Carefreetrip.com :: Travel Blog

On a sunny afternoon at The Cove On Ormond Beach, a central east Florida resort on the Atlantic Ocean, children on tubes zoomed down a two-story water slide. A father in Bermuda shorts flipped burgers on a grill. Dozens of resort guests, including myself, lounged around the oceanfront pool...

Two white swans cross our path as my son and I paddle the narrow waterway winding through the Island Grand Beach Resort on St. Pete Beach. Up ahead I see sunlight dancing on a sparkling blue pool while my son spots a giant three-story inflated slide resting on the white sandy beach...

What makes the perfect beach, besides silky sand, turquoise water and near-constant sun? A perfect beach is where everything comes to you – where you don't have to work at keeping you, your partner and your kids entertained. The Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort in Northwest Florida fits the bill...

We were prepared to go the distance to get a little closer. So three girlfriends and I packed up the SUV and headed to the northwest corner of the state for some much-needed girl time on the sublime Emerald Coast. We settled in at TOPS'L Beach & Racquet Resort...

In St. Petersburg/Clearwater, you'll find a collection of Gulf-front communities with their own distinctive feel – from buzzing beach activity on award-winning shores to blessed quiet among Old Florida cottages. Here's a look at seven of my favorites, from north to south...

My father's eyes lit up like fireworks at the thought of spending a long weekend in Pensacola Beach. It wasn't long before he had his trusted Hobie Cat sailboat tacked to the back of a borrowed truck. With enough scuba gear to satisfy a Navy SEAL and a cooler full of sandwiches stacked in the cab, we were off to the beach...

It's easy to fall in love with the many flavors of Florida's Gulf Islands of Anna Maria Island, Longboat Key and the mainland areas of Bradenton and Lakewood Ranch. Most restaurants are locally owned, offering tastes you won't find anywhere else, and the tropical setting is ideal for the many culinary events held here...

Hours after sinking my toes into the sugar-sand beaches of Naples, I'm sitting in a posh restaurant on Fifth Avenue South, sipping a glass of wine and indulging in the fine life. Here, it's big city life meets the beach.

College kids may know a thing or two about spring break, but in Pensacola, they aren't the only ones having fun. With more than 52 miles of beachfront, the decision for beach bums of all ages is hardly "what to do" but "how to fit it all in."

The St. Petersburg/Clearwater area's Caladesi Island State Park, one of Florida's few remaining undeveloped barrier islands, is the ideal place for angling, kayaking, birding or hiking. Or just relaxing. Its soft white sand invites you to sink in, to rest a while – and you won't want to pass it up.