Six friends will be spending a long weekend in Key West in early May. We are arriving by plane. Is a car rental essential, or can we do without?

Any recommendations about restaurants for nice dinners?

I understand beaches are limited, anything worth going to?

Any must see/do activities? Recommendations for watersports--boat for snorkeling?

Anything to avoid at all costs?

Thank you!

Liz do a search and you will find a wealth of information

A car is not needed as long as you are staying within Old Town. Try to stay somewher in the center. Restaurants: Alice's at La-Te-Da for dinner(great seafood) and Mangoes for lunch (i have never eaten dinner there but have lunch there everytime I bo to Key Wesr). Beaches: some hotels might have there own small beach. There is a public beach on the oceanside, if you just want a beach and a much nicer area along the ocean in Fort Zachery Taylor State Park. Attractions: above mentioned park, Hemmingway house, the Harry Truman house and a sunset cruise. One tip: don't underestimate the sun, you can get burned pretty quick in the May sun.

There is no reason to rent a car. You can walk to most places, depending on where you are staying. You didn't specify if you were staying in the area of Old Town. Regardless, you can bike or rent mopeds or scooters to get to see the real Key West. As far as beaches go there is Fort Zachary Taylor State Park or Smathers beach for your activities. Fort Zach has a concession stand, bathrooms & picnic tables & will cost you to get in, about $2 or $3. Smathers beach looks like a beach & has all kinds of water equipment for rent along side the street. Got to remember there is no real beaches in the keys they are all of coral rock reefs which protects the island from the large incoming waves. The beaches in Key West are man made with sand hauled in from different areas of the country. As the previous poster said to a search & you will find a lot of information on Key West.

We live in Florida and get to Key West as often as possible. You do not need a car. As a matter of fact, I would recommend against one. You can get everywhere by bike or on foot. Your hotel can also call a taxi to go to dinner, etc. Our favorite restaurants are the restaurant on Sunset Key (the Hilton Resort) whose name escapes me, Louie's Backyard, and Cafe Marquesa for more formal dining. For great informal meals, try Pepe's, Turtle Kraals, Kelly's, and the Banana Cafe. For a truly Conch republic breakfast, you must go to Blue Heaven. And it wouldn't be a trip tp Key West without a sloppy joe at Sloppy Joe's. For shopping, we love Fast Buck Freddy's, Last Flight Out and Key West Aloe. Have fun.

This is to Search: Telling Liz to do a search and she will find a wealth of information is not the same as hearing first hand from people that have been there, done that.

IMHO a search is EXACTLY what she is doing.

To Anon- there is a good deal of info from people who live there and visit very often if she does a search. Search is right on the money

The restaurant at Sunset Key is call Lattitudes.

I visited Key West last summer highly recommend a snorkeling trip to the coral reef--it's beautiful. I went to Ft. Zack for my "beach" experience but the beaches in Key West are not great--very rocky on land and sea. The Hemingway House is a great way to spend time; it's really worth seeing. For food--Mangia Mangia is delicious, if you like Italian. ALso, for great Cuban food, go to El Siboney. The prices are low and that's hard to come by in Key West.

I have heard many good things about Alice's. We may try to go there during our trip in May. Does anyone know how the prices are there for dinner? The website does not show prices. Also, someone mentioned that the cabaret show is good. Is it the show that is called "Guys as Dolls"? It looks like it is only performed on Mon, Tues, and Wed. Any info? Thanks, Laurie

No one mentioned sunset in Mallory Square at the foot of Duval Street but that is probably the must-do activity in Key West. A street circus with true Conch Republic vibes.