Key West Beaches

[cruisefreak13]

Hi there,

 

Hopefully some of you knowledgable travelers out there can give me some insight. We will be taking a cruise in April 2008 and one of the stops is Key West - no we do not get to stay late for party time :-( and I was wondering if anyone could suggest some beaches for us to go to for the day for some R & R. On our other two stops we will be snorkeling and cave tubing but as of yet, nothing has really hit me for us to do in Key West BUT I am definitely open to suggestions other than just beachin' it.

 

Thanks!

[donato]

Key West is not the world's greatest beach destination. Fort Zachery Taylor is within sight of the dock (probably, depending on where you dock) and has the best beach in KW. Admission includes a tour, history lesson and use of the beach.

Key West is, however, one of the world's most unique cities. If you have never been to KW, invest $25.00 in the conch train tour. You will get a guided tour, learn about KW, its history and location. After the tour, walk back to the places you thought were interesting and enjoy KW.

[MikeMongo]

Just at Fort Zach is the Eco-Discovery Center. And it's free. Here's the link.

http://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/news/features/0107_ecocenter.html

 

And right next to that is the USS Mohawk, a "submarine hunter," that has been restored, has Key West history, and is $5. Here's that link.

http://www.ussmohawk.org/

 

Fort Zach tour, beach, and all is $1.50

 

The whole thing together is a great deal, and very interesting, and guaranteed to fill an afternoon with a great deal of good memories.

[Aquahound]

Another vote for Ft. Zach. A hint though.....bring water shoes. The beach is not sandy. It's crushed coral rock.

[cruisefreak13]

Dear all,

 

Thank you for your thoughts and ideas for Key West. My hubby will definitely have interest in the USS Mohawk. When we were in San Diego this past spring leaving for our cruise - the Nemitz (spelling?) was in port and he loved it.

 

One more question - another thought I ran across when I was surfing the net was parasailing. It appears to be fairly reasonably priced in Key West and I think I would feel more comfortable doing it in US than on an island (we heard horror stories on how sometimes in the Caribbean they charge you a price, get you into the air and then tell you it will cost you additional monies to come down). Any thoughts on parasailing in Key West and who we should consider going with, company-wise?

 

Thanks!

[Capt Mano]

We have been to Key West many times. I agree with the statement that if you have not been to Key West, everyone should take the Conch Train and then not miss Mallory Square for all the entertainment and drinks on the Pier at Sunset. Mallory Square is right where the cruise ships come in and the ships usually do not leave before Sunset. There are much better places on your cruise for beaches and parasailing.

 

Capt Mano

[Aquahound]

Mallory Square is right where the cruise ships come in and the ships usually do not leave before Sunset. There are much better places on your cruise for beaches and parasailing.

 

On the contrary......

Almost all ships leave KW before sunset. Only the Rhapsody Of The Seas was a regular exception during the winter months. But that ship no longer comes here. In early summer, the sun sets around 9:00 pm. On a cruise, you will not get to see the sunset celebration.

Also, for parasailing, I recommend Sebago. They have a very good local reputation.