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Flying to the Keys.... any suggestions?

RickWoodall

Well Known Member
A few of us canucks are planning on heading south to visit the keys in march or early april. Not a long trip, but a few days to relax and enjoy the area.

I have read a few posts on it. Anyone have some suggestions on must see things, best places to stay, eat etc. Yes i know there are balloons and airspace issues to have hammered out first.

Taking the wife, need a decent hotel, and some good meals. Other than that, open to anything fun. Just figured worth asking those that have gone first for pireps.

:D
 
I just got back from a trip down there from the west coast of FL (Tampa). From there we went direct to Marathon (KMTH), and then cut over to KEYW. This keeps you relatively close to shore (at 7500' I was within gliding distance the whole time, although the only thing on shore to glide to is gators), and also keeps you inside the ADIZ and away from the balloon.

In Key West, we stayed at the Crown Plaza La Concha, which was reasonably priced, considering it is in the middle of everything downtown and has a great rooftop bar, nice pool, etc.

For food, Blue Heaven is far and away my favorite (the main purpose of our last trip was to eat there), a couple blocks from Duval St. Also tried Kelly's for the first time, owned by Kelly Mcginnis of Top Gun fame, and also the birthplace of Pan American airlines. The bar is made from an aluminum wing section (try not to critique the workmanship). Food was very good, as well as microbrew beer.

Enjoy the trip,

Chris
 
Laconcha is a great hotel. If you do not want to be down town double tree is a great property that has transportation downtown. The best burgers in town by far is jack flats. Foggerys and Caroline's are also owned by the same people and are just as good. Stay away from the all you can eat place on duval, you would.not believe the health dept reports on that place. Louis backyard is also a good place. For lunch Bo's is very good. If you can get over the the fact that its in a gas station dions has the greatest fried chicken. For pizza and cheese steaks try mr z's. stop for a drink at the green parrot, it's a locals favorite. For the really adventurous, don't forget the garden of Eden bar, the only clothing optional bar in town.

Bob burns
 
Our favorite hotel is the Eden House. The least expensive rooms are VERY small, so an upgrade is recommended. Great location, they have bicycles at the hotel and you can get just about anywhere in town on bicycles. Taxi fare from the airport to the hotel was $8 per person the last time we were there. No rental car needed.
I second the Blue Heaven restaurant recommendation and BO's for lunch, or a very casual dinner. La Creperie is very good. The Azur restaurant at Eden House has an outstanding breakfast and hotel guests get 20% off in the restaurant.
Free self serve happy hour around the pool at Eden House every night from 4:00 to 5:00.
Hemingway House
Truman White House
Butterfly Museum
 
A few of us canucks are planning on heading south to visit the keys in march or early april. Not a long trip, but a few days to relax and enjoy the area.

I have read a few posts on it. Anyone have some suggestions on must see things, best places to stay, eat etc. Yes i know there are balloons and airspace issues to have hammered out first.

Taking the wife, need a decent hotel, and some good meals. Other than that, open to anything fun. Just figured worth asking those that have gone first for pireps.

:D

Marathon airport is quite nice. It's also home to EAA chapter 1241, the southern-most chapter in the country. They have a small museum at the airport. Just north of the airport on Grassy Key is the Dolphin Research Center, a facinating place. Sparky's Landing at Key Colony in Marathon has great shrimp.

As far as I know, all the baloons are between Big Pine Key and Key West. Key West is fun in small doses.

Jerre
 
Casa Maria

I have flown to the Keys many times. My favorite hotel is the Casa Maria. It is the original hotel built by Flagler the same man that built the railway to the keys in the early 1900's.

The Reach is also very nice and shares some amenities with the Casa Maria. The Reach has the only beach on the island everything else is coral or rock. They are both on the south end of the island, but you can walk to front street in just a few minutes. The south end in the quiet part of town. Front street on the north end is where the lively bars, etc exist. The island is small enough to walk, after you get a cab from the airport.

There are other islands 70nm west of Key West called the Dry Tortugas. Fort Jefferson is there. Fort Jefferson was built after the war of 1812 to protect New Orleans from the British. It was also used to imprison Samuel Mudd the Doctor that helped Abe Lincolns' assassin. It can be a day trip by catamaran or float plane or you can camp over night. There a 12 camping spots. The entire island is only 12 acres.

Additionally, there is deep sea fishing and back country fishing boats can be chartered by the day.

If you need a place to stay along the way I have a couple of guest rooms at 5TN4, but its gonna cost you a ride in your RV:)

If Tennessee is a poor choice for an overnight, I have a friend near Orlando that runs a fly in Bed and Breakfast. He has been featured on the TV show, Million Dollar Rooms. Just look up danvillebnb.com the airport is FL92.
 
Marathon airport is quite nice. It's also home to EAA chapter 1241, the southern-most chapter in the country. They have a small museum at the airport. Just north of the airport on Grassy Key is the Dolphin Research Center, a facinating place. Sparky's Landing at Key Colony in Marathon has great shrimp.

As far as I know, all the baloons are between Big Pine Key and Key West. Key West is fun in small doses.

Jerre

When I went to the Keys with a couple friends back in 2011, we decided to fly into KMTH instead of KEYW, for a multitude of reasons. First, no worries about aerostats or NAS airspace; second, (as I recall) cheaper fuel and ramp fees; third, cheaper accommodations. And since we were planning to spend most of the trip fishing under bridges rather than hitting up the big Key West spots, it worked well.

There's also a mildly insane man who does Waco rides out of KMTH. We did go to Key West a couple nights, but like you said, it's fun in small doses; not really my thing.
 
Spring Break!!

You may want to plan around Spring Break. It gets really lively & boisterous w/the college crowd. Or, you may want to join in. Regardless, your dates include Spring Break; you should start calling for reservations now.

Cheers,
 
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i believe the guy with the waco put it in the drink last year so i dont think he is doing rides anymore.

bob burns
 
PM me with any questions you may have, and I'll try to answer 'em. I live on Summerland and work on Cudjoe at the blimp site. BTW...only one balloon (blimp) down here, and we fly over Cudjoe. Stay S. of US 1 and you'll always be out of the restricted airspace. As to suggestions, there have been many great ones. It all depends what you want to do. Do you want to get crazy and do the whole tourist thing? Then Key West and Duval is where you should go. More laid back with some fishing and sun?...Marathon or anything between there and Key West. I would suggest a day trip out to Ft. Jefferson. You won't be disappointed.

Ron
 
i believe the guy with the waco put it in the drink last year so i dont think he is doing rides anymore.

bob burns

Wow, I had no idea. Just searched and saw the story...too bad, was a beautiful plane...
 
this is a must flight. head for the area south of miami and fly the chain west with the sun at your back. bring a camera. come back later in the day with the sun at your back and fly low and enjoy the sights. you can also follow the east coast and stop at turbo cave for the night( optional). you will not have a bad time in key west. take the conch train tour and rest your legs. sunset at malory square. rent a bike and explore. you can tell i have been there a few times.
img0386w.jpg


miami skyline
img04272.jpg
 
Key West is certainly touristy but fun. Took breaks for food and drink at Hog's Breath Saloon (they have web cams so you can wave at your friends back home) and Schooner Wharf Bar - a nice venue. Mallory Square at sunset is an island tradition. I haven't flown there in my RV yet but it is on the short list.
 
We were recently in Key West.

Key West trip thread

A user told us about the aerostat danger (on the chart) so it was easy to avoid (could see it). We flew the whole length of the keys from Largo to KEYW (no shortcut to Marathon) because I am a card carrying chicken about overwater flying.

We stayed at the DoubleTree hotel near the airport. It included transportation too/from KEYW and hourly transportation to Duval St which is the center of the tourist activity.

I had no problems with KEYW and will go back.

I agree with posts above about places to see. I will add that for the non-scuba tourists, the two main boating outfits are SABAGO and FURY. You may google them of course. We did a FURY tour that included some snorkelling along with a reduced hotel rate. While walking around Duval St, we decided to do a SABAGO sunset sail which we thought was great. The boat was the Appeldore V. Too many good places to eat. Mangia Mangia was our first dinner. Good stuff.

Good luck with your trip. I hope you have as much fun as we did.
 
Oh, I forgot to mention...while we were down for our trip, we went out for a half day on the Marathon Lady head boat. Of course, we came back with a whole mess of fish, but more interestingly, the P-51 hat I was wearing caused another man on the boat to come talk to me. That man turned out to be Gary Solkovits of Jet Fighters International

:)
 
Key West

I am a regular there an considered something of a local because I stay a month at a time until recently.

I usually stay in the Truman annex. Villas to homes, pick your size, view number of bedrooms and price. Awesome Managament Company.

http://www.compass-realty.com/exec/...nex&template=_search_results_trumanannex.html

It has units on the water, walk to the State Park and visit Fort Zachory Tayler.

One block out the west gate is Mel Fishers, must see, tell Bill I told you watch the reaction, and the start of Duval St and Sloppy Joes.

Two blocks north from any gate is Duval St.

Kellys is one block out the north gate by the rental office.

Also, a Brazilian Steak house same street between Kelly's and Duval $50 each all you can eat.

Blue Heaven is good but I prefer Le Creperie across the street, Claudia and Sylvie and family run it and you watch them cook your food if you sit at the rail inside or you can sit outside. Every kind of Crepes and coffees or eggs, less wait if any and cheaply priced plus if you like a morning Cappucino they serve it in a cup the size of a bowl. They know we very well. I don't even order I wlak in and they put my Banana Lime Sugar crepe with a huge Cappucino down. Man I'm craving one right now! Out the front gate turn right immediately and Blue Heavan anCreperie are abouyt three blocks East on the left.

Antonio's (Italian) is on Duval about 2 blocks north out main gate then right half a block. Small, nice, excellent food.

Conch Republic is on the Harbor, out West gate to Fishers hang a right and walk about six blocks to the water. Ask for a table at the windows.

Half Raw Bar is a little further down the boarwalk that runs past Conch Republic but also a famous spot with good seafood and ask again for a window and watch the huge Tarpon swim by right below your window!

Fred Cabanas runs the Pitts sight seeing and sometimes the Waco. He is an airshow pilot and a heck of a lot of fun to fly with. I've logged acro training with him in the Pitts. Always fun with him.

The tortugas I fly in the DH3 DeHavilland with Turbine float plane. If you go take the tour and then walk around the inside then the outside perimeter moat wall. It's breautiful.

If you like Art most of the best Galleries are on East end of Duval maybe 2 mile from from easy walk. Greene St gallery are vintage posters most over a hundred years old ranging from cars and race posters to wine, food, and airplane races. Say hi to Betsy for me.

Southernmost marker is about three blocks past her place and a block right at the corner. Take you picture and walk back to Truman annex from that street if you dont want to double back on Duval.

I dont walk much around home area but there I put in about 5-6 miles a day inseveral short walk abouts. I eat lots of Seafood, Stone Crabs from Oct-May15! I usually come home after a month of that 10-15 lbs lighter even though I'm eating really well and just walking.

Hope this helps.

It's not everyones thing but Truman is semi gated, only one gate open at night but they give you keys to the others.

I like that its right in the middle of everything so walking is never far away unless you walk all the way to the far end of the island about 6 miles. I usually only do that to stock up at the big Grocery stores then take a cab home. I dont rent a car or electric buggy.

Closest grocery store is one block past Duval called Faustos, been there since the 30's I think and the locals use that one if they dont go to the far end. It's only 4-6 blocks from the villas and each one has a kitchen a fridge so you can stock up on food, snacks and beverages if you want. I never cook there.

If your dates are around Spring Break definitely book now if you can. Look on the website I linked to find a unit you like then call. If they dont have it they will tell you waht they have and you can look right at the unit while on the phone.

Also, a lot less of the Break crowd stays here compared to town.

La Concha is nice too, it's just right on Duval and that can get old if you stay too long.

Have fun, wish I was going.
 
Thanks

Some great ideas. Very much appreciate them all. It only a 7 hour run from Canada. Will likely make one stop for fuel. Finding a decent rate nice place to stay seemed the toughest part. The suggestions are great, will see what we can line up.
 
Mel Fisher

The Mel Fisher museum is amazing to see what they are finding on that wreck! I highly recommend it!
 
Canada to the Keys

Route:?

Since I used to live in Port Charlotte, FL., my vote is for a Gulf Coast route to Naples, view 10,000 islands then across the everglades via Alligator Alley in case an emergency landing is needed. This will put you out at Ft. Lauderdale or you can turn South sooner to avoid the cities and head for the Keys.

There are many options and they are all good ones.

Enjoy your trip. living and making memories.
 
Some great ideas. Very much appreciate them all. It only a 7 hour run from Canada. Will likely make one stop for fuel. Finding a decent rate nice place to stay seemed the toughest part. The suggestions are great, will see what we can line up.

Rick, let us know when you folks are heading down; my wife and I are thinking the same thing.
 
Will do

Absolutley Bob.
Havent had a beer with you since your last piece of grass at osh. Still fine tuning some things and of course weather will dictate. Will drop you by pm.
Rick
 
Dates firmed up

We (two rv9a's) will be leaving Ontario Canada April 5 or 6th and flying south, following the gulf side coast down to the keys. About 7 hrs flight time. Staying in the historic area for sunday monday and tues, then heading north.

May follow the east shore north, or try and hit sun n fun too. Just need good wx.

Keys looks like a GREAT Rv trip. Thanks for all the good tips, got a full slate of great things to try and fit in.

:p
 
If you are still sober I do NOT recommend the Garden Of Eden bar

We've been there. Verrry Interesting.:eek:

BTW, you can also pick up the city bus at the main terminal left of Island Flying FBO on your way out. It's $2/person and most likely will drop you off right at your hotel.
Routes run in opposing directions every half hour.
Use it from your hotel to get you back to KEYW.

I believe the taxi is $12.

Re Hotels
These are both on the south end and off of the downtown area but we enjoy the walk. They are very reasonable.
http://oceanbreezeinn.com
https://www.southernmostpoint.com
 
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Snow??? What that

Just to give you people a little incentive, I flew the 7 down here to summerland Key from Colorado last week and have allready have forgotten all about snow and cold. The current conditions on Summerland are sct and 74 with a light breeze out of the south. The high tomorrow should be about 78 or 79. I may have to sit out on the porch and have a beer and watch pictures of the snow back in Colorado. Tough it out,, man up,,, in four months it will be summer.
 
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