Florida advice please: Naples and/or Miami

I've got to be in Naples for a company get-together in mid November. A long way to go from London to hear some Ra-Ra-Ra type speeches and presentations.
The afternoons are free time and the sunday is a day off as the thing wraps up at breakfast but flights leave Miami in the evening.
I'll have a rental car....fingers crossed the Hertz Shelby Mustang. I own a '66 convertible over here, so it seemed the obvious car to rent...all on the company cheque...sweeeet!

So any suggestions? Any chance of some decent surf at that time of year? I'm assuming not in Naples as wrong coast, what about Miami? If so is it easy to rent a board there?

Long shot...what about a good ski shop....you guys do sell stuff cheap by our standards...could be a chance to pick up the new jacket I've been promising myself.

I'm into clay and target shooting, surfing, mtb an (obviously!) skiing.
I don't do golf!

Thanks in advance...

you won't find any surf that far south, on either coasts. on the east coast, you will need to get above palm beach due to the swell blockage by the bahamas. west coast, forget it unless you have a hurricane passing by in the gulf.

how bout windsurfing? kitesurfing? both would be excellent in november. the keys are not far off. islamorada is an excellent wind/kite surf spot but you could probably do that anywhere in the naples or miami areas.

watch out with that mustang - cops and radar guns are all over those tourist routes!

Leave Naples asap

Great scuba and snorkel in the Keys and off Miami
John Pennecamp State Park in Key Largo is a coral reef
Wind/kite surfing, jet ski

South Beach: eye candy left, right, center

I made a similar post this summer. Maggots made a lot of great suggestions.
Here is a link.
And here is a link to my TR.
Have fun in Florida!

Mid November in Naples. There is never any waves on the gulf coast. Afriend just came back from Canaveral 2 days ago, the waves were also pretty small and generally are this time of year from what I understand.

I seriously and strongly suggest you goto Everglades. Thats one of the few times of the year you can go down there without being eaten alive by mosquitos. Goto the shark valley lookout tower entrance. Rent a bike there or somewhere else. Its a nice flat 12 mile ride along the glades. You WILL be super close to lots of gators. Its kinda freaky to realize that there is no cage, these are wild animals, and you're 5 feet from them off the trail on ON the trail. The tower at the end is pretty amazing too, great view of the glades. Theres something majical about the glades, just look at how crystal clear the water is and the aquatic life, the birds, nature, and all the crap ;)

After that goto Ohcopee to someplace Jenny's (I think) that looks like a big huge shack on the left side of the road if you're heading west. Get the gator, its nothing like any gator youve ever had and its honestly really good. If theres some big good ole boy mid-late 20's hes way cool. Talk to him about living in the everglades his WHOLE life and his crazy gator stories. Hes got a lot. They also have really good strawberry shakes. :) FYI, if you pass the phone booth sized post office, you might have just passed it.

Otherwise, goto Miami, enjoy south beach if its not too cold. Get some good cuban food.

The keys are definitely a great option but personally Id really want a boat, tent, fishing gear, scuba gear, and a whole week to do it right.

Go fishing. Tarpon Fishing specifically. The only really good surf spot in FL is Sebastian Inlet just South of Cocoa Beach - about 3 hours NE of Naples. It's the place where all the shark attacks occurred two years ago.

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Originally Posted by Tippster

Go fishing. Tarpon Fishing specifically. The only really good surf spot in FL is Sebastian Inlet just South of Cocoa Beach - about 3 hours NE of Naples. It's the place where all the shark attacks occurred two years ago.

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Duh, fishing, yea, highly 2nded.
Let me know if you need the name of a good guide.
He's the BEST guide Ive ever been on a boat with and a super great guy.

Everglades sounds a good option for the sunday.
Figuring I leave Naples at 8.0am and MUST be at Miami Airport for 7.00 PM does that sound viable?
I'll break out some maps...but just as an idea what kind of distances are we talking?

Oh yea...just got the confirm from Hertz..that Shelby is reserved in my name!

Naples to the glades is no more than a couple hours. Drive down 75 and cut over on 41/Tamiami Trail. From the glades to miami is also no more than a couple hours.
The bike ride out and back is no more than a couple hours as well.
Oh yea, buy some bug spray if you go, get the 15%+ deet stuff, generally the deep woods off stuff.

google maps wont work for directions to ochopee because ochopee is in the middle of no where....literally....there are no roads to "ochopee" but there is a post office and Jenny's Shack Restaurant thingy just off 41.

these should help out
http://www.nps.gov/ever/planyourvisit/svdirections.htm
http://www.nps.gov/ever/planyourvisit/maps.htm

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Originally Posted by pechelman

Mid November in Naples. There is never any waves on the gulf coast. .

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You've never surfed amazon's with a storm in the gulf.:fm:


Pechy's got some good suggestions. Something I used to do when I worked down there was bring (rent) a bike and go ride around sannibel island just north of naples. Crystal clear water, lots of dolphins, kind of nice. There's also Thomas Edison's old house in Ft Myers where you can see how an american invented all the things you non-americans take for granted.....electricity, skateboards, tea, oxygen, etc.

I agree the keys are kind of half assed without a boat. That said, if you can get down there early enough, pennecamp park is off one of the more northern keys and you could get a snorkle trip charter boat. The water starts to get a little more cloudy with autumn winterish storms and such. Or you can go to miami and look at plastic boobies.

And if.....IF a storm/hurricane swings by while you're out there.....ask where reef road is near miami. When it hits, it's really good.

But yeah....go see gators in the everglades. It's close. And don't bring a dog. Just sayin.

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Originally Posted by kidwoo

But yeah....go see gators in the everglades. It's close. And don't bring a dog. Just sayin.

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Its not feeding the wildlife if they have to kill it first ;)
gator's gotta eat too

2nd on edison or even perhaps the ringling brothers house...been a while since i been to either of those though

In Naples or Marco Island, hit the Crazy Flamingo for pitchers and "Bald Eagle Wings". Hottest wings south of the border. I've watched person after person guzzle entire pitchers of beer after taking just one bite. Marinated in their secret sauce for 30 days prior to cooking.

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Originally Posted by rungsp

Everglades sounds a good option for the sunday.
Figuring I leave Naples at 8.0am and MUST be at Miami Airport for 7.00 PM does that sound viable?
I'll break out some maps...but just as an idea what kind of distances are we talking?

Oh yea...just got the confirm from Hertz..that Shelby is reserved in my name!

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Should take you 3 hours from Naples to Miami Airport...made the ride a thousand times. I-75 or US41 straight across the everglades...

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Originally Posted by K-Stormchaser

In Naples or Marco Island, hit the Crazy Flamingo for pitchers and "Bald Eagle Wings". Hottest wings south of the border. I've watched person after person guzzle entire pitchers of beer after taking just one bite. Marinated in their secret sauce for 30 days prior to cooking.

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If you go to Marco Island, you have to go to the Snook Inn. There's no other place. ;)

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Originally Posted by Nohillsnearby

If you go to Marco Island, you have to go to the Snook Inn. There's no other place. ;)

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For what? Snook?

I could see the turning into a who's on first thing.

1: Where'd you go?
2: Snook Inn.
1: Snook in where?

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Originally Posted by kidwoo

And if.....IF a storm/hurricane swings by while you're out there.....ask where reef road is near miami. When it hits, it's really good.

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that would be near palm beach. best with big winter N swells. :cool:

Well, Well

Ford Mustangs, gun’s, no golf, damn son, you sound like you’re one of the extremely rare and rarely seen species known as the British redneck. j/k

You are correct about the surf on this coast. Unless there’s a hurricane, it’s about the same as when you get into a bathtub.

There are lots of good suggestions on here. With the limited time you have you somewhat need to pick an activity and go.

So are you a hunter or a target shooter? If you just want to bust some clay’s, I’m about 30 minutes north of Naples.

If you’re a hunter, fall turkey and Quail starts on Nov 11th. But we do archery for wild boar all year.

The fishing’s been fair to poor around here since were just coming out of a red tide phase.

If you kite board we’re good to go. The scuba is piss poor around here and there’s lots of aggressive sharks.

Everglades national park is the largest subtropical wilderness in the united states. The only American Indian tribe that didn’t surrender (Seminoles) did it by disappearing into the Everglades.
Once you spend some time poking around in there, you’ll see how they disappeared.

I think it’s funny about the Mustangs, My wife has one also and she’s from the U.K. as well. Must be a British thing.

Ski shop,There’s a Peter Glenn sports in Miami, better than nothing, IMHO. Alternatively, you can have items shipped to my address if that helps. (hello SAC)

Feel free to PM

Re Peter Glenn, theres a pretty big one in Tampa as well.
Dale Mabry and Busch from what I remember. Also just happens to be right around the corner from Mama's Pizza which freaking rocks.

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Originally Posted by Ripzalot

that would be near palm beach. best with big winter N swells. :cool:

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.....which happens once hurricanes go north:fm:

Miami exists as far north as palm beach as far as I'm concerned. It's all crap.:biggrin:

Redneck?
REDNECK?

Well actually i think Hook may be on to something:
I have several guns.
I hunt (deer).
I shoot (birds)
I fish.
We eat what we kill!
I have a '66 Mustang (V8...obviously!).
I live in an isolated place.
I have no doorbell on my house, instead I have two loud dogs.
I grow a lot of vegetables.
I barter for other meat (swap a deer for a lamb or 1/2 side of beef)
I forage for wild mushrooms and dry them for use in the rest of the year.
My best friends are my cousins, and they live close by. Infact two of my cousins live in the two halves of a semi-detached house.
I like Patsy Cline and Nacy Griffiths (won't mention punk, dance, reggae etc...let's pretend they don't exist for these purposes).

Looks like I am going to feel right at home in the Everglades.

EXCEPT:

I don't drink beer, I'll drink anything else, but just don't like beer.

Even I know...you can't be a Redneck if you don't like beer.

So I got near to being the British Redneck...but sadlyI'm just another gaper on that score.

Sebastian Inlet for sher...

While In Naples, cruise the strip for the hotties... Then go to Yabbas and chow down.

Hook...PM sent

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Originally Posted by rungsp

Redneck?
REDNECK?

Looks like I am going to feel right at home in the Everglades.

EXCEPT:

I don't drink beer, I'll drink anything else, but just don't like beer.

Even I know...you can't be a Redneck if you don't like beer.

So I got near to being the British Redneck...but sadlyI'm just another gaper on that score.

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No, there are exceptions: you may drink a wide assortment of Burbon and Whiskey or moonshine in place of beer. Don't sell yourself short. Now what about tobacco use?

Well obviously I don't smoke it! As if!!
Inhale it or chew it are the only choices a true British Gent would even think of!