Amid all the travel challenges of Covid-19, we had planned a trip to Baha Mar Resort in the Bahamas for our annual mother-daughter trip. We booked a suite with one of the many Covid deals that made the price very affordable overlooking the ocean and the hustle and bustle of the Baha Mar pools. However, as we headed out the door to the airport at 3 am, we received an airline cancellation on our cell phones. The first leg of our trip to the Bahamas was canceled, not delayed, canceled. It was impossible to catch our connecting flight to get to our planned destination, so our trip to the Bahamas was OFF. The soonest we could reschedule to the Bahamas was 24 hours later, which was too late due to all the testing restrictions and health visa requirements. Fortunately, we could get a full refund on hotel and airline reservations. Frustrated and ready to get away, we spent the next two hours figuring out how to continue our annual mother-daughter trip. By 9 am that same morning, we were at the airport for a Key West, Florida trip.
Where We Stayed
We quickly let go of our disappointment and set our sights on making the most of Key West, including a Jeep rental for transportation so that we could soak up as much of the fresh ocean air as possible over the next few days. We booked an "ocean view" room at Southernmost Resort's tip of Key West. It was dark by the time we rolled in. The area was dimly lit, with minimal signage to point us in the right direction. After some time wandering around, we finally found the main lobby. The evening clerk was a somewhat eccentric but kind man who seemed overly interested in our lives. With keys and directions to the room in hand, we made our way to our home away from home for the next few days.
The room was nice, clean, with a large tiled bathroom. The shower had a luxurious feel with spa-inspired soaps and shampoo. I eagerly woke up at first light, anxious to see the ocean waves rolling in while drinking my first cup of Key West coffee. I quietly ventured out to the balcony to find a smaller-than-expected space furnished with two chairs and a table and somewhat lacking in an "ocean view." .Note to self: be clear about what "ocean view" means when booking a room.
The Best Breakfast Spots
The days that followed included tons of fun exploring Key West driving in the Jeep, riding scooters, and walking. Having a memorable breakfast at least one day of our trip is always a top priority. We were in luck because breakfast is a specialty in Key West. Facebook friends threw out recommendations of things to see and do once I had posted where we were. I love how social media immediately connects you to friends and family with experience at travel destinations. Banana Cafe and Blue Heaven were the most recommended breakfast spots, so we decided to do both! Banana Cafe was a short walk from our resort on the famous Duvall Street. We got there around 9:30 am, and there was a 45-minute wait, but no worries, the scenery, and energy on the sidewalk were good, we settled in for our wait, and it was worth it. Next on the list for breakfast was Blue Heaven. This was a little further away, perfect for a scooter ride which was so much fun! Navigating the streets and figuring out where to go was a challenge, but it added to the excitement and sense of adventure.
We were fortunate to be seated outside at Blue Heaven under an awning and alongside a
busy sidewalk. Blue Heaven must have taken a master's class in various ways to make Eggs Benedict; deciding which variation to indulge in was difficult, but we both finally chose, and neither was disappointing! Last but definitely not least, our other breakfast highlight was a little cafe called La Te Da. On our first morning out, we randomly chose La Te Da and were seated next to a small, swanky pool that gave off the feeling of sitting at a Hollywood hot spot. The service, food, and setting were perfection. We toasted to a great trip with early morning mimosas and decided that coming back to this special place was a must!
Key West's Historic Seaport
The Historic Seaport area, on the opposite side of Key West from our hotel, is full of shops, restaurants, and entertainment opportunities. It was a little more than walking distance, so we opted to drive hoping we would find parking. We spent two evenings in the area. On our first night, we booked a Sunset Cruise through Fury and grabbed some appetizers at Conch Republic which is a fun spot located alongside the docks. The cruise was fun and relaxing, and the scenery was gorgeous. We were in awe over the yachts that docked there, sure that some very rich and famous people were near. We returned a couple of days later for dinner and shopping and found a fun spot called Lucy's for food. We were seated outside amid the electric energy that filled the streets—a parade of people passed by - walking, roller skating, singing, talking, and laughing. A cute little bulldog lay lazily underneath one of the other customer's chairs, oblivious to the activity around him. I loved this street scene so much; hanging out with my daughter and enjoying the moment was priceless. It's one of those forever timestamps imprinted on my heart. Once the sun went down, it turned into a full-on street party. Convertibles passed by with music blaring, live music, and disco lights shooting out of open-aired bars. We walked up and down the streets taking in the Key West atmosphere, then made our way back to the Jeep for the drive back.
Epic Water Adventure
If you are an adventurer and love water, I HIGHLY recommend a jet ski rental from Fury. It was a 90-minute, 28-mile guided tour into the waters of Key West . We were more than a little concerned that a "tour" would not meet our excitement standards, but we took a chance and did it anyway. The guides urged us NOT to take our phones because they would absolutely be lost if we did. In hindsight, this was a mistake. Many photo opportunities were available, and we would have been fine with the waterproof phone case we had JUST purchased around our neck. So, unfortunately, we have no photos to look back on, but we will never forget the experience - it was truly epic!! We started in a single file line with about ten other riders. They moved us out past the docks into the wide-open space of the ocean. There they stopped us for a 5-minute lesson on how to navigate and follow their rules. Following our instructions, they asked us to fall into position, requesting riders who desired to go fast to move to the front. It turns out that the guides weren't afraid to test our abilities and willingness to "go fast ." With me on the back, hanging on for life, Riley took the second position behind the lead guide, and we were off to the races!! Zig-zagging deep into the ocean, we nearly lost sight of land. About mid-way through our ride, we hit a wave that catapulted us 20 feet in the air with our bodies airborne and wholly detached from the watercraft - somehow, we both landed still attached to one another and seated back on the jet ski - we were like movie star stunt professionals! The two guys behind us said they would never forget the scene - they thought for sure they would be fishing us out of the water.
Key West's Must Do |
|---|
Rent a Jeep |
Historic Seaport |
Spend a day on scooters |
Jet ski tour |
Sunset Cruise |
La Te Da for Mimosas |
Between the fun food, jet ski rental, and walks on DuVall Street, we rented scooters and enjoyed relaxing by the pool. There was a scooter rental office directly across the street from our resort. The rental price was very reasonable, it was a blast to get around town, and parking was easy. On our first trip out, we rented a double-seater scooter - we laughed a ton but quickly discovered it would be much SAFER if we each had our own. We returned to the office, rented another, and took off into the streets of the Keys. We spent at least one day lounging an entire day away poolside. The pool area was super inviting and cozy with a friendly vibe. We scored two pool-front sun beds and spent the rest of the day in the sun and soaking in the water when the heat was more than we could handle.
Our unexpected trip to the Key was one for the books! We thoroughly enjoyed our time from scooters to water adventures to poolside lounging and memorable food experiences.
Key West - we'll be back!
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