Key West, FL

Key West is surrounded by water, but the beaches may not be what you expect. They are not the sugar-white sand beaches found further north. In fact, some say the beaches remind them of the craggy New England coastal shores.

The waters here are special; the bottoms are filled with live coral. The Florida Keys are home to the only living coral reef in the continental U.S. They are among the most stunning in the world, providing a complex habitat for diverse forms of marine life. Divers and snorkelers in Key West have the privilege of glimpsing at a submerged world of unimagined beauty.

Enjoy a picnic on the sand or gaze into the waves as you relax on your beach chair. But remember to be careful with your feet when you venture into the warm waters. It’s best to wear an old pair of sneakers to protect them from the coral that live along the ocean floor.

Here are some beachfront lodging choices in Old Town. Atlantic Shores, an oceanfront resort in the heart of Old Town, has a world-renowned clothing-optional pool.

• Atlantic Shores Resort - 510 South Street
• Sunset Key Guest Cottages - 245 Front Street
• Pier House Resort & Spa - One Duval Street
• Marriott’s Reach Resort - 1435 Simonton Street

Old Town
Also known as the Historic District, Old Town Key West is filled with B&B’s and Victorian-style inns that define the charm of this unique city

• Best Western Hibiscus Motel, 1313 Simonton St.
• Heron House, 512 Simonton St.
• Hilton Key West Resort, 245 Front St.
• Hilton Sunset Key Cottages, 245 Front St.
• Holiday Inn Key West La Concha, 430 Duval St.
• Hyatt Key West, 601 Front St.

New Town
New Town is the area east of White Street to Cow Key Channel, including South and North Roosevelt Boulevards.

• Comfort Inn, 3824 North Roosevelt Blvd.
• Fairfield Key West, 2400 North Roosevelt Blvd.
• Quality Inn Resort, 3850 North Roosevelt Blvd.
• Radisson Hotel Key West, 3820 North Roosevelt Blvd.
• Sheraton Suites Key West, 2001 South Roosevelt Blvd.
• Travelodge And Suites Key West, 3440 North Roosevelt Blvd.

Duval Street
Duval Street, which serves as the island’s anchor, is called the longest main street in the world because it goes from coast to coast, cutting across Key West from the Atlantic Ocean to the Gulf of Mexico.

• Holiday Inn Key West La Concha, 430 Duval St.
• Pier House Resort & Caribbean Spa, One Duval St.

by Christina Tourigny

Being a “Conch” is a state of mind, a condition of the heart and a foreclosure on the soul. Many Key Westers wear that epitaph proudly.

This is a city that three times has threatened to secede from the Union and establish its own republic. It’s a city whose former mayor water-skied all the way to Cuba to emphasize the importance of the U.S. Navy’s presence. (And whose current one faces a federal charge of corruption.) It’s a city whose melting-pot character permits a large, liberal base to mingle with crusty natives (called Conchs) to mingle with Miami wheeler-dealers, out-of-work smugglers, and assorted other scallywags.

Key Westers take all of this in stride. They thrive on eccentricity as much as diversity. This is a city that is or has been a haven to poets and novelists, Anglos and Cubanos, rum-runners and treasure hunters, pirates and preachers; all of whom manage to live more or less peacefully on a 3.5-mile long sandbar the chamber of commerce types call “Paradise.”

Read the rest…

by Deborah Straw

A visit to the Conch Republic, a.k.a. Key West, does not require taking out a loan. Yes, prices are higher than they were just a year ago (particularly for inns and apartment rentals) and higher than those in many northern and central parts of Florida, but, a few bargains are readily available to travelers with imagination, flexible attitudes and an abiding curiosity about people, history and nature.

To satisfy merely the curiosity, no money is required. Studying people, nature and architecture are immensely rewarding. I’ve spent countless hours a) on the front porch of a guesthouse, b) on lower Duval Street or Mallory Square, sitting on a bench or a pier, and c) at any of the fine beaches, not spending a penny but watching pelicans, dogs and men and women in minuscule bikinis. In Key West, I generally walk five to ten miles a day, just for the sheer pleasure. I always carry a camera and perhaps a book and a bottle of water. Be sure to pick up an island map as some of the streets are tiny and confusing, especially near the cemetery. Read the rest…