Veracious Adventures

Originally, we planned to go to Boston, MA for our family vacation during the 4th of July week. Hotel booked, a year worth of research on what to see and where to go, we couldn’t help but feel a bit of dread as the time inched closer and closer. We didn’t see the trip going smoothly with our three year old. Boston seemed like it would be more enjoyable when she was a tad bit older. So, a month out, we cancelled our trip.

Key West has been on our bucket list for a couple of years now. Maybe it’s because of its Jimmy Buffet vibes and what we assumed was crystal clear waters. I’ve heard and read a bunch of mixed things about the Key’s…worth going, not worth going, destination more for couples, destination good for families. All we really knew that it wasn’t going to be our typical Florida experience!

Fun Fact: “North America’s only living coral barrier reef lies approximately six miles seaward of the Florida Keys in water that are typically fifteen to thirty feet deep. The reef tract starts near Miami and extends southwest to the Dry Tortugas, about sixty-seven miles west of Key West. Some considered the reef to be the third longest coral barrier reef in the world.”

http://reefrelieffounders.com/florida-keys-reefs.html

Do’s & Don’ts

• DO: Best Western Hibiscus Motel was one of the cheaper places to stay on the island of Key West. We surprisingly loved the hotel. It may not have had ocean views, but it was within walking distance to everything. Furthermore, our room was spacious and clean, the beds were comfortable, and the walls weren’t thin. We loved the pool area and the fact that the staff was so friendly. They also offered FREE breakfast which was actually pretty good.
• DON’T: Key West has three public beaches, Higgs, Smathers, and Fort Zachary Taylor. If you have read any of the reviews on Google or Trip Adviser, you’ve probably read that they are not very pleasant (Fort Zachary being the exception). We went to Higgs Beach first, hoping for the best. If you could have seen my husbands disgusted face—it was pretty comical. Between the sewage like smell, the storm drain to the right of the pier and the brownish tint to the water, it was just gross. We tried to make the most of it, really, we did, but we lasted ten minutes and then went back to our hotel to shower.
• DO: After Higgs Beach, I decided to ask a local on which was the preferred beach. He stated that Fort Zachary Taylor State Park was the only one worth our time. We first stopped at the historic, Civil War era fort which was completed in 1866. There is a free 50 minute walking tour that is given if interested. The kids really liked the large collection of canons and being able to climb to the top of the fort. The beach is a short walk away. There are a lot of pine trees that offer plenty of shade. The water and scenery was really pretty–perfect place for snorkeling. There is a concession area that rents out beach chairs and umbrellas ($30), snorkel gear (just buy your own prior and save yourself money), and food/drinks (we bought 4 hot dogs for $20). The fee to get in (we walked in) was about $10 for the four of us.
• Don’t: You’ve probably seen the pictures of tourists standing next to the Southernmost Buoy. Either go bright and early in the morning or take a snap as you’re walking by. There was always a long line of people who were also wanting their pictures next to it.
• DO: The Keys may not be known for their beaches, but they are known for getting out onto the water in some shape or form. Whether this be by boat, kayaking, paddle boarding, jet ski, etc. We decided to take a dolphin tour which also offered snorkeling too. We chose to do ours through Sunset Water Sport. It was a bit cheaper than some of the other companies. It was three hours long which was perfect for us because we weren’t sure how our kids would do on their first boat ride. Apparently, an all female crew is pretty rare, and our female Captain Cara and her fearless First Mate, Stephanie, did such a great job in making sure we were safe and having fun! We didn’t see a crazy amount of dolphins, probably about five in total, but my kids loved it—heck we loved it! They provided snorkeling gear for both kids and adults. We saw lots of fish and lobsters, someone said they saw a baby shark. You don’t have to be a great swimmer to do it. If you’re taller than 5 ft, DON’T stand up in the water or you’ll crush the coral. You don’t want to be a coral killer. My 10 year old loved snorkeling and I was even able to take my three year old out into the water to swim for a bit. Oh–free beer and beverages!! There is also a bathroom on the boat. Don’t forget to bring cash for a tip!
• Don’t: I don’t know about you, but Key West gets me thinking about treasure! I may have gotten my treasure museums switched and went to the wrong one. Oops! We went to Key West Shipwreck Treasure instead of Mel Fisher Maritime Museum. It cost us about $40 for a 15 minute walk through. Eeks. They had a few interesting things, the staff was friendly, and you can climb the stairs to the lookout and get a great city view. However, it really was more of a tourist trap. If your wanting an extensive collection to look at, do the Mel Fisher Maritime Museum.
• Do: Okay, so it may be pretty “touristy”, but we really liked the Mallory Square Sunset Celebration. Every night, everyone goes to Mallory Square to watch the sunset. They have vendors and performers, it really makes for a fun time for all ages!

Lesson’s Learned

• Although I was well aware of this going in, I didn’t fully grasp this fact until I got there….The Florida Keys are NOT know for their beaches. Who would of thought?
• Key West is rather expensive, especially the food.
• You will need water shoes due to the coral when you go to the beaches.
• There are a lot of roosters and chickens on the island. I’m not entirely sure why. If your child has ever seen Moana, there are Hay-Hay’s everywhere!
• It is legal open container.
• Duval Street is a party atmosphere at night time. Think Island Bourbon street (we also went during 4th of July, which may have added to the craziness). My ten year old learned a few new thing and walked away with a lot of questions…”What’s a strip club?” “What’s that thing?” (Adult store with a sex toy in the window) “Why is that lady sitting on the ground like that?” (She was clearly too drunk to walk as her friends were trying to drag her back on her feet). There are a lot of shops and such in this area, but if you have kids, maybe just go during the day time.
• Cruise ships stop here. When they stop here, the area becomes a bit more crowded than normal. It is a small island after all and those cruise ships pack quite a lot of people.
• The island smells like sewage in general. We thought it was worse in the morning.
• You may have driven to get Key West, but I’d just park your car the remainder of the time. Small island=little parking. There are plenty of places that rent out bikes (even ones equipped with a child carrier), mopeds, and golf carts. We walked everywhere and were fine, but to each their own.
• We didn’t have much luck with restaurants. We had two favorites, TWO! We absolutely loved Bad Boy Burrito. It was decently priced, the food was fresh, and the customer service great. It isn’t a indoor restaurant. They have tables outside, next to a low key bar (which is great if you want a drink). They also have a Foosball table which my kids played with while waiting on their food. The second place we also really liked, Onlywood Pizza. They were also decently priced, offered amazing Neapolitan Pizza, bruschettas, and pretty good Sangria’s. They also offered other Italian dishes, but who doesn’t love a good pizza?
• If you go to the harbor area, you can feed tarpons at certain times. We had never seen tarpons before, but they’re huge and it was quite fascinating. If you’re lucky like we were, you may also see some manatees!
• Eating Conch is a thing here, as is Key Lime…bon appetite.
• If you have kids, there is a splash pad park outside Fort Zachary Taylor State Park. It’s really nice and the kids loved it!

Overall, it was a good vacation and we made some great memories. However, we weren’t impressed. If you’re thinking about going, i’d leave the little ones at home. Key West is definitely geared towards singles and couples rather than families. I’d also just stay for a day or two and go elsewhere, like Miami.

I would love to hear your thoughts if you’ve been to Key West!