Where's Johnny Jet? Bringing Bad Weather to Florida's Gulf Coast

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Greetings from Florida's Gulf Islands. After Honolulu, I made my way back home to L.A. for a few days before heading to Delray Beach. I visit south Florida all the time to hang out with my niece and nephew. I like to spend as much time with them as I can, especially before they're all grown up and show me no respect. When I'm there, I rarely ever venture out to explore other parts of the state but this week, I escaped the bubble and checked out an old Florida beach town, not far away. If you're looking for a slower pace and if the thought of sand like talcum powder thrills and excites you, then join me for a quick tour.

Honolulu to LAX

From rain-soaked Hawaii, I jumped on one of United's four daily nonstop flights from Honolulu to LAX. Personally, I fancy the flight that departs at 2:05pm; it's not too early nor is it the dreaded red-eye. Besides, check-out at most hotels is 11am or 12pm and I don't know about you but I'm not a fan of having to wander around aimlessly for nine hours with my luggage in tow. The trip back to California on the 777 was painless and flight time was a swift four hours and 39 minutes. I was seated in Economy Plus, which meant I had an extra five inches of legroom and it really does make a difference. So, if you're not a premiere member, you might want to consider paying the extra money for the upgrade. If not, here's a seat map with the best economy seats. If you're not a fan of United's Buy-On-Board service, then remember to pack some snacks. I tried the $5 Trader Vic's turkey wrap and it was dang good but that could simply have been because I was ravenous.

Delray Beach

I've written about Delray Beach so many times that the only thing I'm going to mention is a new Italian restaurant I tried. Carolina's Coal Fired Pizza and Pasta (Tel: 561-278-1913) is on the corner of 7th Avenue and Atlantic and serves pretty tasty pizza. Obviously, nothing compares to New York or Naples. The best part about this place is that everyone who works there is -- get this -- Italian. What a concept.

Spirit Airlines

I thought the easiest way to get to Florida's Gulf Islands was to fly into Tampa (TPA) from Fort Lauderdale (FLL) and drive 40 minutes south to Bradenton. To fly into the closer Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport (SRQ) cost more and requires a stop. So foolish me, I purchased a last-minute, one-way ticket on Spirit Airlines for $120. Spirit offers two flights a day and they are not only the cheapest but they're also the only airline flying a decent size plane (A319); the other airlines were using turbo props or regional jets. When I checked in online 24 hours in advance, I quickly became versed with Spirit's draconian baggage policy. They only allow one carry-on and they charge for any checked luggage: $10 per bag online or $20 at the airport. Yikes. Rarely do I ever check luggage because it adds way too much time to the trip. Nor do I want to risk having an airline lose my bag. As always, I tried to find a way around it. So before paying Spirit's baggage fee, I opened a new browser window and surfed on over to Yahoo's maps and directions service to search out an alternative route from FLL to TPA.

Flying or Driving to Tampa

It turns out that I didn't know Florida's geography as well as I thought I did. The trip to Tampa is just a four-hour drive and my ultimate destination was even closer. That means it would equal the same amount of travel time assuming the flight was on time and my bag came out as it was supposed to. Even though Spirit wouldn't refund my money (that's what I get for buying a non-refundable ticket), I decided to drive. It turned out I made the right choice finally. Not only did the Spirit flight end up being delayed 90 minutes (I checked later) but my buddy Kerry Morrissey from Ocean Properties offered to drive me up so that he could check in on one of their hotels in Longboat Key.

Delray Beach to Sarasota

The drive to the Longboat Key Hilton Hotel was 244 miles from Delray and it took exactly three and a half hours. There are two ways to make the state crossing and we opted for the more exciting Alligator Alley. Alligator Alley is about 80 miles long and goes right across the lower portion of Florida through the Everglades. Alligator Alley is appropriately named as there really are a ton of alligators. I saw 10 and I was driving. Plus, there are deer and a bunch of other animals. I truly had no idea how much wildlife lives in the 1.5 million acres of the Everglades National Park. Did you know that there are over 50 distinct kinds of reptiles, 360 species of birds, 300 species of fish and 40 species of mammals? And that includes black bears and bobcats. Don't worry; these days it's all fenced in so you don't have to be too concerned about running into or over any of these creatures on the road.

Freezing in Florida

I must have brought the freaky weather with me from Hawaii to Florida. We didn't have Hawaii's storms but rather an arctic chill. The week I was there, we experienced record low temperatures. I'm talking 30 degrees Fahrenheit. I was seriously freezing. But don't worry. Those temperatures are long gone and they probably won't be seen again until well, maybe the next time I return.

Florida Gulf Coast

The moment we reached the west coast of Florida, I felt like I was in a new country. Actually, an old country. It was as if I had stepped into a time machine and the dial was turned to the late '70s. You see, things are much different on the west coast. First of all, people have mullets. Just kidding. The coastline water changes from the Atlantic Ocean to the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico. But primarily, it's because the land hasn't been built up as much and there's perhaps a fraction of the tourists. It's much slower, calmer here. Folks are on a different pace here, not frenzied like in Miami.

Gulf Islands

As we were getting close it became apparent (thanks to the huge sign) that we were entering Manatee County. It's named after (you guessed it) the manatee or sea cow. You know those gigantic, peaceful, but ugly looking mammals? The gem of Manatee County is Florida's Gulf Islands, which are comprised of Anna Maria Island, Longboat Key and the mainland areas of Bradenton and Lakewood Ranch. Each area has its own personality and my first stop was Longboat Key, an island 10.8 miles in length and about a mile wide.

Hilton Longboat Key

The Hilton doesn't reflect the majority of lodgings in the area as it's a five-story chain hotel. The good news is that it only has 102 rooms, which supposedly makes it the second smallest Hilton in the world. The St. Augustine location, with its 72 rooms takes the prize. The rooms were what you might expect from a typical Hilton, though admittedly, a bit dated. They were clean and comfortable and the showers have wide curvature rods so the germ-infested curtain doesn't touch you. I sensed that my shower wasn't piping hot because it was so freakin' cold outside but I didn't stick around long enough to find out for sure. I checked out the TripAdvisor message boards and there weren't any of those complaints. I did realize in the middle of the night that the room didn't have a mini-bar. That's actually not a bad thing unless you wake up in the middle of the night with cottonmouth and remember too late that you forgot to hit the grocery store to stock up on bottled water. Fortunately, room service saved me from drinking Florida's nasty tap water and two bottles of Panna were quickly delivered to my door for a total of $6.23.

Sugar Sand

The best part about The Hitlon is, without a doubt, the location. It's right on a beach with sugar sand and calm waters. There's also a nice pool. I was in an end room so I appreciated the backdoor stairs so I could make a quick escape and avoid the slow elevators. I also loved the fact that the hotel has free wireless Internet. However, what's weird is that the wastepaper baskets in the rooms are super skinny so the hook shots I was attempting with my tissues from across the room (I had a cold) weren't even coming close. Don't worry. I picked them up. Straightening up the room before the maid comes in is something my mom instilled in me when I was a kid. I used to think she was crazy for making the room look tidy for the maid but she was absolutely right.

Maid Tip

Speaking of maids, it surprises me how many people don't know to leave their tip for the maid each day rather than at the end of their stay. Not only will you get better service but it also decreases the chances of theft and it ensures that the right person gets their money. I always leave at least $2 on the pillow each day with a quick "thank you" written on the in-room stationery. And if I can, I try to meet the housekeeper to establish a relationship. One more thing about the Hilton: The food was pretty good and the breakfast buffet, which has over 60 items, costs just $14.95. But what I don't like are the Hilton's new cheesy, orange, Trivial Pursuit-looking information cards outlining the health factor in each dish. Who approved that marketing scheme? Milton Bradley? Hilton Longboat Key Beachfront Resort, 4711 Gulf of Mexico Drive, Longboat Key, Florida; tel. 941/383-2451.

Euphemia Haye Restaurant

One mile down the road from the Hilton is the award-winning Euphemia Haye restaurant. It's been around since 1980 and is run and owned by Chef Raymond Arpke and his wife. They actually have two restaurants in one. Downstairs is an elegant fine dining restaurant and upstairs is a casual dessert room/bar with a more limited menu and live music. Most of the diners from downstairs go upstairs for dessert since the selection is much grander. We stopped by for dessert and The Haye Loft was packed. We ended up sitting downstairs and begging the chef to let us try the upstairs desserts. Surprisingly, it was a struggle but he made it happen. A slice of pie goes for $6.25 apiece and they are scrumptious. I tried three different kinds; the Three Berry Pie (strawberries, blackberries and blueberries) made with Jell-o, cream cheese and graham crackers was the knockout winner. Second place went to the Peanut Butter Pie, which was so rich it was deadly. Nobody cares about third place so I won't even mention the tasty apple pie topped with a scoop of sweet vanilla ice cream. Euphemia Haye Restaurant & Haye Loft, 5540 Gulf of Mexico Drive, Longboat Key, tel. 941/383-3633.

Tilley Talks Travel

The following morning I strolled along the beach and it was so cold, people were actually wearing winter hats and gloves. Then I made my way to the WWPR 1490AM studio. Every Thursday, between 11am and noon, Marcus Tilley and his sidekick Randy, broadcast their travel show, Tilley Talks Travel, live. It's streamed online so anyone can listen. I've been fortunate to be a regular guest on their show for a few years now, but this was my first time not only being in-studio, but meeting Marcus in person. Technology is incredible. You can feel like you know someone without ever having met. That's how I felt I felt like I knew him but seeing him in person, I was shocked that he was so short. What's even funnier is that he felt the same way; for some reason he imagined me to be 6' 6". Little did he know that I barely make the six-foot club.

Mattison's Riverside

After the show, we drove a few miles down the complicated roads to Mattison's Riverside restaurant. It's right on Manatee River and is supposedly the only fine dining in Bradenton. One thing is for sure: the food and views are excellent. The restaurant dishes up food with a Mediterranean flair and a hint of Asian flavor. I had the Asian chicken salad made with baby greens, tossed with a Thai peanut dressing, stir-fried vegetables and Asian noodles ($11). Doesn't that make you hungry? If you're a seafood lover, then you'll be stoked that they have a sushi bar. Mattison's Riverside at the Twin Dolphin Marina, 1200 First Ave West, Bradenton; tel. 941/748-8087.

South Florida Museum

Over lunch, I heard about a famous manatee named Snooty who used to have his cage right in front of where we were sitting during his first year in captivity. That was 58 years ago and these days, Snooty resides two blocks away at the impressive South Florida Museum. The museum is midway through a $5 million renovation in which they have done an amazing job; no wonder they get 100,000 visitors a year. It's billed as Florida largest natural and cultural history museum on Florida's Gulf Coast and it was there that I learned that the Florida Everglades has so much wildlife. But let's face it the main attraction here is Snooty who is the oldest living manatee in captivity. Although Snooty is 59 years old, the average age of a West Indian Manatee is just 16 because of human-related accidents. If you want to visit with Snooty, you'd better come quick because the research I did indicates that they normally only live to about 60. I hope Snooty isn't reading this. Admission: Adults: $15.95, Seniors: $13.95, Children 4-12: $11.95. South Florida Museum, 201 10th Street West, Downtown Bradenton, tel. 941/746-4131.

Harrington House

The Hilton Longboat Key was quite comfortable and I really didn't want to check out. But I couldn't go to the Florida Gulf Islands and not experience one of their typical Bed & Breakfasts. So I checked into the Harrington House. Entering the Harrington House brought me back to my childhood, to my best friend's grandmother's house to be exact. It had the same smell, feel and furniture. Except here, there's a pile of freshly baked cookies waiting to be gobbled up. Believe me, it didn't take me long to polish them off.

This old school B&B is right on Anna Maria Island Beach. I was assigned to the Primrose Room, which is in the Main Inn (they also have bungalows). I'm pretty sure the Primrose is in a restored attic as it was up two flights of stairs. But to be honest, apart from the low ceiling, it was difficult to tell. The room was large with a private bath/shower with soft towels, a queen-sized cherry wood bed, a refrigerator and an outside deck facing the Gulf of Mexico. I arrived just as the sun was setting and the owner suggested I hurry down to the beach for a better view. There was a good amount of people (maybe 25) watching it like a spectator sport all the way down the beach. It was a beautiful thing and it made me appreciate something I can sometimes take for granted.

Come as a Guest, Leave as a Friend

Staying at the Harrington House is like being a guest at a friend's house. First of all, you need to be respectful. The walls aren't that thick so you've got to keep your voice down. Practically everything here is on the honor system so if you grab any food, drinks or snacks (like delicious banana nut bread), you need to pay whatever the price is on the tray.

Breakfast at the Harrington

I woke up to the sound of crashing waves and the smell of baked treats. Not bad, wouldn't you say? I took a quick shower and ran down the stairs like it was Christmas morning. A cute young waitress offered me coffee, juice and gave me my choices: eggs any way I like them or try one of their two breakfast specials: cheese blintzes or an omelet with cheddar, broccoli and chives. I went with the latter, which came with a side of fruit, pumpkin bread and the best white toast I have ever had. It was a fantastic breakfast. The owner made her rounds to each table and spoke to everyone, answering questions about the area and telling her success story. I can see why they have been so successful. They 'get it', the service is great and they have free Internet. Rates begin at $139. Harrington House Beachfront Bed & Breakfast Inn, 5626 Gulf Drive, Holmes Beach, FL, tel. 888/828-5566 or 941-778-5444.

Rental Car

My buddy Kerry had split the previous night, so I was without a car. I could've taken one of the free bicycles from the Harrington House out or taken the Manatee Trolley -- this free public transportation is available every 20 minutes on Anna Maria Island. But to get to the Tampa airport, it wasn't going to be cheap; $80 by shuttle. Turns out it was much cheaper if I rented a car, just for the day. Normally, I rent cars from Priceline where I get the best deal, but they don't do really last-minute (within an hour) rentals. The kind folks at the Harrington House printed directions for me and helped call car agencies. The cheapest deal I could find was with Hertz. They even came and picked me up.

Anna Maria Beach

Before I bolted, I took a morning walk on the beach. Even though it was chilly, it was very soothing. There weren't many people out but those who were all appeared to be locals getting their daily exercise. They weren't stopping every minute like me to admire the incredible seashells. The only thing I didn't like about Anna Maria Beach were the horrible-looking square condos some thoughtless builder erected a few decades ago to make some fast cash. If those ugly-looking buildings were torn down, replaced with more appealing housing, the beach would be top-notch.

The Sun House

I ate at a couple of good restaurants in town. One night, I had dinner at The Sun House. It's a two-story restaurant that's fun, creative and colorful, just like their chef, Darrell Mizell. Chef Darrell used to be a former special operations officer and the man has guns the size of my thighs so you know no one acts up in his place. He's an awesome guy and the owners give him the freedom to be creative, which allows him to create his signature 'Floribbean' cuisine. It's a tempting fusion of native Floridian and Caribbean ingredients, with an emphasis on fresh seafood. Every meal he has a different special but since I'm a chicken kind of guy, I tried the Bridge Street Chicken ($14). It was a boneless Carolina breast encrusted with toasted pecans and snowflake coconut, southern sauteed and presented with tropical juice reduction, served with garlic dill mashed potatoes and steamed baby vegetables. I'm getting hungry. For dessert, I had the Chocolate Caribbean Delight ($7) with vanilla, chocolate and Oreo cookie ice cream, piled high over a chocolate crumb crust with a fudge topping. Yikes. Somebody help me my belly is growing. The Sun House Restaurant & Bar, 111 Gulf Dr. S., Bradenton Beach, tel. 941/782-1122.

Beach House

Down the road is another popular restaurant. The Beach House is not multi-story but it is huge and just 650 feet from the beach. For an early, quick lunch, I had the Beach House chicken sandwich ($8.99) served on a whole-wheat bun. Man, it was tasty. The Beach House Restaurant, 200 Gulf Drive, Bradenton Beach, tel. 941/779-2222.

Emerson Point

I'd heard about the Emerson Point Conservation Reserve. It's off the eastern tip of the Bradenton coast, just off Terra Ceia Bay. Surprisingly, not too many locals know of this place because after asking several people for directions, they all looked at me with blank stares. It turns out that this place is a secret gem. I got a tour with Karen Fraley, who's a guide for Around the Bend Nature Tours. She took me around the 200-acre state park that has winding trails and a wooden boardwalk. The diverse nature preserve is home to numerous ecosystems, including salt marshes, beaches, lagoons, grass flats, mangrove swamps, hardwood hammocks and semi-upland wooded areas. We walked around and I saw a bunch of osprey eagles. If it wasn't so cold (it even killed some of the fish) I would have taken Karen up on the other method for getting around the park: bike or canoe. It reminded me of Presque Isle in Erie, PA, though it's not as big or as green. But Presque Isle doesn't have huge oak trees with air plants hanging from them, which is way cool.

Tampa

I considered spending another night at The Harrington House but my nonstop flight to L.A. was departing early the next morning from Tampa. I had no desire to get up in the wee hours of the morning and driving half asleep when I could just get an airport hotel and sleep in. So from Emerson Point, I made the easy 40-minute drive to the airport. It took no time to drop the car off at Hertz. Then I took the free SpringHill Suites shuttle just 10 minutes to the hotel. TIP: You need to call the hotel and schedule a pick-up when you arrive.

Springhill Suites

Marriott runs the SpringHill Suites property so I was able to accrue Marriott Reward Points. Yes. The hotel has 149 studio suites with extended stay rooms, which are cleverly designed with half a wall splitting the bed and living room. The TV is in the middle and can be swiveled so from either spot, it can be viewed. Like all Marriotts, the Revive Bed was really comfortable making it tough to crawl out for my early morning departure. What's crazy is that even with the rate being so low (rack rates start at $99), the hotel offers free Internet (broadband) and for those who don't have a laptop, there's free use of computers in the lobby with free printing. If that's not enough, they even dole out a free breakfast buffet but I'm not sure how it was since it doesn't open until 7am and I was long gone by then. I just don't get it: Why do all the inexpensive, extended-stay hotels offer all these amenities for free when luxury hotels with rates five times the price, charge for them? My only criticism is that I could hear passersby and an annoying buzzing sound from the hallway lights. Like the door, the windows also weren't soundproofed so planes can be heard overhead but it wasn't loud enough to deter me from staying here again. If you're a light sleeper, you might want to consider bringing earplugs. SpringHill Suites, 4835 West Cypress Street, Tampa, Florida, tel. 813/639-9600.

The New and Improved Johnny Jet Portal

On February 3, The Washington Post listed JohnnyJet.com in an article entitled: 54 Online Travel Sites to Bookmark Now. Awesome. However, author Michael Shapiro warned that some of the links are outdated. Ouch. That hurt. But you know what? He was absolutely right. Upon closer inspection, I couldn't believe I had neglected my baby for so long. When I began clicking the links, I felt like the mother in Home Alone, who accidentally left Macaulay Culkin at home while she traipsed off on a European vacation. Of course, since then I have spent practically every waking moment adding and deleting hundreds of websites and categories to create an accurate and up-to-date portal. I still have about 400 more to go so please check it out (and often) and let me know what you think of the new and improved Johnny Jet Travel Portal. Also, if I'm missing a link to one of your favorite sites, send an email to info@johnnyjet.com and we'll see if we can include it.

Note: This trip was sponsored in part by Florida's Gulf Islands

Johnny Jet has been featured over 1,000 times in major publications, including USA Today, Time, Fortune and The New York Times, and has appeared on ABC, CBS, CNBC, MSNBC, NBC, FOX News Channel, and PBS. JohnnyJet.com has been named "one of the top best money-saving web sites for travel" by Budget Travel Magazine, while the L.A. Times calls it "one of the top 10 essential travel resources on the internet." In the May 2007 issue of Outside Magazine, Johnny Jet was touted for having one of the world's best "dream jobs". Every week Johnny hosts a "travel website of the week" for several radio stations around the country, he writes weekly for Frommers.com and he has written for USAToday, The Boston Herald and Coast Magazine. Sign up today for Johnny Jet's free weekly travel newsletter at www.johnnyjet.com.

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Related Information:

• Destinations: Tampa
• Trip Ideas: Beach & Water Sports, Cultural Immersion

Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.

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