What is the dress code for Michaels? What is the dressiest clothes we will need to bring for dining out in KW? I guess better to think of this now, than when packing the night before : )

Michael's didn't really have a dress code that they enforced. When we called, they told us casual. They understand that you are on vacation and who on vactation wants to pack dressy clothes. I wore a skirt with flip flops when I went.

Michael's is Key West formal....no tank tops.

I love sitting out at the bar and having the fondue and some cocktails.

Another option for the rental car is to rent the convertible in FLL....take your time driving down. The next day rent some bikes for the rest of the trip, throw one, or even both into the convertible (top down of course) and just bike home along the bike path from the airport. It's an easy flat ride to anywhere.

Good news! I booked the flight this morning on Southwest. We moved the trip up to the last week of May, due to work conflicts, but got a good fare. We're arriving on Monday and leaving on Friday. Now, we're deciding a few of the remaining transportation details.

To get there, I believe we're going to take the advice of folks here and rent a car in FLL, then drop it off once we arrive in KW.

For the return trip, we're still debating three options.

A) Rent another car and drive back-big drawback is another long trip in the car, although this is our cheapest option.

B) Fly the small plane back on Friday, then fly out of FLL. The problem with this is the timing. Our flight leaves FLL at 655pm, and the timing of the KW-FLL planes don't match up too well. We've thought about taking an AM flight, checking our luggage at the airport, then heading to the beach via taxi for a few hours until our evening flight.

C) Fly to FLL on Thursday evening and get a hotel. Spend Friday morning and early afternoon on the beach, then head to the airport for our flight. We figure we can leave our luggage at the hotel until we're ready to go to the airport. The only drawbacks to this plan are one less night in KW and the hassle of changing hotels.

My husband is leaning toward the last option. Flying will be about $200+, compared to the $50-75 or less to rent a car, but we're willing to trade $$ for time. Any suggestions or advice?

Thanks again!

I'd take option B, but with the morning flight on Friday to get another night in the Keys.

Happy Anniversary Katharine!

You said you are allergic to fish and shellfish--there is a wonderful Italian restaurant called Antonia's on Duval Street. I got married in KW last January and had my rehearsal dinner there. Very good pasta!

I had my wedding lunch at a restaurant called Bagatelle and the food there was excellent. Try to sit on the 2nd story porch! I had tuna, but others had chicken, which was good.

I am heading to KW for a long weekend (for our first anniversary trip)in a few weeks and can't wait! We are driving as we live in Miami. It is a beautiful drive.

On the way down, there is an artists village called The Rain Barrel on Islamorada that always has pretty things. It's at mile marker 86.7.

I just checked prices on Hotwire for a convertible - pick up at FLL on the 26th and return to FLL on the 30th and the rate is $274 total (taxes included). We go to Key West every year and rent (Through Hotwire) at the airport, keep it for the duration and return it at the airport. We don't use the car while in KW, but we have never had any trouble parking it for the week (free, on a side street) and it is the cheapest option.

The drive is completely doable - under 4hours - though we fly in/out of Miami. With a PM flight on the Friday I think that keeping the car and driving back makes the most sense. Bahia Honda and Islamorda Fish Company are both worth stopping for - though I go to the fish company for...wait for it...fish! And you won't want to do that! Having the car both ways should give you ample time to visit the beach in FL.

We always stay at Heron House (www.heronhouse.com), which is a B&B a few blocks off of Duval - gorgeous grounds, private pool, great breakfast and happy hour inlcuded.

Last time we did the Sebago Island 'Ting day trip to snorkel and kayak and I would highly highly reccommend this (thanks Peter K for teh recco!!)

Lots of places to eat that offer more than fish - BO's Fish Wagon included (my favourite dive in KW!!)

Have fun!

FWIW I'll be there for my usual May trip, IIRC 5/17 - 5/24. May is almost always a great time to go.

Pjk

I just had to give my two cents. I agree with kireland - renting the car for the duration of the trip is the way to go. That's what we did when we went last year. We didn't do the convertible - and quite frankly didn't miss it. Free parking on side streets was easy to find.
Like kireland, we also stayed at the Heron House and loved it. It's close to Duval, but still quiet. Oh, and they serve breakfast in the morning and drinks and snacks in the evening (also it's adults only).

Sorry hijack the original poster - but wanted to say that places seem to booking up extra fast this year. Just called yesterday to book Heron House for our annual visit and it is fully booked the week we plan to go (Mar 15-22)! Now looking at Island City House or maybe renting a place in Truman Annex. Any suggestions/feedback are welcome.

Thanks!

This is another place that gets very good reviers but, again, high season is until Easter so get cracking...

http://keywestharborinn.com/

Pjk

kireland, I don't know if this would interest you, but we loved The Marquesa - close to Duval, but still quiet, with a great pool and nice service. It's a little pricey though.

The drive from Miami to Key West was the most horrific trip we've ever taken in our lives. We hope to never have to repeat it again. If you like sitting in a car for hours on a one lane road behind very slow moving vehicles, you'll enjoy it immensly. Otherwise, I'd recommend flying into Key West.

The drive can be bad - an accident on a two lane highway with no alternatives or weekend ruch hour traffic - but we've never had a problem. The OP said they would be arriving on a Monday and departing on a Friday so they shouldn't have traffic to contend with. Methinks ths last poster had a bad experience, but it isn't the norm.

We drove on a Monday in May, not during a holiday, and it was still really bad. Not traffic, just slow and seemed to take forever. Once you've seen the ocean for the first 10 minutes of your drive, you really don't need anymore. From now on, we're flying in to Key West.

Thought I'd follow up... I ended up renting a car each way to drive from FLL to KW. Flights were $600-700 for both of us vs. $136 for convertibles both ways. I know the drive is iffy, but costwise, we just couldn't justify the difference.

I booked the Sun Room at the Mermaid and the Alligator. So far, our dealings with them have been wonderful!

We're going to spend all four nights in KW. Depending on how we feel the last day, we may leave early and stop at Bahia Honda on the way to FLL.

I'm really looking forward to the trip!

topping as this is being discussed.

As long as you bumbed this, I just got back from a trip to Key West and wrote some impressions and discoveries:

The first is that this was one of the best trips in the last two years and there are several reasons.

1. The weather was just about perfect and I hope everyone who is down now and who will be going down soon will have as good conditions. Mornings were coolish with little humidity and the afternoons got hotter and hotter. Perfect for sitting on the beach and for going out to the reef to snorkel and kayak and then relax in the water. I don't think it rained from 5/17 - 5/25.

2. The Pier House is refurbishing the garden view rooms so I was given a complimentry upgrade to a harbor view junior suite. It was one of the rooms I've been coveting all these years. Two queen-sized beds so I could spread out my stuff and a giant veranda which was big enough for a table and four chairs, a lounge and a drinks cart. It was also covered and had a ceiling fan! At night I could sit on the lounge, put a glass of wine on the cart, and listen to the music from the piano bar. It also had a set of sliding glass doors on the harbor side and on the other side so I could open both at night and enjoy the cool breeze.

The construction is due to go on for another six months so I don't know what will happen if you book a garden view room for that time period. I expect I'll get another upgrade in July.

3. Various meet-ups. Met Simkeith and the Mr and Mrs Deanrae and Mr and Mrs PJ507 and other people whose name I either didn't catch or whose names I've forgotten. The two best meet-ups were at the Green Parrot one afternoon and at the Magic Bar at the SWB one evening. Remind me to tell you about Mark and my bicycle ride back to the Pier House afterwards. I did go over to the tiki bar at the Ocean Key Resort twice and mey KWAL. If you haven't gone over to meet him yet, he is the nicest guy and takes time to chat while tending bar. As soon as I get some photos developed I'll show you who to look for, but he has a name tag as he probably forgets who he is.

Several discoveries.

1. Captain Haig on the way in from a fabulous trip asked how people had heard about Danger Charters. One or two mentioned TA and he asked, if they had had a good time, to post a few words in a review. This shows how important TA has become to the businesses in Key West. I was told that many of the crews of the trips lurk on the boards. So, and you all know this, be generous with your praise, and fair with your concerns.

2. I finally went back to the Banana Cafe for a breakfast and it was fantastic. They make filled crepes along with other breakfast items, and if you can make it there, try out La Super or La Formidable. (I think that should be Le Super) I was so impressed that I walked down there for dinner, moules maronieres, and was not disappointed. I was going to do a review but they are moving one half block farther south and so will wait until that opening in June. They lost their least and so are moving

3. Someone asked about chocolate so I noticed a new-to-me place at 411 Petronia, Better Than Sex, a desert restaurant.

4. Lazt Dog Rentals (kayaking) has opened a store on Front Street and natch I can't find the address. But I got a contact, Jen Berry, (305) 293-7634. They run a 2 hour ($35.00) and 4 hour ($60.00) guided kayak tour, and will rent kayaks ($20.00 / half day), and my understanding is that they will pick you up at the store on in Key West and take you to the starting mile marker. I don't know if this is new.

5. There is now an Indian restaurant on Duval, almost to the end on the Whitehead side - The India Restaurant. Mike Mongo says it's good and it smelled good as I passed by.

6. Croissants de France on Duval is now serving dinner. This is new to me. I didn't even know they served lunch.

7. The See Key West magazine has changed quite a bit; it's almost a small, squarish glossy rather than the older oblong one. No more free drinks at Alonzo's or the Half Shell and the map is now inside rather than a fold-out, and there is now a calendar of events. I have several if anyone needs one, but they are still available all over the island. But there is now an associated See Coupon Bokk good for the Florida Keys. *This* is where the coupons for free drinks is at.

And a coule of wierd things.

1. There were two powere outages last week, something I've never seen before. I've never heard Key West so quiet - AC was off, fans were off, blenders!! were off, music was off. It was kind of refreshing. Everyone wanted to know "Do the taps work?"

2. One of the seaplanes sank! It apparently developed engine trouble, made a sea landing, and the passengers were taken off. Then, while bein towed, the tow rope caused it to turn sideways and the floats filled with water and it sank. Rides to the Tortugas are still being done.

3. And someone burned down a section of Smathers Beach. Honest. Years ago the sand from the beach would blow inland and cover the sidewalk, so they build a 4 foot retaining wall and to anchor the sand planted sand grass. I used to watch a worker water each individual plant every morning until it took root. Because of the dryness, a flicked ciggie ignited the vegatation and burned about a 1/4 mile stretch of this. But almost unbelievably, green shoots are poking back up.

4. I did an entire week in Key West without going to Kelly's for a margerita. Weather was so good that I stayed on the beach at the Pier House until much later in the day and so when I was done I made a Bee-line to Alonzo's or the Half Shell for my drink.

I almost cried while packing to come home. Keys disease for sure.

Pjk