Landing in Key West, Florida
Sunshine, blue skies, and 70 degree weather greeted us as we rolled onto the runway in what was formerly known as The Conch Republic. Now dubbed Key West, this 4-mile by 1.5-mile island sits as the furthermost western island of the Florida Keys. It also boasts the southernmost point in the continental U.S.
A 5-minute Uber ride transported us to our lovely lodging for the week, Avalon Bed and Breakfast. Our friendly host welcomed us with a smile (at least I assume he was smiling beneath his mask – a mandatory order now across the whole island at all times – inside and outside!), gave us a brief overview of what our stay included, and directed us to our room.
We settled in quickly and then made our way onto the famous Duval Street, right out our front door, and headed south to the pier. The sun was making its brilliant descent as we lingered on the wooden walkway and then joined a handful of other tourists to snap a photo at the Southernmost Point marker with the setting sun in the distance.
The next order of business was dinner. After an early morning flight and long layover in Dallas, our stomachs were ready for something a bit more substantial than beef sticks and granola bars. The first recommended restaurant (Blue Heaven) looked like a cool setting, but the menu selections and prices didn’t appeal to us, so we walked on to the next.
Garbo’s Grill was equally attractive, with live music to boot, so we tried a couple of the Happy Hour specials – a pair of umami sliders and a trio of tacos. Everything was tasty, but not something we’d go out of our way for.
Noting that the key lime pie is a specialty on the island, we set off to find just the right place to give our first slice of the week a try (of course we’ll have to try several for comparison purposes!). The Southernmost Key Lime Pie stop displayed pre-sliced pieces in plastic containers in a refrigerator. They are apparently manufactured at a nearby facility, so we gave them a hard pass. $4.99 a slice seemed a bit steep for something we could probably pick up at a grocery store. Instead we backtracked a few blocks to Caroline’s Cafe, which boasted “homemade key lime pie” and a “cheesecake of the day.”
We grabbed a table for two and were not disappointed! The service was outstanding, the key lime pie was perfectly tart, and the salted caramel cheesecake was rich and creamy.
Thankfully, we had a half mile walk back to Avalon (which we had no trouble finding; can you see why?!) so we could work off some of the calories. We ended the evening sipping hot tea on the balcony while reading a book together. How grateful we are for some time alone to connect and grow in our marriage.
