Ana Weaver
Are you finally looking for a break from your 9 to 5 life? Do you want some time away from your fast-paced world to relax and unwind? If your answer is yes, then we’ve got the right place for you to visit, Key West, Florida. Famous for its romantic wedding venues, sandy beaches, great restaurants, plenty of historical attractions, and spectacular views, Key West is one place you will enjoy visiting.
It is located 90 miles north of Cuba and this largely influences the drinks and foods found in Key West. The Cuban influence is quite apparent from coffee, mojitos, roasted pork to sandwiches. There are plenty of activities and sights to visit while in Key West. Here’s a list of five things to do while in Key West.
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Lounge on the Beach
There’s no way you can visit Key West, Florida, and leave without lounging on the beach. And there’s nothing as beautiful as some of the beaches present in Key West. Some beaches you can visit include:
Smathers Beach: This is one of the most popular beaches in Key West, located near the airport. With Key West being an Island, it’s expected that its beaches, including the Smathers beach, will have a stretch of white sand. The best part about spending time on this beach is that you can rent umbrellas, beach chairs, paddleboards, and kayaks from vendors on the beach. Also one of the biggest reasons why people like to visit this amazing location is fishing. Check out Captain Experiences for more info on Key West fish species and listings for dozens of fishing charters.
By renting the items you need at the beach, you get to have fun relaxing and unwinding without worrying about losing your belongings. After all, is that not the point of being on vacation?
Rest Beach and Higgs Beach: These two beaches are just a walking distance. It’s also a walking distance to Edward B. Knight Pier, an excellent place to watch the sunset and sunrise.
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Eat Your Way through Key West
Nothing quite makes a holiday trip complete than food. And there’s no way you can leave Key West island without experiencing its unique, mouth watering delicacies. From key lime, Cuban food, fritters, coffee, conch.. your choices are endless. You can also try out fresh seafood from kwseafood.com if you want the added adventure of trying out something you have never tasted.
Apart from street food, Key West has several incredible restaurants where you can pop in and have a taste of the area’s unique cuisine. Some famous restaurants you can visit include:
Blue Heaven: This restaurant is known for its incredible breakfast and brunch options. And, as the name suggests, you also get the choice of dining outdoors. However, be prepared to wait for at least an hour to get a table if you arrive late.
Cuban Coffee Queen: If you are looking for the best place to experience Cuban cuisine at its best, why not try Cuban Coffee Queen. This small restaurant is located near the Island’s Historic seaport, and it serves the best coffee and Cuban cuisine Key West has to offer.
Apart from visiting famous restaurants, you can check out sites like fishallinkeywest.com for more cuisine options.
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Kayak through the Mangrove Swamps
If you love kayaking, then this activity will undoubtedly interest you. At $50 per person, you get the opportunity to paddle and kayak boarding boats through mangrove trees’ tunnels. As you kayak through the mangrove swamps, you can look for aquatic birds, sea stars, nurse sharks, and tropical fish. And if you are curious, mosquitos aren’t an issue in these swamps.
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Visit the Nature and Butterfly Conservatory
For nature lovers, Key West has got you covered. You can visit the nature and butterfly conservatory. This conservatory is filled with at least 50 species of butterflies that are incredible to look at. There are also 3,500 plants present in the conservatory and 20 exotic birds. Apart from being home to some of the rarest creatures in the world, the environment at the Butterfly conservatory is quite serene.
This makes it an ideal place to get away from the crowd. Also, if you are traveling with your children, the short film on butterfly metamorphosis can help provide an educational experience for your kids.
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Visit the Key West Lighthouse
A trip to Key West wouldn’t be the same if you didn’t head down to the Key West lighthouse. Climbing those 88 steps to the top of the lighthouse is something you won’t regret, primarily because of the view you get. You also get to see Key West from a different perspective while up there.
What’s not to love about Key West? And, the best part about this Island is that it has got something for everyone to do. If you love nature, there’s something for you to see. If you love water, you can kayak or go for boat rides. Whatever relaxing activity you desire to do while on vacation, you’ll find it at Key West, Florida.
Things to know before leaving for Key West, Florida
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Accommodation and cuisine can be expensive
If you are travelling to Key West then ensure that you can actually afford the budget because accommodation and cuisine can be quite expensive. Since Florida is one of the famous tourist destinations around the globe you might have to pay a little extra for all the amenities.
But the accommodation services is top-notch quality and well-maintained. Also, you will find a variety of cuisine, even the local cuisine looks delicious and tastes heavenly. These services are completely worth paying for, and you will experience a luxurious vacation on your trip to Florida.
To manage your budget you can plan your vacation in advance. You can book hotels online and book them comparatively at a lower price. You can visit during the shoulder season to save your expenses on amenities.
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Travel during shoulder season if low on budget
Florida during the busiest season i.e. from November to March can be extremely expensive but also the best time to travel. If you don’t want to face bad weather including hurricanes and storms i.e., from August to October, avoid your trip during these months if you don’t want to be stuck in your hotel rooms.
People who are a little low on budget can visit during the shoulder season, the weather is also good with decent temperatures and the crowd is comparatively less. The shoulder season is usually between April to June. These two months is your best time to visit Florida on a reasonable budget.
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Don’t feed the chickens, it’s illegal
While your vacation in Key West, don’t forget that feeding wild chickens or roosters is illegal, and you will have to pay a fine of $250-$500. You click pictures with them, play around for a while but don’t feed them anything.
Key West is not only known for its heavenly island but also popular for free-range chicken that you will find scattered around the beaches. Try not to hurt them or feed them if you don’t want to get into trouble with the local people or authorities.
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Road trip to Key West will be your lifetime memory
The best thing to do in Key West is to plan a road trip through the Overseas Highway. It is a 113-mile highway that connects Key West to Florida. There is no comparison to a long drive with your family and friends over the sea. The view is simply breathtaking and no doubt it is amongst the best drive you have ever experienced anywhere before.
The Bottom-line
Planning your vacation to this subtropical paradise is the best place to spend your holiday season. These are a few things you must do while your stay in Key West.
There are a lot of places to tour in Key West so ensure that you have enough time to travel to all the famous places. Plan your tour in advance so you can enjoy everything and create lifetime memories with your loved ones.