WTD: Info on Florida Keys Vacations

[jonjones13]

Looking to maybe come over to the States with wife+kids for a 2/3 week vacation early next year and was wondering if anyone on here was relatively local and had any tips/recommendations etc

Any tips appreciated

Cheers
Jon

[xjoex]

Hey Jon - My wife and I have a place in Key Largo. It is a really nice place to visit.

Fun things to do: Rent kayaks at Pennekamp state park
http://gallery.photo.net/photo/10246385-md.jpg
Also there you can take a snorkel or scuba tour out to an amazing coral reef.

Great pizza can be had at Boardwalk Pizza.

More interesting sea kayaking can be set up through Back Country Cowboy http://www.backcountrycowboy.com/ they have trips to small islands and organized trips from the Everglades.

Bahia Honda state park is a must see, you can snorkel, swim around on the gulf and ocean side and its a halfway point between Key Largo and Key West.
http://robonza.com/joe/2009/04-13_keylargo/IMGP0272.jpg

Key West is a little city full of beach cruisers and touristy stuff. It is really fun, really cool and will have much more going on than any other key. But it is less relaxing.

Nice hotel in Key Largo: www.keylargoresort.com/
Nice hotel in Hawk's Cay: www.hawkscay.com/
Nice hotel in Key West: http://www.marriott.com/hotels/hotel-information/travel/eywmc-key-west-marriott-beachside-hotel/

The riding is ok, but not relaxing. Their is really only one road that everyone with a truck and a boat drives at mach 90 down. I see a few other people on road bikes. But I can't say I love it.
http://robonza.com/joe/2010/05-01_keylargo/IMGP1481.jpg

And a nice sunset to get you excited:
http://gallery.photo.net/photo/11018071-md.jpg

-Joe

[jonjones13]

Ohh yeah.. looks fab. Any chance you fancy renting out your place in Key Largo if its your holiday home or is it your main residence ?
Cheers
Jon

[echelon_john]

we go down most winters for a few days. Cheeca Lodge in Islamorada is excellent. we've also stayed at Tranquility Bay in Marathon which is more reasonable, not as upscale, but still very clean, with nice pools, etc. very close to Bahia Honda State Park.

i have brought a bike but wouldn't recommend it; pretty much one really busy highway, with a screaming wind many days blowing north.

key west is fun, but if you're traveling with kids it's probably less ideal; more geared to the late night/partying scene. but good to go down for a day from anywhere from Islamorada down.

you might also look at Hawks Cay resort; we're probably going to try that next time we go down.

PM me for more info/opinions if you like.

Good luck!
John

PS IMO 2-3 is a LONG time to stay in the Keys, esp w. kids. The Keys have beautiful water but the beaches themselves aren't much to speak of compared to places further north on both coasts. the Vero Beach area is really pretty and has nice beaches, as does the Sanibel/Naples area on the Gulf.

[Ralph]

To me 2-3 days is usually enough. Key Largo is nice as suggested. And John Pennycamp park and Bahia Honda park worth a visit. I also like Key West for about 1 night.

I much prefer Sanibel Island, for a family vacation, off coast from Ft Myers. There I take my bike, and do a lot of riding. Ding Darling National Park on island is interesting also. 2/3 of island is wild life refuge with visitor center, film, open bus tour, etc. Rest of island is built low key. Lots to do on Sanibel Island. I think it's better for kids too. Rental bikes for family, bike paths everywhere, cyclists everywhere....that's how locals get around, low speed limits, and every road is friendly to cyclists. Shelling, fishing, cycling, swimming, etc. Island life is slow pace usually. Reasonably priced. Restaurants of every kind, big grocery stores also if you have a place with kitchen. There are many many places to stay on island. We stay here usually.

http://www.westwindinn.com/

http://www.mapquest.com/maps?city=Sanibel&state=FL&__aolrel=1290175159656 You can zoom in and out on this map to see where it is located in Florida.

[SEABREEZE]

I concur with Ralph, one additional thing when in the keys you can go on a charter or party boat fishing.

We have a boat and RV, two great things to have living in Fl. We always tow our boat with the RV. Always new destinations and discoveries.

At some of the RV parks they have camping, Saw many who do , have cut holes in there tent to use a portable window air conditioner...

Adviseable to stay away from the keys in the summer, skeeters are plentiful...

[97CSI]

Good info.......... trying to decide between the Keys and New Orleans for early March. Seafood and swimming/snorkling (John Pennycamp is great) or jazz and cajun food (yummmm - crawdaddy etoufe and gumbo). Decisions, decisions. May just have to do the car-train thing and go to both.

[haneriali]

We've stayed there a number of times, and one of my daughters was married there. Rent one of the Villas--there are 2- and 3-BR versions. Nice marina; can rent boats and jet skis; have dolphins there you can swim with (all for a fee). http://www.hawkscay.com/

Cheeca Lodge http://www.cheeca.com/ is nice, and maybe a bit more upscale. Casa Morada http://www.casamorada.com/ is more isolated but is also nice.

All are near Islamorada about midway down.

Do not miss Bob's Bunz http://www.bobsbunz.com/ for great pastries / breakfast.

[Keith A]

Jon -- Lots of good input for you so far, but I would echo the comment about 2/3 weeks in the keys being a long time. It is a neat place to check out, but I would also suggest finding a nice spot on the west coast of Florida for the bulk of your stay. There are some beautiful beaches over there and plenty of things to do. We've stayed in St. Pete Beach many times and always enjoy the time spent there. The panhandle has some great spots too, but depending on when you come over, the winters up there can be noticeably cooler than the south/central west coast.

Adviseable to stay away from the keys in the summer, skeeters are plentiful...and the no-see-ums can be miserable!

[Keith A]

One more thing, if you had any interest in hitting the theme parks, there is Busch Gardens in Tampa and every park you ever wanted (on not) is in Orlando.

[BCS]

If you are coming with kids, Longboat Key (off Sarasota in the Gulf, not in "The Keys") is a better choice. My 3 kids would be bored to death in the Keys for 2 weeks. Best option of all is a trip to the Atlantis in the Bahamas. Expensive but kids will love it.