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Key West
Key West conjures up images of beaches, bars, shipwrecks, cottages and a leisurely pace, all of which work together to create a lifestyle that can be found no place else in the country. There is history here, vividly brought to life in so many ways, not the least of which is the acres and acres of preserved architecture and historical landmarks. There is culture here, with writers and artists galore, galleries up and down the streets, and public art found at every turn in Key West. There is action here, whatever type you're looking for. Let's start with water activities, which range from parasailing, sport fishing, jet skiing, snorkelling and scuba diving. There's nightlife from now until Tuesday with bars every couple of feet on Duval Street and bars elsewhere in Old Town, New Town, and all around the town. There's shopping, with enough boutiques, specialty food shops, t-shirt shops and dive shops to satisfy anyone's desire to go shopping while on vacation. There's streetlife, especially just before sunset on Mallory Square, with a whole circus full of buskers, acrobats, magicians and odds & ends performers. Just as entertaining are people you'll see on the street who posses what we might call local flavor, who range from crazy aging hippies to crazy aging burnouts to the more flamboyant of Key West's drag queens gathering up interest for tonight's show. There are also the curious folk who pour almost daily from the cruise ships who dock at Key West. Yes, it's a crazy, mixed world here in Key West, and it's not for everyone but most who come here seem to adore it.
Smathers Beach Key West
Other reasons to love Key West are the average monthly rainfall of under three inches, average annual temperature of 77.8 degrees F, and average water temperature of 79F! What else is there to love? The chickens that roam around free all over the city, the Coast Guard and Navy bases here in town, which makes for exicting harbor activities like seeing the big Coast Guard ships go out, or the navy guys & gals going out for training in rubber rafts, battened down against the high winter waves. There's also the local shrimping business, which supplies the city with delicious shrimp in the restaurants. Speaking of eating in Key West, the variety and choice of restaurants in town is mind-boggling. There are a lot of people in town eating very well in these establishments. Key West has many fine dining opportunities and you could live here a year and still not have time to sample them all.
Take your pick, those are some of the most popular reasons why Key West totally rocks, and why you'll probably have a great time if you visit. We're sure you'll discover tons of other reasons why Key West is so great, and have a fantastic time in the process.
By Car: Either traveling on busier Route 1 with “crocodile crossing”
signs or Card Sound Road, a longer but more beautiful and scenic route
to the Florida Keys, Key West is located only 30 miles from Big Pine Key.
By Air: With several domestic and international airports to choose from,
Key West can be easily reached by travelers around the globe.
Airport Name
Airport Code
Distance from
Islamorada
Airport Type
Florida Keys Marathon
Airport
Monroe County Florida
9400 Overseas Hwy
Marathon, FL 33050
MTH
47 miles northeast
Domestic
Miami International Airport
4200 N.W. 21 Street
Miami, FL
MIA
160 miles northeast
International
Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood
International Airport
320 Terminal Drive, Fort Lauderdale, FL
FLL
184 miles northeast
International
Cruise boat docking in Key West
Enjoy Key West’s Climate Anytime
A modest climate all year round, Key West has never received frost.
The balmy air is kept at bay by the cool ocean breezes. Compared to the
rest of the state, the Florida Keys receive the lowest amount of average
yearly rainfall. When it does rain, it comes in brief periods, often returning
the skies to a beautiful, clear day for continued outdoor activities.
As for brutal, humid, summer heat, you won’t find it anywhere in
the Florida Keys, especially in Key West. Hurricanes tend to skirt around
the Keys, leaving its tropical beauty untarnished. With gentle winds from
all sides of the island, the temperatures are kept from soaring, and visitors
can depend on the reliable climate of the Florida Keys.
