Sun, Jan 25: Fly to Key West, Florida and transfer to the Oceans Edge Resort & Marina, your haven for the next three nights. This resort has ample amenities and activities to enjoy, including six heated swimming pools, yoga sessions, and complimentary use of kayaks, paddle boards, and bikes. Take in the sights and sounds of the Sunshine State from your room’s balcony, and a complimentary shuttle runs daily to the heart of town for further exploration during your free time. Relax and settle in before making your way to the nearby pier where you will witness the romantic and world-famous Key West sunset aboard a private cruise. Enjoy drinks and hors d’oeuvres as you leisurely sail past local landmarks including Mallory Square, Sunset Key and historic Fort Zachary Taylor. Then watch as the sun puts on a show and slides beneath the western horizon. (Meals: Lunch)
Mon, Jan 26: This morning enjoy a narrated trolley tour of historic Key West. Ride through Bahama Village, Old Town, Truval Village, and the Historic Seaport as you hear historical facts and colorful anecdotes about this unique town. Afterwards, take a guided tour of the Ernest Hemingway Home and Museum visiting the rooms and gardens that witnessed the most prolific period of this Nobel Prize winner’s writing career and see descendants of the original six-toed cats that make their home here. Visit the Truman Little White House, originally a naval station command headquarters and later the winter White House of President Harry S. Truman, it is the State of Florida’s only presidential site. The remainder of the day is at your leisure! (B)
Tue, Jan 27: Today is free to explore the resort and beyond on your own! There is no shortage of things to do in the beautiful Florida Keys. You may want to book an excursion to Dry Tortugas National Park and Fort Jefferson, enjoy a day on the white and sandy beach, snorkel among the coral formations, or tour the fort. (B)
Wed, Jan 28: Check out of the hotel and set off for a scenic drive over the historic Overseas Highway, a modern wonder also known as “Highway that Goes to Sea”. Stretching 113 miles from Key Largo to Key West the scenic road incorporates an astonishing 42 bridges leapfrogging over the open waters of the Atlantic Ocean, Florida Bay and the Gulf of Mexico. The first stop is at the Turtle Hospital, a non-profit veterinary hospital dedicated to the rescue, rehabilitation, and release of endangered sea turtles in the Florida Keys. Get a behind-the-scenes look at the hospital facilities and rehabilitation area during a guided educational experience. Stop in at Robbie’s of Islamorada to grab lunch on your own and watch the massive tarpon be hand-fed. Or join the feeding frenzy yourself if you’re brave! Then continue up Highway 1 to your hotel near Miami and conclude the day with a group dinner. (B,D)
Thu, Jan 29: Depart for the Shark Valley Visitor Center to embark on a tram ride through Everglades National Park and learn about the history and ecology of the site from a park-trained naturalist guide. The park encompasses 1.5 million acres of one of the world’s most diverse ecosystems. After an included lunch enjoy an exhilarating airboat ride through the Everglades, North America’s last remaining subtropical wetlands, known as the “River of Grass.” Ride and slide through sawgrass mangroves in less than 6 inches of water in search of alligators and a huge host of birds such as roseate spoonbills, egrets and wood storks. Transfer to Miami International Airport in the late afternoon to fly home. (B,L)