Terry Helmers: Steward of Keys Volunteerism
Terry Helmers is a Florida Keys volunteer extraordinaire. His underwater specialty, as a volunteer and as a NOAA- and national parks-authorized diver, is mooring buoys. The dedicated Helmers has logged about 800 volunteer hours with the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary and more than 2,300 at John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park.
The ‘Papa’ and Paula
Paula Deen’s husband, Michael Groover, looks a lot like Ernest Hemingway. So much, in fact, that he triumphed over 150 other entrants to win the 2018 Sloppy Joe’s Hemingway® Look-Alike Contest, the undisputed highlight of Key West’s annual Hemingway Days festival.
Vacation Fail: Grilling Fish in the Bathtub
A Florida Keys vacation is relaxing. Renewing. Fun. Filled with unexpected happenings, new discoveries, and fresh experiences that make lifelong memories. But it should NOT include grilling fish in a bathtub.
Sun-Sational Summer Fun Abounds with Key West’s Tropical Heat
The free-spirited island of Key West is famed for its lively celebrations and balmy year-round subtropical weather — but in August the party scene really heats up. The reason for this “Island Fever” is the Tropical Heat festival, which will entertain revelers Wednesday through Sunday, Aug. 15-19, with a sizzling long weekend of all-male adult events.
Hemingway’s Legacy Remains Strong in Key West
Key West's Hemingway Days celebrates the legacy of world-renowned author Ernest Hemingway, who called the island home for most of the 1930s. What he discovered there fed his exuberance for living, launched the most prolific period of his career and inspired him to use Depression-era Key West as the setting for “To Have and Have Not” — his only novel set in the United States.
Remembering Mel and the ‘Shipwreck of the Century’
Legendary shipwreck salvor Mel Fisher, who found the wreck of the 1622 Spanish galleon Atocha, was one of Key West's most colorful and inspirational characters. Adventure lovers can celebrate his legacy during Mel Fisher Days, set for July 12-14 in his longtime “home port.”
Greg’s Top Five “Must Do’s” on Your Key West Summer Vacation
Key West's sun-drenched days and cool island breezes beckon visitors to get out and explore countless outdoor activities — all sure to excite the senses and rejuvenate the spirit after a long, chilly winter indoors. Discover five "locals' favorite" activities that reveal the quintessential appeal of Key West.