I had the opportunity to visit my parents in Florida for my Christmas vacation. One of the highlights was spending a night down in Key West with my brother and his wife. It was fun to relax, walk around, and see some beautiful scenery! Here’s how we spent our ~48 hours:
Driving the 7-Mile Bridge
Honestly, I think my favorite part was the drive to get down there (and back). I have learned to love road trips. For me, it’s a time to sit and do nothing and not feel bad about it. I enjoy looking out the window, people watching, and taking in the scenery. It also helps that I wasn’t the one driving. What makes the drive to Key West particularly unique is getting to drive over all the bridges and all the keys. At one point, there’s a 7-mile bridge that allows us driving access to Key West. I’m also in awe at our country’s infrastructure and how crazy it is that someone built roads all the way to Key West. So even though the drive took about 10 of our 48 hours, for me, it was worth it.
Walk Duvall Street
Once we arrived in Key West, we checked into our hotel, which was a little house-turned-hotel close to downtown (not the greatest hotel, but it was cheap and available). We couldn’t get dinner reservations until 8 pm, so we spent the evening walking Duvall Street, admiring the greenery and architecture, and meandering through shops and galleries.
Mallory Square
The end of Duvall Street brings you to Mallory Square, which is home to Key West’s famous sunset celebrations. I was interested in seeing the street performers, but they turned out to be rude and profane. Thus, we didn’t stick around too long. We sat down to rest our legs, watched the sunset, and then continued exploring the island until it was time for dinner. Later, we walked along the docks, found Mile 0, and played at a park. Continuing our exploring, we found Truman’s Little Whitehouse, and walked to the Southernmost Point buoy. Lastly, we enjoyed our dinner at a place called Flaming Buoy, got gelato and macarons for dessert, and went back to the hotel.
Higgs Beach & Key West Garden Club
In the morning, we went to Higg’s Beach. It was a little too breezy and cold to go swimming or suntan, so we walked along the piers on either end of the beach. It was nice to get there early because we were able to claim a parking spot and our place on the beach. After walking along the piers, we walked through the Key West Garden Club, which is a tropical garden housed in an old civil war fort. It’s free to enter and right next to Higgs Beach. By then, it had warmed up enough to take a nap on the sand and relax on the beach.
Overall, we loved our stay in Key West! It was a perfect way to relax and escape reality for a little bit. Some other attractions we looked into but didn’t have time for were: going on a kayaking/snorkeling excursion, visiting Dry Tortugas, biking around the island, touring the lighthouse, and renting a boat. There’s quite a bit to do despite being a small island. Have you ever been to Key West? Are there any attractions I missed that I should do next time I visit? I’d love to hear from you! Stay classy, friends.
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