Holzman's Keys Kottage and Bayside

Kids and the Keys

1.December 2, 2007
Section: Travel
Edition: Final
Page: 1J

THE KEYS CAN BE A KIDS'S PARADISE

BY PAMELA SUAREZ Special to The Miami Herald


Just down the way from our sandy picnic spot at Bahia Honda State Park, a toddler in a pink bathing suit scampered to her mom and dad, carrying a tiny handful of sand that she had scooped from below the gently unfolding surf.
Her giggles carried on the wind as she dropped the sand into a vivid blue pail beside her mother's beach chair and went back for more. She must have made a dozen trips before picking up the pail and carrying it -- now heavy with wet sand -- to the lapping waves' edge, where she ceremoniously dumped it and literally fell down laughing.
Then she started her routine all over again. She went on like that for nearly an hour while I watched with wonder at how little it can take for a child to have fun, if the circumstances are right.
The circumstances are right in the Florida Keys, where, contrary to popular belief, there are plenty of interesting things for families on a budget to see and do. From north to south, here are some surprisingly inexpensive -- or even free -- unique-to-the-Keys activities the whole family will get a kick out of.
* Florida Keys Wild Bird Rehabilitation Center, Tavernier. This non-profit center's wooded setting on Florida Bay makes it a soothing place to enjoy the quiet while visiting more than 100 injured birds receiving medical treatment on the 5-acre property. Spoonbills, pelicans, hawks, owls, cormorants, herons, and egrets are among the birds being rehabilitated for release back into the wild.
Healthy wild birds stop by the center, too -- especially during the fall migration. Hike the boardwalk to the bay, where kids can help provide an afternoon snack to a boisterous flock of pelicans every day at 3:30 p.m.
Tours are typically self-guided, but a private tour can be scheduled by calling in advance.
Details: Mile marker 93.6; 305-852-4486; www.flkin fo.com/wildbird.htm. Admission is free, but cash donations are appreciated; open 8 a.m. to sunset daily.
* Robbie's Marina, Islamorada. It costs only $1 per person (children shorter than the ticket counter get in free) to see one of the Keys' greatest spectacles -- the feeding of up to 100 giant tarpon that hang out along the docks of this bayside marina.
For $3, buy a bucket of fish and dangle one off the edge of the dock, but be prepared -- one of those massive Silver Kings may shoot up out of the water and snatch the food right from your fingers! You might want to have the younger ones just toss their fish to the hungry tarpon instead.
When you get to the dock, call Grandma from your cell phone and have her watch the feeding frenzy live on the Internet thanks to Robbie's strategically placed Web cam.
Details: Mile marker 77.5; 305-664-9814; www.rob bies.com; admission, $1 or free, depending upon height; open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. or later, daily except Christmas.
* The Dolphin Research Center, Marathon. While certainly not as cheap as other activities, this attraction can be well worth the price of admission, especially if you have a budding marine biologist or fervent animal lover in the family.
Descendants of the original Flipper are among those living at the Dolphin Research Center, where visitors can get close to them via a series of walkways between holding pens and lagoons (for an additional fee, starting at $130, you can get in the water with the dolphin, but we're no longer talking cheap).
On one trip, we watched from a few feet away while staff performed a sonogram on a pregnant dolphin. And we couldn't help but smile along with a group of tattooed, leather-clad bikers who giggled like children at a baby dolphin's clumsy but earnest antics during a training session.
Details: Mile marker 59 bayside; 305-289-1121; www.dolphins.org; Admission, adults $19.50, children 4-12 $13.50, under 4 free; open 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. daily except major holidays.
* The Turtle Hospital, Marathon. Staff and volunteers lead visitors on a tour of the facility -- the only one of its kind in the United States -- which is home to four species of sick or injured sea turtles. While most are rehabilitated and released, some become permanent residents due to injuries that leave them unable to live in the wild.
Visitors not only hear about the plight of these magnificent animals, but also learn how they can help save them. One look into the wise old eyes of these hospital patients, and kids will become turtle champions forever.
Details: Mile marker 48.5 bayside; 305-743-2552; www.turtlehospital.org; Admission, adults $15, children 4-12 $7.50, under 4 free; reservations required for tours at 10 a.m., 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. daily.
* Bahia Honda State Park, between Marathon and Big Pine Key. Our senses kicked into overdrive after we paid admission at the ranger station. Flitting warblers chirped and darted about the gumbo limbo branches. The 12-year-old who had complained about the odor of some stagnant water at the park entrance quickly turned into a playful otter in the gentle ocean surf. The flavor of our picnic lunch was enhanced by the hint of salt that the sea spray left on our lips.
Besides the beach -- which has been rightly named one of America's most beautiful -- there is a nature center, snack bar, gift shop, water sports rental, and snorkel tour operator onsite. Part of the old Bahia Honda bridge is open to foot traffic and is a terrific spot to take in an island vista like no other.
Details: Mile marker 37 oceanside; 305-872-2353; www.floridastate parks.org/bahiahonda or www.bahiahondapark.com; $6 per car with two persons, plus 50 cents for each additional occupant, age 5 and under free; open 8 a.m. to sunset daily.
* Historic Seaport, Key West. Stroll along the harbor and wait for the charter boats to come in with their catch. You can bet the pelicans and resident tarpon will be waiting, too, as captains and mates fillet fish on the docks and toss the remains into the water.
With so many people and boats to see, and so many galleries and shops to pop into at the seaport -- and on Duval Street, just two blocks away -- those with short attention spans should be tickled with the constantly changing scenery.
And strolling along the seaport doesn't cost a dime.
Details: Follow U.S. 1 into Key West. Turn right on Palm Ave., left on Eaton, right on Grinnell. 305-293-8309 or www.key westseaport.com.
AFFORDABLE KEYS
With high-end resorts becoming more prevalent and average hotel room rates topping $200 in the Florida Keys, it's no wonder budget-conscious South Floridians think they must look elsewhere for a quick getaway.
But those willing to do a little digging can find a home-away-from-home for less, and since some properties in the Keys offer amenities like free kayaks and canoes, fishing piers, game rooms, and swimming pools, a fun-packed island adventure really can be accomplished on a petite budget. WHERE TO STAY
Budget trip tip: Stay in one of the vacation rental homes scattered throughout the Keys. Although some have weekly or monthly minimums, others are available for stays of two or three nights. Many have private swimming pools; others are in resort communities with game rooms, fishing piers, restaurants, and pools -- but all include a kitchen, which makes dining convenient and much cheaper than eating out three meals a day.
One family favorite is the Oceanfront Bungalow at Venture Out Resort on Cudjoe Key, where a two-night stay in a darling two-bedroom, waterfront house ranges from $375 to $575. Fish and swim, or play tennis, basketball, and billiards -- all without leaving the gated resort. Info: www.rentals.lindaspencer.com/?page=OB or 413-665-7373.
Search for vacation rentals at www.vrbo.com or www.cyberrentals.com. Pay special attention to properties in Key Colony Beach near Marathon, where most homeowners give their guests free access to the private Cabana Club for swimming, sunning, and dining.
There are also camping options at Bahia Honda, Long Key, and Pennekamp state parks. Bahia Honda even has a few cottages, although they are usually booked far in advance. Rates for tent sites at state parks are generally under $50 each night. For Bahia Honda, visit www.floridastateparks.org/bahiahonda; Long Key, www.floridastateparks.org/longkey; and Pennekamp www.floridastateparks.org/pennekamp.
At private campgrounds like Fiesta Key, a KOA facility at mile marker 70, families can pitch a tent at a site with electricity and water for under $185 for the weekend, and swim, fish, and play games there to their heart's content. Info: http://koa.com/where/fl/09250; 305-664-4922.
WHERE TO EAT
On the peaceful, sun-dappled, poolside patio of your vacation home, of course! Most vacation homes have a grill, making cooking fun and clean up easier.
But in case the chief cook and bottle washer needs a break, here are a few kid-friendly, moderately priced restaurants:
* The Marlin, mile marker 102.7, Key Largo; 305-451-2454. Open daily from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m.; entrees $7.39 to $24.99. The down-home Cuban fare is consistently good and the portions are enormous. A heaping platter of mariquitas con mojo (fried green plantains with garlic dipping sauce) is his reward when our son doesn't ask "Are we there yet?" on the 18-mile stretch.
* Keys Fisheries, 3502 Gulf View Ave., Marathon; 866-743-4353; www.keysfisheries.com. Open daily from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.; sandwiches $5.95 to $13.95; entrees $12.95 to $44.95 for lobster for two. This restaurant overlooking the Gulf sits amidst the hustle and bustle of a working marina and seafood processing facility. Families can feed the tarpon, parrotfish, and snapper that congregate along the docks.
* Boondocks Grille & Draft House & Miniature Golf, mile marker 27.5, Ramrod Key; 305-872-4094; www.boondocks.us.com. Restaurant open daily from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., golf course open daily from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.; entrees $5.99 to $35.99; golf is $6.99 for kids 12 and under, $8.99 for adults. Kids will flip over the silly caveman features and waterfalls on the 18-hole golf course, and parents will appreciate the menu variety. Boondocks has kid's selections (including smoothies) plus everything from hot dogs to a gourmet shellfish sampler. There's even a pet menu for four-legged diners. INFORMATION
* Monroe County Tourist Development Council, 800-FLA-KEYS (352-5397); www.fla-keys.com; for information on what's happening, click on Calendar of Events.
-- PAMELA SUAREZ


ANDY NEWMAN/FLORIDA KEYS NEWS BUREAU BACK IN THE SWIM: A Turtle Hospital staffer explains the treatment routine for sick sea turtles.
PHOTOS BY BOB KRIST/FLORIDA KEYS NEWS BUREAU BAHIA HONDA: Besides the beach -- which has been rightly named one of America's most beautiful -- there is a nature center, snack bar, gift shop, water sports rental, and snorkel tour operator onsite.
ISLAMORADA: Visitors to Robbie's Marina can feed the tarpon by hand right from the dock.


Copyright (c) 2007 The Miami Herald