Englewood Florida Gulf Coast Vacation

by Joe
(Ohio)

Honestly even though my parents love Englewood Florida, I was worried we wouldn't, however after the way the first half of the year has been for my son and I, getting away for a few days and spending quality time with family was just what we needed.

Plus it's the beach so how bad could it be right?

This year has brought a lot of firsts and this vacation brought a couple itself. First time Garrett (my son) got to fly on a plane, first time we vacationed just he and I, and first time visiting this area of the Gulf coast of Florida.

Well after our first day there I was sold. This gem of Florida isn't for everyone but I'll tell you if you want to get away to enjoy rest, relaxation, sun, and the beach this is a great spot.

Before we ever got there the tale begins with us having issues with dates. My dumb butt booked flights for the wrong week. Somehow I misread an email and although I got good deals, it was the wrong week.

Short story of that is that it was cheaper to keep the credits for the canceled flights and rebook new tickets. Expensive to say the least so make sure you have all details set in stone!

Second was we flew out very late on Saturday and doing that with a 4 year old and tired Dad made it another challenge. Carrying him and two large bags through each of the Florida airports was exhausting not to mention we had over an hour drive to the condo.

It worked out fine and we were glad we made it! Just a tiring adventure to say the least.

After a much needed night of sleep Sunday arrived with hot coffee, a gourmet breakfast made by my stepdad Randy, and some Spongebob Squarepants on the t.v.

Boy we couldn't wait to get our pasty butts to the beach and start having some fun as the ocean was calling our names as it broke onto shore.

Our weather could not have been better and although we were saddened by the oil spill disaster destroying parts of the Gulfcoast Florida beachfront, we were lucky not to have any oil issues while in this part of Florida.

The point of our week there was simple. Enjoy the weather, beaches, sun, and ocean while spending time together. Life back in Ohio was hectic and there were some things that we wanted to get away from so we didn't plan an exciting vacation.

In the mornings I would jog the beach, Garrett and Mama would walk looking for shells, and Papa would sleep. Each of our mornings also enjoyed a nice breakfast in our condo then down to the beach until it got way too hot in the afternoon.

Each evening after some much needed rest and cartoons, we'd ready ourselves for an enjoyable dinner at one of the many local eateries that my parents always love to frequent.

We tried a place called Farlows one night that had excellent fish, a tiki bar our last night that had an awesome atmosphere and karioki (can't remember the name of the actual restaurant), Barnacle Bills which always has a wonderful selection of seafood, and Johnny Leaverocks - again another wonderful selection of fish. The dinners were nothing short of excellent.

Our condo was a place called the Boardwalk where my stepfather, Randy enjoyed ownership for many years. Overlooking the beach, our condo had a loft upstairs/master bedroom, and another bedroom with two beds that Garrett and I stayed.

The place was great with a kitchen, tv's, and everything you would need to enjoy a nice stay for a week or two. Our air conditioner did go out mid week which posed some problems, but after a move, we were in fine shape and able to relax after a hot day in the sun.

The beaches were gorgeous. Sandy beaches with little depth. Sea turtle set ups, folks fishing, walking, jogging, reading, watching the sunrise/sunsets, and

spending time together. The Gulf was perfect glass. Calm and clear, we had a nice time just floating around each day in the water. The afternoon brought choppier waters where Garrett and I would jump waves, laugh, and play. It was good guy time.

Our trip was short. We only stayed from late Saturday until Thursday where we headed back to Dayton, Ohio. This time we didn't have to run through any airports trying to catch planes, so the trip back was a bit more relaxing.

Would we head to Englewood Florida again? You betcha. If you are looking for an excellent, less touristy, Gulf Coast destination, then this is one spot you should check out.

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