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Another possibility I'm toying with (rather than Tampa) is to visit Fort Myers beach and probably catch the ferry to Key West and back from there. I would need to take a bus from South FL to Fort Myers Greyhound and then a taxi to a hotel by the beach, which doesn't sound too problematic, since times are good. However, leaving Fort Myers northbound, I'd have to be at a 7AM bus pickup to take me to Orlando. Has anyone ever done this? Would it be a safe spot if I'm by myself and the taxi has left me off? Are there likely to be other PAX catching the bus too (in winter)? There is no station or ticket agent or anything like that; it's just a bus stop.
Also, what think you of Fort Myers Beach vs Tampa?
palmland Member # 4344
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If you want a good beach, why not head for Sanibel/Captiva which is near Ft. Myers. Looks like transportation is available.
Gilbert B Norman Member # 1541
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If my experiences over the years on the East Coast are any guide to the West, you will find that there is a notable temperature difference - especially in Morning hours, between Tampa (28.0° N, 82.5° W) and Fort Myers (26.6° N, 81.8° W). I can confirm first hand that mornings in Tarpon Springs (28.2° N, 82.8° W) are definitely 'nippy' during January and February (each full degree of Latitude is about 69 land miles apart).
Key West (24.6° N, 81.8° W) is quite sub-tropical.
Geoff Mayo Member # 153
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Just a thought regarding the taxi dropping you off: maybe some drivers would be prepared to let the meter run while staying with you, albeit for an additional exchange of the green folding stuff.
stlboomer Member # 2028
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Though I cannot speak from personal experience, this bus stop appears to be a fairly substantial truck stop just off I-75. I would imagine that at 7:00 am it would be busy enough to allay any security concerns you might have. You could probably get a good breakfast there, too. Check out the satellite view here:
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I've never been to Tampa, but I've been to Fort Myers. For some reason, Fort Myers doesn't really scream to me, "Beach vacation". Granted, I was there for other reasons---I never went to the beach or planned anything involving a beach. So I'm not the best person to give advice, other than to say that it just seemed like "a city" to me that happened to be on the water.
And one other thing I noticed that you either know about already, and/or are already used to: BUGS!! Where I live, honestly, we hardly have any flying insects. A fly every now and then (my cat is chasing one now that got in the house earlier!), but that's about it. What was super shocking to me when I was in Fort Meyers were the amount of insects---both flying and on the ground. Their insects were the size of dinosaurs! I swear! Okay, not quite that big...but they were H U G E. And there were fire ants everywhere and you couldn't put anything down on the ground for fear of fire ants attacking you and your stuff. The whole Florida scene for me was very odd--it was not the tropical vacation spot I had envisioned. That's when I learned that I've really got it made where I live.
Gilbert B Norman Member # 1541
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Andy Smith, what is missing from your immediate narrative is when did you go to Florida; Summer or Winter?
While likely I have set foot in the State of Florida almost every year for the past thirty five, it should be of note that, save once for an August family emergency, it was never earlier than Thanx nor later than 'an early' Easter. It is quite correct that our crawling and flying friends are endemic during the summer months, but in the winter they really are not. It was always interesting how driving about my Father's town down there, Lighthouse Point, some of the houses had thickly screened porches and some did not. It always seemed that those with the screens were occupied by year round residents; those without were for the snowbirds.
Finally, just like Smitty, I have about as much use for beaches in this life as did Sheriff Brody in the various 'Jaws' flicks (do Public Safety personnel collectively have a 'thing' about beaches - too often associated with having to pull someone out in an emergency?). I can recall once at about age 14 and at a Summer colony, Point O' Woods (Fire Island) NY, how my Father decreed that I WOULD go in the ocean daily shoulder high for ten minutes, excepting of course days that the beach was either Yellow or Red flagged. I complied and kept a Daily log; but funny how my 'swimming' since then has been limited to my morning shower (oh, and I guess I'd better throw in the Combat Confidence Course during AF Basic, where I admit I took a dousing).
smitty195 Member # 5102
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Ah, I did not know there was a difference in "flying dinosaurs" during the seasons. I was there in August, just before the schools went back in session. It was STICKY HOT there, which did not make things more pleasant. I did notice that all of the police officers I saw were wearing long-sleeve uniform shirts. At first I couldn't figure it out-----hot, sticky, and they're in long sleeves?? But then I figured, okay, it must be to avoid getting bitten or stung by bugs. Is that right, or is there some other reason?
DonNadeau Member # 61606
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My brother & sister-in-law live near Orlando & the collection of creatures on the screen around their pool looks like a scene from some out of control genetically-engineered ecological catastrophe.
As Marlon Brando said in Apocalypse Now, "The horror!" :-)
Ocala Mike Member # 4657
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If you don't like insects, don't live on a 3-acre horse farm in N. Central Florida. It's the downside of living in "paradise," I guess, although we have a cat who loves to sit by the door to the deck at night, picking them off one by one.
SilverStar092 Member # 2652
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A c ouple years ago I ntoiced the Amtrak bus stop for Ft. Myers while taking a break from I-75. It was located right at a convenience store/fast food place (maybe a truck stop). You could call Amtrak and ask an agent if that is still the case. If so, there will be no problem as you're not standing by the side of the road in an isolated place.
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