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Tourist help for Florida.

D

dkeast140506

Guest
We are considering a winter trip to Florida probably in February and/or March but really donÔÇÖt know where to go. I would like to take my bike down but I donÔÇÖt have approval for that yet. We live in a small city in central Manitoba, Canada so are not really interested in large urban centers but would like lots of things to do and of course pleasurable riding. I was looking at the North West or North Central areas but would appreciate any advice anyone might care to offer. Thanks DArcy
 
Below Tallahasse down to the Gulf and over towards Ocala there are many 2 lane back roads and "suprise" rolling country. The horse farms above Ocala provide alot of scenic riding for mc's. Ride Safe :usa :usa
 
Feb and Mar can be a bit cool and rainey but there will be lots of great days. Get a good FL map or Delorme Atlas and check out the backroads. You can ride the panhandle or head south. The further south you get, the better the weather. Once you get through Orlando you can take rural routes the whole way to Homestead and the Keys. You can also run the gulf coast. There are lots of neat island or shore communities. Be aware that you are in the peak of tourist season and prices will be at their peak. There are a lot of great state parks with adequate camping facilities.
If you have never been to the Keys, I would highly recommend a few days there. Key West is a unique place. The Atlantic coast has a number of great beaches and the Kennedy Space Center is a must see. You may also be there in time for the Bike Week festivities in Daytona.
 
Definitely ride the 42 bridges down to the Keys. Stay at the Crowne Plaza La Concha Hotel on Duval Street. Go to their rooftop bar at sunset to catch the view. Head down to Mallory Square for the street performers at sunset as well. Make sure you take the obligatory picture of the bike and you at the Southernmost Point in the U.S., on Key West. Catch the floatplane or catamaran trips out to Ft Jefferson in the Dry Tortugas.

Other cool Florida stuff to do by motorcycle:

1. Take an airboat ride in the Everglades (you'll have to park the bike...)
2. Ride the Tamiami Trail across the 'glades (that's where you'll find the airboat rides, most of them run by the Seminole Indians).
3. Do a same day coast-to-coast sunrise/sunset run: See the sun come up over the Atlantic, then ride to the West Coast and watch it go down over the Gulf of Mexico.
4. Come ride with our MSTA (Motorcycle Sport Touring Association) central/south Florida groups on a Saturday lunch ride for 200-300 miles. You can find us at http://www.sporttouring.us . We know all the really cool roads and yes, there are curves in Florida. We just don't tell anyone about them.

If you want to know anything else, PM me or one of the other FL riders!

Have fun and ride safe!
 
Thanks.

Thanks for your help.

I hear there are areas a country boy would be wise to avoid if he values his hide. Any thoughts?

Any particular lodging you have found that you particularly enjoyed?

Thanks again.
 
Be a bit more specific as to the time you are going and what kinds of activities you enjoy & we can tell you more as to weather, etc.. We go down every winter and even though FL is overwhelmed with people there are still many neat places to go. Are you going to fish? Are you going to camp? Like I said, say more and I/we can be of more help. I made my campground reservations the full 11 months prior to our first state park camping week. The snow birds(including you Canadians!!!) fill em up quickly. I have never been able to get a day in a Keys State park! I go online 11 months to the day!!! before our trip-a month after we get back , mind you!, to get our sites!!! I'll say it one more time-I cannot get a state park in the keys-they are filled and I mean filled until May/2010!!! You can get drive=up sites but each park has its own rules on that one. Hell of it is, I have frequently been in parks with less than 50% full of campsites and they are telling people at the gate that there are no openings until April or May!
I am just trying to prepare you for the fact that lots of people go there for the weather,etc.. You can go down there in the summer and get what ever you want.
Funny place too! Some parks will be beside a sub-division and an interstate and have bears. I live in the real boonies in eastern KY and bears are very few here! I can send you more info as to parks/areas that we like and why if you tell us more. I go with a truck,boat and camper because it provides cheap living and affords us state park locations, and fishing!!! FL is a neat place, just overwhelmed with demand in the winter and very crowded many places. Personally, I find the Keys hard to enjoy because of commercialism and lack of places to camp. It costs more to camp there than a nice hotel in a city up north, so go figure...
 
Definitely ride the 42 bridges down to KEY WEST. Stay at the Crowne Plaza La Concha Hotel on Duval Street. Go to their rooftop bar at sunset to catch the view. Head down to Mallory Square for the street performers at sunset as well. Make sure you take the obligatory picture of the bike and you at the Southernmost Point in the U.S., on Key West. Catch the floatplane or catamaran trips out to Ft Jefferson in the Dry Tortugas.

Other cool Florida stuff to do by motorcycle:

1. Take an airboat ride in the Everglades (you'll have to park the bike...)
2. Ride the Tamiami Trail across the 'glades (that's where you'll find the airboat rides, most of them run by the Seminole Indians).
3. Do a same day coast-to-coast sunrise/sunset run: See the sun come up over the Atlantic, then ride to the West Coast and watch it go down over the Gulf of Mexico.
4. Come ride with our MSTA (Motorcycle Sport Touring Association) central/south Florida groups on a Saturday lunch ride for 200-300 miles. You can find us at http://www.sporttouring.us . We know all the really cool roads and yes, there are curves in Florida. We just don't tell anyone about them.

If you want to know anything else, PM me or one of the other FL riders!

Have fun and ride safe!


Fixelated...:whistle Once in Key Largo you are in the Keys. Nothing is more funny to us locals than tourists asking us how far it is 'till the Keys......You're here already is the usual reply...;)
Have fun coming down here!!
 
I think you left out going fishing? Also lots to see and do other than the Keys in FL!For me, the distance further to the keys isn't worth it. I pass up too many othe nice spots on the way, some with lower prices and less people. It gets warm well before you get that far south...
 
Darcy,

If you like camping check out Oleno State park or Paynes Prairie both are close to very neat old towns with good riding close by.

Cal Garcia
Sarasota, FL
 
Thanks for the tips however

Sorry guys. Unfortunately plans have changed. I hope others can use your helpful comments. I was told to check into a pacemaker to keep my heart in line. 2 weeks later its in and ticking away. I donÔÇÖt know what that will do for my travel insurance. It does however speak well of Canadian health care. Thanks again.
 
Do Canadians "have" health care in USA, other than billfold version? All my life I had insurance that covered emergency only out of my state. I had a son playing basketball while in college in TN and after an elbowing to the face required stitches we had a time getting even that covered .Now that I am on Medicare(at least until politicos get done with my Advantage plan!) I can be covered in any state.
 
Medical

My Govt. Manitoba Medicare covers my medical needs costs while in Manitoba and is based on Manitoba medical costs. Therefore when I travel I am ultimately responsible for the difference in cost between Manitoba Medical for which I am covered and the medical costs where I have travelled to. I carry medical insurance when travelling anywhere in Canada or USA since costs outside of Manitoba is usually much higher.

In my opinion, if you are wealthy, you probably do get better quality and more timely care in the USA. Since I am not, I am quite happy to live under the Canadian system. It isnÔÇÖt perfect but at least I am entitled to a basic level of care. I guess in Canada the wealthy suffer since everyone is treated equally, unless of course they travel to the USA for care.

I hear that a heart attach can cost 250Gs in the USA. I am not sure what the net difference would be but it is more than enough to break me.

Happy New Year
 
My heart attack happened when I was under 65, so covered by my KY teacher retirement /Humana plan same as when I was teaching. I paid something like 7-800 out of pocket. The helo ride was(my wife got there sooner and she didn't speed!) around 10k. The total was no where near 250k.I now have Humana Advantage,one that may go down with "Obama care", as they say they are going to do away with those plans.I do not buy/pay extra for a "supplemental plan" as many do and make one annual heart doc visit and two annual kidney doc visits which costs me very little and the ~$93 monthly for Medicare out of my SS check. We are retired teachers that invested heavily in the act of raising our kids(as in college,etc., not the stock market or our retirements) so certainly not "the wealthy" you refer to, but my Medicare plan gets me a choice of all the drs in my area I need, for any purpose . The issue for many in USA that have coverage is that their plan "works"in the home state , except for emergencies, and when you are not 65 and need regular care while traveling-as in bike trips,etc.,you are not covered.For Mexico on bike, I buy a separate plan to get me out, etc..
I go to the U of KY dental school for my teeth and have had 6 recent crowns for under $300 each. Obviously you can have good care in USA and not be among the wealthy-IF you are among the covered!Many here are covered(& the kids) by their jobs but for their spouse they pay through the nose for the same coverage.I have worked with many that had farmer/self employed husbands that cost another ~+$500 monthly!
I'll just go out and say, that for many here in USA, the problem with Govt health insurance is me paying for insurance for somebody that is too lazy to work! If I say more I need to be in Campfire...:violin
 
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