In February 2020, I traveled to Florida Keys. It was two weeks prior to shelter-in-place orders being implemented across California in March, and when I returned home and landed at San Francisco airport it felt as if this is getting serious – yet suddenly we all were required to remain indoors the following week – it was quite a transitional period from exploring magical islands with total freedom to being forced indoors – an unanticipated shift between feeling free in exploring magical islands to being locked down in our hometowns!
Since my trip to the Florida Keys a year ago, there has been something special and inviting about their atmosphere that makes me want to revisit every time I think about it. Perhaps its history or mixture of cultures that make the Florida Keys stand out amongst all others?
The Florida Keys are an archipelago of coral atolls off of the southernmost point of continental United States, their name coming from Spanish word cayo (small island). I spent four days exploring Key West while also making one long drive down to Key Largo and back.
Once I arrived in Key West, its laid back vibe was immediately evident. I arrived just before sunset and headed straight for Mallory Square; to my delight there was steel drum music and slack key guitar playing as I took in an unforgettable sunset view.
