To the Beach

Due to the massive Coral Reef surrounding the islands, the beaches here are not exactly world class, but not completely lacking either. We live very near to the Founders Park in Islamorada(click here for pictures) which is a kids and family paradise. The small man-made beach has white sand and very shallow waters. Evan confidently wades out into the warm waters all by himself. The Park also serves as a marina where some folks are living on their own boats, an amazing skate park which reminds me of my own days on the board, Olympic pool, baseball and soccer fields, dog park and walking track round out the amenities.

The best beach in the Keys is Bahia Honda (about an hour drive). The natural white sands and views are postcard perfect and the waters are bath-like. Bahia Honda is a state park and has that park vibe: serene, clean, and quiet. For a journey to the other end of the spectrum, you must pay a visit to Miami Beach. Again, the sand, water, and views are gorgeous with added bonus of people watching, many of whom smoke which equals lots of (cigarette) butts in the sand. Ahhhh, there's nothing better on a hot, humid day than a refreshing cigarette!

Oh, the next time you see Heleen, you have to ask her about her Sunday afternoon alone on South Beach!

Eat!

The Upper Keys offer some really good restaurant selections. Being a vegetarian in a fishing community is not always as an easy fit, but it's no problem when you've got Num Thai! (no website, you can yelp! it) Whenever we are coming home from a day out in Miami, we hit up this tasty spot in Key Largo - I’ve gotta get my Panang on. And since they are sensitive to our vegetarian palates, everything on the menu can be prepared Buddhist style.

I should add a few more dining choices to #8. We have quite enjoyed the kid friendly Morada Bay (private beach for the kiddies and live music.) Recently, we enjoyed the art, ambiance, fantastic service and delicousness of Spanish Gardens Café.

Since we prepare most of our meals at home, we have not yet ventured out to the highly recomended Green Turtle or Kaiyo. Oh, and I should throw a shout out to the Midway Cafe (especially since the owner is now taking yoga.)

That's that for restaurants, if you want to really get your grub on, you simply must go out and pluck your own star fruit, lychee, or better yet MANGO!