Recommendations for the Keys

[BNBR]

On 7/21/2020 at 9:15 AM, Cienfuegos said:

 

That's correct.  I occasionally stop at Alabama Jack's in Card Sound.  Right by the toll plaza.  It's a nice place to unwind, and set the mood for the remainder of the trip.

 

For the record, travel on US 1 wasn't mentioned by me.  That's an acceptable alternate, although much slower coming out of Miami.

 

US1 isn't an "alternate" - Card Sound is.  And US1 is generally 15+ minutes faster than Card Sound, and with no tolls.  It's certainly not "much slower."  Though we do take Card Sound every so often to stop at Alabama Jacks as well, and that's about the only reason to take that route.

 

I'm also going to have to disagree with other posters about driving to the Keys being a nightmare.  It's really not that bad at all, generally speaking.  Our friends who have a second home there drive down all the time.  We have no issue hopping in the car and visiting the Keys even for a day trip, and find no value in flying commercial to Key West (though I used to have my own plane and it was a great fun flying there).  The drive to Key West isn't that bad at all.  A few hours of extraordinarily scenic driving with lots of places to stop and explore.

Edited July 22, 2020 by BNBR

[BlueHerons]

1 hour ago, BNBR said:

 

US1 isn't an "alternate" - Card Sound is.  And US1 is generally 15+ minutes faster than Card Sound, and with no tolls.  It's certainly not "much slower."  Though we do take Card Sound every so often to stop at Alabama Jacks as well, and that's about the only reason to take that route.

 

I'm also going to have to disagree with other posters about driving to the Keys being a nightmare.  It's really not that bad at all, generally speaking.  Our friends who have a second home there drive down all the time.  We have no issue hopping in the car and visiting the Keys even for a day trip, and find no value in flying commercial to Key West (though I used to have my own plane and it was a great fun flying there).  The drive to Key West isn't that bad at all.  A few hours of extraordinarily scenic driving with lots of places to stop and explore.

Have you driven since they opened back up?  We just got back and it's like Christmas week down there.  Packed.  At least Key West is.

 

I agree about Card Sound Road.  We only take it if we are going to Alabama Jacks.  As far as toll booth, last time we went through there was an 8x10 tent.

[BNBR]

7 minutes ago, BlueHerons said:

Have you driven since they opened back up?  We just got back and it's like Christmas week down there.  Packed.  At least Key West is.

 

I agree about Card Sound Road.  We only take it if we are going to Alabama Jacks.  As far as toll booth, last time we went through there was an 8x10 tent.

 

I haven't.  Planned on it but canceled an early August trip to Hawks Cay.  Didn't seem worth the risk for a week trip, with so much closed and everything going on.  We'd rather go when it's more fun.

[BlueHerons]

14 minutes ago, BNBR said:

 

I haven't.  Planned on it but canceled an early August trip to Hawks Cay.  Didn't seem worth the risk for a week trip, with so much closed and everything going on.  We'd rather go when it's more fun.

We actually had one of our most fun trips ever.  We were supposed to go to Ocean Reef with Lauderdale Yacht Club but that got cancelled.

 

We are going up to Lake Placid in two weeks.

[BNBR]

3 minutes ago, BlueHerons said:

We actually had one of our most fun trips ever.  We were supposed to go to Ocean Reef with Lauderdale Yacht Club but that got cancelled.

 

We are going up to Lake Placid in two weeks.

 

Lol, maybe I'll run in to you in LP without knowing it 🙂  We are up there every couple of weeks.

[rkacruiser]

18 hours ago, bouhunter said:

Just FYI, Fort Myers is on the west coast of Florida, Fort Pierce is on the east coast 🙂

 

 

Well, duh!

 

When I was visiting my Fort Pierce friend, we considered driving to Key West and spending a couple of days.  What I was trying to say was that even as a Florida resident who happened to live in Fort Pierce  she was not aware--nor was I aware--of a possible ferry option from Fort Myers.  We both knew that Fort Myers is on the West Coast of Florida.  As I said in my previous post, I am unsure if such an option was even available at that time.  

[bouhunter]

36 minutes ago, rkacruiser said:

 

Well, duh!

 

When I was visiting my Fort Pierce friend, we considered driving to Key West and spending a couple of days.  What I was trying to say was that even as a Florida resident who happened to live in Fort Pierce  she was not aware--nor was I aware--of a possible ferry option from Fort Myers.  We both knew that Fort Myers is on the West Coast of Florida.  As I said in my previous post, I am unsure if such an option was even available at that time.  

Jeez, lighten up, I added a smiley face and wasn't trying to be snarky.  Duh.

[rkacruiser]

1 hour ago, bouhunter said:

Jeez, lighten up, I added a smiley face and wasn't trying to be snarky.  Duh.

 

Obviously, that is not the way I took your comment.

 

Thanks for your explanation.  I appreciate it.  

[bouhunter]

31 minutes ago, rkacruiser said:

 

Obviously, that is not the way I took your comment.

 

Thanks for your explanation.  I appreciate it.  

No problem.   We've spent a lot of time in Fort Myers and often thought of trying the KW ferry but never got around to it.  Not sure, but I think that ferry or another one also stops at Marco Island.

[BlueHerons]

On 7/22/2020 at 6:40 PM, bouhunter said:

No problem.   We've spent a lot of time in Fort Myers and often thought of trying the KW ferry but never got around to it.  Not sure, but I think that ferry or another one also stops at Marco Island.

Don't do it round trip in a day.  It's a 3.5 hour boat ride minimum each way and if there is any chop at all, you are pretty beat up.

 

Break it up over several days.

[bouhunter]

10 hours ago, BlueHerons said:

Don't do it round trip in a day.  It's a 3.5 hour boat ride minimum each way and if there is any chop at all, you are pretty beat up.

 

Break it up over several days.

Yeah I can't imagine doing it down and back in one day.  Wouldn't be worth the time and money. 

 

We've been to Key West many times, spent a week each winter for years.  Last visit to KW was March 14 on a HAL cruise.  First time we visited by cruise ship, and probably the last time a ship stops there for a while..... 😞

 

[rkacruiser]

19 hours ago, BlueHerons said:

Don't do it round trip in a day.  It's a 3.5 hour boat ride minimum each way and if there is any chop at all, you are pretty beat up.

 

Break it up over several days.

 

Even if we drove to Key West, my friend and I knew it would have to be a day there and a day back with at least a day or two in between.  

[BNBR]

If there is even remotely bad weather, being stuck on a catamaran for 3+ hours could be awful.  Not sure I'd be all that interested in taking that trip.