Key West: Spring Break
You may think of Orlando when considering where to travel in Florida for Spring Break, but you should. Key West may be one of the most unique places I have visited in the US. You are closer to Cuba than a Target or Walmart, you have roosters just roaming the streets, the bars and live music are incredible, and who would want to be able to walk around town with a cocktail? Yes, this island is known for its nightlife and party scene, but there are plenty of kid-friendly things to do.
This year we were supposed to take our camper to Kentucky, but it was getting repairs done, and the weather didn't look great, so as a last-minute change, we booked a trip to the Keys. We flew straight into Key West; the airport is a bit messy since it's under construction for expansion, but nothing crazy. We stayed at Oceanside Resort & Marina and rented a golf cart to drive back and forth into town, but they do offer a complimentary shuttle service. You can also access bikes, paddle boards, and kayaks to cruise on a bicycle around the marina or into town. The restaurant on the property was delicious; since we were there over Easter, we attended their easter brunch, bottomless mimosas & all you can eat! The property has six pools that outline the marina; they are smaller pools but were laid out perfectly. Life-size chess, checkers, and ping pong kept the kids entertained while we relaxed by the pool and watched the fighter jets fly over. I knew the Naval base was close, but watching these jets fly over was an incredible experience; they had a large air show the following weekend, so they were out more than usual.
We wanted to explore downtown Key West as much as possible on this trip. The last time we were here, we spent most of our time on the water exploring the little island and the dry Tortugas. I want to return to the Dry Tortugas but must wait for another trip.
Duval Street is only a mile long but filled with things to do in Key West with kids. While Key Lime is not Jeff or Easton's thing, Maci and I ate everything Key Lime In Kermits. We even shipped some goodies home! The live music on Duval Street is also fantastic and gets better throughout the day. Kids can enter Key West bars but have to leave by 10 pm when the kitchen closes. Visiting the southernmost point is a staple but also a wait! The line was crazy every time we drove past it, so this was a last-minute late-at-night photo to say we did it! I don't get the whole hype of it, but we did it.
The kids liked the Butterfly House, filled with 50 to 60 different butterfly species, exotic plants, birds, and two flamingos. If you're lucky, you will get some of them to land on you! It's a short experience, maybe 30 minutes, but fantastic to see. Visiting Mallory Square, recommended to us by our Uber Driver (always listen to your Uber driver!) It's very crowded at night so we enjoyed it during the day. The cruise ship was there when we walked through, and there weren't too many people, so it was fine. We visited Fort Zachary Taylor Historic State Park to spend time at the beach. We arrived after lunch, so it was packed, and the seaweed was pretty bad! Locals recommend you get there early in the morning to get your spot! There is plenty to do, though. Instead of sitting on the beach, there are hiking and biking trails, or you can explore the historic fort.
Jeff really wanted to rent Jet Ski while we were down there this time, and thankfully we could do that right at the resort. It was supposed to take us 26 miles around Key West, but sadly a storm was coming in and the ocean was a bit rough. We stayed pretty close to shore but it was still fun! This is where I learned I was closer to Cuba than I was to Target. We got to see Fat albert, one of the eight remaining tethered aerostat radar systems that still hover over the us!
All in all we had an amazing trip and are hoping to go back soon!