Our Honeymoon to the Florida Keys

When we first started talking about honeymoon possibilities, we decided two things:

1. We would have one
2. We would go somewhere warm

Another factor in our decision: timing of the honeymoon.

Because of the nature of both of our jobs, and the interest in an October wedding, we decided to postpone the honeymoon to the December break. The College closes for almost two weeks, and the prospect of going away during time the College was CLOSED was a huge deciding factor for both of us.

We chose: The Florida Keys

Neither of us are entirely sure how we settled on the Florida Keys! We haven’t been there before, so the idea of a NEW destination for both of us was a big key. We’re also explorers, so the idea of flying into southern FL and driving the entirety of the Keys appealed to both of us.

I’m so glad we chose the Florida Keys — it’s a fantastic string of islands to explore. I love that it’s still in the U.S. but feels tropical. I loved exchanging the cold Maryland weather for sun, sand, and 80+ degree weather. Even more, I LOVED getting to go on a special trip with my husband.

We planned a great week. We flew to Ft. Lauderdale, picked up a rental car, and then drove south, stopping at three key places:

Biscayne National Park
Islamorada
Key West

After getting the rental car, we drove first to Biscayne National Park. It was so much fun to explore the top of the keys, see the water, walk along the pathways, and we even watched the 20 minute visitor center video.

We wanted to get a good sense of the vibe of the different Keys, so we planned to stop almost halfway for a couple of days. We stayed at Amara Cay Resort in Islamorada, which was GORGEOUS! Just a couple of miles from our resort, we ventured to Robbie’s and signed up for a couple of hours of kayaking on the bay side – under the mangroves! How magical is this? We got LOTS of beach time, which was a must. I’m a fan of just hanging out on the beach, I could do it ALL morning. Give me a towel, a book, some snacks, and I’m set. After a couple of days in Islamorada, we ventured south to Key West. First, we stopped at Bahia Honda State Park to check out the beach scene there.

Once in Key West (a really gorgeous drive, y’all!), we spent the rest of our days exploring the 4-mile island. We hit all the crucial points (to us!!):

Beach The Southernmost Point (and we also saw the start of Route 1): The Hemingway House, and more importantly, the six-toed Hemingway cats:      and Mallory Square to enjoy the Sunset Celebration. On New Year’s Eve, we signed up for a sunset sail with Danger Charters (HIGHLY recommend). This was probably my favorite part of our entire trip.

I’m so glad we chose The Florida Keys for our Honeymoon Destination!