South Florida DUers....

[SacredCow]

My significant other and I are headed down next month. The basic plan is flying into Tampa, and taking 3 days to drive to Key West. We have some specific sights to see, but if anybody has some suggestions of things not to miss I'd love to hear them. This could include anything from a great little hole-in-the-wall restaurant to an interesting museum visit. The route will take us through or near Tampa, St. Pete, Sarasota, Venice, Naples, Bonita Springs, Homestead, Key Largo, and Key West. That said, we should have time to do some side-trips.

Thanks in advance for any great suggestions!

[cwydro]

1. you might want to cross post in the FL forum

as well, if you already haven't.

Don't know how long you have in the Keys, but you should check out the Key deer on Big Pine Key and No Name Key. Also GREAT little pub on No Name, called the No Name Pub. Great food. Huge local's favorite. Guaranteed of seeing Key deer while on No Name and it is really a Keysie kind of place. A little off the beaten track but worth it. The Key deer are a miniature species of deer that run wild on the island. Big Pine is 30 miles before KW.

I'll think of some other stuff as well. At work right now.:hi:

[SacredCow]

2. Very cool.....

We'll be in Key West for 4+ days.

[cwydro]

3. you'll definitely have time then.

Of course, there are the usual tourist spots in KW to see, but sadly development is taking some of the best old Keys hangouts. The other keys have some cool places to see though...

[SacredCow]

4. I've been to KW twice.....

Once as a child, then again on a cruise stop. So I really haven't seen that much, and it's been a LONG time. I don't want a tight itenerary once there, because that's just as bad as being at work!

[cwydro]

6. HELL no!

That contradicts the whole experience. Be as laid back as you can and you'll have a blast.

[LSK]

5. dont miss the sunset celebration on Mallory Square in Key West

[SacredCow]

11. I'm sure we'll make that at least once. n/t

[KG]

7. downtown St Pete has some neat places to see and eat at

Dali museum come to mind right off...

[SacredCow]

8. Great...

We'll probably be heading though St. Pete around lunchtime.

[RebelOne]

9. Check out Sloppy Joe's in Key West.

Supposedly it's where Ernest Hemingway hung out. It's a fun place.

[SacredCow]

10. Yeah, I do want to go there....

I toured his house the last time I was there (in '96)- That, and the Mel Fisher museum was the only thing we had time for.

Of course, the (now ex) wife kept us at the Mel Fisher store for bloody ages convincing me that she HAD to have an overpriced emerald ring....

[fishnfla]

12. No Name Inn on No Name Key

Definatley an out of the way spot with flavor. Drive around there(slowly) and you'll see Keys Deer. Bring a camera.

Also, this sounds hokey, but the tourist tram in KW is a good thing to do in the heat of the day. Ask the driver where the locals eat seafood or cuban food, slip him a tip and he'll steer you right....

also get some Keno's sandals at the shop there, cheap and durable

[RebelOne]

13. And also the bar on Key Largo where they made the film "Key Largo."

I don't know if it is still there, but friends and I would drive down from Miami all the time to go to it.

[SacredCow]

15. I was hoping to find a place to stay on Key Largo for 1 night....

There were a few possibilities, but they were either a little more than I wanted to spend or they had minimum stay requirements.

[SacredCow]

14. Hoping to hit all of the other keys...

on the drive in. Once I get to KW, I'm turning the car in and we're renting bikes as needed and walking.

[fishnfla]

27. There really is not much "to" the other keys

along A1A. some of the tropical plant stores are interesting. Maybe you can check out Bahia Honda State park. There is a park on long key too, I think. We are going to Islamorada next week, I'll keep ya posted

No Name Key is off the beaten track, off A1A.

[cwydro]

18. yep

you gotta get some Kino's. Then you look like a local, lol. We all wear them, though Crocs are taking over lately.

If you need a place to park the car during the day, I know most of the free places.;)

[SacredCow]

20. I have 1 pair of crocs....

but I don't really like them- too hot, even with the holes. The only pair of shoes I plan on bringing is my Birkies.

As for the car, I'm probably turning it in after we check in to the guest house. It'll be biking or walking the rest of the time!

[cwydro]

22. Good on ya

you don't need a car in Old Town, which I assume is where you're staying if you're in a guest house.

Another great sight in KW is the cemetery. Most graves are built above ground; one is even on stilts, because the "inhabitant" was afraid of drowning. There is also the famous grave that says, "I told you I was sick". It's fun to walk around in there.

Schooner Wharf Bar is a great bar on the waterfront... a local's hangout. Sloppy Joes is well known, but pretty much exclusively for tourists. The actual bar that Hemingway drank in was called Sloppy Joe's, but at that point was located around the corner on Greene St...home now to Captain Tony's Saloon, which is a fun place.

You're coming down at a great time. The poinciana trees are in bloom and are just gorgeous. Head up to the top of La Concha (the highest spot in KW) and have a drink at the The Top bar. A great place to watch the sunset and this time of year with the trees in bloom it looks like the city is bright orange. La Concha is a hotel on Duval Street - 500 block, just a hop away from Margaritaville.

It is hot this time of year, but not so many tourists and a great time to visit. Be prepared for afternoon thunderstorms. It is the rainy season.

[SacredCow]

25. Sounds great....

We're from Louisiana, so I don't think the overall temperatures will be too much of a problem for us.

What we're looking for is R & R in its purist form. No itenerary- just take everything moment by moment; EXACTLY how life should be!

[cwydro]

28. That is exactly why I live here.

except for going to work, a necessary evil, I live like that every day.

Another out of the way place is the Geiger Key Marina at mile marker 10 or so. About a mile and a quarter off US 1. Kind of an Alabama Jack's type place. Little restaurant and bar right on the water.

Any info you need feel free to pm me.

[LSK]

16. also you can visit Hemingways house which has decendents of his cats

The cats have 6 toes and are all over the grounds.

[SacredCow]

21. Hemingway's house is one of the two attractions I've been to.

The other is the Mel Fisher museum and $TORE....

The cruise I was on docked there early in the morning and left by noon (on Sunday). There wasn't much open for business.

[SteppingRazor]

17. Awww. ... you're going down the West Coast? bummer...

I live on the East, don't know too much about the West. However, my girlfriend and I put in a long weekend at the Hyatt Regency in Bonita Springs:
http://coconutpoint.hyatt.com/hyatt/hotels/index.jsp


It was freaking awesome. Incredible views.

The only other thing I can offer comment about is Key West. Happily, I've been there tons of times. Unfortunately, I don't remember most of them. Are you planning to be down there for the Fourth? If so, make sure to head to the roof of La Concha Hotel, the tallest building on the island. I went every year for three or four years in a row. Good times.

Staying overnight in Key West? Stay at the Eden House:
http://edenhouse.com/

Walking distance to Duval Street, no better place on the island. Free booze poolside for an hour every day!

Let's see ... there's the typical touristy places — Sloppy Joe's (for the record, not the place Hemingway drank at. Joe's moved since the Hemmingway days. There's still a bar at the old Sloppy Joe's location, but I forget its name.), the Sunset Celebration, etc. They're all fine to visit if you've never done it before. Heck, check out Hemingway's house and the six-toed cats while you're there. If you plan to spend a good amount of time in bars, try the Hog's Breath. It's always a good time. Or the Bull and Whistle, the roof of which is a clothing-optional bar. Good stuff. If you have any questions, feel free to PM me.


On edit: Oh, on the drive back, when you hit Key Largo, leave the Keys via Card Sound Road (a.k.a. State Rd. 905) rather than straight up US1. That way, you can stop at Alabama Jacks for a brunch of conch salad and beer. :thumbsup:


On double edit: If you've got a bit of time to spare, stop in Everglades City and take the boat tour of 10,000 Islands — mangroves, dolphins, birds, the whole deal. When I went, our boat tour happened upon a dolphin menage a trois. It was kinda embarrassing.

[SacredCow]

19. Fantastic info!

Thanks!

Yeah, we're headed down the west coast. There was talk of flying into Lauderdale and going that way, but Tampa was the points leader. We won't be there for the 4th- We're flying into Tampa on the 11th.

Though I've been before, I haven't done much of the touristy stuff. But we've got 4+ days to fit it all in, so I think we're good. I'll have to hit Alabama Jacks and Everglades City on the way in, as I'll be turning in the car upon arrival in KW and we're flying home from there as well.

[SteppingRazor]

23. Both of those are definite "Do's"

Everglades City is a bit out of the way, but the boat tour's great — you can stop in Everglades City for lunch, do the tour, and continue on your way.

I definitely prefer Alabama Jack's as a sort of "last hurrah" upon leaving the Keys, but it's doable as a celebration upon entering them as well. Just make sure to enter the Keys via Card Sound Road rather than US1 and you can't mis the place — it's the only building around in the middle of nowhere.

[cwydro]

24. Alabama Jack's is great

True dat!

[El Fuego]

26. I was going to say the same thing.

Going to Key West by way of Tampa doesn't make any sense if you're driving! It's probably equivalent to flying into Tampa to drive to New Orleans.

To get there by driving, Key West is really, really, REALLY far, even if you're already in Southeast Florida.

[SacredCow]

30. Yeah, I know....

But there were just more things/friends that were labeled "must see" via that route. We're taking 3+ days to make the drive, so it's a road trip of sorts....

[JANdad]

29. Sea Critters Cafe

Down in Pass-a-grille beach (South St Pete)...

Cute little Jimmy Buffet styled restaraunt...

[Poiuyt]

31. There's a great old Cuban restaurant in Tampa called the Columbian

We went there when I was a little kid.

http://www.columbiarestaurant.com/ybor.asp