karenjean70

My husband and I are looking to go on a short "babymoon" before our second child is born. We live in NJ and we thought a trip to the Keys might be nice. We plan to leave on a Wed. morning, flying back on Saturday, late afternoon. We'd like to fly into Miami and drive down to the Keys. We have never been there and need to know the "must sees and dos". What islands should we stop at? Hotel recommendations? Must see sights? We do not fish and I will be 6 months pregnant at the time we plan to go. My parents have offered to watch our two year old while we go, however we may take her with us. Any suggestions, timelines would be greatly appreciated! Thanks so much.

Gekko

For such as short visit (and given your condition), I'd skip the drive and fly into Key West and just relax.

You can search for Florida or Key West on this forum and find tons of helpful info, but I'll include my favorite spot to stay in the Key West:

www.pierhouse.com

Enjoy & Congratulations!

GoTravel

Ditto on that. The flight from Miami to Key West is amazing because the planes don't fly very high. You can see schools of fish, coral reefs, wrecks, etc from the air.

RedRock

Driving down thru the Keys can also be half the fun. There are many things to see and do on the way down to KW. The Seven Mile bridge for example. Take the Card Sound Road that pulls off to the left just south of Florida City and stop at Alabama Jacks just before the toll bridge. On Key Largo the John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park. There is much more to the Keys than just Key West. Fly or drive the you will have an enjoyable trip.

http://www.pennekamppark.com/

droolpatrol

I respectfully disagree with the first two people who answered. Rent a convertible in Miami and drive. Listen to music and talk to your husband about non-parenting matters along the way. I think the drive across all the islands on that cool highway is a big part of the fun. I've never stayed at any of the hotels on the middle keys, but a quiet place with hammocks and kayaks would be ideal. Someone else should be able to advise you on that. At six months of pregnancy, just floating on your back in salt water is going to feel great. Key West is neat, but is a really different feel from the other keys that you would pass on the way down.

Curt

I agree - drive. If time is a real issue and money is available, you could do a one way rental (if you get lucky you might find a company that does not gouge you for the drop fees, etc) and then fly home from Key West. That might be a good approach since you do not have lots of time.

Gekko

It's a 3 day trip. Why spend 2 of the days in a car??

Of course it can be a great drive ... but 2 out of 3 days?

Fly into Key West and enjoy a few days of peace.

suze

They are flying into Miami and only driving down to the Keys (not all the way from New Jersey)!!

suze

I enjoyed the various keys, like Marathon, along the way.

GoTravel

I agree the drive can be amazing but it can also be a giant PIA if it rains, there is a wreck, etc.

With your time contraints, I'd fly into Key West unless you really do want to kill a lot of time.

It is four hours each way under the very best circumstances.

Good luck whatever you decide!

Hotels:
Heron House
Marquesa
Hyatt at The Galleon
Banyan Tree

SusanCS

If you were going to be in Key West at least a week, driving down from Miami might be a good idea. But for 3 nights? No!!! We've driven between Key West and Miami any number of times and it's always taken at least 4 hours. I might add that we've been VERY lucky not to have gotten stuck behind a wreck on that 2 lane highway. In addition, you sure don't want to be trying to drive back to Miami to catch a plane.

Other than water sports, there's really not much to entertain you on the way down to Key West from Miami.

Once in Key West, where you stay will be determined by whether you decide to take your daughter. The most popular family-friendly accommodations are the Island City House and Ambrosia and Ambrosia, Too. If you'd prefer a hotel on the water, the Hyatt Resort and Marina on Front Street and the Ocean Key Resort are both wonderful. The Ocean Resort has junior suites that include full kitchens, so that'd be great for a family with a child. If you'd like a timeshare - fully furnished in every way - the Galleon is great. All these are basically steps away from each other.

You didn't mention how much you're willing to pay, but the hotels and timeshares on the Gulf are usually the most expensive places to stay in Key West.

If you'd prefer a hotel in a less-expensive category, the Best Western Hibiscus gets great reviews, but it's on the Atlantic side of the island, which is a little less popular and a bit of a hike for someone 6 months pregnant!

Good luck and let us know if you have any more questions.

Keith

Enjoy the drive. It is only about 4 hours and more pleasant than another flight. Yes it may be delayed by traffic, but flights are more often delayed and the delays are usually more stressful.

Some of the stops that you decide to make along the drive may be your favorite parts of the trip.

As far as hotels - stay in the old town, close to Duval Street. The hotel prices can be outrageous for even a standard room. Take a look at the B&Bs where you can find something special for 1/4 - 1/2 the price of the hotels.

Keith

Winkz40

One of our favorite weekend getaways is to rent a convertible and drive through the Keys.

That said, why not do both? Drive down and fly back. Yes, the one-way car rental will be more expensive, but it may be worth it in the end.

The trip from Miami International Airport to Key West will take you approximately 4 hours (via Florida's Turnpike South to US1).

Before booking your room check it out at www.tripadvisor.com.

jubileefd

we're going this wkend and renting a convertible and driving down (from FLL), and then flying out of Key West (to NY). We're there 4 days. I think this is the best of all worlds..
I actually consider the 3-4 hr drive down part of the vacation! But yea, the way back, I'd imagine it'd be a pain plus worrying about getting to the airport on time.

bookhall

A great choice! You'll love the drive, especially in the ragtop. Bahia Honda State Park, at about MM37, is the one must-stop....

RedRock

Don't forget Card Sound Road and Alabama Jacks. That is a good way to kick off a drive down to Key West!

SAnParis

For that amount of time, I would also just fly into Key West. If you had more time the drive is certainly worthwhile, but for 4 days - you're looking at flights + 4-5 hours each way in the car.

bookhall

For what it's worth, I've got a few past Keys' albums up at photos.yahoo.com/scullyyank . You might want to take a look to get the flavor--everything from Alabama Jacks to Art in the Park at Fort Zach in Key West....