Laid Back in the Florida Keys

I enjoyed my stay at the Crowne Plaza La Concha. The hotel was in a perfect location, and we were able to easily walk to everything in Old Town. It was very clean, comfortable and quite pretty. The beds were really cozy. It was super convenient to have a Starbucks downstairs! The only drawback was that the walls were very thin. We could hear the neighbors talking and the sound of their TV. Also, they were doing maintenance in the room above us. Each morning around 8am we awoke to loud banging on the ceiling and stomping on the floor. You can hear the toilets flushing in other rooms as well. Our room faced the parking lot, but I've heard the ones that overlook Duval can be rather loud at night. We were hoping to let some of the warm January air in, but the windows don't open. And they charge close to $20 a day to park in the back. But at least you won't have to worry about feeding meters.
The rooftop deck gives you an awesome view of Key West. I would definitely consider staying here again on my next visit to the Keys. Above all, the location just can't be beat!

Great place for breakfast! The service was super friendly and the food was phenomenal. The breakfast here was much better priced than many of the other restaurants we dined at. The breakfast potatoes are different from anything I've ever seen, but they were yummy!

This colorful little outdoor bar/restaurant can be found right across the way from the Southernmost house. It sits on a little beach with a great view of the ocean. We happened to come across it one afternoon when we were just walking around and decided to stop. It's great for an in-between meal snack. During happy hour most of the appetizers are only three dollars. We had a couple of mojitos, some mozzarella sticks and shrimp cocktail. After finishing our food, we took our drinks down to the pier next to the restaurant. It's a great place to catch the sunset! (Especially if cruise ships are docked at Mallory Square.) There were only a few other people on the pier with us.
We never had an actual meal here, so I can't rate that. Our appetizers were great, and all the food on the menu was very inexpensive and sounded good!

To experience the true Key West, it's best to avoid the usual crowded tourist trap bars on Duval and seek out the local bars. Green Parrot is hands down the best bar in Key West. The bartenders make extremely stiff drinks and the vibe is super relaxed. Great jukebox is filled with rock and blues. I had many interesting nights here chatting with the locals. The crowd is friendly and it's as easy going as it gets. There is definitely no frills when it comes to this bar. It's kind of a dive and isn't located on the water or any other pretty location, but please stop in! It's a nice change of pace from the busy Duval bars. It's located about a block from the La Concha hotel on Whitehead St, so we made it a point to end our night here each and every night. I absolutely love it.

Very touristy and over-rated! It's a nice bar, but very crowded. The drinks were more expensive than at many of the other places. It's still a good idea to stop in for a drink just so you can say that you've been there! Each time I passed by they always had good live music playing. If you prefer a busier and lively bar, then this would be a good place for you.

This is the true bar where Hemingway spent his time. It seems much more fitting! We made it a point to stop here every night (along with Schooner Wharf and Green Parrot). It's a very quirky bar with a tree and gravestone sitting right in the center. Bras and business cards cover the walls. Be sure to bring a business card to add to the collection! Their live entertainment consists usually of a solo guitar player/singer who sings laid back music by artists such as Simon and Garfunkel, Tom Petty, and Buffet to name a few. I truly enjoyed the music in here more than any other bar! The customers and bartenders here are friendly and it's easy to strike up a conversation with anyone. It was never overly crowded and kept a very relaxed atmosphere.

Beware of the shady T-shirt shops that dominate Duval St. You'll know them by the fact that they all have techno music blaring out of the speakers and the workers don't speak much English. If you look around, sometimes they do have a few cute T-shirts, but they are so sketchy!!! I really didn't want to give them my money.

The workers/owners are rude and follow you around pressuring you to buy stuff. The prices differ greatly from store to store. So be sure to look around if you must buy. In one store a sweatshirt was $50, in another the same shirt was $30. There is something really off about these establishments, I recommend you don't give them the satisfaction of taking your money.

Not all the shops on Duval are like that. There are some really nice ones. (The Conch Republic store below the La Concha hotel is a nice one.) Many of the shops around Mallory Square are good to go in as well. Mac's Sea Garden on Caroline St. is another cool store to pick up some Key West Stuff.

Another good tip...try Walgreens. I was looking for one of the big metal US 1 signs. Most places they run 25 to 30 bucks...at Walgreens the same exact signs are only $16.

For T-shirts, it's not a bad idea to buy them at the bars you enjoyed (Sloppy Joes, Captain Tonys, Schooner Wharf, etc., etc., etc.) They're much better quality!

While driving from Miami to Key West, we decided to make an entire day of it. There are so many neat bars and restaurants located on US 1. We decided to eat and drink our way down. Our first stop was in Key Largo, the Caribbean Club. It's claim to fame that it's the bar where Key Largo was filmed. It is a good place to meet some of the locals, but also drink in an open air bar with one of the most beautiful outdoor settings I've ever seen. We had a beer while sitting under some palm trees with green parrots flying above.

Hog Heaven is another bar we made a pit stop at in Islamorada. From the outside it doesn't look like much. Out back is a completely different story. It has a small beach and a mini tiki bar that we had all to ourselves. We sat on the rocks in the ocean and relaxed in the sun . Both of these places are a wonderful introduction to the easy-going nature of the Florida Keys.

For a more touristy, yet still totally cool bar, stop at Holiday Isle in Islamorada. You can sit on a lounge chair next to the water or the busy pool while sipping a frozen drink (they're known for rum runners). There are numerous tiki bars in this complex. It reminds me of a small tiki village.We stopped on a Saturday afternoon and they had live reggae music. Trust me, this place is a lot of fun! The complex also has a small pier to walk on that is lined with shops. Great for people watching.

Unfortunately for us, it was January and the sun was setting early. We wanted to be close to Key West by dark so we couldn't stop at all the places we wanted to. There are just so many!

Driving through the Keys on US 1 is an amazing experience. If you're lucky enough to have good weather spend a little extra for a convertible. Driving over the bridges surrounded by clear blue water feeling the warm breezes was an experience I'll never forget. We spent the entire drive there and back saying "I'm so glad we decided on a convertible." It also comes in handy when you want to take some photos while driving!
Just to note, the drive takes longer than one would expect! Traffic along US-1 from Miami to Key Largo is pretty heavy. Until you get to right above Key Largo (the everglades), it is mile after mile after mile of strip malls and stop lights. Look into taking the highway or turnpike. I thought US-1 would be more scenic than it was. It doesn't get good until you enter the keys.

If you flew into Miami or Fort Lauderdale keep rush hour in mind! (We did not and missed our flight home due to a huge accident on 95 in Lauderdale)

And also remember... people in Miami drive like maniacs.