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Overview
Only
90 miles from Cuba and 150 from Miami, Key West is truly the end
of the line. In a 1940 Saturday Evening Post article, Thelma
Strabel wrote of Key West, "There is nothing for restless
people to do. It is quiet and careless and charming." Half a
century later, you'll find that Key West's charm has remained,
though the pace of life has picked up quite a bit. Key West has
become a place where people escape from the rat race to join the
race for the freest, the "funnest" and the most
flamboyant. What other place has more bars — along with more
churches — per capita than anywhere else in the country?
If you prefer a
more solitary vacation, you can spend your days dozing in a
hammock between two palms, and your nights listening to the gentle
hum of insects and the far-away beat of a reggae band. Or, if
you're like most visitors, you'll take it easy during the day,
enjoying the beach or Key West's shops and attractions, and spend
your nights partying in its bars and nightclubs, most of which are
clustered along the main strip of Duval Street.
Whatever your
choice, you'll find Key West is an island that never stops. Sunset
in Key West is more than a time of day; it's a happening — a
special time when hundreds of people gather on the docks at
Mallory Square along with musicians, entertainers and vendors.
Ernest Hemingway made his home in Key West for more than 10 years,
writing, frequenting local bars or fishing. Tour his home,
surrounded by exotic plants and scores of the cats that the writer
loved.
About 70 miles (113
km) west of Key West, accessible by scheduled ferry service or
chartered seaplane, lies the beautiful Dry Tortugas Islands and
Fort Jefferson National Monument. The Dry Tortugas are a natural
wonder, known for the great variety of wildlife. Divers and nature
lovers will enjoy the area for its staghorn coral, French
angelfish, loggerhead turtles and rare birds.
Key West, the
southernmost point of the United States, embraces a fascinating
mix of history, eccentricity and lush island charm. Civil War era
forts, famous writers' homes, sidewalk cafés, and outrageous
folks all add to the atmosphere of life on island time.
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