Pandemic Honeymoon to Key West
Traveling during the Pandemic is a scary thought for so many of us. The weeks that led up to our honeymoon plans had my anxiety through the roof. There were times I was watching the Florida numbers and thought, “Oh hell no, we are not going.” As the date was getting closer, we heard mixed opinions from many people, some thought we were crazy going to Florida and knowing it was a hot spot, and others said to go and enjoy ourselves, just be safe while doing so, and that’s what we did. I can honestly say I am glad we were able to experience such a beautiful place, and we were safe while doing so.
Since I became a Travel Agent over a year ago, and I love to write, I have been using both passions as a way to share some of my experiences when I travel. This trip was different than any others I’ve taken, and I am so excited to share it all with you.
Lets begin the Journey to Key West
So, lets start at the beginning of our Journey, the airport and flight!
I booked a vacation package through Delta and, as a travel agent, we are able to access amazing deals with them. I have not flown Delta in many years, so I was excited to test them out.
Weeks before hand I started seeing that planes were overcrowded, many were not required to wear a mask and it was chaos on the planes. My anxiety was on high alert when we approached the plane. To my surprise we were greeted by the attendants who were wearing their mask and gloves as we stepped onto the plane. We were handed a wipe to clean our surfaces if we felt that their cleaning abilities were not up to our standards. They loaded each passenger with social distancing in mind. Once we were at our assigned seats, and we wiped our areas down, I began to look around and notice that the plane was not even half full.
The attendants were doing their safety speech and let us know how they cleaned the plane, that only passengers who were traveling together would be sitting together, and how that mask are mandatory during our flights, unless we were eating or drinking from our already packed snack and water bags they provided us with.
I was feeling super safe and relaxed at this point in time. The plane ride was the same on each flight we took.
The airports were the same, Hand sanitizers were everywhere, mask were required and many of the shops and restaurants were closed. People kept their distance and were respectful of other travelers as well. It was the best experience ever on a plane. Delta made sure they were doing all the right things so they will have my future business for sure.
Casa Marina. A Waldorf Astoria Resort
Next stop was the resort, but first we had to get a taxi ride from the airport, and Crazy Joey was our amazing driver. He was ready to take us, and made sure we felt safe on our ride to the beautiful Casa Marina.
Now, I feel the need to tell you the only resorts I’ve ever stayed at in my life were Disney resorts. Every other place I’ve traveled to was a hotel, nothing fancy and not at all what I was about to stay at.
The first thought as we approached was, “Is this real? Look how beautiful this place is.” The doormen were there with mask, hand sanitizer was available right at the front door. There was signage to instruct you what the Covid guidelines and requirements were at the resort. The staff all had masks, but you were still able to see their smiles as we checked in.
The inside was beautiful, but the outside was breathtaking. Let me give you some great information about the Casa Marina before I continue.
The Casa Marina, a Waldorf Astoria Resort, opened its doors 100 years ago. There are 2 pools on the property, one for adults only and one for families. The resort has the longest beach property in the Florida Keys. The furnishings are luxurious. No view is a bad one. However, my view was both an Ocean view and Pool view, so mornings and nights on the balcony were breathtaking.
Some of the amazing views of the resort
Spa day was a must
As you can see, the resort was amazing and a perfect location for a Honeymoon in Key West, especially if you are interested in a couples massage on the beach, which was a perfect view from our balcony.
Casa Marina has a spa, Spa al Mare, which is located across the street, and they provided amazing couples massages right on the beach. Okay, I’ll admit this was definitely my idea of a relaxing day and I was super excited to share this experience with my Husband who has never gotten a massage before. What could be better than a Lavender massage on the beach with my husband?
Our masseuse and masseur were Hilary and Jon, who were very professional and extremely knowledgeable and informative during the massage. They greeted us with their mask as we wore ours during the massage as well. They had everything sanitized and ready for us, before they started. We were right on the beach listening to the water as they massaged out all the knots from the wedding stress and work stress. Absolutely worth it.
Adult pool only was a plus
Now, let’s talk about the pools and how the Resort made us feel safe.
There were several guest staying at the resort, but the staff made sure everyone was safe. Seats were separated and blocked off so you were distant from guests who you were not with. The staff provided you with a chair cover and fresh towels at the pool and beach areas. Each morning they were cleaning the pool and spraying down and sanitizing all the tables and seating areas.
During the hot day while relaxing by this beautiful pool, the staff also comes around with an Italian Ice Popsicle to help cool you off, as well as a variety of drinks and great food you can order off the menu from the Sun Sun Bar and Grill. The Chicken sandwich, nachos, and fritters were a few of my favorites off the food menu. The Skinny cucumber, mint lemonade was a perfect poolside drink.
Guests were respectful as well. Everyone stayed a safe distance apart and still carried on conversations and shared many local favorite spots to check out. The only ones who were not socially distancing were the roosters, chickens and iguanas.
More information on the Resort
Beyond all of the beautiful views, amazing staff, the resort itself offered many other amenities for their guests. However, due to Covid, many things were not available. The bar/cafe, Flaglers Cafe and HMF sidecar, offered baked goods and coffee in the morning. The bar looked like it was a good time if it was opened. Looking at the walls brought you back in time.
The Resort also has a local artist from Just Sand and Water, who creates two beautiful sand sculptures on the property. There are workshops available as well during your stay. The artist worked on them during the beginning of the week, I unfortunately, wasn’t able to get the finished product pictures, due to lost pictures, but we will get into that later.
One last amenity that was amazing was having Barefoot Billy’s on the property for all your rental deals, such as; bikes, scooters, water sports, and tours. We heard from another couple at the resort that bike rentals were the best way to get around the island. Scooters and golf carts required parking payments, but bikes were easy and you can park most places. So, bikes it was for the hubby and myself. It was a great time and things were seriously only a few minutes away on a bike.
Planning our must sees and do's
Before booking any vacation, I try to find out all the things that are must do’s, hidden gems and most amazing food to try. I joined a Facebook group that offered many local and tourist tips. I researched, and being a Travel Agent I have access to many activities, such as tickets for museums and water adventures. So, I was ready to plan and try all the places many recommended, including tasting Key Lime pie, which I never tried before. After this trip, I tried 3 different Key Lime Pies and I am now a fan of it.
Our mission for our honeymoon was simple, enjoy a variety of food, drink some Cuban coffee, see the beautiful sun sets, check out the Hemingway House and visit the local businesses to help bring income to them. I know what it’s like to live in a tourist community and the importance of tourist income to survive. With the Pandemic, many places are forced to close down, so we wanted to truly do our part to help the Key West businesses.
Our first day was to scope out the shops and find some coffee
We landed by noon and found our way to Duval St and right to the highly recommended Cuban Coffee Queen. I have heard that I needed to try this amazing little cafe, and I’m glad we did. The mocha frappe was my favorite. Since it was so humid out, I needed a nice cold beverage.
By the end of our honeymoon, we made at least 3 stops at different locations.
After grabbing our Cuban coffee, we wanted to scope out the shops and see what Duval St had to offer. I know that Duval is the place where the all the action takes place so I was excited to look around. We were pleased to see so many were wearing their masks and keeping their distance.
Knowing that Florida was a hot spot for Covid, we were very cautious and curious if shops and restaurants were doing their part in keeping everyone safe. We saw many shops that were doing all the right things, including our favorite store, Birkenstock. We were asked to hand sanitize as soon as we walked inside to look around, and if you were to try on shoes, you were asked to sanitize your feet as well. We were very pleased to see these actions taking place and promised the salesman, Poppy, we would be back to shop. We were so pleased to see how they were taking precautions and how friendly they were, we wanted to give them our business. We had stopped at a shop near this one and we saw an employer not wearing a mask and unboxing inventory, and chose to walk out of the store. We were looking to give our business to local shops doing what needed to be done to keep everyone safe.
I was fascinated by the beautiful artwork displayed around the street, the architecture of the buildings, and just the community. The majority of stores and restaurants were doing what they needed to do, and were welcoming of the business.
Checking off our "must do" list
There was a long list of must do’s, but due to Covid, some were not possible. However, we made sure we did a few, like seeing the sunset, snorkeling in the the 3rd largest Reef in the world, try Key Lime Pie, visit Hemingway House, and visit the Southernmost Point.
Many locals and frequent visitors, also gave me a list of places I should go to, places to try amazing food, and they didn’t disappoint.
If you want to see an amazing sunset, listen to some tunes and have some appetizers and drinks, go to Fury and book your cruise. Being a Travel Agent, I have access to all the tours and activities, so I booked ahead, and got a great deal as well as earning a commission off my own booking. We had such a great time on with Fury, they made us feel safe and were less than 50% capacity. We had a great experience, so we even decided to book our snorkeling adventure with them as well.
When going to check out the Southern Most Point, go early to beat the crowds for sure.
Hemingway’s house has 67 cats on the property, so if you love cats and Hemingway, its a win win. You can explore his home in Key West and the story of his wives and his last penny.
All the amazing food
Mangia Mangia
Night one was Italian food at this absolutely mouth watering restaurant, Mangia Mangia. This was recommended by a couple we met in the pool. They said it was their favorite spot to go, so we decided to try it out.
The pasta melted in your mouth, and the homemade sauce was so flavorful. Coming from an Italian family, and visiting many Italian family owned restaurants in my life, this one was absolutely amazing and I highly recommend trying them out.
Margaritaville
Lunch in paradise was music to my ears. A friend of mine said it was a “must do,” so, a Cheeseburger in Paradise at the Original Jimmy Buffets Margaritaville was something I was excited to try. Before we entered, we were greeted by a staff member who took our temperatures, making sure we were healthy to enjoy their restaurant. Once inside, I was happy with all the Jimmy Buffet decor.
Jimmy Buffet entered my playlist back in the 90’s and I still enjoy his music. Now I was enjoying a Cheeseburger in Paradise and it was amazing, but I feel the conch Fritters and their dip was my favorite. I even used it for my fries.
A & B Lobster House
If you are looking for an amazing and romantic dinner, then you need to find your way to the A & B Lobster house. I had seen many recommendations and after a beautiful night looking at the sunset, we strolled over for some dinner, and OMG, it was the best dinner both my husband and I had.
I’m a surf and turf kinda girl, and the steak was cooked perfectly, and the lobster, even though it was a Caribbean lobster, was tender and cooked to perfection.
Our waiter, was superb as well, very friendly, and even provided us with a complementary Key Lime pie, which I will give my review on as well.
El Siboney
Are you looking for authentic Cuban food? Well, we were told by a local that we needed to try this place if we were looking for an amazing Cuban dish. So, we made our way to El Siboney and tried their famous El Siboney Steak, and I fell in love with the first bite.
I don’t know how they made that steak so perfectly seasoned and cooked, but it was the most mouthwatering steak I have ever eaten. It was so good that we actually called a delivery in one night and had it delivered to the resort.
Caroline's Cafe
Our last night we were told that we had to check out Caroline’s because it was the best spot on Duval. Another great spot for sure. Our waitress was so friendly and had such a great personality.
We started with some appetizers, bruschetta and tuna, and then the main courses, which were so flavor filled. I had the Cajun Blackened chicken pasta, and the hubby had the catch of the day, Blackened Mahi Mahi.
The atmosphere, service and food was amazing!!
Better than Sex. A Dessert Restaurant
Do you love a good dessert? Well if so, this is the place to be. The story behind this dessert paradise is as sweet as the desserts they make.
I made reservations at the beginning of the week, for our last night, to save the best for last before we headed back home.
I don’t want to give you too much detail, because I want you to truly see for yourself what this place is all about. I will tell you that the name stands true.
The staff was amazing, the menus were entertaining, and the decor and ambiance inside were very intimate, which was a perfect last stop for us on our honeymoon.
We enjoyed the following from the menu if you’re curious to know:
I had the Slip Inside Cocktail drink and the Man Flowers cake, while the hubby had the Peanut Butter Perversion. Both were rich and absolutely mouthwatering.
Breakfast
Blue Heaven
Blue Heaven was one of my favorites for sure. The hubby got the lobster benedict, but I went for the more traditional eggs and bacon, but was told the banana bread was mouth watering. It didn’t disappoint! This restaurant gave you a real Key West relaxing island vibe. Everything about this place was amazing!!!
Banana Cafe
Banana Cafe is on Duval St, and despite the name, there isn’t a lot of banana items on the menu, but there are amazing french breakfast items that will have you wanting to try them all. The owner showed me some of her pictures that were hanging on the wall on your way to the bathrooms and they tell a great story. The decor is fascinating to look at and every wall and step has something unique to see.
My Key Lime Experience
Key lime is the famous dessert of Key West. The history of Key Lime Pie goes back to the 1800’s when sailors would use these native key limes, evaporated milk, and stale bread, to make a dessert. The sailors concoction of their refreshing dessert was then transformed into the pie as we know it today.
I had never tried Key Lime Pie before and wanted to try the most recommended, so that’s what I did and I decided to review them all for you.
Blue Heaven
My very first piece of Key Lime pie was not a disappointment at all. I had heard that the Blue Heaven was the place to try the famous Key Lime pie. A mountain of meringue topped this slice of pie.
With the first bite, the key lime taste was strong and an explosion of taste I had never had before. The meringue was like having toasted marshmallows on top of all this flavor.
A & B Lobster House
A & B Lobster House was my second pie I got to try, and it was a complimentary piece, so i’m not sure if that was why it was a little happier on my taste buds. The pie had a nice crust and texture. The pie itself had a sweeter taste and I felt that I could enjoy the key lime taste better without all the meringue.
Kermit's Key West Key Lime Shoppe
Last pie tasting was at the famous Kermit’s Key Lime Shoppe, and I can see why they are famous for their Key Lime pie after tasting it. The whip cream on top and amazing crust was perfectly put together with the best key lime center. I was glad that I tried this pie.
A few other places I recommend
Yoan Scooter Rentals
If you are looking to get around the island and do not want a car or a scooter, I recommend one of these. Yoan Scooter Rentals on Simonton St, had these great modified golf carts for us to cruise around and stay dry during the Florida daily rain.
Key West First Legal Rum Distillery
If you are looking for a fun tour to go to, check out Key West First Legal Rum Distillery. We were pleasantly surprise that our tour guide was from Rhode Island. You will learn the history of the Rum Runners, how the their rum is aged and named, and the history of the distillery. After your tour you can taste test some of their amazing rum.
90 Miles to Cuba
If you are looking for some fun antique treasures or just to shop in a cute local spot, stop in say hi to the amazing Artist of this great image. I found some beautiful photos for my office in the shop and so many other great items that displayed the history and love for the Island.
Local Color Key West
I was looking for some jewelry and went to the Key West Tourist Facebook page and was recommended to check out a well known shop. I was looking for a piece of jewelry for my mother in law, as a thank you for her watching my kids and dogs while we were in Key West. Once I walked in, we were greeted by a wonderful women who helped me find the perfect pair of earrings with a Caribbean stone I had never seen before. Prices were great, and so many wonderful locally made items as well.
Our Overall Experience
Our honeymoon, even during a Pandemic, was amazing. I know that Key West is known for its night life, bars and people, but we were actually glad we were able to enjoy Key West without it being super crazy busy. I felt we were able to see everything and take our time. It was the safest travel experience I’ve ever had. We are already planning another trip there, but next time with the kiddos and renting a house for sure. Until next time Key West. Thank you for all the great memories and amazing experiences.