My wife and I are going to Key West in March for our anniversary. Any suggestions on things to do, restaurants, etc.?
OT: Key West
- Thread starter sandwolf.sixpack
- Start date
My wife and I are going in two weeks. We’re doing dinner at Latitudes one night and rolling Leach’s house the rest of the time. Will let you know how it is
It’s different than you might imagine. Don’t expect fun in the sand. There really aren’t any beaches, but it’s a good time. It’s more like New Orleans surrounded by water.
Six Toed Cat is a good breakfast. Hang out on Duvall. There’s plenty of bars.
Ive heard the Dry Tortugas are great snorkeling. Never been though.
Six Toed Cat is a good breakfast. Hang out on Duvall. There’s plenty of bars.
Ive heard the Dry Tortugas are great snorkeling. Never been though.
Dry Tortugas is incredible. Fun ride out, beautiful water, great snorkeling around the fort. A little expensive, but worth every cent. Takes all day. Back in time for sunset at Mallory Square. Make sure to eat at Blue Heaven.
Take the boat over to Little Palm Island and have dinner.
https://www.littlepalmisland.com/?N...C3QvcfdigP8R4Z5hQ_88_9yBW6QBc6zEaAq2dEALw_wcB
https://www.littlepalmisland.com/?N...C3QvcfdigP8R4Z5hQ_88_9yBW6QBc6zEaAq2dEALw_wcB
I was just there over the holidays and we found a nice beach on the west side, not long of a stroll from Duval. Fort Zachary Taylor state park beach. Sure, it’s not like gulf side Florida beaches but it was as good a beach as I’ve seen on the Atlantic side.
The Dry Tortugas trip is great. If you like Cuban food, I’d suggest El Siboney.
second six toed cat cafe (have the lobster poboy/go to the Hemingway house and garden to see the cats
Had a great Italian meal (they make their own pasta) and have great dining courtyard at Mangia Mangia
If you are up to biking definitely get some rentals
We sailed down there quite a bit and love it. Most everybody has hit the hot spots, but don’t be afraid to get off of Duval and hit some of the smaller places around the water.
Pepe’s is amazing for breakfast.
if you like hot sauce, go to the hot sauce “bar” and you can try a million different styles.
Don’t be afraid to take a guided tour, even the Conch Train goes throughout the non touristy areas and provides a lot of history of the island.
Not that is matters at the moment, but they have also voted out (most) cruise ships. Going forward it is going to have a much more quaint feel than years past.
Pepe’s is amazing for breakfast.
if you like hot sauce, go to the hot sauce “bar” and you can try a million different styles.
Don’t be afraid to take a guided tour, even the Conch Train goes throughout the non touristy areas and provides a lot of history of the island.
Not that is matters at the moment, but they have also voted out (most) cruise ships. Going forward it is going to have a much more quaint feel than years past.
The hot sauce bar is cool.
If you have a car, drive to Islamorada in the morning and rent a couple kayaks from the marina where Robbie’s is and go yak through the mangroves. You’ll never get a chance to do anything like that anywhere else. Amazing.
When you finish have lunch at there. There’s a market with paintings and all kinds of stuff to waste some time there as well. There are also tarpon everywhere and you can feed them or watch people feed them. You’ll likely see a good bit of nurse sharks and porpoises.
When you finish there, on the way bay spend the afternoon at Bahia Honda state park. Nicest beach in the keys to me (not many to choose from), nice scenery, cool train bridge, clean bathrooms.
https://www.robbies.com/
http://bahiahondapark.com/
If you have a car, drive to Islamorada in the morning and rent a couple kayaks from the marina where Robbie’s is and go yak through the mangroves. You’ll never get a chance to do anything like that anywhere else. Amazing.
When you finish have lunch at there. There’s a market with paintings and all kinds of stuff to waste some time there as well. There are also tarpon everywhere and you can feed them or watch people feed them. You’ll likely see a good bit of nurse sharks and porpoises.
When you finish there, on the way bay spend the afternoon at Bahia Honda state park. Nicest beach in the keys to me (not many to choose from), nice scenery, cool train bridge, clean bathrooms.
https://www.robbies.com/
http://bahiahondapark.com/
Like people have said it is not maybe what you are thinking. It’s a cleaner version of Nola near the water. There aren’t any beaches really so if you want that your best bet is to rent a boat for the day and bounce around to the sand bars and keys. Also it’s about a 90 minute boat ride out to Dry Tortugas and it’s beautiful out there.
Ducal is their Bourbon with the bars and debauchery and some decent food, but if I remember there are some better bistros and restaurants one block over on Simonton.
Ducal is their Bourbon with the bars and debauchery and some decent food, but if I remember there are some better bistros and restaurants one block over on Simonton.
There are some good ones!
Hog's Breath Saloon
Sloppy Joe's (a Hemingway haunt)
They used to have Hemingway's boat at the Islamorada Bass Pro shop.
Hog's Breath Saloon
Sloppy Joe's (a Hemingway haunt)
They used to have Hemingway's boat at the Islamorada Bass Pro shop.
Absolutely take the ferry over to the Latitudes for a dinner with your wife. Beautiful spot. Get there for sunset.
Blue Heaven for breakfast/brunch. Enjoy the drinks while you wait.
Antonia's was a great Italian meal.
If you've never been, dont be shocked by how few beaches there are. Be prepared. My first trip, I was damn near furious when I realized that our place we were staying had like 60 feet of beachfront that was too crowded due to the amount of people staying there. You can go to the public beach and its good. Just sucks when you cant walk straight from the room...
Blue Heaven for breakfast/brunch. Enjoy the drinks while you wait.
Antonia's was a great Italian meal.
If you've never been, dont be shocked by how few beaches there are. Be prepared. My first trip, I was damn near furious when I realized that our place we were staying had like 60 feet of beachfront that was too crowded due to the amount of people staying there. You can go to the public beach and its good. Just sucks when you cant walk straight from the room...
Sloppy Joe's was in the location where Captain Tony's presently is when Hemingway was throwing them back.
Get out on the water. Did a family trip down there a few years ago for spring break. Took a boat out to an island with a great beach.
Fished with a well known guide on the flats two of the days we were there. Fishing was slow. My understanding is March is tough there for flats fishing. However, did catch my first tarpon. Stepdad caught his first permit.
Town is cool. Like others have said, NOLA with an “island vide”. Except a lot cleaner and much less likely to get mugged or murdered.
Fished with a well known guide on the flats two of the days we were there. Fishing was slow. My understanding is March is tough there for flats fishing. However, did catch my first tarpon. Stepdad caught his first permit.
Town is cool. Like others have said, NOLA with an “island vide”. Except a lot cleaner and much less likely to get mugged or murdered.
all the beaches are man made. first trip down, they were having sewage issues. all beaches were closed because the sewage pipe had busted under the beach and **** was everywhere.
also, there are several nudist resorts. i worked at Disney in 99. we drove down for a weekend. no reservations, so we sent a girl in to a hotel to see if they had vacancies. she came running back out and said we couldn't stay there. when asked why, she said they told her clothing was optional. get the wife onboard, and play nekkid volleyball.
Key West is awesome though. such a cool place. ENJOY!
also, there are several nudist resorts. i worked at Disney in 99. we drove down for a weekend. no reservations, so we sent a girl in to a hotel to see if they had vacancies. she came running back out and said we couldn't stay there. when asked why, she said they told her clothing was optional. get the wife onboard, and play nekkid volleyball.
Key West is awesome though. such a cool place. ENJOY!
Wife and I did the exact same thing a couple years ago for an anniversary. March was perfect weather however breezy which canned some of our plans on the water. If you don't have a car then rent a bike. Make sure to hit Mallory Square for sunset. We stayed at Old Town Manor but would stay in the Truman Annex or splurge on Sunset Key... Next time. For a treat we booked a couples massage on Sunset Key and had dinner at Latitudes that night. You get access to all the facilities by doing this so we spent the whole day on Sunset Key. Booked a kayak tour out of Lazy Dog Adventures. Also booked a private charter with Laid Back Key West, however we had to cancel due to windy weather for most of the trip. We also hit the Hemingway House tour and walked to the top of the lighthouse while in that area. We tried to book a Tortuga trip but waited too late and there was nothing available.
Restaurants/Food: Blue Heaven, Pepe's (Breakfast), Louie's Back Yard, Santiago's Bodega, Latitudes, El Siboney, Hogfish (Stock Island), Garbo’s Grill, Bo’s Fish Wagon for Conch Fritters, Badboy Burrito, 5 Brothers Grocery for Cuban coffee
Bars: Green Parrot, Sloppy Joe’s, Hog’s Breath, Captain Tony’s, Schooner Wharf Bar, Margaritaville
Restaurants/Food: Blue Heaven, Pepe's (Breakfast), Louie's Back Yard, Santiago's Bodega, Latitudes, El Siboney, Hogfish (Stock Island), Garbo’s Grill, Bo’s Fish Wagon for Conch Fritters, Badboy Burrito, 5 Brothers Grocery for Cuban coffee
Bars: Green Parrot, Sloppy Joe’s, Hog’s Breath, Captain Tony’s, Schooner Wharf Bar, Margaritaville
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Just went a few months back. First time I had tried Hogfish. Wow! The best fish I've ever eaten and I think you can only get in tropical reef areas.
Get on whatever menu you can, but Hogfish Bar on Stock Island always has it.
2nd Blue Heaven.
The Short Rib at Santiago's Bodega one of the best things I've ever tasted.
Get on whatever menu you can, but Hogfish Bar on Stock Island always has it.
2nd Blue Heaven.
The Short Rib at Santiago's Bodega one of the best things I've ever tasted.
As others have mentioned, the beaches are not the best but you can go to Fort Zach state park and they have a beach area that is pretty nice. The shores are full of shell, limestone, or coral pieces, so have some sort of water shoes if you plan on walking around in the water.
Dry Tortugas is awesome and worth it if you like to snorkel. If you rent a car, its worth driving an hour north to Bahia Honda state park. The drive there is beautiful and Bahia Honda is one of the most picturesque beaches Ive ever been to.
Dry Tortugas is awesome and worth it if you like to snorkel. If you rent a car, its worth driving an hour north to Bahia Honda state park. The drive there is beautiful and Bahia Honda is one of the most picturesque beaches Ive ever been to.
Another vote for Louie's Backyard - go before sunset and watch it from the deck and request a table outside for dinner shortly after sunset. Blue Heaven is definitive Key West. If you like wine (and the wife and I do) then you would enjoy the Wind and Wine Sunset Sail on Danger Charters. That's our favorite thing to do in Key West.
Well we are flying out on Wednesday morning, and below is what we have reserved/plan to do. I feel like we probably have more than enough lined up already, but I was shocked at how many places were already booked up when my wife went to make reservations 2 months ago so we may needs some backup plans.
Places we are eating:
Bagatelle
Hot Tin Roof
Santiago’s Bodega
7 Fish
Latitudes
Louie’s Backyard
Better Than Sex – Dessert
Breakfast at Blue Heaven
Things we are doing:
Dry Tortuga’s – catamaran to island to snorkel
Jeep rental and drive to Isla Morada – kayaking through the mangroves, eating at Robbie’s, shopping
Scooter rental – ride around, stop by Southernmost Point, Hemingway House, whatever…
Bars recommended:
(Duval Street)
Sloppy Joe’s
Schooner Warf
Capt Tony’s
No Name Bar
Places we are eating:
Bagatelle
Hot Tin Roof
Santiago’s Bodega
7 Fish
Latitudes
Louie’s Backyard
Better Than Sex – Dessert
Breakfast at Blue Heaven
Things we are doing:
Dry Tortuga’s – catamaran to island to snorkel
Jeep rental and drive to Isla Morada – kayaking through the mangroves, eating at Robbie’s, shopping
Scooter rental – ride around, stop by Southernmost Point, Hemingway House, whatever…
Bars recommended:
(Duval Street)
Sloppy Joe’s
Schooner Warf
Capt Tony’s
No Name Bar
I didn't eat at most of the places you're eating, but we did go to Latitudes and Better than Sex. They were both good. We mostly just tried different spots on Duval for the rest of the week. There was one place called Blackfin Bistro that no one was ever at all week, but a monsoon suddenly hit one night when we were walking, and we ran inside and ate there. We we looked ridiculous. We were both soaked and I was wearing my Leach STATE sweatshirt, and my wife was wearing a camo hoodie. It was a fantastic meal, though.
I went to all those bars except No Name, and they were all good. Green Parrot is worth stopping by too, it's a block off of Duval. We stayed at the Southernmost House, and there are a couple bars right by it (Seaside Cafe at the Mansion, Southernmost Beach Cafe) on the water that were nice and relaxed when you're wanting to get away from the busier places on Duval.
Once place I'd not recommend is La Te Da. We just got drinks there, and it was fine, but the bartender started talking about this "tequila old fashioned" he makes, and I said, "sure," and it was good, but we get the bill and he charged $30 for the drink. We were having a nice conversation with him for over an hour then he went and did that. Just rubbed me the wrong way.
The boat to Dry Tortugas broke the night before we were supposed to go, so we missed out on that.
Sounds like you have a great trip lined up
I went to all those bars except No Name, and they were all good. Green Parrot is worth stopping by too, it's a block off of Duval. We stayed at the Southernmost House, and there are a couple bars right by it (Seaside Cafe at the Mansion, Southernmost Beach Cafe) on the water that were nice and relaxed when you're wanting to get away from the busier places on Duval.
Once place I'd not recommend is La Te Da. We just got drinks there, and it was fine, but the bartender started talking about this "tequila old fashioned" he makes, and I said, "sure," and it was good, but we get the bill and he charged $30 for the drink. We were having a nice conversation with him for over an hour then he went and did that. Just rubbed me the wrong way.
The boat to Dry Tortugas broke the night before we were supposed to go, so we missed out on that.
Sounds like you have a great trip lined up
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Just don't spend the night at Little Palm unless you what to spend $5000 a night for a room.
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