Like Oz for boaters, Hawk’s Cay Resort in the gorgeous Florida Keys grants wishes for all ages!
Islands are magical, each a world of its own. Duck Key, about halfway down the chain of Florida’s finest atolls, feels especially complete, with its luxury resort, Hawk’s Cay, spread from edge to edge like a festive tablecloth. The extensive grounds (which are actually a grouping of five small islands) hold delights for all ages. From the luxurious spa, to the deep sea fishing and dive adventures, to the teen-only gatherings and a pirate ship pool that would please Peter Pan, no one is left wanting.
Walking down the dock of the resort’s spacious marina on a rainy night this summer, I’m struck with the idea that boats are much like islands. Lobsterfest, a MarineMax Rendezvous, is in full swing at the Cay, and almost every one of the 85 slips is occupied by a Sea Ray yacht or cruiser, each its own oasis for the fun-loving family onboard. The boats are battened neatly against the downpour, but a warm, beckoning glow seeps from each cabin telling of the comfortable sanctuary inside. As each light flicks out, I know the families inside are anticipating the days to come on Duck Key, days spent at a resort where just about any ambition can be outfitted.
“We always have a good time here,” MarineMaxer Vivian Rapaport says of Hawk’s Cay. “The kids always have something to do and they always find other kids to play with…kids we don’t even know when we get there.” The “Rap Pack,” as Vivian and husband Michael’s 400 Sedan Bridge proclaims, consists of five children, ranging in age from 6 to 18. “It’s a great family place,” she continues. “It’s safe and it has a lot of kid-oriented activities…like the different kids’ camps, the dolphins and pools. It’s good for us because we can relax and they can do their thing and everyone has a good time.”
Duck Key is a five-acre affair on the Overseas Highway at Mile Marker 61, nine miles from Marathon. Bryan Newkirk initially developed it in the 1950s after he won the island in a golf game! No one would have imagined the splendor to come. Hawk’s Cay features nearly 500 accommodations, ranging from quaint waterfront villas—some with their own swimming pools—to affordable guest rooms in an inn-like environment. There are six restaurants to please every taste, and five swimming pools including an adult-only pool and the pirate ship shallows for tots. The resort’s interactive dolphin program is always a winner with the kids, or you can simply watch the mythical mammals swim and frolic from the decking surrounding their clear water enclosure.
For the ambitious, there is a putting course, as well as opportunities for tennis, volleyball or basketball onsite. A full 18-hole golf course is just down the road. Looking for more of a rush? Try a fishing charter, a snorkeling excursion, parasailing or a personal watercraft rental. Less of a rush? The Indies Spa offers physical delights to relax both mind and body.
“We never have enough time to do everything we want to do at Hawk’s Cay,” says Pat Ehlers of Clearwater, Florida. “We love coming back to try though!”
The Duck Key stop is part of an annual Rendezvous trek put on by a trio of MarineMax dealers from the Central, West Central and Southwest Florida regions. It begins at the historic Snook Inn on Marco Island and includes three days at Hawk’s Cay and three days at the Key West Galleon Resort. It’s a terrific way for families to explore Florida’s Keys, conveniently and securely squired by MarineMax’s expert Getaway captains. Plus, it’s also the very best way to meet new friends while revisiting the old.
The mid-summer stop at Hawk’s Cay is a high point for everyone, and one reason is surely the coinciding opening of Sportsman Lobster Season, which lasts a mere two days. Much plotting goes on the night before, as experienced crustacean hunters spin tales of easy-to-catch hauls, making everyone’s mouth water in anticipation of the annual dockside Lobsterfest feast.
On the first day of the mini lobster season, many of the adults take to the water while most of the kids enjoy the resort’s pools and day camps. More charmed by rosy cheeks than snapping claws, I follow the Smith family over to the popular Pirate Ship, which encourages super fun water fights (think cannon-sized water pistols) and slippery slides and tunnels. Little Andrew and Emily Smith seem about to burst with exuberance as their parents and I soften into the surrounding chaise lounges and happily grieve over our own loss of such youthful energy.
The Indies Club is the heart of kids’ entertainment at the resort and is divided into two sections, one for children under 13 and another, the Cove, set up exclusively for teens. The teen area is majorly cool, decorated like a Tiki club with a bartender who serves virgin tropical drinks and sodas. There is music, karaoke, Xbox, air hockey and Internet access. Most nights there is a social at the club complete with a disc jockey and age-appropriate games and contests (miles away from “Duck, Duck, Goose,” but not quite “Spin the Bottle”). Preteens are allowed from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., but teens have the place to themselves until midnight. Over at the Indies Spa, teens can also get specially tailored (and priced) beauty treatments.
Back on the water, the lobstering is decent this year, though the rains have sullied the water and restricted visibility. Folks coming in from the offshore fishing excursions fared much better, with yellowtail and mahi-mahi literally spilling from the huge buckets brought ashore. Let the feast begin!
After the sun goes down and before the boat owners snuggle into their inviting cocoons, the resort offers a fun “swim-in” poolside movie in the main pool. I spot Emily and Andrew Smith in the mix and wonder how they can still be having so much fun with their tiny fingers and toes so devilishly pruned.
It’s not raining my last night at Hawk’s Cay, but as I make my way down the dock I am struck again by the same heart-warming realization as on our first day: each of these boats is indeed an island, a world unto itself. But it is also a stepping-stone to adventure and social gratification. You just step off the deck and you’ve joined your extended family in the larger haven of the marina. MarineMax and other energetic Sea Ray dealers make this connection effortless by offering organized runs like Lobsterfest.
The icing on the cake—or perhaps butter on the lobster—is bringing your Sea Ray to a resort like Hawk’s Cay. Young or old, salty or fresh, you’ll find something at Hawk’s Cay that will make your experience an even more satisfying adventure. Just tie your island to the dock…and watch your world expand.
