ENJOY A LAID BACK AND RELAXED KEY WEST VACATION

“Watch out for the chickens”. That was one of the first things I heard when I told people I was heading to Key West. I was not sure what I was expecting when I arrived in the tropical paradise, but what I found was a relaxed, laid back culture, historic beauty and a vacation destination I won’t soon forget.

CHICKENS AND ROOSTERS IN KEY WEST

At first I was not sure what to think of the wild chickens and roosters that freely walk the streets of Key West. It did not take me long to smile when I saw them – after all, Key West is pretty laid back and the chickens just add to the atmosphere.

HISTORIC KEY WEST

I loved the charm of the The Chelsea House Hotel, one of 6 Historic Key West Inns situated right in Historic district of Key West.

Just look at this little private balcony off my junior suite.

A photo posted by Jody Arsenault @ Mommy Moment™ (@jodyarsenault) on Oct 9, 2016 at 1:22pm PDT

More than just chickens greeted me during my stay.

AWARD WINNING FOOD

The Chelsea House is located just a walk away from delicious local restaurants, attractions and the waterfront. Camille’s is a must-try place for breakfast, I’d definitely go back for their delicious Eggs Benedict. The white chocolate waffles also looked pretty incredible. 

CONCH TOUR TRAIN

Key West, the southernmost city in the continental USA is a small Island. The tour guide on the conch tour train said it was approximately 1 mile by 4 miles. Walking from place to place is pretty common in Key West. The conch tour train has been giving tours of historic Key West for over 50 years. If you are looking for an educational way to spend a relaxing afternoon, this World Famous tour is for you.

GETTING AROUND KEY WEST

The nice thing about walking around Key West besides the historic beauty is finding tiny local places that you fall in love with. I found some fun second hand stores, fresh juice bars, antique shops and some pretty fantastic Cuban eats. 

If you are not one for walking, no worries. On many street corners you will find rental places where you can rent bicycles, mopeds and even little electric cars that look like golf carts. Friends and I rented the 4 seater electric car to do some sight-seeing, which I would do again in a heartbeat.

Some places that we stopped to see while sight seeing were the Ernest Hemingway Home and Museum, Harry S. Truman Little White House, The Sunset Celebration at Mallory Square, Smather’s Beach and the   Fort Zachary Taylor Beach. 

ERNEST HEMINGWAY HOME AND MUSEUM

Ernest Hemingway’s writing studio is seen below. 

A neat story about the Ernest Hemingway Home is the one of the cats. If you visit the museum you will see cats, all of which are descendants of the six-toed cat, Snow White, who was given to Hemingway by a ship’s captain.

HARRY S. TRUMAN LITTLE WHITE HOUSE

The Little White House is Floirda’s only presidential museum. 

SUNSET CELEBRATION AT MALLORY SQUARE

The Sunset Celebration is a nightly street carnival held at Mallory Square. There are entertainers, food booths and everything you would expect at a tropical Island celebration. It’s no surprise that the star of the celebration is the breathtaking sunset over the Key West Harbor. 

A photo posted by Jody Arsenault @ Mommy Moment™ (@jodyarsenault) on Oct 3, 2016 at 5:55pm PDT

SMATHERS BEACH

Beautiful views are sure to be had while taking a stroll in on the sandy Smather’s Beach.

FORT ZACHARY TAYLOR BEACH

One of my favorite scenic places was the Fort Zachary Taylor Beach, I just had to share a live video from that beautiful spot.

If you are looking to plan a laid back tropical getaway with a friend or your special someone, add Key West to your destination list! You are sure to love the historic beauty, the many attractions and the relaxed culture that you will experience there.

Have you been to Key West? What were some of your highlights?

I was invited on a #seizethekeys Media trip to Key West and the Florida Keys, all opinions are my own.