Kiwi Flyer

Posts older than 2015 for this OPEN THREAD can be found in the

ARCHIVE THREAD for DISCUSSION for Hilton HHonors Hotels in Florida, USA

Links to moved posts should still work.

Kiwi Flyer
Hilton HHonors forum moderator

gamer1724

Evening to everyone. We are looking to plan a family vacation to Florida in early August before the kids go back to school and wanted to get recommendations on any Hilton locations in Florida that would be recommended. We have 2 kids ages 11 and 12 that will be coming, to old for the Disney area but to young for the Miami and Ft. Lauderdale areas as well. We'd be looking for a nice beach...maybe some clear blue water for snorkeling or something fun.

thanks!

indufan

I don't know about snorkeling but I rather enjoyed the North Reddington Beach area served by the Doubletree.

gamer1724

much appreciated! snorkeling was just something different for the kids potnetially

indufan

They may have that someplace close. This is an interesting area. It is very close to the Tampa metro area but has a more remote feel to it. I mean it is plenty busy with plenty to eat and stuff but it is not all hustle and bustle. The beach is awesome. In early August the water will be almost hot. It wasn't super clear water but that could have just been that trip. Destin, in the panhandle, is kind of fun too. There is a Hilton there but it has been a few years since I have been there.

MoreMilesPlease

August will be hot and humid. It is also right in the hurricane season so could get rain everyday.

I second the idea of the Florida panhandle. It will be better weather and less chance of rain/hurricane.

comper

Recently completed a stay at the doubletree at the entrance to Universal. Was very well looked after comped breakfast and parking and its walking distance to Universal/Islands of adventure, also close to international drive.

Rooms are slightly tired but floor to ceiling windows and a distant view of Universal.

Nice pool for relaxing in and good gym.

JLITTLE

We really like the Clearwater area. Great beaches , good family atmosphere tons of stuff to do in that area. The Hilton there is very nice water front property.

indufan

How do you figure that the panhandle has a lower chance of a hurricane than Tampa?

hhoope01

As teens, my kids love Universal much more than Disney. With kids 11 and 12, Universal may well be much more to their liking than Disney as well. I just got back from taking the family to Universal this past weekend. ^

But, I have to say that August and Orlando just do NOT go together in my head. I love Orlando and go there a couple of times a year. I just make sure none of those times are June/July/August.

On this recent trip, we spend the first couple of days out at Daytona Beach and the Hilton resort there was actually nice (and they upgraded us after the first night, to one of their outside cabana suites. The resort is right on the beach and there are quite a few things to do all around the resort.

xooz

Consider St. Augustine. Quieter than most, nice sandy beaches. Couple of Hampton Inns, one is right across from the beach I think. Also Fernandina Beach is a possible. large expanse of beach that is not terribly crowded. Could go into Jacksonville for a day if you needed some city activities. I think it is only Hampton Inns at St. Augustine and Fernandina.

gamer1724

lots of great information and recommendations...so a BIG THANK YOU to everyone...however one of the biggest things Im getting from this is the potential for bad weather in FLA in August, so it might be a benefit for us to look for another destination to ensure maybe some better weather?

hhoope01

If you are right on the beach, it probably won't be quite a bad as there will be a nice breeze from the ocean. But once you go more inland (i.e. Orlando), you don't get any of that cooling. All you get is hot and humid. And walking around in a crowded amusement park when it is hot and humid can be a very un-enjoyable experience.

I will say that I love visiting Florida. I just don't tend to visit during the months of June/July/August if I can help it. I just got back home from a trip to Orlando (arrived just after New Years day.) And I am planning a trip to the Destin area sometime in late April or early May.

OK, with that said, I do annually visit Destin with both my brothers, my sister and their families, my parents, etc., the 3rd week of July every year (as my parents bought a timeshare there many decades ago). But we are in the panhandle and right on the beach, so while it is still hot and it can get a bit humid, it isn't too bad.

But as always, YMMV.

arlflyer

I spent the first 20 years of my life in Daytona Beach so I can provide some insight here. The peninsula of Florida has a unique weather phenomenon which is the development of strong afternoon thunderstorms on a daily basis over the mainland. This is due to the heat rising off the land mass creating convective updrafts which in turn draw in moisture from the ocean, and the resulting mixing produces explosive thunderstorms. Locals joke that you can set a watch to them and often times you can, right at 2 or 3 PM. They are short-lived and then generally clear out into the later afternoon and evening. You can get plenty of beach in beforehand; more than enough in fact and you will be tired of the sun by that time. Another point is that due to the nature of this phenomenon it mainly occurs over the land mass so is often subdued at the beach. On many occasions I have sat on the beach with the sun still shining and watched huge storms blow up 5-10 miles inland.

Hurricanes are a largely rare and overblown occurrence talked up by people who don't live in Florida. There are two kinds of hurricanes, the powerful and destructive Atlantic storms and the slow-moving, rain-laden Gulf storms. The former get more hype but rarely actually hit the peninsula with the exception of those that cross the southern tip such as Andrew. Direct strikes or even glancing blows by Atlantic storms to Central and Northern Florida are rare to nonexistent; these storms generally get picked up by the Gulf Stream and hit North Carolina. A prime example was Floyd back in '98. These Atlantic storms will, though in passing by bring bands of rain and clouds. Gulf storms will cross the peninsula, dropping lots of rain for several days and causing tree damage and power outages.

I would say that the overall frequency of a hurricane event disrupting the peninsula to any extent is once every 2-3 years. September is usually the most likely month.

Overall, there isn't really a reason to avoid the state in the summer months. You just have to understand that the weather will be like pretty much anywhere in the tropics around the world during the hot season, with heat, humidity, rain, and the possibility of a storm here or there. The beach is the beach and will be cooler and breezier than inland, with a sea breeze and water temps in the mid to upper 70's.

If you want perfect weather year round, you should look to Southern California or the ABC islands.

IsleOfMan

My family of 6 (me, wife, 3 x 5.5-year olds, and a 3 year old) are Disney annual pass holders and live in the greater-ATL area. We are at Disney EVERY August for our triplets' birthday and the heat/humidity isn't THAT oppressive. Granted, as pass-holders, we generally take things slow, hang out in a few cool spots, take an afternoon nap, etc... we're not rushing to pack EVERY MINUTE of the day with a ride or show. If you don't mind taking things slow, don't be scared off by central Florida in August.

Also, if it's a 4-night+ trip, consider splitting between Orlando and one of the coasts. IMHO Universal is, at best, a 2-day visit with a day for each park (though Harry Potter does make park hopping much more beneficial than it used to be). Moving on from the parks to the beach will help decompress after 2-days in the parks and also help alleviate some of the heat oppression IF it really gets to you. The beaches in/around Tampa or a bit further north are quite nice that time of year. Flying into MCO and out of TPA might be best for this, but it's not too bad a drive either way.