pjk

We would like a late morning , early afternoon snorkel trip. Also , is there any accomadations near or on a beach, yet within walking distance of Duval st. What about good places to eat, notin fancy, just good food. THanks for your help.

pjk

Zowie -

Almost all of the snorkel trips that you can take have a 9:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. and a 1:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. trip. It sounds like you want the afternoon trip. If you think you want to go out on a bigger catamaran, I like the Caribbean Spirit or the Sebago, both of which go out of the Key West Bight and both are very good trips. You can generally save $5.00 / person by booking in advance either by walking over there or over the phone or on-line or from one of the vendors that work out of kiosks on the streets. Booking on-line generally isn%26#39;t necessary so you can see what the weather looks like the day before and book. hese will run $30.00 - $35.00 / person. The alternative that I like is the Floridays which goes out of the Hyatt Dock. It is a little more expensive at $45.00 / person but it really gives youa sense of sailing as it is a smaller, single-hulled sailboat. This one you should book in advance. And another alternative is the Reef Express which also costs $35.00 / person and since it is a motor-driven cat, it makes two snorkel stops.

I stay at the Pier House which has its own small beach which allows you to swim in the ocean and actually get some sand in between your toes. It is at 1 Duval Street and if you stay here, once you take a cab from the airport or drive in, you don%26#39;t have to use your car again. The good rooms, the Garden Views, are approx 250.00 + tax / night, but there is an AAA and AARP discount of 5%. There is also a small pool and hottub, and a nice beach-side restaurant. An alternative is to stay on the south side of the island at the Dewey House or La Mer which allows to use the small beach at a small cost near the Duval Beach Club. I don%26#39;t know what these will cost you, but Duval Street is only just over 1 mile long so you are still within walking distance of the Mallory Docks for sunset and the Key West Bight.

Of the places to eat on the Key West Bight, I like the Half Shell Raw Bar and Alonzo%26#39;s Oyster Bar and The Conch Republic Seafood Company, especially during happy hour. You can order any number of combinations of shrimp, oysters, clams, etc with a Key West Sunset Ale and sit overlooking the harbor and the ships. Or a nice platter of grilled tuna or blackened grouper. Within Key Wes itself, I like Pepes or B.O.%26#39;s Fishwagon, both on Caroline Street.

When are you going and do you have a budget for accommodations? Two people or a family?

zowie stop reading.

People ... IMO you should not hesitate to answer these Q%26#39;s even though they are addressed to someone specific. I might not have made it back from NYC. Then What?

Thanks

Pjk

pjk

In regards to the ';cost'; for using the beach when staying at La Mer/Dewey House (also Southernmost on the Beach and Southernmost Hotel)..... the use of the beach is free. If you want a lounge chair it will cost you $5 (that%26#39;s what they charge for anyone wanting to use a chair on South Beach). So, if you don%26#39;t mind lying on a beach towel on the sand, there is no cost. But you also get ';charging privileges'; at the Duval Beach Club. So, as you%26#39;re lying on your beach chair, you don%26#39;t have to worry about bringing any money with you in order to be sipping on a margarita and soaking in the rays.