I went to Key West in April of 2005 for a week on a business trip, but decided to mix in some sights and touristy things as well since it was my first visit.
by notso62 on September 15, 2005
Key West was a very cool place to visit at any age. It's not necessarily a hot spot on the young people's travel list anymore (since it is so expensive to get to and the drinking age remains 21), but this keeps the teenage riffraff at bay. There also is (surprisingly) no real beach scene, with only two beaches that are by no means extraordinary by Caribbean standards. Though these might be drawbacks depending on your interests, I found Key West to have tons of other sites and scenes to offer. Key West is full of great sights that might seem ordinary, but are unlike anywhere else in the world. The sunsets at Mallory Square were unbelievable, with the street performers complimenting the natural beauty of the best sunset you've ever seen going down over the ocean. Key West is considered the "southernmost" point in the continental US, and it is fun to visit Mile Marker 0 on Route 1. The Southernmost Point is well marked, painted, and quite the tourist draw. There are several themed locations as well in the area: the Southernmost Restaurant, the Southernmost Hotel… you get the idea. It is fun to poke around this area for cute Southernmost souvenirs and other tourist paraphernalia. Historical sights like the Hemingway House are unexpected and have very pleasant tours. I loved how there were over 70 cats there—most were descendants of Hemingway's cats from long ago. The house itself is one of the oldest in Key West (since many do not withstand all the hurricanes), and it has been preserved with all its historic artifacts intact. It is quite intriguing to visit the place where Hemingway penned some of his most famous novels. The shopping along the main stretch into Mallory Square has a great selection of upscale goods, but do not expect to find any bargains. Here you can find upscale retailers like Coach, Marc Jacobs, and several places that sell David Yurman Jewelry. There is plenty to do in the water as well, from jet skiing to snorkeling in the US's only coral reef! Many places have rentals and instructors to help novices get acquainted. There are also fun sunset boat tours that depart from several locations and give tourists the best view of the sunset. ${QuickSuggestions} It is very expensive to get a flight to Key West from the Northeast in the peak months ($1,200), so I decided to save my company some money and fly into Miami (only $300) and make the 3-hour scenic drive down Route 1. This actually took the same amount of time as flights would have with stopovers and connections, but was much nicer with the scenic drive down the Keys. Coupons could be found for many tourist attractions like snorkeling, Gulf cruises, and moped rentals at the concierge stations of most hotels. Key Attractions like Ernest Hemingway’s home are only $5 to $10 for admission and are well worth the inexpensive visit. ${BestWay} There is a trolley that makes stops at all points of interest around town that picks up and drops off at most hotels in the area. Moped/bike rentals are also very popular here. If you're in good enough health, Key West is only about 3 miles in length, and you could see most of the island on foot without missing any points of interest. There are very nice walk/bike ways, too.
Key West is full of great sights that might seem ordinary, but are unlike anywhere else in the world. The sunsets at Mallory Square were unbelievable, with the street performers complimenting the natural beauty of the best sunset you've ever seen going down over the ocean.
Key West is considered the "southernmost" point in the continental US, and it is fun to visit Mile Marker 0 on Route 1. The Southernmost Point is well marked, painted, and quite the tourist draw. There are several themed locations as well in the area: the Southernmost Restaurant, the Southernmost Hotel… you get the idea. It is fun to poke around this area for cute Southernmost souvenirs and other tourist paraphernalia.
Historical sights like the Hemingway House are unexpected and have very pleasant tours. I loved how there were over 70 cats there—most were descendants of Hemingway's cats from long ago. The house itself is one of the oldest in Key West (since many do not withstand all the hurricanes), and it has been preserved with all its historic artifacts intact. It is quite intriguing to visit the place where Hemingway penned some of his most famous novels.
The shopping along the main stretch into Mallory Square has a great selection of upscale goods, but do not expect to find any bargains. Here you can find upscale retailers like Coach, Marc Jacobs, and several places that sell David Yurman Jewelry.
There is plenty to do in the water as well, from jet skiing to snorkeling in the US's only coral reef! Many places have rentals and instructors to help novices get acquainted. There are also fun sunset boat tours that depart from several locations and give tourists the best view of the sunset. ${QuickSuggestions} It is very expensive to get a flight to Key West from the Northeast in the peak months ($1,200), so I decided to save my company some money and fly into Miami (only $300) and make the 3-hour scenic drive down Route 1. This actually took the same amount of time as flights would have with stopovers and connections, but was much nicer with the scenic drive down the Keys.
Coupons could be found for many tourist attractions like snorkeling, Gulf cruises, and moped rentals at the concierge stations of most hotels. Key Attractions like Ernest Hemingway’s home are only $5 to $10 for admission and are well worth the inexpensive visit. ${BestWay} There is a trolley that makes stops at all points of interest around town that picks up and drops off at most hotels in the area. Moped/bike rentals are also very popular here. If you're in good enough health, Key West is only about 3 miles in length, and you could see most of the island on foot without missing any points of interest. There are very nice walk/bike ways, too.
The Hampton Inn in Key West was very nice for my business trip—it had the perfect mix of amenities needed by business travelers and things to help them unwind from their busy days. The rooms were pretty standard for Hampton Inns, with two double beds that were clean, with the typical armoire, closet, and bathroom setup. The wireless Internet access that came free in every room was definitely a plus for me to make doing my travel work easier. The hotel layout was in two wings with two floors on each wing. Each entry was from the balcony that overlooked either the Gulf side of Key West or the not-so-scenic parking lot. The outdoor pool was nestled in the middle of the two wings and had a very nice deck area that overlooked both the Gulf and the beautiful Key West sunsets. The complimentary breakfast was very nice, serving a variety of hot and cold items. The poolside bar area also served drinks and lighter fare throughout the day. Come 5pm, the pool area was always very busy as the tourists came back to the hotel from their day of sightseeing. The concierge was very nice and helpful to me during check-in and my stay. I had several business packages shipped to me during my stay, and they always informed me promptly upon arrival. Check-in and check-out were very painless. The rate of this hotel was pretty standard for Key West around this time of year (about $129/night).
The rooms were pretty standard for Hampton Inns, with two double beds that were clean, with the typical armoire, closet, and bathroom setup. The wireless Internet access that came free in every room was definitely a plus for me to make doing my travel work easier.
The hotel layout was in two wings with two floors on each wing. Each entry was from the balcony that overlooked either the Gulf side of Key West or the not-so-scenic parking lot. The outdoor pool was nestled in the middle of the two wings and had a very nice deck area that overlooked both the Gulf and the beautiful Key West sunsets.
The complimentary breakfast was very nice, serving a variety of hot and cold items. The poolside bar area also served drinks and lighter fare throughout the day. Come 5pm, the pool area was always very busy as the tourists came back to the hotel from their day of sightseeing.
The concierge was very nice and helpful to me during check-in and my stay. I had several business packages shipped to me during my stay, and they always informed me promptly upon arrival. Check-in and check-out were very painless.
The rate of this hotel was pretty standard for Key West around this time of year (about $129/night).
by notso62 on October 5, 2005
The Best Key Lime Pie ever. The Blond Giraffe in downtown Key West has this claim to fame--and for the most part this is true. I've never tasted something quite as good--decadent yet light and fruity. I know that sounds like a paradox, but this pie is just absolutely delicious. The Blond Giraffe is set up like a small coffee shop/bakery with small seating areas and a large counter to place your orders. They sell a wide variety of hot and cold beverages- for an herbal treat you should try the "Yerba Mate" a delicious coffee substitute. The pies and products made with key lime here are the main draw. The Blond Giraffe has earned many awards and rewards for their pies including the "Best in Florida" and "Key West's local favorite". Take their word for it, they are awesome. If you can't make it down to Key West, you can order their famous pie dipped in chocolate on the Blond Giraffe's website www.blondgiraffe.com ; You can also order other key lime goodies here. For the ultimate experience though, you simply must visit this bakery for yourself in Key West!
The Blond Giraffe is set up like a small coffee shop/bakery with small seating areas and a large counter to place your orders. They sell a wide variety of hot and cold beverages- for an herbal treat you should try the "Yerba Mate" a delicious coffee substitute.
The pies and products made with key lime here are the main draw. The Blond Giraffe has earned many awards and rewards for their pies including the "Best in Florida" and "Key West's local favorite". Take their word for it, they are awesome.
If you can't make it down to Key West, you can order their famous pie dipped in chocolate on the Blond Giraffe's website www.blondgiraffe.com ; You can also order other key lime goodies here. For the ultimate experience though, you simply must visit this bakery for yourself in Key West!
by notso62 on September 29, 2005
Key West has something for everyone, and this theme is best exhibited in the downtown shopping district on Duval Street. From mass retailers such as Banana Republic and Express to high-end local jewelry designers, Duval Street has it all. Some of the best and most au currant designers have boutiques on Duval Street. Coach and Burberry both have set up shop here and are popular stops for those who love these brands. The store Biton displays high-end sports wear and trendsetting gear from brands like Seven for All Mankind, Dolce and Gabbana, and Juicy Couture. Do not expect to find much in the way of deals in these designer destinations, though - this is not the land of discounts, and most of the patrons of these stores do not mind spending. Duval Street is home of several shops displaying Caribbean arts and handcrafts. The store Cuba!Cuba! has handmade Cuban paintings, sculptures, and other creative gifts from Cuban artists. For more kitschy gifts and souvenirs, Duval Street offers many fine T-shirt and shell shops for the tourist type. Among them are Key West Shells and Gifts and Bird in Hand Gifts, both of which feature plenty of small souvenirs that won't break the bank. Make sure you buy some "key lime juice" so you can recreate your own key lime pies once you return home from your trip. Several good places to stop and grab a bite to eat during your shopping excursion exist right on Duval Street. Sloppy Joe's Bar and Grill is a tourist and local favorite. Jimmy Buffet's Margaritaville is a great place to grab a cocktail mid-spending spree. For the best Duval Street experience, you should start at the intersection of Caroline and Duval and work your way west towards Mallory Square. The most interesting of the shops are closer to the Gulf side, so plan your spending accordingly!
Some of the best and most au currant designers have boutiques on Duval Street. Coach and Burberry both have set up shop here and are popular stops for those who love these brands. The store Biton displays high-end sports wear and trendsetting gear from brands like Seven for All Mankind, Dolce and Gabbana, and Juicy Couture. Do not expect to find much in the way of deals in these designer destinations, though - this is not the land of discounts, and most of the patrons of these stores do not mind spending.
Duval Street is home of several shops displaying Caribbean arts and handcrafts. The store Cuba!Cuba! has handmade Cuban paintings, sculptures, and other creative gifts from Cuban artists.
For more kitschy gifts and souvenirs, Duval Street offers many fine T-shirt and shell shops for the tourist type. Among them are Key West Shells and Gifts and Bird in Hand Gifts, both of which feature plenty of small souvenirs that won't break the bank. Make sure you buy some "key lime juice" so you can recreate your own key lime pies once you return home from your trip.
Several good places to stop and grab a bite to eat during your shopping excursion exist right on Duval Street. Sloppy Joe's Bar and Grill is a tourist and local favorite. Jimmy Buffet's Margaritaville is a great place to grab a cocktail mid-spending spree.
For the best Duval Street experience, you should start at the intersection of Caroline and Duval and work your way west towards Mallory Square. The most interesting of the shops are closer to the Gulf side, so plan your spending accordingly!
by notso62 on October 4, 2005
The Hemingway House was an unexpected pleasurable historical tour. I stumbled upon it quite by accident when I was parking on the street right across from the sight. Since I had heard such wonderful things about it from the locals, I decided to take a gander inside. For only $5 admission, it wasn't even a second thought- so I purchased my ticket and embarked on a tour. I was never a big Hemingway fan (something about the womanizing, drunken rumors that always turned me off), but the tour guides completly played up these colorful parts of Hemingway's past and made them seem almost charming. From the tales of his ex-wive's taste in decorations and her penchant to drive Ernest crazy, to the reason why he selected this house (the lighthouse acrossed the street assured he'd find his way home from the bar). It changed my opinion of Hemingway quite a bit.The tour guides here were very knowledgable and colorful, spinning tales and yarns about Hemingway as well as giving factual information about the premises. It was very entertaining.Perhaps my favorite part of the tour was finding out that Hemingway, like myself, was a cat lover. Almost 70 cats inhabit the grounds today and are cared for by the caretakers. Some are descendents of Hemingway's lucky cats (they have 6 toes!) and they all have names after famous writers. This was well worth the small price of the admission and I would highly recommend this tour to anyone visiting Key West!
I was never a big Hemingway fan (something about the womanizing, drunken rumors that always turned me off), but the tour guides completly played up these colorful parts of Hemingway's past and made them seem almost charming. From the tales of his ex-wive's taste in decorations and her penchant to drive Ernest crazy, to the reason why he selected this house (the lighthouse acrossed the street assured he'd find his way home from the bar). It changed my opinion of Hemingway quite a bit.
The tour guides here were very knowledgable and colorful, spinning tales and yarns about Hemingway as well as giving factual information about the premises. It was very entertaining.
Perhaps my favorite part of the tour was finding out that Hemingway, like myself, was a cat lover. Almost 70 cats inhabit the grounds today and are cared for by the caretakers. Some are descendents of Hemingway's lucky cats (they have 6 toes!) and they all have names after famous writers.
This was well worth the small price of the admission and I would highly recommend this tour to anyone visiting Key West!
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