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Google map for Low-Key Hideaway
Back when we were still working, I spent hours on different sites looking for the perfect first full week trip to celebrate our retirement. For the last 15 years we have only enjoyed long weekends due to owning our own business. This would be a big deal for us so I wanted it to be perfect. There are a myriad of websites for campgrounds but my favorite was http://www.allstays.com/. The site says "built to go with you", from phones and tablets to laptops and desktops, by app or by web. So, I found this adults only and 5 star rated place called Low-Key Hideaway. On checking TripAdvisor, there were a number of reviews and all were positive. Not sure I've ever seen that before. The place sounded perfect and only 4 rv sites. 4 ???? No, that wasn't a misprint. We figured that this perfect place was too good to be true. Then we decided to throw caution to the wind and call them anyway. Working around the Georgia football schedule (got to keep priorities around here) we called and booked a week starting 10/21. Amber, the office manager(also a bartender at the Tiki Bar in her spare time) was really friendly and helpful.
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Low- Key website for photos. http://everymilesamemory.smugmug.com/CedarKeFlorida/CedarKey0671186_LdHGvm#!i=2596423326&k=WptSL9k. Pat and Cindy are the owners and are professional photographers.Their story is one that elicits envy. You feel like you are part of their family when you stay at Low-Key. They are the epitome of the saying that it's not work if you love what you do.
The trip down was rather uneventful, making a couple of stops at rest areas along the way. Boozer was a "happy camper" and either slept on his bed or looked out the window. This would be his longest trip that he's been on but it didn't seem to phase him at all. We're driving along and Amber called to check up on us. Yes, we're on our way. We had left a little late to avoid rush hour traffic. She said if she had to leave for the Tiki Bar before we got there that the check in sheet would be posted on the motel office door.
We arrived at Low-Key and people come out and stop traffic for you in both directions on the "highway" (2 lane road to us!) so that you can get your motorhome parked at its site. Looking out the front window I can see the deck right there and then the Gulf...right there...right there!! Amazing!!
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| View out the front window of the motorhome |
Someone had posted about how nice it was to sit on the pier and read a book except she never got very far in her reading because there is too much to see. You end up watching the ospreys and the egrets and the gulls and the fishermen and the crabs coming up out of the sand when the tide comes in and some of the most beautiful sunsets and.... For awhile you have your own piece of paradise.
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| Hanging chairs at the end of the pier |
Long about four o'clock the Tiki Bar opens. As if you haven't suffered enough sensory overload, you now get to walk through the vined arbor, past the unusual gardens and the bottle wall and into the Tiki Bar. Every day you see something new...the frog, the bicycles, the signs, the bottles, the corks, the "pool" with action figures climbing out of the water, the license plates, the bottle caps, the chandelier, the bottle light...and of course, the bar itself with a myriad of mismatched bar stools including one that is a pair of women's legs! On Friday some friends of Pat and Cindy came over to christen Pat's new grill. We were sitting at the bar and the next thing you know someone comes in with a tray of buffalo chicken and we're all eating this great chicken and then along comes a tray of clams and more chicken and more clams! We heard they cooked elk later, too. Locals come there also and there is never a shortage of interesting people to meet. The bar is stocked with beer and wine and an amazing array of liquor. Cindy's special mix makes the absolute best margaritas, if I do say so myself! Oh, and not only are the motel and rv sites pet friendly but also the Tiki Bar. Boozer enjoyed all the attention he got there too.
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| Tiki Bar |
Speaking of the clams...Cedar Key has clam farming. Just next door was one of the places that does this. They also sell retail so you can get clams, shrimp and whatever is caught that day. We got a bag of clams and steamed some in beer on our grill. We put the rest up in the freezer to make clam chowder later. Here is their website. http://www.clambiz.com/
There were many other things to see on Cedar Key. http://www.cedarkey.org/ That was the only regret about our stay. We absolutely will return but hopefully with a toad. This means researching the right vehicle and the right hook-up and being comfortable adding a towed vehicle.
Sadly, on Monday morning, we had to load up and drive home. We had an incredible week and look forward to being able to spend time at Low-Key Hideaway again.
