planning a trip to the Keys, need advice

My girlfriend and I are planning on taking a trip through the Keys in June on my 01 F650GSD. I know June will be hot! I've got a few questions for you all if you don't mind:

1. How many days should we plan on? How long is the drive? Her parents live in Naples, I am thinking of taking the Tamiami Trail through the everglades, bypass Miami, and go all the way to Key West. I also want to spend one day in the Dry Tortugas.

2. What sights should we not miss? There is alot to offer, to be sure, but we will be travelling on a budget and limited time. All I really know that I want to see for sure are Hemingway's house, 7mile bridge (I guess it'd be hard to miss), MM zero, and a seaplane ride to the Tortugas. Want to do a day of snorkelling too.

3. Good places to stay. By 'good,' I mean 'cost efficient while still providing a nice place for my sweetie to lay her head at night.' If it was just me, I'd deal with the heat and camp every night (we still may do this once or twice).

4. Anything I am missing? I am looking forward to this trip. Any help to make it a memorable first moto trip for my girlfriend would be excellent.

As always, thanks guyzos!

I'll be there in June too, but I always stay in the same guesthouse so I can't really speak to affordable places to stay (it's my one big $$ vacation each year).

You have to visit Duval street but don't hang out there too much...very commercial and crowded. Try wandering the side streets, you'll be amazed at what's available away from the crowds.

The seaplane trip is a ton of fun but very pricey for the time you get at the fort, the catamaran trips are 1/2 the price (but kinda boring) and you get 4 hours at the fort (only 2 with the seaplane). The snokeling out there is unbelievable so the extra time is a big plus.

Good tip on the seaplane. I'd rather have the time on the island, and half the price isn't too bad either. Do you know if you need to reserve a spot on the boats or can you just show up?

Duval street looks interesting and I am sure we will hit that up, but like you say, it looks too busy for long.

The boats cut a price break (for some dates) if you book online, try a search and see what you can find. That said, of the two boats the slightly more expensive one (sorry I can't remember the name...Yankee something) is the better of the two. The price is only about $10.00 more but they have an upper deck, the cheaper boat (Sunny something) packs you in like sardines and the only outside place to go on the 4 hour round trip in the fantail with the smokers hack, wheeze. They also supply snorkeling gear so you don't have to bring yours along on the bike unless you want to.

I find Duval mostly boring but then again I've been to KW about a hundred times. For your first visit make sure you take some time to just walk along the dock area, you can get awesome picnic lunch fixings at the Waterfront Market, eat a grilled Mahi sandwich at Pepe's, or have a drink at Turtle Kraals.

Dragoon should be along shortly to fill in the gaps, he and I seem to be a bit focused on KW.

Do you go during Fantasy Fest? Yeah like Mardi Gras in N.O., I expect it is overhyped and full of drunk tourists, but we were thinking it might still be a fun scene to watch.

We have only been there a coupla times (by car) and not during any "event" but would like to go back for some more visits.

Hi Queenie Bragging again I see that you're going to Cayo Hueso

While you're on the island rent a bicycle to ride around on. Queenie likes the scooters but she is wrong

I'd stay as long as you can. The food is outstanding, art is top notch. Don't expect KW to be a beach town, it's not. It's a lifestyle. Make sure if you like coffee to stop @ 5 Brothers on Southard. I like all of the local spots. As Queenie said you can walk down Duval but don't get caught there. I suppose you should stop in Sloppy Joe's. I like going to The Schooner Warf, The Green Parrot after midnight.
Like Queenie I usually stay at the same place (401 Frances). I'm not sure where to tell you to stay but make sure it's in Old Town @ a B & B. Don't stay out on Roosevelt.

BTW you and Queenie suck

Oh and stop at the 7 Mile Grill on your way down. It's right before you go across the bridge on your right

Great tips y'all! Thanks a ton! Keep the ideas rolling if you come up with more stuff!

Neener, neener...I get to go again and you don't.

I usually plan my trips to avaiod the big events...I'm not much for crowds. But the folks I've talked to who've gone to FF say it's an absolute blast and waaaaay better than Mardi Gras (more all out fun times and less frenzy).

Do you know any military types? they have a great MWR on sigsbie <sp> also on boca chica <sp>they rent sail boats and power craft both places. Ask for Danny Edwards (ret. CWO USN) if you go to boca chica he was "the man" a few years ago, now just keeps a ball in the marina. If you want his E-mail PM me. maybe he knows someone who knows someone that wants to go out to the fort.
There are many small B&B style places much cheeper than major hotels and off the strip to boot.
From Miami to KW is about 4 hrs. but with stopping to eat, walk, take a quick dip in the atlantic then the gulf, gulf then atlantic.. make a day out of it.

Sea Clipse divers on Stock Island is a small co. and gives you better treatment than most, great to go diving with less than 10. If you are going to snorkle, try one of the big cats for little $$ usually 4 hrs, drinks for cheep/ sometimes included, and cruise back after the sunset a great way to see a Key West sun set, If you can make it up at the way too early hour, the sun rise is oh so much better than the sun sets sans the early hour.

For a Great B-fast try the blue moon its a few blocks W of duval.
Turtle crawls is a bit crowded sometimes but great for dinner, and very close to flannagans, the best Irish bar in KW behind the parking structure.

FF is the deal IF you are +/- or +/+ it does not matter, usually S of the 800 blk is +/+ but there are no rules and club EPOCH if its still open rocks, it is on Duval Street however.

Kelly was running for FF queen.

This is Erik the leperd, Ken ? the Gorilla, Kelly the Bone island Queen and me the Tiger.

We were her GrrrrAnimales
FF is the safe and sane party, a great time, great fun, great food, beautiful neck-ed peoples.yum

Enjoy your trip. If you get into any issues with the Law ask for bull or K-9 officer Rendueles, both are very fair and ride bikes.

VR
Repo

Did you ever go to the Boca Chica Lounge? They had a T-shirt years ago that said "I saw the sun come up at the Boca Chica". It may not have had lounge in the name. It's not there any more

And I think the Irish place is Finnigans

Yes Sir you are correct Finnigans, the IRA $$ cleaners.
The breakfast crowd was the blue angle winter crowd I think. Someone elese has asked me about those shirts before, I don't know if I remember them at all.
Did you ever go see coffee at the hilton, a really funny guy, old school nasty jazz.

Oh, then we gotta go - before we get even older and too old to participate!

(But doesn't seem like it will offer much of a motorcycle riding opportunity.)

Just to reference Question #1:
I live in Ft. Myers and ride the trail through to the keys every time I go. It is a great and slow ride. Figure about 5-6 hours to Key West depending on traffic. It is full of Florida scenery so it will be well worth it.
The traffic is really killer, so take a back seat to advancing in traffic, as it will get you nowhere...

I like to tell people they have to go to the old fort there. It is a blast. Ask around, the locals will get you there. Other than that, a couple of days and you will see everything on Key West twice. Duval St. is worth it, if you like to watch boozed-up people being really funny... or participate in it.

You can certainly bypass Miami. When I ride down to the Keys, I bypass all of the urban areas by taking Krome Ave past Miami because I hate the interstates. Just past Homestead, they will be doing work on Route 1. There is a really boring, 18 mile stretch just before Key Largo. It sucks. The rest of the ride is cool but can be windy on the bridges and causeways. Two up with gear on a windy day makes things interesting on two wheels.


You can find some nice guest houses just off Duval street. As June is the off-season (and it's HOT!) you might snag a room for around $100 bucks a night.

On your ride down through the Keys, stop often and take in the views. Don't speed because you will get a ticket. You also run the risk of the road being shut totally in the event of a serious accident. It happens surprisingly often based on what I have read in the paper.

There is nothing that you will miss if you bypass Miami, not a thing.

Most folks have pretty much covered the high spots down there.

If you want to go snorkeling, I would try Looe Key. It is accessed from Big Pine Key. Great spot, lots of fantastic snorkeling. And lots of barracuda swimming along with you. Went with a dive service called Undersea Incorporated. Highly reccomend them.

There is also some nice snorkeling in Key West, but for my $$$$, Looe Key.

While in Big Pine Key, you might want to do some adventuring around and get off the beaten path. See some of the Key Deer.

do a search on key west. there are a few threads covering this topic with other ideas

Almost exactly half way along the Keys is Marathon Key which is a good place to stop. If you like walking go the the Crane Point Hammock, a fascinating natural preserve. For eating there are loads of places, we had a couple of good meals at Castaway.

One point on traveling the Keys, is be prepared to wait on the road. There are slow drivers, many with campers. Make sure you''ve got water.

Have fun.

WHOA! I leave to go to work and come back to read some great tips! Thanks all y'all! I am getting anxious for June! I will do some looking into about every idea here, and on other threads as well. Sounds like the fort, a bed and breakfast or 2, and some snorkelling are in. Good coupla tips on what to expect for driving conditions, too....something I hadn't thought of asking. Thanks for the ideas, everybody!