A Day Trip to the Florida Keys
In addition to our quick visit to the Everglades, we also wanted to check out the Keys. The Florida Keys are a string of islands in the southernmost part of Florida stretching between the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean. The total distance from end to end is almost exactly 120 miles - which means, if you are adventurous enough, you can complete a quick tour in a day! And that’s exactly what we did. Because we had never visited the Keys (or at least Mom and I hadn’t), we simply wanted a snapshot of them. So we researched and planned out the day in advance to make the most of our day trip.
Because of the price of hotels, we opted to stay about 45 minutes outside the Keys… but I wanted to make sure we could see the Keys at sunrise, so I made my mom and Sam get up early enough so that by the time the sun was rising, we would be on the Keys. Getting up early was certainly worth it!
We got up so early, some of the places on our itinerary weren’t opened yet, which was fine with us because you leave on the same road you drive in on, so we knew we could hit up those spots on the way back! It also allowed us the luxury of taking our time throughout the day.
Our first stop was Robbie’s of Islamorada. This place is most famous for allowing guests to hand-feed massive tarpon. We’d read some mixed reviews on this place but figured we’d give it a shot. It’s right off the road so it wasn’t too far out of our way. Admission is $2.25/person to get on the dock and then $4 for a small bucket of fish to feed the tarpon (5-8 fish/bucket.) Despite the mixed reviews, it was well worth the stop and the money! We’d seen pictures and videos of people feeding these massive creatures and still couldn’t get over how huge they were once we saw them in person. Sam loves fishing so I think he just wanted to bait a hook and catch one!
Meanwhile, mom just had fun with the pelicans!
At certain times of the day there are also manatees you can spot (especially in the winter months.) Sadly, we missed out on those because they’re normally spotted in the afternoon.
Then we headed on to our next destination, The Seven Mile Bridge. On the way, we spotted a beautiful boardwalk that paralleled the road and decided to stop. It was stunning with beautiful overhangs that had picnic tables for those wanting to stop and enjoy a picnic lunch or just sit for a while and take in the sights and calm of the water.
Continuing on, we passed over the Seven Mile Bridge which connects the Middle Keys to the Lower Keys. We had heard that seeing the old Bahia Honda Rail Bridge was a must, so we pulled off at Bahia Honda State Park to get a good look and walk a bit of the old bridge. There’s an $8 entrance fee per vehicle but, I promise, it is well worth it as the views from the top of the bridge are beautiful. The park also has a nice beach and picnic tables for those who want to swim, relax, and have lunch. The water was far too cold for us! But if you are going to the Keys, we’d say this is a must stop!
From there we continued our leisurely drive until finally reaching Key West. We ended up getting there around lunchtime and so we stopped for a bite to eat at Schooner Warf Bar. Thought we hadn’t planned to eat there originally, it was in the perfect location since it was just a few minutes walk from Kermit’s Original Key West Lime Shoppe. After lunch, we headed to get some Key Lime pie. Now, like I said in our last blog, I’m not a fan of key lime pie. But I wanted to make the stop for my mom because I’d heard this place has the best key lime pie in the U.S.A.
They offered slices of key lime pie, strawberry key lime pie, and then… slices of key lime and strawberry key lime pie DIPPED IN CHOCOLATE. Again, I’m not a key lime pie fan… so as much as I love chocolate, I opted out of this sweet treat. So Mom ordered a slice of original key lime pie dipped in chocolate and Sam ordered a slice of strawberry key lime pie dipped in chocolate. They each offered me a bite… and let me tell you, I was blown away. We actually turned around and went right back in the shop and ordered a slice of key lime pie dipped in chocolate for me. It was phenomenal. If you are ever in Key West, this place is a must stop!
Afterwards, we walked back to our car and drove around Key West to explore a bit more. Some sites we would recommend specifically in Key West include: strolling Duvall Street, check out Mallory Square at sunset as they have sunset celebrations each night accompanied by live music, and Key West Historic Seaport Walk. Also, a helpful tip… because parking can be a bear in Key West… take the Duvall Loop Key West Shuttle. It is a FREE, easy way to explore Key West!
On the way back to our hotel, we made sure to hit up Rain Barrel Village which had been closed when we came through earlier that morning. This unique stop has a few little shops displaying the handiwork of local artisans. And you can’t miss it with their giant “Betsy the Lobster” out front!
Overall, if we could’ve added anything else to our trip… we all said we wish we had time to go snorkeling. (Also, we’d want it to be a bit warmer!) And I would’ve liked more time to explore Key West! But, if you only have a day, this is a great itinerary to see a lot for a little.
