A Key West Thanksgiving

We rolled out of Palm Beach Shores at 8:00 Thanksgiving morning hoping to beat the holiday traffic. We were headed to Key West for the next two nights. Leaving early was a good idea. Traffic was light through Miami, even lighter through the keys. It was a relaxing cruise with incredible views. Our excitement grew as we traveled from key to key. Could we live the crazy island life? I guess we were about to find out.

When I booked in October, resorts were still offering lower off-season rates through November. Available rooms were going fast. Best to do your research first & make your reservations as far in advance as possible. Check online reviews, visit resort websites & read all of the info provided so there are no big surprises. Some resorts have limited onsite parking or no parking at all. Others are clothing optional.

I booked a room at the Pier House Resort & Spa. Located at the end of Duvall Street on the Gulf of Mexico, the Pier House offers guests a surprisingly quiet place to relax in the heart of all the action. Everything on Key West was pricey even at off season rates. Our stay at the Pier House was worth every penny. Everything was top-notch including the resort's COVID procedures so I'll spare you the details and get right to the pictures.

We booked a Spa Junior Suite, wow! Two French doors opened to a private patio with access to a pathway leading to a jacuzzi area a few steps away. Plush robes, spa quality shampoos, soaps & lotions, a coffee bar, bottled waters & multiple USB charging ports built in to the night stands were nice touches to our very comfortable room. The patio was a great place to start & end each day. It's a shame we didn't have more time to spend enjoying our room & the resort's spa & pools. 

We unloaded our gear then set out to explore the grounds & dining options. Again WOW! The resort has incredible landscaping. It's absolutely beautiful. Pathways lead through the interior courtyard connecting all buildings to the pool area, private beach, onsite dining & lounge areas. All provide incredible views of the Gulf. If you're looking for a tropical paradise, the Pier House Resort & Spa delivers.

We decided to have Thanksgiving dinner at the resort's restaurant, One Duvall. We requested a table on the patio overlooking the Gulf of Mexico & the resort's private beach. What a view! 

We planned to eat seafood but wouldn't you know, we both ordered the special. A traditional turkey dinner with all of the fixings. Delicious! We shared a goat cheese & beet salad too. Everything was so good we had no room left for dessert.

In addition to One Duvall, the resort has two bars, The Chart Room for spirits and The Beach Bar & Grill. We didn't get to either of them during our short stay. But we did return to One Duvall for breakfast the morning we left. Yum!

After dinner we found a quiet spot to reflect. We called & texted our loved ones to wish them a Happy Thanksgiving. We had much to be grateful for this Thanksgiving, many blessings, despite a difficult year. Our world, like everyone else's, had been turned upside down. Yet, here we were. Sharing a perfect moment together. I could have spent the next 48 hours sitting right here. Lost in my own thoughts and this gorgeous view. It wasn't easy but we managed to tear ourselves away.

We still had an island to explore.
Let's go!