First full week of 2026—how’s it treating you?


Hey Reader,

Well, we’ve officially made it through the first week-ish of January—and 2026 is already off to a busy start! How’s your year going? Hopefully it’s filled with strong coffee, sunshine, and maybe a daydream or two about palm trees.

I’m back in the swing of things (finally!) and we covered a lot of great stuff this week—so here’s your quick recap:

🐠 Monday

We dove into the fascinating history of the Key West Aquarium—did you know it was the first open-air aquarium in the U.S.? Built during the Great Depression as a WPA project! You can check out the blog post and the video to see what makes it such a cool stop.
👉 Blog post | YouTube video

🍤 Tuesday

Let’s talk views and vibes… it was all about the best waterfront restaurants in Key West. Did your go-to spot make the list? I’d love to hear what your fave is!
👉 Blog post | YouTube video

📅 Wednesday

We rounded up everything happening in January in Key West—from festivals to fun little island happenings. If you’re planning a visit (or just dreaming from afar), don’t miss this one!
👉 Blog post | YouTube video

🍹 Thursday

We wrapped up the week with a chat about Boathouse Happy Hour (yes, please!) and a look back at the historic building it calls home. A little sip of sunshine and a dash of Key West history? Count me in.
👉 Watch the chat | Read the blog

📚 Mark Your Calendar!

We’re kicking off our first live author chat of 2026 this Sunday, January 14 at 7PM (ET)!
Come hang out with me and Chris Harvey, author of our January book club read Son of a Son of a Pirate 🏴‍☠️
He’s a multi-generation Conch and has some stories.
👉 Join the live chat here

🌴 Last Week’s Trivia Answer

I asked: Who purchased the island of Key West in January 1822?

The answer?
John Simonton—a savvy businessman who saw the potential in this tropical paradise and quickly snatched it up. He later sold parts of the island to Fleming, Whitehead, and Green—names you’ll still see on street signs today!

🎉 Big cheers to everyone who got it right—you’re in the running for this month’s Fun in Key West prize box!


🐓 This Week’s Trivia

Here’s a fun one to kick off the new year:
What is Key West’s maximum elevation?
Yep—we’re talkin’ island altitude. Is it a towering mountain… or something closer to sea level? 😆

Hit reply with your guess and you could be the next winner!

Catch you next week with more trivia, sunshine, and probably a rooster or two.

💛 Michele
Chief Rooster Wrangler | Waterfront Wanderer | Trivia Queen

Check out the Fun in Key West Book Club - Every month we read a book with a Key West connection... learn more and sign up (it's free) here!


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