There ain't no time like the present they say
Let's cruise all the way down A1A
Put the top down and catch a few rays
Baby we'll be outta here
~ Kenny Chesney
Life is getting shorter so Sarah and I thought it was time that we put a dent in the beach bar list. We decided to take a trip down to Key West and knock off a few. It's a long trip so we stopped in Miami for the night. Sarah's cousin and girlfriend work in the city there so we stopped by a local World of Beer to catch up.
After that, Sarah and I met up with Sean and Brett who were joining us on the journey. We ate appetizers at the only Ale House-turned-dance club we've ever experienced. Only in Miami I suppose. We then rested before setting out on the best trip we've taken in a while...
Bar 74: Alabama Jack's
First stop: Alabama Jack's in Key Largo. We didn't think this bar existed. It's in the middle of nowhere. You keep driving on the road and think that there's no way that there's any civilization out here. It's nothing but swamp.
But then, all of a sudden, Alabama Jack's appeared.
They are known for their conch fritters and wow were they good! No wonder chef Emeril Lagasse featured Alabama Jack's on the TV show that showcases Florida beach and waterfront restaurants.
Golden Margaritas at 11:20am was only a sign for a good time to come.
Bar 75: Gilbert's Resort
Still on Key Largo was Gilbert's Resort.
The architecture was great. Quite an impressive Tiki Bar...
Brett and Sean had a beer while Sarah and I split a Pain in the Ass (Pina Colada swirled with a Rum Runner).
After enjoying the drinks, they had a great little beach area for us to relax by... but not for long. After all, we had work to do.
Bar 76: Jimmy Johnson's Big Chill Tiki Bar
Big Chill had a great atmosphere and a very friendly staff.
We had a tough time deciding on what drink to order so we asked the bartender to surprise us. Next thing we know, he pulls out 4 different flavored rums.
The result was the Happy Ending drink.
And it was happy.
Although, it's always happy with the captain.
Bar 77: Mandalay Oceanfront Grill
Mandalay was a rather small bar but it had a great view.
With it being only 1:45, we decided to take a break from the sweet tropical drinks. Sarah ordered an Oyster Bay Sauvignon Blanc.
As we were leaving, we noticed a Southern Most Point decoration hanging from the ceiling.
We later found one of these decorations in Key West and had to purchase it.
Bar 78: Snappers
Snappers had a great view and we enjoyed all of the drinks. The waitstaff was amazing and it was a welcome break for our bar hopping.
The Blue Coconut Margarita, the Bushwacker, and the Dark 'n Stormy were the drinks of choice. Because we had so many bars to hit, we kept a journal.
Sarah did a great job of putting in the details so we would remember where we were and what we drank. She even wrote down the time.
It's 2:30pm for anyone who cares.
We had to say goodbye to Key Largo. Islamorada was waiting.
Bar 79: Island Bar and Grill
The first bar on Islamorada was the Island Bar and Grill.
We ordered the Keys Disease (Vodka, Midori, and Pineapple Juice).
It looked a lot like Hi-C Ecto Cooler but tasted nothing like it :)
Bar 80: Hog Heaven
Hog Heaven may not look like a beach bar from the outside, but when you head to the back, the porch looks out over an inlet and has an amazing view.
Ryan was going to be driving so Sarah had Hog Heaven's own IPA. It was really delicious and the atmosphere was tough to beat.
Bar 81: Holiday Isle Tiki Bar
This was Ryan's most anticipated bar. He loves making tropical drinks and Holiday Isle is famous for making the first Rum Runner.
And of course, we had to try one of the famous Rum Runners and it lived up to the hype.
Ryan was pleased.
Bar 82: Holiday Isle Rum Runners
Across the resort was Holiday Isle Rum Runners.
This bar reminded us of the Swiss Family Robinson Tree Houses at Magic Kingdom.
In addition to moreRum Runners (they were just that good), we also ordered a Pina Colada.
For whatever reason (maybe alcohol was the reason?), Brett decided to do his Baloo from the Jungle Book impression and begin scratching his back against this palm tree.
After the back scratch'n was done, it was off to Key West!
Bar 83: Rick's Bar
We finally arrived in Key West!!
After we checked in at our hotel, we visited Rick's as our first bar in Key West. There was a great keyboard player there so Ryan loved this one!
As for drinks, we enjoyed a Cape Cod...
....Yes, we know,... it's a vodka cranberry. The complimentary peanuts were a nice touch as we were a bit hungry from all of the day's festivities.
Bar 84: Schooner Wharf
Schooner Wharf had some of the best live music in Key West. We stayed here for a long time.
This band had such a great set list and they had an amazing sound.
We didn't have fancy drinks here. Just some Kona Fire Rock beer and a glass of Prosecco. But the outdoor atmosphere, cigar roller and live music made us stay for a while. This was a definitely highlight on the trip.
Bar 85: Conch Republic
This bar was getting close to closing. We made it just in time for them to pour us a few.
You're looking at a Lifesaver, a Tropical Cosmo, and a Guinness.
They would look cooler if they didn't have a Lifesaver and Cosmo in front of them.
And then there was that.
Bar 86: The Bull
It was a toss up between the best live music of the night. This bar probably took second place compared to the Schooner Wharf but good nonetheless.
Sarah enjoyed a Corona Light while we listened to the cover band not play Brett's request of Janis Joplin. It was worth a shot since the lead female singer sounded just like her.
Bar 87: Smokin' Tuna Saloon
We raced over to Dante's but when we showed up, they had closed.
So we decided to go to a beach bar not on the list, but it should be so we counted it :)
The Mile Marker 0 Beer rounded out the night.
The outdoor patio was a perfect way to end the evening. They had a stage, a couple of bars and the atmosphere was relaxing. We highly recommend this bar if you are in the area. It was a fun but exhausting day. Time for some much needed rest. There's a big day ahead of us tomorrow.
Bar 88: Southernmost Beach Cafe
To begin Day 3 (although, this should be Day 2 but we're counting the time to travel to Miami as Day 1 since it was still part of the trip) we went to the Southernmost Beach Cafe. It was a bit overcast, which was actually perfect given the high temps. The clouds made the weather a bit more bearable.
Some Southern Medicine (Pink Lemonade and Sweet Tea Vodka) along with Sea Dog Wild Blueberry got us going in the morning.
We slept in today so we missed breakfast but lunch was great.
It was nice to see one of these in the windows...
Since this was the Southernmost Beach Cafe, that must mean that we're close to the Southernmost Point. Might as well see that while we're in the area. We just had to walk a few blocks but of course, we took pictures along the way.
I love this. Just put a straw in the coconut and you've got an authentic Key West drink.
I told you I would find these hanging decorations later! And definitely bought them.
There's a woman goin' crazy on Caroline Street!!!!!
Enough said...
After all that shananigan's, we finally made it!
Bar 89: Louie's Backyard
After all of the excitement from the Southernmost Beach Cafe and Southernmost Point, we felt like we already put a big day's work in. We needed somewhere to go and relax.
As Jimmy Buffett sings...
Squalls out on the gulf stream
Big storm’s comin’ soon
I passed out in my hammock
And God I slept ’til way past noon
Stood up and tried to focus
I hoped I wouldn’t have to look far
I knew I could use a Bloody Mary
So I stumbled down to Louie’s Backyard
Probably should have ordered a Bloody Mary to pay tribute to the Buffett's song but equally good was Louie's Passion, Prosecco, and a Corona.
This also had one of the best views of the bars. You are right on the water!
Bar 90: Margaritaville
Speaking of Jimmy Buffett, wouldn't be a trip to Key West without visiting Margaritaville.
A margarita was a must (we had the Livin' It Up Margarita to be specific) but we also tried the Don't Stop the Carnival frozen drink which was a rum drink with strawberry, banana, and mango flavors.
Bar 91: Irish Kevin's
Next up was Irish Kevin's Bar.
Great beers. Sarah, Sean, and Brett had a Harp, Guinness, and Summer Ale.
Gotta love a bar that makes durable plastic cups to take home!
Bar 92: Sloppy Joe's Bar
Sloppy Joe's is a classic Key West bar and we couldn't wait to go there.
There was a great guitar player there and he played Michael Jackson's Black or White. Needless to say, Ryan was in heaven.
We drank a Sloppy 'Rita and there was a dog sitting near us who wanted a taste. I don't think the bartender served him though because he had been over-served already... after all, who wears a lobster hat in a bar? No sober dogs, that's for sure.
Although we visited Sloppy Joe's during the day, I love the way it looks at night so had to snap a picture.
Bar 93: Hog's Breath Saloon
The first time Ryan visited Key West, he bought a Hog's Breath t-shirt. He didn't this time but really wanted to.
A couple weeks before this trip, Kenny Chesney performed live at Hog's Breath and performed on this stage so we had to get a picture by it.
Sarah's dad has his name on a wall plate from a Harley validation runs many years ago. You can kind of see the wall plates behind Sarah in the picture below.
The Havana Hog Punch is how we finished up our stay at Hog's Breath.
Bar 94: Sunset Pier at Ocean Key Resort
Before going to the next bar, we had to make a stop at Mallory Square to participate in the Sunset celebration.
Now on to the next bar...
We enjoyed a Salty Dog and Sunset Ale to wind down after the great Sunset Celebration.
This place had great live music but we sat down at the quieter end of the pier and watched the moon come out and ships float by.
Bar 95: Captain Tony's Saloon
We went down to Captain Tony's
To get out of the heat ~ Jimmy Buffett
As Buffett fans, this wasn't our first trip to Captain Tony's. This has been a favorite for a while and this time was no exception. It was a bit crowded that night but always enjoyable.
We had the Pirate Punch in a souvenir Captain Tony cup.
We happened to be there on Captain Tony's birthday so we toasted him before we left!
Bar 96: Green Parrot
The Green parrot was packed when we got there! It was so busy that you almost had to move sideways to get through. Great live music and for some reason, I really liked the green hue.
We had a screwdriver and a Sierra Nevada. This place had a lot of TV screens which we haven't seen a lot of in Key West. I'm sure this place is popular during football season. They had a Blues band playing which was really good. Due to the crowds this wasn't one of our favorites but we appreciate it for it's Key West history!
With this being the last night in Key West, we took some pictures of our hotel which we highly recommend- it's moderately priced and right on Duval Street.
In addition to the view from the Pegasus Hotel, we thought it would be fitting to wrap up our last night in Key West with a picture of glow-in-the-dark Darth Vader playing a banjo.
And although we had already been to Margaritaville we heard the band from the street and went back in.
Bar 97: Hurricane Hole
Before venturing out on our last day in Key West, Sean got a tip to have breakfast at Blue Heaven. It didn't disappoint. Jimmy Buffett knows this all too well..
Those crazy days
And those crazy ways
We never want to undo
We'll be together
Now and forever
At the Blue Heaven rendezvous
Ok, on to our first beach bar of the day....
Our drink of choice was the Painkiller (Pusser's Rum, Cream of Coconut, Pineapple Juice, and Orange Juice). Really good!
And wow, I'm so glad we got a chance to try the key lime pie. We went this whole trip without key lime pie in Key West. This was our chance and it was amazing.
Bar 98: Sunset Grille
Well, the time had come to say goodbye to Key West.
Luckily we saved a few bars to visit on our way out. The first one was on Marathon called the Sunset Grille.
We decided to name this bar the "best souvenir glass" beach bar. Check out that shark and volcano! Sarah had a bloody mary in honor of her dad's 60th birthday that we were missing-- he had a bloody mary bar at his bash.
Bar 99: Burdine's Waterfront Chikitiki
If the Sunset Grille won the "best souvenir glass" award, I think we should give Burdine's the "best sign" award.
We loved this creative idea of how to deliver receipts without having them blow away.
The drink of choice here was an Oberon.
Bar 100: Lorelei Cabana Bar
On Islamorada is where we found ourselves sitting in cabana to drink and watch the sunset at our 100th bar!!!
We were looking for the Key West Sunset Ale all trip and finally had it!
Our pockets are a little lighter from this trip but we wouldn't trade it for anything. Sometimes you need to get away and just enjoy life. Thanks again to Brett and Sean for joining us. It was great having family and friends with us.
What a great trip. Here's to the next 100!
