Orlando or Los Angeles

[Heffe01]

Which would you pick to go visit for a week? My job is going to pay to send me to a seminar and I get to pick which location I would like to go to. Orlando is in late April and Los Angeles is in August. Trying to decide based off which one has better reef stores to visit. Might as well get some kind of benefit out of it.

 

[hurrafreak]

Orlando has World Wide Corals but that's pretty much the only game in town. You have tons of choices in the LA area

 

[scchase]

LA has better stores but is pretty much hell on earth IMO. Orlando nicer overall but fewer reef stores to go to though within a day trip of real reefs

 

[kmcmurtry]

When I went to a convention in Orlando a few years back, it was gorgeous - everything is flowering, the weather is amazing, and there is so much to see including Disney and Seaworld. Wished I would have had a boatload of cash to see everything. I vote Orlando although I can't comment on the reef aspect.

 

[JNG]

Don't know much about store's in those areas, but I have been to both places a couple of times and love them both. If you happen to go to Orlando, drive down to clearwater and take some snorkeling gear with you. I went to where the man made break was and it was beautiful. On the other hand you can't beat southern Cali beaches in August. Go on reef central and hit up both sites reef clubs for info on stores.
Have fun either way.
Jerry

 

[Zooid]

If you are going by yourself, LA. If you bring family, Orlando.
August in LA is just wretched, what am I saying, LA is just wretched but if you want a variety
of reef stores, then that's the place to be.

 

[hurrafreak]

If we are looking at this in a purely aquarium standpoint LA wins hands down. The only good store in Orlando is WWC. Just got back from there recently , and while it's an awesome spot there's more stores in LA that are just as good.

 

[spstimie]

L.A. Email Steve Garrett and go check out Garrett's Acropolis. Find out if http://www.scmas.org/ is having a meeting that week. Join their forum and ask about stores too. They also occasionally visit wholesalers. I have a list of stores worth visiting somewhere, but you can't drive more than a mile without coming across a store. Last time I was there 3 gallon picos were like $15. It's on the ocean.

Orlando sucks. WWC is a sweet store, but they are overpriced imo. 4 hours back and fourth to any ocean. If it were Miami, it may actually take some thought, but LA wins over Orlando.

I may be biased having lived in CA and having a bunch of friends in LA. I just got offered a job in LA, but I make as much here and cost of living is 50% higher there. Too bad they didn't accept my counter offer

 

[scchase]

Huh only an hour to the ocean from Orlando when I lived there we made the trip almost weekly

 

[JNG]

Yeah, either way you go Tampa bay or Coco beach. just about an hour either way.

 

[Heffe01]

I think I am still leaning towards LA. It will give me time to save up some coin to buy stuff with. I am no expert with coral identification, but if anyone has any requests while I am out there I will be more than happy to look. I can take pics with my Iphone and upload them for positive ID first.

 

[spstimie]

Huh only an hour to the ocean from Orlando when I lived there we made the trip almost weekly

Yeah, either way you go Tampa bay or Coco beach. just about an hour either way.

Google and GPS show about an hour and a half either way(avoiding toll roads) and that's not including traffic.

 

[spstimie]

Huh only an hour to the ocean from Orlando when I lived there we made the trip almost weekly

Yeah, either way you go Tampa bay or Coco beach. just about an hour either way.

Google and GPS show about an hour and a half either way(avoiding toll roads) and that's not including traffic.

 

[dv3]

i have never been to LA but thought of going there in August just isnt good to me ...lol
oralando in april sounds much more pleasant

but then again if your only looking to visit reef shops it sounds like you have your answer

 

[scchase]

No offense or anything SPStimie I am just going off my actual experience of living in Orlando for those times. The big key to times when I lived there was traffic: no traffic you could make it in45 minutes on a good day bad traffic and it might be 2 hours

 

[dv3]

wonder how this place is doing? ...supossed to have the high end stuff if you got money burning holes in your pockets for those named corals
http://reefbuilders.com/2012/02/16/reef-raft-usa/

 

[spstimie]

No offense or anything SPStimie I am just going off my actual experience of living in Orlando for those times. The big key to times when I lived there was traffic: no traffic you could make it in45 minutes on a good day bad traffic and it might be 2 hours

None taken, Like I said, I am biased. I love L.A. and I really like Florida. Just not the biggest fan of Orlando.

 

[hurrafreak]

Just from taking a quick look at my system, if you go to the LA area you should check out these places. Now, keep in mind I have not visted all of the places personally, they're just top dogs in my list:

Neptune's Reef - Torrence
Capistrano Reef - San Juan Capistrano
Ocean Blue - Orange
Pasadena Tropical Fish - Pasadena
Coral Island - Orange
Tong's Tropical Fish & Pets - Fountain Valley
7 Seas - San Pedro

There are TONS and TONS more stores in the area but those are the highest on the list

 

[andrew]

LA is a big hub where most of the corals come in from, but i think Orlando would be alot better place to be and better scenery and enviroment. LA just too big and so many people