Visiting Key West, FL

My daughter and I will be visiting Key West for a day or so in January; any suggestions as to where to go and what to do other than the southernmost tip of the US [my third corner]: Thanks for any and all suggestions.

Darlene

Hi Darlene,

My wife and I went down to Key West last summer and we LOVED it. The obvious first suggestion would be to visit the lighthouse. It's a very attractive light with lots of history and it has a nice little museum there, too. Also, it's open to climb, which is always fun (and real nice view from the top).

Second, you should take a tour of the Hemingway house. It's a very interesting place and gives you a real feel for what Key West was like back when Ernest Hemingway was around.

Third, if you're looking for a restaurant, I would suggest a little hole it the wall called BLUE HEAVEN. You have to know ahead of time that the tables of the restaurant are outside so you'll see an occasional bird or chicken near by. It's NOT your typical restaurant but the food is REALLY good.

Good Luck and have fun...

Darlene -

I haven't been there for some time but it used to be that you wouldn't want to miss the informal gathering at sunset at the main dock downtown. Hundreds of people gather to view the sunset and to observe the strange people that come out of the woodwork. It is a real "happening". Talk about Wackos!!!

I hope you and Teresa have a great time.

Larry

Darlene,
Dave and I went down to Key West before the Winter Regional. We loved it. We walked for hours and had a great time browsing all the shops. We climbed the lighthouse and took lots of pictures. The sunset festival is great. Truly a must do.
A small warning, if you are driving down - do not speed over the bridges. On our way back, we counted 23 police cars.
Have a great time. Enjoy yourselves.
Dave & Kate

Where did any of you guys stay? Has anyone been down there for a week or more? Any times better than other for the weather/price tradeoff?( obviously summers are very hot and hurricane season are to be avoided.) I would think snorkeling is fabulous? Are their any safer areas to avoid the sharks(w/o looking for dolphins)?

Derith did you do a helicopter to the ocean lighthouses?

Bob

Faro Blanco Lighthouse..

This is where Sue and I stayed a few years ago, when we went down the Keys!!

All different levels of accommodations including a couple of rooms in the lighthouse..

Really great food at the restaurant (actually I believe they had two or three different restaurants) there also...

Marathon is about 1/2 way down the keys...

Faro Blanco Marine Resort
1996 Overseas Hwy.
Marathon, Florida United States 33050
866-603-9330 US Only.

I've got to say that is a terrible web site. More flash than useful information. Overpowered by a designer.

My husband and I stayed at the Key West Hilton on the marina. There isn't a beach but it has a nice bar to sit outside and watch the sunset. I don't know if they still have it, but when we stayed there they had a boat shuttle to take you over to a private beach set up for the hotel guests. I think they said it was Sand Key (or maybe my brain just thinks it should be called Sand Key).

It is also a great place to watch the sunset festival. There is definately some interesting people to watch! :rolleyes:

Either the price of the rooms in the tower have gone up since we were there or we were quoted a real deal... If I remember it was around the low one hundred range...

Maybe they have to pay for all of that Flash, John!!!

Things to do in Key West.
1. Take the 70-mile boat trip to Fort Jefferson and see the fort Jefferson lighthouse and the loggerhead light at a distance. A 70-mile trip by water that goes past Sand Key Lighthouse. Two-hour boat trip each way and four hours at the fort. You can snorkel there also. Pick the boat that offers free drinks. It’s a better deal. You could also take a seaplane, but it cost a lot more and the amount of time at the fort is only two hours.
2. The aquarium. Neat, especially for children. You can touch the sea creatures.
3. Glass bottom boat is a must. There are three of them. Don’t take the nautilus (the one that looks like a submarine), it is only an hour trip and you don’t see much. Water too murky from cruise ships coming in and out. It only takes you to the end of the island where you just see a few fish because they feed them. The best one is the one that is a large ship. A two-hour trip that takes you way out past Sand key light. Crystal clear waters with sharks sea turtles, sting rays and all types of tropical fish and Coral. I think the name of the ship is the Discovery
4. Ride a PT boat for 50 bucks a head.
5. Shipwreck museum was fun.
6. Mallory Square at Sun set. Hundreds of people gather there at dusk to see the famous sun set that Ernest Hemingway wrote about.
7. The Hemingway house is neat.
8. Go down Duval Street and see all the night action. Visit the Hard Rock Cafe when you are there.
9. The tour train is also a must. It takes you throughout the island and shows you all the sights.
10. Of course the Key West Lighthouse. You can see Sand key from top of the light if the sky is clear.
11. American shoal can be viewed from Saddle Key. Just a few keys up from Key west.

Joe and I have been down to the Keys on several occasions on Scuba Diving Trips. We normally spend a week down there when we go, though we haven't been there in several years. We like to stay in Marathon (the half way point) that way we can go north east to Key Largo one day and south west to Key West the next, then back again if we want.

The Motel that we stay in at Marathon is the Sea Cove. Its a small place on the left just as you come into town. Small cottages with full Kitchenettes complete with dishes, 2 double beds and lots of room. This is nothing fancy, but clean and very reasonably priced. Now remember that it has been several years, but the room rates were $24. a night and they gave us a discount for renting by the week and we paid $140. Again let me say that this was nothing fancy, not a resort, but we stayed a whole week for the price that you would pay for one night at those fancy places. Sea Cove (mile marker 54) 1-800-653-0800 or 305-289-0800

Then there is a place that we have stayed in twice down in Key West the Spanish Gardens Motel. Again nothing fancy, but clean and priced right. This motel is only 2 blocks for the Southernmost Point and within walking distance to the Lighthouse and Malloey Square. I think we paid something like $45. a night there. Again a great bargain compared to the fancy resort hotels. Spanish Gardens Motel 1325 Simonton St. Key West 305-294-1051

I hope this information will be of some help to you! Good Luck and Have Fun! Wish I was going too!

Stephanie

Funny you should mention Marathon Key. My friend has a time share there at Key Lime. The last time I was there was in 1980. I was there for three days when my mother passed away. Needless to say, my seventeen day vacation was cut short and I immediately left for home. I've never gone back since.

Some day I hope to return and visit all the area including Key West.

Bob

Personally I would say that if you are only going down for a day or two, go on down and stay in Key West. But if you plan on staying a week or more, I would stay on one of the other Keys where the room rates are cheeper and commute back and forth everyday. That's just my opinion! :rolleyes: The more I save on room rates the more I have to spend on Fun and Souvenirs.

Stephanie

Excellent strategy Stephanie. I couldn't agree with you more. I can't understand paying high prices for a room that you'll be in for just a few hours. I spend my days away from the motel or hotel, not in my room, even on rainy days.

Bert

One other thing to consider, if you're staying in (or near) Key West is the length of the drive from Key West to any of the inland airports (either Miami or Fort Lauderdale). On our trip, we spent 4 days down there and we spent the first night in Key Largo and the last 2 in Key West. We wanted to get home pretty early the day that we were leaving (it was the 4th of July and we wanted to catch the local fireworks at home) so we booked a 10:30 or 11:00am flight out of Fort Lauderdale and, when we did this, we COMPLETELY forgot how long of a drive it was from Key West back to the airport.

I remember it taking a good solid 3-4 hours (depending on traffic and your willingness to risk a speeding ticket) to make the drive, so we ended up having to get up at 3:30-4:00am and drive pretty aggressively in order to make sure that we made our flight home. Just something (else) to think about...

Michael and I are going down the week of January 17th. We stay at a guesthouse in the heart of town (The Oasis, recommended only if you happen to be blessed with the God-given gay gene) and settle into a routine that I have had difficulty topping anywhere else:

1) Lay out around pool, Part 1
2) Ride bikes to see a sight or two
2) Lunch/cocktails
3) Lay out around pool, Part 2
4) Cocktails with the other guests
5) To Mallory Square to watch the sunset with the appropriate daiquiri and hand-rolled cigar
6) Dinner
7) Begin the "Duval Crawl"
8) Greet the new dawn in the 24-person hot tub

We have spent our share of vacations on seemingly endless car trips to visit lighthouses, and have had a good time doing it. But Key West...mmm, mmm, mmm...has made us realize how sweet a vacation can be when you're doing a-b-s-o-l-u-t-e-l-y n-o-t-h-i-n-g.

Darlene, you say that you'll be visiting Key West for a day or so. I highly recommend you stay "or so." You won't regret it.

Thanks to all for your suggestions. We are for sure going to take the trolly tour around Key West; we have done that in San Diego and Boston and had a great time--especially since I did not have to drive and look for the sights at the same time. The Lighthouse is a must and we are considering Hemingway's House. Teresa wants to see the Mel Fisher Museum; she has enjoyed the National Geographic specials when they have been shown; oh yes and we must do the sunset thing at Mallory Square---Bill we will look for you there.