Last week, my 11-year-old Anton, his friend Nick, and I were very excited to take a little jaunt to the Florida Keys…
A while back, Alex suggested that we each take a boy for February break, so we could enjoy some one-on-one time. He took Toby to visit family, and Anton BEGGED to go to Florida.
We decided on the Florida Keys and, after obsessively researching hotels (would anyone want a post about choosing hotels? I’ve developed a multi-pronged strategy at this point, and I’d love to hear your methods), I landed on Coconut Palm Inn in Key Largo.
The tiny bayside hotel wasn’t too splurgy, even for a one-bedroom suite with a sofa bed, and came with so many free surprises and delights once we arrived: breakfast muffins left outside our door, morning coffee, kayaks, fishing gear, ping pong, giant Jenga, cornhole, pool toys, bikes, hammocks, sunset wine, s’mores… You’re not staying at a super fancy place — there’s no on-site restaurant, for example, or long beach to walk on — but I LOVE a small hotel that feels like home once you arrive, versus a resort that changes a million hidden fees. (Two nearby hotels that seem to have similar vibes are the Atlantic Bay Resort and the Caribbean Resort.)
Kayaks and paddleboats were kept near the water, so we could walk up and jump in anytime. We went on adventures around the bay, and Anton, Nick and I would keep saying, “This is the life, you guys! Can you believe this?”
The hotel scene felt like summer camp, and we befriended another family, who gave us a clever mnemonic device to remember their names. “Peanut butter and jelly sandwich,” the dad told me. “Since we’re Peter, Bonnie, Jacob, and Samuel.” How brilliant is that? Do you have one for your family? Makes me want to figure one out for the boys and me.
Other than swimming, riding bikes, and asking me if they could drink more Coke, the boys spent most of their days fishing. The hotel gave them frozen shrimp, rods, and hooks, and the other hotel guests offered pointers. I didn’t know anything about fishing, so I happily sat in one of the Adirondack chairs on the pier and read my book.
We stayed only two nights, since they were booked up after that, but we loved every minute.
After checking out, we drove an hour south to Marathon, Florida, to our second hotel. En route, we stopped at Aquarium Encounters…
