Texas Faves

Friday, February 2, 2024

Key West, Florida

This post is a flashback to a trip we made in 2014!

I had always wanted to have a REAL Key Lime pie, so we decided to go to Key West. I was lucky as we had several pieces of key lime pie in addition to key lime margaritas and key lime ice cream!

These are just some of the “key” sights you will see while exploring Key West, including Southernmost Point, the beginning of Highway 1, roosters, and a Cigar Factory:





If you’re in town when a cruise ship is docked, one great place to visit is the Mel Fisher Maritime Museum. It’s not typically a must see for a cruiser but if you’re into seeking buried treasure, you’ll enjoy this museum!





Another option when cruisers are in town is a daytrip drive up the Overseas Highway. 

We stopped at Big Pine Key to see the Key Deer Refuge:


We had lunch at the No Name Pub:



We found a beautiful beach in the City of Marathon:



We made a stop at the Old Bahia Honda Bridge Trail to see remnants of a bridge that Henry Flagler built between 1905-1912.


Lots of beautiful views of the Atlantic Ocean!




The Harry S. Truman Little White House is another gem not often visited in Key West. Be sure to visit this presidential gem!



Hungry? Want to hear some live music? Check out the Hogs Breath Saloon!


A trip to Key West would not be complete without visiting the Ernest Hemingway Home.

DON’T visit on a day when a cruise ship is docked!!!

During your visit you will see several cats. These are unusual in that they have 6 toes instead of the normal 5 front toes and 4 back toes. Hemingway was given a white six-toed cat by a ship’s captain and no doubt the cats living there today are descendants of this cat, Snow White.  Behind the house is a cat cemetery and a cat house that is a miniature replica of Hemingway’s home.



Explore the home where Hemingway lived and worked and hear the stories. The gardens are also beautiful so plan to spend time in this truly inspirational place.



Mallory Square is the iconic location for famous sunsets! I even saw a green flash! Prepare to spend time here people-watching as well as sunset viewing. Checkout Sunset Pier where you can enjoy a sunset AND a margarita!

 




We used the rental car we had for our day trip to transport ourselves to the airport on our last day. Since we had a late flight, we found this little gem near the airport: East Martello Museum.  Not only could we view Civil War relics at this preserved battlement, we also learned about the cigar-manufacturing industry. Be careful though, you may meet a ghost and be sure to visit Robert the Doll.




Hope you enjoyed a bit of reminiscing. We’ve just moved and are getting settled into a new home as well as planning a BIG spring adventure!