Florida Keys in October?
Discussion
We (2 adults, 2 teenage boys) have return flights to Miami in the last week of October.
We haven’t yet decided where we want to go, but I’m interested by the idea of the Florida Keys. Have any PH’ers been? Where was good? I think we’ll look to do a few days road-trip / exploring and then have a few nights in a big resort hotel. Thoughts, recommendations..?
We haven’t yet decided where we want to go, but I’m interested by the idea of the Florida Keys. Have any PH’ers been? Where was good? I think we’ll look to do a few days road-trip / exploring and then have a few nights in a big resort hotel. Thoughts, recommendations..?
If possible, I'd try to work in a visit to Universal Studios in Orlando for their Halloween Horror nights on at that time of year - maybe a road trip or fly in/out of Orlando or Tampa.
If you or your teenagers are horror movie fans it's well worth it, and shows off the studio side of Universal and what they can do.
If you or your teenagers are horror movie fans it's well worth it, and shows off the studio side of Universal and what they can do.
WindyCommon said:
We (2 adults, 2 teenage boys) have return flights to Miami in the last week of October.
We haven’t yet decided where we want to go, but I’m interested by the idea of the Florida Keys. Have any PH’ers been? Where was good? I think we’ll look to do a few days road-trip / exploring and then have a few nights in a big resort hotel. Thoughts, recommendations..?
Its lovely. We went back in 2007 and would happily go back. Some of the warmest waters I have Scuba Dived in 29C if memory serves. We stayed around mile marker 86. The resort has long gone now, but they have dive gear shops the size of Currys and to a brit that blew my mind.We haven’t yet decided where we want to go, but I’m interested by the idea of the Florida Keys. Have any PH’ers been? Where was good? I think we’ll look to do a few days road-trip / exploring and then have a few nights in a big resort hotel. Thoughts, recommendations..?
I enjoyed the Keys, last time I visited i stayed here https://www.hawkscay.com/
What I found with the Keys is, the further you go down towards Key West the higher the cost of a hotel!
What I found with the Keys is, the further you go down towards Key West the higher the cost of a hotel!
That time of year is Fantasy Fest in Key West
https://www.fantasyfest.com
Seems quite innocuous but a lot swingers descend...
https://www.fantasyfest.com
Seems quite innocuous but a lot swingers descend...
We spend a alot of time in the keys and October is a lovely time to be there, just starting to cool down a bit after a sweltering summer, the snow birds haven't arrived yet and hotels and rentals are more keenly priced.
Key West is different that the rest of the keys in that it's more populated and a huge tourist destination, defo somewhere to visit, but not to stay.
As has been mentioned, if you love crystal clear water, snorkeling boating, fishing, diving and nature in general, then the keys are a mecca, but if none of those things really float your boat (no pun intended) then it might not be up your street. Everywhere other than Key West is entirely based around these activities.
Outside of Key West and outside the confines of a resort hotel, some might describe things as a little ramshackle, one of the things I love about it, but that's not for everyone.
There are several marine national state parks with incredible facilities, (John Pennekamp being probably the best) which are great places to spend a day, from Key West it is possible to get a ferry to Dry Tortugas, which is well worth a visit.
Marathon is probably the most central and cost effective place to be based.
Key West is different that the rest of the keys in that it's more populated and a huge tourist destination, defo somewhere to visit, but not to stay.
As has been mentioned, if you love crystal clear water, snorkeling boating, fishing, diving and nature in general, then the keys are a mecca, but if none of those things really float your boat (no pun intended) then it might not be up your street. Everywhere other than Key West is entirely based around these activities.
Outside of Key West and outside the confines of a resort hotel, some might describe things as a little ramshackle, one of the things I love about it, but that's not for everyone.
There are several marine national state parks with incredible facilities, (John Pennekamp being probably the best) which are great places to spend a day, from Key West it is possible to get a ferry to Dry Tortugas, which is well worth a visit.
Marathon is probably the most central and cost effective place to be based.
We are heading to Florida in September and by coincidence have just booked a couple of nights in Marathon. We do a house swap with friends in Marco Island, so fly in to Miami then drive over. We are breaking up the two weeks with a drive back across to Miami then down to Marathon for two nights. We have done the Keys a number of times over the years and it’s more about doing a road trip for me rather than the destination (Key West is a long way and pretty average and expensive); we hire a Mustang convertible for the holiday and I love driving so we might take a trip down to Key West from Marathon for the day or just relax at the hotel.
If I was you, unless you are dead set on Key West, somewhere like Marathon or Key Largo might be a decent compromise/base. I’ve been disappointed in some of the hotels I’ve stayed in over the years (in the Keys) so definitely look for some recommendations/reviews. My wife works for a company that owns a Marriott so she gets a partner discount providing they have empty rooms, which makes it affordable, but even still the hotel we booked in Marathon was still pretty cheap at the headline rate (even when you include the dreaded resort fee!).
I think visiting the Keys is something you should do once, but if you are looking for something else, Marco Island is really nice as is Naples. I’m sure whatever you do you will have a great time..I personally love Florida!
If I was you, unless you are dead set on Key West, somewhere like Marathon or Key Largo might be a decent compromise/base. I’ve been disappointed in some of the hotels I’ve stayed in over the years (in the Keys) so definitely look for some recommendations/reviews. My wife works for a company that owns a Marriott so she gets a partner discount providing they have empty rooms, which makes it affordable, but even still the hotel we booked in Marathon was still pretty cheap at the headline rate (even when you include the dreaded resort fee!).
I think visiting the Keys is something you should do once, but if you are looking for something else, Marco Island is really nice as is Naples. I’m sure whatever you do you will have a great time..I personally love Florida!
We drove from Miami to Let West last year. It's about a four hour drive.
Spent three days in KW and honestly, that was about right. We did the rest of the week in Miami, and again, four nights there was about perfect. Obviously you might love a full week there, but for me splitting it was the right thing to do.
At Miami, you're only really a stone's throw from somewhere like the Cayman Islands or similar (they'll be rebuilt by October, I'm sure) if you wanted to make a fortnight of it.
Be aware both Miami (especially Miami Beach) and Key West are spectacularly expensive. You can easily do three rounds for a couple and end up in six digits before the already-on-the-bill 20% tip and optional 'extra tip' that now seems to be the norm.
Spent three days in KW and honestly, that was about right. We did the rest of the week in Miami, and again, four nights there was about perfect. Obviously you might love a full week there, but for me splitting it was the right thing to do.
At Miami, you're only really a stone's throw from somewhere like the Cayman Islands or similar (they'll be rebuilt by October, I'm sure) if you wanted to make a fortnight of it.
Be aware both Miami (especially Miami Beach) and Key West are spectacularly expensive. You can easily do three rounds for a couple and end up in six digits before the already-on-the-bill 20% tip and optional 'extra tip' that now seems to be the norm.
Baldchap said:
We drove from Miami to Let West last year. It's about a four hour drive.
Spent three days in KW and honestly, that was about right. We did the rest of the week in Miami, and again, four nights there was about perfect. Obviously you might love a full week there, but for me splitting it was the right thing to do.
At Miami, you're only really a stone's throw from somewhere like the Cayman Islands or similar (they'll be rebuilt by October, I'm sure) if you wanted to make a fortnight of it.
Be aware both Miami (especially Miami Beach) and Key West are spectacularly expensive. You can easily do three rounds for a couple and end up in six digits before the already-on-the-bill 20% tip and optional 'extra tip' that now seems to be the norm.
Six digits? Spent three days in KW and honestly, that was about right. We did the rest of the week in Miami, and again, four nights there was about perfect. Obviously you might love a full week there, but for me splitting it was the right thing to do.
At Miami, you're only really a stone's throw from somewhere like the Cayman Islands or similar (they'll be rebuilt by October, I'm sure) if you wanted to make a fortnight of it.
Be aware both Miami (especially Miami Beach) and Key West are spectacularly expensive. You can easily do three rounds for a couple and end up in six digits before the already-on-the-bill 20% tip and optional 'extra tip' that now seems to be the norm.
2 GKC said:
Baldchap said:
We drove from Miami to Let West last year. It's about a four hour drive.
Spent three days in KW and honestly, that was about right. We did the rest of the week in Miami, and again, four nights there was about perfect. Obviously you might love a full week there, but for me splitting it was the right thing to do.
At Miami, you're only really a stone's throw from somewhere like the Cayman Islands or similar (they'll be rebuilt by October, I'm sure) if you wanted to make a fortnight of it.
Be aware both Miami (especially Miami Beach) and Key West are spectacularly expensive. You can easily do three rounds for a couple and end up in six digits before the already-on-the-bill 20% tip and optional 'extra tip' that now seems to be the norm.
Six digits? Spent three days in KW and honestly, that was about right. We did the rest of the week in Miami, and again, four nights there was about perfect. Obviously you might love a full week there, but for me splitting it was the right thing to do.
At Miami, you're only really a stone's throw from somewhere like the Cayman Islands or similar (they'll be rebuilt by October, I'm sure) if you wanted to make a fortnight of it.
Be aware both Miami (especially Miami Beach) and Key West are spectacularly expensive. You can easily do three rounds for a couple and end up in six digits before the already-on-the-bill 20% tip and optional 'extra tip' that now seems to be the norm.
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