Want to escape the craziness of Miami? Head south to Key West! These are a few of our favorite Fotospots in the southernmost point in the U.S.
LessThe Seven Mile Bridge is located in the world-famous Florida Keys connecting the Middle Keys to the Lower Keys. The best time of day to walk this bridge is at sunset when you can clearly see the bright orange orb sink below the water on the horizon.
Established in 1933, Sloppy Joe's is a historical landmark - especially with A-list patrons such as Ernest Hemingway and Habana Joe. Hemingway was quite fond of his alcohol and this bar was reportedly one of his favorite places to imbibe. Today it's a tourist attraction where you can see live bands while drinking your daquiri. If you're here at the right time of year, you can partake in the Hemingway lookalike contest too!
Located in Key West, this historic fort is not only educational but packed with fun activities. With the great Florida weather it is open year round. You can tour the Civil War-era fort and then go snorkeling or swimming. The beach is beautiful but it can be rocky so make sure you have shoes on. Take the fort tour if you can and bring your own food - the concession stand can be pricey.
A wooden, rough-hewn sign post points the way to various places around the world with its approximate distance in miles. The beach is pretty nice too! Visitors warn that the beach is covered in coral, not sand, so bring your water shoes with you!
Known officially as the Ernest Hemingway Home & Museum, the Ernest Hemingway House was the residence of author Ernest Hemingway (really... how'd you guess?). On November 24, 1968, the house was designated a U.S. National Historic Landmark. Oodles of meow face puss-pusses roam the grounds.
If ingesting food and drinks at a former morgue doesn't make you queasy then head to Florida's oldest bar located in famous Key West. The saloon has worn many other hats - from bordello to speakeasy to a cigar factory. It was built around a tree which was where 75 people were executed for many crimes including pirating the Florida waters. It's said that the bar is haunted; some have even reported having injured their hands after touching the hanging tree.
The Isaac Allerton sank in 1856 near the Keys. Shortly after the wreck, rescuers (called Key West wreckers) picked up the survivors. They couldn't get all of the cargo as the ship had sunk in very deep waters. However, what they were able to grab netted them about $50 grand! In 1985, another group rediscovered the wreck. The museum makes history come alive by using actors in period costumes, props, and actual artifacts from the shipwreck to entertain visitors.
Nancy Forrester is the saint of exotic birds; she has rescued and rehabilitated parrots for over 30 years. She also helps to rehome them with permanent families. Every day Nancy and her crew have a demonstration at 10 AM with a educational lecture at 11 AM. The cost of admission is $10 per adult, $5 per child which goes to the care and feeding of the parrots. Additional help is needed; go to Nancy's website to see what items need to be donated.
The Dry Tortugas National Park is about 68 miles west of Key West in the Gulf of Mexico. It preserves Fort Jefferson and the seven Dry Tortugas islands which are the most isolated of the Florida Keys. The park is noted for its tropical bird breeding, abundant sea life, its coral reefs, and shipwreck and sunken treasure legends. Fort Jefferson is a massive, unfinished coastal fortress that is the park's centerpiece and it happens to be the largest brick structure in the Western Hemisphere.
The Southernmost point in the United States is marked by a buoy in Key West, Florida at at the corner of South and Whitehead Streets. This anchored concrete buoy is now a tourist attraction that was established in 1983. Cuba is only 90 miles south of this point in Key West!