Hey Florida Arfcommers. I have never been to Florida before but we are hoping to fly out for 5 days in December. Wife and I, no kids.

Dates:
7 Dec - 11 Dec

7- Fly into FLL (Fort Lauderdale) and hit Funky Buddha and J. Wakefield Breweries... and ? (overnight in Miami)
8- ? Maybe visit the everglades (overnight in Miami)
9- Drive down the keys, possibly snorkel at John Pennenkamp (overnight in Key West)
10 - Dry Tortugas tour  (overnight in Key West)
11 - Fly out of EYW  (Key West)

Rental Car- probably gonna get something cheap, either a compact or "standard" sized car.
Accommodations - dunno yet but Key West looks pretty expensive, might try and get a really nice hotel with credit card rewards

Also - if the day in Miami / Everglades (the 8th) would be a waste of time, we could head down to the Keys that day instead...

Sounds like fun.  

Maybe look at air-boats in the everglades.

Key West is a long drive from John Pennenkamp, especially after a long day on the water. (a little over 2 hours)

Enjoy your trip

if you're using rewards points, book now.  i've quickly learned how worthless they can be.  No rooms available for rewards, but we have 20 open for our normal cash rate.  

You picked a couple of great breweries but they are pretty far apart.
Might want to do them on separate days and also add other nearby  breweries since you will be in the area.

Hotel off Key West, Big Pine is close enough and see Larry at Strike Zone for boat/fishing charters.
Save the snorkeling for the Dry Tortugas. IOW just go straight down the Keys and skip Pennekamp.
Eat at Mangrove Mama's on Sugarloaf.

Drive to Key Largo, stay at Key West Inn (IN key largo). snorkel SunDivers boat docked at Inn, package price. Take tour/boat ride to Pigeon Key Historic site Marathon.
On to Key West and do whatever.

Just went on 3 day trip.
South beach miami....stayed at courtyard marriott ..120 per night
2 blocks from ocean blvd...its a zoo...but enjoyed it...figure on 25 bucks a plate plus drinks.
Drove to key west...nice drive....enjoyed it.
Stayed at cypress hotel...200.00 per night....very nice rooms in a historic hotel..601 caroline st.
Short walk to DUVAL st....where all the party bars are.
Walk down caroline..turn right on duval....young people party zone.
Turn left...more down to earth fun zone.
Expect to pay 20.00 per plate...plus.
Dont forget to take wife to butterfly conservancy on duval and united st  its cool.
BTW...december is best time to do key west....prices are close to summer rates.

Good info guys thank you

I would skip either the Everglades or John Pennekamp.  There is great snorkeling at Dry Tortugas.  
The Everglades would probably only be worth the effort if you take a tour (airboat/swamp buggy) or hike one of the trails (Anhinga walking trail is just outside Homestead about 1.5 hrs from South Beach and on the way to the keys = if you don't sleep in too late you'll have plenty of time to see the Everglades and get to Key West to relax and enjoy the trip.

Ft. Lauderdale and south is all crowded metro area so I would plan driving on a destination to destination basis as driving around looking for out of the way places could be aggravating and time consuming, especially in Miami.

Cool stuff.

I was able to book my flights. I used credit card points and got essentially $1150 worth of plane tickets for $17.  I booked on American so I get a free checked bag for each of us.

We arrive in Miami International at 430 PM on Thursday, right during rush hour.... lol.  Might just get a cheap hotel near the airport to stash our stuff and chill out while the traffic dies down before we go to Funky Buddha in Fort Lauderdale.

Flights were getting really full already, but looks like hotels aren't completely booked in Key West yet, I will get that done soon.

Get a hotel near the Miami breweries so you don't waste the first night. Then go the next day to Funky Buddha.  
ProTip for Funky Buddha. They still have their Boca Raton tasting room open with different beers from Ft Lauderdale.

Great tip, thanks!

So I did run into a bit of a snag.  Apparently, the whole "fly out of key west" plan has a bit of a flaw. Rental Car companies do not want you to do a "One Way Rental" for your car- without paying much more.

For example, they said if we get a compact car in Miami it's like $30/day. If we get a one-way rental the same car is $130 / day.  So they suggested swapping cars in Key West so we are only raped for 2 days of car rental instead of 4.
I called National and Alamo both, they both work the rentals like this.

use reward days for one ways

Good move to experience Ft Jefferson. Amazing place. 16 million bricks sailed in from Mobile to build it.

Gratuitous pic.

if the weather is warm enough - you might want to rent a convertible.

It is an amazing drive into the keys - you are in the grass flats for miles then you jump a bridge and you are looking at beautiful blue water.

Red.

I hope this doesn't come off as rude seeing as how it's hurricane season and there could be an impending disaster.  I had a question about Key West.

In Hawaii, the preferred times to snorkel are generally in the morning when the seas are more calm, water is more clear.  Is it also the same in Key West / Florida?  

Stay safe everyone.

ETA: found some info online with the answers I needed. Again, hope this hurricane misses everyone.