Not sure of the best order would to visit these places?

cubegame

Try and stop in Key Largo and go diving as well. The reefs there are stunning!

Murphy_The_Cat

katies_mum wrote: »

I don`t like Marmite!! Murphy_The_Cat...have been reading Trip Advisor a lot and to me Key West just seems like a place to chill for a few days, maybe I need to do a little more research (suppose its different if you have your own car then you can move on if you don`t like it) as we won`t have need to make right decisions for each place we visit. Thanks

Place to chill ? - when we were there, there were plenty of people using it as a place to get openly drunk, with lots of bars opening up onto the street, music pumping and tshirt vendors. This was in the main drag tourist area.
There IS other stuff to do at Key West, but its at the end of a Loooooooooooooooooooooong road and once you're there, you're there. There isn't an option of going on to the next town that isn't as seedy !
Its fair to say that a lot of people go to Key West to blow off steam - because they can .

katies_mum

Thank you all, your advice is really appreciated. I didn`t associate Key West with being that type of place....will have my 19 year old daughter with me! Think the two of us need a chat and a bit more investigation into some of these places :eek:

John259

I stayed in Marathon, roughly half way along the Keys. That was very pleasant, except for being extremely hot in June.

If you want quieter places, small-town America would be good. For example, do you know about the magnificent Blue Ridge Parkway?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UExeCMJ1RuQ

katies_mum

No, I`ve not heard of it looks wonderful but also looks like you need a car.

John259

katies_mum wrote: »

No, I`ve not heard of it looks wonderful but also looks like you need a car.

True.

But it might be possible to visit Shenandoah or Great Smoky Mountains National Parks (the parks at either end of the Parkway) on a bus tour.

katies_mum

May be one day, I think we could do with about 6 months to get round everywhere we would like to see... just need a lottery win first

dougzz

Have a look at this, http://www.niagarafallslive.com/cave_of_the_winds.htm I honestly loved it. As for Key West, not a chilling place. Not much beach, lots of fishing and scuba, and lots and lots of drinking. The US is pretty uptight about drinking, and Key West is one of the few places where being really obviously drunk won't get you in bother with the law. There are 19 years olds and 19 years old, so hard to say, but without a 'creative' ID a 19 year old won't get a drink in the US, which may well please you. I'd say the Gulf Beaches of Florida were more for chilling than Key West. Key Largo and Islamorada part way down the Keys are nice, but you're back to the car problem for access.
I've been to New Orleans twice, quite a while back, 88 and 91, so both pre-Katrina. I found it unpleasant, an awful lot of dodgy types selling right on the main streets in the French Quarter, constantly trying to engage you in whatever scam they were running. People rave about the food, I just didn't find that, queuing at several places to eventually get quite average food I wouldn't have bothered crossing the road for had I known. Another place with a big nightlife drinking culture, one cocktail there could take down a horse. Each to their own, but I found it vastly over-rated and generally disappointing.
Want a suggestion, Austin Texas, now that's a place to visit.

Tuesday_Tenor

cubegame wrote: »

The view from the Skylon tower is worthwhile as well.

This is one of my abiding memories: looking down at the earth's disjointed crust; two surfaces at different levels.

We ate at the Skylon restaurant; a bit pricey, but that's for a unique view and experience.

The other 2 main memories are walking 'in' the American falls, and standing on the pavement alongside the majestic top of the Canadian falls.

I have the plastic mac to prove I went on the Maid of the Mist, but can't actually remember much about it. The other experiences were more extreme and more memorable.

I've not travelled much in the States but my sister, who doesn't drive, has. She said she gets a lot of info about local buses from talking with people who actually use them, like the shop assistants, waiters and cleaners. Tourist Info places usually have NO info about buses, as they don't expect visitors to be using them ... She wanted to visit a botanic garden near Memphis, I think it was. Tourist Office said it was impossible by public transport. Total rubbish, she found several services that stopped right by it, by talking to the locals!

duchy

Tuesday_Tenor wrote: »

T
I've not travelled much in the States but my sister, who doesn't drive, has. She said she gets a lot of info about local buses from talking with people who actually use them, like the shop assistants, waiters and cleaners. Tourist Info places usually have NO info about buses, as they don't expect visitors to be using them ... She wanted to visit a botanic garden near Memphis, I think it was. Tourist Office said it was impossible by public transport. Total rubbish, she found several services that stopped right by it, by talking to the locals!

This is really true - there is a big assumption both by tourists and driving locals that you are very restricted by not driving - but although it is true of some places - for many it isn't but research is definitely needed.

Had you considered the Carolinas rather than Key West for chilled and relaxing coastal towns ?