Trip Report ~ Key West

JoanieBlon · 06-09-2007

Over Memorial Day weekend, Mike and I took a trip down to Key West. Instead of driving all the way from Tampa, which takes about 8 to 8-1/2 hours, we decided to try out the high speed ferry that leaves out of Ft. Myers Beach. The trip from Tampa to Ft. Myers is about 2-1/2 hours.
On our drive from Tampa to Ft. Myers Beach we went through SWARMS of "LOVEBUGS." If you're not from the South, you probably don't know about these nasty little creatures that always come in twos. LOVEBUGS There are PLENTY of them twice a year. This Spring season was REALLY bad. They get splattered all over the front of your car and windshield. They need to be removed right away, as they will damage the clearcoat paint on your vehicle, so as soon as we arrived in Ft. Myers Beach, we went in search of a car wash. They were doing a bang up Lovebugs business!

Our ferry trip from Ft. Myers Beach to Key West was pleasant. On the trip down (Saturday morning) we were on the newer "big" ferry. These big catamaran ferries ~ complete with snack bar, bar-bar and flat, wide-screen TVs ~ travel at speeds of about 35 knots. We left at 9am and were scheduled to arrive at about 12:30pm, but due to brisk easterly winds, we didn't get in until after 1pm. The seas were sort of high, but not too bad.

We stayed at a Bed & Breakfast Called "A Popular House." It's also known as Key West Bed & Breakfast. It was WONDERFUL and the staff who worked there were too.! It's located just 2 blocks from the wharf and 3 blocks from Duval (sort of like Bourbon Street) on a very quiet street.

Here's some pictures of the Bed & Breakfast where we stayed ~

Walking in from the front porch. The door to our room is visible to the right. A Popular House has three floors. Our room was on the main floor right across from the reception area.

It was nice to not have to climb the staircase to the 3rd floor to get to our room. BTW ~ there was a nice front porch on the second floor with old fashioned wooden lounge chairs and a hammock.

The entryway with guest book. You can see the door to another room that looked out onto the front porch reflected in the mirror. The photo below is looking back from the common living room area towards reception and the entrance. The front door remained wide open from 7am until 8pm. Very inviting and friendly feeling.

One colorful wall display in the living area.

Another shot of the living area. I would sit in the chair in the left corner and read (WONDERFUL breezes coming in the window) while Mike would take an afternoon nap. There were no screens and amazingly no bugs or flies.

Mike taking a nap on the day bed in our room. The room was very nice with 14 foot high ceilings, a barley twist poster king bed, private bath and a huge double armoire. Notice the interesting handpainted chest of drawers featuring alligators. In addition to the wall AC unit, there was also a ceiling fan over the bed.

There was a HUGE oil painting behind the bed that we couldn't see. Must have been left from an earlier bed arrangement that didn't have this large wooden headboard.

The walls of our room, as well as the entire house, were filled with original artwork. They were of Dade County pine (from around Miami). This house, which was constructed by Bahamian ship builders, is on the National Historical Register.

You can see a portion of the armoire here. The lighting in the room was very nice ~ an overhead light with the ceiling fan, the interesting lamps on either side of the bed and dimmer style flood lights down the wall adjacent to the armoire. We also had natural light from the two windows with wooden blinds that looked out to the side yard and a back porch.

Our room was through the shuttered window past the daybed seating on this porch.

Looking from the kitchen into the living area.

We were allowed to use the fridge in the kitchen to keep our own purchases ~ Gatorade and beer ~ cold.

Morning breakfast consisted of all types of fruits ~ really a HUGE display ~ bagels, muffins, and various home baked cakes and breads which were made fresh every afternoon and filled the house with wonderful aromas! Everyone got to squeeze their own fresh orange juice! You can see the squeezer in front of the basket of oranges. There were tables outside in the garden through the door to the rear. The garden also had a nice 6 person Jacuzzi.

All in all, "Popular House" was a GREAT place to stay and VERY reasonable by Key West standards. Like I mentioned earlier, the location was absolutely perfect. We would definitely stay here again.

The weather was nice the whole time we were in Key West, with tradewinds blowing that made it feel like Hawaii. We had planned to take a plane trip over to the Dry Tortugas. Unfortunately, due to the winds, the seas there were at 6+ feet, and the seaplanes couldn't put down, so we weren't able to go. Next time! We rented a golf cart for 9 hours and drove all around the island. I got to drive all day (!) and Mike was happy to be the passenger for a change!

To be continued .....

**TeeZet** · 06-09-2007

Looks niiiiice, Joanie!

DavidB · 06-09-2007

Great trip report. Beautiful house. Tammy had relatives that lived in Key West for years and I've been trying her to get her to go back with me. One of her aunts owed an art gallery and her uncle was one of the trainers of "Flipper" .

CaroleLB · 06-09-2007

Real nice trip report, Joanie.

I love wandering off the beaten path in Key West. I have a feeling I'll be doing some research for an October trip (Islamorada/KW).

Andiline · 06-09-2007

Thanks for sharing, Joanie! Looks like I will have to put Key West on my list...

Andrea

Mercy · 06-09-2007

Great start to your report! Love the pictures of the B&B. Can't wait to see more, of Key West!

sctx · 06-09-2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by JoanieBlon

[font=Trebuchet MS][color=#008000]

nice ride.......doesn't look quite as fast as your Nissan though

very cool pics Joanie, looks like a great place to stay for a couple nights

Tesla 573 · 06-09-2007

We love those quaint BnBs in Key West...it's the best way to stay while there....the one you chose looks like a great one!...I love all the colors they used in the decor and also the paintings!!!

Jacko · 06-09-2007

I love the colors....and I have a golf cart just like that one! Mag wheels and all!

ami · 06-09-2007

Great report and pictures Joanie!

I've always wanted to go down there but somehow haven't made it yet...I'm suddenly being inspired to make it down there sooner than later.

alwaysmissinpdc · 06-09-2007

What a lovely inn! Looking forward to more of your pics.

My husband hit the love bugs in May on a motorcycle trip.

JoanieBlon · 06-10-2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by sctx

nice ride.......doesn't look quite as fast as your Nissan though

very cool pics Joanie, looks like a great place to stay for a couple nights

Just a "little" off topic Scott ~ guess I haven't mentioned here that we got rid of the 350Z and bought a 425hp hemi engine fire engine red Dodge SRT Charger with a sun roof, GPS and Sirius radio. It's even a better ride than the Z. That's what we were concerned about getting the Lovebugs off of! No flames on this one. It says enough without them.

We have a radar detector and scrambler. Even though we drive the speed limit, we seem to draw the attention of law enforcement.

We got to drive SRT Chargers ~ as well as other SRT vehicles ~ Vipers, Magnums, Jeeps, Crossfires & 300s ~ compliments of Dodge at the Daytona Motor Speedway (WHAT a GREAT day!), so I can verify that the speedometer DOES indicate the speeds these cars are capable of.

Braddman · 06-10-2007

Thanks for the report and pix.

JoanieBlon · 06-10-2007

After checking into our B&B and strolling around the town around town on Saturday, we noticed signs posted for an event called the "MINIMAL REGATTA" that was to be held on Sunday and was being sponsored by THE SCHOONER WHARF BAR which hosts all sort of crazy competitions throughout the year. This bar, as well as several others, was VERY conveniently located at the foot of William Street at the Wharf ~ just 2 short blocks from our B&B at 415 William Street.

Go to THIS PAGE to read about the regatta and see a video of last year's event.

The construction regulations were that each boat entry (oars included) had to be made out of one 4'x8' sheet of 1/4" plywood, two 2"x4"x8' pieces of lumber, 1 pound of screws, and 1 roll of duct tape. If I recall correctly, no glue or caulking was permitted. The boats could be decorated any way the maker wanted.

There were categories for best decorated boat, the actual winner (non-sinking), the first boat to sink, most imaginative design, etc., so everyone got a shot at winning something. Some of the entries were sponsored by employees of various restaurants, marinas and stores.

I was amazed by some of the clever designs.

This entry included a beer cooler in the rear.

Captain Morgan rum was a sponsor on the event. Guess this entry was an attempt to kiss up?

Then there were entries that made you go HUH?

This one was the "Pimp-Mobile" ~ complete with fake leopard upholstery, spinning hubcaps, and a disco ball! GREAT Entry!

I think it won the award for creativity.

I really loved this entry ~ a barracuda with a fish in its mouth.

The entries were to be checked in at 11am, and the Regatta was supposed to start at 1pm. Mind you ~ this was Key West time AND the bar sponsoring the event wanted people buying as many drinks as they could.

Mike and I went out on the wharf about 12:15pm and got a GREAT position right at the edge of the boardwalk immediately in front of where the race was to be held. 1pm came and went and then 2pm. It was getting REALLY crowded and REALLY hot and breathless with wall to wall people ~ many of whom were smoking. The woman next to us had a carry bag with MONKEYS! To be continued......

sctx · 06-10-2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by JoanieBlon

we got rid of the 350Z and bought a 425hp hemi engine fire engine red Dodge SRT Charger ...... Even though we drive the speed limit, we seem to draw the attention of law enforcement.

yeah, if I was gonna drive the speed limit, that's probably what I would drive too

06-09-2007	#1 (permalink)
JoanieBlon añejo Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Tampa FL Posts: 3,347	Trip Report ~ Key West Over Memorial Day weekend, Mike and I took a trip down to Key West. Instead of driving all the way from Tampa, which takes about 8 to 8-1/2 hours, we decided to try out the high speed ferry that leaves out of Ft. Myers Beach. The trip from Tampa to Ft. Myers is about 2-1/2 hours. On our drive from Tampa to Ft. Myers Beach we went through SWARMS of "LOVEBUGS." If you're not from the South, you probably don't know about these nasty little creatures that always come in twos. LOVEBUGS There are PLENTY of them twice a year. This Spring season was REALLY bad. They get splattered all over the front of your car and windshield. They need to be removed right away, as they will damage the clearcoat paint on your vehicle, so as soon as we arrived in Ft. Myers Beach, we went in search of a car wash. They were doing a bang up Lovebugs business! Our ferry trip from Ft. Myers Beach to Key West was pleasant. On the trip down (Saturday morning) we were on the newer "big" ferry. These big catamaran ferries ~ complete with snack bar, bar-bar and flat, wide-screen TVs ~ travel at speeds of about 35 knots. We left at 9am and were scheduled to arrive at about 12:30pm, but due to brisk easterly winds, we didn't get in until after 1pm. The seas were sort of high, but not too bad. We stayed at a Bed & Breakfast Called "A Popular House." It's also known as Key West Bed & Breakfast. It was WONDERFUL and the staff who worked there were too.! It's located just 2 blocks from the wharf and 3 blocks from Duval (sort of like Bourbon Street) on a very quiet street. Here's some pictures of the Bed & Breakfast where we stayed ~ Walking in from the front porch. The door to our room is visible to the right. A Popular House has three floors. Our room was on the main floor right across from the reception area. It was nice to not have to climb the staircase to the 3rd floor to get to our room. BTW ~ there was a nice front porch on the second floor with old fashioned wooden lounge chairs and a hammock. The entryway with guest book. You can see the door to another room that looked out onto the front porch reflected in the mirror. The photo below is looking back from the common living room area towards reception and the entrance. The front door remained wide open from 7am until 8pm. Very inviting and friendly feeling. One colorful wall display in the living area. Another shot of the living area. I would sit in the chair in the left corner and read (WONDERFUL breezes coming in the window) while Mike would take an afternoon nap. There were no screens and amazingly no bugs or flies. Mike taking a nap on the day bed in our room. The room was very nice with 14 foot high ceilings, a barley twist poster king bed, private bath and a huge double armoire. Notice the interesting handpainted chest of drawers featuring alligators. In addition to the wall AC unit, there was also a ceiling fan over the bed. There was a HUGE oil painting behind the bed that we couldn't see. Must have been left from an earlier bed arrangement that didn't have this large wooden headboard. The walls of our room, as well as the entire house, were filled with original artwork. They were of Dade County pine (from around Miami). This house, which was constructed by Bahamian ship builders, is on the National Historical Register. You can see a portion of the armoire here. The lighting in the room was very nice ~ an overhead light with the ceiling fan, the interesting lamps on either side of the bed and dimmer style flood lights down the wall adjacent to the armoire. We also had natural light from the two windows with wooden blinds that looked out to the side yard and a back porch. Our room was through the shuttered window past the daybed seating on this porch. Looking from the kitchen into the living area. We were allowed to use the fridge in the kitchen to keep our own purchases ~ Gatorade and beer ~ cold. Morning breakfast consisted of all types of fruits ~ really a HUGE display ~ bagels, muffins, and various home baked cakes and breads which were made fresh every afternoon and filled the house with wonderful aromas! Everyone got to squeeze their own fresh orange juice! You can see the squeezer in front of the basket of oranges. There were tables outside in the garden through the door to the rear. The garden also had a nice 6 person Jacuzzi. All in all, "Popular House" was a GREAT place to stay and VERY reasonable by Key West standards. Like I mentioned earlier, the location was absolutely perfect. We would definitely stay here again. The weather was nice the whole time we were in Key West, with tradewinds blowing that made it feel like Hawaii. We had planned to take a plane trip over to the Dry Tortugas. Unfortunately, due to the winds, the seas there were at 6+ feet, and the seaplanes couldn't put down, so we weren't able to go. Next time! We rented a golf cart for 9 hours and drove all around the island. I got to drive all day (!) and Mike was happy to be the passenger for a change! To be continued ..... __________________ VIEW OUR TRAVEL SLIDE SHOWS HERE Last edited by JoanieBlon; 06-11-2007 at 08:59 AM..

06-10-2007	#14 (permalink)
JoanieBlon añejo Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Tampa FL Posts: 3,347	The Key West 16th Annual "MINIMAL REGATTA" After checking into our B&B and strolling around the town around town on Saturday, we noticed signs posted for an event called the "MINIMAL REGATTA" that was to be held on Sunday and was being sponsored by THE SCHOONER WHARF BAR which hosts all sort of crazy competitions throughout the year. This bar, as well as several others, was VERY conveniently located at the foot of William Street at the Wharf ~ just 2 short blocks from our B&B at 415 William Street. Go to THIS PAGE to read about the regatta and see a video of last year's event. The construction regulations were that each boat entry (oars included) had to be made out of one 4'x8' sheet of 1/4" plywood, two 2"x4"x8' pieces of lumber, 1 pound of screws, and 1 roll of duct tape. If I recall correctly, no glue or caulking was permitted. The boats could be decorated any way the maker wanted. There were categories for best decorated boat, the actual winner (non-sinking), the first boat to sink, most imaginative design, etc., so everyone got a shot at winning something. Some of the entries were sponsored by employees of various restaurants, marinas and stores. I was amazed by some of the clever designs. This entry included a beer cooler in the rear. Captain Morgan rum was a sponsor on the event. Guess this entry was an attempt to kiss up? Then there were entries that made you go HUH? This one was the "Pimp-Mobile" ~ complete with fake leopard upholstery, spinning hubcaps, and a disco ball! GREAT Entry! I think it won the award for creativity. I really loved this entry ~ a barracuda with a fish in its mouth. The entries were to be checked in at 11am, and the Regatta was supposed to start at 1pm. Mind you ~ this was Key West time AND the bar sponsoring the event wanted people buying as many drinks as they could. Mike and I went out on the wharf about 12:15pm and got a GREAT position right at the edge of the boardwalk immediately in front of where the race was to be held. 1pm came and went and then 2pm. It was getting REALLY crowded and REALLY hot and breathless with wall to wall people ~ many of whom were smoking. The woman next to us had a carry bag with MONKEYS! To be continued......

06-09-2007	#2 (permalink)
TeeZet Non-aggressive Dutch dude Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Amsterdam, The Netherlands Posts: 8,167	Looks niiiiice, Joanie!

06-09-2007	#3 (permalink)
DavidB añejo Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Mid Mich Posts: 4,251	Great trip report. Beautiful house. Tammy had relatives that lived in Key West for years and I've been trying her to get her to go back with me. One of her aunts owed an art gallery and her uncle was one of the trainers of "Flipper" .

06-09-2007	#4 (permalink)
CaroleLB añejo Join Date: May 2003 Location: New Jersey Posts: 4,085	Real nice trip report, Joanie. I love wandering off the beaten path in Key West. I have a feeling I'll be doing some research for an October trip (Islamorada/KW).

06-09-2007	#5 (permalink)
Andiline añejo Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Cologne, Germany Posts: 9,871	Thanks for sharing, Joanie! Looks like I will have to put Key West on my list... Andrea

06-09-2007	#6 (permalink)
Mercy añejo Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: MD Posts: 8,032	Great start to your report! Love the pictures of the B&B. Can't wait to see more, of Key West!

06-09-2007	#8 (permalink)
Tesla 573 añejo Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: LA...Lower Ala Posts: 7,346	We love those quaint BnBs in Key West...it's the best way to stay while there....the one you chose looks like a great one!...I love all the colors they used in the decor and also the paintings!!!

06-09-2007	#9 (permalink)
Jacko añejo Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 30,889	I love the colors....and I have a golf cart just like that one! Mag wheels and all!

06-09-2007	#10 (permalink)
ami añejo Join Date: May 2003 Location: Houston Posts: 6,676	Great report and pictures Joanie! I've always wanted to go down there but somehow haven't made it yet...I'm suddenly being inspired to make it down there sooner than later.

06-09-2007	#11 (permalink)
alwaysmissinpdc añejo Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: burbs north of Wilmington, Delaware Posts: 3,492	What a lovely inn! Looking forward to more of your pics. My husband hit the love bugs in May on a motorcycle trip.

06-10-2007	#13 (permalink)
Braddman way into it Join Date: May 2002 Location: Abiding in Minnesota Posts: 233	Thanks for the report and pix.

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