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Need help with Florida Keys trip

We're a 50ish couple, like to snorkle, see the sights, laze around with a book, hike, sleep. Don't want loud, all-night parties next door, if we can avoid it. Hate jet ski noise! We're looking at visiting the Keys in February - any suggestions of a place that would fit our lifestyle???

Sunset Key guest cottages - on a little private island off Key West. It's part of the Hilton but it's much nicer - semi-private cottages on a small but private beach with real sand. Very nice restaurant on premises, right on the sand. To go to Key West, you take a small boat that's pretty much available any time you need it. When we were there, the trips were scheduled about every half hour, but they were very flexible and accommodating. Only 5-10 minutes by boat from town. We're like you, and we really enjoyed our stay there. For good snorkeling, you could hire a boat to take you to the Content Keys or Looe Key. If you have any more questions, you can email me privately at [email protected].

I looked at that place, but the price came up as $750 per night....whoa!!!

We stay at the Best Western Suites at Key Largo. The hotel is on a channel that the snorkeling, fishing and gambling boats travel through so there is always something to see but not much to be annoyed with. It's a pretty quiet place, no beach but a nice pool and townhouse type accomodations with screened-in lanais to "boat watch" out of.

Islamorada, just a little north of Marathon & just south of Key Largo is a very nice place for what you are looking for. We to are in our late fifties & have been going there for a few years now. We stay at the Moorings on the ocean side and its a little expensive. It has everything you explain in your post. Great restaurants are near by as well as shopping. The Worldwide Sportsman store is walking distance and upstairs is the Zane Grey bar for a nice drink with entertainment. Islamorada is laid back & relaxing compared to any of the other keys. We have been to Key West over the years and it dosn't compare to Islamorada unless you just want to drink and shop on Duval. A day trip to Key West is recommended. There are other resorts in Islamorada, check the Chamber of Commerence for that area and see if anything grabs you and the same goes for the restaurants.

I can do this, to-the-top!

Try Seascape Resort MM 50, Marathon. Nice relaxing place and no kids. Check out the rants and raves hotel section of travel talk home. It rates favorably. http://floridakeys.net/seascape/

Thanks for all the suggestions, Islamorada sounds like the place! If I could only figure out how to pronounce it! Is there snorkeling nearby? I appreciate all your help!

Hi, Just say I-la-more-ah-da (the Americans leave out the "S") D

We were going to stay here (Sunset Villas) in October, but needed to go elsewhere because of family issues. Looks pretty decent and close to a lot of things. http://www.sunsetvillas.com/ Duane

Try the Pine & Palms in Islamorada. Eye-La-More-Ah-Duh. Islamorada.

Islamorada is pronounced: par-a-dise.

On Islamorada try the White Gate Inn. My brother stayed there when we rented a condo and it was a sweet peaceful. or try Seascape on Marathon. It's lovely and doesn't allow children!

Laid-back and relaxed to me means Parmer's Resort (formerly Parmer's Place) on Little Torch Key, 28 miles north of Key West.

Carol, we stayed this past Feb. at the Holiday Inn in Key West. They offer all that you mentioned. See their web site. Rooms appear high, but they offer a 2for 1 special at that time of year. Averaged out at approx. 133 per night. we had an ocean view room with king bed. Very nice pool & beach. Web site is www.basshotels.com

Carol, Definitely Islamorada. My husband and I spent a week there last year and had a great time. Very relaxing and laid back. Stayed at La Siesta. Great suite with terrific view for under $100 a night. Full kitchen, living room, balcony.

How about renting a condo? We stayed at Moon Bay in Key Largo for $100 night. This was a two bedroom, two bath condo in a very nice complex. The pool is great and the people staying there are mostly retired so they are very knowledgable about what to do and where to eat. We checked out some of the neighboring hotels and would recommend Amy Slate's Amory Dive Resort, and the Marriot. Our favorite place to eat was at Hobo's next door. Have fun!

Try the Cheeca Lodge in Islamorada - we got a great rate that included spa services - like facials and massages. The service was great and the setting was relaxing. I don't think there will be many kids in Feb.

Ditto on Parmer's. As laid back as you want. Snorkel with Underseas on Big Pine just a couple of miles north. Good eats nearby at Monte's and Mangrove Mama's. Quick trip to Key West for sites and history and leave the bars behind at night. If you want a stop on the way down, Kona Kai Resort on Key Largo is great. Hammocks, great pool, kayaks, snorkeling in the bay and Joe and Ronnie will take good care of you. Many dive shops nearby to take you out snorkeling. Eat at Mrs. Mac's Kitchen, The Fish House, the Tugboat, Sundowner's and you are just minutes from Islamorada which is also great as others have said. Enjoy!

We just returned from the keys on Saturday. Spent one night on Key West and one night on Islamorada at the Cheeca Lodge. What a beautiful place! Very quiet and quite romantic. You can stroll along the water or sit at the outside patio overlooking the water and enjoy a drink. The staff was great,too. We loved this place!

I was in Key West Nov. 17 - 20. Through Priceline I got Crown Plaza La Concha for $55/night. It right on Duval Street, four blocks from Mallory Square (and the "sunsets.") Place was quiet at night - we drove - only negative at Crown Plaza La Concha was the $18 night parking. But - my god - what a convienent location. gp

I see George Bush Sr. frequently on the news, boating & fishing out of Islamorada. Hubby and I have been to Key West a few times, but not recently, sigh. Love the atmosphere, quaintness, laid-back lifestyle. And the weather aint bad, either. Have fun!

Carol: My suggestion is the Grand Key Resort in Key West. It is not on the beach, but has a lovely pool area. It was very quiet. When you want the noise, take the shuttle downtown to Duval. We do not snorkel so I cannot help you on this one. I do that some of the best snorkeling is supposed to be at John Pennekamp State Park it is somewhere near Key Largo (I think) We took a glass bottom boat tour here once, and it was pretty good. There were tons of people going out snorkeling from this location. Enjoy the trip. Like good Cuban food? Try Manny & Isa's (nothing fancy at all) and they have killer key lime pie. Delia

My husband and I (also 50ish)were there end of Sept. Stayed at the Hyatt for $165 a night..a real bargain, considering the location. Also, it is not like the average Hyatt, but built in the Key West style. It is walking distance to most things. Our balcony overlooked the ocean, they have a very nice pool and hot tub with the ocean alongside. When the pool gets crowded, there is plenty of room to lounge by the ocean. It is also close to sunset celebration, etc.

Long Key would be a perfect place. Not too commercial, but right next to MarathonSome of the bridgers have the original pilings from the old Flagler Railroad. And if you are into that kind of thing, there is a turtle rescue hospital and a dolphin center in Marathon.

You've GOTTA take a boat to our newest national park, DRY TORTUGAS NATIONAL PARK, located 75 miles off the coast of Key West. For about $95 per person, there are high speed catamarans that will take about 100 passengers at a time there for the day! Or, you can spend several hundred for a twenty minute sea-plane ride. You will see FORT JEFFERSON on the main island, with its extremely historic past. The waters are carribian blue! You will enjoy snorkeling in the crystal clear water around the fort! The boat operators lend you snorkel gear for free. Lots of fish and some of that beautiful purple fan coral. I just turned 50, but my wife and I enjoyed the trip so much that we are doing it again this February! Just do a search for FORT JEFFERSON or DRY TORTUGAS NATIONAL PARK and you will find lots of info. Note: overnight camping is temporarily suspended. Another fun thing is to visit Everglades national park. Stay at the motel in FLAMINGO (not the cabins). The rooms in the motel have large windows out the back, looking out at the bay. The cabins are in the woods. By staying in the park, you can conveniently see all kinds of birds fly in for the night, and walk back to your room. Mosquitos are virtually non-existant during the winter. Better take some bug spray just for comfort though. Take some of the boat trips offered by the NPS. Also, rent a canoe from the NPS and take the NINE MILE POND trail. It's easy, and much of the way it is only a foot or two deep as you travel trails through the RIVER OF GRASS. An added bonus is that February is the bird migration season, so you should come upon many birds while you're canoeing. We had a ball! While in the Keys, take one of the glass bottom boat trips to the reef, or better yet, take a snorkeling trip. Lots of fun. If it's too rough to snorkel, the boat will probably still go out. A place to stay? On Marathon Key, there is a hotel complex that has houseboats at the marina! (actually small two-story apartments on barges). Its called Faro Blanco (search the internet for their web site). Really neat, because the barges are intersperced with regular boats. So, your neighbor could be a yacht! Neat. Just make sure to say you want the houseboat, because they have regular rooms in a regular hotel too (boring). Hope this helps. We really enjoyed all of the above.