Orlando advice from a local
Whether or not we like the bowl committee's decision, Michigan is headed to Orlando. As someone who's lived in Orlando for the past 15 years, I thought I'd offer this advice to the MGoFaithful who may be making the trip down here.
First of all, Orlando's nickname is "The City Beautiful". None of us know why. It's not really any more picturesque than any other place I've lived, but it is what it is.
Airports
Orlando International Airport (MCO) is our main airport. The "MCO" comes from when it was McCoy Air Force Base, which was a WWII training base. Orlando is a reasonably popular tourist destination, and as such, you've pretty much got your pick of airlines to fly into MCO. Check out their twitter, @MCO, their Social Media team is pretty good.
Other nearby-ish airports are Sanford (SFB), Melbourne (MLB), Tampa (TPA), and St Pete-Clearwater (PIE). Although both Sanford and Melbourne call themselves "Orlando-Sanford" and "Orlando-Melbourne", respectively, neither one of them is in Orlando. Sanford is about 30 minutes north, and Melbourne is about an hour to the east.
A note for when you're flying out of Orlando - there are lots of families with children. Most of them don't understand that "family boarding" or pre-boarding is for families with children under 3, and should only be 1 adult per child. If you're on Southwest, family boarding at Orlando is between the A and B boarding groups.
Getting Out of the Airport
There are a variety of on-site and off-site rental car locations at MCO. If you are renting from one of the on-site companies, and will be returning the car to MCO, you can sign up (in the lower level of the airport) for a visitor toll pass, which allows you to use the express lanes on our many toll roads, gives you a slight discount per toll, doesn't have a daily fee, and is generally pretty convenient. Look for the folks in the blue button downs. (Most of the car rental companies will also let you use their own express programs or toll by plate, but they'll charge you a daily fee whether or not you go through any tolls, and they may charge an inflated amount per toll).
Uber, Lyft, and taxis are plentiful at the airport. Taxis can pick up on Level 1 or 2, Uber and Lyft are on Level 2.
Driving, in general
Traffic in Orlando is pretty bad. The city suffers from both sprawl and tourists (large quantities of each), and was not originally laid out all that well to begin with. We joke that "Orlando is an hour away from Orlando", and sadly, we're not always joking.
We have a wide variety of toll roads, which are known both by name and number
- SR-408 = East-West Expressway
- SR-417 = Greenway
- SR-429 = Western Beltway
- SR-528 = Beachline (formerly Beeline)
We also have Interstate 4, or I-4. I-4 is an East-West highway that runs North-South through most of Orlando. It is also under construction. The local governments have named it the "I-4 Ultimate Project" - it's a 10 year (but will probably go longer than that) project to reconstruct and expand 21 miles of I-4 through the heart of downtown. Along with the normal construction related slowdowns and poor road quality, they like to do things like randomly close or move exits with little-to-no warning. (For example, in the past 3 years, Exit 74 has moved from a left exit to a right exit, and back, twice.)
Other quirks are naming roads with numbers that are confusingly similar. (Near Disney, there is an intersection of State Road 535 and County Road 535). And naming every other street "Vineland". Nobody is actually sure why the city planners like the name Vineland, as far as I can tell, there's never been a town by that name anywhere nearby.
Public Transit in the area is pretty much non-existent. There is a public bus system, known as Lynx, and a commuter rail system, known as Sunrail. Sunrail has been called the most useless rail system in the US, which is a pretty big honor. It doesn't go anywhere convenient, and it only runs from 6am-7pm M-F (but not on holidays), so it's pretty much useless if you're trying to get to or from any event downtown.
Hotels
Orlando has a wide variety of hotels. Unfortunately, most of them are in the tourist area, which is to the southwest of downtown. The Citrus Bowl is located downtown-ish. The downtown hotels will be the closest to the stadium. (Some of them are within 2-3 miles from the stadium. I would not recommend walking, the stadium is in a not-so-great area.) You'll probably find lower prices in some of the outlying towns to the North of downtown, or near the airport - either of which would be about a 30-40 minute drive on a good day. Bowl Week will not be a good day.
Camping World Stadium
Largely a dump. They've done some renovations recently, but it's still nothing special. Outdoor field, metal bleachers, lots of concrete, and announcers who like to yell advertisements at you. Oddly, for a town with several large entertainment companies, very few people have learned that if you have a microphone, you don't need to yell.
The stadium is not used regularly. There are several events there throughout the year, but nobody calls it home. (The University of Central Florida has an on-campus stadium)
As mentioned earlier, the stadium is in a not great area. On game days, probably 5-6 blocks around the stadium will be well populated, and have a large police presence. Further than that, and it starts to get sketchy. On non-game days, the "safe" radius shrinks to probably 2-3 blocks.
Things to Do
Orlando's main entertainment is theme parks. The week between Christmas and New Years is the busiest time of year. Unless you are bringing children, or are a glutton for punishment, it's probably best to try and avoid the theme parks.
Kennedy Space Center is about an hour east, at Cape Canaveral. They have a lot of cool exhibits, and the space shuttle Atlantis exhibit is particularly cool.
In terms of night life, Downtown Orlando has a lot of bars. A LOT of bars. I'm not really a bar person, so I don't have a favorite. Also downtown is the SAK Comedy Club, which is an improv troupe that includes Wayne Brady as one of their alums.
In the Attractions area, there are also a lot of bars. Universal Citywalk tends to have a more adult feel than Disney Springs, and even features several 21+ only clubs. (Disney's main 21+ venue is the excellent dueling piano bar, Jellyrolls, located at Disney's Boardwalk Resort).
Located between Disney and Universal is the International Drive tourist area. The primary attraction there is the Orlando Eye, which is an excessively slow-moving ferris wheel that gives you a grand view of ... nothing.
If you're into Golf, Orlando has many courses. Disney's Palm and Magnolia courses used to be part of the PGA tour. There's also Drive Shack and Top Golf, if you just want to hit some balls. And if you want to bring your tennis racquet, the USTA National Campus located in Lake Nona (near the airport) offers clinics, private instruction, or just drop in court rentals.
Things to Eat
Orlando has pretty much every chain restaurant imaginable. And some local places/smaller chains that manage to stand out. Hash House A Go-Go is known for large breakfast portions, Joey Fatone has a hot dog cart at the Florida Mall, and the best BBQ in town is at a hole-in-the-wall, way off-the-map place called Yellow Dog Eats. (A lot of folks say that 4 Rivers Smokehouse is better than Yellow Dog, it's pretty close, but I'll give the slight edge to Yellow Dog)
What on earth is this thing?
That is the I-4 Eyesore, also known as the Majesty Building. It's located on I-4, north of Downtown Orlando. It's been under construction since 2001, and to this day, nobody knows when it'll be complete. It's also conveniently angled to reflect the setting sun straight into the eyes of East-bound drivers during the evening rush hour.
Last Tips
Have fun, wear sunscreen, be careful, and Go Blue!
December 10th, 2019 at 6:33 AM ^
Username DOES NOT check out!
December 10th, 2019 at 9:31 AM ^
True. Never changed it when I moved :)
December 31st, 2019 at 11:52 AM ^
If you've been in Orlando for 15 years and you joined in 2008....
December 10th, 2019 at 6:51 AM ^
so based on user name and this post, I'll venture that you lived in NY for a limited time and now are in the Orlando. What's it like moving from NY to FL these days? I'm afraid wife & I may be getting tired of the snow and could see moving to Orlando in 20 years or so.
Also, can you get us discounted Disney and/or Universal tix?
December 10th, 2019 at 9:34 AM ^
When I moved, it was right after I finished my undergrad, so my experience with the actual moving part is not terribly helpful. I'm general, it seems like Orlando has a pretty good housing market (if you want to own. Apartments are a bit pricey.) There are a lot of nice neighborhoods, and some areas with good schools (well, by Florida standards). Best part is we have no state income tax.
December 16th, 2019 at 5:13 PM ^
Weird, you don't see too many Syracuse connections here. I think I'm your same boat - grew up in Syracuse then undergrad at Michigan.
I was just in Orlando for vacation with my kids (guess where...), can attest it's better than Syracuse. Enjoy the bowl game, must be great to have it local!
December 10th, 2019 at 10:56 AM ^
I would suggest the Florida Panhandle rather than South Florida. It is cooler in the winter, has more beautiful beaches and many, many fewer people. Cost of living is less than South Florida and the topography is more interesting.
December 11th, 2019 at 4:34 AM ^
The Florida panhandle is culturally horrifying, though.
December 12th, 2019 at 11:44 AM ^
This is true. Move to Tampa instead. We have a nice mix of assholes, douchebags, and somewhat tolerable people.
December 10th, 2019 at 8:32 AM ^
Nice work, OP. I'm going to bookmark this for future reference. Possibly helpful additions based on a fly-by (weekend) a few years ago:
- Orlando has a nice core of old neighborhoods (e.g., Thornton Park) that are pleasant and walkable. Nearby: https://www.leugardens.org/
- Little Vietnam ( https://theculturetrip.com/north-america/usa/florida/articles/travel-to-southeast-asia-in-orlandos-little-vietnam/ ) is worth a look.
December 10th, 2019 at 8:50 AM ^
I've spent a little time in Orlando for work - business district near Lake Eola 3-4 times and several times around the... I don't even know what to call it. Near S. John Young Parkway and Martin Andersen Beachline Expressway (that's a mouthful - I guess it's also called SR 528).
Downtown during the day has that one main road full of bars that is largely closed and quiet, aside from a few restaurants. The lake area is nice and has some decent dining, is fairly picturesque, and is a nice place to walk/run and people-watch. Also some cute waterfowl around there. Otherwise, I didn't think it was anything to write home about. I remember going to and enjoying a meal at Pig Floyd's, a little north of downtown, I believe.
The other place I went to for business was basically a suburb. No hotels directly in the area, so I stayed over in the touristy Universal/Convention Center/Sea World area about 10 minutes to the west. My hotel of choice was the Hilton, mainly because I had high status with Hilton at the time. If you're into thousands of tourists and chain restaurants and bright flashing lights, then this is the place for you. It is also, admittedly, very convenient to Universal and Sea World and my family did stay at the Residence Inn there several years ago when we did Disney and Sea World (Marriott status/points + we could close a door when the kids went to bed - this is huge).
I did buy a k-pop band poster for my niece at a little random k-pop/anime store in a strip mall on John Young, next to or near a little Vietnamese place (can't remember what it was called, decent pho).
I learned something new about the visitor toll passes, though. Didn't realize that was a thing!
December 10th, 2019 at 5:52 PM ^
The Visitor Toll Pass program is new, within the past 6-8 months. It hasn't been widely publicized, probably because right now it's only at Orlando International, and only for on-site rental companies. They hope to expand to other airports and other rental companies in the "near" future, but when and whether that will happen are unknown.
I forgot to link earlier, but it is https://visitortollpass.com/
December 16th, 2019 at 2:43 PM ^
As somebody who lived in Florida for more years than I'd like, you forgot to mention that every major road in Florida goes by some combination of at least three names and numbers and that everybody you talk to uses a different one of them to talk about the same stretch of road. Good luck visitors!
December 10th, 2019 at 8:51 AM ^
So... should I bring my 3 and 6yo kids to the game? (We're in Orlando for two weeks renting a house in a complex, probably in the middle of nowhere.)
December 10th, 2019 at 10:01 AM ^
If the weather is decent go for it! Since you're down here that long you might as well.
Or join us at the University of Michigan Club of Central Florida (you can find it on facebook) for the game watch party.
December 11th, 2019 at 4:41 AM ^
Not sure if serious, but at 3 and 6, it heavily depends on whether they want to go. My 4 and 6 year olds will watch about 1 quarter of football with me right now. But when the 6 year old was between 0 and 2 years old, he went to several games, where he'd spend about 30 minutes looking around and the rest of his time playing with my face. Just remember hearing protection.
December 10th, 2019 at 8:52 AM ^
Good stuff man. I live less than 2 hours away and this is easily one of the worst and most expensive times (x-mas to new years) to head to Orlando.
December 10th, 2019 at 8:58 AM ^
Went to the Arkansas/Wisconsin game with friends in 2007. We went to a radio station hosted block party that was amazing. It included the 3 bars that were on that block. It was $100 for all you could drink, anything you wanted.
Parking for the game was sketchy. We parked at an apartment/projects complex 3-4 blocks from the stadium. Tenants were charging $20 to use their parking spots. We gave an extra $30 and asked them to keep an eye on the truck. No problems there.
December 10th, 2019 at 9:12 AM ^
Good Write-Up. A few other tidbits gleaned from 50+ business trips:
- Don’t be alarmed when you discover that every road, outside of surface streets, leaving the airport is a toll road. Orlando needs money, too.
- there is a cluster of hotels on the east side, by Research Park/UCF. They’re a long way from the stadium, but should be reasonably priced over the holiday.
- As an alternative to theme parks, may I suggest Gatorland, on South Orange Blossom. You’ll like the Gator Jump-a-Roo, which pits frozen chickens against a 250 million year old evolutionary design.
- East of Orlando is Daytona Beach and the international speedway. I don’t know what the holiday hours are, but they have the Daytona 500 Experience going for them.
Go Blue, Beat Bama!
December 10th, 2019 at 2:59 PM ^
Don’t be alarmed when you discover that every road, outside of surface streets, leaving the airport is a toll road.
Do be alarmed that rental car companies charge a $25 convenience fee for the electronic toll pass on top of the tolls.
So bring a roll of quarters instead because the unattended checkpoints don't take plastic.
December 10th, 2019 at 5:54 PM ^
Or use the "Visitor Toll Pass" program I mentioned, and avoid the rental car company fees. https://visitortollpass.com/
December 10th, 2019 at 10:06 PM ^
Sorry about that.
December 10th, 2019 at 9:25 AM ^
FYI about CityWalk, it's free to park after 6 p.m. The two theme parks close around 9, but there's still a lot of restaurants, mini-golf, shopping, etc.
Disney Springs is free to park and has shopping and restaurants. It currently has its Christmas Tree trail going on, which is also free, if you're into elaborate trees.
You can also go to Pointe Orlando and ICON Park, if you want to get away from the Disney crowd.
If you're into beer, there are local breweries (Ellipsis, Tactical come to mind), but they are spread out throughout the city. But if you're here for beer, head to Tampa.
December 10th, 2019 at 9:26 AM ^
Sunrail > The Detroit People Mover?
December 12th, 2019 at 7:18 AM ^
This was exact thought too. To be less useful than the People Mover, Sunrail must never leave the station.
December 10th, 2019 at 9:53 AM ^
Good stuff. I too have a user name that no longer represents my living situation.
Will probably bookmark this for when my kids inevitably demand we go to Disney.
December 10th, 2019 at 4:30 PM ^
Oh, that's gonna happen. My two kids in college now, but we hit Disney and Universal on 3 separate trips.
The OP is right in terms of this being the worst time to go. But he also wasn't really giving you theme park tips. One of the best investments you can make is to actually stay on property. Not just from a proximity stand point, you get into the parks early, which allows you to ride the more crowded attractions before the place fills up AND if you're really on your game, it allows you to get fast passes for other rides before they become insane (getting a fast pass first thing in the morning for the busiest rides will get you on the ride around lunch or so.)
December 10th, 2019 at 5:57 PM ^
Good points. I wasn't really writing much theme park advice - I figure bowl game target audiences and theme park target audiences don't often match all that much.
Disney now allows you to book fastpasses ahead of time, and if you're staying on property, the booking window is at 60 days. (Off site guests can make fastpass reservations at 30 days, and the lowly employees, 7 days.)
December 10th, 2019 at 8:25 PM ^
I've always believed the true magic of Disney was in effectively hiding how long a person would be standing in line for a ride
December 11th, 2019 at 11:25 AM ^
Use the express pass. Totally worth it.
December 10th, 2019 at 10:07 AM ^
Do you go to the game watch parties with the alumni club here Syracuse?
If some people are looking for some non-theme park things to do....
Downtown Winter Garden (western suburb of Orlando) is a great place to check out, tons of lights during the holidays and the Crooked Can Brewery is top notch.
Go see the manatees at Blue Springs State Park or do some hiking at places like the Econ River Wilderness Area or Little Econ State Forest.
If you're a mountain biker, the Lake Apopka North shore trail is a great place to see alligators and birds along the 17 mile gravel trail, OR the Paisley Woods mtn biking trails in Ocala National Forest are another great ride.
The Lake Apopka wildlife drive (open Fri-Sun and sometimes the holidays too) is a neat place for people who enjoy wildlife watching. Tons of birds, alligators unless it's an extremely cold day, and sometimes otters and bobcats.
December 10th, 2019 at 6:00 PM ^
I haven't been to any of the game watch parties. I want to check one out eventually, but Winter Park is pretty out of the way from where I'm at.
December 10th, 2019 at 11:01 AM ^
We're flying into Tampa and driving. Was I think $420 to fly into Tampa vs $695 to fly into Orlando.
December 10th, 2019 at 2:55 PM ^
Do it.
I love everything about Orlando except the airport. How the heck do people who fly once a year get TSA-pre?
Getting through security @MCO is always a fucking nightmare and it's 100% self inflicted by morons -- cannot blame the gov't on that one.
December 10th, 2019 at 11:25 AM ^
Enjoyable to read, although not going. It's always good to get first-person knowledge about a destination.
Not being a theme park person, I've been to Orlando exactly once. Daughter's end of middle school present was a trip to Harry Potter world. She was completely immersed in the experience and I will always be glad we went.
We didn't fly - actually arrived Orlando on Amtrak. Worked out surprisingly well. We had taken a different train to Washington DC, and boarded the connecting train in the afternoon, arriving in Orlando late in the morning. Got an Uber to the hotel, can't remember which one but it was next to the parks, budget friendly, free breakfast type of place. In fact might have been Hyatt Place or similar. Located in a group of properties that shared the same shuttle service to the parks. When we left Orlando, took Amtrak to Miami, hung out there a couple days and then flew home.
December 10th, 2019 at 11:37 AM ^
Actually, Orlando is the most visited city in America--not my favorite place but surprisingly okay. People who are into locally grown food, including nose to tail and homemade, might want to look up the East End Market--fabulous things to eat there and a very hip atmosphere. There is also plenty of good ethnic food, including great Vietnamese and South Indian, in the city. If your tastes run to the more traditional end of good old American food but you're prefer not to give some corporation your money check out Boston's Fish House for seafood--fantastic. Some folks may be curious enough to look up what a yellow dog is. . .
December 10th, 2019 at 2:51 PM ^
If you're a foodie, and don't mind a bit of a drive to the east, be sure to check out the Fat Snook in Cocoa Beach.
No, that's not a dive bar, it's an endangered fish which the establishment named itself after and where you will have one of the best food experiences ever.
December 10th, 2019 at 3:54 PM ^
Regarding rental cars: there's one rip off gas station just north of the airport that has no price signs outside it, you only notice once you're in a hurry and need to pump that you're paying something that $5/gallon. Lesson learned. Always fill up somewhere other than just outside the airport if possible.
December 10th, 2019 at 3:56 PM ^
I was there in August and it was $7.10 a gallon. Ouch. I had a fun one with that expense report.
December 10th, 2019 at 4:26 PM ^
I know it. It's that Sun Gas station. I stopped there once, saw the gas price on the pump, promptly got back in my car and drove back up the road to the Wawa. They weren't getting my money.
Rock & Brews wasn't bad for an airport area bar, though.
December 10th, 2019 at 4:27 PM ^
Suncoast Energy. The Sun gas across the street has equally usurious prices.
December 10th, 2019 at 4:28 PM ^
Kres Chop House downtown is superb.
December 10th, 2019 at 5:03 PM ^
Also a local here and never changed username... Hahah I guess that's common. Anyway only been here for three years and learned some things myself in the write up. I have been a 4 rivers fan from the get go however Felt compelled to plug the latest BBQ joint I checked out. Mission BBQ has 3 or 4 locations I think but there is one just north of MCO on Semoran. I think even better than 4 rivers... Kind of a military theme and they had some heavy duty equipment staged in parking lot when I was there. Highly reccommend for moderately priced fare.
December 10th, 2019 at 5:11 PM ^
Flight tip.. If you have flexibility on travel dates check out actual websites for Frontier and Spirit airlines. They both have calendars that show you the cheapest days to fly. I use frontier to go back home to Grand Rapids all the time and its often less than $100 round trip. Same with Spirit to DTW when I go to football games. Good luck.
December 10th, 2019 at 5:54 PM ^
Thanks OP. I had to get TF out of there. Went to Edgewater HS. F that state
December 10th, 2019 at 7:24 PM ^
What year did you graduate from EHS?
December 10th, 2019 at 7:19 PM ^
Orlando advice from a NATIVE (username does NOT check out):
If you want to get away from the touristy areas and get a feel for the original parts of Orlando, I would recommend the following:
College Park: An original Orlando neighborhood, just on the north side of downtown, with Edgewater Drive as its "Main Street". There are a number of good neighborhood restaurants and bars there, and it is only a short drive to the Citrus Bowl. Also located in College Park is Edgewater High School, the alma mater of three former Michigan players: Tom Neal, Greg Mathews, and Mike Jones (YTMJ). (FYI: Edgewater will play national powerhouse St. Thomas Aquinas this Saturday for the 7A state title.) Recommendations: Ollie's Public House (sports bar); Armando's (Italian food); PR's Taco Palace; others.
Thornton Park: Located just on the east side of downtown and Lake Eola, a small neighborhood "town" in easy walking distance back into the heart of downtown Orlando (Orange Avenue and Church Street, location of many bars and restaurants). Recommendations: Graffiti Junktion for burgers/sports/good vibe; Maxine's on Shine for a true neighborhood hangout; others... Also, Thornton Park is very close to Orlando's "Little Saigon" (community of Vietnamese restaurants and stores), with its central point being Mills Avenue and Colonial Drive (aka Hwy 17/92 and Hwy 50). Vietnamese recommendations: Saigon Noodle and Grill on North Bumby Avenue; Anh Hong on the corner of Mills and Colonial.
Winter Park: WP is its own town, just about two miles northeast of downtown Orlando. Park Avenue is the main street of WP, and you will quickly note that it is a very affluent area. WP is home to Rollins College, Florida's oldest institution of higher learning. It is a very beautiful campus, and is worth a walk among the oaks, the Spanish/Mediterranean-style architecture, and the lake. Rollins plays DII sports, had a football program back in the day that notched a win against Miami (YTM), and has one of the most unique nicknames/mascots in college sports: "The Tars". Notable alumni include: Bubby Ebsen (aka Jed Clampett), Fred Rogers (YTMR), Anthony Perkins (yes that "Psycho"), and Elin Nordegren (Tiger's ex). Recommendations for food/drink: Park Social; The Porch; Prato; Hillstone; Atlantic Beer and Oyster; many others... WP has two main commercial areas: Park Avenue/Fairbanks Avenue area, and the N. Orlando Avenue area (note that Orlando Avenue and Mills Avenue as mentioned above are the same roads). Also, WP is located among a beautiful chain of lakes, so for a real FLA experience, take the Scenic Boat Tour (https://www.scenicboattours.com/).
Let me know if there are any questions....
December 12th, 2019 at 4:43 PM ^
Thanks for the tip about the scenic boat tour. Sticking to the water, any recommendations for nearby beaches? I have boys who like to explore (shells, creatures, etc.) and climb on rocks. And secondly, one is obsessed with fishing. Any suggestions for a novice fisherman?
December 13th, 2019 at 3:56 PM ^
You are welcome, NT5.
Beach recommendation: Go to New Smyrna Beach in Volusia County, and head all the way south on South Atlantic Avenue to the Canaveral National Seashore (https://www.nps.gov/cana/index.htm). CNS is one of the last unspoiled beaches in Florida, and is truly special. At CNS make sure you check out Turtle Mound (https://visitnsbfl.com/explore/arts-and-culture/turtle-mound-at-canaveral-national-seashore), an ancient shell midden created by the Timucuan people, the original inhabitants of Florida. The view at the top of Turtle Mound is spectacular on a clear day. As for fishing, CNS has excellent surf fishing, and December can be one of the best months to be there. The best fishing will happen on a day with a light offshore breeze (wind out of the west), thereby making the surf glassy and the water clear. This time of year is ideal for pompano (an excellent eating fish), whiting, bluefish, Spanish mackerel, redfish, and flounder. You will want to use spinning tackle and at the minimum an 8 - 9 ft. rod (an ideal rod would be 11 ft. or more; you can rent tackle at bait shops in NSB). If you rent from a shop, ask if they have pole holders as well, as you want the rod to sit steady while waiting for the bite. Bait: mole crabs aka sand fleas (dig them up in the sand at the surf's edge), clams, cut mullet, and "Fishbites". You will want to use a "pompano rig" with circle hooks and a 4 - 5 oz. pyramid sinker to lock down the rig in the surf. After you cast and put the rod in the holder, reel up any excess slack so that the line is tight and ready to hook any bites. If you have circle hooks, the fish will hook itself in the corner of the mouth; no need for a big hook set. You will know you have a hit when the rod tip starts bouncing and pulling down. Make sure your drag is not too tight as large fish will pull the pole holder over and the rod will go eastbound for a swim (I've seen it happen...). If the water is clear, look for the sandbars and do not cast onto them. Instead, cast into the trough between the sandbars (waves rise, crest, and break on the sandbars, so don't drop your bait there). The trough will be deeper and the fish will generally travel, hold, and feed there. At high tide you can make a short cast into the first trough and give that a go. If you have polarized sunglasses and the water is clear, you very often will see the fish moving through the surf. Oh, and FLA now requires a fishing license when fishing from shore, so check into that. Good luck!
Food in NSB: Two very Florida recommendations: JB's Fish Camp (http://jbsfishcamp.com/), just north of the entrance to CNS, is quite the place. It is situated on the river side, has decent food, a good beach vibe, and great sunsets. The Breaker's (https://breakersnsb.com/) is right on the beach on Flagler Avenue (Flagler is the main street of NSB, beachside). Well known for great burgers and good fish sandwiches, it is an NSB icon. NSB has other good food and drink, and if you want something other than burgers/fish sandwiches/steamed shrimp, check out AA Garden Fusion for excellent Vietnamese/Asian cuisine (http://www.aagardenfusion.com/#homepagehttp://www.aagardenfusion.com/#homepage) or the Third Wave Cafe and Wine Bar (https://www.thirdwavensb.com/). Both are located on Flagler Avenue as well.
Let me know if you have any questions....
December 20th, 2019 at 4:15 PM ^
This is a ton of great info—thanks!
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