Key West Day Trip

[JLR]

Thanks to all who replied.

[lake of the woods]

JLR,

A day trip is pretty tight.
If you decide to stay over a night consider a ferry trip out to the Dry Tortugas National Historic Site. It is absolutely beautiful (check it out on the web).
It is a day-long excursion by cat ferry.
You need to book a week or two in advance as the ferry is popular.

Mark
Lake of the Woods
1989 40 DC

[dottieshusband]

It's a 120 mile plus slow ride from Homestead, plan on 3 hours both ways. I liked Mel Fishers treasure museum, Audubon, Hemmingway, and KW Lighthouse are the tourist draws. +1 on A&B, Turtle Kraawls, and Counch. Kelly McGillis's place is nice. Walk the docks at Galleon, Bight, Counch, and A&B and you'll be impressed by all the old Hatts down there. If your into drinking, Flying Monkeys has the best deal in town on frozen drinks, 10 bucks for 22oz in an insulated sports bottle, with 7 buck refills. Great for walking around.

[JLR]

Wow. Three hours each way. I had not bargained for that. Perhaps a stop not as far south for the day may be more in line with a day trip. So, I guess the question is, does anyone have any suggestions for a day trip in the keys south of Ocean Reef? Six hours in the car is not my cup of tea. Thanks.

[SeaEric]

Islamorada Fish Company/Bass Pro Shop. The store with the "Pilar" replica is great fun and the lunch on the water is always good.

[Boatsb]

Islamorada Fish Company/Bass Pro Shop. The store with the "Pilar" replica is great fun and the lunch on the water is always good.

What he said.

Also a nice tiki bar on the beach there (holiday Inn if memory serves). And tarpon feeding.

FWIW. A 2 or 3 day trip to KW is well worth it.

[bobk]

If you do go to Islamorada, Morada Bay has a neat full moon party. Summer dates are 6/18, 7/22 and 8/20. Check their web page.

Bobk

[capttonyf]

For a shorter day trip, like mentioned above. Bass Pro and Islamorada Fish Company, Hawks Cay Resort. Holiday Isle/Post Card Inn has a little back Dock Raw Bar right on the the beach/Atlantic, along with a fleet of charter boats. Just drive and look around, lots of neat little places to stop from junk stores to dive shops, marinas, restaurants on the water etc. I really enjoy the keys.

As far as it being a 3 hour drive it depends. It's 126 Miles and could take anywhere from 2.5 to 4.5 if there's traffic. The day of the week will have a lot to do with it. The thing is, don't rush it. Make it a 2 day and 1 night in Key West trip. Stop along the way and enjoy it.

Tony

[Nonchalant1]

A couple of small points:
You gott'a go to Cole's Peace bakery and get their Mango Bread. Take it back with you and warm up slices in the toaster, and butter them for breakfast.
Also, you gott'a find and take a picture of Mile Zero sign for US Route 1 that runs the length of the USA East Coast.

[captainwjm]

Don't know if you've made your trip yet, but understand that Islamorada is not Key West. I love Islamorada because it is not Key West. Islamorada consists of four keys: Plantation, Windley and Upper and Lower Matecumbe.

Islamorada is laid back, so there is little to do that doesn't involve fishing, or eating and drinking. For activities, I suggest a glass-bottom boat ride from the Key Largo city docks or the John Pennekamp State Park. Or take the park shuttle at Robbie's Marina on Lower Matecumbe Key to Lignumvite Key State Park. You could spend a day at the Marine Mammal Park - "swim with the dolphins" - on Windley Key. And, there are numerous museums and art galleries; see the Keys History Museum at Guy Harvey's Islander, or the History of Diving Museum both on Upper Matecumbe.

World Wide Sportsman, a mini-Bass Pro Shop, is worthwhile only to see the replica of Pilar. If you want the Bass Pro experience, go to Miami.

Most restaurants in Islamorada are decent to very good. My tastes run to bar food, so my favorites include Dunn's Ocean View, Hog Heaven, and Lorelei in Islamorada and the Pilot House Glass Bottom bar in Key Largo. Marker 88, and Morada Bay offer more upscale dining on the Islamorada bayside.