Key West is like going to the Caribbean without having to leave the USA! You feel like you are on an island with the hot weather, colourful houses everywhere and fish options on just about every menu! Yes please!

Regardless of your age or who you travel there with, there is something for everyone. It is perfect for honeymooners looking to enjoy a romantic sunset, for bachelorette parties looking to have a good time at all the cool bars and it is even perfect for older couples looking to have some fine dining and do some site seeing!

HOW TO GET THERE:

There is many ways to get to Key West! We were already vacationing in Boca Raton so we drove down from there which takes about 4 hours- give or take. You can flew into Key West directly though from any location or there are some small charter plans available from places like Fort Lauderdale, Miami and Orlando if you want to skip the roads! I would recommend flying into one of the major airports ( Fort Lauderdale or Miami) and renting a car as there is so much to see en route to Key West

AMOUNT OF DAYS NEEDED THERE:

• We stayed in Key West for 3 nights. We felt it was a great amount of time to see what we wanted to see in town and also relax by the pool/beach as well. I would definitely not stay less than 3 nights. There is too much to see and do to fit it all in! We could have likely stayed one additional night if we had the time to do so! I would recommend 3 or 4 nights and if you really want to take it easy by the beach- 5 nights!
• I would recommend spending one night in Islamorada before heading directly to the Keys!!! It breaks up the drive nicely and there is SO much beauty in that area. The water colors are actually a bit better than Key West itself so I would take a boat tour to snorkel in the surrounding areas.

GETTING AROUND:

-Walk: Key West is a very walkable city. You can get from one end of Duvall street to the other in about 45 minutes ( that’s if you are a fast walker like myself )

–Bike: This is the best way to get around in my opinion. Most of the hotels have cute, colourful bicycles included so take advantage of that! If your hotel doesn’t have rides, you can rent them on Duvall street

Uber: One night after our boat cruise, we didn’t want to walk down the main street to get to our dinner reso so we called an Uber. It came within two seconds. We also saw the Uber and Lyft sticker on so many cars!

–Key West Free Trolly: The city offers free trolly tours that take you through the town to the main sites. With the baby in tow, we didn’t do this but looked super fun

WHERE TO EAT

What I loved most about Key West was all of the drool worthy restaurants that filled every pocket of the city. I seriously could have just spent 3 days eating my way through town!! Here are some of the favs we tried:

 Morada Bay Beach Café. Ok so this is technically in Islamorada which is 2 hours from Key West but I HIGHLY recommend it for a lunch en route to the keys. The area is so free-spirited and relaxed, while curating an authentic vibe and experience. It also has a vintage airstream on site which would make me want to go to a restaurant strictly for this. There is a beautiful big house beside the restaurant which is where BLOODLINE was filmed. This had my mom in a tizzy!

Onlywood – This unassuming place is tucked down an alleyway off of Duval street. You can easily miss it if you don’t pay attention. The place has such a beautiful, cozy and romantic atmosphere with string lights and lush plants surrounding the outdoor patio. The food matches the beautiful decor with mouth watering pizzas and pastas that are made from scratch. The italian in me gives it a big thumbs up!

Thirsty Mermaid- This was our favourite place that we dined at. It is just off of Duval Street located on a tiny corner block but the dishes are filled with flavours the opposite of tiny. Everything we ate was SOO good that we almost sat in silence just taking it all in. We had the lobster and crab cakes, a snapper and risotto dish and finished it off with their homemade Key Lime Pie and Chocolate Bread Pudding. This place doesn’t take reservations so best to go a bit early if you can!

One Nine Five- Do not expect your typical Conch Fritters to be found at this place. The menu is filled with creative

Pepe’s- One of the oldest restaurants in Key West! It has that old charm and the patio makes you feel like you are sitting in a friend’s backyard. I had a Long Island Iced Tea there and a Mahi Mahi fish sandwich and it did not disappoint. The food is simple but there is just something about this place!

Cuban Coffee Queen – Ok most delicious coffee ever. Get the speciality Cuban coffee which is basically coffee and espresso together with a sweet little splash It is also home to the iconic “Key West” wall mural.

Blue Heaven: This is a must do for brunch but be prepared to wait for it! The wait IS worth the lobster eggs benny though and the breakfast band that plays! Very good vibe

WHERE TO STAY

Southern Most Key Resort: This is where we stayed! You can see my full break down on my experience there HERE ( ps: it’s a good one!) As the name suggests, it is located in the Southernmost Most of the Keys/US!

Markers Resort: The only newly built hotel in Old Town Key West in more than 20 years, the Marker is a modern, comfortable spot that feels like it’s been nestled behind the seaport all along. This is on the opposite side of Duval street where the Marina is!

Air BNB:  If you want a more local feel, I would DEFINITELY recommend an Air BNB here. All the houses are painted shades of pastels with the cutest front porches!!

THINGS TO DO

Sunset cruise: Key West are known for their sunsets and the best way to really take one in? A Sunset cruise! We toured with Sebago Watersports, and can’t say enough good things. With free-flowing drinks, a spacious boat and a great captain, we had the best time! It was 2 hours from start to finish-departing around 5PM and ending at 7PM! They also have a number of other tours during the day as well

Watching the sunset at Mallory square: While the Catamaran cruise was our favourite place to watch the sun go down, next up in line was watching it at Mallory square. This is where everyone in town comes together to watch the changing sky with some drinks. There is lots of happy hour specials close by too

Spending the night on Duval Street: We can’t even begin to describe how much fun taking a night stroll on Duval can be. You’ll find everything from live music, packed pubs, strip clubs, and drag shows. Not for the tame of heart!

The Southernmost Beach Resort is just what the name suggests…the most southern point in the US! It also has an undeniable “Southern Charm” feel with pastel yellow buildings, hammocks for you to laze around in and large sitting areas to savour the magical sunsets of Key West. Staying here makes you feel like you are worlds away yet you are a stone’s throw away from the electric and booming strip of downtown Duval Street. It is the perfect place for a romantic getaway or a family vacation alike as it has so many different settings throughout the resort that can appeal to either vacation style.

If you are heading to Key West, you may also like these posts:

• Complete Travel Guide to Key West: Where to Eat, Where to Stay and More!
• A Weekend in Tempe, Arizona
• The Only Place to Stay in Sedona, Arizona

THE BEST PLACE TO STAY IN KEY WEST: THE GROUNDS AT THE SOUTHERN MOST BEACH RESORT

The resort boosts two white sand beaches, three pools ( one adult only one which I definitely would have hit up if I wasn’t travelling with Chloe) and several places to grab one of their infamous Frozen Pina Coladas! You truly feel like you are in the Caribbean or at an oasis far away from normal day life. With little hammock nooks sprawled all over to colourful Muskoka chairs perfect for watching the sunset, there is no shortage of places to let loose.

There is also a spa and fitness centre on site making it easy to not leave the resort at all! I worked out one morning and was impressed with the variety of equipment that they had. I also did a beachfront Yoga class another morning where the instructor actually had to tap me to let me know class was done. Shavasana while listening to the ocean is pure bliss let me tell you!

Best Place to Stay in Key West, Southernmost Beach Resort, Places to stay in Key West

THE ROOMS AT THE SOUTHERNMOST BEACH RESORT

With over 260 rooms to choose from, there is a room type to fit everyone’s needs. We stayed in a partial ocean view room with two queen beds and a balcony. It felt like our own apartment. I have stayed at a few rooms at neighbouring hotels and can honestly say this is the best rooms in Key West.

The bathroom was extremely spacious with a walk in shower, double sink vanity and a separate room for the toilet. I never once felt crammed in there and it is easy sometimes to feel like you are tight on space with a baby in tow. The hotel also made sure we had a pack and play which Chloe loved! The rooms are decorated in a crisp black and white with coral blue accents. Each room also comes with a Nespresso maker, iPod dock and complimentary water each day. Yes please!

IMPORTANT TIDBITS ABOUT THE SOUTHERNMOST BEACH RESORT IN KEY WEST

5 Things to Do Here

Considering this is the best place to stay in Key West, you may have the urge to just stay put and not explore. If you do decide to venture out, here is what I suggest you do.

#1. Try some Conch Fritters poolside!

#2. Walk to iconic Duvell Street ( The Key West Butterfly Museum and Fort Zachary are a 2 minute walk from the resort!

#3. Use the in house bikes to explore neighbouring streets of Key West

#4. Watch the sunrise or sunset on the Key West pier!

#5. Hit the town and check out one of the infamous Drag Shows on the strip!

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Returned from Boca Raton/Delray Beach/West Palm Beach/Miami a few weeks ago and just had a chance to go through all the photos! We officially stay in Boca Raton every time we go but always manage to hit up all of our favourite cities that are close by while we are there!

We hit up Delray beach everyday for some sand and beach sessions and always head to the Atlantic Avenue strip for some eats . Truly one of my favourite streets ( I will be doing a little guide soon on where to go there!!) We also always go to South Beach and stroll around the Wynwood walls. The area has grown and developed so much from just the last year I was there and I actually dig it more than the South Beach strip. Lastly- we always hit up the The Breakers in West Palm Beach where the hotel itself is like an attraction. So much history, detail and…..so many insane cars to gawk at!

Florida in December is one of my favourite trips. I am always ready for a break after the holidays and going there feels like going home

Just returned from a relaxing and warm vacation in South Florida. We left town the exact day temperatures dropped to a bone chilling -10 and I couldn’t be happier. If you have been reading this blog for a bit, you would know that the COLD IS NOT MY COMPADRE

We started our vacation off in Boca Raton but made our way to Delray Beach on the daily for ocean dips and relaxing beach sessions. We also took in the exciting and full of life Atlantic Avenue where we munched on everything from $2 Tacos from Lilo’s to fancy steak dinners at City Oyster...we didn’t discriminate!

We woke up with the sun each day and filled our days with gourmet ( yet homemade) breakfasts, workouts, carefree bike rides, good books, ocean dips ( discovered my boyfriend is part human, part dolphin) and most importantly good vibes and conversations with everyone we were with.

We also explored the area of Lauderdale by the Sea, the Wynward Walls in Miami and of course- South Beach- because there is always time to gawk at the Art Deco buildings and see all the characters on the strip. Lauderdale by the Sea and the Wynward Wall areas were so colourful- I felt like I was inside a bag of Skittles. Wynwood Walls is a cool area in Miami that is on the up and coming. Restaurants are popping up here, new stores ( Kit and Ace, Aesop) have just recently opened and a few independently owned stores fill up the neighborhood. Highly recommend checking it out! We also had a day at Boca Resort aka the whole hotel is PINK and is modeled after a Spanish castle. This translates to me running around the place like a kid at Disneyland. Too gorgeous.

To say we ended ( and started) the year off on a high note- is an understatement but I’m ready for 2016.

I know its going to be a good one…

Being the only daughter, my mom and I have a special bond ( sorry bro’s don’t hate!). I feel very fortunate to not only have her has a mom but also a friend. When she asked if I wanted to do a mother/daughter trip for a week to Florida- I didn’t even let her finish the full question before opening up my internet browser and searching up some flights.

My mom is a hard worker- at the office but also at home- so I always like to see her unwind and relax and if there is one place that does that for her- it’s the easy, breezy safe confines of Florida. I too relax there which is sometimes hard for me as I always like to explore places and be on the go!

We spent the week working out, lightly shopping, having our own happy hour on the patio, reading on the beach, cooking some dinners and also going out for some dinners and catching up on bad reality television that I do not need to get into detail on. The weather was gorgeous and perfect in all the right ways as well. I got to prance around on the beach in my new comfy Gap dress ( the coral one) that will be a new summer staple forsure. The only thing not gorgeous and amazing was getting charged $22 for a drink by accident after I ordered one of the “specials”….twice. Lesson Learned? Always ask for the price of specials.

Until next time Florida

Being a short 3 hour flight from where I live, Florida is a sweet and quick getaway! It was really nice to get away after a month back of being back in the cold and not just any sort of cold…-38 with windchill cold.

NO THANKS!!!!!

We did a lot of chilling, a bit of yoga, a quick trip to Miami and a little business. My favourite outfit that I wore and continuously bring with me when I go somewhere warm is this matching two piece out from from Forever 21. It is so comfortable and perfect for somewhere with palm trees. Even better? It was just under $30. Thanks Forever 21 for always keeping it real

]]> https://thedaydreamdiaries.com/the-sunshine-state/feed/ 0 https://thedaydreamdiaries.com/miami-bachelorette-edition/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=miami-bachelorette-edition https://thedaydreamdiaries.com/miami-bachelorette-edition/#respond Thu, 04 Sep 2014 01:06:00 +0000 https://thedaydreamdiaries.com/?p=2458

My girlfriends and I just got back from an epic bachelorette trip in Miami! Since there was 11 of us in total…we rented a house over staying in a hotel ( go AIRBNB!) and it was so much nicer being able to stay under one roof instead of sprawling out into several different overpriced Miami rooms. The morning recaps of our nights were so much more enjoyable when we all packed ourselves into one of the beds/rooms and being able to all share a coffee while we were cozy in our pjs is the way to do it!

All of the bridesmaids put a lot of effort into creating special touches throughout the weekend and since the bride hates pink, feathers and penis straws…we spiced things up in different ways. We set up a self made photobooth for the weekend ( tassel purchased from Oriental Trading), got a personalized hashtag sign from Etsy and created a mixture of props to have fun with. Our brides name was Dee so the hashtag for the entire weekend and for anything we could add it to was “DEESTROYED”. And we had no problem living up to that hashtag. ha.

The maid of honour and I created welcome bags that included a thong, a funny straw ( gotta have some pink in there somewhere and who doesn’t love flamingos), lip chap, sunglasses, a snack and a few other fun items…all set to a black and white theme. We created custom beach balls that read “Dee’s Bachelorette” and also made custom towels…each with a funny alcohol related slogan like “Ha Kuna Ma Vodka or “Alcohol: Because no great story ever started with a Salad”.

We wasted no time in using the photobooth and placed all the copies into a black scrapbook for the bride to keep as a memory of the trip. We of course snuck in a few photos for each of ourselves as keepsakes as well. After a few martinis…the polaroid’s were flowing like water!

We spent the first night hitting South Beach and did an amazing group dinner at Katsuya ( Rock Lobster for the win!) and sipped on cocktails in the hot, hot heat. After dealing with a ridiculously depressing summer weather wise, we were more than ok with the humidity and our hair slowly morphing into Monica from friends when she was on vacation. No really though!

My favourite part of the trip by far was the day we spent on the boat. Anyone that knows me..knows I am a water baby and I have always said that if I win the lottery the first thing I would do is fly all my loved ones to somewhere epic and party on a yacht and sail to some crazy beautiful islands. Safe to say I think about this once a week. When the bride told us that she would be treating us all to a day on a beautiful boat..I was elated! We all stuck to a nautical theme (except for one girl who thought nautical theme meant boho pirate…oh steph we love you haha) and lounged all day on the open sea. Several dance parties were had to old school rap music and backstreet boys and when we started feeling adventurous…we jumped off the sides, did some paddle boarding and played on the inflatable party lounge float. It was a perfect day start to finish. My only concern of the whole day was that I left wondering if my wedding day would fall short in comparison to this day.

We had someone come in to the house and cook for us later this night and we sat around a beautiful wooden table, sipping wine, eating fresh paella and then after a lot more wine….played truth or dare and braided eachothers hair. The biggest girls night of all time.

All in all it was an amazing girls trip filled with so many laughs and memories to last a life time. Who is getting married next? SOMEBODY PLEASE!