Florida Keys Help

mzrsq

Busaless
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Looking to take the bikes down to the Keys the end of March. Having never been there before I have no clue where I should look to stay. Anywhere between Key Largo and Key West? Prefer a house or Condo for a week over a hotel/motel. Would prefer ocean/beach front if possible. Needs entertainment for a 16 and 18 year old girl while I'm out riding/drinking (did I just type that :whistle:).

Appreciate any info from those that have had the opportunity to explore the Keys before.
 
I have boys 17 and an 18 years old. But I think you had so ething else in mind. :laugh:
 
3 months probably isn't much time to get a place. Maybe the bad economy will help you out. Most locations like this are a year in advance. Good luck and have a great time. Been thinking about the Keys myself.
 
March will be the perfect time. At that point in the yr the Yangees will be fittin to head north..:cheerleader::cheerleader:and the camp grounds and places to stay will be emptying out.
It is also a good time cuz there it will be in the low 80s that time with not much humidity.
Come May, June or later when it starts to warm up all the conchs (us locals) go there to hang out cuz all the northeners cant take the heat.

I always liked staying in the Marathon area cuz it is just about in the middle of the keys.
This way you can head north about 30-45min depending on drunks in the roads to Islamorada for some excellent charter or beach fishing as well as some of the best seafood you can get. From Marathon you are about 1 hr south to Key West where you can go get a 'Cheeseburger in Paradise' at Buffets Margaritaville as well as hang out and take in the sites. I say 30 min here 1 hr there but this is only cuz you are on the overseas highway and can only go 20mph in some places. For the girls if you can manage to not worry and they are mature 16 and 18 yr old girls think about renting them a couple scooters when here and give them a map.
Heck there is only one road in and out. If they head south and you stand in the road it is impossible for them to pass by you.....:laugh:
For how long are you staying ?
If your driving I would consider renting a camper if you dont already have one and trailer the bikes.
Rent a spot in Marathon area right on the beach. If your the kind who likes that.


Ps......I'm biting my lip on the request to entertain the girls...They will be able to ride scooters around KW at low speeds(15mph) like its Disney and have a blast.
 
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Looking to take the bikes down to the Keys the end of March. Having never been there before I have no clue where I should look to stay. Anywhere between Key Largo and Key West? Prefer a house or Condo for a week over a hotel/motel. Would prefer ocean/beach front if possible. Needs entertainment for a 16 and 18 year old girl while I'm out riding/drinking (did I just type that :whistle:).

Appreciate any info from those that have had the opportunity to explore the Keys before.

Have you checked the .Org travel thread for members in the area that will host you?
 
Expensive drinks I hear....but I wanna go down there too this year:thumbsup:no comment on the girls since I have my own that age:laugh::laugh:
 
You live in Ohio...drinking is our way of life! :beerchug: :rofl: Have fun in the Keys!
 
You should be fine finding a place. Look around Homestead if you want economics. Homestead you can take the causeway (Toll) over to key largo and down. If you want the closest to Key West, Look around 1/2 way at marathon and at Key West. You can find some larger hotels that the rates are not bad and I am sure you will find a room. The drive to Key West is well worth the experience but you do not want to make it each day.

If you stay at Homestead you can still get up to Miami and go to South Beach and the Coco Walk.
 
Bed and Breakfast places are the best way to enjoy the Keys. Just do some research and you will find lots of info. Its a hot spot for a lot of cruisers around Florida.
 
Thanks for the info. I have been thinking about going to the keys for awhile for our 20th Anniversary. I hear it is a quite a nice romantic place with lots of history and activities. The other place in the running is Disney world. Maybe we can do both!!! :whistle:
 
Enjoy have a good time. Great time of the year to be down there too. Be sure to take lots of pics to share.

Your girls should be just fine, extra light loafers cover a large portion of the population down there :whistle: Not that I have a problem w/ that :laugh:

Still would want to be careful w/ 'em down there though.
 
Thanks guys, And I didn't necessarily mean drinking and riding at the same time. You can ride all day and drink all night :beerchug: .

As for the girls :rofl: I appreciate all your self kept thoughts to entertain. Trust me, I already have that concern.

I haven't been to Florida in 20 years, and even then was only on the gulf side near Venice, so I'm hoping this works out. I've got the trailer for the bikes, got the vacation time, think I have enough money, just need a great place to stay....

I like the idea of a camper pulling the trailer and the beach, might look into that as an option......Keep the suggestions coming.
 
Get a pic at the point. Yes the front fender is gone. Some asshat backed into me and broke it.

33.jpg
 
Simonton Court is always my choice. Right off the main drag so you can walk anywhere (or crawl)...only 2 rules dont drive drunk and always check for an adams apple..Lol. Have fun
 
I'm usually just a lurker and dont post but since I lived in the Keys for about a year I can help a little. If I were going back down I would stay in between Marathon(mm 50) and Big Pine Key (mm 30) (Big Pine being my first choice). Both are nice and not as expensive as Key West and they have almost like a Mayberry like feel believe it or not. Bahia Honda state park is between them also and is the only natural beach in the lower keys due to a break in the reef which allows the sand in. Islamarado is the best fishing which is like mm 70 although fishing is good everywhere. The dauphin will not have come in yet that early though. Looe Key reef is probably the best diving in the U.S. and is off of Big Pine Key, absolutely a must do. In Key West you should go to the sunset festival, eat at turtle krawls and blue heaven(i think its blue heaven I know its blue something) and have a drink at Capt Tony's. As for riding a word to the wise, don't speed. Law enforcement (State, county, local and Florida Fish and Wildlife all have ticket books, believe me) is everywhere as US 1 is pretty much the only road. Probably the fastest limit is 55 and most places its 35. Simple speeding tickets can be in the 300-500 dollar range due to endangered species issues (Key Deer). A good day trip would be to the everglades and flamingo which is nice in march because the winter wind is still blowing which will keep the mosquitos down. Hopes this helps some.
 
I second what schoech1 said.
I have camped over 25 times in the Keys and my fav spot is like I said and he did right in the middle. Marathon - Big Pine Key area.
You can also look for trailer(mobile homes) for rent there as well.
Capt Tony's is OK but you need to make sure you get to the 'No Name Pub' in Big Pine.
Xcellent pizza and great scenery inside.
The whole inside of the restautrant has dollar bills stapled to the walls.
It is tradition for folks who visit to write something/ANYTHING on the bill and staple it to the wall.
Some of the things you read are insane.

Take a look....No Name Pub, Big Pine Key, Florida, Florida's Famous Pub Pizza

I sometimes make the ride there just for a luchtime pizza and come home as round trip is about 300 miles or so for me.

As you get closer to WPB let me know thru PM maybe if space permits y'all can stay here for a night and head down in the morn as driving over the overseas Hgwy at night is very dangerous.
There are many miles with no streetlights and they are old two lane roads in the middle of NOWHERE. Best travelled when the sun is up
The last 200 miles or so can take the longest cuz as mentioned there is ONE road in and ONE road out. It is the same one, US1 otherwise known in the keys as the overseas Hgwy.
A simple fender bender can back up 100 miles of traffic and take six hours to clear.

Once you get into the Middle to Lower Keys please drive slowly as we have a very rare species of deer here. They are endangered and called Key Deer. The biggest "buck' If you can call it that you may see is all of about 40lbs.
They are tame toward people because even though it is illegal to do so folks hand feed them.
The deer have learned to come out and stand close to the roads because they know that vacationers will say 'OMG stop the car lemme take a pic'.
When you get out they come up to you for food.
I admit it is a popular thing to get an order of Fries to go from No Name and then go feed the Key Deer. One of the roads most famous for this is about 10min from the pub.
Go down the road, stop, turn off engine and get out with the Fries...
They will smell them and come out of the woods for a look.
If your patient and move slowly they will come right up and nibble a fry from your hand.
The gilrs should really like that....gimme time I have pics somewhere of 'someone' doing that. I'll see if I can find them and scan one for one.
 
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