Help me plan a trip to the Keys.

[DC20]

Going mid April for a week, 3 of us.
Want to go from Key Largo to Key West. Looking for inexpensive (relative to the keys) and clean hotels with maybe a kitchenette. Will want to stay near Key Largo first night after 6 hour drive. My 10 year old daughter loves to snorkel. Have not been there in over 12 years but when we were there we took a tour Stike Zone Charters maybe? They took us to a reef, out back to Monkey Island, and cooked us dinner on an island that had a canal dug through the center. Also went out to a house on an island made out of Coral?
I am not trailering the boat down, just want to keep it simple and inexpensive as possible. My wife would love to be able to fish off a dock at the hotel as well.
Post your thought and ideas!

 

[capt sam]

Re: Help me plan a trip to the Keys.

I have a camper I share with a friend at the Big Pine Key Fishing Lodge. They also have efficencies with kitchenettes and a big pool, fairly cheap, around $130 a night I think, it's a very nice place and the people there are great. It has rental boats and is about 8 miles from Looe Key and right across from Bahia Honda. You can fish the Spanish Harbor bridge right there, my son caught his first tarpon there when he was a just a little guy. It's a 45 minute or so drive to Key West about the same to Islamorada. I have the phone number if you want it.

 

[pine island fred]

Re: Help me plan a trip to the Keys.

Have no problem recommending PARMERS RESORT on LITTLE TORCH around yard stick 25. Been there a few time, delightful. Gin clear water, heated pool, off the main road. All sorts of accomidations, closet size rooms up to a whole house. Dont think I can post the web site but it is pretty strait forward with the .com FRED

 

[JP Fla]

Re: Help me plan a trip to the Keys.

Sunset Cove on the Bay side in Largo, nice small place, ramp, docks. They have a website, don't know cost though.

Holiday Isle in Islamorada.

Have fun.

 

[JP Fla]

Re: Help me plan a trip to the Keys.

http://www.sunsetcovebeachresort.com/

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Help me plan a trip to the Keys.

agree with pine island fred, we rent a house on Little Torch, every August, i have seen Parmers, looks very nice and clean. the water is perfect, right across the cut From Strike Zone Charters. definately take their trip out to Loe Key if you like to snorkel, we did it our first year, now we go out on our on. Don't miss the No Name Pub, best pizza and in the world.

key deer on the way to No Name Pub

your dock on the Atlantic side of the bridge from Parmers. this is a video, during hurricane Gustav last year. that is Big Pine Key across the cut.


Florida Lobster

snorkeling for lobster

the beautiful Atlantic going to Loe Key

 

[Keybear]

Re: Help me plan a trip to the Keys.

Bahia Honda State Park has a big snorkle boat that goes out to Looe Key ( 50 mi I think). Of all the great dive and snorkle reefs this is near the top. Even small kids forget they are out so far and have fun, My family has done this for years even though we have had our own boats. They have a morning run and one just after 1200 I believe. They cater to the family and are nice folks.

 

[capt sam]

Re: Help me plan a trip to the Keys.

50 miles? It's 8 miles from Bahia Honda.

 

[rentprop1]

Re: Help me plan a trip to the Keys.

gotta agree Looe Key is top notch, I spent 17 years in Lauderdale and we use to run down to Pennycamp ST PK in Key Largo for day trips when we had out of town guests, but there just seems to be so much more at Looe Key...there used to be a hotel on the Atl side I think it was Looe key resort and dive center, kinda old, but docks out the back and a pool in the front, plus deals on snorkeling if you stay there...not far from Key West

 

[ShaneCarroll]

Re: Help me plan a trip to the Keys.

I stayed in a place called Banana Bay Resort in Key West. Found it on hotels.com. It was roughly $150 a night, but the room was nice, private beach area (not an actual beach, seawall, but still beautiful) It was close to everything, and very nice, kitchenette included. I would highly recommend it.

 

[jspringator]

Re: Help me plan a trip to the Keys.

I have camped here without a boat, but have always wanted to go here with my boat and leave the camper at home.

http://www.keysdirectory.com/knightskeyinn/

Is the Sombrero reef they mention any good?