Guys-

Looking for an off the beaten path place 11-18/19 March. Taking the family and 2 house dogs. On or close to the beach. Doesn’t have to be fancy. Actually prefer the “ old Florida” atmosphere if it still exist

Just want to relax

Would like a shack, house or trailer that has decent beds and I can cook


I’d appreciate recommendations at least on an area and more if you have ideas. I haven’t been down that way. Definitely want to go far enough south to maybe have decent temperatures for mid march

Thanks

Remember, that area got tore up during the last hurricane. Don’t look at all the pretty pictures on a town’s website. I was in Fort Myers a couple months ago, bad.

Look in the Naples area, nice beaches and lots to do, close to the Everglades. Find you a place in Everglades City and play with the gators. It's about a 12 hour drive though. Lots of snow birds down there this time of year.

I have friends that go to Sanibel Island every year and love it for the reasons you are looking for. I know it got hit by a hurricane so don't know if it is the same.

You could check out Englewood FL good fishing and you can look for shark teeth on the beaches . They have cottage rentals right on the beach . Pelican shores is one place . It's nothing fancy like Sanibel or Ft Myers Beach though

Bahia Honda in the Keys has rustic cabins for rent but it is probably way too late to get one for march

. Islamorada is very nice.

It really depends on how far South you want to go. You get into a lot of those places, and it is very touristy, not "Old Florida" at all.

Not exactly SW but W. Homosassa, Crystal River, Weeki Wachee area is nice. You can rent a boat and find a house on one of the rivers for cheap, and take the boat to the beach. Make sure you check bridge clearance’s from the river to the coast if you do get a boat.

Look at areas around the Peace River. Great shark tooth hunting there.

I would second the keys, but stay away from key west. Marathon is my favorite but several of them are just awesome and very laid back. If you don’t want to go that far south try ormond beach. It’s just north of Daytona and very laid back not too crowded.

Wife and I stayed in that area last summer and had a blast. Very much enjoyed that part of FL.

There is not a lot of "old Florida" left. The big bend area has the most old Florida. All of the coastal areas in the peninsula have been taken over by migrants from the NE.