Key West Bucketlist, FL

Summer is officially upon us and you must be wondering how we celebrate the 4th of July this year! Last year it was in Mendocino this year we picked up beach and sand. After completing the west coast road trip my last wish was to accomplish the east coast road trip too. Fortunate i will tag myself that i am blessed with a husband who equally shares the same thrill like me and finally made this come true this summer. We flew from Atlanta to Miami. After a one night halt in Royal palm we drove all the way to Key West next day.

Key West is more about the drive from key largo till the end. It will be a shame if you miss this overseas highway drive and opt for direct flight. Though traffic can be painful during peak days since it has one narrow road going all the way. We made it on public holiday and had to sulk inside the car. But the visual experience didn't made us lose our holiday spirit as we saw the dolphins playing, pelicans hanging out and the celebration of sun setting was a mark.

DUVAL STREET

After checking into Hyatt near the sunset harbour we quickly freshen up to hit the Duval street.

Every town has a main street to get it all and experience the culture of the city and this is the street. They have everything you can imagine and some things you can't. Very touristy and it is open late night till 4am. It remind me of Goa in India where me and Ani made our first trip outside ever and that was our honeymoon stay or it was the beginning.

Ever since we landed here everywhere we see and hear is 'key'. We ordered Key west lemonade and key lime pie at Carolines Cafe. For us who love people watching this was the best spot which overlooked the frenzy crowd, vrooming cars and hard rock cafe opposite.

We check into the Irish Kevin pub. If you are wondering what made us pick up this spot, it was the song this guy was singing,'those were the best days of my life' You wont think twice to enter here either when you hear your fave tune.

I wanted to stay back more but prefer retreating back to hotel since the drive was too long and my world was revolving with so much crowd and sweating around.

The next day fresh and wild we checked out early. We had a one day stay plan and were cent percent sure we will do all of the Key West in 24hrs. Before that why not make the most of the Hyatt pool which looked so welcoming from the reception counter. Putting our luggage under hotel security we swam, instagrammed and bared our skin to the sun.

SUNSET HARBOUR

Rejuvenated we walked upto the sunset harbor adjoining the Hyatt, marveling at the sea gulls and breathing in breeze between Atlantic ocean and Gulf of Mexico. While i picked up my morning coffee from local brewery Ani had his hot dog for a good day start.

Harry S Truman Little White House

The plus point of this Hyatt location is that is close to nearby all the attraction at 1.5miles walking distance. A few steps upward we came by the Little Whitehouse where the 33th president of USA, Harry Truman wintered here often, in a serene part of Key West.

A visit here treats you to a journey back to the era of Truman and a view of many of his personal belongings. You’ll see where he and Bess lived and dined, original furnishings, personal effects and more. You’ll also see the rooms where Truman met with the Joint Chiefs of Staff, worked on the Marshall Plan and wrote the Truman Doctrine. During the tour, you’ll learn interesting facts about the home and Harry Truman from the knowledgeable docents.

The inside has a gift shop and a decent sized collection of memorabilia of the President.

"Key" is derived from the Spanish word cayo, meaning small island should not be underestimated since at every step you take you are appalled with small surprises it brings to you.

Coming out of Little Whitehouse we walked straight to be rewarded with a larger-than-life sculpture by Seward Johnson depicting the iconic 1945 image of a sailor planting a kiss on a nurse.

This 25-foot, 15,000-pound piece has a very interesting background. The sculptor is an inspiration from Alfred Eisentaedt photograph portraying a US Navy sailor grabbing and kissing a stranger—a woman in a white dress—on Victory over Japan Day ("V-J Day") in New York City's Times Square on August 14, 1945.

Quite a moment and we felt so much touched by the emotion that the navy was sharing with a stranger girl. It was not just a kiss but an embrace of peace.

LIGHTHOUSE & KEEPER'S QUARTERS MUSEUM

It's worth the walk up the spiral staircase to see the views from the top of this lighthouse. Not for the infirmed or the faint of heart. Right across the street from Hemingways House so worth a short visit.

When you enter the gift shop you purchase a ticket. They will offer you a package deal for 2 other places. Stick with the light house. I just saved you $10.00 and frustration.

The climb up the light house is not for the faint a heart. It's quite a climb to climb up 80 or so feet on a spiraling staircase. Amazing that a woman did this up to 5 times a day until she was 82. When she was forcefully removed from her job after 39 years.

Easy 88 step climb to the top for an excellent 360 degree view of Key West. Great place to take some pictures. The employee on location seemed disappointed we didn't put more into the history of the location but she also kept reminding us she was closing, lol. The view alone is worth stopping and they do give a student discount as well.

SOUTHERNMOST POINT

It's free and it's iconic. There was a line the day we visited, but it didn't take that long. Everyone just asked the person in front or behind them in line to take their picture (it's hard to get a selfie with the full buoy and yourselves in the frame). Everyone was friendly. We were done in probably 10 minutes.

Didn't know this spot was so popular! There was a long line of people taking photos with the statue when we came by. It's neat to say you were at the southernmost point of the continental US

KEY WEST CEMETERY

I would not say that I had been already visited so many cemeteries, but I found it very unique. Interesting to read the history, and if you read the gravestones, you can find a lot from the 18th century. The place is open from 7 in the morning, I would go here early, because there is no shadow but a lot of stone here so quite hot during the day. And a lot of roosters around, but this is Key West.

The cemetery is very old! We saw tombstones from the 1800's. it is quite interesting to drive by or go through. This cemetery holds over 100,000 souls but yet it's quite small. Many people are buried 3 deep.

HIGGS BEACH

We pulled in and parked right at the beach, that was nice and convenient. Roosters running around everywhere. The beach wasn't very clean and seaweed everywhere.

OTHER THINGS TO DO

-You can fly from Miami to Key West in 45 minutes if you are in a hurry, but if you want one of the more memorable automobile odysseys, drive the Overseas Highway across a 113-mile chain of coral and limestone islands connected by 42 bridges, one of them seven miles long.

-Rent a scooter rather taking any trolley tour. It is a small place to cover up, you can conveniently park it anywhere at the same time hopping up and down countless time.

-Carry a lot of sunscreen lotion and wear something light since the weather is so hot and humid you cannot avoid sweating. And don't bother about your hair here since nobody minds it as long you are in Key West and sweat free.

-Eat at Fogarty's. We had our fave Pina Colada and that was all we need for the thirst to quench.

-Visit the Fort Zachery Taylor.

-Ernest Hemingway house is opposite of the Lighthouse so a walk inside is great if you are a reader and loved his books.

-Take a selfie at US 1 mile marker 0 which stretches 2,390 miles up to Fort Kent, Maine, Mile Marker 0 is literally the 'end of the road,' even though it's the center of town. Worth a stop-off if you're passing by.

-Stop by Mallory square to watch the sunset in its best form.

And last but least do not forget to insta me..

Keep island hopping!