Posted questions in Hawaii thread looking for a very relaxed beach vacation after a tough yr and a friend just mentioned Key West Florida as the flight is a lot easier......could she be on to something?
been to Maui once and never to the Keys...usually go to Europe for a museum vacation. Now we want trash novels, surf sun/shade and true quiet....northeast residents looking for an early October getaway. Is it still Hurricane season in Florida then?
now I am REALLY confused!
thanks

Key West only has a man made beach and we found it to be a party place, but then we are older than dirt. We did like touring the Hemingway house, and the key lime pie is great.

Hawaii, on the other hand, is paradise.

If you just want to veg on a beach with a good book, Kauai Hawaii might be what you are looking for. Hanalei Bay looked perfect for just that sort of thing!

Hurricane season is June-November and peak is early September with few storms in June and November.
Keys are not beach destinations.
You could try further north up toward Sanibel, Captiva, Marco Island etc.
Or if you're close to NYC or DC you can take direct flights to real beach destinations in the Caribbean.

Naples is a good place to kick back. It is hurricane season but odds are the weather will be very nice. We have been there a number of times in October and it was great. Key West is more of a party town than a beach resort.

How much time do you have? Crossing time zones and spending a day in transit each way makes Hawaii less than ideal for a brief trip from the northeast. The Tampa region (incl. St Pete, Marco, Naples, etc) is pretty safe from hurricanes -- the ones that don't pound the east coast usually sweep across the Caribbean, around southern Fla. and aim for the Gulf coast between the Fla. panhandle and Texas.

If you are just looking to relax, I agree that Naples/Sanibel/Marco would be great. I have been to Naples several times in October and the weather has always been great.

If you got the dough, Hawaii is the place to go. In my opinion Kauai offers best what you are looking for and in particular we found it a great place to experience the laid backspirit of aloha.

We have been to Key West in November and could sense it was the low season. Not much in the way of beaches or snorkeling though plenty of pelicans. There are some decent restaurants and great key lime pie and Hemingway House with all the cats (some with extra toes)and sunsets are not to be missed. Having done Key West, would not repeat it, Hawaii on the other hand is paradise, but be forewarned once you go, there is no need to "toss any coins in the fountain" and you may start counting the days until you can return!

Realtor, have you thought about going to Puerto Rico?

I agree with carolyn that Hawaii is paradise, but Puerto Rico is closer and is lovely also. I would suggest staying somewhere other than San Juan. We have enjoyed the Ponce area. We haven't been there, but we were told that the west coast near Rincon is beautiful. Just another idea for you to think about.

Enjoy your trip wherever you decide to go.