Hawks Cay
 

Any thoughts or opinions?
Thinking of taking the family for 2 nites during feb break.

Re: Hawks Cay
 

Go, best place in the keys.

Re: Hawks Cay
 

I've stayed there several times. It's really a nice spot!

Re: Hawks Cay
 

I have a place on duck key and Hawks Cay is about to get much nicer. They have announced the sale of it to a hotel developer who has said they intend on doing a 25 million dollar renovation.

Re: Hawks Cay
 

very nice place go

Re: Hawks Cay
 

thanks guys... just booked the room.

Is the deckboat rental or snorkling worth it?
The kids never snorkled anywhere good.
Any other activities while i'm there for the short time?
Any restaruants to go outside the hotel?
I need some conch chowder!!! :D

Re: Hawks Cay
 

When I was a kid, we used to go to Porky's for lunch, which is in Marathon at the north end of the 7 mile bridge. Great Bar B Q and really good conch fritters. (It's not real fancy, but it's a cool little place. :D )

Re: Hawks Cay
 

Great place just came back from 5 days there the week before Christmas.

Re: Hawks Cay
 

pass on the deck boat.snorkling is great.I have 2 kids and we go there every year and they love it.try the islamorada fish co mile marker 80.
.

Re: Hawks Cay
 

thanks guys, keep the info coming.
come on klaw, where are you b4 they send this to the offtopic forum! :eek:

Re: Hawks Cay
 

I would recomend the Island Tiki Bar mile marker 50 ish Great waterfront bar and resturant. The other place I would recomend is Cabots mile marker 52 ish a little classier waterfront resturant.Plus they have live entertainment outside on the deck. If you cet out at night and want y to see the real keys go to the Brass Monkey Bar mile marker 50. This place is fun and dangerous all at the same time. don't bother showing up there till 1:00 am lol.

Re: Hawks Cay
 

You can rent a boat at the marina at Hawk's Cay and it just a few minutes ride out to a reef to snorkle. they have a chart at the marina/rental place to show you were everthing is.

Re: Hawks Cay
 

This is a funky place you can take the family for lunch or dinner. It is in Marathon, gulfside.

http://www.keysfisheries.com/restaurant.html

Re: Hawks Cay
 

mike, kids are 6/8. i think i'll take them on the snorkle excursion.
i was considering the deck boat (2hrs/ $99) just so they can see the back waters. i don't think i need to take them offshore yet.
and when we are in palm beach, the extended family is going offshore fishing on a charter.

RLW... now thats what im talking about.

Re: Hawks Cay
 

I have a list of things to do down ther which I will send to you on monday
they rent liyyle glass bottom boat with small out boards that are nice to go through the duck key canals you may even see a shark in Toms harbor Herbies in Marathon is great for kunch

Re: Hawks Cay
 

Stayed there in a 2 bedroom villa back in Jan 2003, great place for the family.

Re: Hawks Cay
 

The Florida Powerboat Club has a run going down there next weekend. Sounds like about 20 boats or so.

Re: Hawks Cay
 

We have done the FPC run to Hawks Cay. Very Nice. I believe Hawks may still offer the "Swim with the Dolphin Experience".

We were going to try to make the FPC run to Hawks this year but just got back from Mexico. The Easter run is also good. Not may boats and a lot of good people and beautiful scenery.

Re: Hawks Cay
 

my kids are a few inches short to swim w/ the dolphins, but the have a dockside experience where you can pet and feed them. They also teach you basic hand commands that you get to use. should be fun for all, especially since my daughter is dolphin crazy.
thanks for all the info... i'm starting to really look forward.

Re: Hawks Cay
 

in Marathon is the original Dolphin Research Center hom eof the original Flipper

Re: Hawks Cay
 

Whale Harbor Inn on Islamarda is the best seafood buffet going. it's about 40 minutes north. Just nice ride through the mid keys.

Key West is about 1.45hrs south of Duck Key in case you need some nightlife.

Re: Hawks Cay
 

You will love it! Have been there many times!

Re: Hawks Cay
 

Where would you dock the boat?

Re: Hawks Cay
 

This is a fantastic place --- we went 2 years ago thanks to the suggestion I got from fellow OSO'ers.

I know that if you rent one of the villas on the water, you will be directly on the docks. Not sure if you can rent one of those slips or not tho...but we did see a manatee there.

A couple of years ago we rented one of the 2 bedroom/2 bath villas w/kitchen and living room. We had two families with a total of 5 kids, ages 6-11. It was wonderful!

We didn't do the dolphin experience, but our kids loved renting the little boats on the lagoon, as well as the pre teen "club house" (a "kids nightclub" where they can play video games/soft drinks/pizza and its for "kids only").

But for mom and dad --- You just *have* to go out to dinner at Little Palm Island, which is an adults only resort. Phenomenal. (Hawks Cay has great BABYSITTERS too! So you can leave the kids behind).
Check it out:
http://www.littlepalmisland.com/
You will take a classic boat ride out to the island, and dine on the beach while the sun sets! Absolutely GORGEOUS! I was told this was the #1 honeymooners spot. It's located a mile or so offshore of Little Torch Key.

We did go on the group snorkeling (left right from our dock) and saw a shark, sea turtle and barracuda as well as lots of other cool fish. But it was only a 2 hour trip. So, the next day we rented our own deck boat and went out near the same spot and snorkeled all day long. IMO, the deck boat was well worth the relatively low cost, if you like to snorkel.

As for food --- if you rent the villas, you'll also have your own kitchen. Just a walk down the dock (away from the inn) there's a grocery store and another restaurant that was pretty good. But both the hotel restaurant and the other one were on the expensive side when you stay 3-4 days, so feeding the kids OJ, Cheerios and bananas from our own kitchen each morning was a big bonus! And avoiding the breakfast wait gave us more time for the fun stuff. :)

You'll LOVE IT!
enjoy!
BK~

Re: Hawks Cay
 

The "Waters Edge" at Hawks Cay is very good. Mikes Sunset cafe is just down the road in Grassy Key. Cabana Breezes in Key Colony Beach (mm 54) is good for lunch and dinner you sit next to the ocean. Barracuda Grill (Marathon) is good but pricey also they don't take reservation so be there by 6. Castaways on the other end of Marathon is good but kind of hard to find MM 48. Going up the other way Bentleys is always good around mm 85 or so always busy make reservations. Have fun the weathers has been in the 80s.

Re: Hawks Cay
 

Yes, the "Waters Edge" @ Hawks Cay & as mentioned, Little Palm Island(pricey but worth it) are both a lot of fun. And the diving is the best around. Highly recommend Hawks Cay Resort. Ed

Re: Hawks Cay
 

BBB725..........I was at Cabana Breezes and the KCB park a lot last week.....your house is magnificent.
pd
Rob..........I emailed all of my recommendations.......you will have a great time..........be sure to take the kids to 7 mile bridge and look for Tilden at the dive shop at HC pd

Re: Hawks Cay
 

You're gonna love it down there! I don't think you can go wrong with a Keys vacation...

I was there last year and we stayed on Marathon at the Hammocks. There was a boat rental place onsite and the boating and fishing was fantastic. We were having a few Corona's at the Tiki Bar the first day and my wife asked me what I thought and if there was anything missing... The only thing I could think of that was missing was my boat, other than that it was perfect.

We ate at Cabots, Porkys (not my favorite), and two other places (can't remember the names). Drove down to Key West One day, went to Sombrero Beach another. The Lobster Reuben that Scottb recommeneded were excellent!

Ahhhhh, I could go for a trip like that again..... Nothing to do but drink rum runners, go boating and relax...

Re: Hawks Cay
 

When i was 12 & 13 i spent my summer at a marine science camp in Big Pine Key. All I did was hang out w/ 15-17yr old girls in Bikini's.
I think this time around will be a great time, but quite different from then. ;)

Re: Hawks Cay
 

I was in Orlando last week, just got back Sunday. Glad to be back where its warm, 50 degree morning just don't cut it. The house is almost done still need the gate and walls finished outfront. Stop in some time and say HI.

Brooks

Re: Hawks Cay
 

I've been reading this thread for the last week and can't stop thinking about another FL Keys trip. I've also heard alot about Hawks cay, that's my next destanation. I was fortunate enough to make 3 trips last April to key Largo and about 10 miles more south. Drove my new CC from TNT to Largo and surounding areas and stayed at the Mariners Club each time before I had my CC shipped home. Got to say all the trips I've been on in my life so far, there's something about boating in the FL Keys that makes it one of the coolist trips I been on. There's not much cooler things then snorkling with my 11 year old daughter off one of the dive sites, desending 10 feet and having 6 foot nurse sharks 4 foot Baracudas and everthing else from sea turtles to finding Nemo right under neath us. The noise coming from her snorkle as well as the look on my 11 year olds face when the Barracuda was about 20 feet from us was priceless. I highly recomened doing it like I did, it was something we won't forget.

Re: Hawks Cay
 

FPC is returning to Hawks Cay this weekend 01/26-28/07, we have 25 boats going down with us!!! Great group, can't wait, I hope the weather holds out...
Steve, we'll miss you
Stu is hiring extra models to sleep in your room.
We still have villas and cottages available!
call us 954-580-2582 Jackie

Re: Hawks Cay
 

Jackie - Never heard back from you?

Re: Hawks Cay
 

Joe, I'm still waiting for my DVD I bought back in Sept 2006...5 months ago.... from FPC :( :rolleyes:

Anyway, my wife and I head down to the Keys each year around February 6th to celebrate my Alive day. We really love the middle keys the best. We have stayed at the Hampton Inn Islamorada and Hawks Cay and both places are wonderful. We might try something else different this year.

Re: Hawks Cay
 

7 Active Thunders (Four 37'--Two 33'-- One 28') just returned from a 3 day trip in the Keys. There are a couple threads about the 'Thunder Run' in the AT forum. It was awesome!

Re: Hawks Cay
 

too bad i wont be down during either run.
but then again... my wife would love that :rolleyes:
me dissapearing for a day from the family, on family vaca. :)

Re: Hawks Cay
 

which dvd?

Re: Hawks Cay
 

The OPBA 2006 Labor Day Poker Run. My wife and I bought photo's and the DVD video which we were told we would have by December. My wife even confirmed this when she spoke with Stu about the problem we had with our photo's however we NEVER received the DVD.
We paid for eveything at the Tampa Driver meeting at Billy's Stone Crab, We did the whole package for pictures and video.
Mike and Lisa Carter
813-641-2958

Re: Hawks Cay
 

DVD has not been completed. Actually it is done, just the voice over needs to be placed. Ron is going to help out with that, and then OPBA will mail them to all of their participants. But we did not forget you!!!