Was there 20 years ago for a few hours. Flying in Next Sunday for a couple days. Gonna scuba, gonna eat some key lime pie, gonna get drunk, and not in that exact order. Tell me some things that the internet hasn’t told me.
Taking the wife for our anniversary. It’ll be nice to go out to the world. [Reply]
I ran the Key West half-marathon about 10 years ago, which is more or less a run around the whole island.
I started out having a great race, cruising along well. I thought I was going to break two hours, but the sun came out around Mile 10 and it got really hot, so I ended up just over two hours. I also had an obviously pregnant woman pass me around Mile 9. She was maybe six months along. [Reply]
Originally Posted by RunKC:
This is my first trip to Florida. Staying in Pensacola and Destin and ****ing love this state.
Saving this thread for my next Florida trip which will be Key West
I lived in Pensacola from '77 to '82, it's nothing like the rest of Florida. I really liked it, but I'm conservative and so is the panhandle of Florida. Big Navy Pensacola Aviation home and Destin/Ft. Walton is a big Air Force Base (Eglin) It's nicknamed either the 'redneck Riviera' or LA for 'Lower Alabama. Anywhere on the Gulf coast has outstanding beaches, Pensacola Beach and Destin are both very nice and all the way down to Fort Myers.
The 3 mile bridge from Pensacola to Gulf Breeze (a sort of midway point) which you must take to get to Pensacola Beach was just reopened last week, it was knocked out last year during a hurricane. You could still get to the beach, but had to take a round-about way via I-10 bridge east and then another bridge south.
For real younger crowd, spring break type bars and actives, go 100 miles east to Panama City Beach (PC) to the locals. Last time I went was quite awhile ago and sat out on a huge bar deck drinking and met some local girls and Bernie Higgins was singing 'Key Largo'.
I retired in Central Florida but if it wasn't for this retirement community I'm in now and the fact the panhandle gets hit by a hurricane about every other year, I would of retired there. None of the places I hung out are still there, but one neat thing, I was there in '78 when they filmed Jaws 2 at Navarre Beach. The opening scene in that movie was filmed inside the Holiday Inn Holidome, I was inside when the director and DP were setting up the scene but didn't see the filming. That Holiday Inn, all 7 stories was destroyed in 2004 by Hurricane Ivan.
Originally Posted by AustinChief:
Unfortunately it's probably too late to get a reservation but I would HIGHLY recommend a day trip to the Dry Tortugas / Fort Jefferson. You can get there by ferry or seaplane (expensive) or private charter(also expensive). Amazing snorkeling and something very few tourists take the time to do.
Key west is great. You can have a great 3-5 days down in the Florida keys of sight seeing and just general walking around. It’s pretty nice. I was sad we only did a simple overnight before the cruise we went on [Reply]
Originally Posted by AustinChief:
Unfortunately it's probably too late to get a reservation but I would HIGHLY recommend a day trip to the Dry Tortugas / Fort Jefferson. You can get there by ferry or seaplane (expensive) or private charter(also expensive). Amazing snorkeling and something very few tourists take the time to do.
The Key West Express operates everyday from Fort Myers to Key West and back. From Key West it departs everyday at 4pm and returns to Key West the next morning at 8am. If you want get over to the mainland see the Gulf Coast of Florida, no need to drive 150 miles to Miami and then back across Florida, take the 3-1/2 hours aboard the 170' jet powered catamaran.
