Florida Keys Vacation

[weluvdisneyx4]

I used to be a regular poster but don't get on much anymore. I do know this is a great place to get vacation advice. My family is finally going to take our Florida Everglades and Keys vacation this summer. We got a good deal on a SW flight and will be flying into Fort Lauderdale. We are thinking of spending 2 days in the Everglades and 4 days in the Keys. I have been planning to stay in Islamarada or Marathon to be in the middle of the Keys so we can go where we want. The first 2 days we will stay in Florida City or Homestead.

I am asking for advice on places to stay in Fla. City/Homestead as well as somewhere in the middle of the Keys. We would prefer a suite or something w/ at least 1 separate bedroom. It doesn't have to be the Ritz, but we want something clean and safe and not falling apart. We would also like something overlooking the water if possible.

Any other advice on things to do, restaurants, etc. would be appreciated.

TIA!

 

[ronandannette]

We were extremely impressed with this motel in Florida City. We stayed there overnight as a "launching place" for our trip down the Keys last fall.
http://www.tripadvisor.ca/members-citypage/ronandannette/g34225

 

[bcla]

We were extremely impressed with this motel in Florida City. We stayed there overnight as a "launching place" for our trip down the Keys last fall.
http://www.tripadvisor.ca/members-citypage/ronandannette/g34225

I remember I was warned away from Florida City or Homestead. Something about a good chance of vehicle break-ins. I was in contact with someone who worked for the National Park Service (Everglades NP and Biscayne NP have their administration and scientific HQ there) and was told that they were told not to stay too late at night or park there on weekends.

 

[ebtbmom]

I've been to the Turtle Hospital in Marathon, it's a pretty neat attraction. It makes you realize how much trash thrown into the water can hurt sea turtles. The Dolphin Research Center is interesting too. Not sure where to stay because we stayed in Key Largo.

 

[bcla]

It might be kind of pricey, but I wanted to visited Fort Jefferson when I was down there, but I had a weather-related change of plans. It's an all-day trip through a 70 mile ferry or seaplane ride from Key West, and it's a place that relatively very few people visit.

http://www.drytortugas.com/key-west-tours
http://keywestseaplanecharters.com

 

[ronandannette]

I remember I was warned away from Florida City or Homestead. Something about a good chance of vehicle break-ins. I was in contact with someone who worked for the National Park Service (Everglades NP and Biscayne NP have their administration and scientific HQ there) and was told that they were told not to stay too late at night or park there on weekends.

I can't imagine why. Granted, we're from a place where we are generally safe at all times and perhaps carry a false sense of security with us but we arrived here at about 1:30 a.m. after having driven from MIA and definitely didn't notice any cause for alarm. When we got up the next morning the place was filled with other couples and many families, nobody looked scared. The vehicles that had been in the parking lot overnight didn't seem any worse for the wear.

 

[bcla]

I can't imagine why. Granted, we're from a place where we are generally safe at all times and perhaps carry a false sense of security with us but we arrived here at about 1:30 a.m. after having driven from MIA and definitely didn't notice any cause for alarm. When we got up the next morning the place was filled with other couples and many families, nobody looked scared. The vehicles that had been in the parking lot overnight didn't seem any worse for the wear.

These are parts of the messages I traded with this Park Service employee (edited for anonymity). I was looking to visit Everglades NP and Biscayne NP. I thought the location would be convenient and the rates were low. I didn't stay there as this guy specifically warned me. Also - the correspondence wasn't in his official capacity.

Hey BCLA, let me talk to the people I work with and find out where people stay when they visit Miami. I would not recomend staying in the Homestead/Florida City area. The trip from Miami south in the morning and back in the evening is no issue.
** **
I work in a building in downtown Homestead. NPS has implimented truncated work hours, security codes 5:00 PM-9:00 PM and no access on weekends because of crime issues in our parking lot. They also ask us to please not work after dark unless absolutly necessary. Need I say more?

It was a while ago though. I ended up booking a room in Islamorada on my way to Key West. However that reservation was cancelled due to the weather-related issue I mentioned earlier.

Post #4 is from someone who claims that their car was broken into after only stopping 10 minutes. Apparently the big issue is that a lot of thieves are targeting cars passing through in hopes that they might have a lot of luggage. It might be different at a motel where most would unload luggage.

http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopi...is_a_safety_city_or-Florida_City_Florida.html

The place I was looking at was the Econo Lodge. It was really cheap, I was single, and the location was convenient. Then I read reviews including many that noted security issues. The comments from the NPS employee kind of sealed it for me, and I ended up booking separately in Islamorada and near Miami Airport. I was thinking of staying in the same place bookending a night in Key West.

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g34225-d86724-Reviews-Econo_Lodge-Florida_City_Florida.html

 

[mom2grace]

We rented a house in Marathon over New Year's through VRBO. It was on the water & had a dock for a boat. There really isn't any beach in the keys. There is Sombrero Beach in Marathon, it was nice but small. Maybe look in Key Colony Beach? It was very crowded & busy over New Years. I don't know what the beach there was like.

 

[bcla]

We rented a house in Marathon over New Year's through VRBO. It was on the water & had a dock for a boat. There really isn't any beach in the keys. There is Sombrero Beach in Marathon, it was nice but small. Maybe look in Key Colony Beach? It was very crowded & busy over New Years. I don't know what the beach there was like.

Fort Zachary Taylor Historic State Park has a beach on the southwest tip of Key West. The beach is shared with a section of NAS Key West (I looked it up and it's called the Truman Annex). It looks like the Navy actually has some cabanas on their section of the beach, but it also looks like there's a fence separating their section from the public area. The public side of the beach has a snack bar.

https://www.google.com/maps/@24.5465729,-81.8086096,621m/data=!3m1!1e3

https://www.floridastateparks.org/park/Fort-Taylor

 

[sharona]

We're here now in Key Largo at the Hampton Inn. Love this place. Today we were watching the sunset in the shallow water and a baby manatee swam right up to DD. Apparently they are here in the bay every afternoon. Totally awesome here. Nice pool and free breakfast, kayaks and paddle boards right at the beach for guests to use. Not really centrally located if you plan to go all the way to Key West but closer than Florida City.

 

[NewRVLady]

homestead gave me a creepy feeling- honestly drive 20 more minutes to the first Key - Key Largo-and stay at that Hampton Inn that Sharona posted above!
It was great!
Sunsets amazing! Used to be another resort so the rooms are better- all with balconies, a Tiki bar a Huge breakfast area- and it's right near the State park for Coral reefs

 

[NewRVLady]

Mid keys-
Marathon Key has a brand new Hyatt place- we loved it
All rooms have a sofa area...and you can walk to a lighthouse and boat docks, and a seperation restaurant on the dock. It was perfect mid point area to stay - large Publix grocery nearby !

 

[taylor1293]

We go down to Homestead / The Keys every year for the NASCAR race. We have stayed in Homestead/Florida City (Ramada, Hampton Inn, Holiday Inn) and never had a problem. We have also stayed at the Holiday Inn in Key Largo, the Postcard Inn in Islamorada, and the Holiday Inn Express in Marathon. We enjoyed all three but are returning to Postcard this year for the views .

 

[OhMari]

We stayed in Marathon at Choral Cove o. We rented a 3 Bedroom Condo for $220 a nite. It was on the canal but had a swimming pool. We went Kayaking in the mangroves in Marathon and snorkeling out to the reef from Marathon. We drove down to Key West for a day and into the night. I wish we would of did a day in Key Largo, if I were you I would stay 2 days in Key Largo and skip Homestead, nothing there except the NASCAR track.

 

[kiltclan]

My personal opinion, living in Miami, would be to keep driving through Fl. City and head to Key Largo. Some parts of Fl. City can look pleasant, but you can easily make a wrong turn and end up at the less-pleasant neighborhoods. The Hampton inn is great out on Largo, but I'd like to make note of a small easy-to-pass but beautiful location known as the Amoray Dive Resort. I stay there often when I'm making launches down to Key West and usually spend my day at John Pennekamp park right down the way before heading off for the southernmost point the next morning.

As for a locals recommendations on things to do, I've got a few. Before you leave homestead, try to stop by Monkey Jungle for a fun while. It puts the people in the cages and lets the monkeys roam free around you (and you can totally feed them which is kinda awesome). John Pennekamp park has nice kayaking, swimming and a cool glass bottom boat too. But, for quite possibly the best seafood in the upper keys, make sure you stop by Whale Harbor Inn on Islamorada; they should be re-opening the buffet soon after being closed for almost a year due to smoke damage and you can feed some tarpon while you're there. The Turtle Hospital a pp mentioned is a must if you like animals. If you're more of a beer drinker, you can stop by Schnebly's Winery/Miami brewing Company in Homestead and the Islamorada brewing company is right off the main road so it's hard to miss.

When in key west, absolutely ride the conch train, and grab a bottle of the key-limeaid while you're there. The Earnest Hemmingway House is always a must for me since he was such a great writer (and all those adorable 6-toed cats). As for the best resturant in Key west, The Flaming Buoy Filet co., don't let the outside fool you on this one. It's a tiny joint, only about 10 tables in total, but I wouldnt eat anywhere else.

 

[HM]

We did a trip last year. Stayed for two nights in Key West at a great B&B and a Marriott on Key Largo. Enjoyed both very much.

 

[weluvdisneyx4]

Thanks everyone for all the info. We are looking at staying in Florida City/Homestead for when we visit the Everglades. Would Key Largo be too far away to visit the Everglades for a couple of days? The Monkey Jungle sounds great! I have been looking at VRBO and found a few possibilities.

 

[bcla]

Thanks everyone for all the info. We are looking at staying in Florida City/Homestead for when we visit the Everglades. Would Key Largo be too far away to visit the Everglades for a couple of days? The Monkey Jungle sounds great! I have been looking at VRBO and found a few possibilities.

Depends on what part of the Everglades. When I visited the NPS worker I was in contact with said that driving in from South Miami shouldn't be too bad. However, I made the mistake of taking US-1 rather than the turnpike. I was too cheap to pay tolls, but was told that it was much faster, especially since US-1 has a lot of surface streets with traffic lights.

There's the way down to Flamingo, which has a lot of hammocks. I don't know how to describe them outside of these large patches of dense vegetation growing around grassland. Some of the choice ones have boardwalks set up for visitors. Most of the Everglades are relatively low grassland, but then there are these dense stands of trees and bushes. Right at the Coe Visitor Center there's some excellent alligator viewing areas. I can almost guarantee you'll see alligators and gars. Flamingo actually has a harbor, and I was told occasionally they have American crocodiles swimming around the empty boat slips.

http://www.nps.gov/ever/learn/nature/hardwoodhammock.htm

I'd also recommend the Shark Valley Tram Tour. There's an official concessionaire working with NPS. Most will include a park ranger as a guide but some don't and the driver will be your guide.

http://www.sharkvalleytramtours.com

The Gulf Coast Visitor Center is pretty good too, but really only if you're going to take the boat tour through the Ten Thousand Islands. When I took the tour we saw dolphins, birds, and mangroves as far as the eye could see.

And there's Biscayne National Park. It's pretty good, but basically there's little to see unless you get on a boat. And I just looked it up and it seems like all the boat rentals and the glass-bottom boat tours have been suspended.

http://www.nps.gov/bisc/planyourvisit/things2do.htm

And don't forget that there are mosquitoes all over this area since there's lots of stagnant water everywhere and tropical weather. I got tagged pretty good by all the mosquitoes. I even got bitten through my clothes.