You can't live in Florida and not visit the iconic Keys! The first time I visited the Keys was back in 2019. There is so much to see and do down there! Here is what I accomplished on my first visit!
Driving down, we planned to stop in Homestead, Florida, to visit Coral Castle and Robert Is Here Fruit Stand. To read more about my visit to the Coral Castle, check out its own post on my Roadside Sights blog page.
After visiting Coral Castle, we stopped at Robert Is Here Fruit Stand for a late lunch and to grab some goodies. They have all kinds of tropical fruits such as water coconuts, jackfruit, papaya, oranges, and more! There is a small, walk-up window where you can order Cuban sandwiches and unique smoothies! It is a convenient place to stop because it is right off the road that takes you from the mainland to the first Key.
The first few nights we stayed in Key Largo, the first Key.
We stayed at King Kamp RV Park. They have cabins for those not staying in an RV. It was very affordable and close to John Pennekamp State Park, where we were going scuba diving the following morning. It has grills and docks for boats. And Adirondack beach chairs that you can chill with a beverage while enjoying a calming view of the water.
The next morning was our dive at John Pennekamp State Park, which we booked with the scuba dive center at the park before our trip. It was a two-tank dive. The first dive was at a reef, and the second dive was a drift dive. I will say, even after diving in the South Pacific, this was one of my favorite dives ever!
The visibility was good, and we saw tons of amazing sea life. I chose to pay extra for the guide since they are familiar with the area. We saw puffer fish, lobsters, colorful angelfish.
During the drift, we came to this clearing where reef sharks circled the outer edge of the clearing. Meanwhile, nurse sharks swam around us! One swam right through my legs! It was so cool!
After the dive, we found a small beach (and I mean petite, the Key's aren't known for their beaches) not far from the parking lot, where we had lunch and relaxed for a bit.
For dinner, we went to the Lazy Lobster. I got their scallops the Key West way, which is covered in a key lime butter, tomatoes and parmesan cheese. The scallops were the largest I ever had and the most delicious. And not only was the food great by the staff as well!
The following day, we made our way down to Key West. We stopped at Marathon Key, which is about the halfway point, to visit the famous Turtle Hospital. It is such a great tour where you learn about the different species of sea turtles, conservation efforts, the medical help the hospital provides the turtles, and a chance to feed the turtles who call the hospital home!
While driving to the hospital, we saw a sign for a lobster Rueben. So we backtracked a few streets to go to the Keys Fisheries, where we could try this decadent sandwich.
They have many fresh seafood options on the menu, but their lobster Reuben is their claim to fame. This place is a true Keys gem. Picnic tables are scattered around the building, with buoys and giant fish plaques hanging above for decoration. There is a marina next to the restaurant. I like going and taking a look at the boats and their names.
The drive through the keys is always a scenic one. Beautiful blue waters as far as the eye can see. There is only one way in and one way out. So if things get backed up, you can't just hit the reroute button. Have snacks, drinks, and other items in the car just in case.
We checked into our hotel, the Wicker Guesthouse, on Duval Street. It was one of the old houses turned into a hotel. It was much smaller than the place we stayed in Key Largo, but the location made it ideal for walking. Duval is the main street, so staying on or near it makes everything within easy walking distance. They offered complimentary continental breakfast over by the pool. And they do provide parking for your vehicle.
The first place we went to was Hemmingway's House. I have always been a fan of F. Scott Fitzgerald and learned about Hemmingway through their relationship as friends/writers. I was excited to learn about the rugged, no-nonsense writer in almost a first-hand way.
The house is stunning and crawling with the legendary five towed cats.
For purchasing the tickets, you will need cash. The tours start every 30 minutes. You don't have to make a reservation, and the tour is not mandatory. You can wander the grounds yourself, or jump in or off the tour when you feel like it. We enjoyed the tour and all the information we learned. Then, we went back to a few rooms and spent more time looking at all the details.
Next, we headed to another iconic place... the Southernmost Point marker. Did you even go to Key West if you didn't get a picture of this monument?
Near the Southernmost Point is the Southernmost House. If you have a moment, take a chance to go inside.
It has original Louis Comfort Tiffany glasswork.
Before dinner, I wanted to stop into a shop called Mel Fisher's Treasures. There is a Mel Fisher Museum down in Key West and one in Vero Beach. Both have treasures from the ocean and talk about the history of all who sailed through Florida's coastal waters. Mel Fisher's Treasure is a jewelry store where you can purchase jewelry made of coins from these treasure hunts or beautiful pieces with a nautical theme.
It was to Blue Heaven for dinner and their famous key lime pie. Throughout our Keys journey, I tasted many key lime pies. This one at Blue Heaven was my favorite because it nailed all the aspects. Light meringue, a sweet and tart custard center, and a graham cracker shell crust. To me, it had the best combination of crust, pie filling, and meringue.
We got lucky and happened to have gone during Songwriters Festival. While walking back towards Duval Street, we saw Brad Paisley singing on stage!
The next day was our second dive in the Keys. We strolled through the neighborhood and took in all the funky island vibes. We dropped off our stuff at the dive shop before heading to the Cuban Coffee Queen for breakfast.
This little iconic Key West gem is a must on your Key West exploration. It's located by the docks to the east of Mallory Square. There is a lot to see down there.
We learned about the Turtle Soup Canning Company when we visited the Turtle Hospital in Marathon. The old building, now museum, is located over here and you can visit it.
Now, I had called the day before to book the dive in Key West. Two places I called hesitated to sign us up for a dive due to low visibility. The third-place I called allowed us to book the dive. In hindsight, I should have listened to the other two places. The clarity on the dive was not good. We also had issues with the equipment that we had rented. The captain was nice and did his best to fix the problems and get us new equipment. The dive was still a rough one and not the most enjoyable, especially since the one in Key Largo was amazing. So for note, apparently around the beginning of May, currents down in Key West can greatly affect the visibility.
After the not-so-successful dive, we got cleaned up for a fun night out on the town with some new friends we had met that morning. One of the bars had karaoke which seems even more fun with open windows letting in that island air. Key West is an open container, so you can take your beverage and go, so the party is always on the move!
The next morning, we went back to Blue Heaven for brunch. Our new friends, who come to the Keys a lot, raved about The Key West Butterfly and Nature Conservatory. It is one of the cute Key West properties that have been turned into a little botanical garden filled with butterflies. It was a beautiful and cute experience. If you have time visit it great, but if not, no big deal.
This being my first visit to the Keys, I accomplished and saw a lot! But there are so many more adventures to be had. I can't wait to see what more this iconic chain of islands has in store!
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