We are going to be in Ft. Lauderdale in the very beginning of April for a wedding, and just decided to drive to Key West for a couple of nights afterwards. We will have our daughter with us who will be a year old at the time. Can you recommend a place to stay that will allow children? We prefer to stay in a guesthouse/B&B, if possible, and hope to avoid chain hotels if we can. Also, what activities, dining, etc. can you recommend? Thanks so much. Ilisa

Try the Curry Mansion on Carroline Street. It is a great B&B with private baths, a small private pool and the only access to other private beaches. We've stayed there the last 2 times. If you are looking for kid friendly dining, try Blue Heaven. It is the best in Key West and it will hold the little one's attention. It is off the beaten path, but the locals won't bother you. If you are looking for an over looked beach to spread out with a pinic and sun set, try Ft. Zackary Taylor. And be sure not to miss the sun sets -- it's what Key West is all about!

A great place for food is Crabby Dicks. They have seating on their second floor porch, which allows you to see the activity on Duval street. We've been to Key West several times and have never had a bad meal there. Another good place we found on our last visit is the Mobster Lobster. Hope this helps, Have a great time!

Ilisa: I recommend the Southernmost Point Guest House. They have a website: http://www.southernmostpoint.com/
It is a B&B with a great location, at the quiet end of the main drag (Duval Street). I stayed there exactly 2 years go (Nov. 97) based on a recommendation I read in Frommers Florida guidebook. The rates are very reasonable for Key West and include an excellent breakfast of fresh fruit, freshly-baked breads and pastries, cereals, bagels, juice and coffee. All the rooms have refrigerators and coffeemakers, and I think some have kitchenettes which I know really helps when you're travelling with a child. The woman who runs it, Mona Santiago, is very nice and helpful with recommending restaurants, tours, etc. It is across the street from a small beach (Southernmost Beach) and a nice restaurant on the water. She provides beach chairs and towels that you can use at the beach (or you can pay $5 to rent a nicer chair at the beach itself; you can also order food and drinks from the restaurant on the beach). There is a jacuzzi on the property and free parking. It is also very close to one of the trolley stops for the trolley tours of the island, which let you pay one price to ride all day and get on and off at various attractions. I highly recommend touring the Hemingway House if you can. Even if you're not that into Hemingway, it's still fascinating, and there are dozens of six-toed cats that roam the house. For restaurants, I liked Mango's (good brick-oven pizzas topped with seafood) and Kelly's (owned by the actress Kelly McGillis -- the coconut shrimp there are fabulous). The drive down to Key West from Ft. Lauderdale took me just under 4 hours but was worth it -- I love Key West!

Forgot to mention 2 other things that are fun to do while you're there. Make sure you go to Mallory Square one night to watch the sunset. The people-watching is the real show! And another fun thing to do is go for a boat trip to the coral reefs. They have all kinds of them available -- glass-bottomed boats, snorkeling, sailboats, catamarans, etc. With a baby you might want to do the glass-bottomed one. You can see a lot that way, without even getting in the water.

Thanks everyone for the great info!