adriana1

Hi all,

My husband, our 7 month old daughter and I am planning to spend a week in South Florida at the end of April. We are planning to fly into Fort Lauderdale to spend the first weekend with some friends and then we have a week to explore. We are considering the Keys/Key West. Are these good destinations with a baby and are they baby friendly? How about other destinations in South Florida - Naples, Sanibel, Captiva.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Adriana

bookhall

No, I wouldn't call Key West baby friendly. Not really sure what baby friendly is, though.... Key West is an island that's roughly 8 square miles, with a permanent population of about 25,000. It gets well over a million visitors every year, and probably 90% of them arrive between Jan. 1 and April 30. And we're two of them, every year....

Just for my own enlightenment, what destinations would you consider baby-friendly? And why?

buckeyemom

IMO, baby-friendly means restaurants that cater to kids (high chairs, kid menus, crayons) attractions for families, cribs in hotels etc. And traveling with kids, condos or suites are the best way to go.

I kind of agree with George in that Key West is not really baby-friendly, although you do see some around. The only attraction a baby might enjoy is the Key West Aqaurium and there are no beaches for the little tyke to play around in. I would opt for maybe Hawk's Cay or some other place in the Upper Keys that has a little bit of a stretch of sand.

I think Sanibel/Captiva would be a better choice for a baby. I would rent a condo. That way you have plenty of room for everything.

GoTravel

I don't think Key West is baby unfriendly but you could have some stroller space issues on Duval.

Since your infant will not know or care where you are, do what you and your husband would like.

Most B&Bs have minimum age requirements so I would go with a hotel.

salgal

I think Sanibel and Captiva are much more baby friendly. THere are definitely more families here with younger children. Plenty of beaches here and casual restaurants on Sanibel, etc. YOu are also close to Fort Meyers just across the bridge if you want to getr off the island. NOt as many beaches in the Keys as you would think,

SusanCS

I agree with GoTravel: your baby will not know or care where you are. The time will come when she will, but until then you and your husband should go places that interest you!

Somewhere hidden on this board is a wonderful post written several years ago by someone who'd gone to great lengths to plan a special trip for her young children. It turned out they were absolutely mesmerized by flushing the toilet in the airplane bathroom and nothing else in the trip ever measured up to that fun!

For now, take care of yourselves...
you'll have decades ahead of pleasing
your daughter

adriana1

Thanks for the insight. I know my daughter won't care where she is and will not remember this vacation. At this point, we don't need the child attractions and crayons. By baby friendly, I'm implying that hotel and restaurant staff won't turn their noses up at us when then see us walk in with a stroller.

Any suggestions for a good hotel in Key West? Would the Ocean Key resort be a good choice?

Thanks

jd

Adriana- The Ocean Key would be a great choice. We just stayed there in Dec. You can get a 1 br. suite so you can relax while baby is sleeping.Nice pool here too.Also, would be in a great location. We enjoyed the beach at Ft. Zachary Taylor-nice place to go with a baby-they have a nice snack bar, you can rent chairs,there are changing facilities. Another good place to stay with a baby would be Sheraton Suites if you have a car.

SusanCS

A suite at the Ocean Key would be a wonderful choice for you. When we stayed there we had a full kitchen, which would sure come in handy with an infant. Another good option - though very difficult to book - is the Galleon, just down the street from the Ocean Key Resort. It's a timeshare that rents to non-owners and has fully equipped kitchens and washing machines and dryers.

buttercup

I have one suggestion. If you have a baby carrier, bring it. The sidewalks can be narrow, and the shops small on Duval - it will be easier to have the baby in a carrier instead of a stroller if you plan on shopping. You'll probably want a stroller for longer walks, though. There are some outdoor restaurants where you might be able to park the stroller at your table, since the baby will be kind of small for a highchair at 7 months.

sandsea

Just thought I'd chime in....We took our two children to Key West, at the time the youngest was 3. We took a stroller with us everywhere we went. Never had a problem fitting on Duval Street or in any of the shops. We went in mid May, though. Don't know if the April crowds are worse. Key West is a wonderful spot and it is our kids favorite vacation spot to date - even beat out Disney! I also agree that you will have plenty of years to go to "Family Friendly" destinations! Go now and enjoy it.

Heartburn3

I took my Mom around Key West in a wheelchair, so a stroller should be a piece of cake. Most shops have a step up to get in, which was an obstacle for a wheelchair, but a stroller would be easy to lift.

Ocean Key is a fantastic place to stay, ask for a room overlooking Mallory Square around the 3rd floor or higher. We stayed there for Christmas a few years ago and absolutely loved it. The balconies are great and the kitchens are a plus! Very colorful and roomy if you get a suite.

Tandoori_Girl

I don't have any recs but you should try to find a place with a baby pool -- the bigger hotels would probably have one. My son at that age loved the pool. He also loved the Pier at sunset in Key West. What a great experience for a child -- and for you too.

Finlay

My wife, our 14 mth little boy & I were thinking along similar lines to yourself a couple of years ago & decided to go to Sanibel. Rather than book a hotel room we booked a 2 bed condo through www.vrbo.com & we all had a relaxing time. I highly recommend Sanibel/Captiva for its laid back feel & great beaches. Having said that we went in Sept rather than April, when I guess the keys & sanibel for that matter will probably be busier. The only draw back I suspect in booking Sanibel rather than the keys is the cost is going to be higher -

michaelcrane

Cheeca Lodge in Islamorada is a great environment for a family vacation with a baby. A beautiful property (albeit expensive) that's very welcoming of infants.