For more information about vacation rentals and real estate please visit www.SWFloridaRentals-Team.com  Contact Christina Felgenhauer Phone: 1-239-699-1462 or email us swfloridarentals@gmail.com

Florida offers an incredible mix of superb locations, each one providing unique opportunities for Florida golf, beach and family vacations that cater to all tastes and interests.

Perennial  favorites such as Walt Disney World, Universal Studios, Busch Gardens and Sea World Orlando are the focal points for the majority of Florida vacations.

The entertainment parks are complimented by superb natural attractions such as the Everglades, Florida Keys and the Gulf Islands that have been attracting visitors for many generations.

But it is the beaches that are the jewel in the Florida tourism crown. The soft, white, powder-fine sand and the clear, warm, inviting waters make Florida beaches the equal of any of the world’s best beaches.

Daytona Beach, Fort Lauderdale, Marco and Sanibel Islands, Clearwater and St Petersburg…. these are just a few of the Florida destinations renowned for the quality of their beaches.

Florida Golf Vacations

Many holiday makers come to experience the unrivalled Florida golf vacations on the manicured greens of some of Florida’s leading courses. There is a mix of over 1100 public and private membership golf courses throughout Florida.

Given the enormous popularity of golf throughout the state, it comes as no surprise to find that golf vacation packages are available to suit all tastes and budgets.

Many major courses are available via resort and vacation packages that incorporate an agreed number of rounds of golf combined with resort accommodation and access to the resort’s guest facilities.

Florida Beach Vacations

A vacation at a Florida beach is all about basking in the sunny warmth, swimming in the warm clear waters and enjoying the relaxed lifestyle.  There are numerous beach vacation destinations to choose from within the 1100 miles (1760km) of incredible Florida beaches that fringe this unique peninsula.

Magnificent sandy beaches stretch as far as the eye can see and the oceans, waterways and lakes attract anglers from all parts of the world for the incredible Florida fishing.

Many of the best destinations for beach vacations are available throughout the year.  Birding, surfing, shelling, hunting for treasure, snorkeling in the emerald waters, reliving Florida’s history, enjoying a romantic getaway….. Florida has a beach that’s perfect for you.

Florida Family Vacations

It’s easy to understand why family vacations in Florida are the preferred choice for both USA families and visitors from overseas. Family vacations are available throughout Florida to suit every taste and budget.

Some visitors come to swim with dolphins while others appreciate the preserved Florida heritage and history that is so accessible with a Florida driving vacation. Florida is driver friendly with an excellent road network and numerous RV parks.

For more information about vacation rentals and real estate please visit www.SWFloridaRentals-Team.com  Contact Christina Felgenhauer Phone: 1-239-699-1462 or email us swfloridarentals@gmail.com

The Miami Boat Show, the largest event of its kind, is less than a month away. Rooms for this world-class event typically book up a month in advance so make your reservations now.

The nation’s boat industry has been rocked by the downturn in the economy, so with sales down, manufactures are ready to wheel and deal. Consumers looking for a bargain boat should find plenty of boats to choose from when the doors open Feb. 12.

Here are a few tips for first-time boat buyers or veterans boaters looking to upgrade to a larger vessel:

Plan your day. Make a list of the manufacturers that you want to visit and then hit them one by one. Take notes, so you can compare and contrast standard equipment and options.

Don’t buy the first boat you see. Look around. The Miami Boat Show will have hundreds of models on display, you might find three or four different models that will suit your needs.

Once you decide on a boat, don’t be afraid to haggle. The sticker price is just that. The bottom line might be something entirely different.

Sailing enthusiasts will also enjoy Strictly Sail Miami, which runs concurrent with the 68th Annual Miami Boat Show. Mark your calendars. The shows run Feb. 12-16 at the Miami Beach Convention Center, the Sea Isle Marina & Yachting Center and the Miamarina at Bayside.

Features at a Glance

WIN A $1000 BOATER’S WORLD GIFT CARD

Enter for your chance to win a $1000 Boater’s World Gift Certificate. To enter simply complete an entry form available in the show lobby. One lucky person will be awarded a $1000 Boater’s World Gift card. No purchase necessary. Complete rules available at the show.

Big Game Room

The Big Game Room celebrates it’s 6th Year and returns with all of your favorite events.  Have a drink at the Marlin Bar while waiting for the next educational seminar to begin.  Take a walk over to the Bait Rigging Station and improve your rigging techniques or try the new Chair Fighting Challenge – the Mechanical Bull of the Fishing World.  And of course you’ll see the latest in products for the fishing world and destinations with the best sport fishing in the world. Don’t forget to sign up for the Exhibitor Prize Give Away!! The Big Game Room has it all – don’t miss it

Discover Boating Center

Your one-stop resource for boating information and advice. Staffed by experts who can answer all your questions and set you on a course to choosing a boat that will give you and your family years of enjoyment, the Discover Boating Center is here to help you become a boater.

• Straightforward answers to all your boating questions
• Expert, unbiased advice on buying a boat
• Information you can trust and local resources to help you get started

Sea Tow Foundation for Boating Safety & Education

The Sea Tow Foundation for Boating Safety & Education (located in booth 1765) is scheduled to help raise awareness for boating safety.  Visitors to the show are encouraged to “Take the Sea Tow Challenge” and try boating safety activity while at the show.  The challenge encourages recreational boaters to learn more about boating safety concepts and the importance of wearing a life jacket while on the water.

We encourage all boat show attendees to stop by the Sea Tow Foundation booth and try a boating safety activity.  Prizes will be awarded for various levels of participation.  People come to boat shows to learn more about boats and boating.  These activities will give them something fun and interesting to do while shopping and will hopefully make folks aware that they can never know enough about boating safely.

Custom and Border Protection

Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Officers will be at the show to enroll eligible participants in the CBP Local Boater Option (LBO).  Participants must be U.S. Citizens or Lawful Permanent Residents (Green Card Holders).  The LBO is a new voluntary, free of charge, program which allows a participant, under certain circumstances, to telephonically report the arrival of their private vessel, make customs declarations, submit any necessary additional information, and be cleared for Immigration purposes without the need to report to a port of entry in person.  The program is only available to private vessels arriving into ports of South Florida, Tampa, Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands.  To enroll in the program, an individual must present him/herself to a CBP officer with the appropriate documentation (passport is preferred) to verify identity, citizenship or lawful permanent immigration status.  PLEASE, all family members must be present to register; registration is on an INDIVIDUAL basis.  The office will then register the individual into the program, and create a Boater Registration Number (BR).  This number will then be used during the telephone arrival notification process.  

 Officers will be available all days of the show from 10 am – 6 pm. in booth #1747 in C Lobby.  

Block Party

Celebrate the South Florida sunsets with food and drink specials from 5 pm to 7 pm, Friday, February 13, through Sunday, February 15, along Convention Center Drive at the Miami Beach Convention Center. 

For more information about vacation rentals and real estate please visit www.SWFloridaRentals-Team.com  Contact Christina Felgenhauer Phone: 1-239-699-1462 or email us swfloridarentals@gmail.com

The arrival of Blue Man Group – which occupies a newly created live performance venue accessible from both Universal CityWalk and Universal Studios – adds an entirely new dimension in live entertainment for Universal Orlando theme park guests and Florida residents.

The unique style of Blue Man entertainment has been experienced by more than 10 million people worldwide.  They have entertained audiences of all ages with their live stage shows, their touring rock concert, television programming and albums.

And now, Blue Man Group brings their live show to Universal Orlando Resort.  The show combines music, comedy and multimedia theatrics to create the blissful party atmosphere that is a Blue Man Group trademark. 

Blue Man Group performs from a specially created theater at Universal Studios.  The building once housed Nickelodeon Studios and has been re-designed as a 1,000-seat theater complete with its own box office. The Blue Man Group show is custom-designed for Universal Orlando and includes elements of the group’s existing shows as well as newly created material.

Blue Man Group is a creative organization dedicated to creating exciting and innovative work in a wide variety of media.

Blue Man Group is best known for their wildly popular theatrical shows and concerts which combine music, comedy and multimedia theatrics to produce a totally unique form of entertainment. The blissful party atmosphere created at their live events has become the trademark of a Blue Man Group experience.

Currently, their live stage shows can be seen in New York, Boston, Chicago, Las Vegas, Orlando, Berlin, and Tokyo. Blue Man Group also frequently tours and is on its Megastar World Tour this year.

The company applies its unique creative process to a wide variety of projects, including the recording of several albums:

•    The Grammy-nominated
•    The Complex, which became the musical basis for The Complex Rock Tour
•    How To Be a Megastar LIVE!, a two-disk DVD/CD of Blue Man Group’s popular rock concert tour
•    Live At The Venetian ® – Las Vegas, which is available exclusively on iTunes.

Blue Man Group has also ventured into toy development (with their Keyboard Experience and Percussion Tubes, produced by ToyQuest), film and TV scoring, commercial campaigns, television program appearances (like Scrubs and Arrested Development), and a children’s museum exhibit, Making Waves, which is currently touring the country.

As the company grows, it remains true to its vision of providing exciting experiences in a variety of media which appeal to a broad range of age groups and cultural backgrounds.

For more information about vacation rentals and real estate please visit www.SWFloridaRentals-Team.com  Contact Christina Felgenhauer Phone: 1-239-699-1462 or email us swfloridarentals@gmail.com

Source: http://www.news-press.com/apps/pbcs.dll/section?Category=EVENTS&query=Event&site=GMTI&tpl=Event&ID=35103

For more information about vacation rentals and real estate please visit www.SWFloridaRentals-Team.com  Contact Christina Felgenhauer Phone: 1-239-699-1462 or email us swfloridarentals@gmail.com

TAMPA – Jan. 5, 2009 – Policyholders of Citizens Property Insurance Corp. could face sizable rate increases and lose the option to stay with the state-backed property insurer if a task force’s recommendations are approved.

The group meets in Tampa on Tuesday to discuss those and other changes to Florida’s largest property insurer.

Currently, Citizens policyholders can reject offers from private insurers that want to assume their policies. Policyholders would lose that option under recommendations being considered by the 11-member task force charged with returning Citizens to its original role as the state’s insurer of last resort. Private insurers removed nearly 400,000 homeowners policies from Citizens in 2008. More than 33,000 homeowners, however, rejected takeout offers from the private market.

In addition, the task force will consider a recommendation to eliminate the freeze on Citizens’ rates. Eliminating the rate freeze could open the door to a sizable rate increase for policyholders.

In 2005, Citizens asked state regulators for permission to raise rates 44 percent on average.

Instead, regulators approved a 25.9 percent rate increase for Citizens. A few months later, however, the increase was removed and Citizens’ rates were frozen through 2009 with legislation backed by Gov. Charlie Crist, a move designed to punish private insurers for not lowering their rates.

Also, state law was changed to allow homeowners to qualify for Citizens coverage as long as the premiums offered by private insurers were 15 percent higher than Citizens’ rates.

That law would be repealed under a recommendation the task force will consider this week.

The task force will meet for the final time Tuesday at Tampa Airport Marriott and will vote on the recommendations. The task force must submit its recommendations to the Florida Legislature by Jan. 31.

Citizens has 1.1 million policies, down from a high of 1.4 million.

Source: http://www.floridarealtors.org/NewsAndEvents/n3-010509.cfm

For more information about vacation rentals and real estate please visit www.SWFloridaRentals-Team.com  Contact Christina Felgenhauer Phone: 1-239-699-1462 or email us swfloridarentals@gmail.com

Lee County Commissioners narrowly agreed Tuesday to a 30-year lease with the Boston Red Sox to keep spring training in Lee County. It’s the next step in the county’s decision to build the franchise a complex in south Lee County.

The lease passed 3-2 with Commissioners Bob Janes, Ray Judah and Tammy Hall voting in favor. Commissioners Frank Mann and Brian Bigelow voted against.

The 44-page lease is largely based off current agreements between Lee County the Red Sox and Minnesota Twins, said John Yarbrough, the county’s hired consultant on the deal. The Twins hold spring training at the Lee County Sports Complex.

The lease does not outline the project cost, which has been estimated around $80 million.

The quest for a new stadium became public when Sarasota officials announced earlier this year they were making a play to pull the Red Sox out of Lee County. That pushed local officials into overdrive to get a new deal.

The project will be funded in part by Tourist Development Council money. The county will spend up to a cent of the 5-cent tourist bed tax on baseball projects.

The lease spells out details such as concessions and parking revenues which go to the Red Sox. It also discusses the insurance and advertising rights standard in lease agreements. Exactly which companies will have advertisements and handle concessions are not in the agreement.

Three terms are different from past leases:

• It’s a 30-year lease, compared to 15 for the Twins. There is no clause allowing the team to buy its way out of the contract. The old lease for the Red Sox runs through 2019, but the club could have bought its way out as early as next year by paying a $1 million fee.

• The Red Sox will pay $500,000 per year in rent, compared with the $300,000 it pays at City of Palms Park. The rent will increase 3 percent every five years. The current agreement has no escalation.

• Lee County will match the money the Red Sox agree to put into a capital improvement fund. On average, the team will contribute $100,000 per year over the next 30 years to maintain and upgrade the facility. That totals $6 million between the club and county, which will be put in an interest-bearing account. The Red Sox currently pay $20,000 per year.

“We recognize this is a big commitment for the county,” said Red Sox Chief Operating Officer Mike Dee. “From our point of view, we believe the steps have been taken to make this fair and balanced.”

Dee said he and county officials will turn toward interviewing construction managers and hope to have one chosen by the January’s end. The team and county will have a specific site identified by June.

That site will be south of Daniels Parkway and north of Bonita Beach Road. It will be at least 80 acres.

Mann said he wants the project to work and having the Red Sox train in Lee County is beneficial to the community. He couldn’t, however, support the lease as presented.

“It’s a huge imbalance here, it is not something I would vote for myself. I would never enter into a contract like this myself,” Mann said.

Yarbrough said the agreement is not perfect, “but it is the best agreement Lee County has done with a baseball team since we have been doing them,” Yarbrough said.

Hall said she is “not a kookie baseball fan,” but it’s not about baseball.

“The Red Sox are a huge economic boost to Lee County,” Hall said. “This is a business decision for Lee County.”

A state study showed a professional team’s economic impact is about $25 million per year. Sarasota officials hired a consultant who put the Red Sox potential impact on that area at $46.5 million per year.

Bigelow said he too wants the agreement to work, but he could not vote for it with no third spring training team signed to occupy the the City of Palms Park in Fort Myers.

“I am really worried this field of dreams maybe become a field of nightmares for the City of Palms Park,” Bigelow said.

Fort Myers City Councilman Randy Henderson wants to focus on the future of the City of Palms Park.

“Now we can say that deal is done. Good luck, hope you get the money, 30-year deal is good for the county, hope that works out,” Henderson said. “Now let’s turn our focus to the City of Palms and who’s next.”

In a news conference later in the day, Yarbrough addressed his talks with other franchises.

“I have not had direct contact with any teams,” Yarbrough said. “I have talked to people who have talked to people.”

Red Sox owner John Henry had planned to visit commissioners, but had a scheduling conflict and will visit in early January instead, Dee said.

About 50 people, including heads of county departments, showed up for the meeting. Only those representing a group, such as the Estero Chamber of Commerce, spoke about the project.

Source: http://www.news-press.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2008812100364

For more information about vacation rentals and real estate please visit www.SWFloridaRentals-Team.com  Contact Christina Felgenhauer Phone: 1-239-699-1462 or email us swfloridarentals@gmail.com

Atemberaubende Plätze: Luxus in Miami, Massenvergnügen am Golf von Mexiko.

Von Ludwig Rembold

Die Stadt ist der Hammer! Miami, die Metropole des Hedonismus. Jeden, der irgendwie dazugehören möchte, zu den Tollen, den Reichen, den Jungen, den Ausgeflippten, zieht es magnetisch in den äußersten Südosten des Wurmfortsatzes der Vereinigten Staaten namens Florida. Vor allem in den Monaten, wenn in New York, Chicago und Washington der Winter regiert.

Mehr zum Thema

Florida

Reiseinformationen und Clubs

Zwischen Downtown in Golden Beach und South Beach tobt das Leben. Wenn auch meist im Schritttempo. Eine Blechlawine verstopft die mehrspurigen Boulevards, die Highways und Freeways bis spät in die Abendstunden. In den angesagten Clubs, und davon gibt es jede Menge, scheint man Beauties inzwischen klonen zu können, so viele Schönheiten zelebrieren sich dort selbst.

Zu teuer ist das Land

Miami platzt aus allen Nähten, allein schon wegen der Tausenden von Latinos, die hereindrängen und Spanisch zur Umgangssprache werden lassen. Die urbane Expansion, die Gier nach neuen Bauplätzen greift mittlerweile sogar die Golfanlagen an. Der letzte neue Golfkurs ist hier vor 20 Jahren entstanden. Zu teuer ist das Land um Miami für Fairways und Grüns. Die Ausnahme, der Doral Country Club, ist das Zentrum des Golfs in dieser Region.

Als Doris und Alfred (Doral) Kassel 1964 das Land erwarben und den ersten Platz bauten, wurden sie belächelt. Das Grundstück lag im Nirgendwo, am Rande der Everglades, weiter östlich war die Welt zu Ende. Heute ist die Anlage eine Golffabrik, umbaut mit Apartmenthäusern, beschallt vom nahe gelegenen Miami International Airport. Über die Meisterschaftskurse werden pro Tag 750 Spieler gejagt. 500 Carts stehen zur Verfügung. Alles ist bis ins kleinste Detail durchorganisiert. Ein Heer von Helfern mit Sprechfunkgeräten hält den US-üblichen Service aufrecht und den Betrieb am Laufen. Das riesige Marriott-Hotel mit seinen drei Ballsälen, fünf Pools und einem riesigen Spa ist in den Monaten von Dezember bis April fast durchwegs voll belegt.

Der Doral Golf Club hat seinen Preis.

Big Business allüberall. „Blue Monster“, der legendäre Platz, auf dem über Jahre mit dem Start des sogenannten Florida Swing die US-PGASaison begann, ist auf Tage im Voraus ausgebucht. Ein schöner Kurs ohne Zweifel, doch weder Blue noch Monster, und nur von den hintersten Abschlägen jene Herausforderung, die die zumeist Tiger Woods stets am besten bewältigte. Der „Great White“, ein Kurs von ganz anderer Charakteristik mit riesigen Waste-Areas und tausenden von Palmen, hinter denen sich die Bälle tückisch verstecken, ist mindestens genauso schwer zu spielen, seit ihm Greg Norman 2005 eine durchgreifende Renovierung verpasst hat. „The Red“ und „The Golden Course“ ähneln in der Streckenführung mit viel Wasser dem Blue Monster. Der etwas abseits gelegene „Silver Course“ fällt auch qualitätsmäßig etwas ab. In Doral läuft in der Hochsaison ständig irgendein wichtiges Turnier mit allem Brimborium.

The Fairmont Turnberry Isle Resort & Club im vornehmen Vorort Aventura am Golden Beach ist dagegen ein einziger Hort der Ruhe und Beschaulichkeit. Muss auch so sein, schließlich handelt es sich hierbei um einen privaten Club mit einem Fünf-Sterne- Luxus-Hotel mit allen erdenklichen Schikanen. Der „South Course“, 1972 von Robert Trent Jones gebaut, ist gerade von Roman Floyd mit dem unerhörten Aufwand von einer Million Dollar pro Loch völlig überarbeitet worden. Eine Augenweide mit spektakulären künstlichen Wasserfällen und Bachläufen, bestem Pflegezustand und interessantem Design. Der zweite, „The Miller Course“, ist kaum weniger schön und ebenfalls kürzlich renoviert worden.

Meterlange Leguane

Den Atem der relativ kurzen Geschichte Floridas hingegen verströmt „The Miami Beach Golf Club“, direkt am South Beach gelegen. Mit einiger Ehrfurcht erzählt Manager Randy Weber von berühmten Mitgliedern. In der Villa gegenüber dem Eingang habe Jacky Gleason lange gewohnt, und auf der anderen Straßenseite, in der ebenfalls ansehnlichen Hütte, sei Al Capone gestorben. Den 18 Löchern mit viel Wasser merkt man ihr Alter an. Eine Attraktion sind die meterlangen Leguane in allen Farbschattierungen, die sich auf den Fairways tummeln.

Zirka 20 Golfplätze gibt es in Greater Miami, eine geradezu lächerliche Zahl gegenüber der Westküste am Golf von Mexiko, um Fort Myers und Naples herum. Aber da ist ohnehin alles völlig anders. Die Region gilt als beliebteste Landezone der „Snow – birds“, jener mehr oder weniger wohlhabenden Spezies Mensch, die es vorzieht, dem Winter im nördlichen Teil der Staaten zu entfliehen und die alten Knochen in der gnädigen Sonne Floridas zu erwärmen. Wie viele Golfplätze es in Südwest-Florida gibt, weiß keiner so genau. Spielt auch keine Rolle, weil sich in Europa ohnehin niemand mehr als 100 Golfplätze auf einem zirka 60 Meilen langen Küstenstreifen vorstellen kann. Und so viele und ein paar mehr sind es zwischen Cape Coral und Marco Island mit Sicherheit.

Hyatt Regency Coconut Points

Man unterscheidet zwischen Public-, Semi-Private- und Private Courses. Letztere sind deutlich in der Mehrzahl. Eine Wohnanlage reiht sich an die andere, unterschiedlich in Größe und Qualität der Villen und deren Bewachung. Im Zentrum jeweils ein Golfplatz, angepasst an die Qualität der Häuser, der in der Regel nur von den Immobilien-Besitzern bespielt werden darf. Große Hotels haben normalerweise auch einen oder zwei Golfplätze mit bevorzugtem Spielrecht für ihre Gäste. So wie beispielsweise das „Hyatt Regency Coconut Point Resort & Spa“, ein Hotel, das 16 Stockwerke hoch mitten aus dem flachen Marschland bei Bonita Springs herausragt. Der angeschlossene Platz heißt Raptors Bay und würde hierzulande zu den schönsten Anlagen zählen mit den vielen Wasserhindernissen und den Spielbahnen, die wie Schneisen in die Wildnis geschlagen wurden. In dieser Gegend ist er gehobener Durchschnitt.

Störche, Marabus und Alligatoren

Wenn der Concierge des Hyatt einen guten Tag hat, vermittelt er eine Tee-Time in „The Colony Golf & Country Club“, dem benachbarten hochnoblen Villen-Konglomerat mit einem 18-Loch- Meisterschaftskurs, auf dem der Greenkeeper jeden Grashalm persönlich zu kennen scheint, so gepflegt ist er. Doch es kommt noch besser. „The West Bay Club“ ist eine der herausragenden Arbeiten von Pete Dye. Er hat alles zu bieten, was man sich unter Wet-Lands Floridas vorstellt: Störche, Marabus, Alligatoren, eine üppige Vegetation, durch die höchst abwechslungsreiche wellige Fairways führen. Dieses Kleinod samt gediegenem Clubhaus mit Nebengebäuden ist normalerweise 300 Mitgliedern vorbehalten, allesamt Besitzer unglaublich großzügiger Häuser und Etagenwohnungen in den 20-stöckigen Klötzen am Rande des Platzes.

Zur Kategorie gehobener Public Courses gehört „Old Corkscrew“. In der Wildnis zwischen Bonita Beach und Fort Myers hat sich ein deutscher Auswanderer einen Traum verwirklicht und einen Jack-Nicklaus-Signature-Golfplatz bauen lassen, der allen Ansprüchen gerecht wird. Für 120 Dollar Greenfee darf hier jeder spielen.

Der Tiboròn Golf Course des Ritz Carlton Hotels.

Zwei traumhafte Plätze, gebaut von Greg Norman

Beim Tiburón Golf Course ist es nicht ganz so einfach. Da sollte man möglichst in einem der beiden Ritz-Carlton-Hotels in Naples, entweder in dem am Strand oder, noch besser, in dem direkt auf dem Golfplatz wohnen. Tiburón ist das spanische Wort für Hai, und Hai der Spitzname von Greg Norman, der sowohl den „Gold Course“ als auch den „Black Course“ gebaut hat. Beides traumhafte Plätze, auf denen alljährlich im Dezember das vom großen Meister selbst inszenierte Shootout abläuft.

Es geht auch schlichter: Der Naples Beach Hotel & Golf Club deckt die Bandbreite nach unten ab. Der alte, abgespielte Platz liegt an der Straße und ist öffentlich. Ähnlich wie The Rookery at Marco. Der Kurs besticht durch natürliche Streckenführung und landschaftliche Schönheit. Immer neue Projekte kommen hinzu. So errichtete ein gewisser Tom Monagham, der mit Pizzabuden Millionen gemacht hat, mitten im Marschland, zehn Meilen außerhalb von Naples, eine Universitätsstadt mit der christkatholischen Bezeichnung Ave Maria. Sie findet regen Zuspruch. Ein Meisterschaftskurs gehört da selbstverständlich mit dazu.

Um das Golfangebot der Region auch nur halbwegs zu erspielen, wäre man Monate unterwegs. Doch schließlich hat Südwest-Florida noch andere Reize, vom Strand und den zahlreichen Wassersportmöglichkeiten ganz abgesehen. In den Shopping Malls, die sich alle paar Meilen über riesige Flächen ausdehnen, kauft der Mitteleuropäer auch Markenware unglaublich günstig ein. Ein willkommener Ausgleich für die deftigen Greenfee-Preise.

Source: URL: /sport/weitere/artikel/926/180372/

For more information about vacation rentals and real estate please visit www.SWFloridaRentals-Team.com  Contact Christina Felgenhauer Phone: 1-239-699-1462 or email us swfloridarentals@gmail.com

Holiday Boat-A-Long

Start Date:12/21/2008  4:00 PM

End Date:12/21/2008  7:30 PM

Description:December 21, 2008

32nd Annual Cape Coral Holiday Boat-A-Long

(Four Freedoms Park-4818 Tarpon Court)

4:00 P.M. to 7:30 P.M. Boat Parade starts at 7:00 PM

The focal point of this event is a parade of approximately 100 boats decorated in a festive holiday fashion with lights, costumes, elves, and whatever else their captains can think of.  At Four Freedoms Park, the landlubbers watch the boats gather in the Bimini Basin before they begin meandering through the canals of south Cape Coral.  Along with providing an ideal seat to watch the illuminated vessels, the park features live holiday music, decorated trees, Christmas crafts, food and beverages for sale.  This is a unique celebration of Christmas Florida-style.

For more information about vacation rentals and real estate please visit www.SWFloridaRentals-Team.com  Contact Christina Felgenhauer Phone: 1-239-699-1462 or email us swfloridarentals@gmail.com

In 1957 two brothers, Leonard and Jack Rosen, from Baltimore, Maryland, spent weeks looking over Southwest Florida for a piece of property to develop. Late that year they purchased a parcel of land from Grandville Keller and Franklin Miles,(owner of the Alka Seltzer Company ) for $678,000. The land once known as Redfish Point was renamed Cape Coral. The development company, Gulf American Land Corporation started what was to be known as the “Waterfront Wonderland.” Ground was broken on November 4, 1957. On June 10, 1958 the first residents moved into their home in the southeastern part of the Cape. At that time a waterview homesite sold for $990, waterfront, $1,990 and riverfront $3390. Property sales reached over $9 million the first year. By 1965 approximately 500 prospects a day toured the property. When sales reached a peak in 1969, Cape Coral was sold to General Acceptance Corporation of Allentown, Pennsylvania for $250 million.

    In 1970 with the population at 11,470 the City of Cape Coral was incorporated becoming Florida’s second largest in area, trailing only Jacksonville. Barely a decade old, Cape Coral was poised and ready for the future, destined to become one of the nation’s fastest growing and most desirable cities. In the ensuing years since incorporation, the city population has steadily increased to exceed 150,000. At buildout it is estimated Cape Coral will have a population of approximately 400,000.

Source:  http://www.cape-coral-daily-breeze.com/page/content.detail/id/500015.html?nav=5047

The following is a post by a recent Cape Coral visitor.

Most of the people we met while down here were not originally from Florida. Interestingly enough, they were from everywhere but Florida. Cape Coral (and Sanibel) seems to be primarily filled with people from the Northeast who have either moved here full-time or now own a second home here (snow birds). That said, I cannot recommend any hotel accommodations in this journal because we stayed with family. Although Sanibel is the real attraction here, Cape Coral is a nice town with lots of new buildings and a much cheaper option for lodging if you are looking for a weekend getaway.

We found the best way to get into Cape Coral was by flying into Fort Meyers (RSW). What a beautiful and super-clean airport! (Although once you exit the terminal, there is construction everywhere you look.) The only airlines we found that flew direct from New York were JetBlue and Delta. Florida in general is a place where you must rent a car, and these towns are no different. Normally, considering it’s Florida, one would think that the rental would be cheap (like Orlando). Not the case. Book this in advance and hope for the best. We paid $180 for three days in the off-season for an economy car!

If the library is something that interests you, the Cape Coral-Lee County library should not be missed. It is located at 921 SW 39th Terrace in Cape Coral. This library is about two years old and absolutely beautiful. They have an area with at least 50 brand-new computers, all set up with Internet and printer access. The Internet access is free once you’ve provided an ID, and the printer costs $.10 per printout. The library is spacious and packed with just about anything you could need, and there is plenty of parking as well.

Sanibel is best-known for its shelling. Once you cross the “bridge,” there is a visitors center with bathrooms and an information booth, as well as charts listing the shells found in the area. You will see people with shopping bags who came to the beach solely for this reason. In fact, on the day we went, the beach was packed, but there were no chairs or towels set up. According to the visitors office, the best times to shell are early morning, at low tide, and after a storm. We found the best shells to be closer to the lighthouse toward the end of the beach. The beach offers parking, but it will cost you. Make sure to pay for a parking ticket, or you will be towed. If you are interested in learning more about shells, there is also a museum called Sanibel’s Bailey-Matthews Shell Museum, and it’s open six days a week. For those people who love shelling but don’t have the time or patience to shell, there is a store called The Shell Factory, and they have a HUGE selection of shells, each more beautiful than the last. They are located off Tamiami Trail in North Fort Meyers. Expect to pay up for the really nice ones, obviously. If you should find a live shell (a fish still inside) and choose to keep it, make sure you pull the fish out and wash the shell thoroughly. If you don’t, you will regret it, because the dead fish smells like rotten eggs. It’s a perfect day or afternoon spent just shelling, lying out, relaxing, or taking a walk.

Source: http://www.igougo.com/story-s1224635-Cape_Coral-Notes_and_Thoughts_-_Cape_Coral_and_Sanibel_Florida.html