- By Barbara Hyland
In need of a family weekend getaway? We’ve got you covered! Isla Bella Beach Resort is in Marathon next to the Florida Keys’ infamous 7 Mile Bridge. Since we all know Miami’s rush hour traffic all too well, we left at 3 pm on Friday in an effort to avoid it. We took about 3 hours and 15 minutes to get there. In the case of an accident, the drive could get longer since there is only one lane. However, it is definitely worth it! (If you drive a Tesla, Marathon also has a Supercharger.) Our ultimate goal was to relax in the sand, get a bit of vitamin D, and get away from Miami, even if it was just for two nights.
On Friday, upon arriving, we checked in and headed to our room. The two things that stood out to me were the stunning balcony overlooking the ocean and a separate area with a sofa bed with doors you can close, making it perfect for families, especially those with older children. The resort also has a full itinerary of events all day for families and kids to enjoy, such as movie nights on the beach and scavenger hunts. We decided to have dinner and drinks at the resort’s “Sushi Cabana,” then headed back to our room to play the board games we had brought.
On Saturday, we went on a private snorkel tour. This is one of the things I enjoy most about going to the Florida Keys. Don’t get me wrong, everyone loves a boat day in Miami, but the fish you see and the clarity of the water in the Keys are unbeatable, in my opinion. There were some tour boats near us, so that is another option. There were beautiful corals and schools of fish; I would truly recommend doing this! When we got back to the resort, we went to “Sand Cove Beach” and enjoyed the rest of our beach day there. If you’d rather get in the pool, the resort has several to choose from, including adult pools.
We opted for a late checkout on our last day to stay longer. We decided to tan by the pool in the morning and then went to the spa for our last treat. On our way back, we stopped at the Key Lime Pie Factory to get gifts for our friends and family. Their Key Lime pies were better than any I had tried in Miami. Yes, even better than Joe’s. Without counting our stop, the trip back was roughly 3 hours and 30 minutes, leaving at around 1 pm from Isla Bella Beach Resort. This getaway offered everything we needed to recharge and enjoy quality family time—topped off with some of the most breathtaking sunsets you’ll ever see.
