CategorySunsets

Maldives with Points and Miles!

Yep you are reading that right. I went all the way to the Maldives with points and miles.

For the hotels I paid 150k points per night for the Waldorf Astoria and 120k points per night for the new Hilton Amingiri. You also have to pay for a boat transfer to each location. The Waldorf was $899 and the Hilton was $300. I did have a Hilton credit from the Aspire card that took $250 off the Waldorf cost.

What did I spend on this trip:

$770 at the Waldorf
$700 at the Hilton

Both of those totals include all of my boat transfers, food, drinks and activities during my stay. At the Hilton they have a resident artist and activities that you can make your own souvenir with sea shells and sand. I also did a snorkeling trip that was the highlight of the whole trip. It was $75 plus the taxes and fees (22%) that brought it to $92 and then I tipped the crew because they were fantastic.

I was a mermaid on a much needed break and you could too!

Higgs Beach

Sunrise - Key West - Higgs Beach - 4-16-2014 02

After doing some research I have found that Higgs Beach is actually owned by Monroe County. It is located on the Atlantic Ocean next to the Casa Marina Resort.

I have spent many mornings walking Higgs Beach at dawn to look for Sea Turtles.  I volunteered for the Sea Turtle Rescue Organization for a few years in Key West.  Usually because of the other amenities on the beach and the large numbers of people hanging out we rarely found a turtle nest.  But……..it,s clear turquoise waters and its beautiful sandy beaches and its tropical vegetation, Higgs Beach is one of the most inviting public beach parks in Florida because of its diverse array of activities and offerings.  Within the Park, you will find: a Civil War Era Fort listed on the National Register of Historic Places, Salute! On the Beach, and reportedly, the largest African Refugee Burial Ground in this hemisphere as well as one of the largest Aids Memorials in the Country.

Sunrise - Key West - Higgs Beach 05 Sunrise - Key West - Higgs Beach 06(1)

Higgs Beach is truly unique because it allows you access to the only shore-accessible underwater marine park in the United States and is also the end of the Florida Overseas Heritage Trail, one of only 31 nationally designated All American Highways in the United States.

Sunrise - Key West - Higgs Beach 02

Activities available to park users include swimming, snorkeling, sunbathing, beach volleyball and a playground.  Additionally, the historic civil war era fort known as the West Martello has served as the home of the Key West Garden Club for over 50 years and offers free self-guided tours of almost 2 acres of beautiful gardens with an ocean breeze and view.  For animal lovers, the Park hosts a large and actively utilized dog park with separate runs for small and large dogs.

Some content is from the official Monroe County Website.