We're trying to put together an itinerary for our first South FL trip coming up this Thanksgiving. Please feel free to suggest any changes or recommendations. Thanks!

We're interested in city sightseeing as well as the outdoors (hiking, kayaking, snorkeling).

* Day 1 (Thanksgiving!) Land in Miami at 4 p.m. Anything open on TG night? Where to hang out?

* Day2. Everglades. South entrance from Homestead/Florida City. Want to see alligators and wildlife up close. Canoeing/kayaking with the park rangers. Also drive all the way to Flamingo City and back to Miami all in one day -- possible? Or we should stay the night out there?

* Day 3. Everglades. West entrance to Shark Valley. After Day 2, still worth doing this entrance to Everglades? Or we should just spend 2 days in south entrance? Night spend in Miami.

* Day 4. Miami -- South Beach, Little Havana, possibly Coral Gables--split with Day 5. Is it too cold to swim in the Venetian pool in late Nov / early December?

* Day 5. Miami -- half day in Miami. Board cruise in afternoon for a 5 days cruise to Grand Cayman and Cozumel.

* Day 9. Return from cruise in the morning. Pick up rental car and drive to Key West. Overnight in Key West.

* Day 10. Morning in Key West and drive up Florida Keys. Bahia Honda State Park and/or John Pennekamp State Park -- to snorkel, hike, chill out. If we have time for only 1 of the 2 state parks, which one to pick? Try to spot key deer. Where to stay along Florida Keys?

* Day 11. More Florida Keys? Drive back to Miami.

* Day 12. Miami until 5 p.m. flight

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Lots of questions there, appreciate any answers and feel free to rearrange our itinerary to make it logistically better. Thanks!

I live in South Florida so I've never done any of the things you have planned.

Our pool is almost to cool now. However, I'm sure that a major hotel pool will be heated.

I would take my time meandering out the Keys & back, & spend the two nights in Key West. I would probably actually reverse your trip to allow more time for the Keys & less time in Miami. Thanksgiving is an awesome time to be in Key West. That would also relieve the worry of driving back down the Keys in an effort to make a flight. I would want to be IN Miami, the day I am flying out. Don't think you'll need two days for the Everglades either.

Myer - If your pool is too cool now, then you are obviously a 'bathwater' swimmer. I go to the Keys all the time over Thanksgiving & have always gotten in the water. You live in S.Fla. but have never been to the 'Glades or Keys ?! Amazing.

Second SAnParis2 comment on your Keys plan. With no traffic and no stops, you are 4.5 hours from Port MIA to KW. Accordingly, if you leave intending to have afternoon activities in Largo, you have to depart KW at 8 am on Day 10. Either take KW off the plan and stay in the middle Keys, or Do KW on Day 10, leave late and have all day 11 in Key Largo for snorkel, hike and chill out.

Thanks for all your suggestions? Isn't the drive to Key West more congested over Thanksgiving weekend than the weekend after? That's why we try to avoid going there TG weekend.

How to spend 2 days in Key West? It sounds like a very intriguing place from all the descriptions I've read about. Also, any preference between staying right in Key West downtown (Westin) vs 2 miles away near Smather Beach (Sheraton)?

Thanks!

We were in Coral Gables in Jan of this year and the Venetian Pool was closed for renovations. I just looked it up and it closed again yesterday and will not reopen until sometime in March. Sorry you won't be able to swim there this trip.

You have to stay in Old Town. That Sheraton is close to nothing. Once there & you find parking, you'll not need your car unless you venture out some. Parking can be a challenge. Since you will be traveling on Thanksgiving Day, i don't think you'll see much traffic. We always travel that day & have never had a problem. Going back on Sunday, would however, be a problem. You'll want to avoid that...What time does your cruise board ?

You'll want to stop here coming or going. It is in the midst of Key Deer country - www.nonamepub.com

What I would do. Key West days 1-2-3 After Dinner on Day 3 find a place to stay close to one of the Parks, you'll not want to drive anymore than you have to, the roads will be packed on Sunday. Sunday should be Park Day. Everyone will be traveling so they (the Parks) should be fairly quiet. If you are snorkelers, you'll want to go to Pennekamp. Head the rest of the way back first thing Monday allowing ample time to make your cruise. It is a shame you don't have an extra day coming or going. You Miami plan is fine, but I don't think you'll need 2 days in the Glades. Lots of Key West posts on here that should be helpful. Peter is an excellent resource.

Thanks, all, for your responses. I'd asked on Fodor's before about whether to go to Key West Thanksgiving weekeend or the weekend after, and the conclusion I gathered was it's best to go the weekend after.

We have basically 3 1/2 days before the cruise, and 3 1/2 days after the cruise, so that's why we opt to go to Key West the weekend after TG.

Westin vs Sheraton in Key West? Westin costs us more hotel points and there's a $18 parking fee per day. Is it really worth the extra cost? Can we find parking like 1/2 to 1 mile to Key West downtown? Sheraton provides a free shuttle downtown but it's quite restricted -- you have to book it in advance and it stops running at 10:30 p.m. We can go with Wetsin, if you think that will give us a "true" Key West experience, which I don't yet understand what it is all about.

Everglades. It seems like several folks think 1 day in Everglades is enough. For that one day, is it better to spend it in the southern area near Homestead or the Shark Valley entrance?

Tons of questions here, and appreciate all your enthusiastic help!

Much of the pleasure of the Keys is stopping to appreciate the scenery, culture and cuisine of the Keys along the way.
Islamorada: World Wide Sportsman MM 81.5
Lorelei Tiki Bar & Restaurant MM 80
Lazy Days Restaurant MM 79 (great waterfront deck)
Robbies (feed the tarpon MM 77.5
Take a half day fishing trip or nature boat out of BudnMarys

Marathon: Seven Mile Grill MM 47.5
Seven Mile Bridge pedestrian segment MM 47.0
(walk two miles across the flats-great sea life scenery)
Mangrove Mamas Restaurant MM22

Once again I second SAnParis2 No Name Pub
Key West: Sundown ceremony at Mallory Square
Westin: Sundown cocktails next to Mallory Square
Louie's Back Yard Restaurant for a fancy meal
Sunset cruise
Walk Run Bike Smathers Beach
Take a day trip to the Dry Tortugas
Have a drink and enjoy the band at Sloppy Joe's
Have a drink and enjoy the band at Hog's Breath
Walk Duval Street day and night to people watch.

stumpworks, that's a great list! I gotta print and bring it with me. Thanks!

You don't want to stay at the Sheraton. It means you would literally have to get in the car (& find parking) everytime you want to do something. Key West is very walkable, but not from out there. I'll add a bit to SW73s' list. Pepe's for breakfast, Mangoes for lunch, The Half Shell for drinks & shellfish, BO's Fishwagon for, well, fish.

Thanks, SAnParis2. We'll stay at the Westin then.

Another question: Is it worth staying overnight in Key Largo? The reason for the stop is to take a snorkeling tour out to John Pennekamp. Is this the best place to snorkel in southern Florida?

The modified itinerary:

Day 2: Drive from Miami to Key Largo. Join the noon snorkeling tour. Overnight in Key Largo, maybe on a boatel? Better to stay in Key Largo or Floriday City since we're planning to go to the Everglades the next day?

Day 3: Everglades. Enter via Homestead entrance. Hike, possibly canoe. Drive back to Miami.

By staying in Key Largo, we'll be cutting out some time from Miami. Worth it? We've never been to Florida before, so please advise on where best to spend our time. Thanks!

I love the Keys & am not a big fan of Miami at all so I would of course vote for the overnight in Key Largo + it gets you that much closer to Key West. It is a beautiful drive out, but it can also easily turn into a long drive out.

The only good thing in Miami, IMHO, is South Beach. Other than that I would not want to stay there. I'm with those that prefer taking more time in the Keys and definitely Old Town close to Mallory Square for hotel. The day we were at Pennecamp the snorkeling was closed due to rough seas, don't know how often that happens, but we enjoyed spending some time there. As we started our drive down the Keys, we stopped at: http://www.nps.gov/ever/planyourvisit/anhinga-trail.htm Talk about alligators! Tons of them! Once past Key Largo the scenery becomes more beautiful. We enjoyed the drive to Key West so very much! Bahai HOnda is especially beautiful and peaceful.

Once in Key West and if you like sailing, let me recommend walking the marina and taking a sail on The Appledore. It was a breezy day and only a handful of us on her and the sail was great! There's another boat at the marina that is very popular but there were so many people aboard her we choose the Appledore.

I do not mean to confuse you but I'd do the following. I live in Florida:

Why not spend the first night in South Beach? Many restaurants, nightclubs, etc. will be open. If you like stone crabs, Joe's Bistro is a good place to go. But, many other options. Plan to leave early in the morning for Flamingo. From Flamingo drive to Key Largo. (I would not return to Miami).

Go snorkeling in the morning. Afternoons may be windy. BUT if the weather in Key Largo is not good keep on going to Key West. Stay your second night there and leave in the morning for Bahia Honda (40 miles). Spend most of your day there (lovely beach). Now your third night. I’d get a cabin in the park, but that may not work out for you. You may want to choose to leave the park in late afternoon and settle in a nice resort in Marathon or Islamorada or, somewhere.

Key West is quite touristy but it is worth going there once. Coming back directly from Key West to Miami can be a loooong drive.

Oops, you have four nights in Miami, in which case you may want to stay two nights in Miami Beach. That is even better.
On the back side you can tour Miami, plenty to see. Or, you can venture west to Naples.