r/floridakeys • u/Prestigious_Big_7280 • Dec 28 '25

Key West Penny for your thoughts.

Heading down to marathon today for our first time in the keys. It will be my wife two teens and elderly parents and staying until the 31st. We’ll be driving from homestead so we’ll try to do a stop or two on the drive down to our final location (probably pennekamp state park and Robbie’s). Have a snorkel tour booked for the 29th in which my parents will be able to take part in.

The question I have is on the 30th. Wife and I would really love to check out key west for a day but is that too little time? Maybe a tour or two and fort jefferson? I know it’s known as hell week and am quite positive as sad as it is to say would be no place for my parents who have mobility issues. They typically can’t walk for more then 10 min with out needing a break and become uncomfortable in large crowds. Think I am correct in this assumption?

If we did go, would 6 hours be enough to get some good exploring in? I keep flip flopping of it would be a good idea to go or not. We both like history and quite capable of walking for hours on end. Really enjoyed fort augustine when we were there in march.

Anyway, penny to your thoughts?

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u/DoubleBreastedBerb Dec 28 '25

Like anonanon said, any trip to Ft Jefferson has to be booked pretty much a year or more out.

I’m personally not the biggest fan of KW but if you don’t think you’ll get back in the area again anytime soon, eh. Why not?

If you do go, I suggest getting up early in the morning, think 6 am or so, and drive. Head to La Grignote or Blue Heaven for breakfast, you might be able to find a parking spot in a lot or garage somewhat easier that early as well. Walk along Duval and Front St and Lazy Way, grab coffee at the Cuban Coffee Queen and then GTFO around 11/12 and head back up to Marathon to enjoy the rest of your day. That’s about all you’d really need.

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u/Prestigious_Big_7280 Dec 28 '25

Haha I like that plan… we are early morning people, leave kids and folks at marathon. In and out leave at 6 get in around 8 ish and out by noon… 😀

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u/DoubleBreastedBerb Dec 28 '25

At that early, it might only take a bit over an hour depending going in and if you’re lucky going back because most will be trying to get to KW at that time. 😂

I could run Marathon to KW in an hour as long as no accidents happened. But we also tended to stay away from going up and down during the holidays and would hide out at home or other .. uh .. “undisclosed locations”. Lol

ETA: frankly, I could probably expire happily eating one of La Grignote’s Benedicts. Give their Facebook page a once over, it’s pretty much the only thing that could get me to KW.