It had been too long since I had been diving in the ocean (over a year!). My “vitamin sea” levels were dangerously low, and since our Indonesia trip was postponed, I was beginning to think I wouldn’t get the chance to dive at all in 2020. I was big-time kicking myself in the butt for not taking a day during my Costa Rica trip to go diving earlier this year before the world shut down.
I was pretty torn about taking this trip due to Covid as I had heard Florida had not been handling the pandemic as well as other states, and being an ER nurse, I was afraid to take the chance. But I also knew that travel CAN be done safely, and my parents and I (if you’re new here, they are two of my favorite travel buddies!) decided we would rather travel within the US than risk being potentially stuck in another country. Thus, dates were set, flights and hotels were booked, and a few weeks later we were off on a short adventure to the Florida Keys!
DAY 1
On our first day, our flight arrived in the morning and we were booked for afternoon dives in Key Largo with Pirate’s Cove Watersports. We stayed one night at the Hampton Inn, which is one of our preferred, affordable hotels in the area. We have been to Key Largo many times (it’s our favorite!), but this day we just went diving and then got Domino’s for supper, so nothing too exciting. If you’d like to read a bit more about Key Largo, I do have another blog post regarding it that you can check out!
DAY 2
Now, we were actually supposed to go diving the morning of this day. However, the previous day the waves were quite rough (about 4 feet) with high winds. Dad and I both got a bit sea sick, and the conditions were estimated to be worse today. We talked it over and made the difficult decision to cancel our dives. It was hard, especially since that’s mainly what we came down here to do. But we knew from experiencing 6-foot waves in Key Largo in the past that it ultimately wasn’t worth it and we wouldn’t have as much fun.
Our original plan was to go ahead and drive down to Key West after our dives, so we just went earlier than planned. It ended up being a wonderful day and we got to do some sightseeing!
We first went to the USCGC Ingham. If you’re into history, this is a must-do! Entry is only $10 and goes towards veterans and the upkeep of the boat. Fun fact: This is the only boat still afloat to this day that has sunk a U-boat in war! It is also the only Coast Guard Cutter afloat today to receive two
Presidential Unit Citations for extraordinary heroism in action against an armed enemy. It was very interesting getting to walk through the ship and imagine the way the people aboard used to live and read about the history. I also recommend reading about Samantha their pet pig; it’s quite comical! Here is a picture of her! If you’re able, I just saw they are needing donations to dry-dock it this year and do repairs so they can keep it afloat for longer!
After this we checked into our hotel and changed to go to the beach. We stayed at the Fairfield Inn and Suites by Marriott. There are lots of options in Key West so it depends on what you are looking for, but if you’re on a budget, this is an excellent choice. The location and pool are fantastic, though I’ll admit our room was quite small. However, you couldn’t beat it for the price, especially since we knew we would mainly only be there to sleep. If I go back to Key West someday, I would love to stay at the Casa Marina!
We then went to Smather’s Beach. Now, if you’ve never been to the Keys, I’ll go ahead and warn you that it is not known for beaches. The Keys are primarily rock and coral, so there aren’t really any “natural” beaches; they are pretty much all man-made. However, if you’re looking for a good one, Smather’s Beach is the place. They’ve done a great job at making it feel natural! It’s also very easy to get to and has street parking right next to it that you pay for at a meter. It is quite large, has soft sand, and is dotted with swaying palm trees. The water is clear and blue with gentle waves, so it’s a great place for families with young kids! We had almost the whole thing to ourselves in December but I imagine it’s quite busier in the summer.
Afterwards, we headed back to our hotel and walked to supper. I chose The Stoned Crab, because well…I love crab legs! I wish this place had a better view and wasn’t quite so expensive, but I did love the vibe and you can’t go wrong with a strawberry daiquiri and snow crab.
DAY 3
We were up bright and early, because I was on a mission…to check off another National Park!
Like many people, I had never heard of Dry Tortugas until I was doing a bit of research about things to do in the Keys. But if you’re headed there, this is a MUST DO. I absolutely loved it!
I plan to make a guide about visiting, but you should know that you can only visit by ferry, seaplane, or private charter. Though I would’ve loved to have ridden on a seaplane, it was more cost and time efficient to take the ferry since we would be able to spend more time on the island. I booked our tickets here.
The Dry Tortugas are one of the most remote National Park in the US, composed of 7 small islands and covering an area of 100 square miles. We visited the largest island, which is known for Fort Jefferson, the largest brick masonry structure in the Americas.
We had an amazing day here exploring the fort and walking the beach, though it wasn’t super warm that day (only in the low 70’s!) and the water was too rough to snorkel. Next time I go back, I’d love to camp!
After we got back, we walked along the harbor a bit to pick up some souvenirs and ended up at a restaurant called Waterfront Brewery. This place had a fun vibe and played great music the whole time! It was also very affordable. A few more restaurants we walked past were the Conch Republic and Schooner Wharf Bar, which I hope to visit next time! I’m a sucker for restaurants right along the water!
DAY 4
I wasn’t lying when I said this was a short trip; it’s about time to head home! However, before you leave Key West, you gotta drive down to the “Southernmost Point” of the Continental US and have your picture taken. If you have time, explore Duval Street before you have to head to the airport. There are lots of souvenir shops and different bars and restaurants to try. Unfortunately, we didn’t get much time here, so I’m hoping to experience more during my next visit!
I know there is so much more to Key West that we missed, but that just leaves stuff to do when we come back someday! The Keys are one of our favorite places. I am typically one of those people that constantly wants to go somewhere new, but there’s just something about the Keys that draws me back almost every single year. Have you ever been? If so, tell me about what you did! A few things I would like to do next time we come back are…
Visit Loggerhead Key
Eat at Latitude’s on Sunset Key
Go diving in Key West
Go on a sunset and/or dolphin cruise
Visit Bahia Honda State Park
Hand feed the tarpon at Robbie’s
Visit the Key Deer sanctuary
Assist in the release of a rehabilitated sea turtle
Stay tuned for my guide to visiting the Dry Tortugas; you won’t want to miss it! Thanks for reading! And as always, thanks to my awesome parents for always being up for one of my adventures!
