Cancun vs Key West
 

Hi,

I'm sure this topic has been discussed but I'm trying to make it more relevant to my situation:

We are a couple flying to NYC for 2 weeks in mid-April and thought about taking a 3-4 days trip to a sunny place, either Key West or Cancun (or Playa del Carmen/Tulum). Both would take about 4-5 hours to fly to I guess.

- No kids
- Love quiet instead of crowded places
- Not intended for sightseeing but rather just relaxing and having great food and drinks
- Prefer more gay-friendly locations

I think the main limitation is the duration of 3-4 days only (otherwise no time for NY).

Thank you all,
Daniel

IF by "gay-friendly" you mean gay venues such as bars and places to stay, I suspect you'd find Key West more to your liking than the other destinations.

Here's one of many available links:

https://www.purpleroofs.com/usa/flor...mrkeywest.html

Be aware that the Old Town section can get very crowded, or at least very busy, when any cruise ship is in port and there can be as many as two (if not more) docked simultaneously.

Here's a link for that info:

http://www.cityofkeywest-fl.gov/department/calendar.php

Key West is NOT a place where people go to hang out at the beach since there are few of those; it is more a "hang around the pool" kind of town.

Fort Lauderdale (where I live) or even Miami might be a possibility although you'd probably be guaranteed better weather in Mexico.

Gay venues are not mandatory, but would 3 days be enough or just too much hassle?

Sometimes 'gay-friendly' just means not gay-unfriendly, no?

No problem in Key West.

I think three days would be enough for a first visit. If you are thinking about Key West that would be, IMO, plenty of time. You might even want to spend one of those days on the trip over to the Dry Tortugas, too.

You can really "do" the whole Old Town and Duval Street in less than three days. And there are other quieter areas besides the Duval Street area, too.

Some people find the whole scene, or at least parts of it, a sort of throw-back to what many might consider the so-called "old Florida" times. That is in direct contrast to places like South Beach (Miami) which has the art deco restored hotels as well as the bigger beach hotels and as you go slightly north of that you get into that "condo canyon" otherwise known as Sunny Isles.

Want to get away from Manhattan for a couple of days? Fly down and experience the "end of the line" in KW. It can be fun and laid back.

OTOH, and having no idea as to your budget or willingness to rent a car but if you REALLY want to get away to "the beach" then take a look at Sanibel-Captiva which is easily reached from Fort Myers and the RSW airport.

Many of the best small inns and hotels in Key West are gay owned or managed... To me this often adds a higher level of service and style... They also have rules that don't allow under 18 children at many of the properties, keeping it an adult vacation.

Key West is clearly the better choice... Especially if you add a night or two in South Beach...

Key West wins this one for sure. No contest!

Cancun and PdC are anything but a "quiet" destination. And the gay thing can go either way in Mexico (if you want true gay friendly try Puerto Vallarta's Old Town sometime, but it's not quiet there either -lol!)

Yeah, Cancun and PDC aren't quiet, but Tulum is - long, white sand beaches lined with small hotels.

Key West, definitely more gay friendly. But you won't really find great beaches there.

Cancun is too rowdy got what you might be looking for.

I love Sanibel but it's filled with lots of families, so you may not always have the adult quiet time you're looking for.

Tulum is quiet and beautiful. There are 3 great hotels in the Mayakoba preserve not too far from Tulum. A Fairmont Mayakoba, a Rosewood Mayakoba, and a third hotel whose name I can't remember. They are all in a secluded and gated compound that is on acres and acres of jungle and Eco-preserve. I loved it. Quiet. Great food and beach. Might be just what you're looking for.

If you want quiet and beach, I'd vote for Tulum too.

You also need to figure in the drive time once you reach either destination airport, and that is going to cut into your relaxation time.

Have you thought about either Charleston or Savannah and their adjacent islands? They should be lovely at that time of year and a relatively quick flight and drive.

I bet Tulum would be great for you, especially if you want a lot of beach. If that is not essential, Key West is really nice and seems like less hassle, assuming you will fly into Key West, not drive from Miami.

We were just in Key West, but have never been to Cancun. Key West was anything but quiet - there were two cruise ships in town, one of which was a Disney cruise. That said, we had a great time - biked, beached, hung out downtown, listened to live music (which you can't miss - it's like New Orleans, live music in every bar, and lots of public spaces too), ate in some decent restaurants. If you want quiet AND Key West, stay at the Westin cottages on Sunset Key (a private island off Key West that is accessed only by private ferry).

(I also recommend that you fly into Key West, but I'd highly recommend you not take Silver Airways - we had a huge hassle, and I hear they are anything but reliable).