When searching for our next adventure we wanted to find somewhere private, not super well know, no televisions or phones, adults-only but still within the U.S. Through my many late night wine and Google dates with my computer, I finally came across a hidden treasure called Little Palm Island. Of course I was sold by the promo video! (below). The magic of this island is its exclusive location where a captivating view exists in every direction. Crushed seashell paths wind through this 5 ½ acre paradise connecting each of the spacious and private thatched roof suites. This was easily the most expensive trip we'd ever taken, and I think I even took on a few extra weddings to justify the cost, but the details I'll soon describe will give you a glimpse as to why it was worth every penny.

Our flight to the Keys was an easy one and their teeny tiny airport was vibrant and inviting. We were anxious for the experience before us since we'd had our fair share of vapid Florida vaycays over the years. Upon arrival you enter the check-in building which is a beautiful thatched roof hut where we were immediately given and introduced to the island's signature drink, The Gumby Slumber. A coconut delight with a kick! There was a comfy outdoor seating area along the waterway where we cheers'ed and waited for our transportation to arrive as Little Torch Key is only accessible by sea plane or boat. As we waited for The Truman, a vintage wooden motor yacht, to arrive we learned about the history of the island. Little Palm Island has a lengthy past of catering to presidents like Harry Truman and dozens of celebrities. How bougie!

I've said to Frank over and over again that I'll never forget the feeling I had when we first stepped off the boat and onto the island. The LPI website and videos are extremely thorough and give you a fantastic feel for the property prior to booking, but I'd never been so blown away. It was even more amazing in person. Easily one of those "pinch me, is this real?" moments. 

As our concierge guided us down the lush and winding paths to our suite, I remember being a little out of it just from feeling so positively overwhelmed. We eagerly walked up to our private bungalow which had an adorable bamboo sign attached reading "Pond" waiting for us on the deck. Just off the hut was our very own octagonal-shaped deck area with a comfy day bed and hot tub. Our bungalow had it's own private stretch of white-sand beach not visible to any other guests, it was equipped with a hammock, fire pit area and two inviting chaise lounge chairs looking out onto the crystal blue water. #Heaven 

If you're the type that needs to stay constantly busy on vacation or you like to have lots of options for activities, Little Palm is not the place for you. For two always-busy small business owners like ourselves, we wanted complete serenity, rest and relaxation. A huge plus of the island is the on-site spa, Spa Terre. It's perfectly positioned in a jungle-like setting behind two extremely tall and ornate doors that look like something out of a Tomb Raider movie. Lara Croft could use a good massage, I'm sure. Spa Terre would give us one of our most memorable experiences of the trip. 5 stars, easily.

At Little Palm Island, every dining experience is special. The casual elegance of the ocean-front restaurant, The Dining Room, made every meal a memorable one. We booked their all inclusive meal package which included several courses and each meal was a minimum of a 90-minute experience. I personally loved this as I hate feeling rushed at restaurants in general. The executive chef and culinary team are grade A and were recently recognized as the Best Hotel Dining in Florida and #3 in the US by Zagat. The Dining Room has also won awards for Best Décor in Florida, too! The food is best described as a vibrant blend of French and Pan Latin flavors like yellowtail snapper ceviche with passion fruit and coconut gelee. A personal fave was the roasted pork tenderloin with corn, black bean, sweet plantain and bacon hash served with a mango mojo. Definitely on the fancier side, but we tried just about everything and loved almost all of it!

Trip Highlights: In the Florida Keys the Key Deer are abundant and we saw these friendly fellas throughout the island. One of the most astonishing things we learned and saw is that the deer can swim! Some days we'd be laying out by the water and all of the sudden you'd see a group of deer swimming...very odd yet fascinating at the same time. Each night we'd spend on our octagonal deck relaxing on the day bed or winding down in the hot tub. The stars at night were UNbelievable. I'd never seen stars shine so brightly. They felt like they were literally close enough to touch. Being an island far from the mainland, you could see them more clearly due to less light pollution. Another perk of our stay was the overall feeling of privacy. There were some days we felt like we were the only people on the island. The way each suite is set up and perfectly landscaped, often times the only moments we saw other humans would be in The Dining Room. The one activity we did partake in was kayaking through the mangroves after breakfast one morning. While a little scary, as we were warned previously about snakes on the branches (yikes!), we carefully navigated through the mangroves and got to see more of the island from the water. An experience we'll never forget! Each evening with turndown service we'd receive a new message on parchment placed perfectly on the bed. I looked forward to seeing what each new message or quote would be and we'd even start to guess which of the little island creature trinkets we'd get next. Frank guessed correctly on the turtle!

Sadly in the Fall of 2017, Little Palm Island was hit by Hurricane Irma. The island suffered major devastation. We even looked up an aerial image on Google of the island post-hurricane and the long pier we both arrived on and departed from was completely gone. The main building where The Dining Room was located looked to be in pretty rough shape, too. Since then we've checked regularly for updates on the rebuilding of the resort and they hope to have it ready in early 2020. We'd love to one day go back to experience what Little Palm 2.0 is like. I hope you will too! Until next time.. XO