Day 2 in Key West – January 13
We got up early and headed over to the hotel office to have some breakfast and rent bikes to use for the rest of the weekend. The gentleman at the bike desk told us that we could get a bike for 20.00 each for the weekend and that there were wide sidewalks for walking and biking that would take us down the east or the west side of the key from the hotel to Duval Street.
On our way from the room to the office we saw this little rooster who was walking around in the bushes near the pool area and making a racket.
Rooster at our hotel
After breakfast we took the bikes and headed down the wester side of the Key towards the busy end of Duval Street. The sidewalk/Bike Path was wide and went through some populated areas but also along the marinas and eventually into the main area near Mallory Square.
Here we are with our bikes, which we really enjoyed all weekend.
Once we got into town we drove around town checking the shops, and tourist locations. We went to the eastern end of Duval and headed to the Aids Memorial which is a large concrete pier that sticks out into the ocean and where you can take pictures of Pelicans that spend a lot of time fishing right beside the pier. We also caught a frigate bird flying by. We stopped at Southernmost point for a better picture, Climbed the Lighthouse, went by Hemingway’s house but decided not to go in, and also spent quite a while at the Butterfly Conservatory. We also stopped by Mile Marker 0 on route 1 for a picture. Having the bikes allowed us to just wander around wherever we wanted to and stop for pictures or to visit an attraction or do shopping.
White Ibis feeing in a parking lot
Pelican fishing
Pelican eating his catch.
Pelican fishing beside the Aids memorial
Frigate Bird
Pelican
View from the Aids Memorial
Southernmost point of the continental US
Key West Lighthouse
Inside of the Keywest Lighthouse
Mile Marker 0
Outside the Hemingway House
View inside the gate of the Hemingway House
Butterfly Conservatory
Butterfly Conservatory
Pink Flamingos at the Butterfly Conservatory
Pink Flamingos at the Butterfly Conservatory
Mandarin Duck at the Butterfly Conservatory
Mandarin Duck at the Butterfly Conservatory
After the Butterfly conservatory we rode over to the busy end of Duval street again to scope out the area where we would catch a boat to Sunset Key that night for our special Anniversary dinner, We then had lunch at a little outside restaurant near Duval. We the headed back to the hotel to get a bit of a rest and get ready for dinner.
When we arrived back at the hotel there was champagne and strawberries and some special gifts from the hotel staff who had asked when we checked in if we were there for any special occasion and we told them that we were celebrating our anniversary. They also left wristbands so that we could ride the bus into town anytime all weekend for free. It was very nice.
We checked out the pool at the hotel for a little while before dinner, it was a little chilly that day so the pool area was quiet but very nice.
Pool at the hotel
Pool at the hotel
We got dressed and took the car to a parking garage near Duval Street and the Cruise Ship docks to catch a boat to Sunset Key and the restaurant there called Latitudes. The boat trip was a shuttle to the key that you can only board if you live there, are staying there, or are having dinner at the restaurant. We arrived at a covered boat dock and headed into dinner. We had hoped to sit outside but it was chilly and windy. Even so we enjoyed a fantastic dinner, some beautiful desserts, and then while we were waiting for the boat to take us back we sat at the bar next to some Atlanta Falcons fans and watched the Eagles beat them to advance in the playoffs.
A view of Sunset Key
Dessert at Latitudes
Watching the Eagles win in the bar at Latitudes
View of the restaurant from the boat dock
After dark as we were leaving.