Getting the Key West Vibe

Knowing that we would want warm weather come December, we decided that a few weeks in Florida would be a good next step in our roving retirement. I’ve never been overly keen on visiting Florida, but I did want to see Key West and the overseas highway. Unfortunately, it was unseasonably cool while we were there but it didn’t dull the fun and the vibe of Key West.

Timeshare on the Edge of Town

We were able to secure a timeshare trade into Key West on short notice. I don’t know if this was due to it being a traditionally slow time of year (just after Thanksgiving) or if it is Covid-related or both, but I’ll take it. The resort was about 30% full, so it wasn’t hard to distance by the pool. Every suite had an attached FLA room (see below) with a large floor-to-ceiling sliding door, making for comfortable indoor-outdoor living.

Although the resort is as far as you can get from the action in Mallory Square and still stay on Key West. It is still only 5 miles from one end of the island to the other, which isn’t much if you get a bike rental, which is easy to come by. It was also nice to be off in one corner to wind down when needed.

FLA room

Twenty-five years ago while killing time in St. Croix, I was reading real estate listings in a local rag to Diana. Many of the listings said the property included a FLA room, which I couldn’t understand. I mean, what is a FLA and why would you want a separate room for it? Diana laughed at me and said it was a FLoridA room, i.e. a screened-in outdoor area. I learned these were needed in Florida so you can be outside without getting overly pestered by insects. When I travel in Florida these days, I see many such enclosures over patios and pools. They can be quite massive and they always make me chuckle.

Duval Street

Duval street is the center of energy in Key West, running about 15 blocks southeast from Mallory Square (a great spot for sunsets) down to the south side of the key at the Southernmost Point in the US. Many shops, restaurants, and bars line both sides of the street. Live music can be heard every day up and down the street. A stop at Hemingway’s favorite watering hole, Sloppy Joe’s, is practically obligatory. But because it is all inside and it looked a little crowded we didn’t stop in for a drink this time. Several art galleries can get custom-sized works done by the artists they carry. Something always seems to be happening on Duval.

Whitehead Street

Running parallel to Duval, Whitehead street is home to the Hemingway House, where Papa penned The Snows of Kilimanjaro, the Truman Little White House (where Harry often visited), a maritime museum, an art history museum, and the Audubon House. Also on Whitehead is the lighthouse, which is oddly located about half a mile from the coastline. The 1846 hurricane destroyed the original structure and I guess they wanted to ensure the current edifice would not suffer the same fate.

At the south end of Whitehead is the so-called “Southernmost Point in the Continental US”. I say so-called because a quick check of Gmaps reveals the southernmost point of Key West is in a nearby Naval Air Station, which doesn’t exactly have easy access. Perhaps a better name would “Southernmost Public Point in the Continental US”. Still, the photo op under the current name is worthwhile if you are there.

Also on Whitehead street is Mile 0 of US 1, which runs north 2369 miles to the Canadian border in Maine. I would certainly need some fortification before taking that trip on.

Beaches

Key West is surprisingly light on beaches. Beachgoers can visit a few places on the key or head north to a few other keys to dip a toe. Most of the people we saw there cared more about the liquid in their cups than the liquid all around them.

Parking

There are many places to park on the key. Most run $2 for 2 hours. Unlike many places I’ve been recently, there is no network connectivity to the meters, so you have to use those old skills of guessing how long you need and returning to buy more time if you guessed wrong. I did find out about an app called SpotAngel, which crowdsources meter pricing and free places to park. It came in handy a few times.

Food

We found some very nice places to eat on the key and one place nearby. Paradise Restaurant was tucked away in a hidden courtyard, but worth finding for the Lomo Saltado, a stewed beef dish which their new chef executes to perfection. Diana loved her whole fried snapper at Bagatelle and my award-winning Blackened Swordfish dish was very good, as well.

On nearby Stock Island, the Hogfish Bar is definitely worth a visit. Diana won the day for ordering the Shrimp and Grits with andouille sausage and a hogfish filet on top. Seating is on picnic tables outside.

After extensive research (many orders of Key Lime Pie), Diana determined Mattheessen’s has the best Key Lime pie, sporting a lot a flavor while not being too sweet. Their peanut butter cookies with fudge icing were a big hit, too.

Getting on the water

Kayaking is a popular activity in the keys. We hooked up with Key West Eco Tours out of Geiger Key for a guided tour that was a lot of fun. We saw mangroves with oysters and crabs in them as well as a lot of birds.

Sunset cruises can be a lot of fun, but unpredictable weather and questionable Covid compliance on the boat made us take a pass until our next visit.

Closing thoughts

Key West was better than expected. Even during the pandemic, you can enjoy good food and live music while remaining distanced and outside. We look forward to visiting again sometime when we can party in the street and go into the bars just for the music. For everyone’s safety, I hope the place doesn’t get overrun with snowbirds this winter.

What would be your first stop when you visit?