For fishing and snorkelling Key Largo might be your best bet. It has the John Pennekamp state park which is excellent with lots of activities going on there. We stayed at the Sheraton Beach Resort (now the Hilton Beach Resort) and it was very nice. It also has the only decent beach on the whole of the Keys (not very big mind you).

Don't miss out on some time in Key West as well. More of a city than a place to go snorkelling or fishing (you can jet ski) but well worth 2 or 3 days to sample this unique place.

The Keys are amazing, just don't expect to get anywhere very quickly. It is a 2 lane road at times.

February will be high season and very busy at the weekends. If you can time your stay to arrive Sunday night or mid-week you will avoid the painfully slow drive down the road with all the American weekend visitors.

A visit, if not a stay, in Key West is a must. Take a look at the Ocean Key Resort in Key West. One of my favourites and in a good location.

For a real treat and to blow the kid's inheritance, spoil yourself with a night or two at Little Palm Island http://www.littlepalmisland.com/littlepalmisland_home.aspx. Virgin I notice have just started to sell it in there brochure http://www.virginholidays.co.uk/brochures/florida/holidays/florida_keys/key_west/little_palm_island/. Friends went last year and thought it one of the best holiday experiences ever.

Another vote for the Ocean Key Resort if you decide to spend some time in Key West. Awesome location next door to Mallory Square and a lovely pier setting for cocktails in the evening.

Hotel itself is amazing. Lovely spacious rooms with jacuzzi's.

It's not cheap, and valet parking was also expensive but for style and location it is hard to beat.

Just out of interest but how long would it take to get to the keys from Miami?

45mins-1hour to the top of the keys and then onwards. I think it would be 3 hours to Key West from Miami but am not totally sure as we drove from Orlando.

How long to drive from Orlando? We were thinking we would have to stop off at either Fort Lauderdale or Miami Beach?

I highly recommend visiting Hawk's Cay Resort. It is located in the middle keys south of Islamorada. Very nice resort and at least when I was there, had a wonderful dolphin encounter for guests.

Good recommendation on Hawk's Cay but I did not mention it because I believe it closed to undergo a massive refurbishment programme.

Judith,

4-5 hours from Orlando to Key Largo. A further 2 hours to Key West.

We went to Fort Lauderdale on the way back up from the Keys in 2005 (we flew home from Miami) and loved it. The Marriott right on the beach was amazing. There is also a Cheesecake Factory on Las Olas Blvd.

Thanks for the advice. As I'm going in February do you think it would be best to book. We were thinking of just driving down and getting a motel on the Keys .

The Keys are not exactly swarming with lots of motels except at the entry point which is around Florida City and Homestead. Lots of cheap options here, but once onto the Keys road properties become more up market. I am sure if you look hard enough though there are some good options.

I've never been to Florida in Feb so I wouldn't like to comment on availability. I would think it might be quite busy because it will be cooler, not so many mossies (big problem in Key Largo in June when we were there a few years back) and the locals might find that a better time to head down that way.

Certainly get down to Key West, a very fun and compact city. Very different to anywhere else in Florida.