their villa reviews) prices start from £469 per person for one week including flights.
Luxury Travel Agents
For the more discerning traveller then a bespoke Florida getaway is the way to go. If you can afford to use a luxury travel agent to build your trip then tailormadeflorida.com and Hayes & Jarvis are good to work with. But what if you can’t afford bespoke but really love that special treatment that bespoke can give you?
Concierge Travel
Full Circle Travel
In our search for those luxury touches that make us feel special we came across Full Circle Travel who offer a concierge service. Not something most people can afford to even contemplate. Full Circle Travel boast that there is no extra charge for their services. Their Florida getaways to Orlando start at a pleasing £549 upwards depending on the accommodation you require and is often less than booking directly with tour operators.
At Full Circle Travel they pride themselves on taking the stress out of the booking process and are contactable by telephone 24 hours a day if you need them. They cater for just about everything right up to World cruises so a good resource to be aware of.
The Inspiring Travel Company
If you can’t consider anything less than five star then The Inspiring Travel Company is the one for you. They too offer a reassuring 24 hour telephone service. They are specialists when it comes to solving any problem that occurs whilst you’re away so you’re never alone. On the more indulgent side they can arrange for you to dine in Michelin starred restaurants and get you the best of anything your heart desires. Having said that, a quick look at their offers page tells you that a few thousand pounds is needed for this level of service.
Villa Holidays Or Hotels
Florida getaways appeal for many different reasons and sunshine is definitely one of the main attractions. Some people want to see Mickey Mouse and visit the theme parks. Others are attracted to the wildlife of the Everglades or the fishing and boating lifestyle of the Gulf Coast. Many just want to relax and kick back in what has to be the most friendly sunshine state in America.
You can’t beat the luxury and privacy of having your own villa complete with pool and spa. It provides an excellent base for any holiday lifestyle you choose. Therefore, if you’re travelling as a couple like most over 50’s then a villa can be expensive. Most villa rental prices through travel companies are based on 6-8 people sharing.
Villa Prices
To get the best price consider booking through websites like Home Away where you pay for the villa rather than the number of people going. For vacation rentals of a month or more this is one of my ‘go-to’ options. You can sometimes negotiate a better price if your Florida getaway is for a longer term holiday.
A little known website here in the UK is hotpads.com . Used throughout the United States it’s the perfect place to rent a home for a month or more. Besides, a few villas at hot pads will also accept weekly rentals so it’s always worth a browse.
Prices:
You can expect to pay between $2500 and $6000 (£1980 and £4500) per month depending on the quality and size of accommodation. Some holiday villas charge extra for electric on both these sites now.
A recent villa we rented was a three bedroom, two bathroom waterfront home. It had an electrically heated pool with it’s own dock and a long canal view (see photo above). We rented it for 4 weeks and the energy bill was around $200. Make sure to put the word ‘furnished’ in your hotpads search filter for the villas that are available for vacation rental. If you like a warm pool be sure to avoid solar heated pools for your Florida getaway in Winter time.
Hotels
This is the one area where you won’t be penalised for travelling as a couple rather than a family. Because hotel room prices tend to be based on two people sharing whether they are three star or five star. If you’re a fan of independent booking then you may already have a favourite website for this but good ones to consider are florida4less and Hotels Combined which is a comparison site for hotel rooms. TripAdvisor can usually send you to the best prices and latest deals for all accommodation and you get honest reviews and pictures from previous guests. Follow this link and click ‘View Deal’ for up to date prices
Booking Tip
Don’t be put off booking if the prices are in U.S. dollars rather than pounds – it can often work out cheaper than sterling. I’ve had a Fair FX dollar card (backed by Mastercard) for years, and they do most other currencies too. It’s a pre-paid card you can top up online a little at a time.
FairFX
FairFX offer award winning rates and will deliver your travel cash direct to your door too. If you need to make larger payments (villa rental, boat rental, villa purchasing etc) they are ideal. You can make an international transfer through them and it’s a really simple and easy process. You can top up online whilst you’re on your Florida getaway too.
Fair FX will email you whenever the exchange rate is good so you can get the best price in advance of your trip. We tend to top up our cards with small amounts when we can afford it to ease the strain . Click here to sign up for their currency card or to open an account with them.
Your Florida Getaways will most likely involve car rental at some point. There are some resorts that offer transport to and from the main parks. But if you don’t want to queue for a bus in the hot sun you’ll need wheels. A car will get you to your favourite restaurant in the evenings. Or to the shopping mall when you fancy a bit of retail therapy.
Where To Rent
A good comparison website to use for this is Rentalcars.com. We’ve found them easy to use and they have regular special offers. We generally opt for a vehicle offered by Budget Car Rentals. Our reason for this is simple.
All too often in the weeks following a holiday car rental we have received a bill for hundreds of dollars ($257 was our highest from Hertz). These extra bills seem to be for absolutely anything the rental companies can conjure up. And they leave a nasty taste in your mouth at the end of your holiday.
The only bill we ever get from Budget is perhaps a slight discrepancy on the fuel level on return of the car. Our last one being for around $30. The extra peace of mind hiring from Budget is worth a lot.
Cost: The basic price for four weeks car rental in November starts at around £583 for a small vehicle. prices vary at different times of yearand tend to go up at peak times.
Florida Getaways To Orlando
Over 126 million people visited Florida in 2017 and at least 72 million of those headed to Orlando. It’s home to acres and acres of gated villa communities and resorts. The Orland/Kissimmee area is the undisputed theme park capital of the world and a must for children and grandchildren. The jewel in the crown of Orlando has to be Walt Disney World who cater to a staggering 52 million visitors a year. Take a look at five of our favourite Orlando activities below.
The Magic Kingdom
The theme parks are the stuff dreams are made of, and there’s no such thing as being too old for Disney. After all Mickey Mouse is clocking on a bit himself! Every Disney character you can think of is here in Walt Disney Worlds Magic Kingdom Park , waiting to meet you. They have regular shows throughout the day and some serious roller coaster rides that are not for the faint-hearted.
There are less scary rides if you don’t like the rollers. You can sail back through time to an age where pirates ruled the seas or fly over London with Peter Pan. There are always live shows and entertainment throughout the park and you need more than just one day. Every day at the park ends with more Disney magic in a Grand Finale, a spectacular firework and laser display to delight us all. Florida getaways wouldn’t be the same without Disney!
Open: 9am to 9pm
Cost: Prices fluctuate according to demand but adults can expect to pay around £80 and children aged 3-9 about £75. Children under 3 go free. Click here for multi park prices and save money.
Sea World
The very first Florida theme park we ever visited. Sea World was a firm favourite with us and we couldn’t wait to take our grandchildren there. Not long afterwards we saw the documentary Black Fish. Sea World had some bad publicity over the years because of their killer whale show and this documentary focuses on the story of an orca named Tilikum . One handler was tragically killed by Tilikum and the story highlights the fact that there is no captive facility big enough to justify keeping Orcas. However they are an excellent source of education in all other things marine.
You can view Black Fish here as it will help you decide if you want to visit the park or not. I only mention Sea World here because of their strong conservation message. They have helped to rescue over 34000 sick, injured or orphaned animals during the 50 years they have been operating and you’ll love the interaction you can have with the park animals.
Open: 10am to 6pm
Cost: £75 per person. Click here for multi park prices and save money
Universal Studios
Here Hollywood comes to Florida and you can stroll into different film sets and meet all the characters at Universal Studios. There are plenty of rides and immersive movie experiences. Men In Black, Harry Potter, Memes, Transformers and The Simpsons to name just a few. We had our first experience of 4D cinema here. With special effects donkey snot (Shrek) and dragon snot at Production Central will have the kids screaming for more.
Open: 9am but closing times vary.
Cost: Adults around £90 and Children about £87. Click here for Universal deals and save money.
Discovery Cove
Another marine themed experience. The difference is this one allows you to swim along with the animals and interact with them. If swimming with dolphins is high on your bucket list then this is the place to come and do it. You can also swim and snorkel with thousands of fish and rays on the Grand Reef. Then interact with Otters and marmosets. Situated opposite Sea World it’s a must for anyone who loves marine life.
Note: Discovery Cove will supply you with sunscreen that won’t harm the marine residents so leave any other chemicals off your skin that day.
Open: 7.15 am to 5.30 pm
Cost: From age 3+ £113 for day resort admission or £152 to include a dolphin swim. Click here for multi park deals and save money.
Epcot
A more educational theme park, Epcot focuses on science and technology. You can explore 11 different countries in the World Showcase and learn about different cultures and the kind of food they eat. Travel around the world, into space and under the sea. Epcot also has lots of rides (yes, rollercoasters), simulators and exhibitions all celebrating the human spirit and innovation. There’s lots to see and do for both adults and children and worth a day or two of anyone’s holiday.
Open: 10 am to 5 pm
Cost: One day Park Pass £71. Click here for multi park deals and save money.
Multi Park Deals
Let’s face it Florida theme parks are not cheap. Simply turning up at the gate and paying to get in on the day will empty your wallet very quickly. With Park gate prices getting higher and higher the most sensible way to go is to buy a multi park ticket.
The more parks you’re visiting the cheaper it becomes. A little bit of forward planning should bring your average park price down to around £50 per person per park.
Booking Note – be sure to buy from the parks direct because it’s cheaper than buying from an agent, which can cost around £150 per person per park. Even if they offer all the parks you want in ‘one ticket’.
Disney
Disney have six parks in the Orlando/Kissimmee area. The Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Disneys Hollywood Studios, Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park. Disneys Blizzard Beach Water Park and Disneys Typhoon Lagoon Water Park. You can buy a seven day ticket to all six for £302 for adults and £286 for children. These prices include Fast Pass Plus and Memory Maker. At the time of writing they have a special offer of a fourteen day ticket for the same price.
Seaworld
Seaworld have four parks including Discovery Cove, Aquatica and Busch Gardens. For their ultimate package giving you access to all four parks and swimming with dolphins you can expect to pay £442 per person. Note: Access to these parks must be on consecutive days. You can visit as often as you like over a 14 consecutive day period.
Universal
Universal operate three parks comprising Universal Studios, Islands of Adventure and Volcano Bay. You can visit all three for £340 for adults and £252 for children. Tickets are valid for five days over a seven day period.
There’s no doubt that pre planning your theme park schedule can save you a small fortune. All the parks offer extras such as VIP experiences, Dining deals and queue jumping tickets. Besides the length of the queues are eye wateringly long. Anything to avoid spending hours of your day looking at someones back is a good investment.
Mobility And Blue Badge Parking.
If you need help getting around when visiting the parks you can hire electric conveyance vehicles (disability scooters) for fifty dollars (£38) per day with a $20 refundable deposit. Wheelchairs will cost you around £9 per day. Service animals are welcome at most places throughout the parks.
The days of fast tracking to the front of the attraction queues because you have a scooter or wheelchair have gone. But don’t despair. On entering the parks go straight to Guest Services and ask for an accessibility pass. It’s always handy to take some proof if you have a hidden disability.
There’s a lot of conflicting information about using your blue disability badge for parking in the state of Florida. Some websites suggest a temporary permit is now required costing $15. We checked on the DMV website and currently UK blue badges are recognised as they have the wheelchair symbol on them. To get the most up to date information on this we’ve included the DMV link here.
Florida Getaways To Miami
Situated on the east coast (Atlantic side) of Florida, Miami is the cultural centre of south Florida. With white sandy beaches and upmarket restaurants it’s art-deco architecture gives it an ultra cool vibe.
Home to the iconic series Miami Vice it’s cultivated an image of glamour and excitement and is the place to be seen. You can cruise down Ocean Drive and meander through the Art Deco district. With lots of designer stores to shop at you can be one of the ‘beautiful people’ hanging out in the bars. And there’s lots to see and do while you’re topping up your tan.
Zoo Miami
I’m a true animal lover but not a fan of zoos. However, their message is good. The Zoo Miami’s cage free environment and open air exhibits on a 750 acre site is a great day out for families. Active leaders in global wildlife and conservation initiatives. Zoo Miami are currently taking part in about 36 projects over six continents.
I’m happy to say the level of care for the animals there exceeds the rigorous standards of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. If you prefer the VIP treatment they offer special tours, animal feeding and brilliant educational field trips.
Open: 10am to 5pm Daily
Cost: Adults (13+) £17.50 and children (aged 3-12) £14.50, under 3’s go free.
Miami Seaquarium
It’s all about the water wherever you are in Florida and Miami is no different. Miami Seaquarium also plays a huge part in the conservation and rescue of endangered manatees. It has an educational program where you can learn about dolphin behaviour. You can interact with them, swim with them and get to know penguins and swim with seals. Click here for their experiences page.
Open: 10 am to 6 pm
Cost: Adults £36 and children over 3 years £29
Don’t forget to add 7% Florida Sales Tax to ticket prices and almost everything else!
And More
During your Florida getaway you can have a Cuban experience at Little Havana, continue the animal theme with Jungle Island or explore the Salt Marshes and Indian burial ground. There is always something to do here. If your ideal Florida getaway is lazing in the sun, then South Beach is the place for you.
The Everglades National Park
wherever you are in Florida you won’t be too far away from the Everglades National Park with lots to explore and Air Boat Rides to thrill you. The habitat of alligators, snakes, crocodiles and panthers means you must stick to guided tours and mapped out routes for your own safety. Again if you’re a fan of conservation you’ll love all it has to offer. There are numerous cycle and walking trails to explore.
Florida Getaways To The Gulf Coast
Definitely our favourite part of the state. The gulf coast runs the along the west coast of Florida and is perhaps the most prestigious area to reside in. Particularly in the South West. Looking out into the waters of the Gulf of Mexico it’s no surprise that boats feature heavily in the Gulf area.
Many rental villas along this coast back onto canals with their own dock. Anyone with a standard driving licence can hire a boat and set off to explore islands like Sanibel and Captiva. There’s something very decadent about mooring up beside your favourite restaurant and going in for lunch!
If a villa isn’t for you then check out Booking.com for the best Florida Gulf Coast resorts on the beach. Here you can get a detailed information of each resort to help you choose your Gulf Coast Vacation.
Boat Rental
There are lots of boat rental companies along the Gulf Coast but they can be expensive. A one week rental for a 22ft Hurricane Sundeck from Cape Coral Boat Rentals can set you back about £1100. This includes Florida Sales Tax of course. Because our boating budget ends up being similar to our budget for villa hire it’s therefore more cost effective to hire for periods of a few days. At those prices you don’t want to pay for a boat that’s moored all day whilst you explore.
Overall Opinion
Florida getaways are gifts that keep on giving. It would probably take you decades of holidays to see and do everything that Florida has to offer. Because the theme parks are constantly changing and updating they’re always worth another visit. You’re unlikely to run out of places to go or things to see.
If your perfect Florida getaway is to sit around in the sunshine or relax by the pool then there are plenty of cheap deals to be found online. Besides, when you’re self catering, groceries and alcohol are generally much cheaper than here in the UK. On a budget? Try Walmart which is Florida’s Asda and therefore Publix are their Waitrose.
The pharmacy CVS tends to be open 24 hours and stock milk, beer, frozen pizza etc. Handy for late night flights arrivals as Walmart and Publix often close by 9pm.
Make sure to plan your finances carefully if theme parks and attractions are on your itinerary and buy multi park tickets to save money.
Happy Travels!