Key West in a Day

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Thursday, October 27, 2016

So this post along with an upcoming Disney World post will be slightly different than usual since I (Elle) went to Key West and Disney World as a part of my honeymoon. By the way the honeymoon was amazing!!!

Key West is a beautiful island in the great state of Florida. My husband and I were so excited to spend a week in paradise. To begin our travels we flew into Miami International Airport and caught our second flight to Key West International Airport. Just a tip, the flights to Key West depart from gate D60 which is at the end of the D terminal. So if you happen to arrive at the other end of the terminal, have no fear because the Miami airport has a nice skytrain to transport you. Also, if you happen to go to an airport like Miami that has an app always download the app before you arrive to make your travels easier. The flight from Miami to Key West is only 45 mins and the views are absolutely stunning!

Key West is America’s little paradise. Calm, relaxing, and isolated, Key West feels like another world altogether. The island contains palm beaches, delicious restaurants, and wild chickens running around the neighborhoods! It’s the perfect getaway to get rid of stress and experience something entirely new. The island’s unique blend of cultures—Caribbean, American, Mexican, and so much more—testify to its rich and complicated history, which transformed this former shipping and industrial enclave into the modern tourist mecca we know today.

-- Some of the beautiful sunsets from Key West--

The main commercial thoroughfare in Key West, and the economic heart of the island, is Duval Street. Here you’ll find tourists and locals mingling in Caribbean bars and Italian restaurants—even a butterfly conservatory! The Hemingway House, Truman’s Little White House, and the Key West Art and Historical Society are all must-see venues, and all are conveniently located right next to Duval Street. Going north on Duval Street leads to Mallory Square, which is a popular spot to observe the famous sunsets over the Sunset Key. Mallory also features various street performers, food stands, and dozens of foreign languages from the many world travelers that have converged there. The booming nightlife on the island is enough to keep you going through the morning hours, but if all you want is the beach, Key West has plenty of that. Higgs and Smathers (They have chairs and umbrellas to rent for less than $30) are the most tourist-friendly public beaches, and the warm, cozy waters almost feel like a spa. Rental umbrellas are available if you forgot to bring your own. In a deceptive blending of nature and civilization, the beaches of Key West were all made from sand brought in from other parts of Florida. But the overall experience is all authentic: for a brief moment, you’ll get lost in this island’s many charms and forget where you came from. 

The highlight of any trip to Key West must be a short hop to a nearby paradise: Dry Tortugas National Park. A collection of islands in the Gulf of Mexico, the Dry Tortugas are a place of pristine beauty and endless wonder. In the nineteenth century, the government constructed Fort Jefferson on the island of Garden Key in order to defend vital shipping lanes in the Gulf. The fortress has since become part of the national park, along with Garden Key and other islands nearby. Yankee Freedom, the ferry departing from Key West, brings visitors to Garden Key and Fort Jefferson every morning. Several coral reefs have grown around Fort Jefferson, and their proximity to the beach makes them convenient to explore. The water near the shore is crystal clear, to the point where bricks that have fallen from Fort Jefferson are easily visible. Do not be surprised if you see all kinds of wild birds, and even sea turtles, gallivanting around the island. Snap up all the photos you can quickly because the Yankee Freedom leaves about four and a half hours after its arrival.

The ferry to Dry Tortugas

The food in Key West is amazing! There are so many different cuisines to try. One of our favorite restaurants was The Cafe. The food was perfection! We had the falafel sandwich and stirfry. Another place we loved was the Italian restaurant Antonia's. Their noodle dishes were delicious but there french toast dessert was even better!

If you love the water, Key West offers plenty of fun activities for every taste. Want to go on a romantic sunset cruise? You can do that. Would you like a jet ski tour around the island? Yes, please! Perhaps snorkeling or scuba diving sound better? It’s all there. And the water adventures don’t end in Key West itself. The Florida Keys are just a quick boat ride away; if you ever get bored of Key West, you always have plenty of other islands and adventures right next door.  

Above anything else, the greatest thing about Key West is undoubtedly its people. We met a taxi driver who left New England because it was too cold and ended up here to enjoy the hot Sun for the rest of his life. We met an Israeli student who was working retail for the summer at a store owned by one of his relatives. We met a woman from Indiana who found herself in Key West after various stints throughout the country. The story of Key West is ultimately the story of these wonderful people. They are the ones who define the island and its international culture. Once the tourists have packed up and left, they are the ones who remain behind—living their lives, shedding their tears, sharing their laughs, and soaking up the Sun.  

Blue skies,

Elle & Kat