Colorful, quirky, and stocked full of key lime everything, Key West is as close to the Caribbean as you can get without a passport if you live in the United States. If you’re planning a vacation to the Florida Keys, you’ll want to read below to see where to stay in Key West.
The small island at the end of the Florida Keys was discovered by Ponce de Leon around about 1513. It gained prominence (or would it be notoriety?) when it declared secession from the rest of the U.S. in 1982 and took on the aptly-chosen moniker of Conch Republic.
This act of secession was in protest to a border patrol by the U.S. Government, which caused a 17-mile backup. Who knows what they were looking for (drugs, guns, aliens, Elvis …. ?).
This unprecedented roadblock (within the actual United States) really made folks mad, as travelers apparently started canceling reservations and plans to visit the Florida Keys and Key West. Hence, the Conch Republic was born as a sovereign state of mind. But, yes, it’s still part of the United States.
The Southernmost City in the contiguous United States is a mere four miles by two miles wide. But within that small space sits a world of nightlife, sport fishing, nightlife, watersports, live music, amazing seafood, nightlife, gingerbread architecture, nightlife, and stunning sunsets. Don’t forget that nightlife.
Key West is world-famous for its tropical landscape, literary ties, a historic seaport, the lively atmosphere of Duval Street, and an abundance of watersports and outdoor activities. The island and its southernmost point are popular among family, group, and LGBTQ+ travelers.
Surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean’s coral reefs (the third largest barrier coral reef system in the world, by the way) and the Gulf of Mexico’s sparkling shades of sapphire, emerald, and aqua, Key West is approximately 159 miles southwest of Miami (the closest mainland city) and about 90 miles from Cuba (by water, of course). Visitors frequently tkae part in diving, snorkeling, fishing, paddleboarding, kayaking, and a ton of other water-related activities.
Locals and travelers embrace the island’s eclectic and freewheeling history of pirates, bootleggers, and a wide array of creative former residents with names like Ernest Hemingway, Tennessee Williams, and Jimmy Buffett.
Life is just a little different in Key West –and that’s exactly why we like it!
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