Wife Wants a "Cabana" in Florida.

Looking at spending some time down there, where the sun shines almost every damn day. Wife and son want to think about a place we can get away to 4-5 times a year. So, would like suggestions on areas/cities.

Can't afford Key West or anything like that, but want to be not too far from an airport with passenger jet service.

Kind of depends on what you like.

I prefer the calm waters of the gulf, and I prefer the panhandle. I have a place on Cape San Blas which is quiet, an hour from PC and 1.4 hr from NW Florida Beaches International Airport (Panama City - ECP), perhaps the airport with the stupidest name in the nation. The cape is very warm in summer, mild in winter. It's my kind of people in this area. St. Joseph Bay is AWESOME, and I'm going down soon for 2 weeks of scolloping in the bay. The beach was the 11th winner of "Dr. Beaches 10 best beaches in America". The winner each year is permanently removed from future eligibility. At the time of it's winning, 7 of the previous winners were in Hawaii. For me, it's perfect.

My brother has a home on Marco Island. It's unbearable in summer and beautiful in winter. I wouldn't live there if you gave me a place. WAY TOO MANY PEOPLE, and not my kind of people for the most part. My brother loves it.

My sister lives in Tequesta, at the north end of what's considered south Florida on the atlantic coast. EXPENSIVE!!!, BEAUTIFUL more mild than the gulf, bigger waves, more sharks, and REALLY NOT MY KIND OF PEOPLE. My sister is still adjusting.

Obviously, since Cape San Blas is very mildly populated, "my kind of people" are not the majority, so there's plenty of room for differing opinion on what's ideal.

The keys are beautiful, crowded, hard to access, and did I mention BEAUTIFUL.