Anyone familiar with Marathon Florida Keys

[budgetdiver]

My 14 year old son is new to diving and we are considering a vacation to the Keys. My wife and 10 year old daughter aren't divers, so I need some nice beaches and shopping to make them happy as well. My daughter would like to get close to some dolphins and pet them etc. We would be flying in from Denver and would need a comfortable hotel for the four of us, on a nice beach if possible, but don't want to spend a fortune. Any suggestions as to where to stay, how best to get there, where to dive etc. would be appreciated. I would like to go fishing as well and if it is possible to rent a hobbie cat sail boat and do a little sailing that would be great too. When would be the best time of year to go. Scuba magazine rated Marathon the number 1 dive spot for beginning divers. What do you think?

 

[archman]

I'd assume that if you want to "pet" dolphins, you're going to Marathon to visit the Dolphin Research Center on Grassy Key. Nice place. I don't think Marathon has commercial air service anymore, but you can check. If not, you can fly into Key West (a long hour from Marathon), or Miami (a "few" hours from Marathon, depending on traffic). I don't normally dive from Marathon, but I know that there are dive sites there (i.e. Thunder-something wreck). However, if you drive 15 minutes down the road to Big Pine Key, there's dive ops that can take you to Looe Key, fancy shmancy coral reef extraordinaire. Everybody loves Looe Key.

There may even be charter boats out of Marathon that go to Looe, saving you the drive to Big Pine Key. Wait a bit, there's a ton of folks on the board that know a lot more about Marathon than I do. I'm just a seasonal Big Pine resident.

 

[Shiprekd]

Just as Arch.. I'm a seasonal diver to the Keys. But usually tow the boat down and go out from Fiesta Key. We just go out on our own and get away from the regularly dived areas. The KOA is awesome there but you're not looking for a campground. They do have bungalo's but that's the extent of my knowledge on them. We usually just camp with the boat in one of their slips.

It used to be that the Dolphin research center never allowed outside interaction with their dolphins; only handlers. That may have changed but haven't heard anything and I work closely with a major state Aq.

Key Largo has the larger hotels and beaches if I'm correct. But they also come with a hefty price tag. There's not many places along the keys with sizeable beaches. Or at least that I know of.

Do a net search for Florida Keys dive/vacation packages. That should give you a real good head start.

 

[archman]

It used to be that the Dolphin research center never allowed outside interaction with their dolphins; only handlers. That may have changed but haven't heard anything and I work closely with a major state Aq.

It's still that way... even more so the last few years. To physically swim or "hang" with the dolphins, you must sign up for special activities closely directed by the handlers. It'll cost a lot more money, and you'll have to see what's available and when, but few people have ever regretted the experience.

 

[moneysavr]

My 14 year old son is new to diving and we are considering a vacation to the Keys. My wife and 10 year old daughter aren't divers, so I need some nice beaches and shopping to make them happy as well. My daughter would like to get close to some dolphins and pet them etc. We would be flying in from Denver and would need a comfortable hotel for the four of us, on a nice beach if possible, but don't want to spend a fortune. Any suggestions as to where to stay, how best to get there, where to dive etc. would be appreciated. I would like to go fishing as well and if it is possible to rent a hobbie cat sail boat and do a little sailing that would be great too. When would be the best time of year to go. Scuba magazine rated Marathon the number 1 dive spot for beginning divers. What do you think?

Hey Budjetdiver,
Ok this will work for you! TheaterByThe Sea At Islamorada They touch,pet kiss do it all! Tell the wife just get the REG TICKET and get the kids down front and tell the kids raise their hands for volunteer's!! folks paid over $100.00 to have kids do the same thing my boys did for the price to just get in!They had the time of their life!
Ok The beaches in the Key are NONE!! just rock! But We stay Near Tavernier And they have just built a great park REAL NICE!! park,beach,picnic,pool,and on and on and the place we stay at gave us a day pass Free or you can pay and use it cheap and well worth the price for things for kids to do!
We stay at the TropicVista dive resort an older place cheap rates and jerri the owner has a great dive boat,or can get you on a boat next door if things are slow!The place has a heated pool,hard to find in Florida,! a place to eat Drink at on site,rooms have a frige,and on canal. Its older but nice for price.
www.tropicvistadiveresort.com
Tell her Brad sent you and she will throw you out!
Well if you like to spend a few bucks more like $75- 85 PN and like a real GREAT Pool,Neat rooms like Brand NEW! Tile floors and Great Bathrooms! and some cool landscapeed grounds,head south down the road a few miles to Dunns OcieanView Inn WOW this place rocks,but you need to get a room as far from the bar as you can! Its a small motel,toataly redone NICE is the key! by a retired Pro Football player Garry Dunn,The bar has great food!Its a local joint!Our kids lived in the pool! and we cooked some bugs =Florida Lobster & Steaks on the charcoal grill out back by the pool one night MMMMMMM GOOD!
A few things to do Get To "Craigs" in Tavernier and have a fish sandwich Just ask,just doit! also the best $ 2.00 you can spend in the Keys is at "RoBBies" at IndianKey just a few miles south of Tavernier just ask, Just DOIT! You go to this place and pay to feed thease Giant Tarpon from the dock,the adults can have a cool beer and the kids can have a blast feeding thease giant fish and the other locals that hang out for a treats!!
The charter boats run out across the street for fishing,or you can rent a small boat at Robbies,
The KeyWest is not for young kids but can be done as a day trip from the northern Keys,Drive down early a.m. EARLY!!! make sure to fill with gas up north and get kids to potty,then go. It is a nice ride , but to me I just dont like KeyWest at all,My Wife loves it!
find the Conk train,do the tour,walk Duval street,Buy the kids some smoothies,&
Get the _ell out of town!
Hope this help's the keys has a mix on new and more old places,KeyLargo up North is nice but for us we just dont get the Keys feel so far north! A bit south is more fun!
John Penekamp park is nice stop if you have time, dive boat runs out to shallow reef dives Great for new divers,a small beach and picnic area and some things to see and do!
Well see about your best air FLL Or Miami is close and shop rentals cars are not cheap to rent in Florida!
Im on my way down in a few days=GOT TO GET WET GASSSSSSSSSSSSsP!
Feel free to PM with any questions
Brad

 

[DennisS]

Sombrero beach is around mile marker 50 in Marathon.

 

[tvictory]

Hawk's Cay resort on Duck Key (just north of Marathon) has everything you mention except, perhaps, not spending a fortune. Tilden's Dive Shop, the operator at Hawk's Cay, also has another store and boat in Marathon proper. They can help you get a reduced price on accomodations either at Hawk's Cay or other local motels.

The dolphin thing at Hawk's is, I think, fairly pricey but you don't need to be staying there to do it. Fishing and boat rental is widely available throughout the area. Summer is a good time to go (avoid holiday weekends). September will offer the best prices, especially after last year's hurricanes.

www.hawkscay.com

 

[smokey braden]

budgetdiver,
do some research on holiday isle

 

[murphdivers286]

Check out Key Largo. Good diving.... Also has some snorkel trips to the statute of Christ. Just additional information.

 

[TropicalDiver]

IMHO - Holiday Isle is not the place for family - over 5 bars, puke on the sidewalk almost every night, topless women at the sand bar during happy hour....if you get my drift - more like a spring break kind of place.....

Theater by the Sea can be a lot of fun, good for family. Other things in Islamorada would be feeding tarpon at Robbie's fish camp. Also, had great dives with dive op right before bridge north of Robbie's fish camp. Always liked the Islander Hotel, which was right across from the Lorelei (offers nightly sunset celebrations and restaurant, very laid back). Bentley's Restaurant is great for dinner, get their macadamia nut encrusted fish served on a bed of spinach - yum!

Key West - also affectionately called Key Weird by some locals - is a great place for day trips. Nighttime activities are more "Holiday Isle" style and are not for kids....BUT there are some GREAT museums and sight-sees there - such as Mel Fisher's Treasure Museum, the Flagler Railroad Museum, Conch Tour Train, Pirate's Museum (history of Key West), and Key West Aquarium are all great for kids that age.

Key Largo IMHO, is a hidden gem. Laid-back atmosphere with great restaurants on the water if you care to look down some of the roads...got a seafood market just past the Diver's Direct store on the left hand side...got some great restaurants by there as well as some hidden restaurants on the western/right (as head south) side also. Dive sites there are also pretty good

Personally, don't think there's too much to do in Marathon, more of a local/worker kind of place from my visits there.

Duck's Key - I've heard - can be a neat place to visit. Very upscale, friend keeps his Hattaras yacht there...