If you’re honeymoon planning, we can’t wax poetic enough about the Florida Keys. Full of adventure, romance and once in a lifetime experiences that are way more reasonably priced than other tropical destinations, we’ve teamed up with The Florida Keys & Key West to bring you the perfect honeymoon to the Keys! A note in advance: while our trip was sponsored in part by The Florida Keys & Key West and hosted by many of the businesses mentioned, all opinions, experiences, insight and advice are our own.
Day 1: Fly into Miami or Key West. Depending on how you want to travel, you can fly into Miami and rent a car and drive down through the keys. This is the best way to do it, and the most fun, as we rented a convertible and the views driving down were truly unique! You can also fly directly into Key West if you prefer. Heading all the way to Florida from the West Coast isn’t quick, so plan a day for travel and spend the night in Miami.
Day 2: Hit the road! Our first stop was Key Largo, about an hour from Miami and a sweet, sleepy little beach town that was made for post-wedding R&R. We stayed at the Dolphin Point Villas, which were not only super private and luxe, but had a dolphin sanctuary right in the backyard– literally! Our super unique ‘honeymoon’ souvenir? A painting the dolphins created! No seriously, it’s awesome.
Key Largo is made for beachin’ it, in and out of the water. You can snorkel at John Pennekamp State Park, a coral reef sanctuary with epic views that contribute to Key Largo’s nickname as a dive capital of the world. Post snorkel, grab real key lime pie at The Fish House, one of our fav spots to eat in Key Largo. You haven’t had real key lime pie if you haven’t visited the Keys!
Day 3: Spend your morning on– or in– the water, and make plans for dinner at Sundowners. Watching the sunset over the water will never stop being romantic, and we couldn’t get enough seafood during our time in the Keys. An evening jaunt on the African Queen is a must for old Hollywood film buffs– the original boat for the Katharine Kepburn/Humphrey Bogart movie is a historical gem, but bring water! It gets hot on a steam boat in south Florida. Spend some more time with the dolphins in your backyard and keeps your eyes open for manatees– tomorrow, you’re heading south!
Day 4- Hop back in the car and head south. Plan for stops along the way! We stopped on Islamorada and had lunch at Robbie’s– best. fish. tacos. ever. Don’t miss them! You also can’t miss feeding the tarpon, which is as weird as it sounds. Roughly 6 feet long and hungry, feeding the tarpon is a squeal inducing must-do that ended up not being quite as scary as anticipated. After washing our hands of the giant mouth beasts, we headed to Florida Keys Brewing Company to cool off with a pint and some air conditioning.
There’s plenty to see around Islamorada so stay for a bit and have dinner at Morada Bay, with your toes in the sand. Another must on the drive is Bahia Honda State Park, which boasts one of the top 10 beaches in the US. Opt to stay the night in Islamorada or head on to Key West for a late check in– whatever your heart desires.
Day 5- Welcome to Key West! Whether you arrived last night or this morning, you’ve arrived to the last leg of your journey. We stayed at The Marquesa Hotel, a boutique hotel that regularly makes lists of most romantic places to stay in Key West. It’s easy to see why– the quiet, boutique feel meets prime downtown location plus epic poolside lounging makes it the perfect honeymoon hideaway.
A couple blocks over you’ll find the famous Duval Street. Plenty to explore here! Have lunch or an early dinner at the Conch Republic Seafood Company and get ready for a night of bar hopping on Duval. Don’t miss Captain Tony’s, which is debated to be the bar that Hemingway hung out in while he drank and wrote. How late you stay out is entirely up to how much fun you want to have.
Day 6- Adventure time! Key West is FULL of things to do– parasailing, jet skiing on the ocean, more snorkeling, deep sea fishing, sailing and glass bottom boats. We loved the time we spent with Fury Water Adventures. There’s also helicopter and seaplane tours of the Keys, or the Harry Truman Little White House and Hemingway Museum for those looking to stay on land. You won’t have any shortage of things to do no matter where you look.
In the evening, opt for a sunset sail with The Appledore Schooner and an open bar– what’s not to love?! Or take the ferry over to Sunset Key for what was arguably the most epic dinner we had while in Florida atLatitudes. The southernmost point in the US to watch the sun set over the water, the only thing better than the view is the food.
Day 6/7- Whether you opt for one more full day in Key West or head home (you can fly home out of Key West or drive back to Miami, but check traffic and plan for plenty of time if you’re heading home through Miami!) we’re willing to bet you’ve had the time of your life– we certainly did!
A huge thank you to The Florida Keys and Key West for sponsoring our trip, and to our readers for supporting the businesses that support Apple Brides.
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