Ready for some Florida Keys news about Stargazing? In the month of Febuary, if you are an amateur or even a professional astronomer, you may want to head on down to the Lower Keys because they have their annual Winter Star Party during this time.

People actually come from around the world for a chance to view the southern constellations, comets, stars and objects that are only visible from the Keys. One of the reasons that they are so visible is because there is not a whole lot of artificial light making it almost perfect to stargaze from the most southern point in the United States.

This is not the first year this event was held and I’m not sure how long it’s been going on but I do know that it is hosted by the Southern Cross Astronomical Society from Miami. This is great Keys news so tell all your astronomy lover friends!

What kind of stuff do you do at a Stargazing party? Well, stargaze of course, but you can also attend lectures and they even have presentations by some well known astronomers and speakers. It wouldn’t be an event without vendors so you can also shop for anything astronomy! They even have special activities for the youngsters!

I know the event is open to the public and you have to register prior to the event. To register you can contact heinrich1@windstream.net or call 386-362-5995 and you can ask questions about the registration.

Here is where you can get more info on the society. http://www.scas.org/wsp.html

This video has some great shots of the sky:

Here’s a great 9 minute video about going to the Star Party. Right around the 4 minute mark is where you get to see the star gazing.

Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Let me tell you about a really fun place where you can have good clean fun in a great atmosphere.

Boondocks Grille and Drafthouse is awesome! The bar is open air and one of the best things about this place is you can even bring your pets! They have bowls of water on the patio for your pet. Boondock’s is very understanding that they get a lot of business from travelers and they know many people are taking their pet’s along on vacations, so they offer a unique experience for pet lovers. Get this, they even have a pet menu where you can order stuff like a hot diggity dog, a woofer burger or a barky breast of chicken! That just cracks me up! It’s really nice to go to a place and have the ability to take your pet with you. I give these guys an A+ for such a great effort to please customers. I must say that pets are only allowed on the patio but it’s still impressive, even down to the kiddie pool they set up so your pet can splish splash in the water! I’m not a mini golf person, but this is the only place in the Keys where they have a miniture golf course. They have something called Glow golf and so I am guessing it is night golfing because everything on the course was lit up. That sounds like a lot of fun and we heard people having a great time, but we didn’t join in. Instead, we liked the bar area. The deals and prices were great! On Monday thru Friday from 4-6 during happy hour of course (and we love our happy hour), all the special drinks were half price. Then, if you wanted the peel and eat shrimp in the bar, after 4PM they were 49 cents on Tuesdays. Seemed like everyday they had a great special. On Thursdays, they had 69 cent tacos and if you are a Martini lover you could get a premium martini for 5 bucks. We saved a lot of money hitting happy hour and buying specials. The plus was we always got great food!

How to save on booze…or the Key West Bar Card!

Republished by Blog Post Promoter

There are so many options to pick from. Are you looking for romantic and private or a condo right on the water? There may be a resort property where you can use all of their amenities that’s included in the price of the rental.

Where to find Vacation rentals by owners

VRBO.com has many vacation rentals on their site. On this site, you’ll be talking with the owner before you rent, so there are no hidden costs that may surprise you when you get there. It’s always helpful to learn about the place you are staying from the owner instead of a rental agency.

This explains it in this video on how you will book directly with the owner:

This site, Gulivers is a free site to search the web for the best values in vacation rentals. You would contact the owners directly. Since it isn’t a members site, you will want to do your research before any money exchanges hands. If you don’t feel comfortable, stick to the sites that seem more plausible.

Cyber Rentals is a Home Away company and has been around since the 90′s and have more than 85 thousand rentals so there should be something you can find in the Florida Keys.

Rent For Your Vacations is a worldwide site but it has around 40 rentals in the keys.

Those are just a few of the companies where you can find vacation rentals by owner. Always do your research first and before any money switches hands, make sure you read reviews to see what kind of experience others have had.

But if you just want to make plans yourself then here are a few tips that I found out from those who went to Key West to get married.

To get a marriage license in Key West, you need to go to the Monroe County Courthouse to apply. It will cost you about 93 dollars and you need to show photo ID and if either of you were married before you will need to know the exact date the other marriage ended. You can have this done in about 15 minutes!

If you are on a budget, google barefoot weddings. I also included a link here for you to check out some fantastic wedding deals on wedding apparel. They are giving up to 40% off and they usually ship free. It is an online store but the savings are incredible. I saw some really pretty gowns perfect for a beach wedding for under $250.

If you want to get married in a historic home, I know the Hemingway home does host weddings. Or, you can just get a notary and for a nominal fee they will do a quick beach side ceremony or right in their office. You can also get married on a yacht or on one of the cruises and they can acommondate around 60 guests. They are harder to book so if you want to get married out at sea, plan ahead for that.

Whatever you decide, it can be found in the Florida Keys!

The perfect Honeymoon hotel

Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Although it is considered the fishing and diving capital, there are lots of things to do. I think the Craft Beer and Home Brewers tasting event may be of interest. At mile marker 106.8 (remember if you want to find a place, you have to learn how to read the mile markers) is usually in April and the Key Largo Rotary Club runs this event.

Do you remember the classic film, The African Queen? If you do, you can go see the vessel that Humphrey Bogart and Katherine Hepburn made famous in the movie of the same name near mm (that’s mile marker) 100. It’s just been recently restored. Key Largo Chamber 800-822-1088 is where you can call for more information. Here’s a video on what they are doing to restore this vessel.

Where To Stay

There are so many places to stay but if you are coming to Key Largo there are several campgrounds to stop at. Just make sure you call ahead for reservations because they usually fill up really fast.

Here’s a list of the 4 campgrounds:

KINGS KAMP
Phone: (305) 451-0010
103620 Overseas Hwy.
Key Largo , FL 33037

ROCK HARBOR MARINA
Phone: 305.852.2025
MM 97.5 Oceanside
Key Largo , FL 33037

CALUSA CAMP RESORT
This property is Pet Friendly
Phone: (305)451-0232
325 Calusa St.
Key Largo , FL 33037

KEY LARGO CAMPRGROUND & MARINA
Phone: (305)451-1431
101551 Overseas Highway
Key Largo , FL 33037

As far as hotels, there is a Hilton, a Marriot and Holiday Inn. We stayed in the Holiday Inn and it was really nice.
A tiki bar outside and two pools with a fountain and waterfall made a relaxing evening for us.
If you want to know all of the hotels in Key Largo, go to this website and you can link from there.

No matter if you want to fish, snorkel or just kick back and relax, Key Largo has something for every single person that drives down highway 1.

If you decide to take the Hemingway tour on Whitehead Street it is well worth the bucks to do so. There are several buildings on the Hemingway grounds. The most fascinating for me was the studio in which he did most of his writing. Originally, the building was a carriage house that sits right behind the main house. When we were there, we could go up steps to get to the studio, but we found out later that they were only put there for tourists. Hemingway had a gate cut into the house’s veranda railing, then built a catwalk to his studio. He did most of his writing in the early morning hours and so all he had to do was get up and go to his studio! Sometime during a heavy storm the cook house and the catwalk were blown down.

You’ll see in the video below that his studio is just as he left it in his writing days. The Royal typewriter, cuban cigar-maker’s chair and all the memento’s on the walls and shelves were things that he had collected over the years. Take a look for yourself and I apologize for the shaky video:

Can you imagine Hemingway pecking away at his typewriter every morning in such a serene place? From what I understand, Pauline, his second wife, made a small apartment on the first floor of the carriage house. Today it houses the bookshop and the property offices.

I’ve got to show you this fountain. Can you guess what it is used for? You’ll never believe it, this just cracks me up! It is actually a fountain that Hemingway built for his cats! The first ever giant cat drinking fountain made from an old Spanish olive jar he brought back from Cuba. But the trough at the base is from the bar’s urinal of his friend who owned Sloppy Joe’s! His wife Pauline added some tile to disguise it so no one would ever know. Imagine that!

Want more tours? How about a 3 part tour of the Shipwreck Museum?

Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Marathon maintains a simple lifestyle and shows itself by their annual seafood festivals which is something you don’t want to miss. This is the third largest event in the keys. I’m getting hungry for seafood just watching the video below:

Crane Point is a preserved tropical hardwood grove that you can hike through. Then there’s Pigeon Key where you will be taken back in history and learn how this little island played one of the biggest roles in the Keys. A few miles offshore lies the only living coral reef, called Sombrero Reef and it is federally protected. You can spend hours diving there or head to the deep waters of the Florida Straits, where you can see artificial reefs and so some wreck diving.

There are plenty of places to stay on your fabulous vacations in the middle of the Keys. From resorts to hotels, you won’t be left sleeping in the middle of nowhere. Check out Rainbow Bend, just the name of the resort sounds heavenly:

If you want to take a look at how the Keys look from above, here is a video of a plane landing in Marathon.

Unspoiled… Uncrowded … Unbelievable… there is just so much to do and see in the middle of the Keys. Fishing and snorkeling or just kicking back and being lazy. Whatever you want to do it’s up to you. There are so many places to eat that you will not go hungry.

Here’s another place to stay where you can have fabulous vacations here in the Keys because this place has everything you will need for a great time!

Want to get married in the Keys on the beach and with a sunset behind you? It is a desire that comes true for many couples here in the Keys. For some information you will need, I wrote a post on getting married in this American Caribbean.

Snorkeling and diving on the States only living coral barrier reef is found in the Keys. A scuba diving vacation or a sport fishing vacation may be what you are looking for and is possible with vacations to Florida Keys.

Here’s a really good video on affordable places to get married on your vacation”

Did you see the Key West Garden Club? I was there and it is an awesome place to go let alone get married in. Or how about being surrounded by butterflies? That would be a dream come true and for a flat fee it even includes complimentary champagne!

Another place you may want to go is this luxurious resort called Cheeca Lodge where you will be pampered and treated quite well. Check it out:

President’s and celebs have been here but that doesn’t mean you can’t rejuvenate here too. It can be affordable if you plan ahead.

Want to experience a private Island:

There are so many places to go and see during vacations to the Florida Keys that I just touched on a few things. You have to just get in your car or on that plane and experience this wonderful place yourself. It will be a place you will want to go back to, and there have been some who have never left!

Did you know the Florida Keys has a bowling alley? The Fish Bowl is the premier place to go if you want to do some activities like bowling or even yoga! Yes, I did say yoga. But, first let’s talk about the game.

The Fish Bowl has 12 lanes with bumpers if you need them. They have bowling leauges and even glow bowling with the disco lights and black lights. If you want to go back to the 70′s just stop in on a Friday or Saturday night around ten and you can glo bowl until midnight.

Here are some other exciting things to do:

• Pool – You can play pool by the hour and just pay a small fee. In 2012 it was $9
• A small Arcade is available to get your game on!
• Yoga – Mysore classes that focus on guidance and adjustments for the individual but in a group setting to progress according to your own abilities. They even have a shop to buy the gear you need to be comfy during class.

The location for Fish Bowl is on the Overseas Highway in Islamorada.  It’s right around mile marker 83.2 on the bay side. If you need to call ahead, the phone number is 305-664-9357. This is the only bowling alley in the keys, so if you want to do a fun thing or if it’s a rainy day and your kids are restless, then bowling may be just  right for your vacation.

You don’t have to worry about eating, they have a snack bar with lots of stuff like pizza, hot dogs, chicken wings and soda and the usual food you will find in a place like this. They even cater to birthday parties and for about $12 a person you get 1.5 hours of bowling, rental shoes, pizza and soda. That’s not a bad price for a party, especially in the keys. I paid almost that much for a birthday party in PA for my grand daughter at a roller skating rink.

Here’s a plus for the adults, a full bar stocked with beer, wine and liquor and even nine different beers on tap! Now that’s my kind of bowling alley!

You may have heard that in the Florida Keys the beaches were rough and not very pleasant to visit. That’s not necessarily all true. While most of the Keys are natural beaches, there are plenty that you will consider some of the most beautiful you have ever seen.

The Sandspur Beach, a sandy beach with deep water and  clean where you can enjoy swimming, kayaking and snorkeling can be found in the Bahia Honda State Park. The Caloosa, also located near the bridge, has crystal clear, turquoise water. With no waves, it is perfect for swimmers. You can find the Bahia Honda Key at mm 37 on the Overseas Highway.

At mm 73 is Anne’s Beach, dedicated to Anne Eaton, a local environmentalist. It has a shallow swimming area, a boardwalk and bathrooms.

At mm 92.5 is Harry Harris Park Beach. This is a man made lagoon for safe and relaxing swimming. There is a playground for children here and if you want to picnic, you can even use the barbecue grills. Restrooms can be found here as well as a fishing jetty and a boat ramp.

I think the most famous beach is Smathers Beach in Key West. It is named after a former govenor who was in office for around 18 years. It doesn’t matter where you are in Key West, this beach isn’t hard to find. If you are on Duval, it is just a hop, skip and jump away. It runs for about 2 miles and is great if you have kids.

Have questions? Get answers here.

Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Funny thing is 820 acres are protected because this is the home of the National Key Deer Refuge. Yet people do live here, there are about 43 homes currently and visitors and residents alike like to hike through the refuge or kayak around the island.

The history of this island is pretty interesting. They have a record of about 44 settlers that date back to the 1870′s, whose main jobs were probably fishing and salvaging.Then from the early 1920′s until about 1938 the ferry landed at No Name Key. This was because there was no way to get an automobile from the upper keys to the lower keys as there was a 40 mile gap because no road existed then.

Another interesting historical event was that No Name Key was the training grounds for the failed Bay of Pigs invasion. Also, people have said that Howard Hughes owned this little island at one time, although no one has ever verified that bit of gossip.

Here is a video of a few of the key Deer that you will see when you go to No Name Key.

I also have to show you this one. There is a little naughty deer who was hungry and got into someones garbage.

Now here is a very interesting yet strange video….it is of a blue heron and a Key Deer on little Palm Island in the Florida Keys.

What can you do in No Name Key? First you can stop at the visitors center on Key Deer Blvd. You can birdwatch or visit the National Wildlife Refuge trails, and visit the Blue Hole to see the alligators and you can enjoy casual dining at the No Name Pub. The pub is not on the No Name Key but right at the bridge before you head to the island.

I hope you enjoyed the Key Deer videos and remember to visit this area when you are in the Florida Keys.

Next up, Pidgeon Key!

Stop in at the No Name Pub!

Republished by Blog Post Promoter

I had done a post about camping in the Keys awhile back, but so many people have asked me specific questions on what type of campgrounds there are along the Overseas Highway. So I decided to dig a little bit and provide my readers with details on different types of camping in the Florida Keys. Today we are going to discuss some luxury camping.

I believe that Bluewater Key Resort is one of the most luxurious campgrounds in the Keys. The lots are all actually owned by various people, millionaires included and when the owners are not using the lots, they will rent them out.

Just to give you an idea of what it looks like, take a look at this video. Now, it is detailed about the property, so grab a cup of coffee or tea, or a tall drink and kick back and relax while you watch.

Isn’t it a beautiful place? If you didn’t have time to listen to the video, I’ll tell you a little about the interesting parts. Each lot is individually owned and the great part about that is the owners did their own landscaping so each lot is private and you won’t be looking at your neighbors staring at you when you sit outside.

The sites are lovely, canal, waterfront or off the water and they are all different prices. It’s a bit more expensive than a traditional campground but we’re talking the Keys here. The thing I like best about each site is it comes with a tiki hut where you can put your table and chairs and enjoy the great outdoors. Each site also comes with cable TV, electric, water and sewer and WiFi Access. That is so important because I don’t know about you, but I hate traveling without my internet!

Bluewater Key Resort is located right around mile marker 15.5, which is just outside of Key West. Your not far from the action of the most famous city of the Keys and yet you can get away to a paradise of your own.

Where is Kokomo in the Keys?

Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Just what is a glass bottom boat? The hull of the boat has glass panels from which you can see everything in the water. The captain will take you over coral reef where you can see underneath the water up close without getting wet! Fish, like parrot fish, zebra, barracuda, snapper, nurse sharks, sting rays and grouper can be seen. You will see some beautiful and colorful coral like the purple fan, a very known soft coral that is very dominant in the Fl Keys.

Here is a video of one of the popular tour guide companies that offer glass bottom boat rides in the Fl Keys.

If you are just entering the Fl Keys, you may want to stop at Key Largo, the very first of the Islands. Near the Holiday Inn, near mm 100 at the Holiday Inn docks on US Hwy 1 sits the Key Largo Princess, a 70 foot glass bottom boat that will hold about 129 passengers. It is a twin diesel aluminum motor yacht that will take you on a luxurious ride into the coral reefs. You can stay on deck where you will have a panoramic view of the ocean or inside where of course it is air conditioned and you can enjoy the ride in a comfortable seat. They even have some snacks and sandwiches that you can buy, along with drinks including beer and wine and my hubby’s favorite, mixed drinks.

This is probably something you won’t want to miss when you are in the Fl Keys.

Florida Keys Beaches

Republished by Blog Post Promoter

The Key West Bar Card is one of the best deals I’ve seen so far in Key West. What it does is entitles the card bearer to a 2 for 1 cocktail each day at some of the best bars in Key West Fl. Every time you visit one of the bars mentioned on the list you will get 2 drinks for the price of one. Think about the money you are saving!

For example, you decide to purchase a bar card for you and your spouse. After breakfast you stop in at Hog’s Breathe Saloon. Order a drink, enjoy and then whip out your bar card and have another one FREE! Cha-ching! You just saved yourself some money!

Head on out and do the tourist thing for awhile, then stop for dinner at The Schooner Wharf Bar. You and spouse each get a drink and then once again whip out your Key West Bar Card! Buy one – Get one FREE! Money saved!

Do you see where this is going? You can hit every bar on the list but you can only use it one time per day in each establishment on the list.  Now if you do the Duval Crawl, you will save yourself some major bucks….just email me and let me know if you made it from one end of Duval Street to the other!

The Key West Bar Card also donates 10% to local Charities. I really personally think this is awesome because it’s done out of an act of love for this city and the people in it. The Hospice of the Keys, Key West High School band and Toys for Tots are just a few of the charities that are helped by the donations from the Bar Card.

You can buy the card online at keywestbarcard.com and also if you are already in Key West Fl, you can buy them at certain retailers like Fast Buck Freddies on Duval Street, Peterson’s Harley Davidson and more. I would go to their website for more information.

I can’t wait for the next trip to the Keys, you can bet I’ll have myself a Bar Card! Here’s a quote from someone else who’s been there and used the bar card:

I can hardly believe what a great deal this is! We were only in Key West for 3 days but we had 2-for-1 drinks everywhere we went – and we discovered some GREAT new bars we had never been to before. The card more than paid for itself on our first night.
THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!

Don’t go without one!

Until next time…..



Key Restaurant Card saves you money!

Republished by Blog Post Promoter

For a relatively affordable day out in the Keys, you must take a historic tour of Pigeon Key just west of Marathon. This island wasn’t much use to anyone until Henry Flagler needed it to complete the 7 mile bridge for his railroad that he was determined to build all the way to Key West. If you don’t know anything about Henry Flagler he was a partner with Rockefeller and they owned the Standard Oil Company together. He was probably one of the wealthiest men in the turn of the century.

Since then, this 5.31 acre island has had quite a history. It was used as a base camp for the workers who helped to build the railroad. History tells us that the conditions there were terrible and mosquitos, hurricanes, and other atrocities made living on the island horrible for the 400 workers who were housed there for 4 years. In 1912 the railroad was completed but it only lasted until about 1935 when a hurricane did so much damage that it was decided not to fix the railroad.

Today Pigeon Key is a museum that honors the builders of the Key West Extension. The Pigeon Key Foundation is also something you may want to look into. If you go to their website they have a very informative video of what you will see when you go visit. They also have a Marine Science Camp for kids ages 8 to 18.

What I like about this place is there is several ways to get there. If you stop at the Pigeon Key Visitors Center, you can take a trolley down to the island, or you can walk down to it using the old railroad/road that’s no longer used as a railroad but the town utilizes it as a walking trail. Or, if you are in Marathon or Knight’s Key you can take a ferry across the gorgeous blue waters. So if you are into history or just want to go to a private beach, there is one on Pigeon Key.

Glass Bottom Boats in the Florida Keys

Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Some very interesting people are buried there, like Sophronia Bradley Hall (1880-1945) Sophronia’s husband was a warden that protected the endangered birds in the Everglades from being slaughtered. Poachers killed him in 1905 and that started a conservation movement.

Then there was Abe Sawyer (1862-1939) who was Key West Florida’s famous midget. He requested to be buried in the grave of a full-sized man!

Florida’s first millionare William Curry (1824-1896) He came from the Bahamas and made his fortune in mercantile.

“Sloppy” Joe Russell (1889-1941) Key West’s best known barkeep and fishing guide to Ernest Hemingway in the 1930s.

This is a beautiful epitaph on Minnie Elizabeth Otto’s grave. It says, “Her life was a beautiful morning.” She lived from 1868 to 1945. Sounds like someone I would love to have known!

Of course you have the one’s who want to have the last word. There was a known hypochondriac who’s marker says “I told you I was sick.” Gotta love that one! Gloria M. Russell (1926-2000) had this put on hers “I’m just resting my eyes.”

A beautiful carved angel in the Key West Florida graveyard is a testament of the  exquisite victorian statuary.

If you get a chance and want to try something new, stop by the graveyard for a tour. It is well worth your time. I sound like a commercial.

No Name Key has those adorable Key Deer!

Republished by Blog Post Promoter

The veranda outside of his bedroom was really something! Can you imagine waking up, walking outside on the veranda into that lush greenery all around in the early morning? No wonder he was so inspired to write in Key West Florida. It is a wonderful place to be.

Some of the works of Hemingway are housed on the second floor in glass bookcases that you can’t touch. I tried to get some photos of his books but it is hard to see the titles.

For Whom the Bell Tolls, do you remember this book? If you never read any of Hemingway’s books, this novel was said to be one of his finest works.

It was about the Spanish Civil War, or how about The Old Man and the Sea, the novel that made Hemingway a celebrity, which was about a Cuban fisherman who struggles with a giant Marlin out in the sea.

Then there was A Farewell To Arms, about an ambulance driver in the Italian Army in WWI. This book was published in 1929. You’ll get a kick out of this rare known fact. There were three obscenities in the book and when it was published, they put dashes where the cuss words should have been! I can imagine it made Hemingway a bit mad that they altered his book and so he took  two  books and put the cuss words back in by hand. None of his published work has ever had the actual cuss words in.

If you go to Key West Florida, you have to stop in to see Hemingway’s House.

Republished by Blog Post Promoter

I already told you about the most well known bar in Key West, which is of course Margaritaville. In this post, I’ll mention a few other bars that you will want to stop and check out perhaps while doing the “duval crawl” in your travels to the Keys.

Willie T’s, 525 Duval St, a great restuarant and bar with live entertainment daily from 1 – 4 pm and 7 pm. They have this 10 foot wide Theatre Wall projector screen where you can see some of your favorite shows and a happy hour with half price beer and well drinks! My kind of place!

Sloppy Joe’s is very touristy and is a must stop on your visit to the keys. This famous bar has been on Duval Street since they moved from around the corner in 1937. Not only is there a main bar, but a Tap room with specialty crafted beers and a big screen TV. If you go in July you just may see a whole bunch of bearded guys trying to win the Hemmingway look a like contest that has been a tradition since the 80′s.

Fat Tuesday’s is smack dab in the middle of the Duval Street craziness and they are famous for their frozen Daiquiris, which are New Orleans style drinks and actually the whole place reminds you of New Orleans. They have a full service bar so you can get more than their famous New Orleans Daiquiris there. Good Times!

The Green Parrot is legendary, sited as one of the Best Bars in America by Playboy. It has live music and you just have to stop in and check it out when it’s in full swing. It’s address is 601 Whitehead St. If you haven’t been to Key West before, you will want to grab a map of the keys at any store or shop and you’ll be able to find places much easier.

Here’s a video of Cap’t Tony’s, the original location of Sloppy Joes.

This is just a few of the bars in Key West….if you love bar hopping, late nights out and just plain old fun, then Duval Street in the Keys is the place you want to be.

The craziness on Duval Street!

Republished by Blog Post Promoter

It really depends on where you want to be and what time of year you will be visiting. If it is Key West hotels you are looking for, the cheaper ones are found away from Duval Street and yet within a cab ride of the center of town. N. Roosevelt Blvd. runs around the city and you can find some pretty decent prices there. If you don’t have a vehicle, some hotels have buses that will take you into Duval Street. Of course you can always take a cab or even rent bikes. Key West is only a few miles around so it won’t be difficult to find your way.

On Roosevelt Blvd is Days Inn Key West Hotel. It has about 133 rooms and a no pet policy, but it does have an outdoor pool. The rooms are not fancy, they are typical affordable hotels. Florida Keys does have some fancy luxury resorts and I wrote about those in another post.

Here’s what one couple said about their stay at the Days Inn:

My wife and I stay at the Days Inn in Key West was very relaxing. We were very satisfied with the personal that work at the motel, especially at the front desk. They were very kind and honest. I left my scheduling calendar in my room, I called the front desk the following day, and the next morning my calendar was in my hand. I rate the staff and Days Inn 5 star!

Here’s a more realistic review:

We love Key West, but hate the expensive prices downtown of the hotels. Key West is not a huge island and everything is only a few minutes away at all times no matter where you stay. This hotel has friendly staff, we love the waffle house on premisis open 24 hours. We weren’t pleased with the laundry being locked up at 10pm, but overall this hotel is a great place to stay if you are on budget.

You can also find affordable hotels in the Florida Keys, right in the heart of it all. Around MM 51 in Marathon is the Siesta Motel, a familiar one that has been around for over 30 years. They claim to have the cleanest rooms in the keys. The rates are right around 80 to 90 dollars a room.

Here’s what people are saying:

What a wonderful place. Fantastic great, clean room and the garden area was nirvana to our soul.

or this:

Not fancy and expensive but everything and more than we expected for a small motel.

Sounds like any of these two would be affordable hotels – Florida Keys is affordable if you do your research.

Casa Marina Resort is located on Reynolds Street in Key West. This is the premier place to stay when you are at the southern most part of the US. It has over 1,100 feet of private beach where you can hide, especially if you are a business tycoon, artist or dignitary. Since the early 20′s, anyone who is someone has stayed here. Here’s a two minute video on what the resort looks like and gives you an idea of what it will be like staying at one of the luxury hotels in Florida Keys.

If you don’t want to be directly in Key West and all the Duval street partying, www.cheeca.com is the place to relax and submerge in bliss. This luxury lodge is in Islamorada and will enchant you with lush oceanfront scenery.
The Cheeca Lodge claims to be one of the premier luxury hotels in Florida Keys and I believe they are right. It is like heaven with a lavish spa, secluded private beaches that you can call a tropical oasis.

They call themselves the crown jewel of Islamorada. See for yourself in this video:

Oh My! Don’t you just love those waterfalls?

Little Palm Island is one of the luxury hotels in Florida keys that you can only get to by motor shuttle. The island is nestled on Little Torch Key right around mile marker 28. When you arrive they have a pitcher of their famous drink, the Gumby Slumber, a mix of pineapple, cranberry, orange juice and Captain Morgan spiced rum and Parrot Bay Rum waiting for you. All I can say is Yum! I had to find you a video because you don’t want to miss one of the best luxury hotels in the Florida Keys:

That was a commercial video but let me show you a video of someone who was there and reviewed the island:

Which luxury hotel would you stay at? I love all three and will have to keep going back and trying all of them!

If you are looking for a 4 diamond hotel, then you will want to explore the Westin Key West Resort! This hotel sits about a block from Mallory Square, enabling guests to walk to all the major attractions in Old Town Key West. What I liked about it, is you park your vehicle in their garage and everything is right there for you to enjoy a relaxing vacation without a lot of worry on where to park, where to drive to, and what to do. It’s all right around the corner from the Key West Westin Resorts.

When we were there, we watched a few cruise ships coming into and leaving port which you can see from the hotel. This is a full service hotel and has guest rooms and suites sitting right along the marina. What a vacation experience! This hotel has an outdoor heated pool and Jacuzzi and a fitness room and massage studio that you can access 24 hours a day.

If you want to see what the view looks like, take a look at this video from the Today Show when Al and Matt were filming from the Westin Resort in Key West.

Republished by Blog Post Promoter

I found a few places where you can rent houseboats on the water. One company, Rentmyisland.com I’ve talked about before in earlier blogs. This rental company, owned by Bob & Jeanne, has 2 unique house boating experiences to choose from. In Charlies cove off of Marathon, you can rent a two bedroom houseboat and it even includes a private island! Yes, you heard that right, you get an island to go with your houseboat! Imagine living off the boat and hanging out on a private island with no worries. They will even give you a power boat to get back and forth! It stays permantly docked at Charlie’s island, and you can camp, picnic,kayak and snorkel during your time there in this private cove surrounded by the Gulf waters. Enjoy a rustic adventure in a beautiful place. Kick back and relax while on this vacation, especially if you enjoy private moments!



Eighteen miles south of Key Largo is another houseboat rental company, Houseboat Vacations of the Florida Keys. These boats can go out in the water and can sleep up to 10 people. Completely furnished, a bathroom with hot and cold water and a gas barbecue on the deck along with a rooftop sundeck makes it a vacation to remember while you are in the Florida Keys! Even before you head out, a marine instructor will show you simple navigation to teach you how to start, stop and anchor the houseboat. Sounds fun, doesn’t it?

Equipped with safety equipment and a Florida Keys Cruising Guide, you can easily navigate your way throughout the waterways which is a 20 mile range of shore line along the bay. Anchor the houseboat in a secluded cove and enjoy a Keys sunset that will leave you spellbound. I personally can’t wait to go once again to the Florida Keys to see for myself what a unique experience this is!

Republished by Blog Post Promoter

This place is a tropical hide-away when you first head on down to the Keys. The location is right around mile marker 103.5. They are on the Bay side and with 55 sites that sit right along the Black Water Sound you get to see awesome sunsets every night. Seminole Indian built Tiki Huts are scattered throughout where you can enjoy the setting sun.
Doesn’t it sound marvelous? But hey, you don’t have to have a travel trailer because they also have tent camping and motel rooms and efficiencies to rent out. If you have a boat, bring it along, you can use one of their boat slips too. I think it’s got every thing you could need right there!

This isn’t Kings Kamp but just a random video I think you’ll get a kick out. Someone added banjo music to it and shows some young kids tent camping in the keys:

What if you don’t have an RV and you just don’t want the hassle of renting one? They do have some RV’s already set up in the campground. The one I love is in the photo below:

This rental is really great because it is right on the water and you can see what it’s like to be camping in an RV. Perhaps you want to try this on one of your Florida Keys Vacations?  Actually, the cost to rent is not bad. If you’ve been to the Keys before you know that hotels are incredibly high! To get something this close to the water for a little over $100 a night is fantastic!

Check Kings Kamp out! I did!