Key West

[WhatTheHeel?]

My wife and I are considering going down to Florida to knock out Biscayne National Park and Dry Tortugas NP this January. Anyone stayed in a good hotel in Key West? Not five-star but my wife will balk at anything rough looking. I don't know the area at all and wouldn't be going if not for the nearby national park. I'd want something with good access to anything in Key West that we'd want to do. We are not drinkers, partiers, and though I like some of Buffet's music, we are not Parrotheads. So, feel free to offer ideas of what to do also.

 

[prlyles]

Key West is on my bucket list.

 

[Terror Beard]

Key West? Big gay hangout from what I hear. NTTAWWT.

Go bonefishing.

 

[prlyles]

Key West? Big gay hangout from what I hear. NTTAWWT.

Go bonefishing.

Why should anyone care if gays hang out there? I don't think you can caught the gay if that's what you're afraid of.

 

[Hark_The_Sound_2010]

Why should anyone care if gays hang out there? I don't think you can caught the gay if that's what you're afraid of.

 

[toophly1124]

@UNC71-00

 

[UNC71-00]

There’s not a bad hotel on Key West.

 

[UNCTarheel1984]

I agree with OP and hope to take my wife down before the spring. I’ve looked at a great number of hotels, motels, and AirBNBs. I am overwhelmed and lost. Any recommendations would be appreciated. And we do intend to drink and spend time on Duval Street, so recs within reasonable walking distance would be appreciated. Thanks.

 

[uncboy10]

Why should anyone care if gays hang out there? I don't think you can caught the gay if that's what you're afraid of.

 

[UNC71-00]

I agree with OP and hope to take my wife down before the spring. I’ve looked at a great number of hotels, motels, and AirBNBs. I am overwhelmed and lost. Any recommendations would be appreciated. And we do intend to drink and spend time on Duval Street, so recs within reasonable walking distance would be appreciated. Thanks.

Ok- so here’s the deal on KW- it’s tiny. Just don’t stay at the hotels that are right across the bridge to Stock Island as that is a bit of a walk- maybe 2 miles. But you can get those bike cabs anytime, so no big deal. There is no bad area of KW, so ABnB is fine.

The whole place is very clean and very well kept up. We stayed at the Westin (I think) which is on the west side- had sunset views from hotel room and could walk everywhere.

I can run through the whole to do list if anyone cares.

 

[UNCTarheel1984]

I agree with OP and hope to take my wife down before the spring. I’ve looked at a great number of hotels, motels, and AirBNBs. I am overwhelmed and lost. Any recommendations would be appreciated. And we do intend to drink and spend time on Duval Street, so recs within reasonable walking distance would be appreciated. Thanks.

Ok- so here’s the deal on KW- it’s tiny. Just don’t stay at the hotels that are right across the bridge to Stock Island as that is a bit of a walk- maybe 2 miles. But you can get those bike cabs anytime, so no big deal. There is no bad area of KW, so ABnB is fine.

The whole place is very clean and very well kept up. We stayed at the Westin (I think) which is on the west side- had sunset views from hotel room and could walk everywhere.

I can run through the whole to do list if anyone cares.

I don’t wish to impose or trouble you, but that would be great. My experience in Key West has only been two day trips - one about 5 years ago (off a cruise ship) and the other about 45 years ago (don’t recall much of that one).

 

[ticket2ride04]

Garden of Eden is a must

 

[WhatTheHeel?]

Ok- so here’s the deal on KW- it’s tiny. Just don’t stay at the hotels that are right across the bridge to Stock Island as that is a bit of a walk- maybe 2 miles. But you can get those bike cabs anytime, so no big deal. There is no bad area of KW, so ABnB is fine.

The whole place is very clean and very well kept up. We stayed at the Westin (I think) which is on the west side- had sunset views from hotel room and could walk everywhere.

I can run through the whole to do list if anyone cares.

Thanks to all who responded. I'm more of a mountains guy, but I'd like to see Dry Tortugas N.P.

Yes, UNC71, feel free to share your list. Good point about staying on the west side for sunsets.

 

[keysersosay#1]

Gays...bonefishing???? Hmmmmmmmmm

 

[Heelicious]

Hey WTH - I was in Key West January 2018 with some running friends for the Key West half marathon. We stayed at a place called the Curry Mansion, which is an old, historic, beautifully renovated bed & breakfast. It was reasonably priced, and had great breakfasts, happy hours, etc. each day. It is just a couple blocks off the main street of Key West bars, restaurants, shops. The people who run Curry Mansion are quite nice, too.

Amazing the number of drag bars there were. I was a bit disappointed that there isn't any real natural beach there - the tide is so still that they have to haul in sand for a small man-made beach.

There are a lot of interesting historical things to see, too. Check out the southern White House - where many US presidents vacationed, relaxed. Seeing the southernmost point of continental US is cool, too. I'm not a big Cuban food fan, but you sure can get some great authentic Cuban food - and decent Cuban cigars too, I think (I didn't buy one).

One afternoon we walked down by the pier, and these guys were fishing off the pier - three big strong guys with super heavy duty rod and reel, and body harnesses - and they fought with and reeled in this medium sized shark (great white I think) then cut it loose. It was interesting to see.