Visit Key West: January 2012

Friday, January 6, 2012

Key West webcams - the best 3

The best web cams in Key West

My favourite webcams are both on Duval - actually about 50 metres away from each other. They are all excellent and great fun - spot the shorts and drunken behaviour, which in Key West starts at about 11am.

#1 - Sloppy Joe's webcam on Duval Street

This is on the outside of Sloppy Joe's bar. It's on all the time, is fully live (not every 8 seconds) and has sound. You can easily see it from the street so you can wave at your friends back home in the cold. Faces North (towards the harbor / the Gulf).

#2 - The Lazy Gecko webcam on Duval Street

This one, as I say, is only 50 metres away but faces South (ie up to the Atlantic ocean end of Duval). Not quite as good as Sloppy Joe's as it is not really live, it takes an image every second or so, and the quality is not quite as good.

#3 - Old Town Trolley Cam - Front Street

A 3 minute stroll from the other two web cams on the bustling Front Street. This one only refreshes every 8 seconds.

Reasons to vacation in Key West

#1 - The weather is great - always (bar storms and hurricanes!!)

Let's get the obvious out the way. It's usually hot. For 3 months it's extremely hot (and,worse, humid). Sometimes a hurricane. Very occasionally, torrential rain for 3 days. But mostly sunny and hot. Beautiful.

#2 - The drive down the Keys from Miami to Key West

126 miles from the first mile marker. Takes 3 hours from Miami, if there is no traffic. I love the drive. And the views, the 7 mile bridge, the parks on the way, the things to do on the drive down, the signs on the roadside. And it makes it remote.

#3 - The history of Key West is awesome

First there was nothing (but lots of animals and plants). Then some people. The the pirates. Then wreckers. Then the richest place anywhere in America per capita. Then the spongers. Then the turtle canneries. Then the Cuban cigar factories. Then the railroad. Then poverty. Then tourists.

What a heritage. Come and be part of it.

#4 - The locals are really friendly

(note the aquarium on the back - this guy comes complete with disco music too)

The three hour drive, the island, sun sea and surf and the heritage. It produces many interesting local characters, some bordering on the crazy. I love it. Find a locals bar and, just like Hemmingway did, talk to the locals.

And lots of great local artists.

#5 - It's a party town - there's so much to do.

Great bars including Sloppy Joe's.

Great martinis.

Great live music.

(note the parrot, bottom left, listening intently to the jazz)

Lots of weird and wonderful speciality shops.

Great restaurants and food.

Lots to do.

Always some festival or event on.

Duval is always a party street.

#6 - It's a quiet, sleepy backwater

Yep. Get off Duval and it gets quiet. This is a walking town....Within a few blocks see the beautiful homes and amazing plants, flowers and trees of Key West.