Key West Here We Come
 

Two weeks and we will be heading south...if it rains, it rains, although I am hoping for sun. Hubby and I are much in need of some down time. Staying at The Gardens Hotel and Marriott Key Largo...can't wait! Any last minute tips...with luck, we are touring the Everglads and snorkeling at Pennecamp State Park (I think thats it!)
NannyJan

Great! if you dine at Café Solé say hi to John from mimi

What type of restaurant is cafe sole...

Thanks, nannyJan

Buy Kino Sandals in Key West. They are handmade leather sandals by fourth and fifth generation Cubans and very cheap. $9 a pair.

Eat at Blue Heaven. Very funky eating outside with chickens wondering around.

Have a drink at Green Parrot and you'll meet locals.

Do the Fast Cat or Seaplane to the Dry Tortugas. You must get out over the water at least once while in the keys.

Stop @ Bahai Honda State Park, have lunch @ Mangoes in Key West, visit the Hemingway House (even if you don't care for the guy).

Thanks for the advice...going in my folder...what is the FastCat???

NannyJan

The FastCat is a boat.

http://www.sunnydayskeywest.com/fastcat.htm

You will like Marriott Key Largo. If you can, get one of the rooms overlooking the pool and bay. We were there in June and it looked like most of the renovation work was finished. It is a nice place.

For a really good snorkle trip use a company called Keys Divers. They are top notch, and run the best snorkle operation I have been on. VERY professional, and you will get three different spots within the waters of Pennecamp. Marriott dive shop also offers snorkel trips but if you can get with Keys do them. They are located south of the Marriott. Here is the link to them:
http://www.keysdiver.com/
You can also snorkel in the little swimming area in the bay at the hotel. The water is shallow but I saw lots of fish, including barracuda right there.

In Key Largo, just south of Marriott, is a really good small family owned Cuban cafe that is great for breakfast. I do not recall the name, but it is in a blue and white building on west side of highway. Does not look like much but oh so good. The hotel staff will know it I am sure. The Marriott has good food service as well and not too expensive. The open air bar (Breezers I think it is called) is fun and has good happy hour specials.

We really liked Key Largo and the Marriott. It actually is more laid back and more relaxing (we thought)than Key West. I think it is because everyone is out scuba diving and/or snorkeling all day and by night it is time for dinner, a few drinks, and off to bed.

Enjoy.

Eat at the Islamorada Fish Co - great fresh fish and a wonderful store filled with fishing gear, etc. right there. I say skip paying to go to the State Park - there was a nice (free) beach in Marathon but I can't remember the name. When we were at the State Park, the beach was filled with dried up seaweed, lots of flies, and you had to wade through seaweed before getting out to the clear water. That was in May; hopefully by now they cleaned up the beach.

BIG STRONG second for Blue Heaven in Key West....dine with the chickens under your feet. Great place.

If you are into Jimmy Buffett you have to visit the original Margaritaville just to say you have been there.

Actually, we are staying the first night at the Hampton Inn in Islamorado, so that may be the perfect time to go to the Islamorada Fish Co. Quite a few of you have recommended that place!

I read on Tripadvisor that Blue Heaven was closed last week...hope it is opening again within the next couple of weeks. If not, we will find something just as wonderful, I am sure.

We do have a Bay View Room at the Marriott, so I am looking forward to that. As I said, we are so "worked and burnt out" that just hanging out looking at water will be a treat! We too think this will be the more relaxing end of the trip and that is why we booked it at the end...

Mimi...is Cafe Sole in Key West? How about Key Largo restaurants...any other ideas there? I will ask about the Cuban breakfast place...

Boy it is so humid in Boston today it feels like Florida...can't believe this in October...but no complaints here!

The Fast Cat looks good...we just may do that one day.

Bahia Honda State Park is on our list. Thanks!

We actually did visit Margeuritaville on a cruise stop years ago for about two hours...that was our only time spent in the Keys, so we are looking forward to seeing lots more this time!

Thanks everybody...NannyJan

Anyone know for sure if Blue Heaven is closed in Key West?

Thanks, NannyJan

I believe the Cuban restaurant that Curt is refering to (south of the Marriott in KL is called the Marlin.....good authentic Cuban food.
As for the comment to skip the State Park, I guess if the only reason you went into Pennecamp was for the beach you would sure be disapointed. But Pennecamp is also a jumping off point for snorkeling, glass bottom boats, etc, and has a nice walkway through the mangroves. Yes if you want to set up the old beach chair for a day you will find the beach at the park small, rocky, and seaweedy. But if that's not why you are going, the park has other things to offer.

Blue Heaven was closed when I was in Key West back in September.

Be sure to visit Fast Buck Freddies on Duval..you'll know why once you get there.

Fast Buck Freddies - sounds interesting!

So far I made notes on the Fish House,Cafe Sole, Hot Tin Roof, La Te Da, Bahia Honda, Island Grill, Islamorado Fish House, Mangoes, Everglades, John Pennecamp, Hemmingways House, the Lighthouse, Seven , Blue Heaven, Green Parrot, Kino Sandals, Keys Divers, and the Conch Train tour....

WOW! I'm exhausted and we haven't even left yet! DH will kill me if I don't give him some down time...Thanks everybody! NannyJan

Lorelei or Lazy Days in Islamorada for lunch for fantastic fish sandwiches. Also love Morada Bay for dinner on the beach in Islamorada and then wander next door to Green Flash for dessert and drinks.

Heres hoping Hurricane Wilma just jumps on Dino's back, grabs Fred and Bam-Bam and heads on out to sea!

NannyJan

NannyJan- this just in- non-residents/tourists will be under a mandatory evacuation order in the Keys starting Wed. I'd check with your hotel and airlines ASAP......

I just heard....oh well, someday we will get there...I hope all fare well with this storm!

After months of planning, we just cancelled everything -hotel, car, flight, etc...and will be heading to Vermont and Montreal on Friday instead of boarding a plane for Ft. Lauderdale. My disappointment is huge, but insignificant compared to the sadness I feel for all who are in this storm's path, for all of the lost business and damaged homes and property these storms have caused. I wish all of you in the area well and hope all of Florida is spared. As for us, we have until April to use our airline tickets - so who knows...maybe we will get there yet! Take care...NannyJan

We are heading to Key West next weekend and talked with friends down there that said basically Key West itself is up and running. There was alot of residential flooding but Duvall Street was the first area cleaned up and flights are running in and out during daylight hours. The airport did lose it's ground lights. We talked about cancelling and after talking with them, have decided to go. I can't wait to hit the sun and 80 degree weather. I'm from ND and it is already in the 40's for the highs here.

My parents are on their way back down now. Didn't lose a thing on the house, full power and water (Cudjoe Key), yadda, yadda.

Talked to the neighbors.

Heard they resceduled Fantasy Fest and couldn't get out of town and back down to Key West fast enough.

Oy vey.

I talked to our daughter in Key West last night...her house (she rents) had 4 feet of water in it and she is hoping to salvage some of the furniture. She had stayed with friends on Big Pine and they came through fairly well, but still needed the generator. She lives in the New Town area, which was flooded badly. So not all is bright and cheerful in Key West, but the locals are managing and trying to get things running so they can get back to work and earn their paychecks to pay for replacing their *stuff*. Everyone is helping everyone else out and they are all real survivors there.