Effects of Red Tide have similar symptoms as COVID

[Cerveza Fria]

So wifey and I came out here to Marco Island for a weekend getaway. We’re on the beach and we both start coughing fits. I thought “Uh oh, here comes COVID” We also noticed many of the guests are also coughing a lot. We still have sense of taste and smell and no fever. We noticed we were only coughing when we were in the beach and not when we were inside. A staff member told us that we were experiencing symptoms of effects of Red Tide. It’s very windy and apparently there is a very bad Red Tide (not talking about my wife’s monthly visitor) that has been plaguing the area here recently. Didn’t know this was actually a thing, but I googled it an found numerous articles about the situation here and the symptoms we were experiencing. It sucks cause we wanted to sit on the beach and drink Champagne but the hacking up a lung during nonstop coughing fits ruins it. Wouldn’t have come here had we known about it. Well, at least we don’t have COVID.

[Dan Druff]

Weird. Never heard about that.

I've never been to Marco Island, or anything on the west coast of Florida. My entire Florida experience is limited Miami/Key West/Ft. Lauderdale/Everglades.

Does it get a lot of outside tourists, or is more of a locals destination?

[BCR]

Tons of tourists. Been there quite a few times. Originally, people from the NE went Atlantic side, and Midwest and a lot of Canadians went gulf side. That has changed somewhat since I was a kid. Still probably the majority, but you have Red Sox bars and NY sports bars in Naples. At one time, the largest Ohio State alumni chapter outside Ohio was Tampa/St Pete. I’ll let the Floridians expand further.

[desertrunner]

I honestly thought “red tide” was a new political term, but now remember hearing about this again. Thanks

[Dan Druff]

Tons of tourists. Been there quite a few times. Originally, people from the NE went Atlantic side, and Midwest and a lot of Canadians went gulf side. That has changed somewhat since I was a kid. Still probably the majority, but you have Red Sox bars and NY sports bars in Naples. At one time, the largest Ohio State alumni chapter outside Ohio was Tampa/St Pete. I’ll let the Floridians expand further.

Thanks for the info.

I ask this because I'm always looking for new places to go, and I am running out of interesting places in the US to visit which I haven't seen yet. I realize I can go abroad, but it's so much easier to travel within the US/Canada, especially being in a geographic location where leaving North America requires a shitload of hours on a plane.

I actually really love a nice beach resort with warm water and beautiful beaches. However, in general I hate places crowded with outside tourists (even if I am one myself), and crowds at beach resorts pretty much ruin the entire experience I'm going for in the first place.

I guess that, like with a lot of travel destinations, the key is to visit during non-holiday weekdays, which of course is easier said than done when you have school-aged kids.

[BCR]

I had an uncle move to Naples in 1970, so I can only recall him living there even though I was born a few months before they moved.

Most of guys I went to school with live on Gulf side. Estero, Naples, Tampa, etc. Marco Island is by Naples, so I was in Naples every year and Marco often. He passed a few months after 9/11. I never have to remember when he passed as I recall going down when he was close and being met by NG with M-16s when I departed in Ft Myers with those dudes having went to flight school in FL.

He would walk along the beach and tell me how he could have bought these lots for $15k in 1970. Given he left me and my father property down there as him and my aunt didn’t have children, let’s just say I really wish he would have bought/built on the water.

Now it’s all developed. In my youth the Atlantic side was always referred to as the concrete jungle.

It’s hard to find a non tourist area in Fl

[Cerveza Fria]

Tons of tourists. Been there quite a few times. Originally, people from the NE went Atlantic side, and Midwest and a lot of Canadians went gulf side. That has changed somewhat since I was a kid. Still probably the majority, but you have Red Sox bars and NY sports bars in Naples. At one time, the largest Ohio State alumni chapter outside Ohio was Tampa/St Pete. I’ll let the Floridians expand further.

Thanks for the info.

I ask this because I'm always looking for new places to go, and I am running out of interesting places in the US to visit which I haven't seen yet. I realize I can go abroad, but it's so much easier to travel within the US/Canada, especially being in a geographic location where leaving North America requires a shitload of hours on a plane.

I actually really love a nice beach resort with warm water and beautiful beaches. However, in general I hate places crowded with outside tourists (even if I am one myself), and crowds at beach resorts pretty much ruin the entire experience I'm going for in the first place.

I guess that, like with a lot of travel destinations, the key is to visit during non-holiday weekdays, which of course is easier said than done when you have school-aged kids.

Since you like beach destinations that aren’t crowded, Pre-COVID-19 I would have recommended Las Ventanas in Los Cabos. Small, high end resort that would be an easy quick flight for you. The price point eliminates the 20 something Spring Break crowds and you truly have privacy and quiet. If distance is not an issue, (again when it’s safe to travel), check out Jumby Bay in Antigua or Little Dix Bay in Virgin Gorda (BVI). Both are high end, private islands in the Caribbean without a ton of people. You can see celebrities there who want to vacation without paparazzi.

Living in Miami, it’s extremely easy to go anywhere in the Caribbean or Mexico and my wife and I have traveled many places. The ones I listed above are our favorites.

[tgull]

Tons of tourists. Been there quite a few times. Originally, people from the NE went Atlantic side, and Midwest and a lot of Canadians went gulf side. That has changed somewhat since I was a kid. Still probably the majority, but you have Red Sox bars and NY sports bars in Naples. At one time, the largest Ohio State alumni chapter outside Ohio was Tampa/St Pete. I’ll let the Floridians expand further.

Thanks for the info.

I ask this because I'm always looking for new places to go, and I am running out of interesting places in the US to visit which I haven't seen yet. I realize I can go abroad, but it's so much easier to travel within the US/Canada, especially being in a geographic location where leaving North America requires a shitload of hours on a plane.

I actually really love a nice beach resort with warm water and beautiful beaches. However, in general I hate places crowded with outside tourists (even if I am one myself), and crowds at beach resorts pretty much ruin the entire experience I'm going for in the first place.

I guess that, like with a lot of travel destinations, the key is to visit during non-holiday weekdays, which of course is easier said than done when you have school-aged kids.

Last time I went to Marco Island was in the late 90s. Basically its an island built up in the 70s and 80s, even in 1998 it looked aged so it must really look ancient now unless there was some type of renovation project done the last 20 years. I was at the Marriott there and all I remember was a bunch of aqua walls with a bunch of old people wandering around, walking little dogs.

Naples is good, but it is really, really touristy. I think the main drag in Naples is US 41. When I was there 15 years ago it took literally a half hour to go three miles. Problem with South West Florida is if you go May-September its so oppressively hot you really can't enjoy it. I almost got a heat stroke when I was there but given I was in great shape I was able to fend it off.

If I were you and wanted to go to Florida, I would go to Destin. Been there a lot, climate is more forgiving and most hotels do not allow spring breakers. Quite a bit to do for a week as well. I have never been to Pensacola for an extended period of time, here that is pretty decent too from what I hear. There is also a place right off the coast of Alabama, can't remember the name but hear good things.

[Dan Druff]

Thanks for the info.

I ask this because I'm always looking for new places to go, and I am running out of interesting places in the US to visit which I haven't seen yet. I realize I can go abroad, but it's so much easier to travel within the US/Canada, especially being in a geographic location where leaving North America requires a shitload of hours on a plane.

I actually really love a nice beach resort with warm water and beautiful beaches. However, in general I hate places crowded with outside tourists (even if I am one myself), and crowds at beach resorts pretty much ruin the entire experience I'm going for in the first place.

I guess that, like with a lot of travel destinations, the key is to visit during non-holiday weekdays, which of course is easier said than done when you have school-aged kids.

Since you like beach destinations that aren’t crowded, Pre-COVID-19 I would have recommended Las Ventanas in Los Cabos. Small, high end resort that would be an easy quick flight for you. The price point eliminates the 20 something Spring Break crowds and you truly have privacy and quiet. If distance is not an issue, (again when it’s safe to travel), check out Jumby Bay in Antigua or Little Dix Bay in Virgin Gorda (BVI). Both are high end, private islands in the Caribbean without a ton of people. You can see celebrities there who want to vacation without paparazzi.

Living in Miami, it’s extremely easy to go anywhere in the Caribbean or Mexico and my wife and I have traveled many places. The ones I listed above are our favorites.

I will check some of these out eventually. Too bad it is a lot more difficult for me to get there than for someone like you, who lives in Miami.

Los Angeles has its advantages in location. Easy drive to Vegas, close to tons of different types of terrain, driving distance from very good ski resorts, and Hawaii is a 5-hour flight.

However, it's kinda isolated from travel destinations. Nothing to the west for thousands of miles, hard to travel outside of North America, etc.

[desertrunner]

Los Angeles has its advantages in location. Easy drive to Vegas, close to tons of different types of terrain, driving distance from very good ski resorts, and Hawaii is a 5-hour flight.

People keep telling me to move to Texas, Idaho, Florida or Montana and my answer is always the same- Not close enough to Las Vegas. but Arizona is on the list for consideration because it is close to Clark County.

[Zap_the_Fractions_Giraffe]

move to idaho bro

[Cerveza Fria]

Los Angeles has its advantages in location. Easy drive to Vegas, close to tons of different types of terrain, driving distance from very good ski resorts, and Hawaii is a 5-hour flight.

People keep telling me to move to Texas, Idaho, Florida or Montana and my answer is always the same- Not close enough to Las Vegas. but Arizona is on the list for consideration because it is close to Clark County.

Be like Frank Zappa - move to Montana to raise a crop of Dental Floss.

[Jayjami]

Thanks for the info.

I ask this because I'm always looking for new places to go, and I am running out of interesting places in the US to visit which I haven't seen yet. I realize I can go abroad, but it's so much easier to travel within the US/Canada, especially being in a geographic location where leaving North America requires a shitload of hours on a plane.

I actually really love a nice beach resort with warm water and beautiful beaches. However, in general I hate places crowded with outside tourists (even if I am one myself), and crowds at beach resorts pretty much ruin the entire experience I'm going for in the first place.

I guess that, like with a lot of travel destinations, the key is to visit during non-holiday weekdays, which of course is easier said than done when you have school-aged kids.

Since you like beach destinations that aren’t crowded, Pre-COVID-19 I would have recommended Las Ventanas in Los Cabos. Small, high end resort that would be an easy quick flight for you. The price point eliminates the 20 something Spring Break crowds and you truly have privacy and quiet. If distance is not an issue, (again when it’s safe to travel), check out Jumby Bay in Antigua or Little Dix Bay in Virgin Gorda (BVI). Both are high end, private islands in the Caribbean without a ton of people. You can see celebrities there who want to vacation without paparazzi.

Living in Miami, it’s extremely easy to go anywhere in the Caribbean or Mexico and my wife and I have traveled many places. The ones I listed above are our favorites.

I’ve stayed at the Esperanza a few times, and some friends of mine had a place up on Pedregal back in the day. My opinion is that Cabo is a bit overpriced and overcrowded. I have a jaundiced view though. My first visits were in the 70s. The Hacienda and the Twin Dolphin were the only hotels in town. We’d get fresh bread at the panderia in the morning, go fishing on the Sea of Cortez, maybe have dinner at Alphonso’s, and then drink and dance at the little discoteca on the playa at night. Pretty much paradise.