Headed to Marathon Keys

[USMCDevilDog]

Headed to the keys on Friday from NJ. Looking forward to the trip minus the long drive towing the 190. Anyone have any tips, must haves, must see, restaurants, in the keys. We are definitely doing Sombrero Lighthouse and Snipe Key.

Any good restaurants to go to where we can boat to that has slips etc?

Any good places for wild life? Would like to see some manatee and maybe some dophins would be cool!

Any danger zones?

 

[Andy S]

For dining we have enjoyed, Sunset Grille & Raw Bar, 7 Knights Key Blvd, Marathon, FL 33050, (305) 396-7235 , http://www.sunsetgrille7milebridge.com/ordereze/Default.aspx and they have slips to park your boat.

I would check out John Pennekamp State Park in Key Largo, http://pennekamppark.com/, good boating and good snorkeling.

 

[USMCDevilDog]

Wow, great info thanks! Pool party sunday looks good as well!

 

[Bruce Hilbert]

I live on Cudjoe Key and the places I boat to are: Picnic Island, Looe key for snorkling, Tarpin key for relaxing, Marvin Key and Snipes. Just went to Woman Key and Boca Grande but that is west of key west. my wife is a picky eater but she likes : The Island Fish Company and Tiki bar, Key Colony Inn, the STUFFED Pig. ME, after 4 years in the Military, I can eat anything. once. LOL. I just notice your Member name. Semper Fi brother!!!

 

[USMCDevilDog]

I live on Cudjoe Key and the places I boat to are: Picnic Island, Looe key for snorkling, Tarpin key for relaxing, Marvin Key and Snipes. Just went to Woman Key and Boca Grande but that is west of key west. my wife is a picky eater but she likes : The Island Fish Company and Tiki bar, Key Colony Inn, the STUFFED Pig. ME, after 4 years in the Military, I can eat anything. once. LOL

Thanks Bruce! You are lucky to be living in such a great place!

 

[USMCDevilDog]

I live on Cudjoe Key and the places I boat to are: Picnic Island, Looe key for snorkling, Tarpin key for relaxing, Marvin Key and Snipes. Just went to Woman Key and Boca Grande but that is west of key west. my wife is a picky eater but she likes : The Island Fish Company and Tiki bar, Key Colony Inn, the STUFFED Pig. ME, after 4 years in the Military, I can eat anything. once. LOL. I just notice your Member name. Semper Fi brother!!!

P.S. Anything has to be better than the MRE Omlet!

 

[Julian]

We used to go to "Herbies" on Marathon....a dive fish place.....but fresh fish and chips...but that was a long time ago....so can't say it hasn't changed over the years....

Key Colony Inn was also one of our favs....(especially as it was across the street from MILs condo!)

 

[BigN8]

This post caused me to ask a question. I have been to places in FL and LA and others that offer fresh fish, or say they will cook it if you bring it in. I was just talking to a buddy of mine who opened a restaurant by the lake and asked if he would cool the fresh crappie we bring in? He emphatically said hell no. Said it violates the health code laws and that all fish has to be "traceable to the source". Basically he can only serve fish tvT has been processed and has a lot number and a source code. Aka delivered by Sysco or some other wholesaler. anybody have any Intel on this??

 

[Julian]

This post caused me to ask a question. I have been to places in FL and LA and others that offer fresh fish, or say they will cook it if you bring it in. I was just talking to a buddy of mine who opened a restaurant by the lake and asked if he would cool the fresh crappie we bring in? He emphatically said hell no. Said it violates the health code laws and that all fish has to be "traceable to the source". Basically he can only serve fish tvT has been processed and has a lot number and a source code. Aka delivered by Sysco or some other wholesaler. anybody have any Intel on this??

Huh....never thought of that....but some places will still do it....

https://www.restaurants.com/blog/the-top-catch-your-own-fish-seafood-restaurants/#.VUe3_vlVhBc

 

[Scottintexas]

we snorkeled at Looe Key, about 7 miles off shore, it was worth it to see some stingrays and two giant (looked as big as VW) grouper plus lots of other types of fish,

If you go to key west the sunken treasure museum was pretty neat, especially if you have kids, they have real pieces of eight from ship wrecks that you can hold or even buy.

 

[Tranio]

I live on Cudjoe Key and the places I boat to are: Picnic Island, Looe key for snorkling, Tarpin key for relaxing, Marvin Key and Snipes. Just went to Woman Key and Boca Grande but that is west of key west. my wife is a picky eater but she likes : The Island Fish Company and Tiki bar, Key Colony Inn, the STUFFED Pig. ME, after 4 years in the Military, I can eat anything. once. LOL. I just notice your Member name. Semper Fi brother!!!

We have a house on Big Pine. We are at Picnic Island every time we are down. I'll look for you next time we are down. Sometime over the summer.

USMCDevildog
We also like snorkeling at Looe Key. Snipes Point is really nice too.

 

[robert843]

This post caused me to ask a question. I have been to places in FL and LA and others that offer fresh fish, or say they will cook it if you bring it in. I was just talking to a buddy of mine who opened a restaurant by the lake and asked if he would cool the fresh crappie we bring in? He emphatically said hell no. Said it violates the health code laws and that all fish has to be "traceable to the source". Basically he can only serve fish tvT has been processed and has a lot number and a source code. Aka delivered by Sysco or some other wholesaler. anybody have any Intel on this??

I work for a major foodservice distributor and to my knowledge the only thing that has to be tracable to the source is fresh shell fish oysters, clams and mussels things like that. Laws could vary state to state though.

 

[USMCDevilDog]

Ok, so I'm back from the keys and a bit disappointed. Wind was at 15 knots with 3-5ft seas all week so left me handcuffed almost the entire weekend after dragging my boat down. I didn't even use up a 1/2 tank.

Positives were the restaurants. I didn't have a bad meal all week. Got to see some nurse shark on several occasions as well as wild Dolphins twice. Visited the dry tortugas as well for some snorkeling. Sombrero beach was nice as well.

Negatives
I expected the keys to be much nicer. The towns from entering the keys all the way to Key West seem to be very run down on the main road. Not a very pretty drive. I stayed in marathon which is quite far from Key West. Not very much to do in marathon or surrounding areas. The wind ruined my entire trip and purpose for driving down.

Feeling bummed

 

[Murf'n'surf]

Bummer man. If it happens again, drive across to Naples! Wind has been blowing off shore and makes for perfect boating on the Gulf.

 

[smthng]

@USMCDevilDog Sorry to hear it dude... the Keys can be great, but the magic is the water, not the land. Not being able to get out there in the boat would really suck.
I'm starting my planning (will post a different thread) for a Keys trip, but I'll be rolling the dice on hurricane season. Either it'll be great, or a massive waste of gas getting there to sit in a hotel room trying to figure out if we should beat feet back out. :S

 

[robert843]

@USMCDevilDog Sorry to hear it dude... the Keys can be great, but the magic is the water, not the land. Not being able to get out there in the boat would really suck.
I'm starting my planning (will post a different thread) for a Keys trip, but I'll be rolling the dice on hurricane season. Either it'll be great, or a massive waste of gas getting there to sit in a hotel room trying to figure out if we should beat feet back out. :S

I have to agree a friend of mine has a place in Key Largo. We used to go down every april overall not a lot to do down there it was all about being on the water. Being on the water on nice days down there is just incredible. Sorry to hear it didn't work out so well.

 

[USMCDevilDog]

I have to agree a friend of mine has a place in Key Largo. We used to go down every april overall not a lot to do down there it was all about being on the water. Being on the water on nice days down there is just incredible. Sorry to hear it didn't work out so well.

Yeah, I mean I had a really relaxing time and ate great and drank plenty. Just wished I got to go out on the boat more...

 

[arew~SX230]

That is a bu.mer about the wind and waves, we spent a week down there the end of this March beginning of April. The water was ridiculously flat all week. The house we rented was on a canal and I spent three better part of the week wishing I had a boat. Almost rented one but the rates were not conducive.