If you imagine the Florida Keys as a 193-kilometre-long string of pearls, then Key West must be the crown jewel. Soaked in history, beautiful old gingerbread houses, dining establishments and family-friendly attractions, this colourful city “where the road ran out” is closer to Cuba than it is to Miami. As the coolest, funkiest, most eclectic and offbeat little city in America, it promises experiences you won’t find anywhere else.
FUN AND EXPLORATION
Fort Zachary Taylor is a historic Civil War landmark. Ernest Hemingway’s house is open to the public and his studio, where literary miracles were spun, is exactly as he left it. So are the “Winter White House” of President Harry Truman, and John James Audubon’s residence, which displays his magnificent illustrations.
Family venues? The Key West Lighthouse and Keeper’s Quarters Museum has lit the sea lanes since 1848. Kids love the Butterfly & Nature Conservatory and the Key West Aquarium. The Key West Shipwreck Museum provides a fascinating peek into the past, when ships loaded with treasure routinely sank in the waters—some of them at the hands of local pirates. And you simply mustn’t leave without photos of yourself standing at the “Southernmost Point” in the U.S.
Dining? The iconic, funky Blue Heaven serves Florida-Caribbean cuisine, and one of the best key lime pies in town. Harpoon Harry’s is an old-fashioned American diner famous for its great “comfort food.” And Pepe’s has been preparing delicious breakfasts and seafood dishes since 1909.
QUINTESSENTIALLY KEY WEST
The Conch Train Tour gets you around in a unique open-air vehicle. Located in Dry Tortugas National Park, on a small island in the Gulf of Mexico 113 kilometres from Key West, Civil War-era Fort Jefferson is a fascinating day trip. Then there’s downtown’s Duval Street, famous for its trendy shops and galleries during the day and lively music and bistros in the evening.
Perhaps the ultimate Key West experience happens at sunset at Mallory Square where locals and visitors gather at day’s end for the most spectacular sunsets in America. As an iridescent sun changes colour by the minute and melts into the Gulf, fire-eaters, musicians, jugglers, stilt-walkers and other street performers entertain the crowds.
Travel Planner
Discover all Key West has to offer at fla-keys.com/keywest or call 1-800-527-8539.
