Local Color

Locals’ Insights Reveal the REAL Florida Keys

One of Florida Keys’ greatest “natural resources” is the friendly, easygoing people who make the region their home — charterboat captains, artists, restaurateurs, animal rescuers, attractions operators, musicians and more. By seeking local residents’ insights and recommendations for unique new adventures, visitors can begin to sample the authentic lifestyle of the colorful, magical islands.

By |2024-10-02T16:48:27-04:00October 2, 2024|

Howard Livingston: Tunes in a Tropical Key

With every lyric he sings and every chord he strums, Howard Livingston communicates his passion for the Florida Keys and the island chain’s lifestyle — a deep-rooted passion that, many years ago, inspired the dissatisfied Chicago manufacturing company owner to become a carefree, fulfilled musician who lives on the water in the Lower Keys.

By |2024-09-18T18:08:59-04:00September 18, 2024|

The Florida Keys Are Full of Friends You Haven’t Met Yet

The Florida Keys are a truly friendly place. The island chain is one of those rare locales where you might be a stranger when you arrive on vacation, but you won’t be one when you depart. So make plans for a Keys getaway and discover some warmhearted, quirky “friends you haven’t met yet.”

By |2024-09-10T19:33:03-04:00September 10, 2024|

Key West Honors Jimmy Buffett … One Year Later

Thousands of Jimmy Buffett fans gathered on Key West’s Duval Street Sept. 1 for a march honoring the world-renowned singer/songwriter on the one-year anniversary of his passing. Jimmy lived in Key West during some of his most productive years, developing the “trop-rock” style and laid-back persona that helped make him a musical icon.

By |2024-09-04T14:02:53-04:00September 4, 2024|

You Go, Girl! Roseleigh Enters the ‘Tour de Turtles’ Race

A determined young Florida Keys “resident” is participating in the Tour de Turtles, the sea turtle equivalent of television’s “The Amazing Race.” Her name is Roseleigh, and she’s a juvenile green sea turtle who was found off Islamorada with a debilitating disease — and recovered after receiving in-depth care at the Keys’ Turtle Hospital.

By |2024-08-21T12:17:41-04:00August 21, 2024|

Keys Lobster Lovers, Unite!

Florida Keys lobster lovers, unite — and embrace the hobby that takes precedence over all others each August in the island chain: eating lobster. That’s because early August marks the start of the annual commercial lobster season, and savvy foodies know that fresh-caught Keys lobster eclipses all other seafood selections in mouthwatering goodness.

By |2024-08-14T12:52:51-04:00August 14, 2024|

Bat Masterson is Named Key West’s Newest ‘Papa’

His long-established nickname is “Bat,” and even many friends don’t know his real name is David. But now Bat Masterson has a new nickname: “Papa.” That’s because Bat recently won the Hemingway Look-Alike Contest, a highlight of Key West's Hemingway Days festival that ended July 21 — the 125th anniversary of “Papa” Hemingway’s birth.

By |2024-07-24T15:03:14-04:00July 24, 2024|

Hemingway Days: How It All Began

Key West’s Hemingway Days — set this year for July 16-21 — is an internationally recognized celebration saluting Ernest Hemingway, the legendary American author who lived and wrote on the island for almost a decade. But when Michael Whalton conceived the festival more than 40 years ago, he couldn’t possibly foresee what it would become.

By |2024-07-10T11:11:01-04:00July 10, 2024|

Underwater Music Fest to ‘Make Waves’ for Reef Protection

The Lower Florida Keys’ sub-sea world will become a concert venue Saturday, July 13, when divers and snorkelers immerse themselves in a musical adventure that promotes reef protection. It’s called the Lower Keys Underwater Music Festival, and it’s unlike any other dive or snorkel experience — OR any other music festival — on the planet.

By |2024-07-02T18:25:18-04:00July 2, 2024|

Plywood, Duct Tape and That Dreaded ‘Sinking Feeling’

Sometimes in Key West, people get that “sinking feeling.” It happens each Memorial Day weekend when they compete in the weird and wonderful Schooner Wharf Minimal Regatta — where, in the course of one wacky afternoon, many participating vessels simply disintegrate in the water, leaving their “captains” dogpaddling intrepidly while spectators howl with laughter.

By |2024-06-19T12:48:50-04:00June 19, 2024|
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