Key West Adventures

For the most part, my blog posts have been mostly about tips on how to balance out a particular part of life. However, every now and then, I get a little selfish, and that's exactly what I did this week.


This week was spring break for my university, and since it's my last one, some of my sorority sisters and I decided to go to Key West. Now, I have lived in Florida for about 8 years now, but I have never made it out to the Keys. Let me just say, it's like living in an entirely different world down there! I had an amazing time with some of my best friends and it was honestly an adventure I'll never forget. So, I know it's a little out of the ordinary for my blog, but if you're ever in Key West, here are some things you MUST do!


1. Get a drink at Fat Tuesday's. Now, I made a visit to New Orleans for Mardi Gras a couple weeks ago, but the Fat Tuesday's there is surprisingly not as fun as the one in Key West. In my opinion, Fat Tuesday's is the best place on Duval to go for a GREAT tasting drink that does the trick, and if it's around this time of the year, it's likely to be the hottest spot on the street. My personal favorite: 190 Octane, but feel free to try whatever sounds good to you. :)

Fat Tuesday's Drink and Ray Bans, what more do you need?

2. Go to Mallory Square for the Sunset Celebration. Key West is one of the most beautiful places to watch the sun dip down into the water, and Mallory Square makes it a blast. They have fun street performance shows as well as street art you can buy. The crowd is usually a big one, and the sunset never disappoints. In fact, the day we went it was actually cloudy, but the sun still managed to peak out for a little while and the celebration made it just as great as I expected. My personal favorite: check out the guy who looks like Captain Jack Sparrow, you'll see him stumbling around talking to himself, so funny!


3. Visit the Southern Most Point. One of the most unique things about being in Key West is knowing that you can't go any further south in the USA. When you're down there, pull up your iPhone maps app and you'll feel surreal. Looking around and realizing you're completely surrounded by water and only a mere 90 miles from Cuba gives the key an out-of-this-world feeling. It's a must to document it with the Southern Most Point statue. My personal favorite: Check out the house right next door to the marker, it's the southern most house in the USA! 

4. Venture up to the top of the La Concha hotel on Duval. You can go inside through the Starbucks below and take the elevator to the top floor. There's a full service bar up there, as well as an incredible view of the entire island. Truly a breathtaking sight, and it's free! :) My personal favorite: check out the view of the cruise ships, it's a majestic sight.

5. Eat at The Conch Republic. This is a great restaurant that boasts some of Key West's finest sea food. Now, I don't actually like sea food, but their chicken was great! Honestly, the best part is their amazing mojitos - definitely worth a try! My personal favorite: Happy hour is from 4-7 at the bar! :)


6. Visit Dante's. Dante's is an outdoor bar a few blocks from Duval that has a pool right in the middle of it. The best part? You can lounge by the pool or even be in it and have your drinks delivered. It's a great hot spot and so much fun. My personal favorite: If you get there early enough or catch it at the right time, you can call dips on the floating beer pong table in the pool. :P

7. Check out Smather's Beach. This is the only little stretch of beach on the key that isn't private, and it's a lot of fun. If you go around Spring Break time, don't be surprised to find it swamped with drunken college kids. However, get there early enough and you can enjoy some peaceful hours, and from what my cab driver told me, it's usually not as crazy and is the number one beach to go to on the key. My personal favorite: Smather's Beach food stands - you can get two hot dogs or two tacos, fries, and a drink for 5 bucks! Hey, not bad for beach food in the Keys ;)


8. Hit up the mile 0 marker. It's crazy to think that you're at mile 0 in a state, let alone mile 0 in the entire US. You can find this marker not too far from Duval. It's a must see and a great photo opp. My personal favorite: walk there, because there is no close parking! :)

9. Make a trip to Hogs Breath. This little bar is located right off of Duval, and they are a fun spot to check out. When we were there, there was live music and the bar was full of fun people. My personal favorite: You have to try the key lime shooters! It's like key lime pie in a shot glass with a kick ;)


10. Drink some fresh coconut water. This is a pretty standard treat for an island, but it's something you have to try. They pull our a coconut and drill a hole in it for a straw. It's a different taste, but a fun experience! My personal favorite: Check out the guys who sell it out of their truck near the Southern Most Point, so nice and tasty!

11. Go to Rick's between 8 and 11 at night. They run a drink special there that for $10 cover, you get a cup and have free drinks until 11. The best part is that there are multiple bars within Rick's, so you don't have to stick with the same drink the entire time. My personal favorite: Check out the frozen daiquiri bar on the second floor - yummy stuff!


12. And finally, if you dare, go to the Garden of Eden. This rooftop bar is clothing optional, which means you're bound to see some interesting sights. I would suggest going at a busy time, like during Spring Break or a popular part of the summer. Sometimes it's only a few people naked, maybe just a couple who are topless, but you might end up there on a night where the roof is packed. At any rate, it's a fun time and something you don't see every day. My personal favorite: Check out the guy who does body painting in the corner of the bar. If you want to get a little naked but don't want it to show, he's great at illusions!






There you have it. If you're ever in Key West, these are the top things I think should be on your must do list. Overall, I've learned one thing about Key West: You can never leave as the same person you were when you arrived! :)