I don’t even know what words to put to the blue of the skies, the turquoise waters, the always-present, perfect sea breeze, and most importantly, the abundance of fish. We were busy, we were still, we were social, we were solitary. We took an early Spring Break yet kept learning as school on the road seems to go. The Keys: best experienced in or on the water. We are sun-baked, salty-sticky, tanned, weathered, and rejuvenated.

• We stayed: Curry Hammock State Park (five stars!), Sunshine Key RV Resort, Fiesta Key Resort. *a note on staying in the Keys: everything goes fast. Curry Hammock was the most incredible campground thus far on our whole trip. We lucked out, last minute, on a cancellation to get in. Sunshine and Fiesta were fine, booked well in advance, but just not our speed. The kids loved the pool and the marina which were great amenities, but it was harder to hang out there like we enjoy most at slower, less crowded state parks. Either way, take what you can get!*
• We explored: Joe took Townes on his birthday trip to fish the Lower Keys Flats with Captain Luke, we snorkeled and swam and hiked around the old bridge at Bahia Honda State Park, we kayaked to Conch Island and through the mangroves at Curry Hammock SP, we took a day trip to Key West and parked ourselves at Fort Zachary Taylor State Park (beach and splash pad), we rented paddle boards, we rented our own boat and went to the Islamorada sandbar and the lighthouse on Alligator Reef and fished in the Gulf. We mostly fished anywhere we saw water and spent all our money on shrimp.
• We ate: Kiki’s Sandbar and Grill, Cuban Coffee Queen, Blue Heaven (stone crab, grouper, and snapper!), Midway Cafe, although our favorite meal was cooking Townes’s fresh Sea Trout and chopping up fresh avocado, papaya, and mango from Robert Is Here
• We drank: Islamorada Beer Company (Island Citrus Ale and Channel Marker IPA)
• We listened to: Jimmy Buffet, Jack Johnson, Ben Harper, and the Moana soundtrack
• We read: The Old Man and the Sea (five stars!), Last Train to Paradise, and Bird by Bird (because who is not inspired to write while in the Keys?)