Spend a weekend relaxing in beautiful Key West.  Visit Duvall Street's many shops and restaurants or explore the island of Dry Tortugas National Park.

There are dozens of great places located all around the Villages of Citrus Hills that make for excellent day trips. However, there are going to be times when you are in the mood for a bit more than just a one-day trip.

Another great benefit of living in Florida is that you are closer to outstanding vacation spots like Key West than you would be anywhere else in the country!

 If you find yourself in the mood for a weekend or mid-week getaway, Key West is one of the most ideal places you could imagine, and you can get there by car in less than eight hours.

 The trip is even shorter if you make the three hour drive to Fort Myers and then head to Key West on a high-speed catamaran.

No matter how you get there, spend a few days in Key West listening to Caribbean sounds kicking back and relaxing.

 Things To Do in Key West

 Of course, there is more to do in than spending a lazy day on the beach listening to Jimmy Buffet! You could spend an entire day exploring everything there is to do on the island of Dry Tortugas National Park. You have to get to the park by boat or seaplane, but once you are there you will lose track of time while exploring a 19th century fort and snorkeling in the crystal clear water surrounding the island. 

 Other popular attractions include The Ernest Hemingway Home and the Harry S. Truman Little White House. Both of these houses have become museums dedicated to the men who once occupied them. They do a great job of sharing the history of the relationship these icons had with this small island off the southern coast of Florida.

If you are a scuba diver, the Vandenberg Wreck will be a can’t-miss attraction for you! This former Navy ship was purposefully sunk off the Florida Keys in 2009 as part of a program to create artificial reefs for local marine life. The result is an amazing dive experience where you can explore the ship and the incredible marine life that now calls the Vandenberg home.

 Mallory Square & Duval Street

 The two most well known attractions in Key West would have to be Mallory Square and Duval Street. This is where all the action is! Here you will find the island’s unique combination of shops, restaurants, taverns, artists, and entertainers.

On one end of Duval Street you can watch the picturesque sunsets from Mallory Square. At the other end you can pose with the large marker that is the southernmost point in the United States.

 As you make your way down Duval Street, you will have the option to stop into iconic places like Sloppy Joe’s Bar, the Hard Rock Cafe, Jimmy Buffet’s Margaritaville Cafe, as well as plenty of other outstanding restaurants like DJ’s Clam Shack and the Blackfin Bistro. 

If you are looking for more fun activities to do during the day, Duval Street is also home to the Key West Butterfly and Nature Conservatory and a Ripley’s Believe It or Not Museum.

Regardless of whether you go with a group or on your own, if you are in need of a short getaway, Key West is the perfect place both in terms of distance and atmosphere. It is almost impossible to avoid relaxing in this beautiful town at the southern tip of Florida!