I am heading down from Pennsylvania to the Keys in two weeks. Just looking for any info on cool places to see or do in the keys. I will be there for a few days.

Any tips, hints, info would be great.

thanks from the chilly north

 

Bahia Honda State Park is nice.

 

Islamorada, Holiday Isle,,,,the natives can be restless after a few pain in the asses,,,a drink that is half rum-runner and half pina coloda.
And of course, key west.

 

thanks for the info

 

Check out this site: www.keywest.com Lotsa good stuff! Have fun and welcome to Paradise!!!

 

Welcome to Paradise!! You might want to check out this site. www.keywest.com Enjoy your vacation

 

If ya scuba, or even if you just snorkel, there's a trip out from (I think its) Pine Key (between Marathon and Key West, just north of Key West) that is pretty neat. They take you about 45 minutes out to Looe Key where you do three 1 hour dives in the finger coral. It's nice because if you just snorkel, the deepest parts between the fingers are about 24 ft deep, while the top of the coral is on 4-7 feet deep. Reasonably priced and it's like swimming in an aquarium. We saw dolphin and a sea turtle last time we went.

 

Lot's to do in the Keys and lot's of places I could recommend... I spend 2 weeks working in KW for race week, 1 week vacation in the middle keys and a few weekends to the upper/middle keys each year... usually with boat..

How long are you planning on actually being in the keys? You will have a car I assume? Driving the vette down? I thought northern vettes hibernate... Budget trip or spend some cha-ching? Do you like quiet or rowdy? I got recommendations for either but need a budget range...

Looe Key is defintely a destination if you're looking for some snorkling/diving.... Bahia Honda is very nice, but also more a natural & quiet setting. The natives definitely get restless in Islamorada at the Tiki Bar and the especially at the sandbar (and absolutely GONZO in early May). Planning on making it KW? Day trip to Tortugas is great if you've got the time. Sunset sail if you don't... Palm Island is exquisite & exclusive if you want to spend the cha-ching...

 

I am driving the vette down..a little rain wont melt mine I will have about 5 days to bum around and do whatever. I am looking to keep it kinda relaxing and just vegg out. Nothing too too exciting..just a nice time. I plan on going to KW..so any "local" info about that would be great

As to budget..middle of the road. I have some cha-ching

 

PART I

Places I'd recommend starting from N to S in the Keys....

But 1st a word of caution, make sure you take the FL Turnpike until the end, if end up on I95 it'll dump in Miami and while you can take US1 down it'll add 2 hours to your trip on a good traffic day - been there done that more than once!

If your hungry after you get off the Turnpike and don't want to wait until Key Largo the Florida Fish House is a dumpy looking little restaurant on the right among the fast food chain restaurants that has the best grilled hogfish sandwich... better than Islamorada Fish Co IMHO.

I've posted a link below that's very comprehensive... so the following is just my short list... recommedation order goes lodging/chow/booze

Key Largo:

Tarpon Flats Inn - keysee & cutsie
http://www.tarponflats.com

Sunset Cove Beach Resort - nice keys resort
http://sunsetcovebeachresort.com/index.html

Crack'd Conch Restaurant - definitely keys
http://www.keysconch.com/

Fish House/Encore Restaurant - family style
http://www.fishhouse.com/

Tower of Pizza - when you get tired of fish...

Aqua-Nuts Dive Center - Also has keysee motel..
http://aqua-nuts.com/

Capt. Slate's Atlantis Dive Center
http://www.captainslate.com/

Ocean Divers - also has hotel near there, can't remember name
http://www.oceandivers.com/

Islamorada (general area):

Cheeca Resorts - $$$ but real nice - stayed once
http://cheeca.rockresorts.com/

Cheasapeake Resort - less $$$ but also real nice and relaxing, stayed twice last year... will go back for short stays
http://www.chesapeake-resort.com/

Ragged Edge Motel - cheap, but not bad
http://www.ragged-edge.com/

Sharkie's Machine... reasonable $ snorkle trips out of Holiday Isle..

Tiki Bar -

Part II coming this afternoon....

 

Very informative

Waiting for part 2

 

A little late, but here's Part II...

Should have given you some Mile Markers (MM)... Ragged Edge is at MM 88.5

A lot can be said about Islamorada... Holiday Isle MM 84ish is definitely where the action is, but IMO most of the hotel rooms smell like stale beer... maybe it's just the time of the year that I wind up there... bartenders bash which varies between an R17 to a mostly XXX version of spring break for those in their 20s/30s/40s... anywhere from 200-300 boats (or anything that floats) park/raft up on the sandbar... interspersed with about 20 boats from 5 law enforcement agencies arresting the most egregious zoo specimens... happens 2nd week of May so you'll be safe! It's worth one R rated pic.. not sure if this works as I haven't posted a pic before on this forum... and no that's not me...



Holiday Isle has THE Tiki Bar and a large charter fishing fleet...
http://www.holidayisle.com

Moving on south...

Papa Joes around MM 79 is worth a stop.... especially at sunset if you're staying in the area... haven't tried the restaurant, but the bar works...

Robbie's Marina MM 77.5 has the best damn breakfast in the upper keys and you can also feed the tarpoon... just be careful - the locals get a kick out of the 60-80lb fish grabbing your hand... no teeth but raspy palate can hurt... pelicans will pick your pockets too...

SKIPPING RIGHT TO KEY WEST... lot's of places in between... check..
http://outdoorsbest.zeroforum.com/zerothread?id=100907

My recomedations for Key West are a little off the beaten track... been down there too many times for too long to put up with Duval St. Not passing judgement... just been there done that... Get the local cartoonish map offered everywhere... great to use to get around... historic district is a grid layout...

Pepe's on Caroline St. Oldest food establishment in KW. Meat smothered meat and Sunday BBQ are 2 specialties... From PA you might enjoy the fact that they're beer special is now $1 Yuengling pints...

Harpoon Harry's is the best breakfast spot... and has liqour store to boot.

Turtle Kraals at the Historic Seaport... 4:30-6:30 $0.30 oysters and clams... hermit crab races... decent food...

Schooner Wharf has nightly bands.. sometimes they're good...

Monty's is new, but probably has a good pool/bar scene in town... upscale/preppy for KW.

If you have the time the America Schooner is worth a sunset trip if you're with sig other...

Green Parot is a great bar 1 block off of Duval on Whitehead...

Certainly worth tipping a few at both Sloppy Joe's... the original and the other original... long story...

If you like spices, KW Peppers on Green St is worth checking out - they have a tasting bar...

The place I usually stay at was torn down .. But found a great new place - Palm Court on Elizabeth St. Stumbling distance to everywhere you want to go... Ken & Paul run the place... no use mentioning my name beacuse they call me a different name each time they see me... they're getting old... KW is expensive... hotel rooms anywhere you want to be for walking around town are $200 on way up... try B&B's... cheaper rates available outside of historic district, but if you're making the trip I wouldn't stay outside the district...

KW caveats... quality of roads and parking is ATROCIOUS... find a nice $10/day spot for your ride and leave it there... walk or rent a bike... in driving my z06 around I've lost fillings out of my teeth.. Plenty of sight seeing to do... but I'm usually working or fishing during the day in KW so my hangouts tend to be where I can get some eats and drinks...

Anyway, I've got to schlep the boat down to Miami Beach tomorrow at 6am in natty weather for a 3 day charter so I'm off to bed... hope the recommendations help, but there probably isn't a bad way to do the keys!