Up front: This is Part 2 of 2. See Part 1 HERE.
It’s Island Time! 
All of the planning and stress had to be put aside because it was finally time to GO! I boarded my overnight flight and felt a wave of relief. Upon landing on the little island, my first action, naturally, was to post a photo on Maps. There happened to be a bar in the baggage claim, and I couldn’t resist snapping the First Last Call Beach Bar.
My first action was to find @jayasimha78 and catch up with the rest of the Organizing Team to set up for the opening reception. We found @Denise_Barlock, @RedNewt74, @Twyla, and @SoniaK already hard at work setting up. There may have been a little tension in the air as they worked on the finishing touches to get everything just perfect for our guests. But I think it came out great!
Guests arrived, and the party began! Thanks to Denise, everyone had a special 3D-printed nametag, so we were on a first-name basis right away. One by one, @DustinBerg, @JessicaBerg, @BrittanyShae (and crew), @mycalsee, @Sandra1961, Baron M, @H-C-Davies (and Frank!), and @backpacktraveling came through, and it felt like everyone just instantly clicked. I’m typically very introverted in these situations, but I could not believe how easily the group got comfortable over burgers and hot dogs–and maybe a few beers.
Denise welcomed the group with all of the plans and details for the next two days. From there, we put on our tutus and partied the evening away!
Quick Side Quest
Summary
A funny story to interject my recap. Six of us took an Uber back to our separate hotels. I was dropped off at mine, a family-run boutique that told me a key would be hidden for me. After searching in the rain and coming up with nothing, I called and called, but got no answer.
I peeked upstairs to find 2 doors ajar. OK, maybe this is how they set up for late arrivals. 
It was a bit unnerving, so I double locked the door and crashed out. In the morning, since I had no key to lock my room, I used Google Translate to explain the situation to the housekeeper. She gave me a key and away I went.
I then received two calls. The first was the General Manager, who received my voicemails. He apologized profusely and complimented me on how tidy I kept the room I stayed in. I was assured that my room was ready and given a number. The NEXT call was from a very frustrated-sounding gentleman who received the note I left with the housekeeper. He notified me that I had stayed at the WRONG HOTEL. But, but, but, I just spoke with the GM and … NOPE. WRONG PLACE!
I quickly left the group and went to fetch my suitcase before they tossed my stuff into the street. When I arrived, I thanked them for not calling the police on me for squatting in their hotel and offered to pay to have the room cleaned. The frustrated-sounding gentleman had relaxed quite a bit by then and told me it happens all the time because the hotels have the SAME NAME.
Out of the one I raced before they changed their minds about charging me, and over to the other I ran. Everything was fine, and now I have an incredible story about breaking into a hotel room and sleeping there overnight.
I digress.
And We’re Off!
The whole weekend felt like one extended day. We followed an official itinerary as best we could, interrupted only by the torrential downpour that lasted for half of Friday.
We started at the Southernmost Point and zig-zagged our way across the small island. Visiting the 6-toed cats of the Hemmingway Home, learned the art of shipwreck salvaging at the Shipwreck Museum and Mel Fisher Maritime Museum … We were a gang of Local Guides just being tourists and having a ball doing it.
Meeting With Business Owners
@Denise_Barlock was able to get several business owners to chat with us about their feelings on Google Maps. At Key West Legal Rum, the owner shared his entire playbook for leveraging his Google Business Profile and Local Guides contributions to shape his marketing strategy. One interesting point he made was that if a bunch of visitors are posting photos of the same thing, then he needs to make sure that gets featured in his marketing.
Other owners did not feel the need to focus on Maps. To be fair, this is a tourist destination that is only a mile wide. When one of those massive cruise ships comes to town, there’s only so many places to go. To me, that means Local Guides’ contributions mean even more. If the business isn’t going to update or verify their profile, it’s up to us to help out!
Wrap it up!
We finished off the weekend with a dinner at the Geiger Key Marina. @Rednewt74 and @Denise_Barlock tallied up points for a scavenger hunt we all participated in and handed out one-of-a-kind 3D-printed awards (made by Denise!) to the winners of several categories. @Kristen_NYC surprised us all with super rad Maps hats and bags.
Good food, new friends, and a weekend that exceeded ALL expectations. That was the gist of #USAMeetUp 2026. Hopefully, the first of many.
Thank you so much for reading. Please be sure to read the other recaps from the LGs who came along; the links are in the comments.
A Very Special Thank You
Of course, many, many thanks are due to @AdrianLunsong for his help and guidance through this entire process. All logos and designs come from his massive, cat-loving brain.
The +1s of this event are really due some gratitude, too. Not only did they put up with a bunch of “Map Nerds” for a few days while supporting their spouse/friend/S.O., but they also became our friends. I’m grateful to have met Anju, Leszek, Jessica, Matt, Chris, Zach, Frank, Ocha, Chad, Malachi, and Stephanie.
But the unsung hero and one of the hardest working behind-the-scenes was @Denise_Barlock’s partner in crime, Dave. Dave was the cook, the shuttle driver, the tutu delivery man, the REAL local guide, and an all-around great dude. A HUGE thank you to Dave!
OK. Photo dump time. Thanks again for reading. 
** Photos are credited when possible, but may have come from a publicly shared album. Most were taken by JustJake. Collages were compiled using Google Photos. ChatGPT created the cover and itinerary images. ALL text and captions come directly from the brain of JustJake. Typos, grammatical errors, and general foolishness are to be expected. Please notify the author of any blatant errors. I’m only human!
I was a trespasser.
It was great of you all connecting up with some business owners.
