Jacqueline
Smooth sailing at sunset, visiting historic landmarks and, of course, laying on the beach. Earlier this month, I traveled to Key West and found paradise by the water and in the city.
I started the week out on Duval Street, where I spent most of our days and nights. My first meal was at Willie T’s. I was fascinated with the dollars stapled on the wall, and the amount of money that this spot was essentially made of. Wille T’s had amazing live music, and the best mojitos on the island.
After getting over my jet lag, I set out to explore the city on our first full day in the Keys. While walking down Duval Street during the day, I enjoyed the beautiful sights of the bright color buildings and the flowers in the trees in full bloom. If you are traveling by car, which I was, don’t plan on getting anywhere in a hurry. Many visitors to the Keys choose to travel by bike or moped. I was a little jealous of vacationers on their bikes, but then wondered where do they all park?
Every restaurant I encountered during my stay had amazing food. Croissants de France was our brunch spot for day one. With many places to choose from on Duval Street, this particular spot had a offer I couldn’t refuse – buy one, get one mimosas. Along with the refreshing mimosas, I tried the Americano, a croissant with scrambled egg, sausage and potatoes. After our delicious brunch, we continued to stroll through the shops. There were countless restaurants (even a Starbucks), t-shirt shops, boutiques and art galleries. I was amazed at the number of roosters that inhabit the island. They were like stray cats just hanging out in peoples yards and even in restaurants.
The next day I visited the Southernmost Point of the Continental United States. This was by far the busiest tourist attraction that I visited. The sun was beaming down on me as I waited in line with people that came from around the world to gaze upon a large buoy at the tip of the U.S.
Duval Street came alive at night. I found myself in Willie T’s once again and with different artists the music was amazing and the vibe was great for the weekend. Captain Tony’s was my second stop of the night. I tried the rum punch in a souvenir cup. Captain Tony’s was also covered in money; I was underwhelmed at this decorations once I saw it the second time around. Lastly, I danced at Sloppy Joe’s, with the help of their ‘award winning sloppy rita.’
Above all, my favorite part about the trip was spending time at the resort. We stayed at Casa Marina, a Waldorf Astoria Resort, which had two amazing pools and great outdoor restaurants with a view I had only dreamed of. I claimed a hammock early in the trip and it quickly became the spot I went to rest, read a book, and update Instagram.