Florida self-drive - help me plan (no disney)

[matt3001]

9/10 nights, preferably fly into Orlando and grab a Camaro SS car off Hertz.

Must see attractions:

Kennedy Space Centre
Daytona International Raceway
Universal Studios
Savannah, Georgia
St Augustine
Crystal River/Cedar Key (if the route can be flexed).

Given I want the Camaro I don't mind a couple of hours driving a day. Is it easier to just stay at a couple of hotels (Say Orlando, St Augustine and Savannah) and drive out each day. Or just throw the luggage in the car each morning and stay somewhere different?

Any other tips?

[Matt Harper]

I would remove Daytona International Speedway from your list of 'must see attractions' - outside of race days, it's a pretty desolate and boring place to visit. The Daytona USA attraction is OK, but it's very 'static'.

I'd add:
Hilton Head Island (if you are visiting Savannah - and be careful in Savannah, it's easy to find yourself on the wrong side of the tracks)
Wekiva Springs State Park
Ybor City, Tampa
Fantasy of Flight, Polk City
Don Garlits Drag Racing Museum and Collection, Ocala
Boggy Creek Airboats, Lake Tohopekaliga

What time of year are we talking about?

[matt3001]

Matt Harper said:

I would remove Daytona International Speedway from your list of 'must see attractions' - outside of race days, it's a pretty desolate and boring place to visit. The Daytona USA attraction is OK, but it's very 'static'.

I'd add:
Hilton Head Island (if you are visiting Savannah - and be careful in Savannah, it's easy to find yourself on the wrong side of the tracks)
Wekiva Springs State Park
Ybor City, Tampa
Fantasy of Flight, Polk City
Don Garlits Drag Racing Museum and Collection, Ocala
Boggy Creek Airboats, Lake Tohopekaliga

What time of year are we talking about?

Boggy Creek looks awesome.

What do you mean about Savannah? Its easy to end up in the Ghetto? Would you suggest its worth a visit at all?

Thanks for your other suggestions - much appreciated. Currently thinking of going either this March or wait and go in Feb 14 and watch the Daytona 500 (is the date announced yet)?

Edit: Is there any MLB/NHL/NFL/NBA on nearby in Feb?

Edited by matt3001 on Tuesday 5th February 15:54

[Matt Harper]

matt3001 said:

Boggy Creek looks awesome.

What do you mean about Savannah? Its easy to end up in the Ghetto? Would you suggest its worth a visit at all?

Thanks for your other suggestions - much appreciated. Currently thinking of going either this March or wait and go in Feb 14 and watch the Daytona 500 (is the date announced yet)?

Edit: Is there any MLB/NHL/NFL/NBA on nearby in Feb?

Savannah is a beautiful antebellum town that has a lot going for it - but it is also very small and in some parts very impoverished. So yes, it is quite easy to find yourself in dangerous neighborhoods, if you are not careful about your surroundings. It absolutely is worth visiting - just keep your wits about you - in fact this goes for most US cities, including Orlando, which despite being "The happiest place on Earth" is seriously skanky in parts.

March is a great time to visit, as the weather here is just about perfect between March and end of May - not too humid, with bearable daytime temps. There are also a few very awesome motorsports events taking place. Mobil 12 Hours of Sebring (March 13-16th) is fantastic (way better than Le Mans, in my experience), NHRA Gatornationals, March 14-17th world-class top-fuel racing (shame it clashes with Sebring, but you can experience both, if you like). Then we have the IZOD St. Petersburg Grand Prix Indycar street race on March 24th. So March is good month for 3 very different forms of auto racing.

I also attend the Daytona 500 usually - it's a spectacle and a lot of fun, but I wouldn't base a vacation around it, personally. If I didn't live here, I don't think I'd bother.

No NFL in Feb or March - Several MLB teams have spring training camps in FL in March - they play at various venues in Central FL, so you can see the schedule on www.mlb.com.
Orlando Magic play through Feb and March, as do Tampa Bay Lightning hockey team, when they're not on strike.