The Purple Passport

Seasoned advice for British Travellers

Florida

The Importance of A Meticulously Planned Itinerary For Your Upcoming Trip to Florida

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When we take vacations most of us will have an idea of a couple of activities which we’d like to do but most of us would rather get to our destination and then let the wind take us where it will. In fact many people love this spontaneity and the idea that anything can happen during their time away. With a trip to Florida however, this is simply not the case and it is absolutely vital that you have an itinerary which is packed from morning til night on each day, and here is why.

Volume of Possibilities

Here in Florida there is simply so much to do for tourists that even a two week vacation won’t begin to scratch the surface. Whether you plan to visit Miami, hit the beach, go to the Everglades, indulge in some of the amazing theme parks here, catch some sports or go shopping, you will only be able to enjoy a small percentage of what is available. This is why you have to be efficient with your time, in order to make the most of every minute and at the very least tick of some of the main activities which you want to do.

Theme Parks

Once you have a solid itinerary you can start making preparations to save some money with your theme park tickets. Let’s say that you want to get some tickets for Universal Orlando, if you decide to rock up on the morning then you can expect to be waiting in line for a very long time before you even get the chance to buy the tickets, and that is before you even enter the park. Having an itinerary means that you’ll know exactly which days you’ll be at each park, allowing you the chance to secure your tickets online and save money in the process as well. Ticket online are notoriously cheeper than buying at the park.

Route Planning

Florida is a big place so you will need to ensure that you know where you are going and when, in order to design the most efficient route. For example if you are staying in Kissimmee and you want to visit Orlando downtown, there is no point in trying to get to Tampa as well because they are in different directions. As you plan your itinerary you will be able to map out smart routes which allow you to hit multiple destinations in one day.

Saving Money

You can find a huge range of coupons and vouchers online for restaurants, theme parks, activity centers and all manner of money saving opportunities. In most cases you’ll need to select the day that you plan to use the discount and this cannot be done unless you know where you’ll be and when. With this in mind then it is fair to say that by having an itinerary in place, you will be able to save yourself a lot of money on your trip, something which everyone can appreciate.

Map the trip out, plan your days well and maximize your time in Florida.

Eco-Tours are Booming in Key West

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Ahh, the backcountry of Key West. Flats that extend for miles in either direction, full of game fish, sharks, rays, tarpon and other surprises. Get up close and see it all on one of the island’s many discovery tours. Go kayaking or have a guide drive you to the remotest areas where nature thrives and excitement rules.

What Makes Key West so Special?

Key West is a sub-tropical island set way out in the Atlantic Ocean, 120 miles from the mainland. To the north, we have the Gulf of Mexico and to the south, we have the Atlantic. There are miles and miles of backcountry around this island, too.

All of this means there is a thriving marine ecosystem out there just waiting to be explored. Key West eco tours will take visitors to remote areas to view wildlife and discover nature in a non-obtrusive way so we harm the environment as little as possible. If you’re an eco-tour newbie, here’s what you can expect:

  • Some eco tours take a boat of visitors to special spots to view dolphins
  • Some tours will take visitors to a remote spot to snorkel an area that’s not frequented by the bigger tour companies
  • Some eco tours involve boating out to a remote spot for kayaking on the flats and amongst the mangroves.

Whatever form is taken, an eco-tour means you get to discover nature at your own pace, silently and carefully. These trips are great for picture-taking, too.

What About Diving?

Key West diving is an exciting way to see the living coral reef that’s just minutes away from shore. Experienced divers and novices alike can get out to the reef and discover the underwater world that surrounds the reef system in our waters.

Even if you’re new to diving, you can take a short course and get temporarily certified for some scuba on vacation. If you really love it, why not get certified for real after you return from Key West? Diving is a lifelong sport that you can enjoy for years to come. There are dozens of charter companies in Key West ready to take you out to the reef or to a wreck for some fun exploration.

What Makes the Coral Reef Near Key West so Special

Key West diving is such a big deal because we are just six miles from the only living coral reef system in North America. That means an amazing diversity of marine life and a thriving, diverse ecosystem out there. All sorts of coral flourish on the reef, from soft coral species to hard coral, like rock.

The reef fish that make snorkeling and diving so popular abound everywhere on the reef, from zebrafish to parrotfish and Sargent majors to all kinds of jacks, snapper, rays and more! A Key West diving trip will take you out to the best areas of the reef, like Eastern Dry Rocks or Sand Key Light, for the best time ever discovering the coral reef.