ALL THINGS KEY WEST!!!

Okay, as you may have noticed, we have fallen behind on our blogs of late! Our last blog post described our 2021 summer and fall travels from Bar Harbor to the Florida Keys. Including that visit, we have spent five months in the Keys and guess where we are now? Yep, the Keys. The most recent blog post gave a good deal of information about the middle Keys. For this blog we have taken a break from our usual chronological depiction of our travels and devote this post to one of our favorite places – Key West! The activities we write about and the photos shown took place over multiple visits to Key West during the time frame of October 2021 to present! 

THE SEVEN MILE BRIDGE

I was so excited the first time we made our way to Key West. Since we were heading there from Fiesta Key RV park, we had to venture over the seven-mile bridge, which was awesome! Since this first trip, we have driven across the seven -mile bridge many times, quite a few in Gus, and I’m happy to say it hasn’t lost its wonder. On that first trip, Bart and I noticed a large tree growing out of the bridge with a smaller tree sprouting near it. Since then, we have learned that the tree is named Fred and the smaller tree sprouting next to it is referred to as Fred Jr. or Wilma. For the record, we call her Wilma!. At the end of this blog, you will find a couple of links which provide more information on Fred and his sidekick! 

MUSIC,FOOD AND BEVERAGES, OH MY!!!!

We have spent plenty of time up and down Duval street and I do believe it is our favorite street to visit. Music, food and, of course, beverages are found EVERYWHERE! You are never more than a few steps away from one form of entertainment or another. Some of our favorite places to spend time are Hanks, Willie T’s, Sloppy Joes, Hog’s Breath Saloon and First Legal Rum Distillery, which offers an outstanding tour. We love that each of these places are dog friendly! On the rare occasions that we don’t have Deek with us, we like to pop into Irish Kevins and Green Parrot since they are not dog friendly, but are definitely worth visiting!

SOUTHERN MOST POINT AND MALLORY SQUARE

Visiting the buoy, and of course taking a photo there, is one of the many must do’s while visiting Key West. It may require a wait in line, but with the sun shining and a drink in hand, the wait is part of the experience. Another must do is sunset at Mallory Square. With the atmosphere and entertainment of Times Square, minus the tall buildings! Mallory Square is the perfect place to bid farewell to another day. The beauty of the sun going down can not be captured with words. I’m not even sure pictures do it justice, but we will try!

OTHER FANTASTIC PLACES TO VISIT

As great as visiting the various establishments to partake in a beverage, a bite, and some music, Key West offers much more than that! The Butterfly Conservatory is a great place to spend some time. It is conveniently located on Duval Street and is easily accessible. Fort East Martello Museum, home of Robert the doll, is definitely worth a visit. However, before your visit, be sure to familiarize yourself with the story of Robert the doll and the suggested rules for visiting him! We have included a few links about Robert for you to check out! Other places to pay a visit to include Truman’s White house, Hemingway House and the Mel Fisher Museum.

Read the history of Robert the Doll: https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/story-behind-robert-the-doll

How ‘Fred’ Inspires the Florida Keys

Fred the Tree

UNTIL NEXT TIME!!!!