To celebrate my stepson’s 18th birthday, we took a weekend trip to Key West. We stayed at Oceans Edge Key West, a resort my husband and I visited when they first opened in 2017. We love this resort! It’s 15-20 minutes from Duval Street, which means it’s close to everything without being in the center of the hustle and bustle. It’s serene with well-appointed rooms, beautiful views, and multiple pools. You also don’t feel like you’re at a big resort. It has more of a homey, southern vibe and is smaller than many of the resorts we’ve visited in other places.
Now, let’s talk itinerary! I managed to pack lots of fun into 48 hours by researching and planning out our schedule ahead of time. Happy to spill the details to make your next Key West trip easier! Our tours were through Fury Water Sports, which we’ve used for other excursions years ago. All restaurants were chosen based on Google and Yelp reviews.
We rented a Jeep Wagoneer from Enterprise to make our 6 1/2 hour drive from Orlando to Key West more comfortable. These trucks are huge and, surprisingly, good on gas. Nothing like my Jeep Wrangler on the gas front! We headed out around 8:00 AM and stopped at Starbucks for breakfast before getting on the highway. By the time we made it to Key West, it was time to check in and head to our Rum and Reggae Sunset Sail & Snorkel. The water was too choppy that day, so I did not enjoy snorkeling. The boys sure did!
Fun fact: Key West is part of the third largest barrier reef in the world. The spot where we snorkeled, which wasn’t very deep, was about an hour boat ride out. The highlight, for me, was the dolphins. We were fortunate enough to see a few. Seeing dolphins in their natural habitat never gets old – I literally get excited like a little kid every time! On the ride back to shore, the drinks were flowing and the views were breathtaking. Whether you decide to snorkel or not, this excursion is perfect for a great evening on the water.
Afterwards we went to the hotel for a quick shower and change, then headed to the Thirsty Mermaid for dinner. Loved this place! Intimate setting with great food and exceptional service. We will definitely eat here again the next time we visit Key West.
On our second day in Key West, we had breakfast at Cuban Coffee Queen‘s waterfront location. It’s a shack that came highly recommended with smoothies, coffee, and cheap breakfast. It’s also conveniently located within walking distance of the area where many of the water tours depart. From there, we headed to our jet ski tour. For an hour and a half we sped across the ocean as our tour guide shared landmarks, like the spot where the Marine Special Operations Team harbor during advanced training. Pretty cool!
After our jet ski tour, we went to Dante’s Pool Restaurant & Bar. We weren’t hungry yet, so we just ordered drinks and conch fritters and enjoyed the music. We’d definitely go back here as well. There’s a DJ, the drinks were great, and you can get in the pool. Our next stop was the beach! Smathers Beach seemed to be a social media favorite, so we decided on this one. Immediately, no. Way too much seaweed, creepy crawlers, in the sand. Skip it! We weren’t terribly disappointed, since we can go to the beach anytime back home.
Back to the hotel we went for another shower and change, but not before relaxing with a drink by the pool. We then headed to dinner. We chose Kaya Island Eats and loved our dishes. I had The Legendary Rasta Pasta – chef’s kiss! Everything here was good and affordable. Portions were also large. The restaurant is connected by an arcade/game room to a karaoke bar. We played a few games of pool and enjoyed the guests belting out tunes out next door.
And that was it! The next morning we packed up the truck and began our journey back to Orlando. We discovered Georgie’s Coffee on our way out of the Keys and were glad that we stopped. Breakfast sandwiches and coffee were just what we needed for energy on the road. Side note: I always say coffee but, for me, that means Chai Tea. I’m not a big coffee drinker, though my husband is.
I hope you find this information useful in planning your next trip to Key West! It really is a beautiful, relaxing Florida destination. Have you been to Key West? Let me know in the comments!
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