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Key West is a sunny oasis, perfect for relaxing with your besties. Read on for our guide to planning a Key West girls’ trip.
When planning your next girls’ trip, look no further than beautiful Key West. This sunny oasis is the perfect place to relax with your besties and soak up the sun and culture that is Key West.
Only about 90 miles north of Cuba, Key West is the southernmost point in Florida and is home to the southernmost point in the United States. Best known for its pastel conch-style houses that line the streets, Key West is a popular cruise ship port.
Drive across the Overseas Highway to get to Key West and spend a few days snorkeling, sunbathing, shopping, and dining with the girls. While exploring, leave your large bags and backpacks with a luggage storage service so you don’t have to drag them along.
Things to Do On Your Key West Girls Trip
There are many things to do while soaking up the sun and culture in the Florida Keys. Here are some of our favorite things to do while exploring Key West.
The Ernest Hemingway Home and Museum
Take an hour or so and explore the home where Ernest Hemingway resided in the 1930s. Located at 907 Whitehead Street, the house was turned into a museum and restored to how it looked when Hemingway lived there.
Hemingway House in Key West. Photo by Michelle Maria via Pixabay
The museum holds several notable artifacts related to Hemingway and his writings. Even if you are not a fan of his work, you will still want to check out the Ernest Hemingway Home and Museum while you are in Key West.
The house was built in 1851 and is in the French Colonial style. The home is also best known for a large number of Hemingway cats, many of which are polydactyl and reside in and around the home.
Southernmost Point of the Continental US
The best place for a photo op with your beloved gal pals is the Southernmost Point Buoy, a historic landmark anchored in concrete.
The southernmost point in the continental USA on sunrise in Key West, Florida. Photo by romrodinka via iStock by Getty Images
Commemorate your visit to the southernmost point of the continental US by gathering your friends and snapping a fun photo. The colorful buoy sits at the corner of South Street and Whitehead Street.
Smathers Beach
You cannot have the ultimate girls’ trip to this part of Florida without hitting the largest public beach in Key West! Smathers Beach is about a half-mile long and a popular destination for locals and tourists.
Located on the south side of Key West, you can sit under a coconut tree and look out over the Atlantic Ocean. Put on your swimsuit, grab your suntan lotion, and plan an afternoon enjoying the waves.
Higgs Beach
Officially called the Clarence S. Higgs Memorial Beach Park, Higgs Beach is a small historic beach with a pier over the ocean. Adjacent to the Casa Marina Resort, Higgs Beach is a popular spot for resort guests.
The clear turquoise water and the white sandy beach almost make you forget that there is an 1800s African refugee burial ground next to Higgs Beach. It is the largest African slave cemetery in the United States.
Audubon House & Tropical Gardens
Colonel Mitchell Wolfson and his wife, Frances, established the Audubon House Museum and Tropical Gardens in 1960. The American Classic Revival three-story home was restored to its former glory and opened to the public.
The Audubon House was built in the mid-1800s by Captain John Huling Geiger, the first harbor pilot in Key West. Captain Geiger also planted the tropical gardens, which look much like they did when he lived at the home.
The furnishings in the home date back to the 1800s, with many of the pieces coming from auctions in Europe. The museum has several first-edition works by John James Audubon, the famous ornithologist.
There are many things to do on your girls trip to Key West, including exploring the beautiful homes and gardens. Photo by Joshua Case on Unsplash
Places to Eat During Your Key West Girls Trip
While soaking up the sun and exploring Key West, you will work up an appetite. Never fear. There are some great eateries for you to check out during your visit. Here are a few of our favorites.
Ingrid’s Key West Kitchen
When in Key West, you have to visit Ingrid’s Key West Kitchen at least once! The food is delicious, and the ambiance is chill and laid-back. The portion sizes are enormous; you will probably want to share a couple of dishes with your girlfriends.
You will have difficulty deciding what to order because everything is excellent. The pulled pork sandwich is saucy and flavorful, and you’ll all rave about the perogies for days.
Blue Heaven
You have not experienced Key West until you have dined at Blue Heaven, an iconic restaurant serving Caribbean cuisine with a Floridian twist. You can choose to eat indoors or out in the sunshine.
The portions are large, so you can share or have leftovers. The flavorful and spicy dishes, especially the BLT Benny with home fries, will satisfy you. Save room for the towering key lime pie that they are famous for.
Stop by Blue Heaven for great food and an incredible Key Lime Pie. Photo by ablokhin via iStock by Getty Images
Santiago’s Bodega — Key West
This charming tapas bar is the perfect place for you and your girlfriends to hang out and unwind after a day of shopping and sightseeing. Santiago’s Bodega – Key West has a laid-back atmosphere that will immediately put you at ease.
Santiago’s is the only tapas bar in Key West. Sit back with a signature cocktail, sangria, or a glass of wine and enjoy the different tapas offered.
Visit during Happy Hour for half-price drinks and discounts on select menu items. Enjoy several small plates of food, such as ahi tuna, short ribs, lamb, and decadent desserts.
El Siboney Restaurant
This casual dining traditional Cuban restaurant is a great place to find house-made sangria and fragrant, spicy Cuban cuisine. The menu is flavorful and includes several fresh, local seafood dishes.
The Paella is divine, and you will have difficulty finding any that rivals it. The grilled chicken served with plantains, rice, and beans is a local favorite and comes with a basket full of lightly buttered Cuban bread.
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Heading Out for Your Key West Girls Trip
Whether you plan to spend a few days catching up with your best gal pals while lounging on the beach in Key West or planning a cultural trip filled with museums and landmarks, you will have a great time reconnecting with your girls. Nothing is better than planning the ultimate girls’ trip in Key West and experiencing the fun and excitement of being in this sunny Florida city.
We invite you to explore Wander With Wonder for more of our favorite Girlfriend Getaway ideas and fun beach vacations. We also have great suggestions for more things you can do during your trip to Florida.
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Key West: Plan the Ultimate Girls Trip