SOUTHERN SUNSET - As seen on House Hunters-S228 E6 - Family Time in the FL Keys

BOAT RENTAL: We offer to rent our personal boats to our guests, only. We own:
Flats Boat - 17 ft Ranger with E Tech 75
Bay Boat - 24 ft Bay Scout with 225 HP Yamaha
Open Fisherman - 29-ft Ocean Runner with twin 300 HP Verrado's
These boats are set up with everything you need to fish the Keys, including spot lock trolling motors, Chart plotters, Depth finders, and everything else including fishing tackle. In the pictures you will see all three boats tied up at the docks. Please call me if you are interested. I get 15 calls a day from insurance scammers from all area codes. You may have to leave a message.

The pictures will give you a pretty good idea about the property. The following will give you a good idea of what you should expect, and why, if you stay at our house.

We purchased this property for our family so we could all vacation here together. There are 14 of us. We have brothers and sisters and their families that also want to come down to spend time in the Keys. Our property here is set up so we will have everything WE need and want in order to have a great time. When you get here, you will find the same quality arrangements for YOU as well. We aren’t real estate investors offering a rental property. We are a family with an awesome vacation home, and we want to share it, at a fair price, so other people can enjoy it as much as we do.

Primarily, our family will be here from the beginning of June to the middle of July. Other than that, we will come down in between rentals. We rent for 28 days minimum. If you look at the calendar and see a week or two blocked off for the Smith Family, that is one of our family planning to come down while the place is not rented. IMPORTANT; Our family fully understands that our renters come first. If we have the opportunity to rent the property, other than June 15th to July 21st, then our family will have to come down some other time. We all work in the family businesses. We have flexible schedules. If you have a question about availability, please call me, or send an email. We can look at the dates and figure out something for you.

Unique Benefits

FISHING AND DIVING. If you are fishermen or divers, Southern Sunset is an excellent property and location. Dockage for two boats. The 38-foot dock has a fish cleaning table, battery charging, and wash down hose. The Tiki Deck has an additional 14-foot dock that will accommodate up to a 24-foot bay boat, or smaller. Located on the ground floor, you will have a bait freezer, and a COMMERCIAL GRADE ICE MAKER, 250-lb storage, 17-lb per hour. On the ground floor OUT OF THE SUN you will have plenty of room for all your dive gear, spear guns, fishing rods, coolers and other gear. Cruise 100 yards to the end of the canal, follow the markers and you have a straight shot to Looe Key National Marine Sanctuary, or American Shoal and beyond. Adolphus Bush Wreck - 15 miles, Key West Channel-21 miles, Sand Key Light-25 miles, End of the Bar-32 miles, Marquesas- 32 miles, Coal Bin Reef or Half Moon Shoal- 52 miles. If you want to explore the back country, it is 6 miles around the point to the Kemp channel bridge, 11 more miles to the edge of the Gulf.

In front of the house there is parking for four vehicles, and one boat trailer. Until he gets his house built, my most amazing neighbor will allow additional parking for our boat trailers there on his property next door. You will have plenty of privacy here with fences and lush landscaping enclosing the property on both sides.

Ready to relax? Sit on the Sunset Balcony, or Tiki Hut dock at the end of the canal, and watch the amazing sunsets across the bay. Thanks to the prevailing easterly winds, the canal is most often clean and clear. Swim & snorkel right off the dock. Launch our paddle boards from the easy access launch ramp. Paddleboard out to the bay and snorkel for Lobster. Use the outdoor shower to wash off the salt water.

Feed the plentiful mangrove snapper, Lane Snapper, Small Grouper, angle fish, and baitfish right off your dock. We have a resident 24-inch Barracuda. You will get hooked on that for sure. We supply the first bag of fish food!! Have a morning cup of coffee on the Sunset Balcony, and if you are lucky, look down to watch the Anhinga (snake bird) come up the canal each morning to chase, AND CATCH, small fish around the Tiki Dock at the end of the canal. The water is so clear you can watch him swim underwater, fast enough to chase down his meal.

If you want nightlife and shopping, it is a 20-mile scenic drive to Key West. Drive over in the evening and watch the breathtaking sunsets over the bridges and bays.

For outdoor dining here at the house, use the outdoor refrigerator and barbeque grill for family gatherings on the shaded ground floor. You have table and bar seating on the ground floor for 18. On the Sunset Balcony there is additional seating for 8 at the wicker table and chairs, plus 2 more at the Sunset Table for 2. Inside you will have a dining table for 6, which can be converted to a table for 10. In the kitchen is seating for 4.

If you find time for TV, you will have a living room with three loveseat recliners and a wall mounted 72-inch ROKU smart TV with cable, internet, DVR, and Wi-Fi. Plus, a smart TV (no cable) downstairs behind the bar in the outdoor living area.

The Smith family invites you to turn our house into YOUR house and enjoy your stay in the beautiful Florida Keys.

Area Information

We are located south of US 1, pretty much in the center, on the west side of Cudjoe Key.
To everything Key West, including the Airport - 21.5 miles.
To everything Marathon including the Airport - 29 miles.

Looe Key Reef Resort - Dive and Snorkeling trips, Dive Shop, PADI dive instruction. 4.9 miles Ramrod Key

Bahia Honda State Park. This is a favorite of folks that come down to vacation with us over the years. Especially kids. Snack Bar, Excellent snorkeling and beautiful beach area, clear water, great gift shop, a look at the old Bahia Honda bridge, and more. 14.5 miles on Bahia Honda Key.

Favorite Places To Eat

Our favorite restaurants - good food, good value:

Big Pine Rooster - 7.7 miles on Big Pine Key. Marcy is the hard-working owner. Find Soledad, the waitress with the super cool braids, and tell her John Smith sent you. What a sweetheart she is. If you bring "cook your catch", you have to eat here. Great food with a good price.
Boondocks Grill - 4.9 miles on Ramrod Key
Bobalu's Southern Cafe - 13.9 miles on Big Coppitt Key
Gieger Key Fish Camp - 14.4 miles on Gieger Key. Outdoor rustic dining on the canal. Excellent food.
Florida Keys Cafe (Great breakfast, great price) 8.5 miles Big Pine Key. The owners and waitresses are excellent, and so are the local clientele.

Inside Scoop

During Lobster season, you can paddle our paddle boards out of the canal and into the bay around 100 yards, and beyond. The bay, on average, is 3 to 4-foot deep. Secure the board to yourself, snorkel the area and pull the board around with you. You will find all types of bottom cover scattered around, grass flats with lobster holes, and plenty of lobster. Climb aboard, paddle a while, and drop over again.

If you are new to lobstering, study the rules, size limits, seasons. Be sure to tow the dive flag.