Our First Impressions of Key West
Just two weeks after finishing up a 1,700 mile bicycle trip down the Pacific Coast of the United States, it was time for me to pack my bags yet again.
This time I would be jetting off to a destination where I would be living the high life in an actual hotel versus sleeping on a yoga mat in a tent on the side of the road.
It was time for US to book a trip…
Since I travel a lot on my own, both Liz and I decided it was time to plan a trip for US before I headed out on my big bicycle tour. You know, there’s only so many times I can get away with testing out the World’s Tallest Swing, sledding down an active volcano, touring DC on a Segway and driving dune buggies on the beach while Liz is stuck in her little cubicle at work.
If this keeps up, I might arrive back home from a trip one of these days as a single man!
Since I knew that my bicycle trip was going to take somewhere between 5-6 weeks, I had a rough idea of when I would be finishing up the tour. With those dates in mind, we went ahead and booked ourselves a 7-day trip to Key West and Miami for July 3rd-10th.
Getting to Key West
We flew American Airlines for the first time from Boston to Key West and needless to say, it didn’t go too well. The flawed check-in process, the plane that seemed as if it was built in the 80′s and the lost baggage scare at MIA was just the beginning. This trip was supposed to be a time for us to relax and enjoy ourselves but AA got us off to little bit of a rocky start.
Keys Shuttle from Miami to Key West
Once we arrived in Miami, we immediately hopped on the Keys Shuttle which took us from the Miami Dade International Airport directly to the DoubleTree Grand Key Resort in Key West, FL. The journey took about 3 hours but we couldn’t complain as we were rolling in a comfortable shuttle with the air-conditioning on blast the entire way!
DoubleTree Grand Key Resort
After checking into the DoubleTree Grand Key Resort, we grabbed a quick bite to eat at the on-site restaurant and and headed up to check out our new home for the next few days. Overall, we thought the room was perfect for what we needed it for but if you’re interested in finding out more about our stay, be sure to check out my DoubleTree Grand Key Resort Review.
Once we settled into our room, we got dressed for the night and headed out for our first night on the town in Old Town Key West. One of the first things I stumbled upon in Old Town was the Haagen-Dazs shop on Front Street.
Who doesn’t LOVE Haagen-Dazs Ice Cream!?
Coincidentally enough, I’m currently working with Haagen-Dazs on their 50 Summer Moments campaign so I thought it would be cool to have Liz snap a quick photo of me in front of the shop.
Exploring Key West
Where do you want to go?
Next, we made our way down to the docks at the marina where we found these cool signs point to all sorts of destinations around the world.
Old Town Key West
Can you believe Cuba is only 90 miles away? Trust me, It’s on my bucket list…
Key West Sunset
Sunset Pier
Like the sunsets of Santorini, watching the sunset here in Key West is an absolute must. The best place to watch the sunset on Key West is at Sunset Pier. If you get lost, simply stop into a store and ask the clerk to direct you to Sunset Pier. You’ll know you’re in the right place when you see crowds of people standing on the pier as the street performers set up shop in hopes to catch the attention of the tourists once the sun goes down.
Dinner at the Rooftop Cafe
Enjoying a delicious meal at the Rooftop Cafe
After catching our first Key West sunset, we dined at the Rooftop Cafe on Front St. We both really enjoyed our meals.
I ordered the Pasta Basilico, Fresh basil, plum tomatoes, garlic & olive oil over linguini with parmesan while Liz went for the Herb Dusted Goat Cheese Salad with shrimp, pistachios, baby greens and mango vinaigrette.
Overall we thought the service was on point and the although the prices were a little on the higher end it was expected as Key West is very touristy. Where the tourist flock, the prices rise!
What were your first impressions of Key West? Leave a comment below with your thoughts, recommendations and feedback!
That plane does look old… awesome photo of the sunset!
Yeah James, to be honest the picture doesn’t even do it justice. It looks a lot better in the photo than it did in person. Thanks for the feedback!