Last weekend we went to Key West for our dear friends Joe & Kait’s wedding. It was SO stunning and I am so sad it’s already over.
It was also both mine and Brennan’s first time in Key West and we couldn’t wait to explore a new area! We’d only heard amazing things about it leading up to the trip, and we were excited to get back to the heat after months in Minnesota.
If you were following our stories then you knew Hurricane Eta did her best to come in and rain on our parade (lol couldn’t resist) but we still ended up having an incredible trip regardless of the unexpected downpour and wind! Proof is in this TikTok.
Even in the rain the weather was so great! Mid 80s, and the humidity was totally doable.
WHERE WE STAYED
We stayed at The Perry on Stock Island which is just outside the actual Key West Island. The hotel itself was so stunning! We had the most incredible room on the first floor with pool access which I’d highly recommend; it was so great being able to not only see the pool from our room but also have a space to hangout on the patio and get to and from the pool with ease.
Though the grounds were stunning, but I’d recommend staying in actual Key West for a few reasons:
The main struggle with The Perry on this trip was the lack of food opportunities with COVID; they have a hotel bar/restaurant for breakfast, but they have a hard stop for coffee at 11:30; truly could not get them to make me any coffee in any form after this cutoff time.
Stock Island itself is pretty bare as far as coffee shops and restaurants go, so your options are limited for an afternoon coffee (which you all know I live for). The Salty Oyster is another bar/restaurant on the hotel grounds, but again their hours are strict and menus are limited all over the hotel.
To get an authentic taste of Key West you need to go into town, which is about a 20-25 minute drive on the shuttle from The Perry.
My interpretation of Key West was that being around Duval Street was the main attraction; the farther you are, the less there is to do. I’d recommend staying as close as possible to the main part of town to really get a lot out of Key West.
TRANSPORTATION
We flew from Minnesota > Atlanta > Key West. It was absolutely perfect flying directly onto Key West to avoid the 3.5 hour drive from the Miami airport. I’d absolutely recommend getting a car though if you have hopes of exploring. You can get around by scooter or golf cart, but an actual car is something I wish we had the entire weekend. Especially with the rain!
When we realized the hurricane was going to be hitting us on Sunday night/Monday, we decided it would be best to change our flight to leave from Miami a day after the storm was set to hit. Luckily we were able to get a taxi from The Perry to the Miami airport for around $500 to split with a few other friends. Our driver was great and stopped at various spots for us along the way. The ride was long (3.5 hours) but was SO scenic, even in the rain.
WHAT TO DO
From what I gathered during our short trip to Key West, Duval Street is the main attraction. The vibe I got was similar to New Orleans’ infamous Bourbon St. I’ve never been there, but the streets are full of people, bars, live music, and historic architecture. To be totally honest it wasn’t quite my vibe, but I also can’t bar hop anymore lol (hangovers are tooooo real and not worth it for me) so unless you’re going for a bachelorette party or you just love a good bar hopping situation, I’d recommend other spots in Florida.
Rent a boat! Key West is definitely a great spot if you have access to a boat / can be out on the water. It’s more surrounded by marinas than beautiful beaches.
Hemingway’s House – I’m SO SAD I didn’t know about this ahead of time because we ultimately didn’t have time to stop by, but Ernest Hemingway’s house is now a museum close to Duval Street. I’d absolutely recommend this if you are into literature! I was enamored by the thought of seeing Hemingway’s Key West abode.
Rent vespas / golf carts – there are a few different motorized vehicles you can rent to get around the Keys, but regardless of what you choose, be careful! Our Uber driver cautioned us against renting scooters because he said so many tourists get severely injured. Ride responsibly / sober 🙂
Butterfly Museum – was told that Hemingway House often times offers coupons for this
WHERE TO EAT
We didn’t get out much because of the rain and wedding festivities happening around the hotel, but a few spots that were recommended to us:
- Blue Heaven – Brunch
- Banana Cafe – Breakfast
- A & B Lobster
- El Siboney – Cuban
- El Mocho Restaurant – Cuban – cafe con leche was highly recommended
- New York Pasta
- Croissants de France (this is where I grabbed coffee on Stock Island – they had SO many croissant options!)
- Bagatelle – we walked by this and the vibes were dreamy
- Eaton Street – lobster rolls are 10/10
- Kermit’s Key Lime Pie Bars covered in Dark Chocolate – apparently this brand is the best! Sadly we didn’t get to experience it but it was highly recommended
- Amiga’s Tortilla bar – this is the one restaurant we tried in town and it was perfect! We got outside seating and there was live music across the street; food was good, margs were mediocre
- Fun fact: you can walk around with alcohol around Key West so lots of restaurants offer to-go souvenir cups
COVID VIBE
Basically nonexistent, especially around Duval street. We wore our masks everywhere bc duh, but the residents / tourists of Key West DGAF about COVID. Bars were packed, masks were far and few between, and it felt like we were transported to pre-covid days. TBH this is still kind of a turnoff to me, as much as I miss pre-covid life, the reality is that we’re not fully in the clear. Also saying this as someone who is currently living with family members that could potentially be at-risk, so we’re a little more sensitive / cognizant of where we go and what the mask situation is like. Travel at your own risk 🙂
