A trip to Key West has always been on my list. So I was super excited to find out that my cruise to Cuba included a day stop at the island. It was a quick trip, but we made the best of it. Here’s how we spent our perfect day in Key West (and, most importantly, met the Hemingway cats!).
Southernmost Point
After disembarking off the ship, we took a leisurely walk down to the southernmost point to enjoy the view. It is a bit of a trek from the cruise port, so wear comfortable shoes. But it started our day off right with a chance to admire the beautiful houses and landscaping as well as enjoy the antics of the free roaming chickens that populate the island.
Hemingway House
Of all the attractions Key West has to offer, the Hemingway house was a must-see for me. I’m a fan of the author, but, I admit, I mostly wanted to see the cats. The Hemingway house is home to a huge colony of polydactyl (multi-toed) cats! Over 40 of them, actually! They free-roam all over the property with little regard for the ‘keep off the furniture’ signs. Visitors are welcome to pet and interact with the cats during their visit. This was a big hit with the kid travelling with us…while the adults went on the house tour, she entertained herself with the cats!
A Walk Down Duval Street
After the Hemingway house, we made our way down the famous Duval street, stopping to explore cute shops that caught our eye, including some incredible local art galleries.
Fresh Seafood
I’m afraid I failed miserably here. I hadn’t checked out restaurant options in advance and at lunchtime I was faced with a hangry group of people…and no plan. Yikes! Google maps came to my rescue and found a restaurant along the waterfront not too far from our current location. It was nice to enjoy fresh seafood with a view of the boats that had caught it. Definitely take the opportunity to try conch, the local specialty.
A Stop at Sloppy Joe’s
For the full Hemingway experience, we had to stop at Sloppy Joe’s. It’s no longer in its original location, but the place is still a legend. Even on a week day afternoon, it was packed! We did manage to find some seats at the bar…which turned out to be the best seats in the house as our bartender was particularly entertaining and personable. A cold drink and a chance to sit inside and enjoy some live music was a welcome break from the hot afternoon sun.
Key Lime Pie
You can’t visit Key West without trying some key lime pie. Our bartender from Sloppy Joes insisted that Kermit’s was the best on the island…so that’s where we went. And I can’t argue with his recommendation! Perfect key lime pie and a beautiful, shaded patio garden (complete with huge koi) to sit and enjoy it!
Sadly, at this point, it was time to head back to the ship so we didn’t get left behind. But…next stop, Cuba!
