GET THERE: American, Delta, US Airways and Continental airlines fly into Key West International Airport (EWY), though none have direct flights from Denver International Airport (DEN). Flights with one stop run between $400-$500. The benefit of flying directly to Key West is that once on the island, there is no need to rent a car. Key West has plenty of taxi cabs and the downtown is easy to navigate on foot or via rented bicycles or scooters.
Another option is to fly to either Miami (MIA) or Fort Lauderdale (FLL) airports, rent a car and drive south through the Florida Keys. It is approximately 125 miles from Miami and 145 miles from Fort Lauderdale to Key West. The drive down US 1 is very scenic and there are plenty of spots to stop for a meal (the Keys of Islamorada or Marathon are good points midway) or even a swim on any of the smaller islands. American Airlines and Delta offer nonstop flights to Miami, with flights on American starting at $250 round trip.
Frontier Airlines offers direct flights to Fort Lauderdale for about $300 round trip, and Air Tran, Delta, American, United and Continental have one-stop flights to Fort Lauderdale in the $250 range for a round-trip ticket. Prices will vary by season.
STAY: Marriott Beachside Hotel (3841 N. Roosevelt Blvd., 800-546-0885; beachsidekey ). Located on 7 acres on the waterfront just as visitors cross into Key West city limits, Beachside offers a standard room with a king bed as well as beautiful one-, two- and three-bedroom suites with full kitchens and multiple bathrooms. The Beachside has a full-sized pool and private beach with plenty of seating, private cabanas and a pool-side bar, as well as an upscale restaurant and bar inside. The hotel offers complimentary self parking (valet is $20/day) and has a free shuttle leaving every hour to downtown Key West. Room rates vary greatly by season. In the summer, a standard room with a king bed starts at $149/night. The one-bedroom suite starts at $209; the two-bedroom starts at $269 and the three-bedroom at $339. In the winter, the rates jump to over $500/night for the standard room to over $700 for the three-bedroom suite.
The Key West Innkeepers Association represents more than 200 independent inns and bed and breakfasts throughout the island (keywest ). The smaller inns, most located in historic downtown Key West, are often more economical than the large hotel chains and provide a unique Key West experience. Here are two we can recommend:
Avalon Bed and Breakfast (1317 Duval St., 800-848-1317, ). On the quiet end of Duval Street, just around the corner from the Southernmost Point landmark, the Avalon gives guests the benefits of staying downtown — the bar and restaurant district is just a few blocks away — without the late-night music and crowds. A restored Victorian house from the 1800s, Avalon offers rooms with either one or two queen beds or one king, a small pool on the back patio and a very friendly staff. Rooms range from $89-$189 in the summer and from $169-$289 in the winter.
Casa 325 Suites (325 Duval St., 866-227-2325, ). An affordable-yet-fancy choice right in the center of the Duval Street action. The guesthouse is tucked away a little off the street, which affords guests added privacy, but all the benefits of a prime downtown location. Casa 325 offers a variety of room options, from a studio with two twin beds up to a large two-bedroom suite that comfortably sleeps four adults. The guesthouse will also provide rollaway beds. This is a family-friendly inn, and most pets are welcome with a $25 fee. Summer rates are $115- $295; winter, $175-$395.
DINE: Blue Heaven (729 Thomas St., 305-296-8666, ). If you can go to only one Key West restaurant, make sure this is it. No place better embodies the unique flavor of the island. Best known for breakfast — the pancakes are particularly popular — so be prepared to wait for a table, but the seafood specials at lunch and dinner are also stellar. If nothing else, go because it is probably the only time to eat at a restaurant with chickens and roosters roaming through the outdoor dining room.
Mangoes (700 Duval St., 305-292-4606) There is no better spot in Key West to people-watch than from Mangoes’ large, raised patio fronting Duval Street. The food — with a varied menu including many American favorites — is pretty great, too. Mangoes also is a catering company and makes Key Lime pie, a local specialty, for a number of other eateries. Cut out the middleman and eat it at the source here. Reservations are recommended for dinner, but they’re open until 1 a.m.
Alonzo’s Oyster Bar (700 Front St., 305-294-5880, ) A number of locals recommended Alonzo’s for fresh seafood, and they knew of what they spoke. Located adjacent to a marina, Alonzo’s has a nice outdoor patio and a large, comfortable dining room. The menu has all sorts of seafood specialties as well as a number of raw bar items. Try the conch fritters or conch chowder — unique keys dishes — as a starter.
Margaritaville Cafe (500 Duval St., 305-292-1435, ). Musician Jimmy Buffet opened this restaurant in Key West – his adopted hometown for more than three decades — and though it has the feel of a chain, it is a must for any Parrothead. Patrons can choose to sit up front for a view of Duval Street, or at tables past the bar, close to the stage for live music. Margaritaville has a large menu of affordable entrees with standard favorites like burgers, steaks and seafood. Take home a souvenir from the large gift shop.
5 Brothers Grocery and Sandwich Shop (930 Southard St., 305-296-5205, 5Brothersgrocery ). A bit off the beaten path, but still an easy walk or bike ride from downtown, 5 Brothers is a popular breakfast and lunch spot. Be sure to try the Cuban coffee as well as the authentic Cuban pastries and sandwiches.
PLAY: Key West is full of companies providing tourists with ocean adventures. The shallow, warm waters near the island and in the lower keys are ideal for snorkeling and kayaking and there are plenty of nearby reefs for scuba diving. Other popular attractions include sunset cruises and half- or full-day kayaking trips. Several popular companies offering boating excursions include Fury Water Adventures (305-294-8899; ) for affordable evening cruises, snorkeling trips and full-day “adventure trips,” and Crystal Seas (877-732-7877, ) for eco-friendly kayaking tours in the Great White Heron Wildlife Refuge.
Dry Tortugas National Park (305-242-7700, ) is a series of small islands located about 70 miles west of Key West. The park, with an entry fee of $5 per adult, is accessible only by ferry or sea plane and its remote location makes it one of the best areas in the region for snorkeling, diving and checking out native wildlife, including the sea turtles for which the park was named. Call the park’s main number for guidance in getting there. Campsites are available on Garden Key on a first-come, first- served basis for an additional $3 per person. Groups of 10 or more can reserve a campsite in advance by calling park headquarters. Also visit Fort Jefferson, a never-completed military fortress on an island within the park.
The Hemingway Home and Museum (907 Whitehead St., 305-294-1136., hemingwayhome ). The downtown Key West home owned by Ernest Hemingway has been preserved and turned into a museum about the author’s life. Hemingway lived in Key West for about a decade in the 1930s, and — nearly 50 years since his death — remains a prominent figure in the town’s lore. The museum is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., with tours starting every 15 minutes. Admission is $12 for adults and $6 for children over age 5. Count the toes on the paws of the approximately 60 cats that live on the property — those with six per paw are descendents of a cat owned by Hemingway.
Hemingway remains so popular in Key West that the town holds a five-day celebration in his honor every year in late July. Hemingway Days (hemingwaydays.org) highlights include the Hemingway look-alike contest at Sloppy Joe’s Bar (201 Duval Street) — this month, more than 140 white- bearded men competed, with the winner crediting his cable-knit sweater — an arm-wrestling contest, the “Running of the Bulls” (no real bulls, just a parade) down Duval, a fishing tournament. There is also a literary competition.
The wildest time of year in Key West is in late October, during the 10-day Fantasy Fest celebration (fantasyfest.net). Picture Halloween combined with Mardi Gras. Warning: Leave the kids at home. This party is all about costumes — from elaborate to barely-there — and debauchery, with days of parties, parades and costume contests.
