Jaunt along the Keys
Down the Florida isles from Miami to Key West
Key West may be famous for its sunsets, but in a three-night trip, it would be easy to miss them all — there are simply far too many other things to do.
Our trip to the Florida Keys started off in Miami. We picked up our convertible at the airport and drove to Miami Beach.
South Beach is home to the rich and beautiful. Luckily, they let the rest of the world in to admire their toned bodies and stay in the fabulous boutique hotels. We stayed in The Townhouse, a reasonably priced stylish hotel where everything is bleached white (
www.townhousehotel.com).
It’s easy to get around by foot and admire the art deco hotels where Frank Sinatra and the Rat Pack used to hang out. Check out the Delano (www.delano-hotel.com), the Marlin (www.marlinhotel.com) or the newly opened Gansevoort South, which has 334 spacious rooms, a spa, boutiques, restaurants, a VIP lounge hidden behind a 50-foot long shark tank in the lobby and the largest rooftop and rooftop pool in the country (www.gansevoortsouth.com).
Even if you can’t afford to stay there, pop into one of the beachside bars and enjoy the view.
Jerry’s Famous Deli (www.jerrysfamousdeli.com) is a great place for a quick snack, while Grill Fish (www.grillfish.com, both on Collins Avenue), offers amazing seafood dishes.
A couple of nights on the town in Miami and you’ll be ready for a more peaceful environment. Driving down into the Keys is a breathtaking experience. The thin highway is at times suspended above the sea, with the ocean and beautiful mangrove swamp on either side.
If you take the less-traveled route along Card Sound Road, you can stop off at biker bar Alabama Jack’s to snack on conch fritters while admiring the Harley-Davidsons of the leather-clad locals (www.alabamajacks.com).
The old town of Key West has some beautiful wooden houses, with lots of little coffee shops and stores to wander around. One of the most fun is Peppers of Key West, a shop dedicated to chilli sauces that range from hot to “insanely hot,” on Green Street (www.peppersofkeywest.com).
If you’re stopping off here, stay at Cypress House, an elegant but relaxed historic inn with some great touches, including a delicious, copious breakfast and a complimentary cocktail and beer hour each night (www.cypresshousekw.com).
In the evening, most people head down to Duval Street, where the bars have bands playing for free. Just listen out for music you like, from country and western in The Hog’s Breath (www.hogsbreath.com) to human jukebox Matt Avery, who claims he can play any song you request at Big ‘Uns (www.bigunskeywest.com).
If you’re looking for a piece of paradise, there’s only one place to go. Little Palm Island Resort is a magical five-star spa hotel on its own private island. Tucked offshore of Little Torch Key, it’s the perfect haven for romance and relaxation.
Unless you get there by seaplane, you’ll hop on a motor yacht from Little Torch Key to get to the island. All 30 suites are rustic but stunning, with four-poster beds and copper roll top baths.
Divers will want to explore the wreck of the Adolphus Busch, a ship purposefully sunk in 1998 to create an artificial reef. Take a dive at Looe Key Reef, a marine sanctuary where sharks, barracuda and stingrays dart through the lovely coral.
The restaurant has one of the best chefs in Florida who cooks up dishes, including scallops with baby ribs, grouper ceviche and a fantastic island burger. Ask the host to set up your table on the beach, and you can finally get to watch one of those pink sunsets (www.littlepalmisland.com).
For more information, go to www.fla-keys.com.