Vote for the best beach town in Florida
Laura Bly - http://www.usatoday.com/story/dispatches/2012/12/28/whats-the-best-beach-town-in-florida/1793599/5p.m. EST December 28, 2012
With thousands of snowbirds pointing their convertibles south to the Sunshine State for a dose of winter warmth, we asked "Dr. Beach"— aka Florida International University professor and coastal expert Stephen P. Leatherman — for 10 Florida destinations that combine sand, surf and a welcoming sense of community. His favorites, in alphabetical order:
Sanibel Island: Yes, "you have to pay $6 to get there" via a causeway. But once you reach this upscale Gulf Coast barrier island, you'll find the country's "No. 1 shelling area," no stoplights, and strict building codes that limit new structures to two stories in height.
Clearwater Beach: Meet "volleyball heaven" on the Gulf Coast, with "some of the best girl- and boy-watching I've ever seen" near Pier 60.
Cocoa Beach: This onetime astronaut hangout near the Kennedy Space Center is famous for the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, along with "a great pier and surf shop," Ron Jon's, whose flagship store will be celebrating its 50th anniversary next year.
Delray Beach: A "surprising find" in South Florida, with a "walkable downtown," locally owned shops and a lively bar scene.
Key West: Free-wheeling Margaritaville "is crowded, but with good reason. Its two beaches (Smathers and Fort Zachary Taylor) may not be that great for Florida, but certainly are by U.S. standards."
New Smyrna Beach: Though Leatherman frowns on the practice from an environmental point of view, this laid-back surfing outpost at the mouth of the Indian River in east central Florida "still lets you drive on the beach."
Pensacola Beach: This Panhandle town features "great public access to incredibly wide beaches," bay or Gulf of Mexico swimming, and nearby Fort Pickens, where Apache leader Geronimo was imprisoned.
Seaside: A master-planned "country beach town" on the Florida Panhandle, Seaside was "made for coalescing over front porches and white picket fences."
Siesta Key: Last year's winner of Leatherman's "best beach in America" survey, this Gulf Coast barrier island southwest of Sarasota has "the finest white sand in the world."
South Beach: Celebrity-packed "Manhattan on the beach" hosts an annual polo tournament each spring and remains "one of the world's most famous" strands.
Now, readers, it's your turn. Vote for your favorite below (or at this link), or tweet your pick to @usatodaytravel using the hashtag #flabeachtown. We'll feature the winner in an upcoming Travel story.
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Call Reservation Central at 1-800-290-6920 or visit us at www.ResCen.com to make your next Sanibel Island or Captiva Island, Florida vacation. Choose from 1000s of hotels, resorts, small inns, cottages, condominiums or private vacation homes.
Friday, December 28, 2012
Monday, December 24, 2012
Top Five U.S. Vacation Travel Hotspots for 2013 - DwellableTrends
Top Five U.S. Vacation Travel Hotspots for 2013
2012-12-13 by Brenda
http://www.dwellable.com/blog/Top-Five-U-S-Vacation-Travel-Hotspots-for-2013
Want to know where U.S. vacation travelers are headed in 2013? Using Dwellable Secrets, inquiry rates and other proprietary data, we took a look at the top traveler trends to figure out just where in the U.S. folks are planning to travel in 2013. The results? A little bit of snow and a lot of sun!
5) Colorado: Even with ski season well underway, powder buffs are looking for winter travel options early in the New Year, with Breckenridge and Keystone leading the way. Sound tantalizing? Check out the live webcam for current ski conditions.
4) San Diego is still a hot destination, with La Jolla trending even higher in search than Mission Beach. Why La Jolla? Well, if it's not the beach or the beach caves you can explore at low tide, perhaps it's the Birch Aquarium or the La Jolla Playhouse.
3) Eastern Seaboard: We're cheating a little bit on this one, but there are four great destinations on Atlantic seaboard which are seeing a lot of traveler activity for 2013: Palmetto Dunes in Hilton Head, Corolla in the Outer Banks, Sandbridge in Myrtle Beach and Falmouth in Cape Cod. They're in a virtual dead heat for popularity.
2) Hawaii: Bucking seasonal declines in the rest of the islands, traveler interest in Kauai is trending higher, with the northern coast--including Princeville-- seeing the largest upswing.
1) Florida: Known for it's shell beaches and wildlife refuges, Sanibel Island is on the rise, and seeing even more traveler interest than Naples. Other Florida hotspots for 2013: the perpetually-popular Destin and Kissimmee.
Contact Reservation Central to make a Sanibel Island vacation a reality. Visit www.rescen.com or call our local office at 1-800-290-6920. Reservation Central offers 1000s of privately owned vacation rental homes, condos, cottages as well as all of the Island hotels, resorts and small inns.
2012-12-13 by Brenda
http://www.dwellable.com/blog/Top-Five-U-S-Vacation-Travel-Hotspots-for-2013
It's no mystery why the north coast of Kauai is one of the most popular travel destinations for 2013.
Want to know where U.S. vacation travelers are headed in 2013? Using Dwellable Secrets, inquiry rates and other proprietary data, we took a look at the top traveler trends to figure out just where in the U.S. folks are planning to travel in 2013. The results? A little bit of snow and a lot of sun!
5) Colorado: Even with ski season well underway, powder buffs are looking for winter travel options early in the New Year, with Breckenridge and Keystone leading the way. Sound tantalizing? Check out the live webcam for current ski conditions.
4) San Diego is still a hot destination, with La Jolla trending even higher in search than Mission Beach. Why La Jolla? Well, if it's not the beach or the beach caves you can explore at low tide, perhaps it's the Birch Aquarium or the La Jolla Playhouse.
3) Eastern Seaboard: We're cheating a little bit on this one, but there are four great destinations on Atlantic seaboard which are seeing a lot of traveler activity for 2013: Palmetto Dunes in Hilton Head, Corolla in the Outer Banks, Sandbridge in Myrtle Beach and Falmouth in Cape Cod. They're in a virtual dead heat for popularity.
2) Hawaii: Bucking seasonal declines in the rest of the islands, traveler interest in Kauai is trending higher, with the northern coast--including Princeville-- seeing the largest upswing.
1) Florida: Known for it's shell beaches and wildlife refuges, Sanibel Island is on the rise, and seeing even more traveler interest than Naples. Other Florida hotspots for 2013: the perpetually-popular Destin and Kissimmee.
Contact Reservation Central to make a Sanibel Island vacation a reality. Visit www.rescen.com or call our local office at 1-800-290-6920. Reservation Central offers 1000s of privately owned vacation rental homes, condos, cottages as well as all of the Island hotels, resorts and small inns.
Sunday, December 9, 2012
Travel Channel films show on Captiva Island
Posted: Dec 08, 2012 6:00 PM
Updated: Dec 08, 2012 6:19 PM
http://www.nbc-2.com/story/20296166/travel-channel-films-on-captiva-island
By Leigh Dana
CAPTIVA ISLAND, FL -
Captiva Island was in the spotlight Saturday when the Travel Channel filmed the island to be part of their show on unique Christmas events across the country.
It is the 3rd Annual Golf Cart Parade that has brought the cameras to Captiva.
"When we get these national press pieces like this, the phone rings off the hook," said Ric Base, Sanibel-Captiva Chamber of Commerce.
Updated: Dec 08, 2012 6:19 PM
http://www.nbc-2.com/story/20296166/travel-channel-films-on-captiva-island
By Leigh Dana
CAPTIVA ISLAND, FL -
Captiva Island was in the spotlight Saturday when the Travel Channel filmed the island to be part of their show on unique Christmas events across the country.
It is the 3rd Annual Golf Cart Parade that has brought the cameras to Captiva.
"When we get these national press pieces like this, the phone rings off the hook," said Ric Base, Sanibel-Captiva Chamber of Commerce.
Season isn't even in full swing yet, but the Sanibel-Captiva Chamber of Commerce says business is already the best it's been in more than a decade.
"We suffered through the oil spill, and Charlie and all that... and now we seem to come on the other side and things are going very well," Base said.
Once the travel channel's show airs, tourism is expected to pick up even more.
"We suffered through the oil spill, and Charlie and all that... and now we seem to come on the other side and things are going very well," Base said.
Once the travel channel's show airs, tourism is expected to pick up even more.
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To check out Captiva Island, Florida for yourself and see how beautiful the Gulf Coast can be, choose Reservation Central. Reservation Central has access to 100s of Captiva Island rental homes, condos, hotel rooms and suites. From an intimate room for 2 up to a private home for up to 20 people, Reservation Central is here to help you make your next dream vacation a reality. Call our local reservation office at 1-800-290-6920 or visit http://www.rescen.com/sanibelcaptiva to search rentals and submit your reservation request.
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