I am looking for some fun nightlife while in the Keys. We are staying in Key Largo at the Howard Johnson and would like to know where a good place to get a drink would be. We were originally going to stay at the Holiday Isle for their nightlife, but our budget wouldn't allow it.

Can anyone help with this? it would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you

Forget the names of these 2 places , but they are easy to find -

1. A restarant/bar at the end of Ocean Dr ,( a couple of hundred yards past the Best Western ) - lot of locals .

2. A bar right across the canal from the Best Western - a younger local crowd with the best happy hour prices in Largo .

The bars in the hotels were pretty generic and pricey.

Snapper's has a decent tiki/marina side bar out back (ocean side).......it's also a resturant......feed the giant tarpon while you're there. this place is (i think)located in Tavernier a little south of Largo.

Try Mandalay Bay (off A1A), Coconuts (beside the Marina Del Mar Hotel across the canal from your hotel) and Alabama Jacks (on Card Sound Road). We weren't impressed with the food at the place at the end of Ocean Rd., but really liked Mandalay Bay and Alabama Jacks. Coconuts was ok on the food (except they do have excellent conch chowder), but more fun for nightlife.

Alabama Jack's is truly a great bar. However, it's not open past about 7PM. You must get there in the daytime. I've heard they don't keep it open because it gets too buggy in the evenings.

I have found that the only real nightlife in the Keys is in Key West. I imagine the rest of the Keys close up early for the simple reason George mentions.

You will find more nightlife in Islamorada than in Key Largo. My opinion is that people start partying earlier in the upper keys so things close earlier. Zane Greys, Holiday Isle, and the Lorelei are all fun. The Lorelei usually has great bands.