Given that Key West is famous for sport fishing and over-drinking, misogynistic authors, you might not think that Key West is the place to be for a mother-daughter trip. But my mom and I had a great time. Fleeing the constant rain that is the trademark of our northern hometown, we headed to the southernmost point of the continental US to soak up the sun and sparkling blue water. Just what the doctor ordered to chase away the winter blues.
For the start of our Caribbean adventure, we decided to follow Jack Sparrow’s philosophy of “It’s not the destination, it’s the journey” by taking the trip from Miami to Key West. The drive is long (about 4 hours depending on traffic), but is generally much cheaper than flying directly to Key West. More importantly, the views are spectacular as you pass the white sand beaches and tropical landscape for which the Florida Keys are famous. We hadn’t even made it to our last stop and we were already delighted with our trip. Once we took a walk around town, we were inevitably faced with “What are we going to do in Key West?” dilemma. Here is a brief summary of the things we enjoyed the most.
the hemingway house
Ernest Hemingway is probably best known for his amazing literary talents and reputation as a man’s man. What many people don’t know is that Hemingway had a particular fondness for six-toed cats. That’s right, Hemingway was a cat lover. Today his former home has been turned into a popular museum and the lawn is covered with these resting polydactyl creatures. You just have to see it to believe it.
key lime pie
My mom’s favorite dessert is Key Lime Pie and the best place to enjoy this delicious treat is where these mini lemons got their name. So sweet yet so tart, Key Lime Pie is perfect for a warm Key West night. Every chef seems to make their cakes differently, so it’s up to you to find your own recipe and/or restaurant favorite. Any trip to Key West would be incomplete without this delicious delicacy.
Diving
Key West has some amazing snorkeling and it’s hard to imagine having more fun than swimming in warm, clear water while spotting colorful fish. Our first attempt at independent diving… errr… well, kind of failed. When we arrived at our destination, the water was cloudy and there were signs advising against swimming due to stingrays. Since most of the best snorkeling is outside of Key West, it might not be such a bad idea to take a snorkel tour or perhaps ask before randomly selecting a beach to snorkel.
