Florida road trip over winter break, where to go?

It's my first winter break from college and I'm driving down to florida from around December 20th to January 11th. I was planning in setting up at Flamingo in the everglades and photographing the surrounding areas.

I was hoping you could reccomend other places that are great for photography. I'm driving down from NYC, so anywhere between here and the everglades that's truly amazing would be great. After being stuck at college with no time to shoot, I'm thrilled about getting back out into the field.

Poke around a bit and you'll find lots of ideas here and other places described on the internet. Some places to start looking are to do a forum search (or Google on the wider internet) for Shark Valley and for Anhinga Trail. If you can make it down to the Keys, including Key West and a boat trip to Fort Jefferson, I predict you'll be impressed.

Hi Al, if you tell us what type of subjects you are most interested in, we could probably give you a great list to pick from.

Al,

Go online and get the free download from the State of Florida called Florida Birdtrails (I am not sure of the name, it may be Florida birding but it is easy to find). There is an east and a west edition. You can find great birds throughout the state, I would recommend chosing locales that interest you then search for appropriate birding. Some of the most photo friendly bird sites are the St. Augustine Alligator farm, Venice Rookery, Ding Darling, Everglades, Keys and anywhere people catch fish (especially docks when boats are coming in).

Enjoy you vacation.

Albie

I believe this is the link - http://www.floridabirdingtrail.com/guide.htm

have a great trip.

Stu
http://www.nwpli.com

Al, I am also a college student that has been displaced from orlando to maine for college. If you are in the orlando area drop me a line and we can meet up and I will show you the area.

Drew

Feel free to contact me if you get anywhere near St. Petersburg or Clearwater. I know the area well and can recommend some great sites for bird photography. Here is a partial list:

Myaaka State Park. Near Bradenton, inland.

Ft. Desoto Park, south end of Pinellas County, south of St. Petersburg.

Sawgrass Lake Park, St. Petersburg.

Dunedin Causeway, Dunedin, Florida (make sure you drive on out to Honeymoon Island State Park at the end of the causeway).

Highly recommend the Alligator Farm in St. Augustine, across the Bride of Lions on AIA.

Be glad to help, just give me a holler.

Bill

Thanks for all the help,

I probably should have mentioned I'm into birds, and I don't have a huge lens, but my 400 f5.6 does the job for me and fits my student budget.

A bird I'd love to shoot that I haven't seen in ages is the Burrowing Owl, last time there was a housing development area that was mentioned in the Lane Guide that was excellent, but things change of course, that was years ago.

Bill, as soon as I get home I'm gonna plan the trip, I definetly need to sit down with all this research and work it out. If I'm in the area, you'll be getting a call, it must be nice to have all that nice warm weather as I look out into snowy Syracuse.

-Abie Borker
(I really ought to change that username, I lost my pw fro my old l/p that was abieborker)

If your driving from the west coast to Miami/Ft. Lauderdale, by all means use highway 41, not I75. lots of side of the road stuff, and a short detour up Turner River Road (6 mi E of Hy 29) will give you lots of stuff to shoot with a 400. Cape Corel, a suburb of Ft. Myers is Burrowing Owl central.