Rum Runners beach bar at Postcard Inn Beach Resort & Marina
Before adventuring out in the heat to pet the famous six-toed cats at Hemingway House or view the spartan simplicity of the Truman Little White House, grab a Cuban Café con Leche and wander around town absorbing the laid-back, culturally diverse life of island time. Nightly pub crawls guide visitors along Duval Street’s legion of barrooms.Much like the revelers doing the “Duval Crawl,” the Key West chickens strut the streets and crow at all hours. Colorful roosters and mother hens with tiny chicks weave in and out of traffic and through open cafés around town. Duck Key to Key West — 52 NM DAY 3: KEY WEST Tucked into the secluded and intimate isle of Duck Key, Hawks Cay Resort is a 60-acre destination often named the top family resort in the country. After Hurricane Irma in 2017, a $50 million renovation revitalized the entire property. It’s the perfect backdrop for Discovery Channel’s popular Saltwater Experience , which is filmed on site. Hawk’s Cay guests can do everything or do nothing. Interact and swim with dolphins in their natural environment at the Dolphin Connection or rise early for oceanside yoga before wandering to the spa for a Key Lime Mojito scrub followed by a warm body butter wrap with Key Lime essential oils. Come evening, multiple resort dining choices include the new Sixty-One Prime, a Key-style chop house, and the island casual Angler & Ale. Hawks Cay Marina can accommodate boats up to 110 feet with beams to 20 feet in the resort’s back basin. Islamorada to Duck Key — 21 NM DAY 2: DUCK KEY
Much quieter winged creatures reside in the Key West Butterfly & Nature Conservatory, a tropical paradise home to hundreds of species of magical butterflies and birds. More of nature’s birding and fishing wonders lie just off the western shore. Accessible only by boat, Key West National Wildlife Refuge encompasses 208,308 acres with only 2,019 acres above sea level. Wading birds, pelicans, shorebirds, sea turtles, manatees and dolphins all live within or visit the refuge. There’s an eatery on nearly every corner from the quirky Kermit’s Key West Key Lime Shoppe to the beautiful Seaside Café at the Southernmost Mansion and Louie’s Backyard for fine dining. It’s best to experience Key West on a bike or a golf cart so you can catch the quirkiness of the island including the popular drag show at 801 Bourbon Bar and the famous cemetery. And at the end of the day, join the locals for live music at the Green Parrot Bar. Several marinas welcome boaters with a range of pleasant amenities and convenient locations: Conch Harbor Marina in historic Old Town, Stock Island Yacht Club and The Perry Hotel & Marina. m l
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