Daytrippin’ to the Florida Keys from South Florida

Sometimes you need to get away to clear your mind, push reset on the life button, and energize all the levels up to full. A major vacation might be in-store, but sometimes a day trip or “daycation” (a term I just learned about on Wikipedia), could do the trick.

I was feeling it. We all needed to get away. Vitamin D was on the menu and salty air was a plus – and sometimes, you need to just drive. At least I do.

So, off we went on for a day trip to the Florida Keys. We were meeting friends who were down, getting their diving certificate, and we joined them for a day at the beach and an evening eating local seafood, beer, and key lime pie.

Where We Played in the Water

Our first stop was Bahia Honda State Park, located just over the 7 Mile Bridge in Big Pine Key. The Keys aren’t necessarily known for their sandy beaches, but Bahia Honda has one of the best. You could spend the day kayaking and snorkeling, but we opted for making drizzle sand castles and shell bracelets. It cost $10 for a family of 4 to enter the park.

Where We Ate

After a few hours in the gorgeous water and sand, we headed to Keys Fisheries, just a short ride back North on the 7 Mile Bridge.

We enjoyed fresh seafood and a beautiful sunset at this delicious, and slightly quirky eatery. The lines can get long but they move fast. They are known for their Lobster Ruben but the conch fritters are also dynamite! Not to mention the Key Lime Pie and $3.50 beers.  I am sure most everything on the menu is super fresh and great, as it was part of the “Catch of the Day”.

I say quirky because when you order at the window, they will ask you a random question of the day instead of your name. Ours was “What is your favorite cartoon character”, which Ruby replied Minnie and Daisy, of course. She couldn’t just pick one! It was super fun to hear all the creative ideas being called over the loudspeaker as people picked up their food, and the kids saying, “Who is Go-Go Speed Racer”?

As the sun went down, the band from the bar above played the perfect music for a lovely and tranquil end to our day…and back up the road we went, feeling sun-kissed, rejuvenated, and accomplished that we had explored somewhere new, made new memories, and spent quality time with good friends.

Do you have a favorite place in the Florida Keys? Or Day Trip you are planning this weekend? We love new ideas and places to check out. Or maybe you need inspiration? Let us know in a comment below!