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I have been to Key West a few times (heading there again tomorrow for a week with the family!! ) and we stay on base. It is a LOT cheaper... you have the choice of townhouses or the trailers (they used to be on White street but moved them back on Trumbo a few years back). Since the closing of Rosey Roads, they have moved a lot of the squaderns to NAS EYW so space is a little more limited. Be sure to call the MWR pretty early. The pool is nice.. there are 2 - one with a waterslide (I thing that is the officers pool) and one that is an Olympic size (and is about $0.75 to get in)

Things we have done ... The old shrimp docks were always a good place to eat. Or go up to Stock Island and go to the Rusty Pelican (I believe that is the name of it) Used to have picnic tables set up inside... pretty laid back. If you want to drive up to Bahia Honda (MM 37) there is a nice state park that you can rent kyaks and stuff like that. I don't know if the sand there is imported like Smathers... (funny, I never knew it came in from Central FL till reading this string!) Rent bikes while you are down there.. I think they are better than scooters. It's nice to ride through the neighborhoods and not annoy them with the noisy scooters. Mallory is always entertaining in the evening - I was impressed with the clean up of the pier!!! And watching the sunsets are a MUST. But with the cruise ships in there you have to go down by the Hilton to see the sunset without Tank Island (aka Sunset Key <hehe>) in the view. For shopping, be sure to visit the Key West Fabric Shop and the Kinos shop. Stock up on those!! =)
No matter what you do, just remember to have a GREAT time!!!!!! A bad day down there is better than any good day in the office!

chalksoperations wrote:When you get down here, if you're driving, take a stop at any gas station or the Chamber of Commerce next to the Subway in Key Largo. Look for a monthly publication called Time Out. There are the usual year round, money sucking things to do to say you followed the herd. Time Out is a local thing that will tell you what is going on in the way of festivals, events, and such in the upper, middle and lower keys. If you can't find one, the Chamber of Commerce can give you the location to go pick one up.

I do my reserve duty at NAS Key West with the helos at base ops. It might be a long shot, but is any of your family military? At the Truman Annex there is a great pool with a couple great water slides. It is inaccesible to the public, but if you can get on it is a great pool. Plus the rooms on base are guaranteed to be the cheapest anywhere in KW. I took my family there for the millenium, stayed for 4 nights and spent about $70 on lodging on base.

When I was in high school, I was a Sea Cadet, and we trained with VF-101 when they came into NAS KW. Anyways, I learned that the NAS has some awesome beaches that are, obviously, pretty secluded.

parrotnole wrote:I have been to Key West a few times (heading there again tomorrow for a week with the family!! ) and we stay on base. It is a LOT cheaper... you have the choice of townhouses or the trailers (they used to be on White street but moved them back on Trumbo a few years back). Since the closing of Rosey Roads, they have moved a lot of the squaderns to NAS EYW so space is a little more limited. Be sure to call the MWR pretty early. The pool is nice.. there are 2 - one with a waterslide (I thing that is the officers pool) and one that is an Olympic size (and is about $0.75 to get in)

Things we have done ... The old shrimp docks were always a good place to eat. Or go up to Stock Island and go to the Rusty Pelican (I believe that is the name of it) Used to have picnic tables set up inside... pretty laid back. If you want to drive up to Bahia Honda (MM 37) there is a nice state park that you can rent kyaks and stuff like that. I don't know if the sand there is imported like Smathers... (funny, I never knew it came in from Central FL till reading this string!) Rent bikes while you are down there.. I think they are better than scooters. It's nice to ride through the neighborhoods and not annoy them with the noisy scooters. Mallory is always entertaining in the evening - I was impressed with the clean up of the pier!!! And watching the sunsets are a MUST. But with the cruise ships in there you have to go down by the Hilton to see the sunset without Tank Island (aka Sunset Key <hehe>) in the view. For shopping, be sure to visit the Key West Fabric Shop and the Kinos shop. Stock up on those!! =)
No matter what you do, just remember to have a GREAT time!!!!!! A bad day down there is better than any good day in the office!

Rusty Pelican on Stock Island--- I had forgotten about that one. Very local place. I miss Compass Rose in Old Town.

My father is the only land surveyor in the lower keys, so he does all of the city's work, as well as most of NAS KW's work. He spends a bit of time at Smathers making sure the sand goes where it is supposed to (and he lives right across from Smathers as well).

The sand at Bahia Honda is natural...and it is one of those places off the beaten path (even though it is right on US1).

Husband and brother-in-laws are former military but not current, and not retired so I guess we can't stay their. It would be nice though. You guys are so helpful though. Thanks a bunch.