A friend of ours turned 50 in the middle of June, so to celebrate around 20 of us went to lovely Key West, FL. My partner and I stayed at the Casa Marina and the rest of the crew stayed at the various guest houses on Fleming Street. The trip was an absolute blast. Here are some of the highlights.
The Blue Q: We spent nearly the entire day on a boat that took us to an amazing spot for snorkeling. The crew provided us with drinks, lunch and ensured we were all comfortable during the voyage. After the snorkeling, we went to a sandbar where we splashed about some more and took some fun pics. As we were leaving, we saw dolphins playing. It was a perfect day. And to top it off...
Sunset Dinner at the Westin: ...we had the perfect evening. We took a trolley to the Westin for a catered birthday celebration. Not only was there an open bar, the food was impeccable. Everyone toasted our friend to turning the big five-zero.
Nomadic SUP: For the first time, I went paddle boarding. Being the klutz that I am, I'm surprised I only fell once. Our guide took us to secluded mangroves and we saw some wildlife and were given a great tour that was away from the nonsense and noise of Duval Street. I highly recommend everyone doing this if they ever get a chance.
Those excursions aside, the rest of the trip was great. Friends from Cleveland met up with us, so that was an awesome reunion. We ate and drank in great restaurants and usually were able to sit outside since the weather was perfect. We checked out a ton of adorable bars and coffee shops. And yes...we did check out Ernest Hemingway's house.
It was a perfect vacation, and just the right length. I'm already excited about the prospect of going back again.