Key West is the county seat of Monroe city in Florida. It consists essentially in most of the Florida Keys, an archipelago composed of about 1700 Islands in the Southeast of the United States.
The Islands are connected by 42 bridges that impress by its magnitude. The largest of them, the Seven Mile Bridge, is about 11 km long and is among the largest in the world. They say that the drive from Miami to Key West is indescribable and a very nice ride. My friend Mari tells a little of the experience of this tour, check out (across the Seven Mile Bridge to Key West path).
Key West is also the name of the last island of the Florida Keys (Western side). We got there through the cruise ship Majesty of the Seas Royal Caribbean and so we didn’t get a chance to go through the bridges.
The island is small, has only 13.6 km ². Is located about 150 km away from Cuba.
We were there at the end of October and some houses were decorated for Halloween. The city wasn’t so full because the high season is from December to February. There is common for people to be in costume of pirates, goblins or other types of fantasies. The island lives of tourism.
There are bus and tram cab style pink circulating around town, very cool.
We spent an entire day there and then I will highlight the major points we know the island and some tips.
Click the image below to follow by google maps.
Key West Museum of Art & History
Leaving the ship you will pass by the Front Streat. On the way you will find many trees and several sculptures to the Key West Museum of Art & History. The Museum can be seen from afar. It’s a huge orange building that once housed the old post office (Old Post Office) and customs (Custom House). In front of the Museum you will find a sculpture of a couple dancing. Admission is $ 10. The exhibition includes history, personalities, famous sites, maritime history and works of local artists.
Clinton Square Market
Still on Front Streat next to the art museum’s Clinton Square Market, a small shopping center where you can find souvenirs of the city as well as clothes, hats, cigars, pieces of art among others.
Shipwreck Treasures Museum
Next to the Mall, on Wall Street, is the Museum Shipwreck Treasures. Key West is a highly connected to the sea and the stories of sailors. In the Museum you will find objects found in shipwrecks in the area, sailing boats, sailors and pirates.
Key West Aquarium
Also next to the Mall is the Key West Aquarium, a small Aquarium that’s in town. Nothing surprising to anyone who’s ever met other aquariums. Sea stars, super colorful fish and sharks are among the species available for visitation.
Old Town Trolley Tours Key West (Bus Tour)
As we did not know anything about the city and went without any planning we decided to do a tour bus at the “hop on hop off bus”. The buses circulate all over the island and go through the main points of the city. You can get on and off as many times as you want. Altogether there are 13 stops.
The starting point is on Wall Street next to the Key West Aquarium and the Shipwreck Treasures Museum. We bought our tickets on the spot. The value of the ride at the time was $ 19. Updated values and tickets can be purchased online at the cheapest site Trolley Tours (Sightseeing Tour of Key West).
The buses run every half hour. We perform a complete turn for the island and then came back and stopped at the points that we found most interesting.
Duval Street
Duval Street is the main street in Key West. Considered the heart of the city. Her you will find souvenirs of the city in addition to know the local culture. Has many bars, restaurants, shops and tourist attractions. Among the most famous are the Hard Rock Café and Sloopy Joe’s. Near this street we saw fowls wandering loose.
Willie t’s
Walking down Duval Street we found a famous bar and restaurant with several dollar bills nailed in ceilings and walls. The large amount of cash nailed! Some visitors subscribe and leave a note there. It was a sort of relief that I had no idea to find different and attractive. At a time when we were walking to this bar had live music and the site seems to be very excited.
Truck with stickers
The William Street, on the corner with Caroline found this truck full of stickers. Some more photos to the collection. Things to tourists.
Key West Butterfly and Nature Conservatory
Key West Butterfly and Nature Conservatory is a conservatory that has many different butterfly species, plants, waterfalls and trees. We were just in front of the Conservatory. Admission is charged and the place is small. The Butterfly Conservatory is near the Southernmost Point.
Southernmost Point
Is a place much frequented by tourists in Key West. Marked point that is closest to Cuba. The tourists are under Sun in line just to photograph beside this concrete monument that represents the southernmost point of the United States. It is written that the distance from Cuba are 90 miles. They say it’s possible to see Cuba on bright days.
Basilica Saint Mary Star of the Sea
The Basilica of St. Mary star of the sea has a very nice architecture and is surrounded by beautiful gardens which are very well taken care of. Your garden has a grotto with a statue of our Lady. Her convent, during the war, was used as a military hospital. Very interesting to discover the first Catholic Church in the South of the United States.
Dry Totugas National Park
The Dry Tortugas National Park is known for abundant marine life, breeding of tropical birds, colorful coral reefs and legends of shipwrecks and sunken treasures. The centerpiece of the Park is Fort Jefferson, a huge but unfinished coastal fortress. The Fort is the largest masonry structure in the Western hemisphere and is composed of more than 16 million bricks.
To gain access to the park only by boat or seaplane. Few visitors realize the seaplane ride because the landscapes that are beautiful to be fulfilled through the heights. On the boat trip you can grab the snorkel, dive and see the fish. Do not carry out this kind of ride because we had no availability for the time. The Dry Tortugas island is 2:00 by boat from Key West and the price is not cheap. See a little more in this post: Key West and the Dry Tortugas National Park.
Fort Jefferson Museum
We know the Fort Jefferson Museum and a bit about the history of the place, admission is free and the Museum is quite simple. The centerpiece of the Museum is a diorama of Fort Jefferson. The Museum is located in the Thompson Fish House, the starting point for the Dry Tortugas Ferry.
Mallory Square-sunset in Key West
Mallory Square is a Plaza super excited for Key West. The place is known as the sunset square, where tourists attend the beautiful sunset, an interesting experience. We boarded in Key West at 17:30 and had to enjoy it from inside the ship. Honestly, the sunset is amazing.
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