I should mention this will be late May, and we will want to do some hiking (don't mind hot weather). I know there are many many places to choose from along this stretch, so I am doing my homework, I am just asking for general recommendations about the ease of travel and how we should base ourselves. thanks!

Now I am thinking 2 nights Antalya, 4-5 somewhere central, and 2-3 Fethiye (or environs). Considering we want to stay in a real town--with a view but able to walk to restaurants--where do you suggest for the middle (thinking Kas) and Fethiye portions? We would prefer to rent a car for the central portion only, to avoid driving around cities.
Please forgive my ramblings, I am sorting all of this out.

Yorkshire, welcome back.

Since you will not be driving, you will have some limitations and hence :

- You will need locations with frequent bus and dolmus available. Even then, you will be losing at least two hours a day extra for transportation, waiting for the bus and dolmus and their low speeds because of taking and dropping passengers frequently.

In any case, I strongly recommend that you do get a car at least from Kas, if not from Antalya and drop it at Dalaman airport which may not require an extra drop fee.

- As you surmised correctly, Kas is one of these locations. It is a hub for day cruise boats, dolmus to places like Ucagiz, Demre, Patara, Kalkan. Rather hilly but good hiking available at Ucagiz, Symena and Demre. Kas also has terrific views and a good local/cosmopolitan feel with some decent cafes and restaurants.

- If you have a car at Fethiye, you can stay at Kaya Koy, (possibly at Villa Rhapsody) which is about equidistant to Butterfly Valley and Oludeniz to the West and Fethiye to the East.

If you are not too much into history but more into nature, you may consider the Datca peninsula as well. Check on the web and also look at some of my trip reports for our visits to Datca.

Thanks OC, as you can see my head is swimming, and we have not secured the flights yet, but I like to do research just in case. Antalya is a certainty because of the flight arrival time, and Kas seems perfect, but I am confused as to where to wrap up the last 1-3 nights before a 9am Dalaman departure. Fethiye seems logical, but not sure if we want to shock ourselves our of paradise ... or ease out slowly.

I enjoyed both Antalya and Kas very much and think they sound like they might work for you - at least worth exploring. I also enjoyed Cirali and Ocagiz, but I had a car while I was there, and don't think I would have enjoyed them as much without one.

You might find some useful information in my trip report.

kja, did you find one night in Cirali and Ucagiz enough or given a chance would you have spent 2 in one of them. We are spending 3 nights at a guesthouse in Islamlar which is overlooking Kalkan. This place is run by a friend of a friend of ours. If we were not staying here Kas looks like a good place. He suggested one night at Kale at a pansyion and one night at Cirali or Andrasan after leaving his home. I know you moved alot but did one appeal more than another. We finish with 2 nights in Antalya before flying back to Istanbul. Still deciding between Faralya and Kaya Koyu for 2 nights at other end. We have a car.

In the hope that my comments my help others, I added them to my trip report, see:

http://www.fodors.com/community/europe/some-observations-on-a-fantastic-journey-through-western-turkey.cfm

Thanks kja, I wish I had as much time as you did to make these decisions easier, but the breakdown you provided in your trip report for WN is very helpful.