Otter Expedition: Gates of Key West

The second stop on my surprise birthday vacation was KEY WEST!!

Key West is the perfect destination to disconnect, unwind and have a little peace and quiet. If you're a long time reader, you may remember our first visit to Key West two years ago. This time around, we're back at The Gates of Key West and I am STILL obsessed!! It's such an incredible and lush property, and like our Miami stay, it's a one-stop-shop for everything you could want in a hotel: poolside bar (#RumRow), poolside food truck, gym, Starbucks, live music, bicycles and a cigar lounge (for those who smoke). It's pretty fantastic!

^^^ also, can we talk about this Thom Browne mesh tank top?? It's my first TB piece. It wasn't really the right time of year to pick up the cashmere sweatshirt I have been dreaming about, but I love the details on this tank! Buttons all the way up both sides and that signature striped tag and handwritten label. 

SHOP THE LOOKS:

^^^ We spent most of our trip next to the Rum Row bar. Who could ask for a better place to nab a drink (or edit some photos). 

The Gates of Key West is a small boutique-style resort property, on the far side of the island. They offer shuttles to get into town or you can rent a bike and ride around the island. Mike and I have done both, but the bike is definitely the best way to explore Key West if it's your first visit. There's so many adorable, old mission homes along the ride. Just be sure to back a bottle of water! It gets hot out in the Keys!!

SHOP THE LOOKS:

^^^ Our favorite place in town to grab a drink is The Porch. It's on the first floor of this old island mansion and is surrounded by some incredible banyan trees. If you want to escape the main tourist street, it's a nice little hidden gem.

And I hear it's haunted! 

I didn't want to wear shorts the entire trip. I wanted a mixture of casual tees and chic resort wear, so a lot of what I packed is made out of linen. Linen is stiffer than cotton, but it also breathes a lot better and has a causal-sophistication to it. I was actually really cool in these long beach pants and linen popover despite being the only one around in long sleeves!

And give me a linen henley any day. Yes gawd.

This was our first time driving from Miami to Key West! It takes a little bit of time to get out of Miami, but once you're into the actual Keys, it's an incredibly beautiful drive! It's about 4 hours, not including the obligatory stops for Key Lime pie. Huge thank you to our friends at Mercedes Benz for lending us their new AMG-C43 Coupe! I can't imagine driving anything else. ;)

Also, a huge thank you to The Gates of Key West for letting me celebrate another birthday with them! It was so much fun!! 

If you have any questions about places to eat or sights to see, let me know in the comments below!! These Otter Expedition posts are turning into more of a photo diary these days than a trip advisor, but I'm always here to help.