2 weeks in Florida

We%26#39;re hading over to Florida in three weeks time and really don%26#39;t know where to go. We%26#39;ll probably spend our first 5 days in the theme parks in Orlando and were going to head down to the Keys after this. It is a long drive and I want to know if its worth it. Also, there seems to be lots more to Florida than theme parks and the Keys so what would you recommend as the ';got to see'; areas?

2 weeks in Florida

Look at www.floridastateparks.org and take a look at the parks in the ';central'; portion of the map. There are many parks with natural springs where you can canoe/kayak, hike, or just enjoy a picnic. It%26#39;s a different side of Florida.

2 weeks in Florida

go to myflorida.com and click on visitor. That will give you some input on things to see and do.

Theres also St. Augustine, similar to the keys in that is it laid out for tourists, many shops, restaurants, motels, etc. all in walking distance, St. Augustine is close to the beach and has lots of history. It is only about 2 hours from Disney 3 at the most.

West coast has Ft. Meyers, Clearwater, Sanibel %26amp; Captiva Islands, nice white sandy beaches, nature areas not too far from Everglades if you want to do an airboat tour, etc.

We love the Keys and go every year. We stay in either Marathon or Islamorada most of the time. Occaisionally we stay in Key West but not when the kids are with us. They are many places to explore, small shops, state parks, nature trails, etc. It%26#39;s a really great place.

If your kids like to spend time outdoors and like nature I would say yes for the keys. There is shopping but there are no malls and no Wal-Mart, (Thank God) There are many great restaurants and not all of them are just seafood.

If it was a warmer time of year I would say visit some of the springs in northwest florida, They have tubing and snorkeling in the springs and its a beautiful area. Howeve a little cold at this time of year.