Locale of Love

Key West is a well-known cruise ship port where passengers disembark for a day of Duval crawls and visits to the Southernmost Point. The island is famous for its water activities, fishing opportunities, and its laid-back atmosphere. While many visit for these reasons alone, Key West also has a softer side. Dreamy resorts offer the perfect romantic getaway if you’re looking to have the sand between your toes in between meals of savory seafood, sips of some bubbly, and relaxing spa treatments.

The drive to get there is a bit long, but it is more than worth it when you pull up to the Ocean Key Resort & Spa and check into one of the seaside suites with breathtaking sunset views. Vibrant décor with mixed ocean hues represents the eclectic island and its inhabitants. You’ll feel right at home from the moment you step through the doors.

Since the resort is nestled between Mallory Square and the Key West Harbor, there are several opportunities to take in the sunset during each night of your stay. Mallory Square is popular for its nightly sunset celebrations, which first took off in the late 1960s. Two hours before sunset, local musicians, jugglers, physics, artists and food vendors entertain and feed the crowd that gathers to watch the sun dip below Key West’s waters. At the resort, you can take in the sights of the sunset at Sunset Pier. This waterfront restaurant serves tropical libations like Pina Coladas and Rum Runners, along with fresh seafood selections that are cooked warm like the Lobster BLT or from the Raw Bar like Stone Crab Claws and Ceviche.

If you’re looking for a getaway with your sweetheart that is a bit more intimate, leave the mainland behind for a stay at Little Palm Island Resort. Situated on a 5.5-acre private island in the Lower Florida Keys, the resort has 15 thatched-roof bungalows with 30 suites, meaning no more than 60 guests inhabit the island at one time. Enjoy the private sundeck, outdoor shower and breathtaking ocean views in a romantic suite that has no television, telephone or alarm clock to distract you from enjoying your time away. Amenities include a complimentary stocked minibar, wet bar with coffee maker, a complete selection of coffee and tea, and complimentary water sports with unlimited access to kayaks, paddleboards, day sailor, motorboats, beach floats, and snorkel and fishing gear.

At Little Palm Island Resort, your days can be spent walking along the secluded beaches and dipping your toes in the ocean. Or you can arrange a private seaplane to fly you to a secluded island for an intimate picnic lunch prepared with wine and champagne pairings for French breads, tropical fruits, artisanal cheese and preserves, lobster and shrimp spreads, and other delicacies.

You can book a luxurious treatment like the Madrugada Water Massage from SpaTerre. This treatment takes place in the Caribbean waters using classic techniques in a customized massage and seashells in a specialized massage. While the therapist’s feet will be submerged in the ocean, you will be lying on a massage table, surrounded by water and taking in the sounds and smells of the sea. Couple’s massages can be enjoyed at Palapa Point, an area with a thatched roof and outdoor pavilion that overlooks the ocean.

Your evenings can be spent at a romantic dinner for two at The Dining Room with indoor seating in a candle-lit dining room or outdoor seating on a terrace underneath the stars and overlooking the beautiful beach. There are also tables set along the water’s edge. Dine on Yellow Tail Snapper Ceviche with Passion Fruit and Coconut Gelee topped off with the chef’s special Key Lime Pie while you listen to the waves hit the shore and the sea breeze whistle through the palms.

When you’re planning a romantic getaway for two, Key West and its surrounded private islands are the place to be.