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.
Artists, authors, playwrights and poets have been lured to Key West and seized upon its one-of-a-kind environment of creativity, natural beauty and sometimes eccentric qualities — making it the muse for some of their most acclaimed career accomplishments.
Trade the winter blahs for the salt air, sweet breezes, and blue sky and water of Key West. Slip away to the southernmost outpost in the continental U.S. to savor the subtropical warmth and irresistibly laid-back vibe.
Mario Sanchez depicted the Key West of his youth, and its often eccentric inhabitants, with intricate detail and affectionate humor. The late Mario was called the greatest Cuban-American folk artist of the 20th century, and he was recently inducted into the Smithsonian American Art Museum -- the first Key West artist to earn this honor.
This January, food and wine enthusiasts can sample the the Florida Keys' culinary delights at five fantastic cuisine celebrations. Each one spotlights local chefs’ creativity, indigenous ingredients like unparalleled fresh fish and seafood, and premium wines. And the Keys' subtropical weather provides another "tasty" reason for a January escape to the welcoming island chain.
Despite the Florida Keys' subtropical climate, residents tend to go a little overboard with holiday decorations (for example, an inflatable 10-foot-tall reindeer perched atop a small houseboat!) and throw themselves gleefully into extended merrymaking. In fact, from Key Largo to Key West, the December calendar is packed with events designed to spread seasonal cheer.
The Florida Keys are rich in "mañana mindset," irreverent humor and unexpected joys. Now is a great time to discover and connect with the island chain and the spirit that defines it — and with the special Keys experiences that will make your senses tingle and your smile spread from ear to ear.
Thousands of Jimmy Buffett's fervent "Parrot Head" fans are gathered in Key West, widely known as the cradle of Buffett’s creativity, to celebrate his music and the “Margaritaville mindset” it inspires. This “Keys Voices” column looks back at a surprise concert Jimmy performed during the Parrot Heads' visit in 2011 — and his spontaneous comments that revealed an undiminished affection for the island city.
Early August marks the start of the Florida Keys’ annual commercial lobster season -- so it's time to savor the sweet, clawless local lobsters in restaurants ranging from waterside seafood shacks to gourmet emporiums. Some foodies even design their own “lobster quest" to sample chefs’ crustacean creations at a variety of eateries from Key Largo to Key West.
There’s a new “Papa” Hemingway in the island city where legendary author Ernest Hemingway lived during the 1930s. White-bearded Texan Richard Filip won the 2017 Hemingway Look-Alike Contest, the undisputed highlight of Key West's annual Hemingway Days celebration.