Hi,
My husband and I and another couple will be vacationing for 8 days in early October. We are planning to stay in Key West, perhaps taking a couple of day trips elsewhere in the keys. Any suggestions on where to stay - looking for $125 or less per couple - would be appreciated. We are looking at the Southernmost Hotel, Best Western Hibiscus, Blue Marlin Motel, Southernmost Point Guesthouse, Merlin Guesthouse and Douglas House.
Any input on these or others would be helpful. How about suggested day trips?
thanks!

This may not help you, but you can stay for under $200/nite/room at the Wyndham Reach Resort. I spent a week there and loved it - private beach, nice pool, staff delivered frozen berries and waters on the beach, arranged transport to Duvall Street, etc. I used an Entertainment Card to get 50% off rack rates, may want to call and look into this since its still a bit early, you may have luck.

General note - a lot of Key West does not have naturally sandy beaches, so if you want a hotel that has a beach nearby, you may need to look closely for that. (The Wyndham said they pump sand from underwater to create their beach - shared with the sister Wyndham next door, the Casa Marina. Also nice) Some of the most popular hotels are on the marina - which is lovely, but you will spend your day at a pool, not a beach.

One of the most popular day trips is to drive up to Bahia Honda state park and snorkel from the beach there.

Day trips out of Key West are, for example, the Danger Charters or Sebago Island T'Ing. Both offer breakfast then a snorkel trip, lunch and a kayak paddle around a mangrove island. Approx $100.oo pp for the former and $80.00 pp for the latter.

Pjk

Be sure to take a sunset cruise on the Western Union - a sailing ship. It was the high point of our Key West trip this past October.

Many recent Key West posts on here, if you have trouble finding them, click on Peters name, he is the resident expert (IMHO). The pricepoint may be difficult in Key West.

Definitely a visit to the Dry Tortugas. It is a boat trip and fabulous.

The Reach Resort (www.ReachResort.com) hasn't been a Wyndham in a couple of years however it is nice. It also went a rather spendy renovation and is now a Waldorf=Astoria. Not sure it is in the price range but I'd give it a try.

October is off season for the keys and you'll find businesses closed for the month.

Bahia Honda is a great place. Plack a picnic lunch, a cooler, and some beach chairs and go for the day. Fabulous place to veg out.

Have you thought of looking at www.VRBO.com for a two bedroom house with a pool? Off season she get you some pretty good digs for $250 per night. It is also nice to have a kitchen.

Forgot to add, even though it is October, beware of the sun. Even though I've been hanging out in the keys most of my life, I got the worst sunburn of my life in Islamorada one October.

>>October is off season for the keys and you'll find businesses closed for the month.

Throughout the keys, businesses close for September and October. Early October you will find some Key West places closed but by the end of the month they will all be reopened for Fantasy Fest.

Danger Charters full day snorkeling/kayaking trip is incredible and totally worth the price!And it includes a great lunch and cold drinks! Wait until you get down there to see the weather and then book!

Danger runs three boats, Danger, Danger's Prize, and the newest, Sarah. They do 1/2 day and full-day sails with the 1/2 day just doing a snorkel and kayak trip, and the full day does the snorkel and kayak with a light breakfast and a great lunch, then chips & disp on the way home.

IMO if you can afford the extra time and money, spring for the full day trip.

Pjk

Sorry. Hit reply too fast. If you are in Key West for a week, these boats are tied up at the Westin Marina, almost all the way to the west past where the cruise ships tie up. You can walk over there in the morning and take a look as people board and they sail out of the harbor. 9:30 - 10:00 a.m. Or in the afternoon, after 4:00.

Pjk

Ok, I have lived in Key West most of my life and while October is considered "slow season" it is not the month where a large amount of businesses close down. The month with the most closures would be a toss between August and September. October is by far my favorite month of the year. As Key West residents look forward to the largest festival of the year (up to 80,000 people come down for Fantasy Fest) and many (working) part time residents return from summer travels. The town begins to come alove again. Not to mention it is the best weather month out of the whole year. Rainy season is at its end (the humid heat subsides) and the winter winds have not begun, this is some of the best fishing and boating weather you will see on the southernmost island. Plus side is rates have not gone up.