Florida keys

**dafman** · 26-03-2005, 00:49

Going to Florida Next year but are also thinking of going to the keys for a couple of days, any advice on where is best and also how long would it take to drive, i would of thought a full day

**Genie** · 26-03-2005, 01:19

There is a trip from Orlando that we have done down to the keys excelent value. You leave Orlando the Wednesday morning for Key Largo stopping off at a Gator farm. You get a brilliant Airboat ride , then down to the Keys where you have a bar-b-que on the beach , watch a sunset and enjoy a cocktail, stay the night at a hotel, continental breakfast , then the next day you can do a swim with the Dolphin excursion, then drive into Miami, a boat trip round Millionaire's coast, then back to Orlando. Brilliant trip can really recomend it. $199 for the 2 day trip plus $135 for the Dolphin swim.

**Magical Dreams** · 26-03-2005, 01:19

I'm sure you will have a fantastic time in the Keys, could you not fly there and use the extra time to see more of the Keys?
Or is it part of the fun driving there and back?

[msnsmile2]

**John Rocke** · 26-03-2005, 02:48

We stayed on Key Largo a few years ago and it was a fair drive from Orlando. Key West is another two hours from there. It is a great place to go but I think you have to stay overnight in Key West to get the flavour of the place, as it is in the evening that the place comes to life. Its very touristy (no surprise), very liberal.

There is a tourist train you can take which circles the town and passes all the must see places, and this is a good way to see and pin point the places you may want to lookover in greater detail, such as Hemingway's house.

There are plenty of trips on the Keys, all related to the wildlife and the flora and fauna of the region.

There is a coral reef off Largo that has regular boat trips to from the John Pennekamp National Park.

If you are going in High Season, you really need to book accommodation before you arrive.

You should be able to do everything in the keys in a couple of days, but you need to allow a day at either end for travelling.

have fun

john r.

**trevlad** · 26-03-2005, 03:58

genies idea sounds good dafman, but is that on a coach ?

we drove down last year to 'run away from the bad weather' for the weekend in august high season. very busy getting down on a friday night rush hour thru miami. made a mistake of getting on the us 1 road high up to see some local life and spent ages chugging along.so stay on the fast road as long as poss.

key largo to key west was only an hour for us. we didnt pre book. to get an idea of the accomodation, we just grabbed a couple of the voucher and hotel books you see at the road side and the kids and off we went - road run.
we ended up staying at the key west hilton, very nice.right on the front where the liners pull in and has use of its own island!!!!!.
did the usual visits and had a trot about duval street on a night - some real characters out on the town, but not really a nasty atmosphere with it. some good fish restaurants too, obviously . as it was late on the friday, we just picknicked back at the hotel on the first night,hired a film on the tv, got some pizza and nibbles and 'brown bagged it' with some wine and a bottle opener from the local store.great fun[msnsmile2]

we are going to give it a miss now this year but next time we will go early in the morning and stop off on the way down to swim and eat, go fishing etc

have a great time matey[msnsmile2]

**Ruth** · 26-03-2005, 04:10

We have been to the Keys a few times and like Key Largo the best

I would stay overnight there if possible as the drive is a long one.

**chrizzy100** · 26-03-2005, 05:17

My daughter just phoned me from the keys and she is having a good time.....she said its well worth a visit......

**Ray&Sarah** · 26-03-2005, 12:11

The keys are well worth a visit, a few days is enough though with children.[msnsmile]

I think I read about the trip Genie has mentioned and it was highly recommended.[msnsmile2]