Tampa, FL in mid-april

True dat.

But from Orlando you can also drive east for thirty minutes and be at a beach. Except it's Daytona.

sozobe's more discriminating than you, kick. AAMOF I think you're precisely the type she's hoping to avoid at the Florida beaches. (KIDDING)

No, it's Canaveral. Daytona way up north, Cocoa Beach a scosh south. Ask me how I know all this good stuff.

Canaveral is where NASA launches from, right?

The Astros, long before they moved to Kissimmee, played spring training in Cocoa Beach.

I have never visited either, but heard enough that it was obvious why even a kickycan would drive the extra length to go to the west coast...

...what's your take, rog?

Aah, I see what you're saying. I should have said, "If you can tell West from North.

Kicky- Yeah, but there are beaches, and there are beaches. I am sure that sozobe is not much interested in the beaches that feature wet "T" shirt contests, and bikini clad nymphets.

Okay, okay, I'm butting out now.

Enjoy your trip Soz.

Wait wait come back!

I just want info info and more info.

Wet t-shirt contests, not so much, s'true. But if a beach is swimmable, I'm interested.

Still not quite clear on the temperature question -- Phoenix's first link indicated an average high of 82 in April, that's warm enough from my perspective if the water isn't totally freezing. Do people swim in the ocean up there in April, either side? (Like closer beaches Kicky is talking about or the prettier ones Phoenix is talking about?) (Btw that's amazing that two of the top 4 or whatever beaches were a daytrip away from Tampa -- not what I'd expect, very cool.)

Generally, my ideal beach would be:

- Within 2 hours of Tampa
- Not crowded
- Swimmable
- Gentle slope to beaches -- can go out far without it being too deep (may have to define this further.)
- If big waves, some sort of a cove/ sandbar where the waves aren't as big

BUT, given all that, would definitely like to know about ones closer to Tampa -- we might be there for like a week (figuring it out) so it's not either/ or, we might do the daytrip to the perfect beach and then go to a closer one a few times.

Also looking for hotel recommendations now.

Thanks again everyone (that includes Kicky!) I've wanted to show sozlet the ocean for a while now and with 1/3 free airfare (hubby's ticket) and free hotel room, this could be the way to do it. Tampa in general is sounding way more attractive than I expected.

Personally I think St. Petersburg has it all over Tampa as your final destination.

St. Pete has the beaches,the Salvador Dali Museum, it also the Pier downtown, it has the old classy hotels like the Don Cesar and the Vinoy which are worth visiting for lunch or something... you can drive north for about a half-hour or so to Clearwater or go a little farther to the sponge docks at Tarpon Springs for a day trip. You'll find a lot of kid-friendly things at all of these.

Tampa's got Ybor City, which is pretty cool for strolling around, shopping, eating, etc. Not really sozlet-oriented, but does have some interesting history as the Latin quarter. There's old cigar factories they've turned into malls -- that sort of thing. If you're there, be sure and go to the Columbia Restaurant and order the paella.

And if you have time to drive a couple of hours, Weeki Watchee Springs has the mermaids and the manatees and lots of kiddo entertainment.

We'd definitely be staying in Tampa -- occasion is that hubby's been invited to give a talk there, so will have free airfare (him) and free hotel room (him -- but we can share.) So Tampa is definitely the base of operations IF we go, trying to figure out if it's worth it.

What I've noticed about Tampa itself that looks good is the aquarium (we LOVE aquariums, miss the Shedd in Chicago mightily), the Museum of Science and Industry, and Busch Gardens nearby. These great parks and beaches within driving distance are gravy.

Ybor City does sound very cool, too.

Weeki Watchee Springs! Didn't that figure in a Carl Hiaasen novel?

Ahhhh....

Dinoworld, too! :-D

http://www.dinoworld.net/

(We've never done the tacky tourist thing, sozlet would love that place...)

Can't make the comparison, PDiddie. As a youngster, I lived in both Orlando and Miami. Been to Cocoa Beach both of the last two years - in April, by remarkable coincidence. Have yet to see the west coast of Florida.

One thing about April, Soz, that's the month the rates go down for the summer, so pick your dates carefully. You don't want spring break AND high room rates.

Well, we're not paying, so... :-) (There are SOME perks to having a professorial spouse...)

The core dates are set in stone, when he has been invited, but would definitely appreciate more info on how/ when to avoid spring breakers. Later is better, looks like? What about like 15th -> 22nd of April?

I'm guessing that would do it. Our first gathering started roughly April 5, and we were free of the clutter and congestion for the last half of the week.

Hey, don't be embarassed at the tourist thing. It's part of the scene. Miss all that, and you could end up at McDonalds after watching the same movie you could have seen at home.

Not embarrassed, kinda gleeful. Read too many Carl Hiassen novels (plus recent short story in New Yorker -- forget author) to want to experience only the pristine beaches side of Florida. Kinda touristy itself to isolate it that way, Florida is tacky tourism central.

Encouraging about maybe being post-spring break, thanks!

That was a wicked short story Soz...about the guy that opened Reptile World across the road from her motel.
I was trying to locate the spot.

Soz- It looks like you guys will have enough to do for a MONTH. If you really want to go touristy, you are only a little over an hour from the House that the Mouse built. Soz would love Magic Kingdom. If you do go there, bring plastic. It is pricey!

If you don't want to ride around a lot, here is a great place for the sozlet, that is a short ride from downtown:

http://www.lowryparkzoo.com/

It is right in town, and not that big, so it won't be exhausting for her.

Soz- What you need to understand is that after people live in Florida for awhile, any temperature under 80 is COLD. In the summer, the water temperatures are in the high 80's, which never happens up north.

People who come from up north swim in much colder temperatures normally, so I would suspect, that in late April, it would be warm enough to swim.

More complete weather for April 15-22

Soz- You might find this useful!

I also found this:

http://www.nodc.noaa.gov/dsdt/cwtg/egof.html

Check out the water temp for St. Pete. It should be similar all around the area!

Now compare it with the water temp in the summer in the ocean in the northeast. I think that Florida will be fine for swimming when you are there:

http://www.nodc.noaa.gov/dsdt/cwtg/catl.html

As we've been in Fla. for the last two Aprils, '03 and '04, I've got say that the second half of April is really awesome. The weather is really nice the whole of April, but in the second half you don't really need a sweater in the evening! Which is nice for a deepfrozen european! And this was in central Fla., on the east coast.

The water was/is cold in the first half of the month, and warms up as the winds and the streams change from nothern to southern. We experienced this feeling big time on our last trip.

You want some more literature for Florida?
Try Tim Dryson... he'll make Hiassen look like a sissy... Crime-wise for sure, maybe not story-wise. Dryson is also writing a column for a Tampa Bay monthly, can't remember the name of it. Help, Phoenix!

BTW, might be coming to Tampa/St. Pete with a buddy in Oct. Bad idea, or good idea, weather-wise?