My favorite vacation spot is an island city in Florida. I love it so much that I hope to move there once I’m an empty nester.

• My favorite vacation destination in the US is the island town of Key West, Florida.
• Though I’ve visited several times, I never tire of the island’s natural beauty and local history
• The relaxed island vibes make it seem ideal for retirement. I plan to one day call Key West home.

On the first cruise I ever took, I happened to be pregnant and terribly sick. However, a switch seemed to flip when we arrived at the island of Key West, Florida.

The sky and waters were a stunning blue, and the weather was lovely and mild. Suddenly, I felt better — and that feeling persisted as my husband and I explored the southernmost city in Florida.

Though being sick on a cruise ship wasn’t ideal, I’m grateful the experience introduced me to what’s still my favorite vacation destination years later.

In fact, we love the city so much that we now hope to retire there.

It’s easy to understand why Key West is such a popular travel destination

Key West welcomes about a million visitors a year, which is no surprise given it’s a popular stop on cruises and it has an international airport.

The city has a lot to offer tourists, and when I travel, I seek to indulge my love of both history and nature. Key West has plenty of both

The Key West Shipwreck Treasure Museum enchants with the island’s rich history of shipwreck salvage operations, which date back centuries.

Mallory Square, the city’s historic waterfront plaza, serves as an outdoor market where visitors can check out local artisans, entertainers, and food vendors.

It’s also where dozens of people gather each night for the island’s Sunset Celebration. Yes, the sunsets in Key West are that spectacular.

On our first visit alone, we took in the island’s gorgeous beaches and stopped by for a photo at the Southernmost Point of the Continental United States.

We were also mesmerized by the inhabitants of the Key West Butterfly and Nature Conservatory, which has dozens of species of colorful birds and butterflies.

Finally, we took a tour of the Hemingway Home, a museum established in author Ernest Hemingway’s former Key West house, and were absolutely charmed by the location’s famed polydactyl cats.

The culinary scene is great, too

Key West’s food and beverage scene is impressive, and the island is especially famous for desserts and drinks made from its eponymous Key limes.

Coincidentally, Key-lime pie and Key limeade were the first foods I could enjoy without experiencing morning sickness, so they have an especially dear place in my heart.

Key West has multitudes to offer on a savory front, too, especially when it comes to seafood.

Though it’s native to the area, queen conch is no longer allowed to be harvested in Florida due to decades of overfishing. However, it’s still imported and is a staple, as locals in the area specialize in preparing conch and do it very well.

Briny and sweet, conch is used in fritters, chowders, salads, and ceviche.

Don’t worry if seafood isn’t your thing, as Key West’s Gulf Coast locale means you’ll also find tasty Caribbean and Cuban fare here.

Key West feels worth rediscovering over and over again

My husband and I have been to Key West several times since that first visit. On our next trip there, we’ll be celebrating our oldest son’s 18th birthday.

It’s hard to believe the cause of that morning sickness will soon be an adult, but I can think of no place more fitting to celebrate his life.

I know it won’t be our last trip to Key West, either. My husband and I have a goal to make the island our permanent home one day.

In my opinion, ocean breezes, local history, a distinctive culinary scene, and unique attractions make the island an ideal place to live out one’s twilight years.

However, we’re still raising our kids in Houston — a city we love just as much as Key West — and plan to stay put until they finish their education.

Until then, we’re looking forward to enjoying brief pockets of “living on island time” on our vacations.

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