Key West Travel Guide

Much closer to Cuba than to mainland Florida, KEY WEST often seems rather tenuously bound to the rest of the US. Famed for their tolerant attitudes and laid-back lifestyles, the thirty thousand islanders seem adrift in a great expanse of sea and sky, and - despite a million tourists a year - the place resonates with an individual spirit that hits you the instant you arrive. In particular, liberal attitudes have stimulated a large gay influx. Yet as wild as it may at first appear, Key West today is far from being the hippy hangout of a decade ago. Much of the sleaziness has been brushed away through a steady process of restoration, setting the course for the advent of a sizable holiday industry. Even so, the sense of isolation from the mainland is best appreciated by adjusting to the mellow pace: amble the gorgeous, lushly vegetated streets, make meals last for hours, and pause regularly for refreshment in the numerous bars.