Only in the Keys
"Only in the Keys!" has become a common response from people hearing about everything from a Key West parade for dachshunds to mermaids attending a Lower Keys music festival (FYI, these are both actual things).
"Only in the Keys!" has become a common response from people hearing about everything from a Key West parade for dachshunds to mermaids attending a Lower Keys music festival (FYI, these are both actual things).
While the Florida Keys are better known for their living coral reef and other offshore wonders, the island chain also features inviting beaches from Key Largo to Key West. These sandy spots are perfect for chilling out, sunning, swimming or just dipping your toes into warm, clear turquoise waters.
Key West’s favorite New Year's Eve diva, and a 100-foot section of the island's iconic "sea-to-sea" rainbow flag, were among the star attractions at the kickoff of the National Lesbian & Gay Journalists Association's 2016 national convention.
Discover Key West’s tasteful sophistication in a vast array of boutiques, shops and unique galleries — some easy to find and some found only by wandering narrow byways off the main track.
Recognized as a prime Florida Keys boating and family destination, the Marathon and Middle Keys area is made up of a group of small islands whose names are as colorful as their vivid nightly sunsets. They include Boot, Knights, Hog, Vaca, Stirrup, Crawl and Little Crawl keys — plus Pigeon Key beneath the Old Seven Mile Bridge, East and West Sister’s Island, Deer, Fat Deer and Grassy keys.
Billy Kearins is the founder of COAST — a rustic, funky space made up of a retail store showroom, studio workshops, an event venue and more — all located on Stock Island’s Front Street where a hand-painted sign indicates “Mellow Folk Welcome.”
Key West is gloriously, outrageously abnormal — a place where wild chickens roam the streets and people feel comfortable wearing tiaras to lunch. A place where dogs are favored customers at more than one bar, and nobody thinks it’s strange to spot grown men dressed like Darth Vader or Marilyn Monroe (sometimes during the same evening!).
Melted butter is optional, but you should definitely bring a hearty appetite (and possibly a bib!) to the 20th annual Key West Lobsterfest. Yes, the eagerly anticipated crustacean celebration is coming up soon — and as always, it features a mouthwatering schedule of events.
When Randy Towe was 10 years old, he asked his mother to buy him a $200 custom fishing rod. His mother didn’t agree, so he convinced her to spend considerably less and purchase the necessary parts. The young fishing fanatic then built his own rod -- and today, he crafts prized rods for others from his store in the Florida Keys.
Key West's favorable year-round climate, and the packed annual calendar of events and celebrations, mean any time is a good time to escape to the eclectic, eccentric island city.