Key West vacation

Visit Key West and you'll get an small island which is hot, sunny, beautiful, fun but also at times expensive, humid and wet. 

So, is Key West for you? 

Why Key West is great

• Key West is expensive - the hotels and B&Bs, especially in peak season (i.e. the season you'll want to come here) charge a small fortune. There are only a few good cheap accommodation options

• Key West is small, really small

• Key West in off peak (August to November) is uncomfortably humid 
• There are only 2 beaches on the island and only 1 is good
• Key West is not that geared up for kids

If you prefer to see the glass half full, here are the best things about Key West. 


Not so great 

• Key West is easy to get around - you can walk everywhere which is relaxing
• The weather is usually great, especially December to April
• It's quite a friendly town
• Really set up for party/fun vacations - dozens of good bars and restaurants
• The flowers, trees and historic houses make Key West beautiful
• It's quaint, tropical, interesting
• Key West is crazy and eccentric

Different people like different vacations, so...

WHAT'S KEY WESY LIKE FOR....? 

click below to read more....

Planning a Key West visit

This post will help if you're planning a Key West visit or vacation and have questions like when to visit Key West, how long to stay, when is the rainy season, what are the best budget hotels, and how to get to Key West. Here's the Key West truth from a fellow Key West visitor.

Planning a Key West visit. This picture is taken during the summer when crowds are much fewer

This post will answer these questions:

• When should I visit Key West?
• How many days should I stay? Is a weekend too short?
• How to get to Key West?
• How bad is the traffic?
• Where to stop off on the way down the Keys?
• How long to stay in Key West?
• Do you need a car / what to so with the car while in Key West?
• What to wear in Key West?  How formal is Key West?
• Where to stay and what to do?
• How good is Key West for children?

So click on the link below and let's get going....

Flying from London to Key West

London to Key West is an 17 hour trip door to bar

London to Key West is 4,554 miles and the flying time is 10 hours, via Miami airport. Door to door the travel time is about 17 hours with good connections. This means you can leave cold, miserable London in the morning and end up in hot Key West with a cocktail in hand at 9pm the same night.

Here's how I do it: I fly out of London Heathrow at 11am and walk through the door of my Key West guesthouse at 8pm the same evening. Once in my Key West room, I down a glass of wine, catch a quick shower, and am out by 8.45pm and by 9pm sitting in Virgilio's, potent martini in hand, looking out at the crazyness of Duval Street and preparing to eat at the bar from their wonderful Italian menu. And relax.

Then because of the martini(s) consumed, the jet lag is hours from kicking in, so a detour via Bourbon Street pub is inevitable. Hit the pillow after midnight. All in one day.

As I write (November 2015), I've done the London to Key West trip 19 times - 19 flights out, and 19 flights back. Yes it's a long way but it's worth it. Key West is great for Brits! And about 30,000 Brits and 40,000 Germans visit Key West every year for vacation.

Flying from Miami to Key West

Miami International Airport MIA

American Airlines operates 6 flights a day from Miami airport to Key West airport and is the only airline to fly direct from MIA to EYW (Key West). The actual flight time is 29 minutes at an altitude of only 16,000 feet.










Click below for more...

Miami Airport

For many visiting Florida generally, and Key West specifically, Miami international airport (MIA) is  their start point.  When you take that first step out of your plane, and onto the jet bridge, it hits you - the  potent cocktail of heat, humidity and kerosene - you know you're in Miami airport.  Your vacation has officially started.

You hope your shorts, t-shirt and sun glasses are close to hand so you can get them on as soon as possible.

Here are some images from my landing yesterday.

The view on final approach into MIA - Miami International Airport.  Just before this view is miles of Everglades and water - all very, very flat.

Then the sprawl of Miami hits you - now only a few seconds before touch down.

Taxing to the gate at Miami airport.  A concrete complex.

You get some really strange looking planes at MIA, regional airlines flying to local destinations.

For the many years I've been using MIA, it's always been in a state of continual change, with new construction, new terminals and roadwork.  One well needed change was a monorail linking the terminal with the new rental car station.

I don't miss the old system one bit - going underneath the terminal in the heat and smog, waiting for a rental bus and then the 10 minute drive offsite to the car rental offices.  The new system is great.  And quick.

The funky rainbow windows just at the new entrance to the monorail - called the MIA mover.

Waiting for the Mover at the boarding point.

MIA Mover in motion.  A view of the 1.25 mile route from the airport terminal to the massive new car rental building.

The MIA airport taxi pool from the MIA Mover.

The Alamo section inside the rental station.  Pretty impressive.  All in all so much easier and quicker to use.

So finally, after taxing, disembarking, walking miles from the gate to immigration, immigration, baggage reclaim (which is dreadful and very old fashioned in MIA!), monorail to the rental building, getting the car and getting off the airport - you ESCAPE!!!!

Into the palm trees and heat of Miami.

Onto the I-95 and decisions.  Straight to South Beach.  Left to Fort Lauderdale and the rest of Florida. Or right to Key West?.....

Road signs on the I-95 just outside Miami airport.  Decisions, decisions, decisions.....

Visiting Key West in September - watch out for the closed restaurants

Several restaurants in Key West close for a few weeks or more every September.

As I write this in mid-September the following are currently closed for a while (not permanently!) -

Blue Heaven - closed
Sarabeth's - closed
Roof Top Cafe - closed
Cafe  Sole - closed
Old Town Mexican - closed
La Trattoria - closed
Mangoes - closed for lunch, open in the evening
(Even Kermit from the Key Lime pie shop is not standing in his normal position outside the shop)

This is not a complete list but it's the ones I noticed closed - because I like them and I really miss them!

I don't blame them (much!) - it's the quietest time of year and really humid.  They work really hard during the peak season.  But it's still a shame.

Should this put anyone off visiting this time of year?

I don't think so because:

• guest houses and B&Bs are cheap (er)
• it's nice and quiet
• there are good restaurants still open: Mangoes, Antonia's, 915, Michael's, Veggie Cafe, etc

But it's just good to know if you are visiting in this pre-fantasy fest period.

For anyone interested here are some pictures of what a closed restaurant in Key West looks like!....

A starkly empty and closed (only for a few weeks) Old Town Mexican restaurant

Old Town Mexican closed for a while for their annual vacation

Cafe Sole gone fishing for a while!

I managed to catch Virgilio's for one evening before it closed for 10  days

Sarabeth's - seems strange not to have David standing guard on Simonton Street!

An unusually empty (because they are closed for vacation for part of September) front dining area at Sarabeth's

Roof Top Cafe closed until Sept 29

Visiting Key West by myself - Key West for the independent traveler

The big difference for me this visit is that I'm alone - my partner could not get as much vacation as me and so I left him (sorry!) in cold, rainy London and came by myself - it's the first time I've ever visited Key West alone.  So, what's it like solo?

Today's a good example about how you're never alone in Key West!

First thing this morning (that is to say 11am!) I needed a coffee so I went to my favorite coffee shop on the island - Coffee Plantation on Caroline.  I had a very quick chat with Theo Glorie, the owner, while he toasted my bagel and then sat on the balcony lapping up the hot sun.

While there I had a long chat with 2 of my fellow coffee drinkers about SCUBA diving in Key Largo and the recent Poker Run, among other things.

I then set out to my favorite art gallery, Gallery on Greene, to admire the new Peter Vey's. Peter is a local and very successful artist and you can see why - the new paintings were great.  I chatted to the lady in the gallery for a bit (it was not Nance and I did not get her name).

After leaving here, I got stressed wandering around Front Street and 'lower' Duval - this area seems even more commercial and cheap by the year! So I got out of there quick.

Up on the 700 block of Duval I went in to check out the new look, new location, Graffitti - fashion shop for men.  I had a good chat with Phil the owner to learn the story of why he'd moved, after 23 years in the old location, a few doors down.

I'm really pleased that Phil's made a success of the new location and that business is booming.  The new shop looks great!


Then on to pick up some lunch from Help Yourself! on Fleming.  I first visited Help Yourself when it  opened in October 3 years ago.  I chatted with Charlie the owner and am delighted things are working out great and they are very much a part of the local community.

She's expanding the operation into the next door space which is great.  I'm biased - this is my third take away here this week - but the food was yummy - see my review of the organic foods and drink at Help Yourself! (coming soon).

Then it was home to eat the take out and take in some sun.  Happy hour is in a few hours so it'll be more chatting with the lovely folks staying at my guest house.

It's shame Virgilio's on Duval is now closed (for 10 days only) as it's almost impossible to sit at that bar without talking to people!

So there you have it Key West is indeed a friendly place.  I had 6 conversations this morning in the space of a few hours... and even when you're not chatting there's lots to see and do around town.  It helps that this is a 'walking city' - that is to say most people see it by foot and not by car, by day and by night.  It makes it much more accessible and friendlier.

Choose the right guest house (not a hotel) with a happy hour (=ie free drinks for an hour for all guests to meet round the pool /bar), the right bars and then some casual (not too formal) places to eat and it's a superb place to visit as an independent traveler.



Other Key West things you might like on my site....

Key West hotels - hints, tips and recommendations

Things to do in Key West - best of list, with lots of pictures and reviews

Flying into Key West

I love taking pictures of the planes coming into Key West.  I'm not sure why but these smaller planes look really cool (and a bit vulnerable) especially the American Eagle AT7.

American flies at least six of these a day into Key West International Airport (EYW).

I have flown on them into Key West and they are cool.  You get a fantastic view of the Keys on the short hop from MIA.

American Eagle flying into Key West airport.

American Eagle AT7 on final descent into Key West.

Above the upper Keys from inside an American Eagle en route to Key West.

I'd like to add more pictures of planes landing into Key West.  If you have any that you'd like me to add to this post then please email me at the address shown on my blog (KeyWestDavid911@gmail.com).  Thanks!

Why Key West rocks - just the first 34 reasons

I have had massive (!!) and unprecedented feedback on my previous blog called: 34 reasons why Key West is going to the dogs.

Just in case anyone had any doubt that my tongue was firmly in my cheek when I wrote it, this blog entry is dedicated to the 34 reasons why Key West rocks.

I love photographing Key West so I've also inserted some of the pics I took during my many trips to Key West.

#1 - Let's start with the obvious one: The weather. Oh yes, even the heat, the relentless sun, the humidity. They all provide Key West its DNA.

#2 - It's the only American city where you can walk everywhere and not need a car = reduced stress all round.

#3 - The architecture is so varied and stunning.



















#4 - The people of Key West are one of a kind. Eccentric, laid back and proud.

#5 - It's a party town.

#6 - Margaritaville and the Parrotheads every November. Don't know why, but I love both.















Remember, as I always try to, It's 5 o'clock somewhere.


#7 - The history of Key West - for many years Florida's largest and richest city. Pirates, wrecking, sponges, turtles, cigars, railroad, navy... you couldn't make it up!

#8 - The artists of Key West. Abundant raw material has produced a vibrant art scene. My favorite: Peter Vey.

#9 - Highway 1 - the 156 mile drive down. Imagine you are Henry Flagler and it's January 22, 1912 every time you cruise the Overseas Highway.

#10 - The flight down from MIA. Witness how ridiculously narrow this beautiful string of islands really are.

#11 - That fact that there are vegetarian options in Key West - with several veggie only places.

#12 - So much sky.


(Taken from La Concha, by me, 2008)

#13 - So much sea.

#14 - Tropical magic: music, rain, storms and good looking palm trees. Why do palms look so cool all the time?



#15 - Key West sunset.


(Me kayaking off Stock Island, my best - and reddest - KW sunset ever).

#16 - The best martinis in the world. Virgilio's.

#17 - A handful of great restaurants.

#18 - A real sense of community.

#19 - An 'interesting' gay scene with gay cabaret, drag acts, a piano bar and strippers.

#20 - Audubon.

#21 - The legacy from Hemingway and Williams and the other Key West talents.

#22 - Sloppy Joe's. It's cool, just don't know why.



#23 - Blue Heaven - It's cool, too.

#24 - Key West tourist institutions: the aquarium, the Hemingway house, the Little White House, the buoy.

#25 - Key West non tourist institutions: the lighthouse, the Bight, Custom House, East Martello Museum.

#26 - Key West hidden gems: like Nancy Forrester's Secret Garden. And the Key West Botanical Garden.

#27 - Great food, great restaurants.

#28 - Fantasy Fest. Too much naked body painting. Something to tell the grandchildren about.

#29 - Nature given free reign. As if the many-coloured hibiscus, the extraordinary Royal Poinciana and the delicate frangipani weren't enough....



...In KW, as well as the beautiful, you also get the weird (I'm still talking nature, here). Check this out:


(Shaving Brush Tree in Key West, March 2008, Gecko Lane).

#30 - The weather. The sea. (Both well worth a second mention).

#31 - Widow's walks. How cool. How different.




#32 - How all of this, the people, the place, makes you feel when you are there.

#33 - Great seafood. Great drinks.

#34 - The best looking pelicans.



Hope you enjoyed as much as I did putting the list together.

.


Other Key West things you might like on my site....

Key West hotels - hints, tips and recommendations

Things to do in Key West - best of list, with lots of pictures and reviews

If Key West was a person would you like them?

What makes the tiny, tropical island of Key West both:

LIKEABLE

and also

DIFFERENT?

#1 - OLD

Just old enough to be fascinating but not past it's prime. Key West has so much accumulated history to be staggering...

Heat, mosquitoes, swaps and mangroves; the Navy; cigars, Cuba; turtles; sponges; wreckers, Captains and widows; wrecks, treasures and divers; nature and architecture; artists and tourists.

#2 - GENUINE

It's beautiful (but so is Palm Beach, St Augustine, Sannibel or much of California). What makes Key West's beauty so great and different is its genuineness - reflecyed both in its nature and buildings but also its people. Are there so many artists here because they are trying to capture the beauty of the place or its people?

#3 - COMMUNITY

Many places have community. What is different about Key West's community is that it's built on diversity. So much of humanity is represented here. When you walk down a street towards Duval count how many times you can say 'hello' to your passing pedestrians.

#4 - "un-AMERICAN"

I mean this in the nicest way.... The sun reduces the energy levels. Even the biggest houses or gardens are small. It's a rebellious liberal town in conservative Florida. Bycicles are decorated by Fantasy Fest beads and boas. There are few cars and many people walk (this makes a big difference). Drop outs and failure are accepted and loved rather then rejected and cast out.

#5 - THE OCEAN

On an island 2 miles by 4 miles you just can't escape it. The ocean has a pervasive influence on Key West's past and present. And that's just great. Just like salt water its influence seeps into and corrupts everything about the island. You just can't fight it so go with the flow.

For me all this is true.

But is Key West getting less different or more different?

Key West is changing... but for the worse or better based on these criteria?