Key West

We really enjoyed our time in Key West – a definite highlight. We spent a week relaxing and sight seeing.

We dined at Jimmy Buffett’s original Margaritaville Cafe, and found his local recording studio.

Spending a day on the water taking a speed boat tour, we got to see and learn about Mudd Key – named after Dr. Samuel Mudd – most infamously known for his involvement in the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln.

During his assassination of the president, John Wilkes Booth broke his leg and sought the help of Dr. Mudd and stayed at Mudd’s residence until the next day. Mudd was later arrested for conspiracy and for harboring Booth and David Harold after the crime was committed. Dr. Mudd was convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment at Fort Jefferson in the Dry Tortugas.

Mudd’s wife wrote many letters to President Andrew Johnson in efforts to have her husband released from prison. In the end Dr. Mudd’s heroic action and leadership during the yellow fever epidemic on the island in 1867 led to a pardon by Andrew Johnson. He was released and given land in Key West, later named Mudd Key.

We didn’t take the ferry to Dry Tortugas and Fort Jefferson. Next time…

Here are a few more fun pictures from Key West.  There are more in the photo gallery as well.

Another highlight of the trip was a stop at the Butterfly and Nature Conservatory – a butterfly park that houses from 50-60 different species of live butterflies from around the world (and a couple pink flamingos).

Key Largo

We spent a couple of days in Key Largo.  The RV Resort was right on the water, and some of the spaces faced the beach.  It was really nice and the RVs weren’t packed closely together like they were in Key West.

We wandered the trails at Dagny Johnson Botanical State Park.  It was very peaceful and quiet.

More pictures in the Photo Gallery.

The Keys were well worth the trip, and we highly recommend a visit.  It can be a bit pricey, but worth it.  We’re looking forward to returning some day.