# Southwest Florida Fort Myers and Tampa resorts?



## freechoice (Apr 21, 2008)

Hi all... we are planning to visit the southwest coast of Florida instead and would like to know what rci resorts suits us best as we are a teenage family of six that do some beaches  but like Orlando malls and busier sights... 

We have been searching on RCI for a two bedroom but southwest seems very few and not as much timeshares as Orlando to exchange?

Is August a very busy area for southwest Florida? 

thanks for any suggestions as areas we could visit from Fort myers to tampa then towards Orlando for DW!


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## McKShr6 (Apr 21, 2008)

Personally I wouldn't visit southwest Florida in August , it's much too hot and humid then. We left in April this year and it was getting too hot to be comfortable at that time. Also, I would worry about hurricanes in August.


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## Robnsunny (Apr 22, 2008)

We've been to SW Florida in August each of the last 2 years. It's low season so there are no crowds or traffic. There is a risk of hurricanes. That's out of your control. You may want vacation insurance. My family thinks it's a great time to go and we'll return in a few years.

It is hot but the temperature and humidity on the coast are far more tolerable than most of the south east. It was far more comfortable than our home near DC.

The main activities are water related, beach, boating , fishing, etc. If that's not your thing, you may want to look elsewhere.

There are few resorts with 2 BDRs. Tropical Sands in Fort Meyers Beach is all 2 BDRs and usually has good availability. The location is not the best as it is across from an unswimable beach. But it is central to reach all the other beaches in the area, has a nice pool and is clean. If you're looking for this August, you may already be too late, even for the off season.

Good Luck


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## wcfr1 (Apr 22, 2008)

McKShr6 said:


> Personally I wouldn't visit southwest Florida in August , it's much too hot and humid then. We left in April this year and it was getting too hot to be comfortable at that time. Also, I would worry about hurricanes in August.



I live here so all I can say is welcome to my world!

We use a lot of air conditioning and sun screen in August. 

The West Coast of Florida, especially the Tampa/St. Pete/ Clearwater is  rarely ever bothered by Hurricanes. In fact according to NOAA there have only been 3 hurricanes to hit the Pinellas County Peninsula, 1852, 1921, and 1946. http://maps.csc.noaa.gov/hurricanes/

Since there are virtually no timeshares in Tampa or Hillsborogh County and most are on the beach in Pinellas County thought this historical perspective would be interesting.

South East Florida and he Panhandle have recieved the brunt of the storms making landfall over the years with many of them crossing Central Florida.

Flying in or out when a storm is anywhere near the state is another matter though.


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## JLB (Apr 22, 2008)

30 years of comments to make, and not much time!!!   

The beach, August heat- - - sound like a good match.

Summer family season is a lower peak for left-coast resorts.  Snowbird Season (Jan-April) is high peak.  Use the Search feature and you will find beaucoup discussions about this topic.

Larger units are not common at beach resorts because of the higher value of real estate, as opposed to former swampland inland resorts.  I currently am searching daily for a beach resort to sleep 8 any time in the summer of 2009, and it just doesn't happen.

Many of the left coast resorts are older, hotel/motel conversion.  They were done by a company in the late 70's and early 80's, before the big boys were getting rolling in Orlando.

Ask specifics, as I know all the resorts south of the Caloosahatchee and own at none of them, so can call it like it is.  My familiarity is not as specific further north, from Siesta Key to Anna Maria and from St. Pete Beach to Clearwater Beach, but I do have some, and a feel for the comparison among the areas.

FMB is _the_ family/young people headquarters of SW FL, but there are some less desirable elements there, too.  Nothing that should detract, but they are there.  We had a great 2 bedroom 2 bath unit there in January.


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## JLB (Apr 22, 2008)

Searching RCI for this summer I see 52 Resorts on the Beach.  Only one is a 2-bedroom and it is at Cocoa Beach.

For 2009 summer I see 79, so early searching is a factor.  16 are 2-bedroom and a few of those are really nice places in really nice areas.  

I would name them but there is rule against that on TUG.

Assuming you have the trading power to see the same, and assuming you are using RCI, and knowing what I know from my ten years of daily searching on RCI, I would take something for 2009 and go some place else in 2008.

Gotta go, but I'll check back.


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## Bwolf (Apr 22, 2008)

Shamelessly copied from the Sanibel Captiva Island Message Board:

The April issue of Parents Magazine has named South Seas Island Resort in the top 10 of "Best Family Beach Resort in the United States".

Their list:
1. Sheraton Grand Bahama Island Our Lucaya Resort, Bahamas
2. Club Med Punta Cana, Dominican Republic
3. South Seas Island Resort, Captiva Island
4. Atlantis, Paradise Island, Bahamas
5. Disney's Vero Beach Resort, Florida
6. Beaches Negril Resort and Spa, Jamaica
7. Hilton Hawaiian Village, Honolulu, Hawaii
8. Ocean Edge Resort & Spa, Brewster, Mass.
9. Loew's Coronado Bay Beach Resort & Spa, San Diego
10. Rio Mar Beach Golf Resort Casino & Spa, Puerto Rico

Researchers for the article evaluated more than 200 beach resorts in the U.S. and Caribbean, looking at room rates and other resort costs, the quality of the supervised children's program, the variety of family activities and the pool and beach area.

HTH.  
The sleeping capacity at South Seas is 6 with two bedrooms.


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## theo (Apr 22, 2008)

*Teens on Captive / Captiva Island???*



Bwolf said:


> Shamelessly copied from the Sanibel Captiva Island Message Board:
> 
> The April issue of Parents Magazine has named South Seas Island Resort in the top 10 of "Best Family Beach Resort in the United States".
> 
> ...


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## Bwolf (Apr 22, 2008)

Good point Theo.

They could spend their time looking for the "rumored" nude beaches.  :whoopie:


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## Egret1986 (Apr 22, 2008)

*Southwest Florida (Anna Maria Island) - January or late April?*

This will be the first use of our floating week there (every other odd year).  Currently January has openings just about every week and the two last weeks of April are open.  Unfortunately, the week I need in April (for Spring break) is unavailable.  JLB and residents of the area, when would be your choice?  We've been all along the east coast of Florida, Miami and the Keys, but have never been to the Southwest Coast of Florida.  April seems like warmer temperatures; however, I would think it would be more crowded due to Spring breaks.  We would like to get full benefit of the beach (sunning and swimming).  All input welcome, please.


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## Sea Six (Apr 22, 2008)

If you want full benefit of the beach, don't come in January.  The air and the water are too cold for that.  Late April is near perfect, as the air and water temps are warm enough for the beach.  The crowds have pretty much headed back north by now.


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## Egret1986 (Apr 22, 2008)

*Thank you!*

April sounds great to me!


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## JLB (Apr 22, 2008)

Hey, I agree with Theo, too!!!   

Of course, getting something in South Seas is a (as my brother would say) mute point anyway.

If you really intend to beach, like get yourself wet and all of that, April would be better than January.  For us, I'm not sure April water temps would be warm enough.  You can google stuff like that.


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## Egret1986 (Apr 22, 2008)

*Thanks, JLB, about checking the water temps*

We were in Orlando in April a couple of years ago and went over to Cocoa Beach.  The water and beach were too cold for me; however, the kids still went in the ocean.  We've been to Hilton Head several times the first week of May and the ocean temps have always been great.  Whatever I choose, it will mean pulling the kids out of school unless I wait until mid-June.  Decisions, decisions......


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## freechoice (Apr 23, 2008)

*Teeage family going to Southwest Florida in August*

Thanks for the wonderful information but getting late so catch up in the morning.... unfortunately I am trading a low rci mexican resort so I dont seem to get much unless I go for one bedroom times two so cost is more

still searching but any suggestions of resorts can one pm me? thanks


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## pcgirl54 (Apr 23, 2008)

If you go to Tampa area there is more to do for teens including Busch Gardens and sports events. Albeit TS are scare. Treasure Island area may be a better bet or rent a condo for about $700 on the beach. Our friend does this annually.

Being a NE girl I will travel to FLorida when it's hot. SW Florida is very popular and you need a strong trader normally. August would be low season.

We traveled to Florida many times and love the gulf coast and the stellar beaches from Tampa to Marco. Sarasota has super beaches and more to do than some other spots but you can drive to places in 30 minutes.

Pre hurricane we went to South Seas Resort in July. It was wonderful and we had one teen with us. He was bored but enjoyed the trip. Not any other teens there at that time. 

Ft Lauderdale area is a good choice for teens. Beach is nice but not as nice as the wide gulf beaches. Miami is close by. Sawgrass Mall Outlets are there and for the brave you could drive to Key West (3 hrs each way)like we did. John Pennekamp Park on the keys. I suggest you stay overnight somewhere. We did it in a day and it was too much with three teens.


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## jfitz (Apr 23, 2008)

Egret1986 said:


> This will be the first use of our floating week there (every other odd year).  Currently January has openings just about every week and the two last weeks of April are open.   --- We would like to get full benefit of the beach (sunning and swimming).  All



April is what you want.  The water temp in January is too cold for swimming and the air temperature often fails to reach 70° F during the day.  By late April air temperature is usually 80° F or higher and the Gulf has warmed up.


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## hoosiergal (Apr 23, 2008)

We went to Clearwater Beach for Spring Break (Mar 31-April 4) and the Gulf was freezing!!!! Really, Really cold.
The weather was awesome though--upper 70s/low  80s with a stray short shower here or there.
I agree that TB area is a great destination for teens, my 13 year old loved Busch Gardens, and the Florida Aquarium is very fun and informative.  The TB Rays were not in town this year, but in years past we have seen them play the Yankees.


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## Sea Six (Apr 23, 2008)

This week the Gulf water is 80 degrees and the afternoon highs are 84 - 86.


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## freechoice (Apr 23, 2008)

*Southwest Florida for teen family of six*

Hi all... First three weeks of August to SW Fort Myers... is there any good t/s to search at this time? If not what area has a better chance of getting rci?

How about inland NW Florida or inland SW?


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## Sea Six (Apr 23, 2008)

August is one of my favorite times of the year, because the weather is so predictable.  Afternoon highs will be 90 - 92 degrees, the Gulf will be 88 - 90 degrees, and there will be a thunderstorm every day at 4:00 PM.  You go to the beach until the clouds roll in, then you go to your place and clean up for dinner, then things settle down and you have a nice warm night out.  Evening lows are in the mid 70's. Sure, it gets hot and humid, but in reality the numbers are typically better than what I had in Philadelphia.


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## JLB (Apr 24, 2008)

Our favorite lake time is once the lake temp hits 90.  Last summer we had an especially long hot stretch, over 100 air temp.  Some days getting in the water had no cooling affect.

This year getting in the water may not be an issue, since the lake is more than 15 feet above normal and we had another 2 1/2 inches of rain last night.


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## jercal10 (Apr 24, 2008)

We've lived in the Tampa area for 8 years now. We trade to the east coast in summer as the breezes off tthe Atlantic are nicer than those off the gulf.
We go for 3 to 4 days to FLL and enjoy the beaches and the breezes.


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## JLB (Apr 24, 2008)

As I said in post #6, there is decent availability in resorts on the beach for '09, but a little late for '08.

I even saw a 2-bedroom Gold Crown on the beach on Marco Island.



freechoice said:


> Hi all... First three weeks of August to SW Fort Myers... is there any good t/s to search at this time? If not what area has a better chance of getting rci?
> 
> How about inland NW Florida or inland SW?


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## freechoice (Apr 24, 2008)

*re: teen family in Southwest Florida for August*



JLB said:


> As I said in post #6, there is decent availability in resorts on the beach for '09, but a little late for '08.
> 
> I even saw a 2-bedroom Gold Crown on the beach on Marco Island.




JLB... how about Charlotte Bay Resort & Club ? Is this ok location near Tampa and have anyone been to this RCI resort? thanks for quick response please:whoopie:


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