cappadocia to mediterranenan coast

Hello Polly,the easiest way to get down onto the south coast is to take the overnight bus from Goreme to Antalya.Petrol here is very expensive-over 4TL a litre-but so long as you are prepared for that then hiring a car would be great as it would give you so much more flexibility,make better use of your time and means you can get to some of the more off the beaten paths places.
Have a day or two in Antalya to see places like Perge and Aspendos and then head west to Olympos or Kaş for a couple of days.Kaş would be a good base for seeing a lot of things in the close area.Then move on to Fethiye again to use as a base for the area.
As you turn off the coast to head up to Izmir take the time to stop at Aphrodisias,which is never over run with visitors and is truly wonderful.
All of the roads you would use are decent and well signed so it would be hard for you to get lost anywhere.Accomodation is also plentiful so reservations in advance would not be needed giving you even more freedom.By that time of the year the excessive heat of the summer will be passed leaving you with warm but comfortable weather for walking and exploring.
Bus companies to Antalya include
www.nevsehirlilerseyahat.com.tr
www.metroturizm.com.tr

Places to skip because they are generally over-run with tourists who barely even realize what country they're in, and only want to drink and party:

1. oludeniz
2. marmaris
3. bodrum (although bodrum's got a good side, too)
4. kusadasi

thanks guys - I appreciate your help. I've looked at your suggestions and we might do the overnight bus from Goreme and overnight in Antalya before hiring a car and heading west. Probably then stop at Kas, Fethiyie and Selcuk (Ephesus) on our way to Izmir. Polly

Here is my "standard" comment on Kaş and the Mediterranean Coast.

Turkey is rather larger than many people anticipate so use Google Maps or Earth for determining distances and the amount of time you can spend travelling.

I personally like the Mediterranean Coast of Turkey which runs from Bodrum through Fethiye, Kalkan, Kaş, Kekova, Demre and on to Antalya and beyond. You will find plenty of sunshine, 300+ days every year! The area is semi arid and in our area we almost never get rain between the middle of March until late September or October.

Usually the tourist "season" for travelers runs from April 01 through the end of October so prices are sometimes higher after April 01 but in late Sep/Oct, things will start to slow down. I keep UNofficial weather records, in September 2010 there was no rain but in late October there were six rain days. The average day temp for Sep 2010 was 32 C and 25 in October.

It should not be difficult to find accommodation almost anywhere you go. If there are competing hotels close by, look around and check with a couple before you decide. Always ask what kind of heat or A/C is in the rooms and do they have hot water. Always ask to see the room before you make your decision and also ask for a view if there is one or a larger room if the one you see is not suitable. Try not to pay the first price that is asked. Ask for their room rate, then ask for a discount. This is standard for most savvy Turkish travelers.

One reason I suggest Kaş for tourists on the Med Coast is because it has a nice central location from where you can take hikes either alone or with a group, in either direction of the Lycian Way. It is nearly equidistant from both Antalya and Dalaman airports and also equidistant from Fethiye to Antalya, the length of the Lycian Way.

Folks can go hiking, sea kayaking (at Kekova), take mountain treks, or visit a Turkish village and eat or even stay with a family. There are a great many activities to keep you busy, along with a laid back restaurant and bar scene. You can also just lounge around and do a lot of nothing. Kaş often has concerts both at the harbor and sometimes in the renovated ancient Hellenistic theatre.

Take a look for yourself and decide.

MEDITERRANEAN COAST:
Turkey Travel Planner for fun in the sun:
http://www.turkeytravelplanner.com/go/med/index.html

LONELY PLANET:
http://www.lonelyplanet.com/turkey/mediterranean-coast

TRIP ADVİSOR:
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Tourism-g658661-Turkish_Mediterranean_Coast-Vacations.html

LYCIAN WAY: Where there are many, many ancient Lycian, Greek and Roman ruins:
http://kasadventuretravel.blogspot.com/2010/08/lycian-way-turkey.html

KAŞ, TURKEY ON THE MED COAST:
LONELY PLANET:
http://www.lonelyplanet.com/turkey/mediterranean-coast/kas
TURKEY TRAVEL PLANNER:
http://www.turkeytravelplanner.com/go/med/kas/
TRIPADVISOR Kaş forum:
http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowForum-g297965-i4654-Kas_Turkish_Mediterranean_Coast.html
and a couple of travel sites:
http://www.kas-adventure.travel/
http://www.kas-travel.com/eng/

Hope this helps and that you have a great holiday in Turkey. Hoşgeldiniz (Welcome)

If you prefer to fly, there's a flight from Kayseri to Izmir. You could take this and then travel south-east, i.e. down to Selcuk and from there on to Antalya, from where there will be a flight back to Istanbul.
Can't remember which airline(s) do this, but it will show up if you look on [www.skyscanner.net]
Personally though, I'd take the bus to Antalya, and would do so during the day as you're not short on time and the scenery is gorgeous.

thanks everyone - I've now got lots of ideas to work on. Polly

Instead of night-busing to Antalya, day-bus, and get off at Side for a night . It's great for sunset, and out-of-season, it won't be overrun by tourists. Then bus to Antalya the next morning, and stay two nights. It's a pleasant city with its own attractions, and with a car, another day spent doing Perge-Duden Falls-Termessos will be very rewarding. Places worth visiting with own transport west of Antalya would include Phaselis, Cirali (for the Chimera), Kas (overnight at least), Patara (nice village to stay in), Xanthos, and Tlos. Although I like many aspects of Bodrum, you might prefer to turn inland near the uninspiring Fethiye and going to Pamukkale(for Hierapolis) overnight. Then stop at, Afrodisias on the way to Selcuk. If I were flying from Izmir, I'd overshoot it for one day and night at Bergama before driving back to the airport.
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If you find yourself in Kusadasi or Marmaris, you've made a mistake.

Side out of season isn't bad but the OP will be there September-October time so Side will still be heaving with package tourists...best avoided.☺

thanks all - interesting the different ideas about Fethiye. Some guide books say it's a must see.

So many places - just have to accept we can't see everything!! Polly