Yearly Archives: 2012

The Importance of Using Sunscreen in Key West

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Key West is a hot and sunny island, most of the time at least. I am usually inside at my computer working, so I don’t spend a lot of time outdoors.

On Memorial Day weekend I finally took a day off and joined my husband and some friends on a boating excursion. We took a few of our company boats offline for the day and headed to Boca Grande. We enjoyed the day by laying on the beach, running around with our dogs playing fetch, and swimming in the beautiful waters. It was a gorgeous day and we were all having a great time.

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Shor at the Hyatt Resort and Marina | Review

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Shor is located at the Hyatt Resort at 601 Front Street in Key West. They serve breakfast, lunch and dinner seven days a week. After hearing my friend rave about this place, we decided to try it out for dinner the other night. The nice thing about eating at hotel restaurant is that there is usually parking available and there is typically no wait time when other area restaurants are booked up. But we did make reservations just in case.

We used the valet which was nice. Then we walked through the property grounds to the restaurant. Along the way we met a guy with a marmoset wearing a diaper which was pretty interesting start to our evening I am not sure if he was staying at the hotel or if he was a local.) The grounds were very pretty and they had live turtles everywhere which was very cool. Obviously the property has a turtle motif going on here.

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Twenty Things to Do When Visiting Key West

There are tons of things to see and do while in Key West. Well, here are a few suggestions of things not to be missed that will offer you a true Key West experience.

1. Go out on a fishing charter with Dream Catcher Charters. Key West has some of the best fishing in the world. Flats fishing and offshore fishing trips are available year-round. Species targeted include tarpon, bonefish, permit, jacks, barracudas, sharks, trout, dolphin, snapper, grouper, marlin, sailfish, kingfish, wahoo, and tuna.

2. Visit the Eco Discovery Center. Admission is free and you will learn a lot about the ecosystem of the Florida Keys while having a fun time doing so!

3. Try some Key Lime Pie! There are several places to get a slice of this Key West original, and not one will taste like another. Some of the best on the island are from the Key West Key Lime Pie Company and Blue Heaven restaurant.

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Key West is Losing a Piece of History: Fast Buck Freddy’s Closes

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Anyone who has ever been to Key West in the last 35 years and walked along Duval Street has no doubt seen the famous window displays at Fast Buck Freddy’s, our only island department store. The store is full of interesting things like Tommy Bahama clothes, tropical housewares and kitchen goods, stationary, candles, furniture, light fixtures, and many more interesting items.

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Florida Keys: Pigeon Key

It seems like everywhere today developers come in and build big complexes of condos, hotels, or strip malls. Sometimes it betters the landscape when taking the place of old, dilapidated structures. But all too often they end up taking out forests or other pieces of history, and it is really sad for us and for future generations when that happens. Especially so in the Florida Keys where there is so little land to take over. The fate of Pigeon Key just of of Marathon could have gone as so, but instead the Pigeon Key Foundation was started to protect the island from development and maintain it as a historical landmark.

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State Parks of Key West and the Florida Keys

Florida State Parks are a wonderful way to see the real Florida, and not the touristy theme parks and other attractions. Florida has some amazing wildlife and a rich history. The state has around 160 state run parks, and 10 of these are in the Florida Keys. As one can imagine, most of the State parks in the Keys have some sort of water actives to partake in such as kayaking, swimming, and snorkeling. But we also have historical monuments, biking in and hiking trails, picnicking areas, and many opportunities for wildlife viewing too.

  • Bahia Honda State Park – 36850 Overseas Highway, Big Pine Key, FL 33043
    This park is known for its beautiful beaches, snorkeling, and gorgeous sunsets. But these are just a fraction of the activities available for visitors to this park. Other activities include: bicycling, birding, boating, camping, kayaking, fishing, hiking, picnicking, scuba diving, swimming, and wildlife viewing. Anglers can fish from shore or bring a boat and launch it from the boat ramp. Snorkeling gear and kayaks can be rented on site. The visitors center is filled with interesting information as well as trinkets to bring home. And the concession stand serves some good grub too should you have forgotten your picnic basket. Full facility campsites and cabins are also available for rent. Admission charges vary.  The Park is open 365 days a year from 8:00 am to sundown.
  • Curry Hammock State Park – 56200 Overseas Highway, Marathon, FL 33050
    This park is made up of a group of islands with public access to swimming, a playground, showers, grills, and a picnic area. This park is also home to one of the largest populations of thatched palm trees in the USA. Activities at Curry Hammock include a sandy beach for swimming, sunbathing, and playing in the sand, bicycling, camping, kayaking, fishing, hiking, picnicking, and wildlife viewing. Admission charges vary.  The Park is open 365 days a year from 8:00 am to sundown.
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