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Key West Travel Guide

Inside ScoopFrom Key West Locals

Top 5 Key West Resorts

To many people's minds, Key West is among the finest resort destinations...Read More

Top 5 Key West Spring Break Hangouts

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Key West OVERVIEW
Visit Key West just once and you’re smitten. It’s personality personified, especially if you’re into bawdy bars and body shots. Sure, there’s more to it than that—a lot more. But to trek here and disregard the local renegade spirit would be missing too much of Key West’s salty flavor. Florida Spring Break 2013: Join our road trip across the stateThe city motto is “One Human Family,” dysfunctional or not. It’s a town borne of a pirate mentality that never died, founded on a 19th-century wrecking industry that got fat and happy off ships smashing onto uncharted reefs. The beauty of it all is that you can get down and dirty without giving up any conveniences. Givenchy sandals and Wal-Mart flip-flops stride side by side on eccentric Duval Street, and no one really cares if you end up sleeping in a $500 suite or passed out in an alley. The vibrant gay community spearheads events such as Fantasy Fest, a Halloween spectacle so undisciplined it makes the New Orleans Mardi Gras look ...See More like "The Muppet Show." Visitors crowd Mallory Square at sunset each night to witness quirky carnival acts by local beach barnacles and entertainers. From ribald T-shirt shops and lewd bars to elegant guesthouses and four-star hotels, you can shift from lascivious to luxurious any time the mood strikes. Throw in surprisingly fine cuisine and you discover why no one ever tires of visiting Key West. You probably think of the islands of the Keys as being oriented north to south, pointing from Florida to Cuba. However, just like its general attitude, Key West is a bit cockeyed, with the long, narrow island pointed northeast to southwest. The main “strip” is Duval Street, which runs across the bottom of the island from the Atlantic Ocean to Florida Bay, part of the Gulf of Mexico. See Less
BEST IN Key West TRAVEL
from our Editors
  • Olivia by DuvalOlivia is a relatively inexpensive guesthouse off Duval Street with a pool. Like many Conch houses, it looks inward,...
  • Siboney Restaurant (El)As a protected deepwater port just 90 miles north of Cuba, Key West has always had a strong Cuban influence, and one of...
  • Mallory SquareEven if you’re in Key West only one night, make sure to take in the scene on Mallory Square: There are jugglers, wire...
  • AOL Travel Editors test hundreds of travel experiences at all price points. See their recommendations and make the most of your trip...
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