Day Two | Key West
Bike it!
Ready to take on day two, we were off early with our rented bikes to the Southernmost Point. We were there by 8:15am and there was already a line. Get there EARLY! If you bike/walk in on Whitehead street you pass many of the main attractions along the way. One of which is Mile Marker 0 - or the most stolen sign in the United States. As we biked by we jumped off long enough to snap a quick photo and then onto the Southernmost Point. Jump in line and get your picture of the beacon! It's pretty neat to think about and also how close Cuba is to the point.
Already hungry, we rode a few blocks to Blue Heaven for breakfast. You must visit this Key West staple. Breakfast was absolutely delicious! Fresh squeezed oj and a bangin' latte set the stage for the eclectic outdoor patio. Full of surprises and things, the venue is primarily outdoors and super kitchy.
Stuffed, we left our bikes there and took the short stroll to the lighthouse (the Hemingway house is also across the street from the lighthouse). We learned all about the history of how the lights worked and the history of the Key West lighthouse, even the fact they had to make it taller! Perhaps not for everyone, we also climbed to the top of the lighthouse and it was *tight* in some spaces trying to pass people coming down. If you have a fear of heights or small spaces maybe admire from afar. But, the view of the island from the top is excellent. I met a gentleman manning the top who told me how they used to haul two gallons of oil up to the top every four hours for all the lamps. Super interesting to me! Back down and to our bikes we headed back to the hotel to change into swimsuits and head to our next stop.
The afternoon agenda consisted of biking over to Fort Zachary Taylor for some history and beach time. We rode up on our bikes and breezed right in after paying the small entrance fee of $2 per person. Be sure to check out their website for fee information. We toured the fort and it was interesting and quick. I'm sure when it was taller and at full peak it was stunning. A Florida summer afternoon storm popped up so we took shelter amongst the cannon stalls and felt the breeze coming through from the beach. The beach here is ROCKY so if you have sensitive feet I'd recommend water shoes or flip flops you could throw aside. I paid for snorkel gear and it was more expensive than I would have liked. If you're a poor swimmer I'd probably get the fins, otherwise just opt for the snorkel/mask combo. You can pay for beach chairs and umbrellas at the same place if you'd like. Swimming out, the water was fairly clear and there was great fish and coral to observe.
Definitely a neat spot to set up camp for the day and hang out. Right on the beach there is a canteen type stall with food and beverage options if you get hungry from all your exploring. On the beach there is another famous photo op - the Key West Directional Sign. Apparently, after Hurricane Irma blew through it made its way all the way to Fort Myers where a passerby picked it up. Crazy. Happy to report it was replaced and is ready for your photos. Watch out for large iguanas trolling around and hanging out because you might not see them in the tree until the last second and let out a startled scream...just saying. Pooped from snorkeling and hanging out in the sun we again headed back to the hotel to rinse off and figure out a dinner place.
Caroline's Cafe came recommended to us for dinner because we had worked up quite the appetite. We strolled over and were immediately seated. At this point I should note we went during the "slow" season (July) and most places didn't have a wait. It's my understanding during the busy season (January-March) most places have a wait. Their patio was pleasant to sit on and watch the people stroll down the main strip - Duval Street. Finally, we tried the conch fritters (another Key West special). Yummy! I ended up ordering the special white fish, which I don't recall the name, but it was delectable fried with signature rice and beans. My mother had huge bruschetta and an enormous salad. It's also worth mentioning everything we ate on the island was MASSIVE in portion. So keep that in mind when ordering. We probably should have shared 90% of everything we ordered. The food was definitely the primary expense in our trip but on vacation calories don't count so it was ok.
Onto Mallory Square for our nightly sunset. However, along the way I was suckered into buying a chocolate chip cookie the size of my face from Mattheessen's. No regrets. I ate it later while watching the sunset. Plus, it was on the way. What makes Key West sunsets so amazing is the ability of the colors to suddenly change and morph over time. A sunset might look orange/yellow for the first half and then it changes to pinks and purples. It's absolutely stunnig and I had the pleasure to watch FIVE. Blessed. Another night at Mallory Square and another incredible sunset closed our second full day on Key West. We returned our bikes by locking them up at our hotel because it was just that easy.
