A trip to the Florida Keys

I highly recommend visiting Florida's "other" Keys, in addition to Key West. Although August is not an ideal time to visit with respect to the weather, it is low season in the Keys, so we were rewarded with fewer crowds and significantly discounted rates for the hotels at which we stayed.

Our favorite things to do on Key West were staying at the beautiful Gardens Hotel (especially enjoying the pool and the beautiful grounds), just walking around and looking at the lovely historic houses, and eating delicious tropical-flavored ice creams and lots of fresh seafood.

The rest of the Keys have a lot to offer, as well. If you want to snorkel, consider doing it at Bahia Honda State Park, just north of Big Pine Key. They have three trips a day to Looe Key Reef, where there is amazing snorkeling (just under per person). Also check out the "puppy" deer on Big Pine Key. Early evening is the best time to try to spot them.

Quick Tips:

The sunset celebration at Mallory Square is a bit overrated--go because it's de rigueur, but expect crowds, hawkers, and lots of noise that detract from the experience of watching what truly is a spectacular sunset.

Best Way To Get Around:

Rental car is the best way to get around the Keys if you want to see more than Key West. If you are only going to Key West (and flying into it), you can take a shuttle/taxi to your hotel and then walk everywhere (it's really not convenient to drive/park in town in Key West).

This small hotel is a real find in Key West. Named "The Prettiest Hotel in Key West" by the NY Times, it truly lives up to this billing.

The room we stayed in (a courtyard room we got for a bargain rate of $140/night) was roomy and very well-appointed, with a king bed, small couch, and desk. The bathroom had lots of marble, a small Jacuzzi tub, and Aveda toiletries. The best part of the room, though, was the lovely verandah area where we spent lots of time just relaxing and taking in the beautiful grounds. A very nice continetal breakfast is included in the rate.

As lovely as the room was, the grounds were even better. The smell of jasmine is the first thing that hits you when you enter the grounds. The gardens are lush and tropical--so beautiful that we actually wouldn't have minded paying an entrance fee just to see them. There is a beautiful pool and hot tub canopied by trees (a real treat at night).

The hotel sits in a quiet, residential area of Key West but is walking distance to everything. Once we parked our car in their lot, we never moved it until we had to leave. We found the staff to be very helpful and friendly--they gave us several good restaurant recommendations.

It was easily one of the most romantic hotels I have ever stayed at--we found it quite difficult to leave!

Despite its name, this place is more like a motel than a hotel. We booked this hotel for its location (near Bahia Honda State Park) and for its proximity to a beach. I don't think it was worth it for either, particularly at its rates of over $100/night (it might have been okay at $60/night or less!).

The rooms were generally clean but had a slight odor to them, and everything looked at bit worn around the edges. Our room faced the beach, but this was not as exciting as we thought it would be. It's a pretty small beach, and not a very clean or nice-smelling one. We walked along the beach for about 5 minutes and then gave up.

There's not much to do around the hotel aside from visiting the park. Next time we'll stay on Big Pine Key.

Great sushi! This restaurant is conveniently located and has a nice outdoor eating area. The sushi is fresh, and the rolls are inventive and tasty. They also have good tempura.

The service can be a little distracted here, but overall this is a great, reasonably priced restaurant in Key West if you like sushi.