Although you may have traveled to many destinations (domestic and international), if you want to be able to switch from total excitement to absolute relaxation, then the Florida Keys is the place to be. But not everyone knows how to travel “The Keys”, and it is interesting to have learned that many of these folks are South Floridians.

Most people drive through the main road (US1) and make leisurely stops, for either lunch, dinner or a night's stay (if that), only at places they see to their immediate left or right while driving on US1. And while there are great places along US1, there are also other options to be explored. Many people drive-through the Keys and on to Key West for only a couple of nights stay. While in Key West, they spend one day walking Duval Street, taking a few pictures at the southern most point (90 miles from Cuba) and maybe riding scooters for a couple of hours. And of course, they hit the bars at night.

But there is so much to do in Key West and The Florida Keys that you honestly do need at least two or three nights for the upper & lower keys and most definitely another few additional nights in Key West.

The “get there fast and then you take it slow” thing, I don't totally agree with. I like getting there slow and continue to take it slow all through my trip when visiting the Florida Keys. I savor every moment, every stop along the way, every sight, every sound, every meal, every drink and every bed I sleep in.

If you have never been to the Florida Keys and you want to drive all the way to Key West, I strongly recommend giving yourself a little extra time than you had initially intended.

As per our newly found friends from Gloucester, Virginia, Laura and Rick, who were visiting the Keys in celebration of their 20th Anniversary - “There is definitely such a thing as Key West Time”, and this is true of all the Keys.

Laura and Rick had been told how interesting the Florida Keys were, so they decided to visit in celebration of their special occasion. While enjoying the excitement of parasailing for their first time, going on a sunset cruise and doing many of the other activities available, they mostly enjoyed the relaxed atmosphere the Keys offer. “You can do a lot in the Keys, or simply do nothing” said Laura.

There are awesome places to dine in, to stay in and to play in, and there is just no way anyone can do it all in two days, so when planning a trip to the Florida Keys, keep that in mind.

Here are a few spectacular places we learned about on our recent trip to The Florida Keys:

Our first stop on our trip to the Keys was in Key Largo at Dove Creek Lodge, a real delight, a place where we had not yet stayed in, but will certainly keep coming back to.

From the moment you pull up to the lodge and into your parking space, you are already excited to know that you can park under cover and your car will not be scorching hot when you need to go out again.
Our room was right off the lobby, a quaint and absolutely lovely area, with very comfortable sofas and several tables and chairs where you can enjoy a generous deluxe continental breakfast. Adjacent to the lobby area is an outside terrace where you may step out to enjoy the ocean breeze. Both the lobby and terrace are on the second level of the property overlooking the ocean and the marina.

Our first stop on our trip to the Keys was in Key Largo at Dove Creek Lodge, a real delight, a place where we had not yet stayed in, but will certainly keep coming back to.

From the moment you pull up to the lodge and into your parking space, you are already excited to know that you can park under cover and your car will not be scorching hot when you need to go out again.
Our room was right off the lobby, a quaint and absolutely lovely area, with very comfortable sofas and several tables and chairs where you can enjoy a generous deluxe continental breakfast. Adjacent to the lobby area is an outside terrace where you may step out to enjoy the ocean breeze. Both the lobby and terrace are on the second level of the property overlooking the ocean and the marina.

Our room was also quite pleasing. We were able to watch the sun rise from our balcony while enjoying our first cup of coffee for the day, before heading out to enjoy the rest of our breakfast. Room offered a King bed that was very comfortable with crisp white bed sheets, HDTV, safe, mini-refrigerator and a squeaky clean bathroom with all the pertinent amenities.

This 14 unit lodge also offers one and two bedroom suites, Deluxe and Luxury Suites with dining area, full kitchen and private screened-in patios.

Dove Creek Lodge prides themselves on being a warm, friendly and uncomplicated island-style boutique hotel, and I can certainly attest to that. It is a perfect place for a romantic getaway, an intimate, casual, barefoot-in-the-sand bash, a grand affair, a family reunion, or a corporate incentive group.
The hotel's staff can arrange Jet Ski rentals, kayaking, snorkeling, diving and fishing trips.

The possibilities are many at Dove Creek Lodge.

For a fantastic casual meal (and right next to Dove Creek Lodge) is Snapper's Waterfront Restaurant. You don't want to miss out on Lynda's Infamous Chicken Wings, served with a magnificent Thai chili mango puree. Their delicious homemade Conch Chowder is just perfect and their daily specials are based on fresh locally caught fish. I enjoyed one of the best Snappers I have ever had. Their selection of drinks is fantastic; I recommend trying a Pain in the Ass (_ Pina Colada and _ Rum Runner) and if you happen to be by on Sunday, check out their Sunday brunch with live music entertainment and a great view. Snapper's Waterfront Restaurant can host two to two-hundred.

When we checked in at Tranquility Bay we knew right away we would not want to leave after only a one night stay. What a phenomenal place to stay in, from their bi-level beach houses to their exterior grounds, and all the luxuries this resort offers, it is now truly one of my Florida Keys favorites.

The resort features a total of 87 two and three bedroom beach houses with fully equipped kitchen, dining area, two and one half baths, living room with 42-inch wall mounted plasma TV, top of the line linens, beautiful French doors leading to the spacious porches on both levels, and they all offer views of the ocean. Tranquility Bay offers a private beach, beautifully landscaped pool and a second adult only pool located right on the beach, fitness center, and spa services offered right in your room.

There are several dining options at Tranquility Bay, the beachfront Tiki Bar, the indoor and outdoor Butterfly Café, and if you feel like staying in your beach house you may call Room Service. The resort also offers romantic private dinners on the beach and you can even have the chef prepare your own catch if you have been out fishing during the day. And of course, there is always the option of cooking your own meal in your fully equipped kitchen if you so prefer.

Their beautiful beachfront setting and indoor banquet space are the perfect location for a memorable celebration, whether a wedding or a corporate event.

Tranquility Bay Beach House Resort is a great place to enjoy a vacation just the two of you, or with friends, family or colleagues. It's just a feel good kind of place anyone may enjoy.

You might have already heard of Little Palm Island in the Florida Keys. I certainly have, but visited for the first time very recently. I must admit I have fallen in love with this place, and I am sure you will too.
If you are looking for the most romantic and exotic island getaway, look no further. Accessible only by boat or seaplane, this private island resort is truly an oasis.

On arrival, following a flawless check-in at their Welcome Center, The Truman, a 35 foot boat will take you to the private island. A concierge will be waiting for you to offer all the information you need, answer any questions you may have and take you to one of the thirty spectacular Bungalow Suites available on the island.
There are twenty eight one-bedroom suites, all featuring indoor and outdoor showers and private verandah and two Island Grand Suites that offer his and hers bathrooms and an outdoor hot tub. There are no telephones or televisions, but every suite does offer binoculars, elegant island-style furnishings, superior bedding and spectacular in-suite amenities.

Spa Terre at Little Palm Island offers Balinese spa treatments and Thai body rituals incorporating a blend of ancient spa traditions. The healing properties of flowers and spices are used liberally to enhance each spa experience.

The resorts currently available overnight package includes a welcome bottle of champagne, all non-alcoholic beverages, mini bar, use of all water sport activities equipment, fishing gear and snorkel equipment. Use of fitness center and library are also included. You may upgrade your package to include lunch and dinner as well.

The Dining Room at Little Palm offers an elegant, candle-lit dining experience. You may dine on a terrace perched above the sea, or at tables along the beach. Their food is classic European fused with Pan Latin flavors and their wine selections are exquisite.

Little Palm Island Resort and Spa really is a private island paradise and one of the best romantic retreats in the world.

Key West has many wonderful places to stay in and La Mer Hotel & Dewey House certainly make the cut. Together they offer a total of 19 guest rooms with a turn-of-the-century feel and bedding that feels you are on top of a cloud, truly one of the most comfortable beds I have ever laid on. Rooms also offer wet bar, private balcony, robes, and all the in-room amenities offered are of superior quality.

Deluxe continental breakfast and afternoon tea are offered complimentary on the Dewey House Terrace overlooking the ocean. They also offer parking, bottled water in each guest room, beach chairs and internet connection at no additional cost.

And for lunch or dinner, there's the Southernmost Beach Café right on the beach and opened from 8am to 10pm.

La Mer Hotel & Dewey House, Key West's only 4 Diamond small luxury hotels are part of Southernmost Hotel Collection, which also include Southernmost Hotel and Southernmost on the Beach.

They are able to assist you with the perfect stay or the perfect event, from a beach wedding, to a ceremony on a private pier to an elegant poolside reception or a corporate event.
Key West has many wonderful places to stay in and La Mer Hotel & Dewey House certainly make the cut. Together they offer a total of 19 guest rooms with a turn-of-the-century feel and bedding that feels you are on top of a cloud, truly one of the most comfortable beds I have ever laid on. Rooms also offer wet bar, private balcony, robes, and all the in-room amenities offered are of superior quality.

Deluxe continental breakfast and afternoon tea are offered complimentary on the Dewey House Terrace overlooking the ocean. They also offer parking, bottled water in each guest room, beach chairs and internet connection at no additional cost.

And for lunch or dinner, there's the Southernmost Beach Café right on the beach and opened from 8am to 10pm.

La Mer Hotel & Dewey House, Key West's only 4 Diamond small luxury hotels are part of Southernmost Hotel Collection, which also include Southernmost Hotel and Southernmost on the Beach.

They are able to assist you with the perfect stay or the perfect event, from a beach wedding, to a ceremony on a private pier to an elegant poolside reception or a corporate event.

La Mer Hotel & Dewey House and Southernmost Hotel Collection offer unique and luxurious accommodations and all within a few steps from Duval Street.

From the moment you walk in to the Casa Marina Resort & Beach Club you are able to look straight through their French doors and large arched windows and see their beautiful exterior grounds and ocean. Their decoration is what I would like to call quietly elegant, combining Mediterranean style with Florida's modern chic.

The Casa Marina Resort offers 311 deluxe guest rooms, including 70 suites, many with private balcony or patio and 1,100 feet of private beach.

The Casa Marina Resort & Beach Club offers 11,000 square feet of indoor meeting space, so whether you are looking for a great vacation getaway or to book a top class event, the Casa Marina Resort is one of the best choices in Key West.

The Gardens Hotel in Key West was once the largest private estate on the island and now one of the most elegant and romantic getaway spots in the Keys.

The Garden Hotel is made up of 17 luxurious rooms and suites, all featuring beautiful top quality furnishings with bedding dressed in impeccable designer linens, hardwood floors, pristine white marble baths with Jacuzzi tubs, and all the amenities you would expect in a top of the line and elegant small hotel.

Whether you decide to relax poolside while enjoying chilled champagne, sit on your verandah overlooking the crystal clear pool and palm trees, or take a walk through the exotic gardens to admire the Cuban “Tinajones”, vast variation of vegetation and butterflies, you and your loved one will enjoy the romantic atmosphere that is found everywhere within the walls surrounding this beautiful establishment.

The Gardens Hotel in Key West is as elegantly beautiful as it is romantic.

Square One Restaurant and owner Michael Stewart are certainly top notch, class acts in Key West. So whether you are visiting Key West for leisure or business and looking for a great dinner place for two or a few, you will not go wrong at this venue.

And last, but not least…

We all like to do a little shopping when we travel, so here's my recommendation - You can't leave Key West without your Kino Sandals.

These popular and durable sandals are handmade using natural leather uppers and natural rubber soles. Kino Sandals are a fashionable, inexpensive and quality handmade product available for men and women.
Roberto Lopez, also known as Kino, which was his childhood name when he lived in Cienfuegos, Cuba, brought his skill and ambition with him when he fled Cuba one year after Castro's revolution.

When in Cuba, Kino had a shoe factory and when he arrived in Key West, he had left shoemaking behind and worked as a handyman for four years. Kino had ambitions and goals and during those four years he saved his money and got a small business loan and opened the doors of Kino Sandals Key West in 1966.

Kino Sandals continues to operate successfully in Key West, still owned and operated by the “Kino” family.
I purchased a couple of “Kinos” myself and have received continuous compliments.

So remember… When visiting Key West, you can't leave without your Kino Sandals!

Mangoes Restaurant, one of the best restaurants in Key West, is located right on the corner at 700 Duval Street. This restaurant not only offers exceptional food, but also excellent service. Outdoor terrace overlooking Duval Street has a fully loaded bar and is “the place to see and be seen” as said by Restaurant Manager, George Lochen.

We enjoyed dinner at the restaurant. The chilled Gazpacho could certainly be compared to the best I've had in Andalusia, Spain; the Conch Spring Rolls, a spring roll paper filled with conch and Asian vegetables lightly fried and served with mango chutney was impeccable and although the portion was just right, the taste was so exquisite you would want to eat everything on your plate and then some, but there was more coming so we held back from eating it all and went on to taste the second appetizer; the Wild Mushroom Martini, a selection of wild mushrooms, sautéed in olive oil and soy sauce, garnished with goat cheese, crisp croustinis and green olive tapenade, abundantly served in a martini glass, this was mouth watering, from its fragrance as it arrived to our table to the last taste as we finished it off, it was a wonderful experience. The Twisted Grouper Meunier, fresh Florida grouper, sautéed with a hint of garlic, shallot, dry vermouth and parsley butter, presented on herbed rice with poached asparagus tips, grilled plum tomatoes and a lemony hollandaise sauce, was truly one of the best culinary experiences I've ever had, as was the Chicken & Portabella Mushroom Marsala, tender chicken breast medallions, sautéed in garlic butter with thick cut portabella mushroom, lemon, marsala wine and parsley greens, sided with mashed potatoes and sautéed vegetables.

Mangoes Restaurant is not only a place that deserves my writing and your visit next time you are in Key West, but also a spectacular place for an elegant wedding or any kind of group function, whether social or a corporate event.

Mangoes Restaurant is owned and operated by Hayes Robertson & Company Inc. They also own Fogarty's (in Key West and Coral Springs), Jack Flats, Red Fish Blue Fish, and Caroline's.
Stay tuned for future articles coming in 2009 on South Florida to learn more about these and/or other great restaurant establishments.

Most of the places I visit and write about come highly recommended by friends, family and colleagues who are foodies like me and travel worldwide. One of these recommended places was Square One Restaurant, also in Key West, located at 1075 Duval Street.
We had the honor to sit with owner Michael Stewart to chat about his experience with this wonderful restaurant and enjoy their great food. While enjoying our own dinner and chatting with Michael, we were also able to watch their servers taking care of other tables. The attention to detail and the professionalism of the waiters was second to none. As I glanced at other master pieces being served at nearby tables, I realized everyone was getting top of the line service and quality food that was beautifully presented. I then relaxed and just started enjoying the wonderful dishes that were being presented to us.

Chef Andrew prepared several wonderful menu samplers that started with an appetizer trio to include Roasted Scallops, Seared New York Strip on a bed of baby cilantro and Quail Egg topped with Caviar. It was difficult to determine what we liked most. Everything was indescribably delicious, from the appetizers to the Warm Duck Salad to the entrees which included Grouper on a Bed of Caramelized Onions, Lobster Pot Pie and Braised Beef on a bed of Linguini, baked in a cooking bag to ensure all the flavors were well infused in the pasta.
And the Crème Brulee was yet another “Culinary Orgasm”, as I have been known to call great food that just makes you have to sigh as you enjoy it.

You will also find that they have a wonderful selection of drinks and wines, whether at the bar or at your table.
This place is truly spectacular and Michael was a great host, not only to us, but to everyone that walked into the restaurant.

In a comfortable and elegant atmosphere, this restaurant also offers wonderful background music. The sounds of Enrique Chia's piano certainly set the mood for a romantic dinner and a live pianist is also available during certain nights of the week.