Make Sure You Explore Florida in Retirement

It’s fun to explore Florida in retirement.  Escaping the cold of New York’s Hudson Valley is something we always enjoy doing.  We’ve gone south and west and even to Australia to spend winter in a warmer environment.  Australia and New Zealand were quite beautiful, and we enjoyed our trip very much but, let’s be honest, it’s a very long way away and getting there is at least nine or ten hours on a plane even if you leave from Honolulu.  It’s not something you can do every year.  Even Arizona and the warmer confines of Phoenix or Tucson took a few days to drive to.  With Florida, however, we can get down there in a couple of days and, since our son and his wife moved down there a couple of years ago, we have explored Florida for the past few winters.

When you mention Florida, most people think about Disney and that is certainly something you can do.  Between the crowds and the cost, however, the Orlando area isn’t one of our favorite places.  That comes as a shock to our daughter who is a Disney fanatic and is quite an expert on minimizing the impact of the crowds. I happen to like the restaurants, and I’ve read a few books on Walt Disney himself and love the concept he created.  I just happen to think that they have priced themselves out of the range that a typical family can afford.  The good news is that, if you’re going to explore Florida in retirement, there are many other places than Orlando.

We found Jensen Beach and continue to explore Florida in retirement.

The east coast of Florida is the most frequented and better known.  Our favorite spot is Jensen Beach which is on Hutchinson Island near Stuart.  It’s a little quieter than most of the other places that dot the coast but there are many great locations to choose from.  St. Augustine has a lot of charm and is the favorite of some of our friends while others like the West Palm Beach area.  We’ve become very familiar with the Pompano and Fort Lauderdale areas and have our favorite spots to go to each winter.  Going to a spring training game can be a lot of fun and each of the towns usually has a variety of cruises that you can take. One of our favorites was a cruise along the Indian River which has become a favorite for many PGA members.  While we’re sure that Miami has much to offer, we avoid the crowds there but, if you crave the nightlife, this is the place for you.  That also applies to Key West which is a bit of a hike but worth the trip just to see the sunset.  While the area itself is one big party town, there is a quaintness that is very nice to experience.  It was Harry Truman’s summer White House and it’s also where Hemingway lived for a number of years.

One of the best spots on the east coast is the Cape Canaveral area and, if you can ever align your visit with a rocket launch, it’s really something to see.  The tour of the Kennedy Space Center is impressive, and the area is a big port for cruise ships.  The one thing you realize is how large a state Florida is.  You can travel hundreds of miles to see the towns we’ve mentioned here and you haven’t even seen Lake Okeechobee in the middle of the state or any of the west coast which we have come to like very much.

Starting in the panhandle on the west coast, you can’t help but be impressed by Destin, Fort Walton Beach, Miramar Beach and Panama City. The shoreline is quiet, the sunsets are beautiful, and the restaurants are great.  We have enjoyed many weeks there and this area is one of our favorite spots to escape the cold.  Further down the coast is the Tampa-Clearwater area and, although it’s quite built up now, there is a lot to enjoy there.  During my time with Corporate America, I had spent a lot of time in the Tampa Bay area and got to know it pretty well.  That was during the 1990’s and I cannot believe how built up the area has become.  It’s still nice and taking in a Yankee spring training game at Legends Field or watching the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in their stadium right across the street, is a great experience.

Go down further on the west coast and you come to Fort Meyers, which is a very nice area as well.  Thomas Edison and Henry Ford had homes across the street from each other, and you can easily spend a day here.  In fact, there are many places all over the state of Florida where you can get lost in the history or the natural beauty.  We love Florida in the winter. Although it’s a little too hot and humid for us in the summer, we are very happy that we have taken the time to explore Florida in retirement.  Why not give it a try?  It’s time to Enjoy Retired Life!

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