Sanibel Island? Key West?

buffettgirl

buffettgirl

Cathlete
My DH and I are thinking of making a trip to FL in late May. A friend suggested Sanibel Island. I was thinking of Key West. We love beaches, good restaurants, few people, and a laid-back atmosphere. Any input or other suggestions? I'd love to do some kayaking too.
 
OH .. I LOVE the KEYS!!!.. Key West is the PARTY town ... LOTS of partiers and people "letting it all hang out" .. you can see just about anything there .. LOL .. so if you want laid back maybe pick on upper Key . . Key Largo is really laid back and the mangroves there make GREAT kayaking! The mangroves are amazing .. winding water trails of sea life ..

We usually stay in Key Largo and dive for lobsters during lobster season .. and will take a trip to Key West for fun .. lots of partying and shopping .. but the upper keys are the most laid back ..

.. not much beach on the Keys .. the Keys are actually made of limestone .. so there is not much beach ..

If you do go .. you HAVE to go diving or at least snorkeling .. Key Largo has the MOST beautiful underwater sanctuaries that are a must to see .. take a guided tour .. Pennecamp (the sanctuary) has some wonderful trips .. got to see the Christ Statue .. I have some great pictures of Key Largo! Oh and Key Largo is known for being the World's best deep sea fishing .. so if you or your DH like that it is a must too!!

Sanibel Island .. My BF got married there .. she LOVED it .. very secluded and beautiful beaches .. judging from her pictures there it would be a good choice too .. definatly more laid back .. she visited some wonderful flower gardens there ..

My choice would be the Keys .. it is a totally different experience than anywhere I have ever visited .. we make it a yearly must go trip!!

But either would be a good choice!
Hope this helps!!

:7
 
Thanks Laura, We have been as far as Key Largo. We took the kids snorkeling at Pennecamp years ago. I've never been all the way to Key West and am kind of embarassed, since I call myself buffettgirl. LOL
 
Having been to both...I would say Sanibel if your into a peaceful, beautiful area. Key West is fun but gets old after a few days..think of it as a Tropical Lake George, except not quite as beautiful IMHO.
 
Robin .. Key West is another one of those HAVE TO's .. heck if you went that far .. might as well go all the way to the furtherest point right!! LOL

.. Key West reminds me of New Orleans - Duvall St. .. there are 2 or 3 streets of nothing but shops and bars .. one after the other ..

We went and saw Hemmingway's home ... but let me tell you .. saw some uh um .. interesting things getting to it .. lots of people dressed in drag and in bondage .. :eek: .. lots of leather and no one seemed to mind showing you everything they had to offer .. LOL

YUP .. thought my DH was going to have a heart atttack b-4 I got him out of there .. it was so freaking hot that after we made it out of the scary section went into a bar .. "Crabby Dicks" .. yeah .. the name should have been enough to give us a hint .. but we were parched and hungry .. soon as DH figured out it was a gay bar for MEN only .. LOL .. we were outta there!! I still crack up thinking about his expression!! LOL (side note: nothing wrong if that is your thing .. but we were very naive to say the least .. yes we did look like country come to town)

I am sure toward the upper part of Key West it is more family oriented and quieter .. but if you do go don't book anywhere near the end of Key West .. my brother did and they got NO SLEEP .. lots of noise .. LOL ..

If you have see Key Largo .. maybe go to a lower Key before Key West .. and then go into Key West one or two days to "experience" it!!:D
 
Robin,

I agree with Beavs. Sanibel is filled with wildlife, awesome shelling, beautiful beaches, and bike paths. We lived about 45 minutes from the island and went there often just to hang out on the beach and watch the dolphins play. We have been to Key West once and were glad we went, but the bars were a bit too plentiful and some of the people a bit frightening. :eek:

Have fun! :)
 
Sounds like it's going to be Sanibel Island. We'll get to Key West some other time. I think DH would prefer Sanibel too. Key West would be OK for a day, but not a whole week.
 
Hey Robin - I would also say one of these days try to take a trip to Siesta Key, FL - Sarasota area. My mom, sister, and I have been there two times and I've been there another time with an ex. I love it there, it's quiet & laid back and the beaches are beautiful. :)
 
>I've never been all the way to Key West and am kind of embarassed,
>since I call myself buffettgirl. LOL


Robin - I just laughed so hard when I read your message -- you are going to think I am really dumb. Every time I see you posting I suppose wasn't taking the time to read you name well, and I thought you were "buffet girl"! I just thought you really liked eating at buffets!! Duh! two "t"s. I thought you might find it funny too!

Monica
 
Monica, yeah, I've heard that before. Actually, my DD helped me decide on my author name, since I love Buffett and want to be buff. Buffets aren't too bad either, but too many of them have kept me from becoming buff.
 
One important tip if you go to Sanibel Island. Check the tide charts. Don't go when it's high tide, otherwise you won't be able to collect any shells!
 
I second Siesta Key. Beats Sanibel and Key West in my opinion. DH and I went there for 4th of July and it was fantastic. I live in Florida and I have to say it has the prettiest beaches I've ever seen. Beach looked like we were in the Bahamas.

Very pricey hotels, though. Finding a condo or a house to rent for a week would be the way to go in that area.
 
My husband and I vacationed in Key largo at Christmas time a few years ago and loved. Today he just booked a trip to Key West for his monumental birthday in March. We found this B&B that looks fantastic.The closest I was to Sanibel Island was Clearwater/St Pete.
Ellen
 
Hey, Robin! I don't really have any advice on vacation locale, but I was reading a previous thread about where everybody is from, and I noticed you used to live in Erie PA. That's where I'm from, and actually live just a few miles south in McKean. Where do you live now?

Doreen
 
Hi Ellen I will be in Key West In March also. We are Staying at the Casa Marina. I am bringing my portable DVD player so I can do some Cathe.
I hope the weather is good. Key West is so much fun .

Susan
 
Hey Doreen. Always glad to hear from another PA Cathe friend. I live near Williamsport now. We only lived near Erie for a few months and I went stir crazy. It was winter, I had no car, no job and knew no one. We had a small, winterized cabin at Canadohda Lake.
 
Yes Robin, as Candi said renting a condo is the way to go, if you want information on the place we stayed last year I can give to you. It was REALLY nice, 2 bedroom, 2 bath condo w/ laundry on every floor, Siesta Key is the place to go to relax & catch a siesta on the beach!
 
Hey Robin..

I just have to throw my vote in for Key West...You may have already made up your mind....but I love, love, LOVE Key West!! You don't have to rent a car because if you stay downtown you are close enough to everything to walk....If you stay further out, cabs are cheap. You can rent a car for a day or 2 if you want to go up to the other Keys. I can't believe as the buffetgirl you haven't been there yet. Let me also add that I had a Jimmy spotting when I was there for Spring Break (multitudes of years ago)...in Margaritaville...in the gift shop!!!! I still remember it a number of years later! I have not been to Sanibel..but I have heard nothing but great things about it. But, did I mention that I LOVE Key West?

Happy vacationing!

Debra

Bite off more than you can chew. Then chew it---Ella Williams
 
OK, I sat DH down last night and tried to get him to make a decision. He kind of whined, "You mean you want to spend the whole week in one place?" So now maybe we'll spend the week in a rental car, driving from Sanibel to the Everglades (I love the glades), then down the Keys and back again. I think my relaxing week is going to be exhausting! At least this way I get to have my cake and eat it too. Debra, I have heard that Jimmy occassionaly shows up at his Margaritaville stores. I don't know how often, since he has so many any more. He was in St John a week before we were one year. I wish he'd get his calender in order!
 
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