A Weekend in Key West, Key West, Florida

A visit to South Florida is not truly complete without a stop in Key West. The southernmost key is a mix of relaxing island paradise and party destination.

Though the drive from Miami is 3.5 hours long, sometimes longer during popular weekends, it’s totally worth it. If you’re driving, there are plenty of great places to stop along the way for a bite. If you want to get your seafood on, you can stop literally anywhere for crab cakes or fish.

But my personal favorite is M.E.A.T. Eatery and Taproom, which is in Islamorada. Their burgers are nationally known (because they were on the Food Network), and they have a great selection of beers. The beer cheese soup is also out of this world.

The good thing about eating on the way to Key West instead of when you get there, is that by the time you finish the drive and check in to your accommodations, you’ll be ready to drink. If your main goal for the weekend is to go out, then you’ll want to stay as close to Duval Street as possible. Though you can always take a cab or an Uber, it’s a small island, and traffic can get bad around the popular areas, so you don’t want to get stuck waiting for a ride. ...... (follow the instructions below for accessing the rest of this article).