Here are the available villas for rental in Florida.

Tennis boot camp

'Balls up!' screamed Chris Johnson, the tennis coach who convincingly posed as a marine sergeant battling towards Baghdad.
The order to pick up the hundred tennis balls lying across the clay court was a relief. After 10 minutes of 'drill', hitting balls in every direction under the hot Florida sun, a novice like myself longed for a rest.
'This is real tennis. No break,' broke the respite. 'Move your legs!' shouted Chris. 'Treat that ball like an egg. Smash it!'
Finally, I placed a ball successfully. 'I like that sound,' snapped Chris.
Dragged by my tennis-mad family to the beautiful Saddlebrook Resort near Tampa, I would be dishonest to hint at any initial enthusiasm for five hours of tennis coaching every day.
But I reluctantly presented myself at 8am with Wayne, another over-aged hopeful who sported a knee brace, to an outer court which I blessed as the 'lepers' colony'.
Over the following week, many of the dozens who came to be coached with Wayne and me fled at the first opportunity. One particularly obnoxious English couple feared that their brilliant game would be infected by inferiors.
'Sugar puffs,' screeched Mrs Obnoxious after her 100mph serve proved to be less than an ace. Mr Obnoxious served so fast that I only dimly heard the ball swish past. 'I'm arranging to change our coach,' he announced.
Wayne and I looked to our drill sergeant for reassurance. 'Tennis,' repeated Chris, 'is a lower body sport.'
For pupils more used to being slumped in a chair facing a computer, that was nice to know. Boasting 45 tennis courts and a coach on each - some of them former Davis Cup players - Saddlebrook is much more than a camp for tennis buffs seeking improvement from professionals.
Nick, one of my disenchanted ex-tennis partners, switched to golf, practising first on Saddlebrook's driving range and 'Scoring Zone' and then, accompanied by a professional, on one of the resort's two championship courses designed in 480 acres of rolling countryside by Arnold Palmer. ... more

Florida's treasure islands

From the Mail on Sunday

Any thoughts that Florida is simply the state of Mickey Mouse and Mickey Mouse elections must be banished immediately. I took a journey in a kayak through the mangrove trees back to a time long before theme parks touched this part of America. A time when Florida was home to ferocious Indians and infamous pirates.
Two thousand years ago the fierce Calusa Indians lived in the mangrove swamps on Sanibel, Captiva and the surrounding barrier islands off South-West Florida in the Gulf of Mexico. They erected hillocks of shells and made tools from wood and bone, carved out canoes and became expert hunters.
Over the centuries the Calusas bravely resisted all attempts to conquer them. Ultimately, however, their primitive weapons proved no match for the firearms and foreign diseases brought by the Hispanic explorers and by the mid-1700s the entire Calusa Indian population was eliminated.
Sanibel and Captiva then became the hideouts of notorious pirates such as LaFitte, Blackbeard, Black Caesar and Gasparilla. Homesteaders arrived in 1869 and farmed, but had a hard time due to hurricanes, an infestation of mosquitoes and the Depression.
Despite its accessibility, reached by a causeway from Fort Myers, Sanibel remains a well-kept secret, protected by an environmentally-conscious local council which maintains a thriving nature reserve on one half of the island while keeping commerce and tourism under control on the other. ... more

So much more than just Mickey

We have been twice to Florida and both times we stayed on International-Drive, which is a lovely location.
They are always improving the area. We loved the Skull Kingdom, Ripleys, the Magic Show and of course the Titanic.
One thing good about this area is the I-hopper bus, which is good if you don't want to drive.
There's lots to do in the evenings and lots of crazy golf. There is a good variety of restaurants, Universal Studios is at both ends of I-Drive, plus there is Seaworld and Wet and Wild.
It's a good location for people, who don't mind being a bit away from Walt Disney.
A must-see is the Kennedy Space Centre, which is on a straight road out of I-drive. There is lots of shopping there as well.
I hope to visit again before Christmas. I'd love to see what else will be new on I-Drive.

Much more than Mickey Mouse

Having been to the Orlando area eight times we are looking to book again. Why you might ask? Florida is much more than Mickey Mouse!
We travel further afield, to Homassasa Park on the Crystal River, North of Tampa. Just a few bucks and the best day out ever!
Meet the manatee in their natural environment.

For the young at heart

Excellent for the young family and the young at heart. Lots to see and do and, if you look, you will find bargains on the attraction tickets - Disney, Universal etc.
The weather is usually very hot, but try to avoid school holidays as the parks do get pretty busy!
Food is also very good with lots of choice and prices to suit every pocket, though my favourite is the Outback Steakhouse - it has an Australian theme (the aftermath of Crocodile Dundee!) the steaks are the best I've ever had.
For a relaxing break try the Gulf coast, St.Petersburg or Clearwater are very good. Clear blue seas and clean beaches, very laid back, nearly as laid back as the Keys.