Help me with a day in the Florida Keys...

[Stinasmom]

We are dropping our 15 year old son off with a fly fishing guide at Key Biscayne in Miami for an 8 hour adventure on August 23rd (next week).

It was my original plan to drive to Key West for Lunch and back again, but that may be a bit to far.... we don't want to be still out when our son is back from his trip.

So, please help us figure out how to spend our day driving into the keys and back --

We could take swim wear, rent snorkel gear along the way, and want to have a fabulous lunch.

Are the state parks equipped with showers (in or outdoors) to rinse off the salt water like in Hawaii?

Web sites are quick to tell of "Dive" sites, but where would snorkeling be best?

Should we skip snorkeling and just enjoy the drive, sites, and a fabulous place for lunch?

Thanks for any direction and advice you all might have!

Marcy

 

[sonnyjane]

We are dropping our 15 year old son off with a fly fishing guide at Key Biscayne in Miami for an 8 hour adventure on August 23rd (next week).

It was my original plan to drive to Key West for Lunch and back again, but that may be a bit to far.... we don't want to be still out when our son is back from his trip.

So, please help us figure out how to spend our day driving into the keys and back --

We could take swim wear, rent snorkel gear along the way, and want to have a fabulous lunch.

Are the state parks equipped with showers (in or outdoors) to rinse off the salt water like in Hawaii?

Web sites are quick to tell of "Dive" sites, but where would snorkeling be best?

Should we skip snorkeling and just enjoy the drive, sites, and a fabulous place for lunch?

Thanks for any direction and advice you all might have!

Marcy

Oh yikes you don't want to go all the way to Key West with just 8 hours to kill. It's a 3 hour drive each way WITH NO DELAYS. If you find yourself behind a truck towing a trailer or something, forget it.

If you just want to snorkel and get away for an afternoon just head to Key Largo and snorkel in Pennekamp. Go with an operator that will take you out to the reef (and provide gear, showers etc.) You can do some shore-based snorkeling but it's not the same. If you're near Pennekamp you should snorkel the actual reef.

 

[bcla]

It's a heck of a long way from Key Biscayne to Key West. If you had more time with no set schedule, you'd have time for lunch on Duval Street and maybe a visit to Hemingway House.

Getting down to Islamorada might be more manageable. Maybe Everglades National Park? I'm guessing you're already set with plans for Miami Beach.

 

[sonnyjane]

Yeah, for perspective, you could drive up to WDW in Orlando for lunch in the same amount of time as Key West haha!

 

[bcla]

You realize that Key Biscayne isn't really part of the Florida Keys, right? It's going to take a while just to get to the Keys. I will say it was one of the nicest drives I've ever made.

I made a half day myself on Key Biscayne and Virginia Key, with a visit to Miami Seaquarium and lunch at Sir Pizza (recommended by a local).

 

[Neesy228]

I agree that Key West is way too far for an 8 hour day. Pennekamp is a GREAT idea and a much more reasonable distance. Mrs Mac's Kitchen is a super kitschy (their walls are covered in license plates), but yummy and fun place for lunch. Not classy, but very Keys-ian.

If you want to go a little bit farther for the pretty views/drive, you could try to get as far as Marathon and go to the Dolphin Research Center or the turtle hospital. That's maybe 2-2.5 hours from Key Biscayne depending on traffic. There are several good places to eat down that way too. Herbie's is one of them, but it's not upscale. If you're looking for something more upscale, I might not be the one to help!

I think you probably need to decide if you'd rather drive and lunch or snorkel and lounge. 8 hours won't give you time to do it all without feeling rushed.

Have a fabulous trip and definitely try to make the drive down to Key West in the future. Not only is it a stunning drive, but Key West is a blast!

 

[donac]

I agree with Key Largo. John Pennekamp State Park is wonderful. We enjoyed it.

 

[Stinasmom]

Ohh, thanks for the input so far! I found a Cuban restaurant in Islamorada called Habanos... anyone familiar with it?
And yes, I will check out the John Pennekamp State Park.

We are headed to Eleuthera (island in Bahamas) for 6 days following this, so it maybe that we won't take the time to get into the ocean.
But love the ideas from those of you who've been there!

Anyone been to Eleuthera??
Did I mention we are traveling from Washington State!?! Let's just hope for no hurricanes or tropical storms!

Marcy

 

[JaxDad]

If you're going to the Bahamas for six days, maybe you should consider skipping the Keys and just spending the day in Miami--South Beach, Calle Ocho, etc...

 

[Stinasmom]

oh, but I so want to make at least part of that drive over islands and bridges...
Honestly, Miami South Beach doesn't interest us. Not sure of the other areas... thanks though for the suggestion!

 

[King Schultz]

oh, but I so want to make at least part of that drive over islands and bridges...
Honestly, Miami South Beach doesn't interest us. Not sure of the other areas... thanks though for the suggestion!

Key Largo is nice and if your main goal is snorkeling, you can't beat Pennekamp.

But it's the first key, and you kind of come out of the Everglades and it's there. . . you don't get a great feel of what "The Keys" are like.

Key West is too far for an 8 hour time frame, but Marathon is doable.

(I actually like Islamorada better but you don't hit any bridges before getting there.)


There's a place called 'Keys Fisheries" in Marathon- right on the water, great food, full bar.


Whatever you decide, have a safe and fun trip!

 

[bcla]

oh, but I so want to make at least part of that drive over islands and bridges...
Honestly, Miami South Beach doesn't interest us. Not sure of the other areas... thanks though for the suggestion!

Just driving into Key Biscayne means driving over islands and bridges.

 

[Soldier's*Sweeties]

Key Largo is nice and if your main goal is snorkeling, you can't beat Pennekamp.

But it's the first key, and you kind of come out of the Everglades and it's there. . . you don't get a great feel of what "The Keys" are like.

Key West is too far for an 8 hour time frame, but Marathon is doable.

(I actually like Islamorada better but you don't hit any bridges before getting there.)


There's a place called 'Keys Fisheries" in Marathon- right on the water, great food, full bar.


Whatever you decide, have a safe and fun trip!

Yes to this.

Islamorada is my favorite Key and Keys Fisheries in Marathon is delicious!
Stone Crab... YUM!

 

[JaxDad]

Yes to this.

Islamorada is my favorite Key and Keys Fisheries in Marathon is delicious!
Stone Crab... YUM!

...and you can feed the tarpon at Robbie's!

http://www.robbies.com/

 

[Soldier's*Sweeties]

...and you can feed the tarpon at Robbie's!

http://www.robbies.com/

I don't usually like super touristy places but I love Robbie's!

 

[JimMIA]

First of all, a little perspective -- Key Biscayne to Pennekamp, which is located in the extreme northern end of the Keys, is 67 miles. Pennekamp is about Mile Marker 106 in the Keys -- where everything is measured from MM 0 in Key West.

By far, the best snorkeling in the Keys is Looe Key National Marine Refuge, but the boats to there are located at about MM 27 on Ramrod Key -- 80 miles from Pennekamp and almost 150 miles from Key Biscayne. Pennekamp is an OK place to snorkel, but be advised that the reefs throughout the Keys are all 4-5 miles offshore, so you have to boat there. Most of the trips to Looe Key are 1/2 day trips.

Robbie's is fun. It's at MM 77.5 at the upper end of Lower Matecumbee Key, so about 30 miles from Pennekamp. If you get down that far, or a little farther, you will be in the REALLY pretty Middle Keys -- lots of smallish islands with long bridges and beautiful water. It's a much prettier area that the area around Pennekamp or Key West.

Also -- Stone Crabs -- fabulous, but do not eat them in August. They will be frozen and will not have the taste they should have. "R Months only" for Stone Crabs.

 

[King Schultz]

...and you can feed the tarpon at Robbie's!

http://www.robbies.com/

Another vote for Robbies. . when we went out of Islamorada marina we took our fresh caught Mahi to the the Hungry Tarpon and they cooked it several different ways with sides- we ate, fed the tarpon. .. a dolphin was hanging in the river.

Great time!.

 

[King Schultz]

Yes to this.

Islamorada is my favorite Key and Keys Fisheries in Marathon is delicious!
Stone Crab... YUM!

I could eat stone crab, conch fritters, and grilled mahi 7 days a week.

 

[loves to dive]

We've been to the keys many times diving and enjoy just driving around and finding little local hole in the wall type places. I'd say if you don't have a convertible, rent one, drop the top and just drive until you see something that interests you, stop and explore. Rinse and repeat until you only have enough time left to make the trip back and rinse and repeat on the way back up.

 

[Lilacs4Me]

You are coming from Washington State? Do you travel to the southeast US a lot?

If this is a "one and only" trip, make the 3 hour drive to Key West! So, worst case (in normal conditions of course) you spend three hours on what I hear is a beautiful drive, and you can spend two hours on Key West and three hours back.

That's what I would do, but DH and I do crazy stuff with limited time, all the time.