• Florida Keys and Key West
• Courtesy of Globe Pequot Press

Florida Keys and Key West, 12th Edition

by Nancy Toppino. Globe Pequot Press, 2008; $18.95

If you need just one go-to guide, this is it. From how to make “chum balls” for fishing, to where to get married, to a glossary of Keys-speak (the “Rock” is what locals call the Keys), you’ll get a clear picture of what the area has to offer. The tone throughout the book is sometimes overly perky (lots and lots of exclamation points!), but the information is solid and the “Close-up” sections provide entertaining tidbits, such as the Beatles’ Keys layover, to how to crack Florida stone-crab claws.

Pros

This guide really digs in to give you comprehensive details on attractions, hotels and restaurants. No three-word sentences such as “worth a stay” here; descriptive and honest evaluations show the writer has really been there more than once, if not dozens of times.

Great Tips

Parents and kids will love the chapter called “Kidstuff,” which is an A to Z listing of activities for families. For example: “A is for affectionate sea lions that may try to kiss you at the Theater of the Sea” and “B is for baiting a hook.” All the details on the where, how and what of each are given. Even if you don’t have kids, there are worthy tips here.

Cons

Information boxes signified by a lower-case “i” found throughout the book sometimes offer useful advice, such as good Web sites, but more often than not a lot of the tips are hokey. Do you really need to be told to make dinner reservations during high season?

Worth Buying?

Yes, this encyclopedic book probably has everything a tourist could want to know.