The Keys

[Bwana]

Any of you folks ever spent time down there?

The missus and I are thinking about heading down there next April since we have never been before. I realize April is a bit late for a southern trip to get some reprieve from the snow and cold, but after a bit of research it sounds like a good time to try and check off a bucket list item...catching me a tarpon. I'm guessing that desire comes from when I was a kid seeing numerous articles in Outdoor Like or Field and Stream showing those silver critters flying out of the water.

Anyway, I MIGHT have already made a down payment with a fishing guide for an attempt to catch a tarpon, so now am trying to decide what other things we need to see/do while we are there. Not interested in the whole party-boat scene, but hope to do some snorkeling and eating good food while there. Leaning hard towards an Everglades tour too before heading home.

Any intel for me?

[Thumper]

Have you looked into accommodations yet? The Keys are slam packed with snowbirds during the winter, but they start trickling out in April, more so in May. You should be able to snag a place, but before that, it’s tough.

Which Key are you planning to visit?


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[Bwana]

Thump, the plan is to fly into Fort Lauderdale, which is cheaper than Miami, rent a car and head on down.

We will be spending three nights in Marathon, which is where the tarpon fishing will happen. Will drive down to Key West during that time for a day trip and hit other locales towards the southern keys while there.

After Marathon we will be staying a couple of days in Key Largo and then back up to the Ft. L area where we are looking into the Everglades tour prior to heading home.

We have booked some low-scale hotel places to stay in both Marathon and Key Largo. We only need clean rooms as we don't go on vacation to stay in our room.

[quercus alba]

I hear downtown San Francisco is nice that time of year

[Thumper]

Don’t even need reservations for SF, just take a big cardboard box and a blanket.

Bwana, I’ve been to Key West a bazillion times, but usually just to party. In Key West, hit the tourist spots. Visit the Hemingway House and mingle with the ancestors to his 6-toe’d cats. (We have one). Walk Duval Street and go for a beer at Sloppy Joe’s (Hemingway’s old hang-out) and maybe catch Margaritaville for another beer and listen to some Jimmy Buffett tunes. Of course, you have to take the photo op at the Southernmost Point buoy before heading back.




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[Thumper]

If you want another beer on the way back to Miami, stop in Islamorada (another Key) and send me a trip report on Woody’s.

My cousin Michael owned Woody’s for many years. He’s owned strip clubs all his life and just sold Woody’s last month. When we were kids, (I’m talking 10-15 yrs. old) my brother and I used to visit UNCLE Mike’s club (Club Juana) in Orlando quite often (just to chat of course). Since his office was in the back of the club, we “had” to walk through the club dance floor area to get there.

After he passed away, his son, COUSIN Michael inherited it. The club eventually closed when the city took it over via eminent domain to widen the highway. Then Michael opened Woody’s in Islamorada.

Interesting read if you’re so inclined …
https://keysweekly.com/42/end-of-an-...in-islamorada/


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[BarryBobPosthole]

That sounds like a fun trip. Last time we went to Key West, we flew down there for a wedding. A hurricane made a hard right and headed straight for us so they called for a mandatory evac, airport was closed down, so we rented a car and drove to Ft Lauderdale and caught a flight home from there. A1A was one big parking lot the entire way. Gave a Coast Guard guy a ride too.
We may have partied a bit on that long ass drive.
BKB

[Thumper]

Oh yeah, Bwana, when driving, don’t just consider the distance, allow PLENTY of time on the road. It’s just a small 2-lane, undivided highway all the way down to Key West. If there’s so much as a little fender-bender, you may as well plan on camping on the side of the road for a while. Traffic STOPS!

You also might give yourself some extra time to explore some side streets between Big Pine and Sugarloaf and you’ll probably be able to spot some Key Deer. They’ll many times just be munching on resident’s rose bushes. The Keys are the ONLY place you can find them. They’re about the size of a German Shepherd. I don’t think I’ve ever looked for them without being able to find them in the “wild”.


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