We met my wife's parents in Florida for a week with our 3 kids at the Residence Inn Treasure Beach, near Tampa. Our room was a 3 bedroom suite with 4 flat screen TV's and every modern comfort that could be imagined. Everything was brand new as the hotel had just opened. Breakfast was included.

Within a few steps you are on a nice quiet beach where you could pick up shells or just walk and watch the Pelicans. We got to take a few pictures of a big fish some guy had just caught before he released it back into the Gulf. The pool at the Residence Inn is a bit small with the focus being on the beach but the kids really enjoyed it. When we went to Clearwater, the beach was packed, but down on Treasure Island it wasn't.

We spent a whole day (you need to set aside a whole day) at Busch Gardens where we saw a couple shows, and another day at John's Pass, Village & Boardwalk on Madeira Beach, enjoying all the little shops and restaurants. Another day we took the Sea Screamer 73ft power boat from Clearwater to see the dolphins. What a ride that was! The boat holds 150 people but that day there were only 13 (and we were 7 of them). The Dolphins jump over the boat's wake and we had an almost exclusive view.

My father-in-law picked up the Van rental because he got there 2 hours before us and I wasn't present when he picked it up so I couldn't be registered as a second driver so he pretty much did all the driving. The streets were terrible. I recommend getting a GPS because the street might be named one thing, then 5W, then Gulf Blvd, then a 3 digit route number so it's very confusing.

Every Continental flight was delayed 1 hour. We managed, though. The kids are already wondering where we're going next year.