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Where to Honeymoon?
After living on such a tight budget for over two years saving up for the wedding, we (okay, mostly me) were itching to take a big honeymoon trip. The last big trip we’d taken was to Punta Cana for my sister’s wedding and where we’d gotten engaged. However, we decided that we’d be too exhausted after the wedding to do a big trip justice. Instead, we opted to take a mini road trip through the Florida Keys. This ended up being a fantastic choice for us: tropical, relaxing, and carefree.
Bumpy Start
Our flight to Ft. Lauderdale was a little delayed, but obviously we spent that time wisely at the airport bar. It was when we landed that we ran into a bigger hiccup, my new hubby’s suitcase had been accidentally sent to Las Vegas instead of Ft. Lauderdale. Inconvenient, but not the end of the world since the airline employees promised they could have it back at the airport the next afternoon. We hopped in our rental car and drove down to our hotel in Miami for the night.
When in Miami, Eat Cuban
After grabbing his suitcase from the airport, we had a late lunch at a delicious cuban restaurant: Tinta & Cafe. We both ordered El Patria (their Cuban) sandwiches that were served with plantain chips and we shared a slice of their delicious homemade flan for dessert. From there we started our drive down into the Keys.
First Stop
Our first stop was in Islamorada where we went to the Theater of the Sea. Established in 1946, Theater of the Sea is one of the oldest marine mammal facilities in the world. It was fun walking around the park as it was more like walking through a lush jungle than a concrete and iron fenced zoo or aquarium.
We had decided to take part in the Swim with Dolphins experience since it was something we’d always wanted to do. It was a small group of five of people participating so we felt like it was a very intimate experience. Each group got into the natural saltwater lagoon individually (a mother and son duo, the new hubby and I, and a solo woman from Germany) to meet the dolphins, which really gave us a new perspective on the size and strength of these beautiful animals. I absolutely loved the experience that was beautiful and humbling all at once.
From Islamorada we continued our road trip through the Florida Keys all the way down to Key West where we were staying at a friend’s vacation house. On our way we stopped in Marathon for dinner at King Seafood Market & Restaurant which was delicious.
Kickin’ it in Key West
Since I’m such a bookworm, it was (obviously) mandatory that we visit the Ernest Hemingway Home & Museum while we were in Key West. The house is beautifully maintained with many personal items and pieces of furniture that belonged to the Hemingways during their time there. There are also descendants of Hemingway’s cats (many polydactyl, aka more adorable kitty toes) that roam the property. During our tour, Mr. Poky Little Wanderer was probably most excited by the antique fish tank in the house, so really there was something for everyone!
Other touristy spots we visited included Mile Marker 0 on Highway 1 and the Southernmost Point in the Continental US.
Celebrate the Sunset
Every evening in Key West, there’s the Sunset Celebration at Mallory Square where food vendors and street performers keep the crowd entertained until the main event: the sunset. When I worked in Key Largo, we used to come down Highway 1 just for a fun night in Key West sometimes, so I can truthfully admit that there are times when Mother Nature fails her fans at Mallory Square. Luckily for us, Mama Nature put on a pretty show for us that night while we munched on conch fritters.
Swoon Worthy Snorkeling
Less than an hour back up Highway 1 near Big Pine Key is the beautiful Bahia Honda State Park. While waiting for our snorkeling tour to Looe Key National Marine Sanctuary, we wandered the grounds which include the old Bahia Honda Rail Bridge. Being a civil engineer, my hubby geeked out over the bridge while I swooned over the turquoise waters offshore (this was a win for everyone).
Once we boarded our boat, it was about a 40 minute ride out to the marine sanctuary from the park’s marina during which the guides went over the safety rules and procedures. The marine sanctuary was gorgeous with warm, clear water and a colorful reef teeming with tropical fish only a few feet below you. Sadly, this was long before we invested in any underwater camera equipment so all we had was an iPhone in a waterproof bag/case. So to really appreciate the beauty, you’ll have to visit yourself since our pictures do it absolutely no justice.
After returning to the park at the end of our tour, we decided to head down to the beach and enjoy a relaxing dip in the crystalline waters before heading back to Key West for the night. For dinner, we went to Sloppy Joe’s Bar, a favorite of Hemingway during his time in Key West. It was as touristy as you’d expect, but still worth a visit if you want to go to all the famous Key West hotspots.
Here, Fishy, Fishy
Early the next morning we had a fishing charter booked where we went chasing after tarpon just as the sun was rising over the Keys. Our guide, Griff, shared with us that the rolling they do in the morning is a social behavior, which I found fascinating. This surfacing allows them to gulp air into their swim bladders. Only the hubby managed to get one on the line, which Griff estimated to be a 100lb fish. Unfortunately, something ate it before he could reel it in… Yeah, let that sink in for a second. One minute he is fighting with and reeling in a big tarpon, and the next: it’s gone. We were not on a particularly big boat, just a small skiff. I couldn’t help thinking “We’re gonna need a bigger boat…” and hearing the Jaws theme play in my head.
After that epic failure, we swapped out the fishing gear to target some other sport fish where we had more success. Hubby managed to reel in an amberjack and a 3’ barracuda which he thought was awesome. The photo of him holding the ‘cuda held a place of honor as his profile picture for a long time.
Honeymoon, Full Moon
Since we wanted to attend the full moon party at Morada Bay on Islamorada, we headed back north on Highway 1 after fishing. For dinner we stopped at Lazy Days Oceanfront Bar where we sat on the patio to enjoy the waterfront views with our dinner. Afterwards, we made our way over to Morada Bay to watch the sunset before the Full Moon Party. Their beach has a number of Adirondack chairs along the water which were the perfect spot to relax and enjoy the beautiful sky. This was easily one of the most gorgeous sunsets I’ve ever seen.
Each month Morada Bay holds a Full Moon beach party that features bonfires, live music, entertainers, drink specials, and fireworks. If you go to this party, getting one of the drink specials in a 32oz mason jar with a glow stick is a must. However, on that note, use caution since ordering more than one can be the first of a string of bad decisions. The wilder party goers will amass a collection of these glow sticks as the night goes on. We had some drinks, wandered amongst the bonfires and tiki torches, danced to the DJs in the bars, watched the Bahamian Junkanoo Parade, and enjoyed the live band playing on the main stage before calling it a night.
SUP?
Bitton Bistro Cafe provided a delicious breakfast the next morning before we met up with our instructor/guide for our Stand-up Paddle-board (SUP) eco tour. Stand up paddle boarding is a great workout, but we were having so much fun that we hardly noticed (until later anyway). While paddling over the beautiful water and through the mangroves, we saw sharks, tarpon, jellyfish, and a variety of other fish and birds. Definitely remember to bring reef-safe sunscreen with you so you can re-apply frequently.
Key Lime Pie is Better in the Keys
I love Key Lime Pie. While it’s something you can get just about anywhere you go these days, somehow outside of the Keys, it’s just not the same. There’s something special about it in the Keys, so I tried to get as many slices I could throughout our honeymoon. On our last night we stopped at Mrs. Mac’s Kitchen to get some of their famous Key Lime Pie, and in a gluttonous spontaneous decision, bought a whole pie to-go…
We regret nothing.
It was an absolutely lovely vacation with only a few interruptions for our typical bickering (it was a road trip after all). A week spent living out many bucket list dreams while still soaking in the relaxing vibes of the Florida Keys. If you haven’t taken a road trip through the Florida Keys before, what are you waiting for?
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So awesome! My fiancé and I are wanting to honeymoon there as well! Do you mind me asking where did y’all stayed?
Congratulations! We actually were lucky enough to have a friend who let us stay in their vacation home in Key West so I don’t have any hotel recommendations unfortunately. I hope you have a wonderful wedding & honeymoon!
It’s not the same outside of the Keys because restaurants try to pass of Persian lime pies!
No doubt! I try to take advantage of all the Key Lime things when I’m in the Keys: pie, chocolates, wine!
Fabulous post on Florida Keys, looks like you had an amazing honeymoon! Shame about the suitcase at the start but these things happen! Swimming with dolphins is so amazing isn’t it, I would love to do that again in the wild! Congratulations by the way 😀
Louise Grace
Thank you, we had the best time! (Suitcase notwithstanding 😉)
What a fabulous honeymoon! So many great ideas here. We are currently on a road trip and hope to be in Florida early in November so will definitely be following up on some of these. Really want to check out Hemingway’s place in particular and the marine sanctuary. ( Our honeymoon was in a tent in France, many years ago!)
Definitely go snorkel the marine sanctuary, it was stunning! (It also helped my husband convince me to get my scuba diving certification) I also really enjoyed the Hemingway Home, the guides are very knowledgeable and all the kitties are adorable! The weather will still be quite nice in November, so I really hope you enjoy your time in Florida! Can’t wait to read about your continued travels!
This is a wonderful post! I visited Miami and Key West a few summers ago with my parents, and I’m glad you got to experience so many lovely experiences with your honey. Getting married (and saving) is a lot of work, and the honeymoon is such a nice chance to reconnect after the chaos.
I also agree with so many of your highlights—my parents and I tried literally every key lime pie we came across (from a diner stop to chocolate-covered on a stick and everywhere in between), enjoyed the sunsets, and loved Cuban food. My personal favorite was the Hemingway House, with all the three-toed cats and history packed in. I imagined getting married there (did not happen), and was so inspired throughout the tour.
Thanks for this post, and allowing me to remember so many of my own fond memories of Key West. And congrats on your marriage!
Thank you, I’m so glad you enjoyed it! It was a glorious week of relaxing in the Keys, with lots of Key Lime in our pie-holes 😂
This all looks great and such lovely photos you have taken!
Travel inspiration for sure 👍
Why thank you! I love the Florida Keys, they’re gorgeous yet fairly unpretentious. I highly recommend visiting if you haven’t been!
Sounds like a great trip. You did all the things!
Thank you, we had so much fun! We relaxed when we wanted to and did all the things we wanted when we wanted, what more can you ask of a honeymoon?
What a wonderful trip! I would love to eat some genuine Key Lime pie.
Oh it’s sooo delicious! You can get Key Lime everything which is glorious.
This sounds like such a great trip! I think you made a great decision to save so you could splash out on your honeymoon. What an amazing way to create memories x
Sophie
Thanks, I think a lot of people forget about the Keys when they’re looking for a reasonably priced tropical escape!
What a amazing journey 🙂 I love your photos.
Thank you, we had a wonderful time!
Sounds like a fantastic trip.
Congratulations on your wedding and wishing you many happy years travelling together.
Thank you! We had a great time on our honeymoon!
Some great pics! I’m looking at the sunset counting days to my trip…
Thank you! 😊 Your adventure will be here before you know it!!
It looks like you had a wonderful time! I haven’t had the change to visit these parts of Florida, but I’d love to at some point!
We did! Ooh I absolutely love the Keys, they’re like a little slice of Caribbean island life right in the US. I hope you get to visit sometime!