Winter break trip with four adult/teenage sons to Florida Keys??
Jul 15th, 2011, 02:12 PM
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Winter break trip with four adult/teenage sons to Florida Keys??
I am in charge of planning a winter break vacation trip for my husband, myself and sons ages 24, 22, 20, 19.....they want warm, beaches. Need to keep everyone busy...Very active family for water sports like snorkeling, kayaking, fishing, boating, biking etc. I want nice accomodations, clean, and up to date-not terribly worried about pricing but need like a 2-3 bedroom suite. I would like to rent bikes so that we can adventure-is that possible? Not sure if we should stay in one place for 5 nights on Key West or start in Miami and drive part way to Islamorada...go fishing and then on to Key West? DO not plan on them needing to hit the bars or anything- my husband and I like a busy full day, nice dinner and relaxing evening. Any feedback would be very welcome!! Thanks!
Jul 15th, 2011, 04:25 PM
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Key West is an ideal place to bring your family and four sons for a winter break. You can find every activity you have listed - snorkeling, kayaking, fishing, boating, biking. There are several beaches, Fort Zachary Taylor State Park and Civil War Fort, amazing fishing opportunities right off Key West with all kinds of charter boats. You just have to decide if you want to go to the back country on the Gulf side, or out to the reef. When it comes to a restaurants, Key West is for many a culinary destination. You can find both casual and fine dining opportunities from the most down home experiences like B.O.'s Fish Wagon, to beach side dining like Salute on the Beach, famous Blue Heaven Restaurant in Bahama Village, and 915 on Duval, multiple time winner of the James Beard Foundation Awards. I would strongly recommend you just arrive in Key West and stay here and don't waste time driving from one Key to another. Also, the best accommodation for a family like yours is most definitely a vacation rental house with a swimming pool. I would suggest Vacation Homes of Key West, an established local agency. http://vacationhomesofkeywest.com Have a great winter vacation.
Jul 15th, 2011, 04:38 PM
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Keep in mind that while Key West has many things going for it, it is not known for its beaches.
Much of the shoreline is rocky. I know that there is a small beach at the Reach Hotel, part of the Waldorf Astoria group, but I'm not sure if that's a good option for a family of 6.
Much of the shoreline is rocky. I know that there is a small beach at the Reach Hotel, part of the Waldorf Astoria group, but I'm not sure if that's a good option for a family of 6.
Aug 12th, 2011, 12:11 PM
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I had to drive down to Key West on business just yesterday, and I decided to drive by Smather's Beach on the way out of town. I guess nobody told the hundreds of people I saw that Key West doesn't have a beach.....
If you want to surf, Key West is out. If you want to stroll for miles on the sand, Key West is out. If you want to relax in a beach chair and soak up sun, take a dip in warm water, go snorkeling and possibly see a few interesting things right off the beach, then Smathers (or for that matter, any beach in the Keys) is fine.
If you want to surf, Key West is out. If you want to stroll for miles on the sand, Key West is out. If you want to relax in a beach chair and soak up sun, take a dip in warm water, go snorkeling and possibly see a few interesting things right off the beach, then Smathers (or for that matter, any beach in the Keys) is fine.
Aug 13th, 2011, 05:10 AM
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We loved snorkeling with our boys at John Pennekamp State Park not too far from Islamorada. I thought the fish and coral we saw were better than some Caribbean snorkeling we have done.
We also really enjoyed the trip from Key West to Dry Tortugas National Park. We used Sunny Days for the boat trip which included a light breakfast, lunch, a tour of the fort and time for a swim in the lovely blue water. Casa Marina Resort in Key West has a man-made beach. If price is not important, you also could check Cheeca Lodge in Islamorada.
We also really enjoyed the trip from Key West to Dry Tortugas National Park. We used Sunny Days for the boat trip which included a light breakfast, lunch, a tour of the fort and time for a swim in the lovely blue water. Casa Marina Resort in Key West has a man-made beach. If price is not important, you also could check Cheeca Lodge in Islamorada.
Aug 21st, 2011, 05:36 AM
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Your group was made to start in South Beach... two nights there... then off to one night in Islamorada with some deep sea fishing and finish with two nights in Key West... they're all young enough to enjoy the beach stuff, but the underagers might get frustrated they can't party in Key West for 5 whole days... by moving, you keep a fresh supply of fun coming every day, and you and dad are equally entertained... beware however, that many Key West properties require multi-night stays during peak times and that may change the above proposed plan...
Aug 22nd, 2011, 10:23 AM
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Since you were pretty clear about liking active days with water sports and biking, restful dinners, and are not interested in bar-hopping, I think you should skip South Beach and head on down to Key West.
Aug 22nd, 2011, 10:40 AM
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I think of Key West as being synonymous with bar-hopping, especially given the ages of your sons. There's not much to do in Key West in the evening that doesn't involve bars. You say you want a nice dinner and quiet evening, but what do the four sons want to do in the evening?
Aug 27th, 2011, 07:08 AM
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The snorkeling is not very good. We saw some huge fish, but no coral and not much variety of fish. There is a tour of the fort, which was interesting, and time to take a swim, but I wouldn't go for the snorkeling.
Aug 27th, 2011, 10:25 AM
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Key West, while ideal for couples, especially same-sex couples, isn't in my opinion a great family vacation spot. Have you considered Sanibel Island? I thinks it's the best place in Florida for the activities you describe. It's a great mix of natural beauty and lots of outdoor activities with nice resorts and manmade comforts.
Aug 27th, 2011, 12:11 PM
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If you want a "beach" holiday, you may want to consider Ft. Lauderdale or even a bit farther north on Florida's Southeast coast. Maybe Singer Island/Palm Beach Shores. Or, on Florida's Southwest coast: Ft. Myers/Naples/Marco Island/Sanibel/Captiva.
Lago Mar in Ft. Lauderdale will give you your 2BR beachfront suite. South Seas Island Resort in Captiva has 2 & 3 BR Suites.
Look at these sites for 2-3 BR accomodations:
www.redweek.com
www.tug2.net
Lago Mar in Ft. Lauderdale will give you your 2BR beachfront suite. South Seas Island Resort in Captiva has 2 & 3 BR Suites.
Look at these sites for 2-3 BR accomodations:
www.redweek.com
www.tug2.net
Aug 27th, 2011, 12:57 PM
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I agree with the above two posters that Sanibel is wonderful if you want a beach vacation--much better than the keys. It is not built up like other parts of Florida--all the buildings are four stories or lower. There is great bike riding on trails around the island, or you can bike around the wonderful nature sanctuary, Ding Darling. There is also kayaking at Ding Darling. You can rent a boat and go to other small islands in the area, like Cayo Costa State Park, which has great shelling. No snorkeling in the area though.
We rented a great beachfront condo through vrbo.com.
We rented a great beachfront condo through vrbo.com.
