Where are you traveling this year?

[RJ]

My wife wants to go to Key West sometime and snorkel. Any suggestions? We will have 3 teenagers with us.

Bill, what kind of snorkeling experience does your family have?

[BN]

Bill, what kind of snorkeling experience does your family have?

None. My wife was a certified scuba diver many years ago but hasn't kept it up.

[RJ]

... or Scotland?

I took a driving tour of Scotland for a couple weeks in the 90s when I lived in the UK. Got up to Inverness. Did the major sights; Edinburgh, Glasgow, Loch Ness.

Lots of sheep lol. And it is light verrry late (like, sunset 10PM) in the summer.

Are you on a tour?

[RJ]

None. My wife was a certified scuba diver many years ago but hasn't kept it up.

Cool.

There’s a lot to see and do in Key West for a family for a few days, for sure. It’s a fun place.

I don’t have direct experience with any snorkel operators. Pick one that’s highly rated and enjoy it?

I’ve done a few dives there, but it was 15-20 years ago. I don’t recall it being terribly good vis, or particularly warm. Like, need a 1/8” shortie warm, maybe a vest. I used to take a Darlexx one piece I liked. But I get cold easy lol.

[BN]

Cool.

There’s a lot to see and do in Key West for a family for a few days, for sure. It’s a fun place.

I don’t have direct experience with any snorkel operators. Pick one that’s highly rated and enjoy it?

I’ve done a few dives there, but it was 15-20 years ago. I don’t recall it being terribly good vis, or particularly warm. Like, need a 1/8” shortie warm, maybe a vest. I used to take a Darlexx one piece I liked. But I get cold easy lol.

Thanks for the info. My wife gets cold easy too. Good to know.

[RJ]

Thanks for the info. My wife gets cold easy too. Good to know.

January appears to have the coldest water temps, and July / Aug the hottest. The source I used had 69°F in Jan and 87°F for August.

I can say at 69° I’d want a pretty decent fitting 3/16” one piece wetsuIt over a skin if I was going in. Maybe a hood too lol. IIRC a lot of the operators will have optional wetsuits available. If you go in winter, you might want to opt for that.

Even your teenagers, who of course know everything might benefit. Nothing ruins a pleasant day on the water more than someone getting cold and miserable.

Good luck and have fun if you go!

[BN]

January appears to have the coldest water temps, and July / Aug the hottest. The source I used had 69°F in Jan and 87°F for August.

I can say at 69° I’d want a pretty decent fitting 3/16” one piece wetsuIt over a skin if I was going in. Maybe a hood too lol. IIRC a lot of the operators will have optional wetsuits available. If you go in winter, you might want to opt for that.

Even your teenagers, who of course know everything might benefit. Nothing ruins a pleasant day on the water more than someone getting cold and miserable.

Good luck and have fun if you go!

Thanks. We are kicking around places for a vacation. Places discussed so far are Key West, a NC beach or Smoky Mountains. Thanks for giving me the temps in American.

[Guinnessman]

Bill,

While I have never snorkeled in Key West, I absolutely love the environment, bars, and restaurants there. I personally would pass on a trip there with the fam until the kiddos could partake in the downing of adult beverages! I am not sure how you plan on traveling to Key West, but renting a car in Miami or Ft Lauderdale and driving the keys is a great trip!

In the past I have stayed at some of the bigger hotels in Key West, and they would be suitable for families. Good luck!

[luckyman]

I took a driving tour of Scotland for a couple weeks in the 90s when I lived in the UK. Got up to Inverness. Did the major sights; Edinburgh, Glasgow, Loch Ness.

Lots of sheep lol. And it is light verrry late (like, sunset 10PM) in the summer.

Are you on a tour?

There are 6 of us. We were thinking about renting 2 cars and driving ourselves, but no solid plans yet.

[pangloss]

Eh, I already feel like I'm trying to turn this into the "Pistols and Travel" forum, so didn't want to open another thread. Anyone have any advice on travel to either Iceland or Scotland? I'm headed there in the summer.

Already asked the Scotland question in the Scotch thread, but this is probably a better place.

@TR675, when I googled around I saw you have been motorcycling in Iceland. Any input?

My wife and I went to Scotland in 2008. We took the overnight ferry up to Shetland and visited there for a few days. It was the highlight of our trip. The Shetlands are sparsely populated, and I'm crowd averse.

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