Where to start? From the first moment of contact with the owner, Toni, to the follow up calls after we got home this vacation was by far the easiest to plan. Toni is an absolute gem! Between herself and her right hand man, Conrad, we were treated like family from the get. Toni was more than willing to answer any question (no matter how foolish it may have been) with efficiency and honesty. She was easily accessible via email, text or calling (and oftentimes a phone call with a simple question ended up being a half hour conversation between what seemed like old friends). Coming from a land locked state (Colorado) it took some preparation and education on island life in the keys, in which Toni went above and beyond to assist us in anything we needed. We are avid fishers and wanted to make sure that we were obeying laws in Monroe County. Toni looked high and low for fishing and water guides for us (with much success) and left many pamphlets and other literature on the boat for us to use while we were partaking in activities. Once we arrived in Marathon, Toni and Conrad met us at the dock, assisted us with loading our groceries and luggage (with an extra boat!) and away we went to discover our little piece of paradise..... and paradise it was!!! After a tour of the island and some discussion on the "in's and out's" of the various equipment (boats, generator, etc.) Toni and Conrad made their way back to Marathon and left us to enjoy our island oasis, but not without a few laughs and much reassurance that we could reach out at anytime. They even went out of their way to grab some ice and meet us at the dock so we wouldn't have to head back in to town again, completely unexpected and oh, so appreciated after our long travels! The next 9 days were pure bliss, albeit hot and sticky, but bliss none the less. We spent many days lounging in the hammock, kayaking and paddleboarding around the island, fishing off the houseboat and just enjoying each other's company. The nights were beautiful; clear, starry skies and a calm breeze on the docks. It doesn't cool off in the evenings as we are used to, so we only did a campfire a few nights as it was too hot to truly enjoy. However, the few nights that we did throw a log or two on the fire were absolutely amazing. The ambiance of the island at night is purely an island wonderland. Beautiful solar lights, well placed tiki torches, the crackle of a small fire and the smell of marshmallows roasting... what else could make the nights better? Thank you so much, Toni. You made our first Keys and Island experience one for the books :)

My family and I travel to Florida a couple of times a year. We typically rent a condo on the beach or a house on a canal. We stumbled across “Our Florida Island” while searching for a place to stay in early 2019. It looked like a place we would love but we assumed we could never afford it. After seeing the rates and doing some research we booked it.

The week on the island was unlike any trip we have taken to Florida. It was absolutely awesome. We have three teenage kids. Two boys that are 18 and 15 and our daughter is 14. The kids loved it! There was never a dull moment. We fished, kayaked, explored other islands, swam, relaxed, cooked, played corn hole, took the motor boat to other locations, we drove to Key West one day and we were simply amazed by the views and wildlife. We also petted manatees and caught lobsters.

If you prefer to sit in an air conditioned condo and watch television most of the day this probably would not be the best choice for you. (don’t get me wrong, the house boat has AC and TV but running it all day would require assistance from the generator on the island) But if your family is adventurous and you enjoy being outside and you’re looking for something a little different, I highly recommend “Our Family Island”.

Toni, the owner, is very responsive to the needs of the people on the island and was always a phone call or text away.

From minute one, our vacation was an adventure. Never thought of myself as one to enjoy a vacation other than staying in a hotel...but boy was i wrong! I guess you could call the stay "glamping." Though, we never wanted for anything. We fished, snorkeled, kayaked, paddle boarded, & at times, just floated on some floats soaking up the rays. We saw sealife & wildlife, cooked out, enjoyed s'mores by the fire, & watched the most amazing sunrises & sunsets I have EVER seen. The experience is not for someone who may want to be waited on hand & foot, but rather, one with a slight sense of adventure. The owner is so nice & accomodating, going above & beyond to ensure her guests are comfortable & have everything they need & all questions answered. I did NOT want to leave this paradise & would go again tomorrow if i could. I am pretty sure i could say the same for our whole family. 1/13/2020

We are ready to do this again!! Our family of four had so much fun on this unique vacation. The privacy, the beauty, the sunrises and sunsets, the uninterrupted family time...priceless! Conrad and Toni are awesome Our kids didn’t want to leave. Keep in mind this is rustic luxury. If you are looking for a five star hotel type deal, this is not your thing. But if you are ok with getting slightly off the grid with a generator for power, along with great solar power for basics, showering outside when the weather is great (indoor shower works just fine but where’s the adventure in that?), cooking in the outdoors kitchen space, and being near nature then you’ve found the right place! My favorite place to be was top deck soaking up the sun or out on the kayaks exploring the water. We definitely plan on going back.

1/22/2020

Private Paradise Glamping Honeymoon

We stayed the first week of September for our 1st anniversary/honeymoon and it could not have been any better. Aside from the houseboat you have an additional boat you can take out, but there is so much to do right there on the island that we barely used it. We snorkeled, kayaked, paddle-boarded, and fished everyday, we made every meal on the grill and even slept on the island some nights. The mosquitos came out after sunset, but with insect repellent supplied and the mosquito net we brought, they didn't bother us much. The houseboat has all the comforts of home, but we liked the outdoor experience. We saw a manatee swim under the dock, also saw stingrays and plenty of fish, there are even lobsters you can catch if you have a FL fishing license. The sunrise and sunsets were amazing, and the little trail going to the sitting spot to watch the sunset is one of a kind! I had an underwater phone case and my husband had his GoPro and we captured some amazing photos and videos, so I highly recommend having something like that. When we snorkeled a little away from the island on the east side, we tied one of the paddle-boards to us for safety. At times, there seemed to be a lot of jet skiers who like to go fast through that area and just wanted to make sure we were seen snorkeling. I highly recommend staying here, it's definitely a private paradise! I can't forget to mention also that Toni and Conrad were awesome hosts!!!

09/08/2020