Disconnect in chill Marathon

palm-lined PARADISE

The aptly named Tranquility Bay Beachfront Resort promises sanctuary and wellness.

BY DESIRÉE BLANCO

In today’s perpetually connected world — where work emails, family group chats, and social media and news notifications light up our phones day and night — it can be difficult to take a break. And yet, the importance of disconnecting and fostering a healthy frame of mind is evident in the plethora of calming apps, meditation methods, and therapists and gurus touting mental wellness. How, then, can one truly focus on their inner health? Enter Tranquility Bay Beachfront Resort, a “peace” of paradise in the Florida Keys.

Take the scenic drive south on Florida’s US1 highway (a two-hour drive, to be exact), and you’ll find yourself world’s away from Miami’s pulsating rhythms and crowded streets. Here, Marathon’s Tranquility Bay offers guests a welcome respite from the madness of everyday life set within the comforts of a luxurious and naturally beautiful setting.

Spanning 12 acres of manicured grounds, which include a 2.5-acre white-sand beach with views of the Gulf of Mexico and three separate pools, the property’s vibrant greens and shades of blue, turquoise, azure, and lapis beckon weary visitors. The 103-room resort attracts couples, families, and small groups in search of peace and, well, tranquility!

For an even more disconnected experience, two- and threebedroom beach houses feature a private entrance that steps out right onto the beach and a large private porch in addition to a fullyequipped kitchen and spacious living/dining areas. No noisy neighbors or long corridors, just your own beachfront sanctuary.

Take privacy to the next level by ordering take-out from the resort’s top-rated Butterfly Café restaurant and enjoying tantalizing dishes, like panko-crusted grouper, mahi-mahi, coconut shrimp, and Caribbean jerk chicken, in the comfort of your beach house or room.

While the pools and private beach beckon those whose idea of disconnecting is to simply relax, the property also offers a host of on-site activities for the more adventurous set, including Waverunner tours, paddle boarding, kayaking, diving, snorkeling, beach volleyball, and a Nicklaus-designed putting green. Reef trips, private charters, and sunset cruises can also be arranged by a friendly concierge.

To fend off the world-famous Florida heat, TJ’s Tiki Bar invites guests to dine and drink by the sea. Located beachside, its mouthwatering menu of cocktails, frozen drinks, and smoothies, as well as selection of draft beers, spirits, wine, and soft drinks, are all perfectly chilled to quench your thirst. And no matter what activities fill your day, their new lunch menu of freshly prepared appetizers, salads, sandwiches, pizzas, and desserts will keep you fueled up and ready to go.

At the end of a postcard-perfect day, plant yourself beachside, toes wiggling in the powdery sand, and soak in the most remarkable sunset. As you wash your cares away in the restorative waters of the Gulf, I highly recommend you leave your phone behind (or perhaps conveniently forget to pack your charger altogether!) and focus on nothing more than the sound of the waves and the healing of your heart and mind.

Spanning 12 acres of manicured, tropical grounds the property’s vibrant greens and shades of blue, turquoise, azure, and lapis beckon weary visitors.

The Gulf side of the Florida Keys offers some of the most spectacular sunset views in the whole state.