Good vacation spots in the keys??
 

My daughter wants to have our vacation be somewhere that she can go snorkeling (she is a real water rat). Can anyone recommend a good snorkeling spot with a nice close to shore reef and any good hotels/resorts in the keys? I'd like to stay in CONUS instead of going to the Caribbean.

Of course, anyone I could bum a boat ride off of while down there wouldn't be refused either :D.

Thanks - Greg

Im not real sure on the snorkling, but Hawks Kay is real nice if you have a fat wallet and Holiday Isle where we just stayed for the Poker Run seemed to be a nice spot, The rooms there were a little run down, but the rest of the place was good

Bob

Just about anywhere south of Miami.

The Moorings in Islamorada, Holiday Isle, The Westin in Key Largo, call me 954-309-2222. If you want to boat the upper Keys the place, Key West is fun we stay at either two B&Bs rent scooters and bar hop. We will be there this Sat 3/6 for the Full Moon party at the Moorings and then for a week May 4 thru 9th with the boat. Mangroove Marine will rack store our boat for 150 a mnth:D outside:rolleyes: thats OK for the old boat but when the new one gets here inside only

Thanks, keep the ideas coming. I don't think I'll bring our boat down, but renting one to reef hop for the day sounds like fun.


I have to double check my daughters summer camps schedule (her schedule is much more booked than mine), but I think I'll be looking at mid-late August.


-Greg

it's all good
 

No doubt about it Hawks Cay as mentioned above is my personal favorite. www.hawkscay.com boat or not that place is the cat's meow especially for families.
A couple of others that I have not seen mentioned yet that I have visited are the Westin Key Largo another destination resort with the "Heavenly Bed" that really is heavenly. And also the Marriott Key Largo. That too is also a destination resort with all the amenities that you could ask for. But at the end of the day it's all good. Just get out on the water and enjoy.
Hope that these suggestions help.
Best
Rice Hauler

Cheeca Lodge in Islamorada, great place! stayed there a few times.

Westin Key Largo, and Marriott Key Largo have a nice layout and rentals, also can snorkel John Pennekamp State Park, Holiday Isle, famous Tiki Bar, but then you'll have to keep an eagle's eye on the daughter

Cheeca Lodge looks nice as does Hawks Kay. Westin Key Largo may be a winner as ITT used to own Starwood and they still give employees preferred rates :)

Thanks all - Greg

Take her to swim with the dolphins at Hawks Cay.

We did the Dolphins in Key Largo, it was one of the coolest things we've done. My son really enjoyed it. However is was a little chilly when we were down there. Can't remember where we stayed but it was a condo with a marina right on the water. We snorkled right there.
When are you heading down? We'll be doing Hutchinson Island in April. My son has been scuba diving for 4 years now and we're going to do some reefs. Since he's only 8 he can't carry a tank so his reg is attached to my tank via a 25' hose. Works great in the pool since I can leave the tank on the deck or let it drop to the bottom.

Garry,

I think the "open week" on her summer schedule was 16 August. I see there is a poker run on the 29th, but her school starts last week of August so we can't make it that late in the year.

None of us does scuba, so looking at snorkeling. I've thought of the PADI cert classes but never seem to find the time.

Ron,

I've surfed with the dolphins in CA, scarry as hell the first time one comes up to you. Have to keep telling myself if the tail flukes are horizontal it's ok <LOL>

-Greg

If you want to Dive, you can take a "Resort course" It's two hours in the pool and then you can dive down to about 30 feet.

The best part is, if you do the course once, you can dive throughout the week without doing the course again.

OR, take the PADI course at home and then do the final open water dives in the keys. SCUBA ROCKS.

Can't agree more with Hawk's Cay. Tizbad and I took the familys down there for new years. Primo resort with a LOT of dive spots nearby.

Marathon is my favorite spot. It's a bigger island so most everything you need is right there. It's not as touristy as KW. There is a large range of accomodations from pricey to mom and pop. Sombrero Reef, just off the island is a fantastic dive or snorkle spot.

Not to disagree with my good pal Ron P., but be really careful if you take a "Resort Course". Some of the operators will tell you next to nothing, dunk your head in the pool, and then drag you offshore:mad: Scuba is a very safe sport but you have to be trained and trained well. I took a resort course in Cancun and after I got properly certified it scared me to death to think what I did in Mexico. You can take a PADI course in a couple of weekends and then do a check out in the Keys-that is the best way to do it if you want to get into it quick.

Don't forget to do Robbies and the tarpons when you are down-very cool.

I also had some great snorkeling with my kids off of Islamorada- the boat rentals are a great idea. (Wait till the rental guys see you dock their boat-totally freaks them out when you don't crash into something:D )

Little Palm island has alot of coral heads and a patch reef right off of the sandy beach and or sand flat . You can walk most of the way, its great for kids, kinda pricey, But Eat, Drink,kids have fun. Take a boat to the island and not want to go home. My family and I had a wonderful time.

I'm with Cuda... Marathon is really nice. Everything you need is right there and Sombrero Reef is beautiful. Keep in mind though that it is about 5 miles offshore so you will either need a boat or a charter. Both are available with no problems there. When are you planning on coming down ?