How crowded are the Keys in the mini-season?

[Rhumbline]

I booked a condo for July 21-28 in Islamorada for my family to dive. Then I heard that this is the week of the lobster mini-season and every dive boat will be packed all week. Do I need to change my dates?

 

[dkramer]

How crowded are the Keys during mini season................................very! Do you need to change your dates...............that's up to you but if you are planning on diving..................I'd get your boats booked now as well.

 

[Dr Dog]

I was in the Keys lat year between the Homestead 500 and the thanksgiving weekend. It was like a ghost town ( which was great).. I am going again this year around the same time, and I expect it will be the same.

Talking to the hotel receptionist while checking in, he was telling me, that rates even triple during this Nascar weekend. I would assume same thing happens with a Lobsterfest

 

[reefman]

i would, it's a zoo for most of that week, on and off the water. also, august 6th is the start of regular spiny lobster season. i'd avoid that 2nd week of august as well,,,


reefman
key largo

 

[Chugwhump]

I booked a condo for July 21-28 in Islamorada for my family to dive. Then I heard that this is the week of the lobster mini-season and every dive boat will be packed all week. Do I need to change my dates?

If you have local knowledge and experience down there, it is probably OK.

If you are a garden variety tourista with family and are not real experienced I would avoid the upper keys like the plague with family that particular week.
It is not only crowded, but it can be downright dangerous.

Chug
Hides in Broward that whole week, even though my in-laws live near Big Pine.

 

[deeper thoughts]

Yes and no. If you are not lobstering the reef sites in the Sanctuary are great to be on. That being said the hotels/supermarkets/highways/restaurants are a mad house, so are all boat ramps.