Over the weekend Michael and I had the extraordinarily rare opportunity to attend the wedding of two of our friends as guests – no cameras involved, and in the Florida Keys no less! This little glimpse into life as an ordinary wedding-goer was truly wonderful and allowed us plenty of time to explore the islands that make up the village of Islamorada. The following are a few of our Islamorada musts if you ever have the chance to visit this part of the Keys.
M.E.A.T
We read about M.E.A.T. in an issue of Travel + Leisure, but our friends also included it on their wedding website as well, so it seemed like a no-brainer. Our burgers (mine was topped with pimiento cheese and a tomato jam and Michael’s was stuffed with pimiento cheese and bacon) were delicious and the Nutella shake we shared for dessert sent us on our way, as happy as could be. The thought of squeezing into our swimsuits (in front of people!) after such a filling meal didn’t even matter – we were stuffed and pleased to be so.
Postcard Inn at Holiday Isle
The wedding festivities were all taking place at the Postcard Inn, so this was a natural choice for our weekend’s accommodations. This oceanfront resort had quite a bit of character and charm for such a large hotel. Recently renovated, it’s retro, cheerful decor was a pleasant place to rest our heads, whether in the room, or laying out at the beach.
Seven Mile Bridge & Pigeon Key
On Saturday morning, we woke up in Islamorada looking for a small adventure, and decided to drive down south of Marathon for a walk on what was once considered the 8th Wonder of the World – the original Seven Mile Bridge to Pigeon Key. Read more about them here.
Morada Bay Beach Cafe
After our walk to Pigeon Key we were more than eager to enjoy a nice meal outside, complete with a couple of refreshing cocktails. We found the perfect setting at the Morada Bay Beach Cafe where we enjoyed a picturesque view, some of the freshest tasting mahi-mahi we’d eaten in quite awhile, and two perfect warm weather vacation drinks – a mojito and a rum punch.
Moorings Village & Spa
While researching Islamorada in preparation for our trip, I kept coming across articles about Moorings Village and just had to see the cottages & bungalows that make up this idyllic property in person. After lunch at the Morada Bay Beach Cafe across the street (part of Moorings Village) we took a quick stroll around Moorings Village and onto their gorgeous stretch of beach. If we’d been able to extend our stay, a visit to Moorings Village would’ve definitely been in the plans.
Anne’s Beach
We visited Anne’s Beach, a stretch of beach on Lower Matecumbe Key named for one of Islamorada’s most prominent environmental conservationists, at high tide the morning we left to head back up to Miami. The day before we happened to drive by the beach at a lower tide en route to lunch (hunger unfortunately prevented us from stopping) and caught a quick glimpse of the wide beach at low tide as well. Regardless of where the tide is when you visit, Anne’s Beach is simply stunning and worth a stop to experience (maybe even dip your feet in the warm water), even if you’re just driving down Highway 1 on your way from Miami to Key West.
Have you been to this area of the Florida Keys before? We’d love to hear any Islamorada suggestions you might have in the comments below!
Photos taken by Meredith Perdue for Map & Menu.
so dreamy! this is just the tropical break I needed right now, vicariously through my computer screen. : )