Cedar Key Escape

Coming off a very busy and stressful later part of the fall semester and season, I wanted to separate my monthly recap from this reflection on a last-minute trip we scheduled around Thanksgiving. In fact, I'm at the point where I want to start publishing these blogs bi-weekly, given everything we're up to these days!

During our Thanksgiving "break" (there's not a break when you're taking online classes - at least in the programs we're doing), we decided we needed more downtime once the semester ended. We were exhausted and stressed over our final assignments and projects in conjunction with navigating the holiday with our families, but we knew we needed something more to look forward to than just time off after the semester. We needed real downtime and relaxation. After chatting about what we wanted/needed, we began looking up little escapes when we were experiencing insomnia (again - super stressed and super busy, so it was the best way to utilize time!) and booked several days at one of my favorite hidden gems here in Florida, Cedar Key.

Cedar Key has been a go-to for my family for years, and honestly, I have no clue how my parents came across it (and I'm sure it's a story for another time, so onwards!), but I'm so glad they did. It's about 2 1/2 hours southeast of us here in Tallahassee, so not a bad trip in the car at all, which is great for last-minute packing, shopping errands, etc., before hitting the road.

One of my favorite parts about arriving in Cedar Key is the stretch of road that leads into the island. It's perfectly Florida with a combination of marsh, bayou, and the Gulf of Mexico. Before leaving the mainland, you'll see the Cedar Key Scrub State Park, which is worth a visit, and as you drive into the islands, there are also signs for Cedar Keys National Wildlife Refuge. Again, worth a visit! But for our trip, we keep things very simple by simply exploring the cute little town since we were so exhausted, and this was a new adventure for Chris.

I was so excited that we could book the Captain's Quarters at the Faraway Inn, the only place I've ever stayed at Cedar Key. The Faraway, as we call it, has been our go-to for Cedar Key visits because of several important factors:

• Price - it's extremely affordable and has been for some time, which was very helpful for my parents (a former photography professor and speech pathologist in the local schools).

• Pet Friendly - and at an affordable daily rate as well! This was especially important to us as our pup Mando has high anxiety and doesn't board well, and my parents couldn't watch him during our stay.

• Amenities - we booked a room with a full kitchen, so we weren't spending much money eating out. The inn also provides guests with free bikes, canoes, kayaks, and Wi-Fi. There are also golf carts available for a reasonable fee.

• Location - while Cedar Key is quite small, it's nice to be pretty central in order to make exploring convenient. The inn is perfect in my opinion in this regard as it's right next to the bay but a few blocks from the main "downtown" area and another few blocks to the shops at the fishing pier.

• View - the inn has a cute little covered patio with swings that faces west toward the bay, and the sunsets are magical. I'll let the photos do the talking for this bullet.

Staying anywhere on Cedar Key is like stepping back in time - it felt like we were on island time, even though it was grey and chilly most of the time we were there. Even with less-than-ideal weather, it's easy to enjoy the little town because other guests and the town folk are extremely nice, and you can walk and bike wherever you need to go in about 5 minutes!

Chris instantly fell in love with it, which made me so happy! While my family and I may have spent spring breaks at Cedar Key, it's not a hotspot for high school, college kids, or younger families. It attracts more of the snowbird crowd, which is fine with me! Between some of the amazing Victorian-style houses and the old-fashioned downtown set-up, along with the small size of the town, it's the perfect place to get away, feel like you are instantly at home, but also be able to enjoy a beach getaway. That said, the seclusion and lack of "excitement" is not everyone's cup of tea.

There are no grocery stores, chain restaurants, or fast food joints. There are just a few local restaurants, gift shops, art shops, antique shops, a few mini marts, and now a cute little coffee shop. It's changed a bit since my last trip when I was probably in college, but it still has a cute, quaint charm. My favorite activities are walking around the town and neighborhoods, taking in the beautiful homes and trees, and biking around, especially to the cemetery (along with its boardwalk) and the Cedar Key State Park Museum. There are tons of historical landmarks, and the historical society has an awesome little museum that is worth the $3 admission!

Chris and I enjoyed lots of leisurely walking so he could explore and take in all the little town's charm. We planned on a nice dinner out at the historic Island Hotel Restaurant but ended up just enjoying our own home cooking at the Faraway. We drank lots of hot cocoa, indulged in the frozen chocolate-covered key lime pie on a stick from the 1842 Daily Grind coffee shop, napped, and enjoyed two incredible sunsets despite the grey days.

It was absolutely incredible to come away from the three-night, two-day stay feeling rested and rejuvenated enough to head into the holiday weekend. We opened a few gifts to each other while we were there, and once we returned home and finished celebrating Christmas with our families, I told my husband that the entire week felt like we'd experienced a daily celebration. Between the island time, rest, and just a sense of calm, it's been a while since I'd felt this good during and after the holidays.

I'm so glad I could share this little getaway with Chris before we from Florida later this winter/spring. And I look forward to exploring and finding places with their own Cedar Key-like charm up in the mountains of West Virginia!