Exploring the Florida Keys

**I was recently hosted by the Florida Keys who did not review or approve any aspect of the following story.

Hey everyone, if you were following my Tweets and Instagram at the end of April, you’ll know that I was on a press trip to the Florida Keys. To be honest, my knowledge of the Florida Keys was limited. All I really knew about the Keys was that they are the southernmost point of the U.S. and just 90 miles north of Cuba. I obviously knew it would be hot, but beyond that, I had no idea what to expect which was the most appealing part of the trip.

I don’t normally do these type of trips as I prefer to explore cities and history, but I’m glad I decided to head down as everything about the Keys was beyond what I was expecting. I should note that there are no direct flights to Key West from Canada. I had a short stopover in Atlanta where I had to change planes. Continue below for my impression of the Florida Keys.

The Vibe

The first things I noticed about the Florida Keys is how laid back everyone is. From Key West to Key Largo, everyone I spoke to was chilled out and just really happy to be where they were. They say that you don’t find the Florida Keys, they Keys find you and it couldn’t be truer. If you’re visiting from a city with harsh winters and you like the heat, then you won’t want to leave.

My trip started in Key West which is the largest key and has the most tourist “attractions.” Walking down Duval street (the main street), my first impression was that this feels like Cancun but with a slightly older crowd. There are restaurants and bars everywhere; as well as overpriced sunscreen at CVS.

After exploring a bit more, that’s when I realized everyone is laid back. There’s no hustle and bustle compared to say Miami. Nor did it seem like people were worried about appearances. People just seemed happy to be there and were more than happy to talk about their little slice of paradise. Heck even the roosters and chickens that freely roamed the streets were pretty chill (just don’t get near their chicks)

The attractions

The Florida Keys has quite a few attractions for people of all ages, so I’m just going to focus on the things I personally did.

The Turtle Hospital – This was easily my favourite experience during my trip and I think it’s a must for anyone visiting the Florida Keys. As the name implies, this is a hospital for turtles. During the tour, you’ll learn about the different types of sea turtles and the circumstances that bring them to the hospital. You’ll obviously get to see lots of turtles (which are much bigger than I realized), but the educational aspect of the tour is what I found the most interesting.

Old Town Trolley Tour – If you only have time for one “attraction” then you’ll want to take the Old Town Trolley Tour. During this 90 minute tour, the driver gives you a history lesson and points out all the major attractions. Since this is a hop on hop off style of tour, you can easily stop at any attraction that peaks your interest. I recommend getting off at Stop 11 (Southernmost Point) and then walking up Duval Street to get a feel for everything.

Fury Water Adventures – When you’re visiting Key West, you need to make at least one trip onto the water. Fury Water Adventures offers a variety of excursions including snorkeling, jet skiing, parasailing, and much more, but I opted for the glass bottom boat to see the living coral reef. It takes about 45 minutes to get to the reef, but then the boat stays there for 30-minutes where a guide explains all the marine life underneath. It felt like I was watching Finding Nemo / Dory in real life. If you have time, I would recommend the 6-hour Ultimate Adventure which is sort of a sampler of the various activities that they offer.

Big Pine Kayak Adventures – Over at Big Pine Key, Captain Bill Keogh of Big Pine Kayak Adventures took us on a kayak adventure where we got to discover a few things nearby. He showed a Cuban “boat” that he found recently, and showed us how a crab trap works. Learning how to kayak was a lot of fun especially when he took us into a mangrove. The best part of the trip was that his dog Scupper joined us on the adventure riding point with Bill. Bill offers various tours, but you can also just rent a kayak if you prefer to do things on your own.

Ernest Hemingway House – Famous American novelist Ernest Hemingway lived in this home in Key West from 1931 to 1939. The home was designated a U.S. National Historic Landmark in 1968 and now serves as a for-profit museum. Most people come here to see his study where he wrote some of his best works but the six and seven-toed cats here have also become a major attraction since they’re descendants from Hemingway’s original cats.

The Food

Since this trip was sponsored by the tourism board, I ate some pretty awesome places. Here are a few places that really stood out for me.

Conch Republic Seafood Company – Located right on the water, the Conch Republic Seafood Company catches their own fish daily. I had a fresh pan fried blackened grouper with Caribbean rice and green beans that were enough to feed two. The shrimp appetizers are a generous portion so be sure not to over order.

Blue Heaven – Whenever I spoke to people who had been down to Key West, they would recommend Blue Heaven, so I was excited that it was on the itinerary. The special here is the bacon, lobster, tomato (BLT) eggs benedict with hollandaise sauce. I’m normally not a huge lobster fan, but this dish was unreal. A great way to start my day.

Sunset Grille & Raw Bar – What’s appealing about the Sunset Grille & Raw Bar is its location. It sits right at the start of the Seven Mile Bridge (on the east end), so you get a great view while dining outside. The restaurant also has it’s own small beach and pool so you could lounge here all day while sipping drinks if you want. The lobster tacos and 7-mile hogfish sandwich are their specialties.

Marker 88 – Without a doubt, Marker 88 was my favourite place to eat. Since this was our last meal, they set up a table right on the beach (which is available by request) that gave us a stunning view of the sunset. We decided to share appetizers and all of them were the size of an entrée. The lobster pizza was especially good while the crab cakes were also delicious. As for mains, I opted for the pan-fried snapper with mac and cheese. The chefs here are amazing as they can make you anything you want. One of the people in our group asked for a seafood mac and cheese which wasn’t on the meal and they delivered.

Bistro 245 – Bistro 245 is Margaritaville Key West Resort & Marina’s on-site restaurant and they served my favourite key lime pie. It’s obviously a personal preference, but I found the texture and tartness to be perfect (plus I prefer whipped cream over meringue). As for my meal, I had a tuna appetizer that was that was large enough to be your main meal. As for my real main, I had the steak which was cooked perfectly.

Where I stayed

I was only in the Keys for 4 nights but I had a chance to stay at two awesome, but very different properties.

Margaritaville Key West Resort & Marina – Perfectly located just a few steps from Mallory Square and the cruise docks, the Margaritaville Key West Resort & Marina is a luxury property that does not disappoint. My room had a view of the water where I could also see street performers who come out at night. Although there is no beach (like most properties in the Keys), the pool and hot tub are located in the courtyard which gives you privacy. As mentioned, the on-site restaurant (Bistro 245) is excellent and you can also grab drinks on the second-floor outdoor bar that overlooks the water.

Amara Cay Resort – Over in Islamorada, I stayed at the Amara Cay Resort which is one of the best properties that I’ve ever stayed at. The tourism board set me up in a suite that had 2 queen size beds, an en-suite full bathroom, a powder room, a dining area, and a living room that even has a pullout couch. This room normally accommodates 6 so I had plenty of space to myself. The resort recently renovated and added a gorgeous heated pool. Alternatively, you can hang out at the small man made beach. I only had a chance to have breakfast at the on-site restaurant, but I loved how with the continental breakfast, you get to choose any three items from the menu.

Logistics

There are no direct flights to Key West from Canada. I flew from Toronto to Atlanta where I then caught a flight to Key West. Most people will rent a car when they arrive and then drive north towards Miami or Ft. Lauderdale where they catch a flight home.

Overall, the Florida Keys was better than I expected. It’s a great place to take a holiday where everything is quite chill. There are plenty of activities to keep you busy, but I should note that food and accommodations are more expensive than other cities I’ve been to.

Whether you’re 15 years old or 50, there are more than enough things to keep you entertained in the Florida Keys. Check out their website now for more ideas of what to do and start planning your trip now.