[bigh110]

Originally Posted by Mr. Loco

I know people who lived in the Keys, and they all say the Reefs are suffering because of what StarfishKey says above.

Hawaii is a huge step up over the Florida Keys!

Comparing Key Largo to Maui is like saying Ghana Africa is a paradise!

Hello ?!?!?!?

Have you ever been to Labadi Beach in Ghana? It is located right close to the equator that place is pretty damn close to paradise. As long as you don't mind people of a different color Ghana Rocks!
Except for the airfare to get to there its a wee bit more than going to going to Maui which IMHO is also a paradise in its own right!


Welcome to Ghana: Exotic wildlife, historic castles and a golden coast - CNN.com

[StarfishKey]

I agree! Anyone who would make such a blanket negative statement about Ghana though has never been there. Paradise is wherever feels like home to the individual, and none of us are qualified to determine paradise for another person. Fortunately for me it is multiple places, but affording living in them while still having access to the people I'm close to is the hard part! The Keys is the best compromise I have come up with so far - only because I have a flexible enough job to do most of my work from home. For others, it may not be quite the right place, and they will have to continue searching for home.

[NaleyRocks]

This seems like a good thread for info on the keys. I was wondering if someone could help me out. A couple of years ago my parents visited the keys. This was about ten years after they went to the Caribbean. They were looking forward to it, never been. They are into low key rural type places, and they usually make friends wherever they go. They were in their mid 40s. And they hated the keys. They can't really explain why. I was talking to Mom about it yesterday and she was adamant about hating it and never going back. She said there are no beaches you can just drive to and it is nothing like the Caribbean (she is PUSHING for a big family trip to the Caribbean next year with me, my sister, and our families. We keep telling her we don't think the kids will have much fun in the Caribbean but she really wants to go back).

Anyway, any thoughts on why they didn't like it. I'm thinking it looks so beautiful and sound like their type of place, that maybe they just didn't "do the keys" right? We usually love vacas where we don't plan anything, we just drive where the car takes us and stop when we see a place that looks enjoyable. Like on the space coast, we just drive til we see a beach that looks nice then spend time there. If its not what we want we hop in the car and drive to the next one.

The hubs and I might go on our own sometime with our daughter. Figure a few days a Disney then a few days in another part of Florida.

[HiloDiver]

Wow, this thread sure took a weird side trip. Always a few off-topic jokesters on forums, eh?

Back on track...Naley, actually there are beaches to drive to in the Keys, you have to know where they are, but the difference between Keys and Caribbean is that there is really no beach diving in the Keys, you must take a boat offshore to see anything. Another obstacle is that it is positively FLAT. My old home in Angler's Park at mm103.5 was at 12' elevation and everyone teased me about living on "Mount Largo". The Caribbean's land is eye-candy with mountains and rain forests, while the Keys' appeal is all water. Bottom line is that there really is not much to do there besides dive and fish (and drink, which too many people there do too much of). I love the Keys for the diving and fishing but also the close proximity to Miami where anything can be obtained, and you can easily fly anywhere you want. I have a huge friend base in the Fort Lauderdale/Miami area and I know I would have lots of visitors if I relocated there.

Starfishkey, I didn't reply to you because I already know what you posted and much, much more having been a Keys resident, and I've spent huge chunks of time down there from about 1977 to 2011, living on the land and living on boats. However, your post will be helpful to future readers of this thread, so I thank you.

I still have not received any answers to the questions posed in my original post. I'm visiting SoFla this summer so I'll just drive down and see for myself. If Key Largo is too crowded for me, I can just slide on down to Tavernier or Islamorada. My sister just spent a week in Islamorada and loved it. When I start missing mountains, I can easily hop a plane from MIA or FLL and get my "fix".

[bigh110]

My favorite beach in America in Bahia Honda state park mm37 in the lower keys on the southside of the seven mile bridge twice been vote best beach in america I live 8 miles from there in a development built within the confines of the national key deer refuge. it has trails to walk key deer will eat right out of your hand and they are all over the neighborhood. there is a freshwaterpond called the blue hole where we have a alliagator couple. there is also kool swimming hole overon ramrod key.
My Keys neighbors are all really 50 to 60 year old couples lovin life. key west that is more party town i can only handle that run a few times year 1month till i will be down in town WOOOOO

[NaleyRocks]

Thank you Hilo, I think you hit the nail on the head!! Little ah ha bells went off when you mentioned the flat. And the beaches and boating for snorkeling/scubaing, but also the flat. I for one love flat, I'm weird like that. Mountains make me feel trapped, so I'm still thinking I would love the keys. But to compare them to the Caribbean doesn't seem like its an accurate comparison as their topographys are so different.

[HiloDiver]

Exactly, you really cannot compare the Keys to the Caribbean...and I've very recently lived in the Caribbean. Other than both having clear blue water and fishes and lots of bars, that is.

[StarfishKey]

It's a shame, I would prefer the mountains... but it's just not possible for me right now. Maybe I will build a hill in my new yard for comfort. At the very least, I will be very near other mountainous islands to take a trip now and then, for a reasonable air or boat fare.

The Keys may not be perfect for me, but they are a beautiful compromise.

[NaleyRocks]

I started key dreaming when they did the hgtv dream home in Islamorada. Its still my favorite and must be because of the local, cause the house wasn't really that special.

[Hawaii4evr]

It depends on what part of Hawaii you're in. Hilo has a lot of freshwater from elevated areas emptying into the ocean, so in winter the water temperature is 71F, same water temperature as in Key West in winter. If you go to Oahu, nights are in the 70sF all year long, and the water ranges from 77F in winter to 82F in summer.