In Florida, the Keys are about as far out as you can get. And we’re not just talking geography, here. On these little islands, it’s not only OK to be weird, it’s highly preferable. But even so, we figured somebody had been inhaling a little too much O (-2) at the oxygen bar at Key West’s Oak Beach Inn when we heard about the swimming Cadillac. Actually, the truth is tamer, but only a little. Helmsman Joseph Fox thought it would be fun to take a 1986 Cadillac stretch limousine and transform it into what he calls a Nautilimo. (Spelling’s from nautilus, not naughty, so stop giggling.) The craft, authentic right down to its Cadillac dashboard, has been breaking the waves off Islamadora for about three months. Brides and grooms have pressed it into service as a shuttle to weddings aboard pontoon boats. Couples who just want a sunset cruise pay $80 for a two-hour jaunt. Four passengers pay $110. (305-571-9501, or 305-942-3793)…Meanwhile, back in Key West, a five-minute snort of oxygen at Oak Beach Inn–you didn’t think we’d let that one go by without further research, did you?–costs $5, and the reusable plastic contraption through which you inhale it costs $1, if you must know. (305-292-6301)
WINGING IT, PART 1
Of course, to do anything in Florida, you have to get there first. And here’s a new way to do that. Beginning Oct. 5, Spirit Airlines, based in a Detroit suburb, launches service between Chicago-O’Hare and the airports at three Florida favorites: Ft. Myers, Ft. Lauderdale and Orlando. Inaugural round-trip fares start at $158. (800-772-7117; or at www.spiritair.com)
WINGING IT, PART 2
But come to think of it, just about any air fare, low or high, seems preferable to flapping your own two wings to get where you’re going. Like when the monarch butterflies want to go to Mexico for the winter. Those determined little orange-and-black buggers, millions of them, fly 2,500 miles south from Canada to a remote mountain range in the Michoacan region. Natural Habitat Adventures, based in Boulder, Colo., follows them in small-group tours departing Jan. 7, Feb 25 and March 11. Each five-night trip begins in Mexico City before visiting a botanical garden in Toluca on the way to Angangueo, headquarters for exploring the Rosario Butterfly Sanctuary and the Chincua Butterfly Sanctuary. There’s also a stay at Hotel Avandaro Spa & Resort in the village of Valle de Bravo and a stop at a waterfall before returning to Mexico City. The $1,995 rate covers lodging, all transportation in Mexico, all meals except breakfast on departure day, bottled water, gratuities, two English-speaking guides and entrance fees. For another $795, you can extend the trip to Puerto Vallarta and a three-night excursion to see humpback whales. (800-543-8917; or at www.nathab.com)
FREE STUFF
How to get to Cedar Point, where to catch the Island Rocket to Kelleys Island and why to eat at the Angry Trout Fish & Steak House: These and all other things Sandusky are right here in Ohio’s Erie County Attraction Map. (800-255-ERIE; or at www.buckeyenorth.com)
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Prices generally are per person double.
