In Key West’s historic Old Town, free-roaming chickens and roosters are a colorful part of daily life. Traffic stops to let hens and their babies cross the road, visitors coo and cluck as they snap photos of the meandering fowl, and the crowing of roosters provides a raucous soundtrack to everyday activities.
Fans of Key West’s Fantasy Fest can enjoy two streaming events that showcase the masking and costuming festival’s creativity and spirit — despite the cancellation of the Oct. 16-25 in-person celebration to guard against coronavirus spread. A virtual variety show and mini-parade, scheduled Oct. 16 and Oct. 24, raise money for local nonprofit organizations.
Fort Zachary Taylor Historic State Park is renowned for a picnic area shaded by Norfolk pines and cooled by ever-present breezes, and a long Atlantic-front beach that Key Westers call one of the island’s best-kept secrets. But it’s the Civil War-era fort itself, once nicknamed “Fort Forgotten,” that really makes the park unique.
When Ernest Hemingway lived and wrote in Key West during the 1930s, he spent much of his leisure time with friends at Sloppy Joe’s Bar. On Sept. 17, the beloved Key West watering hole reopened after being closed for six months because of the global COVID-19 crisis — and several Hemingway look-alikes were there.
For decades, Bishop Al Kee welcomed visitors to Key West’s Southernmost Point marker, acting as a smiling ambassador for the island. He sold fluted, pink-lined conch shells beside the iconic waterfront landmark, sliced open coconuts for those who wanted to drink the sweet coconut water inside, and cheerfully posed for innumerable visitor photos.
Key West is well-known for its frost-free climate, warm breezes, abundant sunshine, low precipitation during winter months and summer temps that rarely surpass the low 90s. But if summer days feel too hot, it’s easy to head for the island’s picturesque beaches, retail stores, restaurants/bars, museums or galleries that keep their A.C. cranking.
Key West offers a delicious variety of restaurants, a supremely pet-friendly atmosphere, plenty of opportunities for on-the-water adventures, and a beach nicknamed to honor Elizabeth Taylor. Plus the island is famed for its subtropical year-round weather, enthusiastic diversity, and laid-back vibe that's light-years away from the hectic pace of the "real world."
Legions of television viewers are obsessed with the adventurous reality show “The Amazing Race.” But most of them don’t realize that, in 1913, Key West was the site of one of the most amazing races in history — a competition between two aviators to make the first flight from Key West to Havana, Cuba.
Islamorada artist Jessica Ann Cecil has a unique flair for painting marine life — and she’s passionate about using her art to connect patrons, clients and students with Florida Keys marine ecosystem conservation efforts. She often earmarks a percentage of art sales for Keys nonprofits including the Coral Restoration Foundation, Dolphins Plus and Save-A-Turtle.
The buccaneering spirit of adventure and individuality is one of the most intriguing — and enduring — attributes that help define the Florida Keys island chain. The Keys’ renegade seafaring heritage is alive in museums and attractions, colorful shipwreck and treasure tales, dive and snorkel trips to wrecksites, and sailing cruises aboard historic tall ships.