Hawks Cay Resort
A few weeks ago we ventured down to Hawks Cay Resort in Duck Key for a little covid- friendly getaway. If you’re not familiar with Duck Key, it’s a small island midway down to Key West, the furthest point down in Florida. From the minute we drove in (we drove from the Naples area of Florida and it took us about 3.5 hours) it felt super tropical and the perfect escape… we were told many Floridians vacation here, and I can see why!
Hawks Cay Resort is an upscale property that is perfect for all different types of groups: couples, families, friends and is definitely very kids friendly. We stayed in a 3 bedroom Sanctuary Villa and it was the perfect option for a secluded vacation & to keep our distance from others. The villa consisted of three bedrooms (one on the main level with a queen-size bed, and two upstairs (one with a queen & one with a king), two full-size bathrooms and a small powder room, a full-size kitchen, pull out couch in the living room, and a private terrace with a large pool & jacuzzi.
We did venture over to the main pool as we wanted to get in some pool time. The resort actually has multiple swimming pools and a saltwater lagoon, including an adults-only swimming pool. We only swam in the main pool as we had a baby with, but next time we’d check out the adults-only pool. The saltwater lagoon is also a really cool addition, as you can borrow paddleboards and kayaks to go around and feel like you are right on the beach.
Excursions & Activities:
Dolphin Connection- we did a dockside dolphin activity that consisted of two dolphins hanging around dockside where you could interact with them. It was fun to see them up close without having to get into the water, and Josie loved them! They also had a photographer there to capture photos which are available to download after the fact.
Sunset Cruise- we were going to do this but were hesitant to get tickets as it ended up being pretty overcast & didn’t know how much of the sunset we’d actually see, but it seems like a really fun thing to do! They do a sunset cruise every night, and the ticket includes soft drinks, beer & wine- and is kid-friendly as well! If you’re not into a big group cruise, they do offer private charters as well that you can do with your group.
Paddleboards/ Kayaks- as I mentioned before, there are paddleboards that you can use in the saltwater lagoon, which you can also swim in! You can also rent them for an hourly fee and go into and cruise around the Marina, the mangroves and the Marina Flat.
Click here for a full list of experiences Hawks Cay Resort has to offer.
Restaurants:
Tiki Grill– this is the poolside bar/grill where you can order food and drinks. We had lunch here two of the days and thought the food was pretty cool- pretty standard but came out fast which we appreciated.
Marketplace– this was off the pool as well, and had an array of breakfast options to choose from. We got breakfast here one morning and I had a really good waffle made to order. They also serve Starbucks coffee (there was no coffee in our room!) and sell all sorts of Florida Keys related snacks and candies. We didn’t go in there any other times, so I am not sure if they serve lunch or dinner, but for breakfast, it was definitely a great, fast option.
Angler & Ale– a casual restaurant connected to the marina that serves lunch and dinner. We ended up going here twice and the food was definitely one of the highlights of the trip! Everything we had was delicious. The first night we shared some mussels & a shrimp cocktail as an appetizer. For my main dish, I had the special which was a triple tail fish and it came with veggies and rice (most of their entrees come with veggies & rice) and it was one of the best I’ve had! We had to end the night with a slice of Key Lime Pie (SO GOOD!!) and their famous banana split sundae which was a recommendation (I preferred the key lime pie, but it was still yummy!!) They also brew their own beer which was super good and refreshing as well!
Sixty One Prime– We were supposed to go here for dinner on Saturday night, however, the restaurant is now only open on Monday & Tuesday. We were super bummed we didn’t get to try it (the menu sounded amazing!) but we were happy with both of our meals at Angler & Ale, so it all worked out.
Covid- Friendly
I was very happy with the way that Hawks Cay is complying with Covid-19 restrictions and felt very safe & comfortable the entire time. Masks are mandatory around the property when indoors and not able to social distance (all staff wore masks at all time.) There were hand sanitizers throughout, and plexiglass at check-in/out and in the marketplace. They suspended housekeeping, so there wasn’t daily service of cleaning and turning over the beds, but the villa felt very clean when we checked in.
All in all, our stay at Hawks Cay was very enjoyable and I would recommend it if you’re looking for a little getaway spot with family and kids. To learn more about the hotel, and book your stay, click HERE!
Thank you for hosting us, Hawks Cay!