My Vacation in Key West

As a writer, one of the most important things for me in Key West was to visit the Hemmingway House. On my second visit to Key West, I was able to do so, and I highly recommend it to anyone going there, as it is a truly wonderful place- particularly if you are a cat lover, as I am. The Hemmingway kitties are lovely and fun, and the house itself is a historical landmark and something to be experienced.

I spent a good bit of time after the tour (which was a wonderful and fun time- highly entertaining! do tip your tour guide, though) simply wandering around outside, looking at the flora and petting various kitties as I enjoyed the warm Florida sun and the cool breeze. Key West is hot in the summer (we visited in July), but the ever-present sea breeze makes all but the midday sun quite bearable, and in the shade at times it can be almost cool. The lovely glass chandeliers, while impractical, were beautiful to see, and the photographs and incredible first editions in the library were amazing. Also of note is the awesome bed! Hemmingway did love his luxuries.

We ate at a restaurant called "Captain Bob's Seafood" and I highly recommend it. The "catch of the day" was utterly delectable the day we had it (it was grouper) and I can't remember ever having a better dining experience. The waiter was a delight, the food was delicious, and the atmosphere was quiet and relaxing. We splurged and had dessert (you can't skip dessert when you're on vacation!) and decided to go for the key lime pie- how can you not when you're in the Keys? It was amazing, too. And home made! All in all, a restaurant experience worth having- definitely hit it when you visit Key West.

We also ate at a Spanish food restaurant, which I sadly cannot recall the name of- but which was well worth the dinner. I adore Spanish food (chicken and yellow rice!), and this restaurant was worth every bite.

Another Key West tradition that you shouldn't miss out on is a trek down Duval Street. Day or night, there is always something going on down there, and it's well worth the sore feet to wander through the shops and to stop at a random restaurant for a drink (or two). My husband and I have decided that we're going to hunt the island until we find the perfect Mai Tai, and so far it's a quest worth undertaking.

We stayed at La Concha hotel, and went up on the "Quarterdeck" (the rooftop bar) and enjoyed the view and the glorious sunset one evening. Watching the sun set over the water was truly an amazing experience. We never did go to the beach, though we did go fishing a few times, and we enjoyed the hotel pool more than once. Truly, though, walking around Duval Street and enjoying the sun and the atmosphere was more than enough.

We went to the "Southernmost Point of the US," also, and had our picture taken there, as most tourists do. It's really nothing special- but it's a bit of an accomplishment. Perhaps someday we'll find the "northernmost" point, too!

We are definitely hoping to go back. Key West is an amazing place to visit, and we barely scratched the surface. We still want to visit the "Little White House" and go deep-sea fishing, and hey! We never did go to the beach! So there's still that to do.

One visit to Key West will never be enough- plan on going back again and again to enjoy the awesome restaurants, the amazing atmosphere, and a great place to relax and recharge your batteries.