No St John trip this year... BUT....

[PaminMaine]

I have to get out of this horrible weather. Due to many unexpected ( and some expected) expenses this year we will not be making our trip. ( Already booked for spring 2015 though )

We have decided to get dose of sun with a low budget trip to Florida in March.. Feeling overwhelmed as to east/west coast.. I kind of like the sound of the Keys, it sounds similar to STJ , but lodging is on the high side.

Feeling very spoiled by the low crowds, and pristine beaches of STJ and I don't know where to start.. I know some of you have traveled to these destinations before we all became obsessed with STJ... if so... any suggestions ???

[Beth Cruz]

Have you considered other low(er) cost options? Also, Fla (warm) weather can be iffy in early March.

Between STJ trips, we like some of the Mexican low cost locations like Isla Mujeres and the Mayan Riviera. One big savings compared to STJ is not needing a car. And, there are lots of accomodation bargains to be had in Mexico.

Bob--Cter Hbr, NH

[Bigcheeze]

I also would echo Isla Mujeres just off Cancun. Has a fun/funky Island Vibe...People drive around in golf carts, accommodations can be very reasonable, endless dining and shopping options, windex-blue and warm water.

Florida in March is crowded...lots of traffic....must be below Ft Myers or Miami to be assured warm weather. The keys are fun to drive and stay at different places along the way.

But hey...you're on vacation...what's not to like.

[equineannie]

The Keys do not have very nice beaches, but great diving and fishing. Try looking at special deals for the Bahamas or Cozumel area of Mexico, Isla Mujeres is great...nice people, beaches, great diving/snorkeling and much nicer and less crowded than Cancun.

[jayseadee]

We've gone to Sanibel/Captiva the last couple of years and love it there. We went during May which was the off-season, so not crowded and rates decreased. Fly into Fort Myers and its ~40 minute drive south.

I would expect it to be crowded (traffic) and as others have said, weather might be iffy - which I think means you could hit some high 60's and/or rain vs sunny and 80's everyday.

[PaminMaine]

Wow, thanks for the input. I am LOVING the look of Isla Mujeres! Where did you all stay? I have been reading on trip advisor today. I need to do more research. The water almost looks like Jost in one of the photos I saw..
Where did you all stay? What did you use for transportation. How was the snorkeling? And my friend whom I was talking to about it wanted to know... can you drink the water??! LOL

Oh, and the weeks we have open are Feb 28st or March 21st.. Is there a better time to be there? I cant imagine that it would matter much, since anything above what the temperature here this morning ( - 24 degrees below 0 ) would feel fabulous!

[shoosh]

We have been to the Keys five times now and we still love it. I wouldn't say the beaches are anywhere near STJ but some places are nice such as
Bahia Honda State Park,
Fort Zachary in Key West,
and if your up for a boat ride...Dry Tortugas.
We mostly go to Key West for the sunsets, live music, seafood, and chilling.
We also enjoy the beautiful drive back from Key West to Ft lauderdale to catch our flight home.
Like everything the price of air and hotels seems to always be increasing and that is true for the Keys.
We have stayed at the following places in key west, most recently this past November. So If you want to check trip advisor, they all should be okay but a little pricey.
Gardens Hotel
Hyatt Key West
Key West Harbor Inn

The next time we go I'm going to check out a bed and breakfast in key west called
L' habitation. They seem to have good rates and good reviews. The accommodations on the outskirts of town tend to be cheaper, but driving and parking can be an issue. We like to walk and be close to everything so will pay for the convenience
Whatever you do.... I hope you have a great time.

[sailorgirl]

We visited KW in July. If you are hoping to find beaches like STJ you may be disappointed. KW's beaches are largely man made its a coral island so soft white sand is not in abundance. Shore snorkeling is limited but the excursions to the reefs get high marks. Like Shoosh I recommend Bahia Honda State Park, miles long but not too wide.... No shade at all so bring or rent an umbrella. The Dry Tortugas trip is pricey and you might need to skip it on a budget. KW has great night life, lots of good live music and many excellent restaurants, as well as historical sites if that interests you. We rented a condo for the space but there are many beautiful Inns and B & B's.

[Lindy]

I think you're going to find trouble getting a place in March at this late date, but never say never. We're going to try out Siesta Key in March....they are supposed to have the #1 beach in the country. Ironically, we will be travelling from Sebastian on the other side of the state where we will be visiting friends and looking for a place to buy for future retirement. They are supposed to have the #2 beach in the state. Last year we were able to get a last minute deal in the Keys at Cocoplum in Marathon http://www.cocoplum.com/specials.html. It's an older complex but the units are actually fairly roomy especially for just a couple and the costs are reasonable - they even have some specials for March. They have huge screened in outdoor areas which are nice for the evenings but just be aware that you CAN see your neighbors....just wave and move to the side if you can't handle it. Their beach is only so-so, but just take a drive over to Sombrero Beach which is great. Good luck!

[Beth Cruz]

Isla has lots of moderately priced accomodations. We always stay on Playa Norte at Nautibeach Condo's. You might check the Isla forum "islamujeres.info" for places to stay.

The beaches (North Beach) is the best if you like white, soft sand and clear waters. You'll find a few beach vendors selling their goods but they are never too persistent.

You do not need transportation as everything is within easy walking distance of North Beach. If you take time to explore the small island, Just rent a golf cart for the day.

And, in case you have heard the warnings about safety in Mex, don't be concerned on Isla---nice local people and safe.

Bob

[Connie]

We also love Sanibel/Captiva. Sea shell capital of the world

Going back in May with friends. It's quiet, extremely clean, crime is basically non-existent. Really neat places to eat and you can bike the whole island of Sanibel. We actually take our bikes to the 2 small food stores on the Island.

We just love it there.

[PaminMaine]

Isla Mujeres is it ! Narrowing down a hotel now. Thanks for the input, and for the assurance of safety Bob. This is great since my husbands first response when I said "Lets got to Mexico!" was .. do you think its safe there? Too many scary stories of kidnappings and drug trafficking crimes in the news!

[ArkieLovesSTJ]

We have been to Isla 3 times. It became our go to place before we found STJ two years ago. Our first two trips to Isla Mujeres were day trips while staying at Beachscape in Cancun. Beachscape is pretty cool because it is on the top (or north) part of "7" that forms the Cancun hotel zone. You can see Isla from Beachscape and Isla buffers the waves, so the water is calm. Beachscape has BY FAR the best beach in the Cancun hotel zone with a very wide patch of white sand, which is not common in the hotel zone. Beachscape is outside of the real hustle and bustle of Cancun, but an easy walk to several of the restaurants or clubs. There is a grocery store and some open air restaurants about 100 yards down the street from the lobby. One of these restaurants serves great fish tacos for really really cheap.

The last time we went to Mexico we split our stay between Beachscape and Isla. While on Isla, we toured the Nautibeach Condos that Beth mentioned. The condos are each individually owned and decorated, so they vary quite a bit from condo to condo, but the three we looked at were all nice.

We actually stayed at Privilege Alexus on Isla. Privilege Alexus is really awesome. The rooms are extremely nice and clean. We would stay there again, if we went to Isla. The package we had included breakfast in the hotel restaurant, which was very good. We ate all our other meals out in town.

Another hotel to consider would be Ixcehl Beach. I would stay away from Avalon Reef, which may have another name now.

The beaches on the north end (Playa Norte) are definitely the nicest. If you send a certain amount at Sunset Grill (used to be $25), you get free use of beach chairs and umbrella for the day. We weren't very impressed with the snorkeling, as the water always seemed really rough.

If you go, definitely rent a golf cart for the day and explore the island. The south end of the island has a very small Mayan ruin, but has some spectacular views on the paths along the cliffs.

Also, go online and find the Map Chick maps for Isla and Cancun, if you plan to spend any time there. Map Chick maps provides tons of information about restaurants, hotels and other tourist sites. You will need to arrange transport from the airport to the Ultramar ferry. We always used USA Transfers for our shuttle to and from the hotel or ferry.

We would be glad to try to answer any other questions you might have, either here or via a PM.

[PA Girl]

Isla Mujeres is it ! Narrowing down a hotel now. Thanks for the input, and for the assurance of safety Bob. This is great since my husbands first response when I said "Lets got to Mexico!" was .. do you think its safe there? Too many scary stories of kidnappings and drug trafficking crimes in the news!

We have been to Mexico twice since 2011 - Xcaret and Cozumel - and my mother and her husband go two or three times a year. My mother has several Mexican friends that work and live south of Cancun and on Cozumel.

When we planned our first trip, my husband was freaked out about safety. In talking to my mom's Mexican friends about this, the common wisdom was don't go looking for things you shouldn't be doing (sex, drugs or other illegal activities) and don't be stupid and do things like stumble down the street blind drunk at 4am and we would be fine. (we were)

[KathyMN]

I just got back from STJ and saw your post. I know you've decided on Isla, but another "off the beaten track" place we've gone to and enjoyed (when we've been on a budget) is the Flagler Beach area on the FLA east coast. An "undiscovered gem". South of St. Augustine, and 100 years north of the Daytona craziness. A really fun county that has banned all big-box franchise businesses, set a 3 story max height on buildings, etc. No Mcdonalds. No WalMart. Just family owned businesses, motels, and restaurants. About 17 miles of sandy beach and waves. (No snorkeling, but fun boogie boarding). I had read about it in Budget Travel, as being what "old Florida used to be". And it was. Very affordable. Very uncrowded and quiet. Maybe worth checking out for next time. See: http://www.palmcoastandtheflaglerbeaches.com/