I love Key West

[joanofarctv]

I love Key West....anyone been there lately?? :wave:

[jblum315]

I love Key West....anyone been there lately?? :wave:
I was there last April. I don't love it like I did 30 years ago. It's way crowded and expensive. Totally impossible to park anywhere. Very few places where you can just go in and have a drink or a slice of Key lime pie. But then I guess few places are like they were 30 years ago.

[duffysmom]

It ain't what it used to be.:cryin2:

[DDoug]

Used to live there agree it has become very commercial but the weather is much better than here. Still off season was great much like here fewer people. Very bad place to get drunk. Go down for Fantasy Fest in Oct. lot of fun

[OpusX1]

Key West was our first Vacation together 1973.
We were down the first week of November this year. We go every fall for a week, still a good vibe but yes not like 30 years ago. Still a lot of local characters.
We have about three must do restaurants, 7 Fish, Louie's Back Yard & A & B Lobster House, plus we always go to Conch Republic for Happy hour and Alonzo's for Happy hour with 1/2 price apps. Always hit Schooner Warf Bar for a beverage or two This year we went north to mile marker 29 and went to Little Palm Island for dinner, spectacular!
On the way down we always have lunch at Sparky's Landing on Key Colony, near Marathon. Best fish taco's anywhere. When we leave we stop for lunch at Alabama Jacks on Card Sound road for our last taste of the Keys.
We always try to get out on the water for at least one day. This year we went with Danger. A full day sail, snorkel & kayak. It was very nice.
I would like to get down sometime in May to go Tarpon Fishing. Won't make it this year but soon I hope.
What are your must do's?
DDoug, we went to 5 FF in a row, took a break this year and probably next year too. Lots of fun but way to crowded Friday and Saturday. Sunday-Thursday great fun.

[rubicon]

Key West was our first Vacation together 1973.
We were down the first week of November this year. We go every fall for a week, still a good vibe but yes not like 30 years ago. Still a lot of local characters.
We have about three must do restaurants, 7 Fish, Louie's Back Yard & A & B Lobster House, plus we always go to Conch Republic for Happy hour and Alonzo's for Happy hour with 1/2 price apps. Always hit Schooner Warf Bar for a beverage or two This year we went north to mile marker 29 and went to Little Palm Island for dinner, spectacular!
On the way down we always have lunch at Sparky's Landing on Key Colony, near Marathon. Best fish taco's anywhere. When we leave we stop for lunch at Alabama Jacks on Card Sound road for our last taste of the Keys.
We always try to get out on the water for at least one day. This year we went with Danger. A full day sail, snorkel & kayak. It was very nice.
I would like to get down sometime in May to go Tarpon Fishing. Won't make it this year but soon I hope.
What are your must do's?

Alabama Jacks made the top five restaurants on Travel Station show for man meals

[OpusX1]

Ahhh Bloody Mary's fresh peel and eats and a fried fish plater on the water.
We were going to retire to the Keys but figured we would only live a year or two down there :smiley: with all the drinking, eating and drinking plus the better half says I can own a boat with the next wife, no boat in the Keys means more drinking:a20:

[Carla B]

Opus, you could be a travel agent for Key West. I'm going to refer to your post the next time we go there. Have been to the A&B Lobster House but fortunately we didn't have to pay the bill on that trip. We helped a lawyer take his 53' trawler from Miami to Key West. He and his lady friend slept the whole way but we had a great time anyway.

[coolkayaker1]

Interestingly, my wife and I are considering TV or Key West for retirement. We want walking, local things to do. Key West has water, sun, but would e tire of being on an island 4 x 2 miles? Hmmm. TV has more lovely companionship, but central FL is rather bland, outside of TV, that is. We don't golf, but enjoy scrapbooking, writing and reading, gentle biking, things that can be done at either place. We love eating out and, loads of walking. Oh, I said that. Lol.

Taking prices out of it ( we've done the research and know KW has seven figure homes and we can swing it--frankly, our concern about TV is that they keep building new so resales are perpetually sluggish, unlike KW, where there no building, thus high prices), wondering if anyone has thoughts? We've been to Kw but not TV. And obviously we would rent at either place for a couple months b4 pulling the trigger. We're in our early fifties and will retire within two years.

Ideas? all things equal for housing (lets say you won a house in a contest, so it's not a factor), where would you live, and why? Thanks. I appreciate your thoughts, all. Sven

[villages07]

Visited KW and live (5 years) in TV...

KW ... warmer climate, more humid in summer, more hurricane/storm threats?, lots of tourists/crowds, more expensive, no golf cart living, would have to make your own entertainment/social clubs, great place to party and people watch.

TV ... chillier in winter but more bearable in summer months; golf carts, lifestyle, self-contained living, activities, more affordable, easier access to airport/more reasonable flights; lots of day/driving trips; the people, etc etc You have to see it to believe it. You certainly don't have to be a golfer to enjoy living here.

For me, hands down, TV over KW, but, to each his/her own.

[Snowbirdtobe]

We went to KW over New Years and loved it. I'm thinking that KW would be a wonderful winter home and TV in the summer. We live 200 yards from the ocean up north in the summer now and I want a place by the ocean.
We plan to keep our now summer home for the next 5 years and then look again.

We will be there for the Dachshund parade again this year.

The Long and Short of it All: A Dachshund Dog News Magazine: Dachshunds Parade on New Years Eve in Key West (http://dachshundlove.blogspot.com/2011/01/dachshunds-parade-on-new-years-eve-in.html)

[scottiee]

Key West has an ocean breeze 24/7/365.I am very sure it is cooler than TV in the summer. I went to TV last summer and it was hot for a Miami guy I think Miami is cooler as well in the summer and my WIFE agrees

[villages07]

scottie.... you are probably right in that the summer temps are lower in KW and there is, of course, the ocean breeze.

However, we were there in May one year and the mid-day humidity was 70+% with full sun and temps only in low 80s....it sure felt very uncomfortable to us.

In TV, during midsummer, we generally get clouds around noon and a nice light breeze and the humidity lowers to the low 50% range. Yep, still pretty warm, but we find it bearable.

To each his own!!!

[coolkayaker1]

Thanks, Village07 and all.! Good info. Great info, in fact/