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Getaway to Key West

Beach at Ft. Zachary Taylor State Park, Key West
Beach at Ft. Zachary Taylor State Park, Key West

The Conchs (those born in Key West) are friendly sorts, and so are the chickens: you’ll see them anywhere and everywhere. Large iguanas can also be found basking in the historic city cemetery, where some of the graves date back to the 1700s.

For a quick overview of the key, take the Conch Tour Train or the Old Town Trolley, both departing from Mallory Square. Tourists head here to watch the magnificent sunsets, but a cruise at sunset will be more rewarding.

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Whatever your favorite watersport is, chances are you can find it in Key West. Kayaking in the mangroves was one of my favorite day activities. We did Lazydog's four-hour Mosquito Coast kayak/snorkel tour, paddling into remote backcountry and swimming in freshwater holes in the Gulf of Mexico.

We also took a day trip to Dry Tortugas National Park (7 a.m. boarding time!), snorkeling in crystal blue waters and white sandy beaches. Worth getting up early for.

At Ft. Zachary Taylor State Park (pictured above), I felt as if I’d been transplanted to Southern France with its small cove beaches, white sands and ocean rock formations.

Nighttime is party time on Duval Street. Duval is the place to see and be seen – you can carry an open container on the sidewalks, and clothing stores sell beer. Music abounds all day, but it gets serious from around 10 p.m. - 4 a.m.

Seafood restaurants with fresh lobster are reasonably priced: try Kelly's (birthplace of Pan Am Airlines) on N. Whitehead Street. If you fancy French food, BlackFin Bistro on Duval Street is superb! Another notable place is Louie's Backyard (closed 3-5 p.m.).

Notable historic sites: the Ernest Hemingway Home and Museum on 907 Whitehead St. and the Key West Lighthouse (from which you can see all of Key West) on the other side of the street.

The Florida Keys Eco-Discovery Center, next to Ft. Zachary Taylor Park, has free admission and parking. A must-see.

Accommodation options on the key are hotels, B&Bs or rentals. Make sure to book before you get there – winter is high season.

For a quick getaway, head to Key West and live like a Conch for a few days. Paradise indeed!

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Beach at Ft. Zachary Taylor State Park, Key West
Beach at Ft. Zachary Taylor State Park, Key West

The Conchs (those born in Key West) are friendly sorts, and so are the chickens: you’ll see them anywhere and everywhere. Large iguanas can also be found basking in the historic city cemetery, where some of the graves date back to the 1700s.

For a quick overview of the key, take the Conch Tour Train or the Old Town Trolley, both departing from Mallory Square. Tourists head here to watch the magnificent sunsets, but a cruise at sunset will be more rewarding.

Sponsored
Sponsored

Whatever your favorite watersport is, chances are you can find it in Key West. Kayaking in the mangroves was one of my favorite day activities. We did Lazydog's four-hour Mosquito Coast kayak/snorkel tour, paddling into remote backcountry and swimming in freshwater holes in the Gulf of Mexico.

We also took a day trip to Dry Tortugas National Park (7 a.m. boarding time!), snorkeling in crystal blue waters and white sandy beaches. Worth getting up early for.

At Ft. Zachary Taylor State Park (pictured above), I felt as if I’d been transplanted to Southern France with its small cove beaches, white sands and ocean rock formations.

Nighttime is party time on Duval Street. Duval is the place to see and be seen – you can carry an open container on the sidewalks, and clothing stores sell beer. Music abounds all day, but it gets serious from around 10 p.m. - 4 a.m.

Seafood restaurants with fresh lobster are reasonably priced: try Kelly's (birthplace of Pan Am Airlines) on N. Whitehead Street. If you fancy French food, BlackFin Bistro on Duval Street is superb! Another notable place is Louie's Backyard (closed 3-5 p.m.).

Notable historic sites: the Ernest Hemingway Home and Museum on 907 Whitehead St. and the Key West Lighthouse (from which you can see all of Key West) on the other side of the street.

The Florida Keys Eco-Discovery Center, next to Ft. Zachary Taylor Park, has free admission and parking. A must-see.

Accommodation options on the key are hotels, B&Bs or rentals. Make sure to book before you get there – winter is high season.

For a quick getaway, head to Key West and live like a Conch for a few days. Paradise indeed!

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4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs
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