Florida Villas Blog

Marathon in on Key Vaca and is around half way between Key Largo and Key West. It got its name supposedly from the railway workers that were working day and night to complete the railway and one of the workers said it was a "Marathon Task". It is situated just prior to the Seven Mile Bridge. Marathon is known for its sports fishing and several boats leave the marina every day.

Marathon is a good place to stay for a couple of nights as it's not too far to Key West from here and it’s a nice tranquil place. We stayed in the Banana Bay resort. The rooms were very nice and quite reasonable. There are many reefs on both the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico sides of Marathon which makes it a great place for scuba, snorkelling and spear fishing.

One of the most famous beaches in Florida is of course Miami Beach, but that doesn't mean it is the best. There are many beaches in Florida with its 1000 miles of coastline. Some are les commercialised than others. Many people love the beaches of the Gulf Coast, on the west side of the state, while others prefer the more tidal Atlantic coast beaches such as Daytona, New Smyrna or Cocoa Beach. The latter offer much more opportunity to surf. Daytona Beach allows the driving and parking of vehicles on the beach on certain stretches.

For a more tropical feel though I believe the Gulf Coast has it. The tides are much lower here and the sand more powdery, sugary white. Beaches like Clearwater and St. Pete's tend to be very commercialised but still very nice compared to some of the beaches further south, such as Naples, Ft Myers and Marco Island.

Clearwater Beach.
Situated around 90mins driving time from Orlando is an enjoyable place to visit even for the day or perhaps an overnight stop if you are in Orlando. The beaches do tend to get a little crowded at the weekends but nothing like the beaches in Europe. There is a marina from which many boat tours and dolphin sighting trips can be booked. I can recommend the “Sea Screamer” the world’s largest speed boat that issues a “rain check” if you don’t get to see some dolphins. They love to play in the wake of the boat and you can get some great photos and video on this trip. The trip lasts around an hour. Clearwater Beach has some beautiful sunsets and around this time all the craft stalls and street entertainers come out.

Ft Myers Beach.
This is further south on the Gulf Coast, close to Naples. Driving time around 3 hours from Orlando. The actual Ft Myers Beach is on Estero Island a peninsular just off the mainland. This is less commercialised and the beaches are far from crowded. There are fewer hotels here but more condominiums. Many of them can be rented and are very nicely furnished. I have stayed in 2 belonging to the sunstream group, “Pointe Estero” and “The Gullwing” the rooms have everything you need and have great views of the Gulf.