Florida Keys | Day 4

Day 4 Itinerary 

• Sunrise at Cheeca Lodge & Spa
• My friend Mina & I were adamant on waking up to catch the sunrise. Since we slacked off the first few days we made sure to set about five alarms to catch the sunrise on our last morning at the resort. It was a tad windy and overcast but nonetheless we caught an exceptional sunrise. There is something incredibly peaceful and serene about waking up early and walking along the water. I just love it. 
• Breakfast at Cafê Moka in Tavernier 
• My sister found this place which we stopped by in the morning to grab some caffeine and croissants at before hitting the road back to Miami. She read a ton of reviews on yelp and FB about the croissants - they were on point!
• Lunch at Shake Shack in Miami
• We enjoyed a ton of seafood while in the Keys. However once I heard that the Shake Shack in Miami serves Creekstone Farms burgers it was on the top of my to do list! I love me a good burger and Shake Shack did not disappoint.
• Shopping on Lincoln Road
• After lunch we walked the streets and did a little shopping here and there. My sister and I also did a throwback to our Miami trip (here) and took a picture in front of the very fountain we took photos back in 2010.
• Tourist Drive down Ocean Drive in Miami
• My mama has never been to Miami therefore we obliged her in a drive down Ocean Drive to take a look at the scene at wave at the Versace Mansion before heading to the airport to catch our flight.

I must say I really enjoyed my time in the Florida Keys - it was extremely relaxing! Now I understand the appeal and why all my friends go to Key West for spring break. Next time I would definitely love to stay the entire time in Key West and enjoy all the delicious food they offer down there!

Florida Keys | Day 3

Day 3 Itinerary

• Lunch at No Name Pub in Big Pine Key
• This place serves food on paper plates, hangs dollar bills from the ceiling, and have the most delicious pizza! It's such a quirky pit stop joint which is right up my alley.
• Key Lime Pie at Kermit's Key West Key Lime Shoppe
• The first thing we did when we arrived in Key West was get a slice of Key Lime Pie from Kermit's! I was very delighted to meet Kermit himself at the store. Little did I know he's actually from Maryland! It was such a blast talking to him and tasting all the delicious key lime treats in the shop!
• Southernmost Point - 90 Mile to Cuba
• I've been saying my next travel destination is Cuba - so this had to happen.
• The Ernest Hemingway Home & Museum in Key West
• This was the one touristy thing we did in Key West - totally worth it. It was great touring the house and the tour guide was extremely knowledgeable and gave little quirky facts about Ernest Hemingway. The only thing I will say is that there are a TON of cats on the property. I'm allergic to cats - so there was a lot of squealing and running on my part that occurred.
• Sunset at Mallory Square
• We strolled the streets of Key West and did some shopping. Near sunset we made our way to Mallory Square to get a spot on the boardwalk. 
• Dinner at Blue Heaven in Key West 
• For dinner we went to Blue Heaven - there was a bit of a wait - but totally worth it. The outdoor seating, atmosphere, live music was all phenomenal. However the best part was the Key Lime Pie! Blue Heaven tops their Key Lime Pie with meringue. I cannot begin to describe how amazing this pie was. I basically inhaled it! Best.Pie.Ever.

Florida Keys | Day 1

A few weeks ago my sister, mom, friend, and I escaped the bitter cold and took a quick girls trip to the Florida Keys! This was my first time traveling to the Keys and I was super pumped for our trip. My sister suggested the location for our girls trip and per usual I got to planning a detailed Itinerary for us to spend our three nights and four days there! 

This week I will be sharing all about my travels to the Florida Keys.

Day 1 Itinerary

• Landed in Fort Lauderdale
• We chose to fly into Fort Lauderdale because non-stop tickets were the cheapest to this airport. However you can also fly into Miami Airport as well. 
• Rental Car
• I highly recommend renting a convertible for the Florida Keys drive. It was beyond fun driving along the keys with the top down! I read about this tip somewhere on Pinterest and my sister obliged me in renting a Ford Mustang Convertible while we were there.
• Lunch in Miami at Lemoni Café
• We had lunch in Miami before driving to the keys. I found Lemoni Cafe on yelp and read a ton of fantastic reviews about it. We ordered a variety of paninis and smoothies for lunch and they were all delicious! The decor of the cafe was very Moroccan-esque and just very quaint and lovely. 
• Drive to Cheeca Lodge & Spa in Islamorada (Mile Marker 82)
• My sister found this hotel courtesy of a Condé Nast Traveler article she read. The resort was hands down amazing! I have never stayed at a resort in the US - only in Mexico, Aruba, and Costa Rica - therefore I didn't know what to expect. I was blown away by the grounds, service, and spectacular views at the resort. Our room had a view of the lagoon which was incredible! At night the resort was completely lit up and had gorgeous views of the moon. I was also able to catch the sunrise on the last day with a picture perfect view at the resort boardwalk. 
• Dinner at Lazy Days Restaurant in Islamorada (Mile Marker 80)
• All my research of the Florida Keys raved about the Lazy Days Restaurant therefore I made reservations immediately for us to have dinner here on the first night. I requested a table on the beach outside (I highly recommend it). For appetizer we ordered the Baked Brie - which was divine! I researched the menu beforehand and read all these reviews on the Baked Brie therefore I knew I was going to have to order it. For dinner we had the Billings Salad and 
• Moonlight stroll at Cheeca Lodge & Spa
• At night we explore the grounds of the resort and walked along the beach in the moonlight. Lots of fun!

Check back tomorrow as I will be sharing all the details of my trip to the Florida Keys this week!