Visiting new places is something my family values. Each time we take a family vacation, we like to try somewhere new, such as Portland, Gulf Shores, Orlando, Myrtle Beach, San Antonio, and St. Louis. This year, we had a unique opportunity for a trip we will always remember. In 2018, Macaroni Kid National named me Publisher of the Year and gifted our family with a 4-day vacation to the stunning Hawks Cay Resort in southern Florida. Located approximately 90 miles south of the Miami International Airport and 60 miles north of Key West, Hawks Cay Resort features numerous a saltwater lagoon, multiple pools, and numerous on-site activities included in your resort fee.
We decided to truly make an adventure of our trip by making the 20-hour drive instead of flying. I am so glad we made this choice. It gave us the chance to see even more sights along the way, such as the Florida Everglades. On our way to Hawks Cay, we took the west side through Tampa around the Everglades stopping at Sawgrass Recreation Park. On the way home, we drove the east side of the panhandle through Miami. I was surprised how often the kids put away their electronics as we drove, especially around the Everglades.
As we turned off the highway into Hawks Cay, the Sunset Villas on our right and the main resort hotel greeted us along with beautiful landscaping. After receiving the key to our home for the next four days, we walked into a welcoming villa furnished with everything a family could need. Upstairs, the kids’ room had two twin beds, the master bedroom had a king bed and a private patio, and we shared a full bath. Downstairs included a fully stocked kitchen, a living room, half-bath, and patio.
After we unloaded and unpacked suitcases, we took the tram around the resort to discover all the amenities. Are you ready for this? Hawks Cay Resort has everything you could possibly want to do on their property. There are five swimming pools, a family activity center, six restaurants, a full-service marina, dolphin encounters, a saltwater lagoon with kayaks and paddle-boards, kid and teen clubs, and a spa.
The on-site Dolphin Connection is the only resort-based program of its kind where guests can interact and swim with dolphins in their natural environment. It’s also the only facility on the mainland U.S. that offers free public viewing of trained dolphins. Guests can enter the water, interact from the dock or spend the entire day getting an up-close perspective and understanding of the dolphin and trainer relationship.
The saltwater lagoon is fed from the ocean and guests have free access to kayaks and paddleboards. After trying the paddleboard for the first time at the lagoon, the kids asked daily to return. My son also loved the kayaks. As a mom, I loved that they experienced both in the contained calm waters of the saltwater lagoon.
Coral Cay is geared toward families and younger guests. The Pirate Ship Pool has slides, tunnels, water shooting cannons, and is a great place for splash pad fun. Be sure to check the daily resort schedule to meet Captain Hawk, Koral the Mermaid, and Priscilla the Pirate Queen. Coral Cay is also the host for Camp Hawk, where kids can take a break from their parents and experience hours of activities just for them!
Our family explored the resort and Duck Key with Coral Cay's free bicycle rentals at our own pace. Our kids loved spotting iguanas, beautiful homes, boats, and gorgeous water views.
After a full day of swimming, sunbathing, and Coral Cay activities, it was time to enjoy the restaurants. On the resort, you will find gourmet, casual, and to-go options. If you are a coffee-lover, like my husband and me, you will love Island Time which featured a full menu of Starbucks coffee. We dined for lunch mostly at the Tiki Grill near the main pool and lagoon with sandwiches and salads delivering poolside or lounge chairs. As a guest at Angler and Ale, we enjoyed the fresh fish tacos, burgers and craft beer. At Sixty-One Prime, prime steaks and delectable signature seafood dishes in an elegant atmosphere was a perfect way to end our stay. My son thanked our waitress with hugs and "You were the best waitress I ever had.”
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One of the slogans of Macaroni Kid is #TakeCareMamaBear and at Calm Waters Spa, you will be fully pampered. The relaxing ambiance begins as soon as you enter with the warm smiles of the staff, tranquil music, soothing colors, and rejuvenating treatments. The 7,000 square foot spa has eight treatment rooms, including two couples’ suites, three facial rooms and a tropical rain room with a Vichy shower for body treatments. For 50 uninterrupted minutes, the Calm Waters Custom Massage removed me from the stress of everyday demands with a specialized blend of Swedish and deep tissue therapeutic techniques with hot stones and aromatherapy. Additionally, the spa has a state-of-the-art fitness room with a complete schedule of group exercise classes, relaxation room, candlelit whirlpool, eucalyptus steam room, and dry sauna.
Being named the 2018 Publisher of the Year is a huge honor; thank you to Joyce, Eric and all of the publishers for the recognition. My famly created wonderful memories at Hawks Cay Resort and spent time remembering on how Macaroni Kid has been able to enrich our lives for the past four years.
Hawks Cay Resort, situated roughly halfway between Key Largo and Key West alongside the aquamarine water of the Atlantic Ocean, guests enjoy offshore, flats and backcountry fishing; diving; kayaking; kiteboarding and standup paddleboarding programs; Cliff Drysdale tennis program; and the only resort-based Dolphin Connection program with complimentary daily viewings in the continental U.S.
LOCATION: Hawks Cay Resort, 61 Hawks Cay Boulevard, Duck Key, FL 33050
TELEPHONE: 1-877-484-9342
WEBSITE ADDRESS: https://www.hawkscay.com/
#HawksCay #HawksCayVacay
The author was a guest of the resort. All opinions are those of the author.
