Take the Family holiday rating
| Flying Time | 10.00 hours  |
|---|---|
| Carbon Footprint | 8.02 tonnes CO2 |
| Timezone | GMT -5 |
| Local Currency | US Dollar |
It’s a tropical paradise that you can visit without leaving the US mainland – a place where you can explore multi-coloured fish and coral in crystal-clear waters, kayak amid mangroves, visit historic sites, sample fresh-caught seafood, picnic on palm-fringed beaches and doze off to the lullaby of rustling fronds and peepers (tree frogs). The air temperature rarely dips below 65°F year-round.
The Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic vary in hue from teal to turquoise to sea-foam, and other mouthwatering colours that haven’t yet been named. Owing to offshore reefs, the wave action is minimal and the water is almost always calm, so even toddlers can splash safely. Family-friendly accommodation abounds, food prices are reasonable and restaurant fare is diverse. And oh yes, the natives are friendly—and they speak English. What are you waiting for?
The average year-round temperature is 75°F; owing to the Gulf Stream and southeasterly trade winds, temperatures rarely vary by more than 15°. A constant breeze keeps things comfortable.
For the best weather and fewest bad hair days, come between December and April. If you tolerate heat and humidity, cut costs by visiting in summer or autumn. (A caveat: most hurricanes occur in August and September.)
British Airways, American Airlines, Continental Airlines and Virgin Atlantic have non-stop flights from Heathrow to Miami. In August 2008, fares during peak times on British Airways were close to £350pp; they plunged in September to rise again in December. Virgin Atlantic offers lower fares but flights do not operate daily. Other carriers may have lower fares involving one or two stops. Expect higher airfares around major holidays.
Rent a car in Miami for the 1.5- to 2-hour drive (the exact duration depends on your destination in the Keys and traffic), or hop on a short flight from Miami to Marathon or Key West.
Plan your sightseeing and meal stops geographically or you’ll waste precious time driving unnecessarily. The archipelago is a 195km-long fishhook that runs southwesterly from Key Largo (at the top of the chain) to Key West. The Keys are divided into three general areas: Upper Keys, Middle Keys and Lower Keys. Easy, yes? Street signs along US1—the only road in and out—consist of mile markers (MM). Those, and the designation ‘bayside/gulfside’ or ‘oceanside, are all you’ll need to find most places. For example, if you want to stop at the Islamorada Fish Company for lunch, look for MM81.5/bayside, in Islamorada. Most visitors—especially young ones— find this fun, once they get the hang of it.
Kid-friendly accommodation abounds, running the gamut from 4-star properties to campsites. Consider the Marriott Key Largo Bay Resort (MM104, Bay of Florida side.), with its kids’ club and other family perks, only an hour’s drive from Miami International Airport.
At Key West’s luxe Casa Marina Resort (1500 Reynolds St., near MM1), kids eat free. Guests can swim in two large pools, rent bikes, kayaks, windsurfers and wave runners, or take a boat-trip to see dolphins. You can walk or take a short drive to shops, galleries, restaurants and the bustling waterfront.
The Keys are as kid-friendly a destination as you’ll find anywhere. And Mother Nature is the big attraction. Among the activities you can enjoy are: swimming and snorkelling at the John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park
in Key Largo; encountering dolphins at the Dolphin Research Center
on Grassy Key, where trainers put the engaging mammals through their paces and older children can swim with the dolphins; visiting sick turtles recuperating at the Turtle Hospital
(formerly a motel!) on Marathon, which hosts three guided tours a day; and feeding the wild silver tarpon fish at Robbie’s of Islamorada
.
Trade sandals for real shoes and walk the trails traversing Crane Point www.cranepoint.net, then tour its Children’s Museum and Museum of Natural History. View tropical fish without getting your feet wet on a daily glass-bottom boat tour to Looe Key Reef run by Strike Zone Charters (305-872-9863) on Big Pine Key. With older kids, you might also snorkel or dive. (Note: the water is clearest and viewing is best between spring and autumn.)
Pack a picnic and head for Sombrero Beach in Marathon (MM50) or Bahia Honda State Park (MM37). Both have picnic tables, loos and stunning views, with palm trees providing some shade.
Unique to this part of the world, key deer are best viewed early morning and at dusk on Big Pine Key
. Drive slowly and don’t feed them. Crocodile Bacardi, so named because his tag is 151 (as in Bacardi rum), lives in Blue Hole on Big Pine Key http://bigpinekey.com/Pages/recreational_areas.htm, along with iguana and various species of shorebirds; bring binoculars.
If you do nothing else in Key West, spend a couple of hours at the Florida Keys Eco-Discovery Center
(3500 East Quay Rd, next to the entrance of Fort Zachary Taylor). Watch a film, interact with the exhibits, talk to naturalists, and learn a thing or two or a hundred about the unique Keys ecosystem. Key West is also the departure point for fishing trips, sunset sailing cruises, and day-trips aboard the Yankee Freedom
www.yankeefreedom.com to the Dry Tortugas and Fort Jefferson.
At the Key West Butterfly and Nature Conservatory www.keywestbutterfly.com, enchantment is guaranteed as you step into a climate-controlled environment to glimpse up to 60 exotic varieties of winged beauties. Don’t be afraid if one lands on you – it’s supposed to bring good luck.
Celebrate the sunset at Mallory Square in Key West, arriving half an hour before the nightly celebration — as the sun dips below the horizon, jugglers, fire-eaters, high-wire artists, musicians and others do their thing. It’s the best show in town, and it’s free.
Fish is king—and queen—in the Keys. The ‘pinks’ (local shrimp) are in a class of their own, but depending on the season and availability, you might also sample crab, conch (usually brought in), dolphin (mahi mahi or dorado, not the mammal), grouper, snapper, tuna, wahoo, yellowtail and redfish. For the total experience, chow down near the water. Here are some of our favourite seaside joints:
In Islamorada: Lazy Days (MM79.9/bayside) and Lorelei (MM82/oceanside).
On Marathon: Burdine’s (1200 Oceanview Ave/oceanside) and Key Fisheries (MM49/bayside).
On Stock Island near Key West: Hogfish Bar & Grill, where you can also rent boats and learn to kayak (6810 Front St/oceanside).
If you don’t like fish, not to worry – there are tons of restaurants, most very good. Check guidebooks, see Florida Keys Tourist Website
or ask your hotel concierge or a local for recommendations. Parents shouldn’t miss Key West Sunset Ale.
