My family is planning our first trip to Key West and we need help! We will fly into Miami, where we will spend a full day and night, then drive to Key West for an additional 7 nights. My husband and daughter love to dive, my son wants to do some type of dolphin adventure, and I just want to check out the history/culture of KW. Any and all suggestions will be welcomed!

My husband and I spent a long weekend in Key West and stayed at The Marquesa. It's a really pretty boutique hotel with a nice small pool. Not sure of your budget - it's a little pricey, but we thought it was worth the cost. For fun stuff, we rode the Conch Train, took a snorkeling tour, went to the Hemingway House, watched the sunset from Mallory Square, went to Duval Street (might be too wild for kids in the evening?), and went to a neat museum that showcases sunken treasure - I think it's called Mel Fisher or something similar. The only thing we didn't enjoy was the aquarium - very small and dark compared to some of the others we've been to. We saw children sticking their hands into a tank full of nurse sharks. Nothing happened but seemed a little risky. We ate outdoors at a cute restaurant called Mangoes and really enjoyed that. We don't dive, but the snorkeling was good, so hopefully someone else can help you out in that area. Have fun!

Take a look at the B&Bs, you can get something special, for less than the cost of an average hotel room.

Location is everything. Stay near Duval street (but not on it - it will be noisy) so you can park your car once and forget about it.

Keith

HI
Boat trips out of KW are easy. For snorkeling, check out the Dry Tortuga trip. There is some pretty good snorkeling but you have to swim out a little way to reach it. This is also a nice ride for the those who don't snorkel and its interesting to explore the ruins of the fort. There is also a beach there.

For history, be sure to include the Truman Annex (the summer White House), the tour is excellent. Of course, Hemmingways home - often best done late in the afternoon to avoid the bus groups.

The Dolphin Research Center is around mile marker # 58, just north of Marathon. Personally, I'm not a fan of the place but it draws a lot of traffic and people seem happy with the experience. You see the dolphin show and (for a large fee and reservation) you can swim ?? with the dolphins.

If you are into slow paced lunches in a lovely location, consider Louie's Backyard. Good food, drinks, great setting. Reservations helpful.

There is a nice beach at Key West. It is located in the park there. Beaches are few and far between in the Keys. Another nice one is at Marathon (approx MM 50). It is called Sombrero Beach.

Finally, for a locally produced item to use in the Keys and to use back home, search out Keno Sandals. They are made in Key West. They are a great value and popular with the locals. Their store/shop is hard to find even though it right in the center of town. Ask at Chico's - they'll know.

There are a ton of posts on here. Couple of questions - How old are the kids ? Have you researched the whole swimming w/the dolphins thing ? If not, you can check out opinions about that on here as well.

Thanks so much for all the suggestions! I'm really excited and will try to fit as many things in as possible (yet still try to have a relaxing vacation!) My daughter is 18 and son is 9 - always tricky to find activities that suit both of them. The dolphin show sounds perfect for my son - he's a huge Animal Planet fan. We've actually made reservations for a condo at the Galleon. Received good reviews on Tripadvisor, and we love having an extra bedroom and bathroom! Anyone ever stayed there? Thanks again for all the help!

Oh, forgot to ask . . . what about the cruise ships? Are there particular days/times that they come in? In other words, should we try to plan around great swarms of people on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday afternoons (or whatever), or is that predictable, or even that big of a problem? Thanks!

Hi
Regarding the cruise ships. Tough question. There must be a schedule but I don't know where you would find it. An email to the Chamber of Commerce might provide the answer. They do come in. Also, some cruises start or end at Key West and many at Fort Lauderdale. We have met a number of cruise travelers who are out 'doing' KW but it has never appeared to be a problem. I imagine that they take their meals onboard even when in port. KW seems to accomodate everyone. Basically, it exists for the tourists and the military.

I'm sure that Google will locate the 'Dolphin Research Center' for you. If the 'swim' with the dolphins is of interest you will want to investigate reservations. If your son is the one who is interested, I think he can do it on his own. It is getting INTO the water while everyone else watches from the bank.

If you do visit the Marathon area, check out Sombrero Beach and consider a sunset walk on Seven Mile Bridge. As you travel north check the bridge access at the Marathon end. They were planning construction but if it is open, it can make a fun walk. Sometimes you can spot sea turtles and manta rays are often seen.

You'll want lots of sunblock. Have a great trip.

We've been spending a minimum of 4 weeks a year at the Galleon for nearly 15 years. It's nothing fancy, but it's in a perfect location on the water and the units have everything you could possibly want, including a fully-equipped kitchen and washing machine/dryer.

The only drawback for you might be that the second bedroom is quite small - tiny, actually. There are two twin beds and a little chest of drawers between them.

As for the cruise ship traffic, it's normally only on Duval, so if you spend time in the other areas of Key West (which are every bit as interesting), you'll be fine. Just steps from the Galleon is Key West Bight - lots of funky restaurants and the area from which you can charter fishing trips, glass-bottom boat trips, sunset cruises, etc.

Look into Danger Charters for your family (dangercharters.com). The information I've read about their ecotours has been enormously positive. I've also seen videos taken by people on their snorkel tours...amazing. Don't be put off by the "danger" part - this is anything but dangerous and is incredibly informative.

I'll suggest this even though your children might find it hokey: the Butterfly Conservatory. I've been 3 times, first with my husband and then with my 2 adult children and we've all been charmed by it!

Key West is recognized as one of the world's top gay and lesbian vacation destinations. If you'd rather not be there during a special gay festival (with your family), research the gay events before you commit to a date.

Our favorite time of year to visit the Keys is lobster season. When you settle on the year you will get out there, find out when the season starts. If you are interested, try to get there early in the season before they are picked over. The Sports-Dive is only a few days long sometime before the regular lobster season. That is the very best time to dive for lobsters. All of the family can join in the fun. You can snorkel and find lobsters. It is more shallow and calm on the Gulf side for snorkeling. Tanks help when you venture out deep.

As far as lodging, do a google search for "vacation rentals". You will find so many choices for homes, timeshares, apartments, home-swaps, etc. Also, Craigslist is an incredible vacation rental source. I think the listing would be Craigslist/ Miami. If you choose a property because it has a boat and ocean access, try to find one that is not too far of a boat ride to the ocean. Just a note- sandy beaches are almost unheard of in the Keys. There are a number of them, just man made ones, I think. Though I could be wrong.

Have a great time Kellybelly!!

Kelly, I forgot to mention that Key West always seems to have festivals going on. We stumbled into one called Lobster Fest, and the streets were completely taken over with booths and people offering wonderful lobster dinners for 5 bucks. It was a real treat for us. Hope you have the same luck.

Thanks to all for the suggestions! We head out tomorrow, and I'm printing all this out for reference! Should be a great adventure - thanks for all the help!
Kelly