There’s no denying the hectic pace of life with kids can leave you frazzled, with you and your partner looking at each other more like roommates than anything else. But when you can get away for a weekend just the two of you, Key West is the best place to go. From sun and fun to seafood and shopping, spending quality time together can help you rekindle the romance and reconnect. Here are the best additions to your itinerary that give you a chance to spend meaningful time together and rediscover what it was that brought you together in the first place.
Enjoy the Sunset Celebration
Every night’s a party in Key West, and the Mallory Square Sunset Celebration is no exception. Head over around two hours before sunset to stake out your spot; it’s the perfect way to end a day walking around Mallory Square, full of restaurants and shops. There’s music, dancing, magicians, arts and crafts vendors, and food vendors. It’s a great place to kick off a date night before a casual dinner or drinks at a jazz club.
Indulge in Fresh Seafood
There are many seafood restaurants in Key West and among the best is Eaton Street Seafood Market. As soon as you walk into the market, you can’t help but notice the cases full of the day’s catch, ready for dine-in, take-out or shipping fresh to customers at home. It’s a great lunch destination with shady outdoor seating, and the fried conch strips basket, crab cakes, and fish tacos are the standout dishes.
Explore Undersea Reefs and Wrecks
Dry Tortugas National Park is one of the best places to snorkel in Key West, whether you’re an experienced snorkeler or new at the sport. Book a trip on the ferry to Garden Key from Key West and spend the day exploring coral reefs, shipwrecks, and old wooden pilings where undersea life of all kinds can be found. You can also go birdwatching or kayaking around the small islands that make up the park. The historic fort on the site hosts tours, reenactments, stargazing programs at night, and more.
Go Charter Fishing Together
Charter fishing is one of the big draws to Key West but if you’ve never been before, you can still enjoy it. When you book a charter fishing trip, the captain and the crew take care of everything. All you need to do is pick a half- or full-day tour and decide where you want to go and what kind of fish you’d like to try catching. Charter trips can go out for deep water, flats, reef, and wreck fishing. The permits and fishing licences are taken care of by the charter fishing company, leaving you free to just show up and have a good time.
Take a Long Romantic Walk
At the Key West Tropical Forest and Botanical Garden, you can get close to native trees and plants from charming walkways and paths that cross the 16-acre grounds. It’s full of lush natural greenery that’s home to dozens of bird species, too. Pack a picnic lunch and binoculars for birdwatching. This is the only garden of its kind located in the continental U.S.
Enjoy a Romantic Dinner
Latitudes Restaurant offers Gulf of Mexico views and fine dining in a luxury setting. Freshly caught snapper, grouper, scallops, and lobster dishes grace the menu. Don’t miss the ahi tuna carpaccio, smoked steak tartare or Key West pink shrimp carbonara. The service is attentive, the wine list extensive, and you’ll feel pampered and special. Dramatic columns and open-air dining make for a memorable experience.
Swim and Sunbathe on the Beach
Key West’s local beaches are dotted around the island and offer sandy shores along with chair and snorkel rentals for a day-long fun. Smathers Beach has water sports rentals like jet skiing and parasailing. Walk the piers at Higgs Beach or Rest Beach. Dog Beach, although more rocky than sandy, is open to locals and visitors with their dogs.
Indulge in a Couples’ Spa Experience
The Spa at Sunset Key offers a variety of health and wellness packages designed to release your stresses and rejuvenate your souls. Massages, body wraps, and more can even be provided on the beach for the ultimate in pampering. Treatments feature essential oils and high-end skincare applications delivered by skilled aestheticians and spa professionals.
Key West can be the ideal place to spend time together and revive your relationship as a couple. Spending a few days focused only on each other, without the ordinary distractions of work and childcare, gives you both a chance to truly see one another again as the people you were when you first fell in love. From long walks to intimate dinners, adventures in snorkeling and fishing, to shopping and sunbathing, a Key West getaway can be truly restorative for both of you.
