Traveling newbie. To Florida

amother

Gray

Sun, Feb 07 2016, 10:25 pm

Please be nice and informative. We finally plan to go to Florida in couple of weeks for a week. Me and dh. We will have to get passports and anything arranged for our stay in advance. But I know nothing about flying nor of staying in Florida and about kosher food takeouts. Where can I start? Can anyone help me ? How long can I wait for passports? Where should we go in Florida? Where can we stay? Around how much can we expect to pay for round trip tickets if we book this late? How does kosher food work? And shabbos. Meals? And last, what can we do there? Please advise.

cnc

Sun, Feb 07 2016, 10:31 pm

Where are.you flying from?
If within the US, passports are not necessary. (Passports can take 6 weeks btw ).
Where in Florida do you plan in staying? FL is a very very large state.

Last edited by cnc on Sun, Feb 07 2016, 10:31 pm; edited 1 time in total

amother

Seagreen

Sun, Feb 07 2016, 10:39 pm

Florida is great! I'm sure you'll have a great time.

If you want suggestions it's probably better to give more info. No one can tell you how long passports take or what flights may cost unless we know where you are coming from. If you live in the US, you don't need a passport to go to Florida.

Also, Florida is a big state. What city are you visiting? You'll get more help if you let us know.

amother

Gray

Sun, Feb 07 2016, 10:48 pm

I'm a complete newbie. I have no clue where we should be staying. In what city or hotel. I know nothing about Florida. Just that I need a vocation desperately. We are from New York so no passports? I didn't know drivers license are enough. Please help.

cnc

Sun, Feb 07 2016, 10:52 pm

amother wrote:

Well there are many different cities in Florida with different price points for hotels and flights.

The food situation varies in each city as well.

What is your budget?

amother

Gray

Sun, Feb 07 2016, 11:13 pm

sleepybeauty wrote:

What's most important to you? Kosher restaurants, Shuls, theme parks, beaches?

Shuls with minyan is important. As is kosher restaurants and beaches where I can find a empty spot with dh so he may be comfortable being there. We want attractions too but probably not Orlando.

amother

Chartreuse

Mon, Feb 08 2016, 11:27 am

amother wrote:

Shuls with minyan is important. As is kosher restaurants and beaches where I can find a empty spot with dh so he may be comfortable being there. We want attractions too but probably not Orlando.

If you want a lot of restaurant options and shuls, you should stay around Miami Beach and Bal Harbour or anywhere within driving distance. Hollywood and Aventura also have restaurants and shuls, but I don't know if they have hotels.
As far as empty beaches, I believe Key Biscayne is pretty empty. If it's colder out, you could probably go to any beach. I went yesterday and there were a bunch of Chassidim and a few other people that were mostly covered up.

amother

Firebrick

Mon, Feb 08 2016, 11:37 am

Ur probably thinking of Miami beach.
R u planning on renting a car?
If not, and probably either way for minyan and kosher, ur easiest bet is to go to Miami beach- on collins avenue near 41st street.
Lots of minyanim, kosher food and takeout. Most hotels are on the beach.
A quiet spot on the beach anywhere depends on the weather and time of day etc. if u rent a car u can drive out to the keys.

I love Miami! Let me know if u have other questions!

amother

Gray

Mon, Feb 08 2016, 1:27 pm

amother wrote:

I have lots of questions... How do I choose where to stay, in what neighborhood? North, south, Bal Harbour. Please excuse my ignorance. I know nothing of the area. What is different in all these places? And how do I book a place to stay? Do I trust those advertising of villas around on sites?

amother

Firebrick

Mon, Feb 08 2016, 1:31 pm

Are u planning to rent a car? Do u have smartphones? (Makes it easier to get around)
North- where majority of Heimish ppl go I think in terms of easiness
South- it's like a city don't honk ppl stay there
Bal harbor- there's Jewish stuff there to go for dinner but I wouldn't stay there its not as touristy
All are very driving distance from one another (think boro park to Flatbush not so far)

amother

Pink

Mon, Feb 08 2016, 1:35 pm

If you're flying from the continental U.S., you don't need a passport. Driver's license or non-driver's ID (the one that looks the same like a regular driver's license but is issued to non-drivers) is enough.

If you want to meet all of Williamsburg and Boro Park, and find many women but few couples, stay in 40s, which is Miami Beach.
If you go farther up, in the 50s, or to North Miami, Bal Harbour, you won't think you got lost in Brooklyn, but you will still find plenty frum people and have restaurants and shuls. In Bal Harbour, for example, there are several restaurants, a kosher grocery, and several shuls, minutes by car from any hotel on the beach, and about a 20 minute walk if no car. Same is true for other neighborhoods.

amother

Firebrick

Mon, Feb 08 2016, 2:33 pm

amother wrote:

I agree and usually avoid staying in the 40s usually. Except when going for shabbos and want a Heimish minyan.

But

If someone is venturing out for the first time, doesn't have a car and needs minyan and other kosher stuff, shabbos meals... The easiest option is still the by the 40s.

alwayscooking

Mon, Feb 08 2016, 7:09 pm

Good for u there's a first time for everything! Firstly let me start with saying that Florida is a great choice of a place to go for vacation when I was single I used togo twice a year but since I got married have only gone one and I miss it so much. I would recommend if your going for a first time your best bet is probably to stay in Miami bec you have everything right there and even all the main atteactions and malls are close by to there. If your looking togo further out and don't mind being limited with few eating options I have never been but heard that Hollywood, Florida is also nice and they have nice hotels there and they have minyan there.
Now in the way of atteactions you have:
Miami sea aquarium
Jungle island
Parrot jungle
Metro zoo
Fruit and spice park
Busch gardens
vizcaya
Bayside mall-that's where you can pick up many different boat rides including the one that goes around millionaires island
There's another nice boat ride that goes from Fort Lauderdale
If your the type that likes to go Segwaying and biking there's a place in Miami in the lower numbers.
In the way of shopping malls you have:
Ball Harbor-feel like walking down fifth Ave extremely upper class and near the water
Adventure mall, Dolphin Mall, Sawgrass mills to name a few...
Have a great time and enjoy and if you stay in Miami don't forget to stop in the chocolate store the block before the pizza store you won't regret it!

sleepybeauty

Mon, Feb 08 2016, 8:04 pm

alwayscooking wrote:

Now in the way of atteactions you have:
Miami sea aquarium
Jungle island
Parrot jungle
Metro zoo
Fruit and spice park
Busch gardens
vizcaya
Bayside mall-that's where you can pick up many different boat rides including the one that goes around millionaires island
There's another nice boat ride that goes from Fort Lauderdale
If your the type that likes to go Segwaying and biking there's a place in Miami in the lower numbers.
In the way of shopping malls you have:
Ball Harbor-feel like walking down fifth Ave extremely upper class and near the water
Aventura mall, Dolphin Mall, Sawgrass mills to name a few...
Have a great time and enjoy and if you stay in Miami don't forget to stop in the chocolate store (Miami Beach Chocolates) the block before the pizza store you won't regret it!

Wonderful list! Just to add a few more:
-Lincoln Road in South Beach is another beautiful outdoor mall. On Sundays, they have stands that sell fruit and flowers and occasionally antiques.
On Lincoln Road, there is also the Frieze. They have delicious Pareve sorbet which they make from scratch there as well as chalav stam ice cream.
-South Pointe Park (also South Beach) is a beautiful place to walk around or have a picnic.
-Lion Country Safari
-The Everglades
-Bill Baggs-it's a state park and you can rent bikes (they have 2 and 4 people ones) and bike on a path by the beach
-Kayaking/Canoeing (and more) by Crandon and Oleta park

Have Fun!!