Key West Budget Lodging Experiences

The Florida Keys is a wonder's place. In fact Key West, the Florida Keys most distant island, is only 90 miles from Cuba. On the bay side you can go offshore for miles, stop your boat and stand in knee deep still water and not see shore anywhere around you. It's an true surreal experience for an ocean lover and nature loving person. I've encountered many a sting ray and sea turtles while there.

Nested away from the rest of the world, the Florida Keys have become a popular destination for Americans looking for a tropical vacation without leaving the United States. There are several things to do such as world class deep sea fishing, skin diving and snorkeling, trolling, kayaking, sailing, and species tours beyond belief. Each of the island destinations has some unforgettable features. My wife and I invite you to visit each area individually and discover the tropical heaven in the Florida Keys.

One of the main reasons for my families travels to the Florida Keys is for Lobster Sport Season. The locals call it bug hunting. It only last for about 3 days and the place is packed. If you're into hunting for lobster, this is quite an exciting affair. Don't leave behind your snorkel, tickle stick and net! The kind of Lobster you'll find down there are the Spiny Lobster type, which have no pinchers and can get quite large. Spiny Lobster are larger than most Main Lobsters in cases. Don't forget, recreational harvesters are required to possess a valid Florida Saltwater Fishing License with a current crawfish stamp. Consult a local tackle shop for exemptions to licensing needs. Licenses are available through local convenient stores, tax collectors, many tackle shops and marine supply stores.

How expensive is it to travel to the Keys? I'm finally getting to that. The Florida Keys is by far the best tropical vacation spot for any novice fisherman, scuba diver, or just plain traveler. But watch your pocket book! The Florida Keys is quite costly. My family and I shopped around extensively for the best hotel prices and by far the best we found was a 32 unit motel right off the highway called Big Pine Key Motel. They had the best rates and the biggest rooms of every "affordable" place to stay down there which were around $70 and up! And I'm talking crazy up! Some establishments were asking over $500. If you've got the nut, I would highly recommend Little Palm Island. It's one of the top 10 destinations in the world and the only way you can get to it is by boat. The Big Pine Key Motel is just a 20 minute drive from Key West and is surrounded by dive shops, fishing expeditions and great places to get your grub on.

I'm going to close with a caution. The Florida Keys is protected by many environmental laws that cater to endangered species. If you do any hiking around keep a watchful eye out for the poison wood. It looks as innocent as an oak tree and 10x more dangerous than poison ivy. The locals can't chop it down because it grows a fruit that an endangered species of bird eats.