If you've ever wanted to see how the “other half” live you need to check out the Ocean Reef Club on Key Largo, Florida. The resort comprises thousands of acres on the northern side of Key Largo and even has its own private highway. The Ocean Reef Club is basically an extremely posh and super-sized country club. Think of Caddyshack's Bushwood on a private beach.
The resort has at least three golf courses, a huge marina, a man-made swimming lagoon, thousands of condos and houses, tennis courts, and a conservative dress code. There are a number of restaurants that will cater to your tastes where a dinner jacket is required for men and equally appropriate attire for the ladies. Ocean Reef takes their image very seriously and will not hesitate to point out that your shirt lacks a collar or that your male friend would be more comfortable in a sport coat.
The sheer size of the resort is astounding. You could drive all day and still not see all of it. That is, drive all day in your golf cart, which is the preferred type of transportation on the resort. The golf cart roads all run parallel to the automobile roads and have their own stop signs and hash marks. In fact, if you have kids that are between 12 and 15 they all need to earn golf cart driver's licenses. Seriously!
If you have rented a condo or a house, you typically go to the resort supermarket and stock up for your stay. You can grill out under the stars, which are visible and gorgeous, because the resort is so secluded and distant from Miami. If you're craving some night-life, the resort even has a bar and a night club.
The Ocean Reef Club is a “cash-less” resort, meaning that when you check-in you hand over your credit card and they hand you a Club card. It is essentially a credit card that is only used on the resort and helps their guests avoid the trouble of going to the ATM every couple of hours.
The main thing to know if you want to go there is that you have to be a member or a guest of a member. Membership rental rates offer a 25% discount off guest rates, but I really don't know how much a membership costs. However, the member does not have to be there when you visit Ocean Reef. It's also a great place to improve your network – quite a few movers and shakers vacation here with their families. Additionally, Ocean Reef has its own airport outfitted for jets if you would rather not make the 90 minute drive down from Miami airport. Gotta love private plane travel!
In summary, Ocean Reef is exclusive, expensive, and extremely nice. It is completely safe for adults and children to walk about late at night. There are plenty of activities for adults and kids alike and it is without a doubt, one of the most luxurious places you will experience. For my money, if I were choosing between Disney World or another kid-friendly resort, I would opt for the Ocean Reef Club.
