A week in the Florida Keys
Welcome to Key West!
Upon landing at Key West International Airport at the southern tip of Florida, it’s immediately apparent that you’re someplace a little different and a tad irreverent. “Welcome to the Conch Republic,” a sign on the airport terminal reads. The term Conch Republic dates to 1982 when the Keys symbolically seceded from the U.S. after a Border Patrol blockade. Local officials proclaimed the island chain the independent Conch Republic, and the moniker stuck.
As visitors continue to flock to the Florida Keys, the Key West airport is adding a new $80 million terminal targeted for completion in October 2024. And yes, there are many nonstop flights to Key West — from Asheville, N.C.; Atlanta; Boston; Charlotte; Chicago; Cincinnati; Dallas; Houston; Indianapolis; Nashville; Newark; New York City LaGuardia and JFK; Philadelphia; and Washington D.C. Reagan and Dulles. In Florida, nonstop flights are offered from Fort Lauderdale, Miami, Orlando, Sanford, Tampa, and St. Petersburg. For more information, click here.
New Key West Resort
Upon arrival in Key West, I checked into a new resort – Margaritaville Beach House Key West. The hotel is located a short distance from the airport and provides free shuttle service, a much-appreciated extra. The branding reflects the “Margaritaville state of mind” as popularized by Jimmy Buffet in his iconic song. Margaritaville Beach House Key West has 186 spacious rooms and suites done in a clean, modern coastal design.
The New Lobby
The accommodations are spacious at Margaritaville Beach House Key West. I stayed in a one-bedroom suite that had a balcony overlooking the pool, a kitchenette, a large bathroom, and a separate living area – two 55-inch TV sets faced the bed and couch.
The property officially opened in November 2021. It previously was known as Barbary Beach House for a little over a year and, before that, as Sheraton Suites for years. The property remained open as the Margaritaville touches were added – they redid the outdoor bar, are adding a bar to the pool area, and spruced up the lobby, adding a margarita glass chandelier.
Gorgeous Beach
Guests at Margaritaville Beach House Key West can easily cross a street to enjoy picturesque Smathers Beach. The resort can plan weddings and such on the beach.
Flip-Flop and Pop-Top
A giant flip-flop and pop-top welcome guests to Margaritaville Beach House Key West. They were made famous in “Margaritaville,” in which Jimmy Buffet sang “I blew out my flip-flop. Stepped on a pop-top.” For those too young to know, pop-tops used to open cans of beer and soda and were often tossed as litter.
Sunset Celebration at Mallory Square
Sunsets are almost mandatory celebrations in the Florida Keys. For my first one, I took the free Margaritaville Beach House shuttle into town, about a 15-minute ride. Then I followed the crowds to Mallory Square, where a nightly street festival takes place overlooking Key West Harbor. It features arts and crafts exhibitors, street performers, food carts, musicians and more. Not to mention a stunning sunset.
Hemingway’s Home
The Ernest Hemingway Home & Museum is where the famed author lived and wrote for 10 years, from 1931 to 1939. He moved in with his second wife, Pauline, but a few years later in Key West met journalist Martha Gellhorn, who became his third wife. (I’m a big fan of Gellhorn and highly recommend her 1978 book “Travelers With Myself and Another” – her unnamed traveling companion is Hemingway.)
Hemingway’s Writing Studio
Hemingway wrote in a second-story studio that adjoined his house and overlooked a built-in pool – a rarity in those days. Among the books he wrote in Key West are “Death in the Afternoon,” “For Whom the Bell Tolls” and “The Snows of Kilimanjaro.” And yes, the Hemingway house is still inhabited by many cats – you see them on the dining table, curled up in his bed, and lolling on a park bench outside. Many are said to have six toes.
Truman’s Little White House
The Harry S. Truman Little White House offers a fascinating glimpse into the life of the 33rd U.S. president, who spent 175 days of his presidency in the house originally built for a naval commander. You can take a guided tour of the house, but for a deeper dive into history, consider the new White Glove Tour. Priced from $500, plus tax, for up to six people, the special tour includes a visit to the new Key West Harry S. Truman Foundation Suite adjacent to the museum. Visitors can view photographs and artifacts and even wear white gloves to inspect some of Truman’s possessions – including Harry’s whiskey jigger! The finale of the White Glove Tour is a ride in a presidential limo.
Presidential Limousine
The 1950 mint-condition Lincoln Cosmopolitan stretch limo, with about 33,000 odometer miles, was originally based in New York City for use by President Truman. It was great fun taking a ride in Key West – virtually everyone waved at us.
Another Gorgeous Sunset
Dinner was outdoors at Latitudes, an elegant restaurant on the 27-acre island of Sunset Key, where visitors can also rent cottages. It’s a quick 7-minute boat ride to Sunset Key, well worth the visit for an exquisite meal of local seafood and knockout views over the Gulf of Mexico.
Ferry to Private Island Resort
The next day, I picked up a rental vehicle at the Key West airport and drove north on U.S. Highway 1 less than an hour to Little Torch Key. This is where I checked into the ultra-exclusive, adults-only Little Palm Island Resort & Spa. My luggage was stowed on a wooden boat (named for Harry Truman, by the way) and I was soon on my way to Little Palm, tasty rum drink in hand. The property has a British Colonial design and just 30 thatched-roof bungalow suites. There are no telephones or TV sets in the suites, which are lavishly furnished. The bed was quite high, so there was a small stepping stool to help guests get up. First, though, I supped on fresh fish in the dining room and when I returned to my suite, I noticed a bonfire had been set next to two Adirondack chairs on a private beach just outside my door.
Luxurious, Peaceful Resort
Little Palm Island was destroyed by Hurricane Irma and closed for 2½ years while the property was reimagined and rebuilt. Its reopening was scheduled for March 1, 2020 – right before you-know-what. The 5.5-acre island was operating normally when I visited in early December. Definitely one of the most exclusive and luxurious resorts I’ve ever stayed in.
Stunning Views
This is just one of the stunning views on Little Palm Island. It almost feels like a deserted island, except you’re surrounded by luxury and receive excellent service. Rates at Little Palm Island start at $2,490 per night, including welcome cocktail, landside valet parking and boat transfers, non-alcoholic minibar beverages, fitness center, non-motorized watersports, nightly turndown and gratuities.
New Life for An Old Bridge
After a great night’s sleep at Little Palm Island, I drove north, stopping in Marathon to tour Faro Blanco Resort & Yacht Club, with its iconic lighthouse. From there, I took the boat ferry to Pigeon Key, a National Historic Landmark used in the early 1900s as a work-camp for the men who built the Key West Extension of the Florida East Coast Railway.
Pigeon Key is nestled below the Old Seven Mile Bridge, which is scheduled to reopen in January after an approximately $78 million renovation that began in 2017. The 2.2-mile “linear park” will be closed to vehicular traffic and is expected to be used for cycling, walking, running, fishing and more. For details, click here.
The newer Seven Mile Bridge (actually 6.79 miles long) stretching beside the historic span is to celebrate its 40th birthday in May 2022 as one of the world’s longest segmental bridges.
Expansive Resort and Marina
From Marathon, I drove again on Highway 1 north to Duck Key for a stay at Hawks Cay Resort, a 60-acre property that is an AAA Four Diamond Award-rated resort. It has 177 hotel guest rooms and 250 two- and three-bedroom townhome-style villas and six dining outlets.
Hawks Cay completed a $50 million dollar renovation in 2018 after hurricane damage in 2017. The renovation revitalized the entire property. The lobby features contemporary furniture, a light color palette and island-inspired design elements.
Watersports and Relaxation Abound
Hawks Cay has a full-service marina, six restaurants, a saltwater lagoon, five swimming pools, kid and teen clubs, and a spa. Situated roughly halfway between Key Largo and Key West, the resort offers offshore, flats and backcountry fishing; diving; kayaking; kiteboarding and stand-up paddleboarding programs; tennis; and the Dolphin Connection program with complimentary daily viewings.
Breakfast on the Water
The next day I made a short drive up to Islamorada to indulge in a great breakfast on the water at Hungry Tarpon Restaurant and Bar, an eatery that is part of Robbie’s Marina. This place is a local favorite and besides eating, you can book fishing trips and more.
Luxury All-Inclusive
After breakfast, I drove north to tour Bungalows Key Largo, a luxury adults-only, all-inclusive resort. The 12-acre, 135-unit resort features a spa, two pools, three restaurants, a fitness Tiki hut, 1,000 feet of shoreline, three piers to accommodate 40-foot-long boats, and 800-square-foot bungalows. Rates start at $1,000 per night and include golf cart pickup and drop-off, lodging, food and premium beverages, resort amenities, water toys, and activities such as morning yoga, cooking and mixology classes, and sunset happy hours.
Farewell for Now, Key West
And that concludes my photographic memories of a week in the Florida Keys. For more information or to plan your own vacation in Key West or the island chain, click here.