A Relaxing Escape from Reality

Imagine flying above the turquoise kissed sea that surrounds a delicate chain of islands that string like the tail of a kite below mainland Florida. From this vantage point you can see the toy-like boats gliding under the bridges that link the Keys together. The pilot points to a small tropical island in the distance. This is where we are headed. Circling the 5 acre island, the plane comes to a graceful landing in the sea. Taxiing to a nearby dock where a team of staff are eager to welcome your arrival with a fruity beverage. Scenes from the classic 80’s show “Fantasy Island” can’t help but make you silently smirk to yourself. Is this place for real???

This is Little Palm Island

A few weeks ago, my husband Phil and I were able to spend three beautiful nights on this private island paradise to celebrate our 20th Wedding Anniversary. Located 3 miles off of Little Torch Key in the Florida Keys, Little Palm Island is a 5 acre island that houses 30 luxury bungalow suites. Adult’s-only are allowed on the island. The only way to arrive here is by boat or seaplane. As we arrived, we were escorted around the property and shown the one on-site restaurant known as The Dining Room, the pool area, beach, spa, gym, and our bungalow.

We stayed in Bungalow #28, which was perfectly located just one building away from the pool area. Our bungalow was beachfront and close to the entrance to the dock that encircled half of the island. It was a perfect location for watching the sunset on our own veranda. The suite was massive. When you walked in you were greeted with tall thatched roof ceilings in the living room. The decor is a lovely British Colonial style with dark wood furnishings. The bathroom featured sleek marble sinks, a large freestanding soaking tub, and indoor & outdoor showers! In the bedroom, they had a luscious four-poster King bed that was high enough to need a step stool to get up on it!

Our days were spent doing one thing, RELAXING. We would start off each day enjoying a cup of coffee on our deck, watching the fishermen on their boats take advantage of mini-lobster season. We would wander to the outdoor patio at The Dining Room to enjoy a farm-to-table breakfast. We would savor selections such as avocado toast, acai bowls, hazelnut french toast, and muesli. All healthy and delicious! After breakfast we would find a nice spot in one of the poolside cabanas for the day. Occasionally we would grab a kayak or paddle board to explore the nearby mangrove, or walk out on the sandbar that was formed by a recent hurricane. On the sandbar we saw an array of fish, including a shark! Back at the pool, lunch was enjoyed in our bali bed cabana. The fish tacos and ceviche were a few of our favorites. Pair that with the bottle of rose we sipped poolside, it was bellisimo! The evenings were extra special. The Dining Room offered tables inside, on the patio, and my personal favorite – on the beach. The head chef of The Dining Room is ranked as one of the top chefs in the whole state of Florida, and he did not disappoint. The menu offered slight changes each night. Everything we ate there was excellent. My favorite was the filet mignon with grilled octopus. The best part was the front row seating for the most beautiful sunsets I have ever experience in the US.

As I mentioned, this was the most relaxed we have been in a long time. For 3 days, life seemed normal again. The rest of the world did not exist while we were there. In fact, the motto at Little Palm Island is #GetLost. They have signs asking you not to use your electronic devices in public areas. There are no phones or TV’s in the rooms. The point is to truly disconnect, and we truly did.

I can not wait to return to this paradise. What a wonderful “find” right here in the US. Like a tropical Caribbean island without needing a passport. It was the perfect escape and the perfect place to celebrate our anniversary.