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ROAD TRIP: Virginia to Naples Florida....HELP......(please)
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Jan&MikeVa
- Posts: 1084
- Joined: Mon Aug 07, 2006 5:32 pm
- Location: The Chesapeake Bay
ROAD TRIP: Virginia to Naples Florida....HELP......(please)
Hi all..have been away alot lately working and well life has been dull. Short notice but Mike & I decided to take a road trip to Florida for my niece's wedding this Saturday night. Tired of flying and connections suck. We leave Wednesday and need to be in Naples Friday after lunch. The wedding is on the beach on Marco Island, but we are staying in Naples.
HELP!! We have not done a road trip for 10 years (to Key West). ANY suggestions of places to stop over for the night?? Sixteen hours from here to there and might consider 2 nights on the road each way. We're thinking of enjoying a couple of stops, pool time, beach time, good eats!
Just anxious to be ALONE together and enjoy some beach and sun!! Not into sightseeing...just not enough time.
I know this is late notice, but if anyone has any suggestions for good places to stop or great things to see. We ARE NOT off the road travelers........will hang tight to I-95 unless......you give us a good reason to detour!!
THANKS ALL
Jan
P.S. Anyone know much about Naples?? Good beaches??
HELP!! We have not done a road trip for 10 years (to Key West). ANY suggestions of places to stop over for the night?? Sixteen hours from here to there and might consider 2 nights on the road each way. We're thinking of enjoying a couple of stops, pool time, beach time, good eats!
Just anxious to be ALONE together and enjoy some beach and sun!! Not into sightseeing...just not enough time.
I know this is late notice, but if anyone has any suggestions for good places to stop or great things to see. We ARE NOT off the road travelers........will hang tight to I-95 unless......you give us a good reason to detour!!
THANKS ALL
Jan
P.S. Anyone know much about Naples?? Good beaches??
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nothintolose
- Posts: 1960
- Joined: Mon Aug 07, 2006 10:36 pm
- Location: New Orleans, LA
...first a question...how quickly are you out of Virginia? I have driven from Urbanna on the Rappahannock river (have to travel almost to Richmond before getting on I-95) to Jacksonville FL in about 9-10 hours. Just north of JAX is Amelia Island...10 miles E of the interstate. Pretty and old, small downtown of Fernandina Beach is waterfront but not really a beach. Nice B&Bs and restaurants there. Fort Clinch state park and a nice beach are a little further (a couple of miles) to the east. There is a simple but fairly new Comfort Suites on Atlantic Ave just across the road from the beach; lots of condos and homes in this area.
If you are driving fast and long the first day you night you might want to look at Palm Coast, Flager Beach and Ormond by the Sea which are pretty and not as congested as JAX and St Augustine and not too far from I-95. Since they are further south, your trip on to Naples would not be so rushed from there. St. Augustine offers beach, history, and all the usual touristy stuff which is nice but not what I am imagining you are thinking about here.
My last trip to Naples was two years ago in January; we stayed at the old Naples Beach Hotel and Golf Club on the beach and nearly froze! The beach was lovely (to see); dolphins were playing just offshore. We enjoyed dinner at an Italian place, Vergina, on Fifth Ave S, I think. That area along with Third St S is for very good shopping, people watching and eating. www.explorenaples.com offers some ideas.
I agree that Savannah is a great place to stop, roughly 7-8 hours from Urbanna for me. Ten miles into town off I-95 and another 20-30 minutes to the beach. My son lived there for several years, and we still love to go there as often as possible. Tybee Island is to the east and has a nice beach with old style beach motels as well as condos. You probably saw VickiH's recent OT report. I'm not sure how warm the ocean is yet in GA or North FL.
Have a wonderful, safe journey and enjoy all the places wherever you are. Hope some of this makes sense; it is late for me!
If you are driving fast and long the first day you night you might want to look at Palm Coast, Flager Beach and Ormond by the Sea which are pretty and not as congested as JAX and St Augustine and not too far from I-95. Since they are further south, your trip on to Naples would not be so rushed from there. St. Augustine offers beach, history, and all the usual touristy stuff which is nice but not what I am imagining you are thinking about here.
My last trip to Naples was two years ago in January; we stayed at the old Naples Beach Hotel and Golf Club on the beach and nearly froze! The beach was lovely (to see); dolphins were playing just offshore. We enjoyed dinner at an Italian place, Vergina, on Fifth Ave S, I think. That area along with Third St S is for very good shopping, people watching and eating. www.explorenaples.com offers some ideas.
I agree that Savannah is a great place to stop, roughly 7-8 hours from Urbanna for me. Ten miles into town off I-95 and another 20-30 minutes to the beach. My son lived there for several years, and we still love to go there as often as possible. Tybee Island is to the east and has a nice beach with old style beach motels as well as condos. You probably saw VickiH's recent OT report. I'm not sure how warm the ocean is yet in GA or North FL.
Have a wonderful, safe journey and enjoy all the places wherever you are. Hope some of this makes sense; it is late for me!
Last edited by lprof on Tue Apr 21, 2009 8:28 am, edited 1 time in total.
... no longer a stranger to paradise
Naples
Make that road trip often, all the way from New York, as my son lived in Naples for 6 years. He transferred up to Gainesville about 5 years ago, but I still get to Naples as often as I can. FYI, you can cross over to I-75 up north around Ferdianda Beach by looking at the maps and charting a north-south course through some"old-florida" towns with some interesting scenery. You might be interested in taking Rt 10 W from Jacksonville and visiting the town of Live Oak, Floida, on the Suanee River.You can also hook up there with 75S into Naples.
I second Savannah as a great choice, but if you want to get a little farther south on the first night,and are sticking to 95 South instead of crossing over up north, you might consider Crescent Beach, just below JAX/ St Augustine, Fla. Its a sleepy little beach town with plenty of condos or motel units that rent for one night and the ocean is quiet and beautiful there. The Gypsy Cab Company, a great restaurant eqidistant between Crescent Beach and St Augustine is a great place for lunch or dinner.
Another beach town stop for us has been anywhere on the Jekyll-St Simons-Sea Island Ga penninsula.( LOL, well, maybe not The Cloister, but anywhere else) You might look into that for a stop on the way back. It will still be pretty low key this time of year, and we love the beaches there also.
Ironically, I am flying down to Florida this Wed night to bring my car back. I left it there for my sister to use when she went down with the kids for spring break. I had been down myself for most of the winter, but now we need to bring the baby home.
I will be following a Crescent Beach, Jekyll Island, Sanannah, Hilton Head, Morehead City, Assetague(sp?) itinerary north to NY, starting from West Palm thru Naples( yes, a bit out of my way but worth it) about May 2. May stop at Sanibel- Captiva Islands for a day, another highly recommended stop for you as well. You will probably be safely home by then.
Have a great trip.
I second Savannah as a great choice, but if you want to get a little farther south on the first night,and are sticking to 95 South instead of crossing over up north, you might consider Crescent Beach, just below JAX/ St Augustine, Fla. Its a sleepy little beach town with plenty of condos or motel units that rent for one night and the ocean is quiet and beautiful there. The Gypsy Cab Company, a great restaurant eqidistant between Crescent Beach and St Augustine is a great place for lunch or dinner.
Another beach town stop for us has been anywhere on the Jekyll-St Simons-Sea Island Ga penninsula.( LOL, well, maybe not The Cloister, but anywhere else) You might look into that for a stop on the way back. It will still be pretty low key this time of year, and we love the beaches there also.
Ironically, I am flying down to Florida this Wed night to bring my car back. I left it there for my sister to use when she went down with the kids for spring break. I had been down myself for most of the winter, but now we need to bring the baby home.
I will be following a Crescent Beach, Jekyll Island, Sanannah, Hilton Head, Morehead City, Assetague(sp?) itinerary north to NY, starting from West Palm thru Naples( yes, a bit out of my way but worth it) about May 2. May stop at Sanibel- Captiva Islands for a day, another highly recommended stop for you as well. You will probably be safely home by then.
Have a great trip.
Live Oak has a beach??? Just joking...Funny how this little sphere revolves...last November we had lunch at the little outdoor cafe at Chateau Bordeaux; a family of six was there...after seeing Knolmom's Capt. Brandi video I realized her family was "that six". We were the scruffy couple at the bar so happy to get our $10 hot dog and coke.
Now I learn that your son is in Gainesville as are we. Small world...and I hope that you are feeling great this spring.
Gainesville has long claimed Crescent as "our East Coast beach"...it just takes and hour and a half to drive to it! In twenty some years we've seen it grow from really sleepy with only one or two condo complexes to almost merging with St. Augustine. It is still a nice beach. Used to love Gypsy Cab for brunch.
Jan & Mike, if the Live Oak area is considered, check river levels and park closures as there was considerable flooding on the Santa Fe and Suwannee rivers last week.
Do have a great time...
Last edited by lprof on Tue Apr 21, 2009 10:54 am, edited 1 time in total.
... no longer a stranger to paradise
Ya gotta stop at South of the Border! Pedro sez!
(wouldn't reccommend spening the night though. might be a good place to pee and gawk at giant plastic mexican statues. you can probably also buy a pecan log there
)
Does anyone remember those signs long ago? They are now MUCH more politically correct!
(wouldn't reccommend spening the night though. might be a good place to pee and gawk at giant plastic mexican statues. you can probably also buy a pecan log there
)Does anyone remember those signs long ago? They are now MUCH more politically correct!
"Sponges grow in the ocean...I wonder how much deeper it would be if that didn't happen."
...not me stopping there...no way
two things I love to get past going south on I-95...the VA-NC border (70 MPH speed limit starts) and Pedro's place...of course those billboards haunt me for miles and miles and miles...
Pecan logs were better at Stuckey's...just my opinion
two things I love to get past going south on I-95...the VA-NC border (70 MPH speed limit starts) and Pedro's place...of course those billboards haunt me for miles and miles and miles...
Pecan logs were better at Stuckey's...just my opinion
... no longer a stranger to paradise
The status of South of the Border has morphed from tacky to "Americana"...
It is now the "hip" thing to do!
I have joked with my Girl Scout troop for our next trip we are going to travel the U.S. Looking for the biggest and best of. Like we will visit the place with the "LARGEST FRYING PAN IN THE WORLD"...the "BIGGEST BALL OF YARN"...etc...
We will drive like 10 hours to get to each one. Stop, take a picture, stare at it for 5 minutes and go "ooh and ahh". And then we will get back in the cars and move on to the next biggest and best item the U.S. has to offer. A house made of macaroni? Who knows what is out there!
What a trip that would be...
It is now the "hip" thing to do!
I have joked with my Girl Scout troop for our next trip we are going to travel the U.S. Looking for the biggest and best of. Like we will visit the place with the "LARGEST FRYING PAN IN THE WORLD"...the "BIGGEST BALL OF YARN"...etc...
We will drive like 10 hours to get to each one. Stop, take a picture, stare at it for 5 minutes and go "ooh and ahh". And then we will get back in the cars and move on to the next biggest and best item the U.S. has to offer. A house made of macaroni? Who knows what is out there!
What a trip that would be...
"Sponges grow in the ocean...I wonder how much deeper it would be if that didn't happen."
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mindehankins
- Posts: 3014
- Joined: Fri Mar 06, 2009 8:21 am
- Location: Western NY State
Jan - Savannah is a good suggestion. If you go, just find the Wet Willies Attitude Improvement. Have one. Or two. No, don't have two. That's all the information I am giving you. Just take my advice and don't follow it with a few "Ship Shots." Just sayin' it's not a good idea. Not that I know or anything.
You might also try Venice Beach, Florida. Pretty neat little beach town just north of Naples. Try Sharky's on the Pier. It's hokey but fun.
Most of all: relax and have some fun. You guys deserve it!
You might also try Venice Beach, Florida. Pretty neat little beach town just north of Naples. Try Sharky's on the Pier. It's hokey but fun.
Most of all: relax and have some fun. You guys deserve it!
Last edited by AnyTing on Tue Apr 21, 2009 3:43 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Hey Jan and Mike
Sanibel, Marco are both nice with some nice beaches but i work on Boca Grande and we have one of the best island beaches on the West Coast.
Why dont you drive back up I-75 as far as you can go untill you cut across the state and come see me
I am only about 1 1/2 hrs from Naples
and relax here before heading back
Pm me if you have any questions
gobucs (Lynn)
Sanibel, Marco are both nice with some nice beaches but i work on Boca Grande and we have one of the best island beaches on the West Coast.
Why dont you drive back up I-75 as far as you can go untill you cut across the state and come see me
I am only about 1 1/2 hrs from Naples
and relax here before heading back
Pm me if you have any questions
gobucs (Lynn)
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Jan&MikeVa
- Posts: 1084
- Joined: Mon Aug 07, 2006 5:32 pm
- Location: The Chesapeake Bay
Thank you guys for such great input!!!!!!!! WOW WOW WOW...now I wish we had more time..
Lynn, thank you for the invite...pm your phone number and let us see where we are at. The groom's family has invited us over to Daytona for Sunday & Monday night; my Sister-in-law has invited us up to Sanibel for the WHOLE NEXT WEEK!!! Whoo Hoo. But this is my busiest time of year with my business.......and I kind of think I need to get back home. Not to mention the old cat and old parents... Mike's job on the line........yak yak yak
Thank you all again..........I'll print all of this out, study the maps and see what happens!! Isn't it great...........I guess........a road trip..........yuck give me a plane ANY DAY!!
Love ya guys
Jan
Lynn, thank you for the invite...pm your phone number and let us see where we are at. The groom's family has invited us over to Daytona for Sunday & Monday night; my Sister-in-law has invited us up to Sanibel for the WHOLE NEXT WEEK!!! Whoo Hoo. But this is my busiest time of year with my business.......and I kind of think I need to get back home. Not to mention the old cat and old parents... Mike's job on the line........yak yak yak
Thank you all again..........I'll print all of this out, study the maps and see what happens!! Isn't it great...........I guess........a road trip..........yuck give me a plane ANY DAY!!
Love ya guys
Jan
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mindehankins
- Posts: 3014
- Joined: Fri Mar 06, 2009 8:21 am
- Location: Western NY State