The
drive from Miami
to the Keys is spectacular, a slow descent into an unusual but breathtaking
American ecosystem; on either side, for miles ahead, lies nothing but emerald
waters. (On weekends, however, you will also see plenty of traffic.) Strung out across the Atlantic Ocean like loose strands of cultured pearls, more
than 400 islands make up this 150-mile-long necklace.
The
Keys are divided into three geographical sections. The Upper and Middle Keys are closest to
the Florida mainland, so they are popular with
weekend warriors who come by boat or car to fish or relax in such towns as Key
Largo, Islamorada, and Marathon. Just beyond the impressive Seven-Mile Bridge (which actually measures 6 1/2
miles), are the Lower Keys, a small, unspoiled swath of islands teeming with
wildlife. Here, in the protected
regions of the Lower Keys, is where you're most likely to catch sight of the
area's many endangered animals - with patience, you may spot the rare eagle,
egret, or Key deer. You should also
keep an eye out for alligators, turtles, rabbits, and a huge variety of
birds.
Key
West,
the most renowned - and last - island in the Lower Keys, is literally at the end
of the road. The southernmost point
in the continental United
States (made famous by Ernest Hemingway), this tiny island
is the most popular destination in the Florida
Keys, overrun with cruise-ship passengers and day-trippers, as well
as franchises and T-shirt shops.
More than 1.6 million visitors pass through it each year. Still, this Conch Republic has a tightly knit community of permanent
residents who cling fiercely to their live-and-let-live attitude - an atmosphere
that has made Key West famously popular with
painters, writers, and free spirits despite the recent influx of money-hungry
developers who want to turn Key West into
Palm Beach
south.
Florida
Keys
Adventure
Before
shelling out big bucks for any of the dozens of worthwhile attractions in
Key West, there are two comprehensive island
tours, the Conch Tour Train or the Old Town Trolley, which provide an excellent
overview of Key
West. And
fun too!
Hemingway's
particularly handsome stone Spanish colonial house, built in 1851, was one of
the first on the island to be fitted with indoor plumbing and a built-in
fireplace. It also has the first
swimming pool built on Key
West (look for the penny that Hemingway pressed into the
cement near the pool). The author
owned the home from 1931 until his death in 1961, and lived here with about 50
cats, whose descendants, including the famed six-toed felines, still roam the
premises.
It
was during those years that the Nobel Prize-winning author wrote some of his
most famous works, including For Whom the Bell Tolls, A Farewell to Arms, and
The Snows of Kilimanjaro. Fans may
want to take the optional half-hour house tour to see his study as well as rooms
with glass cabinets that store certain artefacts, books, and pieces of mail
addressed to him. It's interesting
(to an extent) and included in the price of admission. If you don't take the tour or have no
interest in Hemingway, the price of admission is really a waste of money, except
for the lovely architecture and garden.
Guided tours are given every 15 minutes - expect to spend an hour on the
property.
As
any angler will tell you, there's no fishing like Keys fishing. Key West has it all: bonefish, tarpon, dolphin,
tuna, grouper, cobia, and more - sharks, too.
Step
aboard a small exposed skiff for an incredibly diverse day of fishing. In the morning, you can head offshore
for sailfish or dolphin (the fish, not the mammal), and then by afternoon get
closer to land for a shot at tarpon, permit, grouper, or snapper. Here in Key West, you can probably pick up more cobia -
one of the best fighting and eating fish around - than anywhere else in the
world. For a real fight, ask your
skipper to go for the tarpon - the greatest fighting fish there is, famous for
its dramatic 'tail walk' on the water after it's hooked. Shark fishing is also
popular.
You'll
find plenty of competition among the charter-fishing boats in and around
Mallory
Square.
You can negotiate a good deal at Charter Boat Row, home to more than 30
charter-fishing and party boats.
Just show up to arrange your outing, or call Garrison Bight Marina for
details.
Nightlife
& Party with Locals
Duval
Street
is the Bourbon
Street of Florida.
Amid the T-shirt shops and clothing boutiques, you'll find bar after bar
serving neon-coloured frozen drinks to revellers who bounce from bar to bar from
noon 'til dawn. Bands and crowds
vary from night to night and season to season. Your best bet is to start at Truman Avenue and
head up Duval to check them out for yourself. Cover charges are rare, except in gay
clubs, so stop into a dozen and see which you like. For the most part, Key West is a late-night
town, and bars and clubs don't close until around 3:00 or 4:00
am.
A
tradition in Key
West, the Sunset Celebration can be relaxing or
overwhelming, depending on your vantage point. If you're in town, you must check out
this ritual at least once. Every
evening, locals and visitors gather at the docks behind Mallory Square (at
the westernmost end of Whitehead
Street) to celebrate the day gone by. Secure a spot on the docks early to
experience the carnival of portrait artists, acrobats, food vendors, animal
acts, and other performers trading on the island's bohemian
image.
A
more refined choice is the Westin's Sunset Deck, a luxurious second-floor bar on
Front
Street, right next door to Mallory Square.
From the civilised calm of a casual
bar, you can look down on the mayhem with a drink in hand.
Also
near the Mallory madness is the bar at the Ocean Key Resort, at the very tip of
Duval
Street.
This long open-air pier serves drinks and decent bar food against a
dramatic pink-and-yellow-streaked sky.
For
the very best potent cocktails and great bar food on an outside patio or
enclosed lounge, try Pier House Resort and Caribbean Spa's Havana Docks. There's usually live music and a lively
gathering of visitors enjoying this island's bounty. The bar is right on the water and makes
a prime sunset-viewing spot.
You'll
have to stop in here just to say you did.
Scholars and drunks debate whether this is the same Sloppy Joe's that
Hemingway wrote about, but there's no argument that this classic bar's
early-20th-century wooden ceiling and cracked-tile floors are Key West
originals. There's live music
nightly, as well as a cigar room and martini bar.
Gourmet
Cuisine & Dining Out
Florida
dawns with local citrus fruit.
Drink fresh-squeezed juice from the glass or stop at roadside stands for
a bag of tangerines to go. From
amberjack to Florida lobster, from mackerel to
stone crabs and conch, fresh seafood rules in Florida thanks to 800 miles of
oceanfront. Feast on platters of
delicately sauced fish adorned with lemon, garlic and capers, or use your
fingers to dip basketfuls of deep-fried seafood into cups of ketchup and tartar
sauce at dockside picnic tables.
What
was once a well-kept secret in Key West's
Bahama
Village, Blue Heaven is now
a popular eatery known for fresh food (it's some of the best in town) and a
motley, bohemian crowd.
It
may be a little tough to find and it doesn't have a water view, but the tiny,
hip Seven Fish Restaurant in Key
West isn't about the frills. A mostly locals' seafood spot, the motto
here is 'simple good food'. We
disagree. The food isn't simple; it's simply the best seafood in town, with
fresh catches of the day, phenomenal crab cakes, friendly servers, and a cool,
in-the-know crowd.
World's
Best Scuba Dive Sites
The
warm, clear, shallow waters of the Dry Tortugas
produce optimum conditions for snorkelling and scuba diving. Four endangered species of sea turtles -
green, leatherback, Atlantic ridley, and hawksbill - can be found here, along
with myriad marine species. The
region just outside the seawall of Fort Jefferson is excellent for underwater
touring; an abundant variety of fish, coral, and more live in just 3 to 4 feet
of water.
Heritage
Trail features nine historic sites from Key Largo to Key West. For each of the nine Shipwreck Trail
sites there is an underwater site guide available, who provides the shipwreck
and mooring buoy positions, history, and a site map, and identifies marine life
you can expect to see.
World
Class Golf Courses
A
relative newcomer in terms of local recreation, golf is gaining in popularity
here, as it is in many holiday destinations. The area's only public golf club is Key
West Golf Club, an 18-hole course at the entrance to the island of Key West at
MM 4.5 (turn onto College Road to the course entrance). Designed by Rees Jones, the course has
plenty of mangroves and water hazards on its 6,526 yards. It's open to the public and has a new
pro shop. Call ahead for tee-time
reservations.
Family
Holidays
The
kids will love the excitement of exploring Key
West on the Conch Tour Train - a delightful 60-foot tram of yellow
cars that weave its way around the Old Town. The city's whole story is packed into a
neat, 90-minute package on the Conch Tour Train, which covers the island and all
its rich, raunchy history. In
operation since 1958, the cars are open-air, which can make the ride
uncomfortable in bad weather. The
engine of the train is a propane-powered Jeep disguised as a locomotive. Tours depart from both Mallory Square and
the Welcome
Center, near where U.S. 1
becomes North Roosevelt
Boulevard, on the less-developed side of the
island. Daily departures are every
half-hour from 9:00 am to 4:30 pm.
The
Old Town Trolley is the choice in bad weather or if you're staying at one of the
hotels on its route. Humorous drivers maintain a running commentary as the
enclosed trolley loops around the island's streets past all the major sights.
Trolley buses depart from
Mallory
Square and other points around the island, including
many area hotels. Departures are
daily every half-hour (though not always on the half-hour) from 9:00 am to 4:30
pm.
Whichever
you choose, both of these historic, trivia-packed tours are well worth the price
of tickets - a fun excursion for the entire family.
A
popular mode of transportation for locals and visitors alike, bikes and mopeds
are available at many rental outlets in the city. Escape the hectic downtown scene and
explore the island's scenic side streets by heading away from Duval Street toward
South Roosevelt
Boulevard and the beachside enclaves along the
way.
Unlike
the rest of the Keys, Key
West actually has a few small beaches, although they
don't compare with the state's wide natural wonders up the coast; the Keys'
beaches are typically narrow and rocky.
Here are a few options:
Smathers Beach (a magnet for partying teenagers), off South Roosevelt
Boulevard west of the airport; Higgs Beach, along Atlantic Boulevard between
White Street and Reynolds Road; and Fort Zachary Beach, located off the western
end of Southard Boulevard.