Coming to Orlando

Highway Child

Senior Member
Hi everyone, I'll be on holiday with my family in Orlando and Naples (Fl) in July. Our once-in-a-lifetime trip to see the full on razzle dazzle.

I wondered if forum members over there could recommend some good live music venues? Our hotel is on International Drive in Orlando, the one in Naples is close to the beach. I'm not fussy about genre just keen to see good live music.
 
Hi everyone, I'll be on holiday with my family in Orlando and Naples (Fl) in July. Our once-in-a-lifetime trip to see the full on razzle dazzle.

I wondered if forum members over there could recommend some good live music venues? Our hotel is on International Drive in Orlando, the one in Naples is close to the beach. I'm not fussy about genre just keen to see good live music.

I did Orlando last year, and while I do not have venue recommendations, I do have one suggestion if you will be driving anywhere.

If/when you rent a vehicle, make certain to say "yes" to the Sun/E-pass thingy. Tolls in that area are complete and total madness, and your GPS is always going to try to put you in the express lanes requiring a RF pass. You may not always be afforded the opportunity to enter a cash lane. No need to hit the hotel gymnasium as the other drivers will allow you to achieve your target aerobic heart rate with little effort.
 
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I did Orlando last year, and while I do not have venue recommendations, I do have one suggestion if you will be driving anywhere.

If/when you rent a vehicle, make certain to say "yes" to the Sun/E-pass thingy. Tolls in that area are complete and total madness, and your GPS is always going to try to put you in the express lanes requiring a RF pass. You may not always be afforded the opportunity to enter a cash lane. No need to hit the hotel gymnasium as the other drivers will allow you to achieve your target aerobic heart rate with little effort.

Thanks for the tip KamaK. We are going to hire a car so will look out for that.

Anyone know any good blues / jazz bars in that area?
 
In Naples there is the Mercato outdoor shopping mall, and at one end of the mall there is a restaurant/nightclub (forget the name) that has a very good cover band at least 5 nights a week.
 
I live in South West Florida, work in Naples, visit Orlando often.

In Orlando, go to BB King's Bluesville on International Drive. You can probably walk to it from your hotel. There is also a proper English Pub in that same little area that will make you feel right at home and you can get a good pint of something better than Bud Light, and fresh fish and chips.

In Naples the pickings are a little thinner. If you have access to a car and don't mind a half hour drive or so, head to Ft. Myers Beach. There are a bunch of places that you will find good live music. The Beached Whale, Castaways, The Cottage, just for starters.

If you want, PM me when you get here and I'll try to give you directions and/or reviews of places, bands you are thinking of seeing.
 
I live in South West Florida, work in Naples, visit Orlando often.

In Orlando, go to BB King's Bluesville on International Drive. You can probably walk to it from your hotel. There is also a proper English Pub in that same little area that will make you feel right at home and you can get a good pint of something better than Bud Light, and fresh fish and chips.

In Naples the pickings are a little thinner. If you have access to a car and don't mind a half hour drive or so, head to Ft. Myers Beach. There are a bunch of places that you will find good live music. The Beached Whale, Castaways, The Cottage, just for starters.

If you want, PM me when you get here and I'll try to give you directions and/or reviews of places, bands you are thinking of seeing.

Much appreciated 145, the B B King place is a definite visit. Thanks for the tip about Ft Myers venues I was wondering if Naples would prove to be a bit quiet.
 
Naples is a really nice town and there is plenty to do, just not a lot of great live music venues. The downtown, Fifth Avenue scene is very posh, I believe you would describe it. Big money restaurants and shopping. If you're bringing a wife or girlfriend, she will enjoy a trip there, same with The Mercado and perhaps Tin City. All good shopping.

Beach wise, Naples Beach is very quiet, not a lot to do besides hang at the beach. Fort Myers Beach is the more "happening" scene. Lots of bars, clubs and shopping, of course. Some of the venues are a bit trashy, though. You'll drive past Lovers Key State Park on your way to Fort Myers Beach from Naples, that's really pretty and worth stopping at and walking around for a bit.

And just a warning. It's really, really hot and humid. If you've never been here in the heat of summer, it's hard to describe. Everything is air conditioned, though, so you can escape it. Wear sun screen, lots of it. I can't tell you how many fried bright red Brits I see down here at night, after they got scorched all day.
 
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