Help! 1st time to Floriday Keys
 

My husband and I will be visiting the Keys later this summer. I have not yet booked accommodations. Of course we want to do a bit of sightseeing but the primary purpose is diving for me and flyfishing for my husband. Any suggestions on what part of the Keys would be best for this? Also, any recommendations on where to stay? We're into small inns or resorts - no big hotels.
Thanks.
Angela

I think your best bet may be the Islamorada area, or between Marathon and Big Pine Key. There are many B&Bs in all those places but you also may want to consider Parmers Resort on Little Torch Key. (parmersresort.com)

Islamorada is the place. Great flyfishing in the back country-tarpon,bonefish. There are reefs off-shore around Alligator lighthouse. You can also drive to Key Largo and take a dive boat at John Pennecamp State Park or south of Islamorada, there is Looe Key. As for places to stay in Islamorada, Cheeca Lodge is a great resort-in my opinion the best in the keys. The Moorings, also located in Islamorada is beyond awesome however pricey. Oh and the restaurants great. I have spent alot of my childhood vacations in Islamorada and am fortunate to spend alot of time now there enjoying diving and fishing. If you need more info or a fishing guide recommendation, let me know. A word of advise start checking accomodations. The keys are busy in the summer.

Just returned from a wonderful Keys vacation. My vote for accomodations is the Island Bay Resort in Taverneir-just outside of Islamorada. It is a small resort- 10 units I think. Check out their website www.Islandbayresort.com
The best, most extensive website I saw doing my Keys research. Mike and Carol Shipley are your hosts and can answer any question. Both are divers and fishermen! The best diving in North America-48 states-is off of Taverneir-be sure to get a charter to Conch Reef!Be sure to investigate prices-we found the Parks service dive boats(Pennekamp and Bahia Honda) loaded with people and nearly as expensive as a 2-6 person charter. If you're into wreck diving be sure to go out to Molasses. A very, very good operator is Horizon Divers in Key Largo. Let me know if you have other questions-Have Fun!
R5

Angela...
I highly recommend Islamorada to stay. It is the place to be for fishing in the Keys..although some might debate you on that. Back in February my husband and I were looking for a place to get away. He was in Miami on a Consulting project and I was stuck at home in the Dallas/Fort Worth area looking to get away to somewhere warm...
Our criteria was
1) Wanting a place for R and R
2) If we got bored with R and R somewhere that could easily accomadate us for what we wanted to do.
3) All and out natural beauty....

Islamorada was the PERFECT choice. After careful research we stayed at Casamorada and I believe they have a website. It is a property that was purchased and totally rehabilitated. The staff could have not been more helpful either. This place was off the main highway..so it was not noisy at all. The pictures on their website do not do it justice. I love the bedding it was absolutely the most comfortable bed I had slept in since a Four Seasons Bed. This place was definitely a splurge but worth EVERY penny of it...
I had heard about Key West but decided not to stay there and I am so glad I did not. It is a tourist trap with a capital T. We went there on our last day after checking out. We stayed for about 2 hours. It is very overrated.
Email me if you want any other info I will be happy to elaborate about my trip. I am just afraid to be too honest because people on Fodors tend to flame...
My email is [email protected]
I will tell you more about what I liked and I also have some pictures of the property that we stayed on and our little boating excursion.

Excuse me I did not spell accomodate correctly......

There are tons of little "mom-and-pop" places to stay in the Keys, particularly in the Islamorada area (which does have the best fishing). The Cheeca is a nice place, but it's big. Heck, they have their own golf course. The Moorings is very, very nice and more intimate. Lodging will depend greatly on your budget, and what you want out of the place (e g, some people only want a basic place to sleep, while others want a very nice, resortish type place.) The Cheeca, speaking of resorts, has a smallish spa.

In Islamorada look into the Coral Bay Resort or Pine and Palms. Both small and friendly.