Our family has visited the Florida Keys many times and have always looked forward to returning. This shattered peninsula scattered across the sea has more than 400 islands, each with its own character. These days US 1 connects 34 of the most populated islands. The "back country" islands can be visited by water only. One Christmas we rented a home in Islamorada, one of the northern keys not too far from the famed Key Largo, which was more than large enough for the six adults and three dogs that arrived in Miami and piled into a minivan for the ride south. Here between mile marker 70 and 90 we enjoyed an ocean view, pool, fully equipped kitchen and tasteful furnishings. But, to tell the truth, we were rarely home, as the Keys are the place to be if you like water sports. We went deep sea fishing and caught some of the most beautiful specimens you can imagine, but that was just the beginning. We went hang gliding, snorkeled, jet skied and when we were done with that, we started all over again. The Keys are a joy for the laid back. If the hustle and bustle of Miami turns you on, the quiet of the Keys may make you uncomfortable. But, for us, this is paradise.
At the end of US 1 is Key West. You get there by continuing down US 1 or by flying in from Miami on a regional airline. In truth Key West is closer to Havana (90 miles) than to Miami (100 miles). Ponce de Leon mapped Key West in 1513, but the Keys were inhabited by the Tequesta and the feared Calusa Indians at that time. Hundreds of colonial French subjects were reportedly massacred and cannibalized by the fierce Calusa's in the early 18th century. A Spaniard, Juan Sales, obtained all of Key West from the Spanish Government in 1815. Salas sold Key West over drinks in Havana to John Simonton of Mobile Alabama for $2000.00 in 1821. Pirates and wreckers made use of Key West' s natural deep water port in the past as do the Navy and international cruise ships in more recent times.
Bahamian settlers gave the island its "conch" heritage, using the delicacy as food and for music. During the Civil War, the building of Fort Zachary Taylor forced the Key to remain loyal to the Union and therefore to impede shipping to New Orleans and other gulf ports.
The Keys have a history of boom or bust. In 1860 Key West was the wealthiest city per capita in the US, and by the 1930s the state of Florida recommended that the island be abandoned and that the residents be moved. In the 1970s international drug smuggling was rampant and the local economy soared. The federal government voted $109 million in 1977 to replace the bridges linking the Keys to the Florida mainland. The causeway was completed in 1983 and the tourist boom began again, making Key West a top vacation spot in the state.
In earlier times, Key West supplied 90% of the sponges used in the US. Until tourism took over, the economy relied on the harvesting of shrimp and mackerel as well as lobster and stone crab. Key West is now part of the Florida Keys, Lone Key and Key Largo National Marine Sanctuaries, as well as of the Great Heron and Key Deer National Wildlife Refuges. The climate and life style of Key West has brought many authors to the area including Hemmingway, Tennessee Williams, Truman Capote, Wallace Stevens and others like John James Audubon.
The sea and the myriad of life beneath it are the main attractions in the Keys. Warm shallow waters nurture living coral that supports a complex and delicate ecosystem of plants and animals - sponges, anemones, jellyfish, crabs, rays, sharks, turtles, snails, lobsters, and thousands of varieties of fish. This vibrant habitat thrives on one of only two living tropical reefs in North America - the other being off the coast of Belize. As a result, people who love the water are drawn to the Keys. If, however, you are looking for broad sandy beaches this is not the place for you. There are small beaches in Bahia Honda State park and in Key West, but they are the only two south of Miami.
Ever since an arsonist set fire to one of Duval Street's most historic blocks in late 1995, Key West has changed. Before this time chains of restaurants and hotels had been absent form Key West, but that has changed with a Hard Rock Cafe in the middle of this street - a clear sign that the times are a-changing. One year we stayed at a Marriott resort out of town, a beautiful place with romantic sunsets and lovely setting. Although we noted many guest houses in the old part of town, we also noted other major hotels on the marina so to get the flavor of old Key West you may need to be in the back yard of your B&B where wristwatches have been banned.
When sightseeing in Key West your first stop may well be the Ernest Hemmingway House and Museum on Whitehead Street. This home built in 1851 was Papa Hemmingways's home from 1928 to 1940, and the place where he wrote For Whom the Bell Tolls, A Farewell to Arms, and The Snows of Kilimanjaro. The house is inhabited by the descendants of the 50 six-toed cats who lived there when Hemmingway was the owner of the house.
The East Martello Museum and Gallery on Roosevelt Blvd. is located in a Civil War era brick fort that is interesting in its own right. Artifacts on exhibit include ship models, a deep-sea diver's wooden air pump, a crude raft from a Cuban "boat lift", and a horse drawn hearse. Other exhibits depict the Key's history of wrecking, sponging, and cigar making. The museum also exhibits the work of local artists. After visiting the galleries, walk up the spiral staircase of the lookout tower for views of the island and ocean. One added attraction of this museum is that it is on the far side of the island and therefore away from other tourists.
Two other attractions are the Key West Lighthouse Museum on Whitehead Street and the Mel Fisher Maritime Heritage Museum on Greene St. The later exhibits the mysteries of sunken treasure like doubloons, pieces of eight, emeralds, and solid gold bars. Mel Fisher found the Spanish galleon, Nuestra Seņora de Atocha in 1985, which was a multi-million-dollar treasure trove.
What else to do that doesn't include a museum? Rent a bike or moped and helmet. Visit Mallory Square sunset celebration or better yet view it on the Hilton's Sunset Deck that allows you to view the mayhem from above. Every evening locals and visitors gather at the docks behind Mallory Square to celebrate the day gone by. Here you will experience a carnival of portrait artists, acrobats, food vendors, and animal acts. If you want to get away from crowds, head to the beaches at the southern end of the island. At Indigenous Park you can watch locals playing bocce in organized teams. This is a good place to bring a picnic or good book and enjoy the quiet.
A wonderful retreat is Nancy's Secret Garden, a peaceful shade garden in Key West's busy downtown. It was opened in 1994 by Nancy Forrester in an effort to raise money to keep up the maintenance of the 1-acre site. There is a small gallery here and gift shop but no signs. Just walk down Duval Street away from Mallory Square. Turn left on Fleming and right onto Simonton. On your right will be a tiny alley named Free School Lane. Walk through the swinging wooden gates and you are there.
Also available are trolley-bus tours, The history of the city is packed into a 90 minute tour. You can get off at any of the 14 stops and reboard later. Airplane tours offer windy rides in the open air cockpit. These biplanes fly over reefs and around the islands, and if that isn't enough, there are boat tours in glass bottom boats or on a schooner. Visitor information is available from the Florida Keys and Key West Visitors Bureau, 1-800-FLA-KEYS or PO Box 1147, Key West FL 33041. The Key West Visitor's Center is at 1-800-LAST-KEY and the Chamber of Commerce is at 1-800-527-8539.
Now our words of wisdom. Do avail yourself of all of the sports you are capable of doing without harming yourself. That is, we hope that you have been exercising. Do not go deep sea fishing without the essentials- meds, blood testing kit, glucose tablets, and food. Also ask about a first aid kit in case your neighbor happens to try to reel you in instead of a sailfish. Ask about lessons before you decide to snorkel out at the reefs if you have never done this. Your safety and feeling of security are well worth it. Also swimming for a long period of time may make you prone to hypoglycemia so make sure you have tested before you dive in, and eat carbs as needed before or during as you need them. Never be embarrassed to ask for help. Jet skiing is great fun, but get to know the equipment before you zoom off.
One last thought. The weather in the Keys is humid, as you are surrounded by water. Take it easy in the beginning if you have any cardiac or respiratory problems, especially if you come from a part of the country that is cool and dry. You would do this if you were visiting any new environment. As always carry prescriptions for refills on meds so that you can go into a pharmacy if you lose luggage, etc. Now get out there and take that picture at the most southern point of the US, at President Truman's Winter White House, of toasting the sunset with mineral water.
