Help with info on the Keys
 

Hi - I'm planning a trip with my hubby (and no kids) and have narrowed our focus to the Keys (I think!). As I've never been there, I'm looking for info on where in the Keys might be the best for us.

I'm looking for pretty lowkey - able to walk along beach and into a small town, with cutsie shops and restaurants. Doesn't have to be big. Just enough to wander around in. We just want to relax and enjoy the sights - maybe a little snorkling.

Thanks for your help...
Julie

First, I'd suggest you do a search on this board. Key West, Islamorada, Marathon and Key West are the principal towns. Then, go to http://fla-keys.com/ . It's, perhaps, the best overall web site for Keys info.

First, it sounds like you envision the Keys to be something like, say, a mid-Atlantic beach resort. It's not. The only town really suited for walking is Key West itself. There's a big mixture of retail, some less-than-great beaches, and a wide range of eateries and bars.

After you start to get a sense of what the chain is about, come back with any specific questions. I hope I'm not sounding too abrupt, but the ground has been covered many, many times on this board....

bookhall is absolutely right- and it sounds like Key West would be the place for you. Keys "beaches" are really small- even the best ones are not big enough for long walks.

We're heading to Hawk's Cay Resort in 10 days. We've never been to the Keys. . I'll post a report when we return on the 28th. We're flying into Miami then renting a car so we can explore the entire length of the Keys. We chose Hawk's Cay based on the fact it is half-way to Key West. I'll let you know what we think of the place.

If you want to walk along a beach for more than five minutes, you may want to rethink the Keys.

Perhaps something on the beach in or near Miami - and a day trip to the Keys if you want to see them?

You'll have much better luck with a "walkable" beach and the image you have in mind.

The west coast of Fl beaches would also be a good choice.

As others have mentioned, the beaches in the Keys are really weak--if you are beach people, you will be disappointed. There is no beachfront snorkeling; you have to take a boat tour to the reefs which are 5-6 miles offshore. Check out Naples on the gulf coast. Old Naples is incredibly charming, with a shopping and restaurant area two blocks from the Gulf and where every street leads to the water, and you can walk for miles on the beach. Also on the Gulf coast is Sanibel Island near Fort Myers. Very laid back with a Caribbean island feel. On the southeast coast, Delray beach has a nice boutique/restaurant area, long stretches of beach, and is close to interesting spots in Palm Beach, Boca Raton, Ft. Lauderdale.

Check out this link to see if this is something along the lines of what you are imagining. I've enjoyed staying here, great beach, snorkeling nearby.

http://www.sonesta.com/keybiscayne/

There are a couple of more Sonestas in the Miami area you could check out to see what you think.

PS - Key Biscayne is not in the Keys.