Key West Travel Guide
For details of what to do and see in Key West check out our Key West guide to car hire in Key West.
|
|
 |
|||
|
||||
Just about the southernmost point in the United States, and a town that drips with sweat and local charm in equal measure, Key West sits on a small Caribbean Island right at the tip of Florida. Key West combines the best attributes of Florida's open friendliness and great value for money with the perfect climate and year round sunshine that you would expect from any destination in the Caribbean.
The day's of Ernest Hemingway's Key West may be long gone, like the great man himself, but the laid back pace of life, the key lime pie, the bars serving rum and the gorgeous sunsets are still there, and they still make this town a very special place to visit.
The best approach to Key West is from Miami by way of the famous and spectacular Overseas Highway, which makes the journey through the Florida Keys almost as important as the holiday itself. You drive across a series of 42 bridges spanning 32 islands along the way. The drive takes around 3 hours, and once you get onto the main raised section of the road the views out over the ocean are nothing short of stunning. If you choose to fly into Key West from Miami, then you are also rewarded along the way with some great views from the plane - just be certain to bag yourself a window seat.
Amongst the many attractions in Key West, Hemingway House, the famous Pelican Path, and the fascinating Wreckers museum are all popular with tourists, but a little off the beaten track, you can see the "little White House" - President Truman's holiday home in the resort, and the famous Southernmost Point, which is fairly self explanatory, and offers a fairly clichéd photo opportunity for tourists.
Within a short drive of Key West, you can visit the National Key Deer Refuge, which covers a number of the small islands, and offers the chance to see some local wildlife, or, if you prefer your animals wet, then diving of the southern coast should result in a dolphin encounter or two. For those who prefer their sea life sizzling in a pan, you can emulate Hemingway with a deep sea fishing trip for some marlin by hiring a boat from the harbour with some friends and a crate of beer to keep you company.
The greatest attractions of Key West are the glorious sunsets that are best experienced with a glass of rum, and a seat outside one of the many bars in the northwest corner of the island.
