Where to go when on vacation. Things to do…suggestions

I'll be in Fort Myers for a couple days first, staying at hotel close to the beach, will also catch a Twins game. Then drive rental car to the Keyes and stay for a few days. Going down there with a few good friends of mine. Should be a great time.

 

Make sure you drive down PCH on the trip. Most of it parallels the coast, and there are tons of really cool surf towns on the beach the entire way. Tons of awesome restaurants on the water with killer seafood, etc. I'd make sure to stop in San Luis Obispo for certain. It's a much nicer trip than anything you will find that's inland. I'd say one of the most beautiful drives I've ever been on personally.

 

For the first time in many years, I won't be going on a vacation this year. I had a trip booked to Jamaica and was supposed to leave tomorrow morning, but we ended up cancelling the trip due to Zika Virus.

 

My parents really enjoyed Mackinac.

 

I've boated around Alcatraz and find it fascinating... if I'm ever there with the time, I'd like to take a tour of it.

 

I have a Disney trip planned with the entire family at the end of July but still have a week I can use so thinking about doing something else too!

 

Zoo is great, Lego land blows, it is really just for small kids. If you go to the wild animal park and ride the tram pay close attention to the deer that live on the outside of the park wall. You will see up close some of the best Pacific Hybrid Muleys in the world.

 

So nice to smell green growing vegetation again. Warm humid air feels good. Flew down and sat next to a celebrity on the plane, the lead singer of Queensreich super nice guy.

 

Thanks for the info woodman, Greg and invisible. I didn't even think about the forest. That will be something to see. Since most of my scenery in S TX is mesquite and huisache trees.

A friend told me about Alcatraz but when I looked it up it showed to be like a half day ordeal for the tour. That may have to wait for another time.

LA is more to say we been there done that. And the zoo is definitely on the schedule. But then we really don't make a schedule we just kinda go with it.

Thanks again

 

If you go to LA you have to go to the Labbraa tarpits.

 

Have you been there before? I have plenty of advice depending on your interests & expectations if you have not...

 

No I have not. Feel free to offer any suggestions. One of my friends who is also going has been there a few times but that was 20 years ago when he was in the Navy.

We would like to do a little of everything. Some time at the beach and pool at our resort (Staying at Ibis Bay), visit a few tourist attractions (Hemmingway house), fun night life on Duval street, good food, etc

 

Just looked up the La Brea tar pits in LA. That looks pretty interesting. One of my old college roommates was an archeology major and he got me interested native american artifacts. So that is definitely something I will see. Thanks for the tip.

 

Well, generic tourist guides like this can actually be helpful to the noob to the FL Keys and key west.
Search Key West attractions and Things to do here at Fla-Keys.com, The Official Tourism site of The Florida Keys.
of course, what kind of fun you can have in Key West depends on your interests & expectations. If you expect to drink and party, you can do that. If you expect to explore the history of Key West, you can stay busy doing that the entire time. If you expect to eat, there is plenty of good food (and plenty of average/bad food also. If you are a fishing fanatic, you have several options, if you have the funds.

1) Getting around. Taxis, etc will be available but there are also bikes, scooters, rickshaws to rent long term or short term. Depending on where yuall are sleeping & what your plans are renting a bike for the duration makes getting around easy. Yuall are staying pretty far away from the main excitement of Key West, so you’ll need to consider these options.

2) Partying on Duval street. It is what it is... bars, restaurants & shops. You’ll likely spend a fair amount of time here, just because that’s where the (social) action is. If you are into that sort of thing, it can turn into a top 3 partying memory night of a lifetime, but if it’s that awesome you may not actually remember much the next day…

3) Food – In general, there are too many places to eat, you’ll be overwhelmed. Likely you’ll get tired of trying to decide where to eat and end up just picking some place cause its handy. you’ll be eating seafood mainly. I can’t recommend hogfish enough. If they have hogfish on the menu, ask if it is fresh and order it if it is - any way you like it prepared, but please deviate from fried. Hogfish is like the crappie/walleye of the sea.

The only joint that is always a do not miss place to eat when I am there is El Siboney El Siboney Restaurant | Cuban Restaurant, Cuban Dining, Cuban Food, Cuban Cuisine | Key West, FL Cuban food… get the Puerco asado (roast pork), assuming you eat pigs. The place can be hard to find as its back in a neighborhood away from the fuss, but it’s within walking distance from Duval street.

4) History – If you are a history buff, you are in luck.
Ernest Hemingway home & museum
FLAGLER STATION OVER-SEA RAILROAD MUSEUM
FORT ZACHARY TAYLOR HISTORIC STATE PARK
KEY WEST AQUARIUM
KEY WEST CEMETERY – yeah ok ok ok… I’m one of those weirdo that likes looking at whee dead people are buried…
KEY WEST SHIPWRECK TREASURE MUSEUM
MEL FISHER MARITIME MUSEUM – a must see
TURTLE KRAALS MUSEUM

If you are interested and have time to use up an entire day of adventuring, Dry Tortugas National Park | Dry Tortugas Ferry | Yankee Freedom is a great day trip. It seems expensive and it is, but unless you bring your own food/drinks/snorkeling gear, it’s worth it. Fort Jefferson is 70 miles west of Key West. Get on the boat early that morning, 2-2.5 hour ride there, snorkel (provided), eat lunch (provided), tour the fort, lounge on the beach & ride back to KW that afternoon. If your goal is to snorkel on the reef & swim with all sorts of critters you’ve only seen in pictures before, going here is your best option. Just swallow the $175 fee and DO IT! IF you have any propensity to get sea sick (maybe even if you don’t or do not know), get some Dramamine patches before you go and put one on that morning when you wake up.
5) Fishing – too many options to list here, but you’ll spend a bundle unless you’re taking your own gear for DIY. Likely your freshwater gear won’t cut it for toothy critters. You’ll spend the above amount more than likely even if you go out on a bottom fishing party boat. A flats guide for the day will cost you 2x-3x the above, that’s why despite the initial shock when you see the Dry Tortugas trip price, I consider it a bargain.

It’s important to remember that this will likely be your first of many trips to the Keys if you dig it there… don’t try to squeeze in too much & relax & have fun!!!

Are yuall flying in to Key West directly? If you are and you have an opportunity to drive highway A1A back towards the mainland, do that. you'll have a better appreciation of where you are in the world...

 

Thanks for your input. We will be in Fort Myers 3 nights before taking rental car to the Keys for another 3 nights. I've heard that drive is pretty awesome. Our hotel also has an hourly shuttle to Duval st so that will come in handy for the evenings.

 

driving there from the mainland is awesome. you'll have a LOT better appreciation for the Keys by doing that. If you see something that interests you, stop and check it out! Bahia Honda state park is nice, but there are literally hundreds of things that one might stop for on the drive...

Stop in Big Pine Key and relax for a bit at the No Name Pub. Have a beer & shrimp pizza. Drive around Big Pine key especially to the north and/or out to No Name key to see some Key Deer. they'll likely just be wandering round town... about the size of a lab...

Insular dwarfism - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

Was out kayaking just got back and put stuff away, we found a dead baby manatee wedged up in the mangroves. Did a search to see if it should be reported and called it in got two calls back and they are headed to recover it. If you do any kayaking in Florida find the mangroves and go thru so much that you see from star fish to little crabs in trees and all kinds of fish, and manatees in the right bays.

 

Orange Beach Alabama in June. Gpa/Gma have been taking the whole family their for 25+ yrs

 

Whenever I go to visit my cousin in south Florida we drive down and hit bbq places all the way there. Then make a stop in floral city Florida and do a little hog hunting with the bows!! For a hundred dollar bill you can shoot a few hogs well worth it. Plus since me and my dad are butchers we cut it up take it to my cousins place and put it on the smoker and of course it wouldn't be right to go down and not hop on his ocean boat and do a little deep sea fishing!! Lots of things to do down there besides the usual beach and other tourist things.