In Key West, watching the sunset is a nightly ritual but sometimes it feels like a competitive sport to find the perfect spot. The largest crowds gather at Mallory Square for a celebration that’s part street fair, part awe-struck spectacle. When I visited this spring, I skipped the elbow-to-elbow scrum at the square and headed to Ocean Key Resort’s new Sweet Bird Bar, tucked on the quiet side of the property just steps away from the action.
My friends and I gathered in the lobby a few minutes before six, then spilled onto the harbor-view terrace as the sky started to turn. Handcrafted cocktails in hand, we watched boats drifting past in the marina below. The refreshed lobby leans into Key West’s tropical charm and playful spirit: mosaic-pink arches, birdcage-style lounge chairs and a fountain humming under the conversation.
But the real magic is catching the same sunset as the masses minus the noise —from a rail seat with a cocktail that’s equal parts craft and island flavor. Order the refreshing mojito, made with Papa’s Pilar Ocean Key Blonde Rum (a nod to Ernest Hemingway’s old boat and this stretch of harbor) and let the evening slow down as the sun sinks below the water.