My wife and I and two other couples are renting a house in Marathon Fl. for spring break. She and I are renting a convertible from MIA airport and driving down to Marathon, and then on the Key West.
A few questions?
Is it worth buying a express toll service tag at $8.78 per day from the car rental?
What are some good things to see and do while there?
Any suggestions......good restaurants, gun stores etc.

Thank you

Island Grill in Islamorada http://keysislandgrill.com
Sparky's Landing in Key Colony Beach in Marathon http://www.sparkyslanding.com
Never had a bad meal at either one.

No tolls in the Keys unless you take Turnpike to Homestead or you use Card Sound bridge. The US 1 bridge has no tolls.

Go fishing while you are there, either gulf side or ocean side..........

Do not get the Toll pass from the rental agency.  Tolls from MIA to the entrance of the keys via turnpike (recommended route) is maybe $5 tops.  There will be no tolls while you are staying at the keys.

The only gun store in the upper keys is Kiffney's.  Its a good store with good people.

http://www.kiffneys.com/

Marathon is kinda small but close to Key West.  Just visit Key West and go everywhere.  The place is a blast!

Great guys keep the ideas coming.

don't forget that it's about 150 miles from point A to point B.  Also, on the bridges, any sort of accident can really, really tie up traffic.
Great food, beautiful things to look at, and a lot of fun though.  Well worth the trip.

Tolls are all electronic now to the Keys.
http://www.floridasturnpike.com/all-electronictolling/LocationAndTollRates.cfm

Buy your own sunpass when you get here.

Driving the Overseas Highway is an experience to be enjoyed. Don't rush your way through. Stop often and look for the obvious and not so obvious points of interest. If you see an interesting sign, stop and see what they have to offer.

A couple things I can think of;

The Bass Pro Shop / World Wide Sportsman in Islamorada. Great place to check out. Have lunch at the Islamorada Fish Co. next door and visit the 1935 Hurricane Memorial just across the street. The Bass Pro Shop has outrageous pricing on fishing tackle. Instead, buy anything you need at the K-Mart further South (in Marathon iirc) they have an impressive saltwater fishing department all for MUCH less.

The Dolphin Research Center at MM 59 is one of many hidden gems along the way.

Bahia Honda State Park for one of the best beaches in the Keys.

Stop at one of the many little places along the way to rent a Kayak, meet the locals and enjoy a cold beer. I recommend "Robbie's" at MM 77.5 but there are plenty of places like it.

Plan on spending a full day in Key West. Get down there early to avoid the traffic, find a place to park and have breakfast at "Pepe's" on Caroline Street. If  "Pete & Wayne" are on stage at Sloppy Joe's, their act is a MUST see unless you are travelling with little children.

Charter a good Captain/boat/guide and do a lot of fishing, snorkling, touring, etc. Charters can be pretty pricey ($500-$600 per day) but with 6 of you that should average out to an affordable full day of fun on a private charter.

Honestly, my MOST FAVORITE thing to do in the Keys is to watch for the slack tides and go fishing off remnants of the old Overseas Highway (which was built on top of the old railroad). Many sections are maintained for fishing, walking, jogging, etc. It is one of the most relaxing and life enhancing things you can ever do. Oh, and you may even catch some fish. Make sure you have a valid Florida Fishing License. I have been carded by fish cops twice!

You will definitely be on island time, so don't get impatient with bar or restaurant service, traffic or opening and closing times.

Personally, I find Marathon to be a little too city and a little too trashy but as a base camp it is a great location to begin each day's adventure.

Plan on eating and drinking at the Sunset Grille in Marathon. A GREAT place.

On a serious note; When it is time to go home give yourself plenty of time for the return drive to Miami. It is not a long distance but it doesn't take much to bring traffic to a slow crawl.



We have been visiting the Florida Keys for 20 years and we still find new things to do every time we go. If anybody gets bored, it is because you are not looking hard enough. The BEST places are well kept secrets. Enjoy

My Sis used to work at DRC.  It is a neat place.

I haven't been to the Keys in nearly 20 years.  I really need to take my kids down there.

How about the crime rate? I'm sure Miami is bad in places, but only plan on picking up rental car there and then south bound to the keys. I plan bringing my glock 43 just in case. Whats a week long out of state fishing license going for?

Thanks

http://myfwc.com/license/recreational/saltwater-fishing

$30. If fishing from charter boats, their license will cover you.

Congrats on your trip. The Keys are best viewed from the water. They're just little old coral islands themselves.

Crime once out of Miami/Homestead shouldn’t be an issue. One pistol is enough. Call us if you get stuck down there with the zombies and need rifles

Alabama Jacks on card sound road (easy substitute for US 1) is good food on the way.

Arfcommers in the area if you want to ask them:
Capt_Jerry
TAP_Ga
Tailhunter

Below are the recs I found while researching for food. I have not eaten at all of them.  

Food:

Some places will cook our catch for free (buy drinks) as long as we give them the rest- would want to find a place on the water.

Key Largo:
Docs Diner- Big breakfast for cheap. Local place
Sushi- Num Thai
Seafood- Mrs. Macs
Fisherman's House
Snappers- on the water
Buzzards Roost- on the water -Lat 25'10.232  Long 80'22.291.
Sundowners- on the water- bay side

Islamorada:
Area around BudNMary's Marina:
Lazy Days- food on the water- reservations if dinner on the water- they'll cook what we catch for $16 each
Robbies- Tarpon feeding & Restaurant- Dolphin sammich is good- Lignumvitae key is right next to this- Arfcom Capt_Jerry is res Park Ranger
Islamorada Fish House at World Wide Sportsman- food- on the water too
Lorelei- On the water food
Morada Bay- Beachside restaurant- may not be able to pull up with boat
Island Grill- On the water
Whale Harbor- Where the fishing boats come in around 3:30-4 you can see the catches of the day. Grab a beer and watch, on the water. - Closed?
Calossa Cove Safari Lounge- Where the locals are- 5pm cheap draft beer

The Islander- Seafood
Tiki Bar at Holiday Isle- drinks
Wahoo's- seafood- shrimp Po-boy is good w/ conch chowder

Indian Key- close to Islamorada- has tour of island
Lignumvitae Key- close to Islamorada- has hour long guided tours call to schedule- surrounded by flats to fish

Long Key Bight:
If we go shallow on the oceanside (could even wade) there are tons of Cudas to be caught on tube lures (with ballyhoo?)

Bahia Honda, Duck Key, Marathon Key, Looe Key (reef),  Big Pine Key are all more south ~ hour boat ride (could make a day of it)

Marathon:
Pidgeon Key for sunset
Dolphin Research Center- Not a tourist trap, reasonably priced
Keys Fisheries
The Stuffed Pig
Sparkys
Burdiners- marina too
Porkys BBQ
The Island- dockage
Sunset Grill- Dockage
Bondoocks- dockage
Lazy Days- dockage

It is an awesome ride to the Keys - more so in a convertible.  Make sure the car company had your reservation right and does not play any games - "oh we do not have the convertible that you are supposed to get....would you like XYZ?"

Once you leave Homestead - you will go thru some 20 miles of grass flats - then BOOM - you go over a bridge and you are looking at "Blue Water" every where - It takes my breath away every time......

Do stop at Robbie's and feed the tarpon - awesome stop.  Do stop at the world wide sportsman and look at the sister boat to Hemingway's boat.  Do make the run to Key West for the Sunset Festival at Malory Square and do some bar hopping and people watching.

I enjoy the red train ride around Key West - they do a great job showing you the sights and history.  Do hit Sloppy Joe's, and the Green Parrot.  The Acotoca(sp) Museum is worth a stop as well.

Do a snorkel trip or two, book a charter and get out on the water - rent a boat if you are able.

And this thread needs a "Boat Drink" recipe......

one part coconut rum
one part peach snaps
one part vodka
two parts cranberry juice
two part pineapple juice

I mix my by the pitcher and serve cold over ice....gives you a great buzz and puts you on Island time.

Your welcome!

Red

No not worth it.The only toll you're going to go through is on the turnpike from Miami to the Keys. No toll roads in the Keys.
Fishing, drinking, eating. A buddy of mine has a fishing charter down there. Let me know if you're interested.


The Stuffed Pig for breakfast while you're in Marathon Key
Seven Mile Grill is good for a quick bite, right before you get on the Seven Mile bridge to Key West.

My recommended Key West restaurants:
Hogfish Bar & Grill
B.O.'s Fish Wagon
A&B Lobster house
Louie's backyard
Roof Top Cafe
Southernmost Beach Cafe

Recommended attractions:
Mel Fisher Museum
Ernest Hemingway Home
Mallory Square at sunset
Southernmost point buoy
Fort Zachary Taylor State Park
Dry Tortugas National Park
Key West Shipwreck Museum

Consider Blue Heaven for a meal in Key West.

Thanks a lot guys. Cant wait to go !!!

I can say how much in tolls you will rack up but I can say that at $8.78 a day it isn't worth it as that doesn't even include tolls, that is just for the use of their Sunpass.

You can buy your own Sunpass (mini) for $4.99 when you get to Miami at lots of places like Publix (grocery store), CVS or Walgreens.


Or you can buy one on-line ahead of time and add the rental car's license plate when you get the car.  Make sure you list the dates you have the rental car on the Sunpass account otherwise the next person to rent the car will be using your Sunpass account too.




Keep in mind that to activate the Sunpass, you need to add money in the minimum amount of $10.


Note:  If you buy the Sunpass mini, it is a one time use sticker and you must stick it to the windshield for it to work.  When you return the car, you will have to pull it off of the glass and it can't be reused.  However, any unused money will stay on your Sunpass account and can be used with a future Sunpass transponder.

These guys have given some great ideas.  IDK what to add, other that watch your speed on the way.  I have never seen so many traffic cops as I did on drives down there.  And one year I ended up with a hertz Shelby convertable.

only place I could really open it up was the airstrip on sugarloaf key. We did the tandem skydive there, and the instructor saw the Shelby.   He asked me how fast it was.....next thing we are making runs down that runway and standing on the brakes right at the end.  Good times.

Spend a little time at Bahia Honda. Nice park..

 
 

Can't telll you much about Miami but a little about the drive south and KW. The drive is about 150 miles, if you do it at night you will have less traffic cause the route isn't very efficient. Stupid speed limits in some areas cause of the scrawny key deer- some type of midget whitetail that's endangered. Think that's weird? In KW they actually have free range chickens. Not for eatin'- just for looking at, I guess. At KW, things to see- Custom's House and Hemmingway's home- lots of 6 toed kittehs there, lots of KW history in both places. Lots of good Cuban food everywhere. Sunset pier (end of duvall st.) there's just a bunch of street performers doing sideshow tricks at sunset. get your pic taken at the southernmost point bench mark (even though its not the actual point- the real one is on Naval property). No gun stores there to my knowledge. Duvall bars- 1. Cpt. Tony's- my favorite! Got a big oak tree in the middle a pirate got lynched from, some dead guy buried under the pool table. Tony was a ex mob numbers guy that survived a murder attempt, went to KW to hide, did fishing charters and then ran guns for the gov't to Cuban rebels during the cold war. Cool bar w/ history. 2- Sloppy Joe's (Angelo's pizza across the street is awesome after a "Duvall crawl" night., 3- Irish Kevin's (usually great music and fun) and Fat Tuesday if you like margaritas. 4. Hog's breath- fun place too. 5- There's a hard rock to if you are into that or want a t shirt or whatever. Once you get to KW, park your car and get to Duvall the best way you can. You don't need a car and its impossible to park anyway. Walk or rent a bicycle- the place ain't that big.  I think the coldest it ever gets there is about 70. There has never been a freeze there in recorded history. Be advised, lots of homeless and homos. Liberal city, so go figure. They pretty much leave tourists alone. 3 primary reasons people go to KW- SCUBA, fish, party. Have a blast!