Hawks Cay Honors Our Nation's Heroes

Palm trees loaded down with coconuts, ocean breezes and a beautiful lodge will greet you when you arrive at the Hawks Cay resort located in Duck Key, Florida. This island oasis will make you want to put the cell phone down (unless you’re taking selfies, of course) and just start relaxing.
 

For some, vacation means adventure and Hawks Cay knows how to deliver it. They have parasailing, scuba diving, SNUBA and fishing. For others, like me, vacation is more about relaxation and slowing down. I suggest the Segway tour, the Sunset Cruise and a spa treatment at Calming Waters to fulfill those needs. 

You don’t have to be on-the-go the whole time you’re there. Sit down and relax! Take advantage of the five pools located around the island. One even has a pirate ship with slides that’s just right for the kids. One of my favorite places to lounge was the salt water lagoon. It’s also a great place to swim, snorkel and Stand Up Paddleboard. Sunbathing, swimming, reading by the pool…they all seem better at Hawks Cay. 

The Indies Club offers camps and activities for kids ages 5-12. They have full day and half day camps running every day from 9AM – 5PM. The kids will snorkel, feed the fish, swim, craft, hike and more. The Indies Club also offers a Kids Night Out and a Teens Night Out where they will have different activities to choose from. Just know, you won’t have to entertain the kids the whole time you are there, because they have so much to choose from.
 

One of the highlights of our trip to Hawks Cay was the dolphins. Lucky, Hastings, Balla and Tatum have their own spot on the resort where you can visit them anytime. Since these dolphins are not releasable, they are used to educate the public. If you have a chance, take a dolphin class like Dockside Dolphin or Dolphin Discovery. My family enjoyed Dolphin Discovery where we learned about dolphins, the stories of the four dolphins housed at Hawks Cay, and dolphin conservation. We were then able to get in the water with the dolphins and interact with them. This was definitely the high point of our trip. I think we smiled for two hours straight after this experience. 

There’s only one more part of the island I need to tell you about, the restaurants. “Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, oh my gosh” is all I could say after taking one bite of my food at Alma. The resort has many dining options available. Ocean is open all day and offers breakfast, lunch and dinner options in a relaxed atmosphere. Island Grill and Beach Grill offer outdoor dining and Beach Grill even delivers to your poolside chair. Alma is the more upscale restaurant that combines Latin cuisine with a European flair and home to my "Oh My Gosh" meal, the Pan Roasted Scallops. 

I know this all sounds great, but what is even better is that Hawks Cay is offering it all to you at a discount. Hawks Cay is once again holding their annual Heroes Salute program which provides military members, veterans, first responders and medical personnel special pricing, discounts and activities. 

You can take advantage of the Heroes Salute special pricing and events from now through November 25, 2014. Here are some of the discounts you can enjoy:

• Room rates starting at only $109 a night or $249 a night for a weekday villa stay.
• A special $109 rate for one of the Calm Waters Spa standard 50 minute services (Tropical Breeze Massage, Manicure/Pedicure or a sea mist facial). Plus, you’ll receive a special bonus upgrade on your service.
• 10% off the Dolphin Discovery and Dockside Dolphin programs.
• Sundance Watersports offers free gear rental on all snorkel trips, plus a 50% off voucher for Segway Tours.
• Two-for-One admissions for kids to Camp Hawk afternoon sessions held Monday through Friday at the Indies Club. 
• Every hero will receive a voucher to redeem a commemorative Heroes Salute Challenge Coin in the Island Time gift shop.
• Heroes will also receive complimentary house beer, cocktail or glass of wine. (Maximum 2 complimentary per room)
• Every Saturday there will also be the Heroes Tribute Ceremony held out by the resort pool. 

To find out more about Heroes Salute and to book your stay, visit www.hawkscay.com/heroessalute or call 877-484-9342. To submit photos to be used during the weekly Heroes Tribute Ceremony submit them via social media with the hashtag #HawksCayHeroes.

Make sure to follow the resort on Facebook and Google+ at HawksCayResort and on Twitter and Instagram at @HawksCayResort.  

The writer of this review received accommodations, dining and activities for the purpose of this review. All opinions expressed are her own.