Thinking of a trip to the keys. What is the best time of year? weather,
heat, humidity. Any place better as a base than others? Skiff Rentals?
Good tarpon guides?

On Sat, 28 Apr 2012 21:26:38 -0700, "Califbill"
wrote:

Thinking of a trip to the keys. What is the best time of year? weather,
heat, humidity. Any place better as a base than others? Skiff Rentals?
Good tarpon guides?

===

There's Key West and then there's everything else. Key West has the
night life and touristy hustle and bustle but it also has a great
water front with lots of charter fishing opportunities, boat rentals,
sunset excursions on sailing schooners, glass bottom boats, etc.
From a location standpoint, one of the best places to stay is the
Galleon Hotel.

http://www.galleonresort.com/

As Greg points out, house rentals are a good option for stays of a
week or more. There are many choices in all price ranges. If you
Google up "Key West house rentals" you'll get a lot of hits.

On the other hand if you prefer a quieter setting the mid-Keys area
around Marathon has a lot to offer. We once stayed in a place called
the Rainbow Bend Resort which has sort of a funky old Florida feel to
it. The rooms were nothing special but we were on the beach with a
view of the water. Best of all we had the daily use of a 13 ft
Boston Whaler, and the food was really excellent.

http://www.rainbowbend.com/

Best weather is usually in November/December and again in March/April.
Tarpon fishing starts to heat up this time of year.

On 4/29/12 9:45 AM, Wayne B wrote:
On Sat, 28 Apr 2012 21:26:38 -0700, "Califbill"
wrote:

Thinking of a trip to the keys. What is the best time of year? weather,
heat, humidity. Any place better as a base than others? Skiff Rentals?
Good tarpon guides?

===

There's Key West and then there's everything else. Key West has the
night life and touristy hustle and bustle but it also has a great
water front with lots of charter fishing opportunities, boat rentals,
sunset excursions on sailing schooners, glass bottom boats, etc.
From a location standpoint, one of the best places to stay is the
Galleon Hotel.

http://www.galleonresort.com/

As Greg points out, house rentals are a good option for stays of a
week or more. There are many choices in all price ranges. If you
Google up "Key West house rentals" you'll get a lot of hits.

On the other hand if you prefer a quieter setting the mid-Keys area
around Marathon has a lot to offer. We once stayed in a place called
the Rainbow Bend Resort which has sort of a funky old Florida feel to
it. The rooms were nothing special but we were on the beach with a
view of the water. Best of all we had the daily use of a 13 ft
Boston Whaler, and the food was really excellent.

http://www.rainbowbend.com/

Best weather is usually in November/December and again in March/April.
Tarpon fishing starts to heat up this time of year.






I've stayed at Rainbow Bend. The rooms are as Wayne described and the
food was, too. We caught a large variety of fish right offshore on the
reef. Right offshore was maybe a quarter of a mile.

"Wayne B" wrote in message
...

On Sat, 28 Apr 2012 21:26:38 -0700, "Califbill"
wrote:

Thinking of a trip to the keys. What is the best time of year?
weather,
heat, humidity. Any place better as a base than others? Skiff Rentals?
Good tarpon guides?

===

There's Key West and then there's everything else. Key West has the
night life and touristy hustle and bustle but it also has a great
water front with lots of charter fishing opportunities, boat rentals,
sunset excursions on sailing schooners, glass bottom boats, etc.
From a location standpoint, one of the best places to stay is the
Galleon Hotel.

http://www.galleonresort.com/

As Greg points out, house rentals are a good option for stays of a
week or more. There are many choices in all price ranges. If you
Google up "Key West house rentals" you'll get a lot of hits.

On the other hand if you prefer a quieter setting the mid-Keys area
around Marathon has a lot to offer. We once stayed in a place called
the Rainbow Bend Resort which has sort of a funky old Florida feel to
it. The rooms were nothing special but we were on the beach with a
view of the water. Best of all we had the daily use of a 13 ft
Boston Whaler, and the food was really excellent.

http://www.rainbowbend.com/

Best weather is usually in November/December and again in March/April.
Tarpon fishing starts to heat up this time of year.

------------------------------------------------------
So Marathon would be the better experience for the "keys experience"?

On 4/29/12 6:30 PM, Califbill wrote:
"Wayne B" wrote in message
...

On Sat, 28 Apr 2012 21:26:38 -0700, "Califbill"
wrote:

Thinking of a trip to the keys. What is the best time of year?
weather,
heat, humidity. Any place better as a base than others? Skiff Rentals?
Good tarpon guides?

===

There's Key West and then there's everything else. Key West has the
night life and touristy hustle and bustle but it also has a great
water front with lots of charter fishing opportunities, boat rentals,
sunset excursions on sailing schooners, glass bottom boats, etc.
From a location standpoint, one of the best places to stay is the
Galleon Hotel.

http://www.galleonresort.com/

As Greg points out, house rentals are a good option for stays of a
week or more. There are many choices in all price ranges. If you
Google up "Key West house rentals" you'll get a lot of hits.

On the other hand if you prefer a quieter setting the mid-Keys area
around Marathon has a lot to offer. We once stayed in a place called
the Rainbow Bend Resort which has sort of a funky old Florida feel to
it. The rooms were nothing special but we were on the beach with a
view of the water. Best of all we had the daily use of a 13 ft
Boston Whaler, and the food was really excellent.

http://www.rainbowbend.com/

Best weather is usually in November/December and again in March/April.
Tarpon fishing starts to heat up this time of year.

------------------------------------------------------
So Marathon would be the better experience for the "keys experience"?





That sort of depends on what sort of keys experience you seek. We stayed
in Islamorada once for three nights at a nice place called the Cheeca
Lodge. Good fishing, good rooms, good foods, plus enough civilization
there for additional fun venues. Not inexpensive, though.
Also stayed for a few days at the Ocean Reef Club in Key Largo, another
nice place, and not far from Miami.

X ` Man wrote:
On 4/29/12 6:30 PM, Califbill wrote:
"Wayne B" wrote in message
...

On Sat, 28 Apr 2012 21:26:38 -0700, "Califbill"
wrote:

Thinking of a trip to the keys. What is the best time of year?
weather,
heat, humidity. Any place better as a base than others? Skiff Rentals?
Good tarpon guides?

===

There's Key West and then there's everything else. Key West has the
night life and touristy hustle and bustle but it also has a great
water front with lots of charter fishing opportunities, boat rentals,
sunset excursions on sailing schooners, glass bottom boats, etc.
From a location standpoint, one of the best places to stay is the
Galleon Hotel.

http://www.galleonresort.com/

As Greg points out, house rentals are a good option for stays of a
week or more. There are many choices in all price ranges. If you
Google up "Key West house rentals" you'll get a lot of hits.

On the other hand if you prefer a quieter setting the mid-Keys area
around Marathon has a lot to offer. We once stayed in a place called
the Rainbow Bend Resort which has sort of a funky old Florida feel to
it. The rooms were nothing special but we were on the beach with a
view of the water. Best of all we had the daily use of a 13 ft
Boston Whaler, and the food was really excellent.

http://www.rainbowbend.com/

Best weather is usually in November/December and again in March/April.
Tarpon fishing starts to heat up this time of year.

------------------------------------------------------
So Marathon would be the better experience for the "keys experience"?





That sort of depends on what sort of keys experience you seek. We
stayed in Islamorada once for three nights at a nice place called the
Cheeca Lodge. Good fishing, good rooms, good foods, plus enough
civilization there for additional fun venues. Not inexpensive, though.
Also stayed for a few days at the Ocean Reef Club in Key Largo,
another nice place, and not far from Miami.
Sure you did.

On Sun, 29 Apr 2012 15:30:36 -0700, "Califbill"
wrote:

So Marathon would be the better experience for the "keys experience"?

===

Depends on your priorities. If you like music, nightlife and hustle,
don't miss Key West - at least for a day or two. If you're looking
for low key and quiet, the Marathon area offers more of that.

"Wayne B" wrote in message
...

On Sun, 29 Apr 2012 15:30:36 -0700, "Califbill"
wrote:

So Marathon would be the better experience for the "keys experience"?

===

Depends on your priorities. If you like music, nightlife and hustle,
don't miss Key West - at least for a day or two. If you're looking
for low key and quiet, the Marathon area offers more of that.
-------------------------------------
we are more into low key.

In article ,
says...

"Wayne B" wrote in message
...

On Sat, 28 Apr 2012 21:26:38 -0700, "Califbill"
wrote:

Thinking of a trip to the keys. What is the best time of year?
weather,
heat, humidity. Any place better as a base than others? Skiff Rentals?
Good tarpon guides?

===

There's Key West and then there's everything else. Key West has the
night life and touristy hustle and bustle but it also has a great
water front with lots of charter fishing opportunities, boat rentals,
sunset excursions on sailing schooners, glass bottom boats, etc.
From a location standpoint, one of the best places to stay is the
Galleon Hotel.

http://www.galleonresort.com/

As Greg points out, house rentals are a good option for stays of a
week or more. There are many choices in all price ranges. If you
Google up "Key West house rentals" you'll get a lot of hits.

On the other hand if you prefer a quieter setting the mid-Keys area
around Marathon has a lot to offer. We once stayed in a place called
the Rainbow Bend Resort which has sort of a funky old Florida feel to
it. The rooms were nothing special but we were on the beach with a
view of the water. Best of all we had the daily use of a 13 ft
Boston Whaler, and the food was really excellent.

http://www.rainbowbend.com/

Best weather is usually in November/December and again in March/April.
Tarpon fishing starts to heat up this time of year.

------------------------------------------------------
So Marathon would be the better experience for the "keys experience"?

I like Marathon, but you really do need to at least take a day trip to
Key West itself. It's full of eclectic types of people, and also there
is a lot of history to explore. It can get awful touristy though!

On Apr 28, 11:26*pm, "Califbill" wrote:
Thinking of a trip to the keys. *What is the best time of year? weather,
heat, humidity. *Any place better as a base than others? *Skiff Rentals?
Good tarpon guides?

I've never been to the keys. Always wanted to go.....