Anyone know anything about the FLORIDA KEYS?

[underpants]

My wife and I are thinking about going down there next month and I was wondering if anyone knew much about it.

She already has several bed and breakfast printouts and I have always heard how great it was.

Flights are really cheap right now (~$400 round trip to fly into the keys) and we can't drive because my wife hates low bridges.

What is the weather like in November down there?

What are the chances we will say "f**k it" and not come back ? (I've herad of that happening before)

[bif]

1. Went there several times

When I ws a kid up through college. They wonderful. the weather is, as you'd imagine, tropical. 80s in the days, 70s at night. Key West is wild. Very large gay population and it's always party time. Hemmingways home is there. Deep sea fishing, etc. Plenty to do. You really should try to visit some of the other keys though. The causeway that runs the whole length of the keys is no big deal. Just have your wife close her eyes while you're driving. And they're not that low, either.

[Richardo]

2. Flying is a good choice...the drive is arduous

A 100-mile 2- to 4-lane highway that looks pretty much like any other stretch of beach highway in the country, except it's over 100 miles long. Oh there are a few neat parts, but you can drive them from your destination (Key West?) and not have to commit to the whole drive.

The ride seems even longer on the way back, especially if things are a little "tense" in the car. (Don't ask. :D )

There's a great little roadside restaurant on Marathon Key that serves excellent fish sandwiches. I'll see if I can remember the name.

[Jivenwail]

3. Key West!

Fabulous! The best snorkeling we've ever done! And the bars are endless.

And yes, we almost said that very same thing. Went down there when my husband was stationed at JAX. (Key West was where my husband proposed, so it's pretty special to us)

Have a 'rita for us at Margaritaville if you end up in Key West!

[ixion]

4. the florida keys are beautiful

one of the most unique spots in North America, IMHO. I lived down there for about 4 years... the problem is that there isn't much in the way of decent paying jobs down there, so you really need to have an income from outside the keys. But for a place to visit, it's beautiful. Make sure and get to Key West. ;-)

[SoFlaJets]

5. Stay at the La Concha

which used to be a Holiday Inn it's right on Duvall Street in Key West and look for a little Italian Rest called"Mangia,Mangia"MNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN my wife still dreams about it

[JanMichael]

6. What do I know? Shakeydave is there RIGHT NOW!

He called my from the Southernmost point (A big pice of cement in Key West) in the US yesterday, yes, he'd been drinking...

[seventhson]

7. GO!!! I lived there briefly too

El Patio is a great hideaway motel.

The Crab Shack is the best in seafood (recommend Grouper or Red Snapper or Dolphinfish)

Don't Miss sunset at Mallory Square with the performing cats!!!


I used to sell watermelons there and spearfish for grouper to sell to the restaurants.

Go!!!


Hemingway house is VERY cool too and the park (Fort Jackson???)has great beachside snorkeling for practically nothing and very relaxing.

Warm all year round 100 miles south of Miami

[trof]

8. Don't miss sunset at Mallory Square.

http://www.mallorysquare.com/
Be sure and tip the guy playing the bagpipes because
YOU HAVE TO PAY THE PIPER, right?
Get a big chocolate chip cookie from The Cookie Lady.
See the Pussy Show.
Ride the Conch Train, it's a nice narrated tour of Key West and a VERY touristy thing to do.
Have fun.
It ain't hard to do down there.

[Aristus]

9. They make great Lime Pie.

:D!

[nono]

10. Best by Boat

The water is great, make sure yoy take swimgear. I spent 5 years there and was in the water almost ever day. And yes I have friends who have stayed.

[11 Bravo]

11. I remember a little bar

on the left side of the road (as you are heading south) in Islamorada that is the best place to get drunk I have ever been in. It has no walls, just pilings, a thatched roof, and it looks out over it's own little lagoon. I wish I could remember the name, but it was over 30 years ago and, as I noted, I was pretty well faced.

[underpants]

12. It's SETTLED! Screw the Grand Canyon we are going to the KEYS!!!!!!!!!!!

Whoooooooooohooooooooooooooo

[peekaloo]

13. Sloppy Joe's in Key West

Hemingway's old hangout......tourist mecca, as is Hemingway's home......beware of the six toed cats!

[DinahMoeHum]

14. Mallory Square in Key West is a place to experience - ONCE. . .

If you want to watch sunsets from a quieter place in Key West, go to the pier next to the beach alongside the Wyndham Casa Marina hotel (ocean side of Key West) Not too many tourists go there, but you can see the schooners out in the distance, plus the pelicans diving for food. And you may see a few Navy planes out on maneuvers, to boot.

Some recommended eating spots:
Alonzo's Oyster Bar- great lobster sandwiches on Bahama bread
B.O.'s Fish Wagon - on Caroline Street - funky place with great fried grouper or grilled mahi-mahi sandwiches.
Bahama Mama's Kitchen - in the Bahamian sector of town - great conch fritters and conch chowder.
Meteor Smokehouse - great BBQ, and great bar next door.
"No Sniveling"
Conch Republic Seafood Company - great conch fritters, great bar with over 60 selections of rum.

Sloppy Joes and Hog's Breath Saloon are OK bars to go to - in the daytime. From then on, they are basically meat markets.

Same situation for most of the stores on Duval Street north of 500 Duval (Margaritaville) Chock full of T-shirts. I mean, how many stores can you tolerate with T-shirts that read "If Assholes Could Fly, This Would Be An Airport"???
Go further south on Duval Street, and there's some great Cuban-style ice cream and coffee (sorry, I forgot the name of the place). And the atmosphere is quieter.

Have some drinks on me!

:toast:

[RebelOne]

16. Don't forget Hemingway's old hangout if it's still there.

Used to live in Miami until 1989 and would run down to the Keys a couple times a year. Fun place. I think Hemingway's old hangout is called Papa Doc's. It's an open-air bar on Duval Street.

[SiobhanClancy]

15. I lived there for 12 years...

That's exactly what happened to me...I went on vacation and stayed for awhile:)
I think November is one of the best months to go...the snowbirds usually descend after the holidays,and the weather is nice. Key West is a really fun place to go,but of course there is more to the Keys than just that. Duval Street is very touristy ...T-shirt shop heaven!

My KW picks:

Best bars:
Garden of Eden
Schooner Wharf
Flying Monkeys
Carolines
Green Parrot
Meteor
Half Shell Raw Bar
Crabby Bills
Capt. Tonys
The Bull
The Whistle

Tourist Traps:
Maragaritaville
Sloppy Joe's
Irish Kevin's
Hog's Breath Saloon(best rumrunners!)

Best Restaurants (expensive):
Michaels
A and B Lobster House
Louie's Backyard
Square One
Key West Seafood Co. and Beer Garden

Best Restaurants (moderate):
Half Shell Raw Bar
Turtle Kraals
Alonzos
Crabby Bills
Meteor Smoke House
Schooner Wharf for lunch
Pepe's
Blue Heaven(Bahama Village)

Best Restaurants (cheap):
No such thing

Best sightseeing:
Sunset any evening at Mallory Square
Hemingway House
The Lighthouse
Smathers Beach
The beach at Ft Zachary Taylor
Walking the Harbour Walk
Some of the harbor cruises
People watching

Best places to people watch while imbibing:
One of the outside seats at Ricks
The Tree Bar
Carolines
A sidewalk seat at Flying Monkeys/Fogartys

Marathon is about 50 miles north of Key West on US 1(or Overseas Highway). People in the Keys usually refer to locations as "MM 23"(for example).
Restaurants in Marathon:
Herbie's(moderate and casual)
Barracuda Grill($$$)
Shuckers
7 Mile Grill(by the 7 mile bridge,rustic)

Bahia Honda State Park is one of the most beautiful beaches in America,if you are into that sort of thing. You might be surprised that there are not as many beaches in the Keys as you expect. John Pennekamp State Park in Key Largo is wonderful for snorkeling. Big Pine Key has minature Key Deer and is a refuge with a strictly enforced and slow speed limit.

One cautionary word...there is an expression,"Arrive on vacation,leave on probation". There is every kind of law enforcement you can imagine down there,so just behave yourself:)

[underpants]

23. Awesome!!!!!!!!! Thanks

That's like and insider's guide. I knew Sloppy Joe's had to be a tourist trap because I have heard of it.

[XNASA]

17. Boycott Florida.

I hope I don't offend our FL-DU'ers when I say that nobody should spend they're tourism $'s in Florida.

Besides, it's full of tourists and retirees. Who'd want to go there?

Come to Chi-town, UP. We've got it all and know how to use it.

[greatauntoftriplets]

18. And we DO have the Cubs....

However, the weather feels like hell has frozen over. November weather on October 1, grrrrr.

[XNASA]

19. Now, now, greataunt......

No self-respecting Chicagoan gives a hoot about the weather. The weather never stands in our way of a good time. Surely you know that. Heck, we're goin' camping next week....in Wisconsin!

Besides, I for one think that the weather's perfect here today. And I can't think of a better place to spend a few days in November than here in Chicago. Things will just be gettin' cranked up for the holidays.

[greatauntoftriplets]

28. I have 8 family & friend birthdays between 10/28 and 11/19

It can't be November already! I haven't shopped for them yet.

I am wearing two wool sweaters today, XNASA. And that is IN the office!

Have fun camping -- I hope it warms up for you.

[FlaGranny]

21. You want to spend your tax

dollars in Florida because of all your Florida DU friends. We make up a goodly portion of DUers and we need jobs.

It's not just tourists and retirees anymore. The percentage of young to old gets higher every day. And in Key West specifically, people watching is one of the most fun things to do. People are "loose" in Key West. It seems to me that a good portion of Key Westers are always in "costume." In addition, the tourists in Key West are, shall we say, different(?) from your average run-of-the-mill tourist.

[underpants]

22. Do you have tropical weather?

I see your other post but I had to respond with that.

[XNASA]

25. I lived in tropical weather for 6 years. It sucked.

The only differences I can see is that the bugs are 10 times bigger, the snakes are 10 times as poisonous, and the odds of some weather related disaster are 10 times more likely to happen.

Besides, hotter temps means that people wear less clothes. And my experience is that it's rarely a good thing when more people wear less clothes.

[SiobhanClancy]

26. Don't blame the Keys...

it's different from the rest of Florida:

http://www.conchrepublic.com/history.htm

[oneighty]

20. Key West!

US Navy School Underwater Swimmers May 1956. A great place to swim and dive, day or night like it or don't. An exciting place for sure is Key West. I regret I will never go there again. You go for me and have a great time MR. And Ms. Underpants! If you dive or snorkle try to go to Sand Key. (Requires a boat)

180.

[FlaGranny]

24. It's a shame your wife doesn't like bridges.

I think that the bridges are one of the more interesting things about getting to Key West. Of course, I'm fascinated by the whole spectacle of driving across the many-colored waters and tiny, palm-covered islands, and white sand. I'll admit, it can get tedious if you have to do it too many times.

You haven't really tried key lime pie until you try real Florida key lime pie, just don't be surprised that it's not green.

Enjoy.

Edit: The weather in November should be around 80 daytime and about 70 at night, and it should be dry, but no one can predict the weather. It could be hot or cold or raining, but chances are it will be just right. Remember, it is a small island, so there is almost always a moderating breeze.

[brainshrub]

27. I grew up in the Keys

I grew up in the keys. My parents had a house on Mile Marker 95, right on the ocean. Many happy memories.
Here is some advice:
1) Bring sunscreen lotion & Aloe!
2) Most of the cool stuff is in Key Largo, Marathon & Key West.
3) Buy your snorkel gear before you go on vacation. (It's cheaper)
4) I strongly suggest you rent a boat for an afternoon and explore the tiny surrounding islands.
5) If you choose to take my advice on suggestion #4. BRING BUG REPELLANT!!! (The mosquitoes love those tiny islands)
6) Remember to eat lots of bananas before you go out to sea. (Because bananas taste okay when you barf them out.)
7) Invest in a flotation device to attach to your car-keys. Even better...MAKE SPARE KEYS!!!!
8) Bring sunscreen lotion & Aloe!
9) The Keys no NOT have many beaches. The beaches you do see are man-made. All the best spots to see are going to be on rocky, sharp ground or thick muck...invest in good sandals that are comfortable and won't fall off!!!
10) Be prepared to drink way to much for your own good. :)
11) The Hemingway house in Key West is cool even tho' it's touristy.
12) Key Lime pie tastes best after a swim in the ocean.
13) Few things are as romantic as watching the sun set in Key West.
13) Bring suntan lotion & Aloe!

I know I'm focusing a lot of time on the sunscreen...but trust me, you don't need to "work on your tan" in the Keys. I have seen many-a-tourist get severe burns.

If you have any questions, feel free to email me: [e-mail]

[arwalden]

29. I Know That You Can't Lose Them Between The Sofa Cushions

... I've spent many vacations there. Key West is fun... but you have to know what to expect.

I was a bit disappointed the first time I ever went to Key West. I think I was expecting Ft. Lauderdale... and sandy beaches, etc.

-- Allen

[ProfessorGAC]

30. Lots Of Times

My wife and i have friends that live in Tavernier, a different couple in Islamorada, and her college roommate in Key West. So, we go every few years and visit everyone at once!

I really like it there: Golf, beer, cigars, sunshine, and the beach all within a few block of one another.

The weather in the winter is usually high 60's. A bit nippy at night because of the constant ocean breezes.

You probably won't do the f*&^ thing, because property values are VERY high down there. Land is a premium, and utilities are high, since everything needs to be pipelined the extra distance.

Don't get your hopes up too high on the music scene in Key West though. It's pretty pedestrian.

You'll like the overall ambience though, i'm sure.
The Professor

[cosmicdot]

31. Conch Republic: "We seceded where others failed."

http://www.conchrepublic.com/

[waywest]

32. Do I remember correctly...

That one of the highjackers had a Conch Republic passport?