Key West

Understand

History

In pre-Columbian times, Key West was inhabited by the Tequesta and Calusa peoples. The first European to visit was Juan Ponce de León in 1521. As Florida became a Spanish colony, a fishing and salvage village with a small garrison was established here.

The island was used by fishermen from Cuba and from the British Bahamas, who were later joined by others from the United States after the latter nation's independence. While claimed by Spain, no nation exercised de facto control over the community there for some time. The island was considered the "Gibraltar of the West" because of its strategic location on the 90-mile (140 km)–wide deep shipping lane, the Straits of Florida, between the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico. On March 25, 1822, Matthew C. Perry sailed the schooner Shark to Key West and planted the U.S. flag, physically claiming the Keys as United States property.

Key West was relatively isolated until 1912, when it was connected to the Florida mainland via the Overseas Railway extension of Henry M. Flagler's Florida East Coast Railway (FEC). The Labor Day Hurricane of 1935 destroyed much of the railroad and killed hundreds of residents. The FEC could not afford to restore the railroad. The U.S. government then rebuilt the rail route as an automobile highway, completed in 1938, which became an extension of United States Highway 1. The portion of U.S. 1 through the Keys is called the Overseas Highway.

In 1982, the city briefly declared symbolic independence as the "Conch Republic" in response to a United States Border Patrol blockade at the junction of U.S. Route 1 and the mainland in Florida City. The resulting traffic delays significantly disrupted tourism. The protest, while symbolic, remains a part of local culture, and the Conch Republic Independence Celebration is held annually in April.

Modern Key West and the Florida Keys has a Tourist Development Council which collects a surtax on hotel bills to promote more and more tourism in the Keys in an uncontrolled positive feedback loop. Spending a million dollars a month on international travel promotion schemes, the island chain is crowded and expensive. Traffic is slow but the pace is frenetic.

Climate

Key West claims to be the only city in the lower 48 states to have never had a frost or a snowfall. Because of the proximity of the Gulf Stream in the Straits of Florida, about 12 miles (19 km) south and southeast, and the tempering effects of the Gulf of Mexico to the west and north, Key West has a notably mild, tropical climate.

Precipitation is characterized by dry and wet seasons. The period of November through April receives abundant sunshine and slightly less than 25 percent of the annual rainfall. This rainfall usually occurs in advance of cold fronts in a few heavy or light showers. May through October is normally the wet season, receiving approximately 53 percent of the yearly total in numerous showers and thunderstorms. Rain falls on most days of the wet season. Early morning is the favored time for these showers, which is different from mainland Florida, where showers and thunderstorms usually occur in the afternoon. Easterly (tropical) waves during this season occasionally bring excessive rainfall, while infrequent hurricanes may be accompanied by unusually heavy amounts. At any rate, Key West is the driest city in Florida. Summer is generally a few degrees cooler than the interior due to the moderating effects of the water, and with tropical breezes is a welcome relief from the interior's scorching temperatures. Despite this, the humidity can still make for a very sweltering time. The average heat index in the summer is 100°F for daytime highs, and 86°F for overnight lows. There can still be days with higher heat indices, at around 107°F or even higher, with an overnight low heat index of 96°F.

Get in

By plane

Key West International Airport (EYW) is the major airport on 3491 S Roosevelt Blvd (FL-A1A) serving Key West and the lower keys located 3.9 mi southeast of downtown. The airport terminal is accessed from S Roosevelt Blvd along Faraldo Circle (its own access road). Major airlines serving the Key West are: * Allegiant (Asheville, Cincinnati, Indianapolis, Orlando-Sanford, St Petersburg FL; Pittsburgh ) * American Airlines and Envoy Airlines dba American Eagle: (Charlotte, Dallas/Fort Worth, Philadelphia; and American Eagle from Charlotte, Chicago–O'Hare, Miami, NY LaGuardia, Washington–National) * Delta Airlines & ExpressJet dba Delta Connection: (Atlanta, NY LaGuardia) * United & United Express operated by Republic Airlines: (Chicago–O'Hare, Houston–Intercontinental, Newark, Washington–Dulles. Additional United Flights to Tampa and Orlando are operated by Silver Airways as a codeshare partner with United).

Fares tend to be higher than to and from the large metropolitan airports. A popular alternative is to fly into Miami International Airport or Fort Lauderdale International Airport, rent a vehicle and drive down the Overseas Highway (US Hwy 1) to Key West (See "By car" in the below). Likewise you may also catch a ride with Keys Shuttle from Miami International and Ft Lauderdale International Airports to your hotel or to any address in Key West and anywhere in the Keys. Call them to schedule pick-up for the return trip back to Miami or Ft Lauderdale (see "By bus" in the below).

Car rental, although unnecessary in small Key West, is available from Avis, Budget, Dollar, Hertz, and Thrifty. Alamo, Enterprise, and National have offices off site, with a free shuttle from the Airport. Parking on Key West can be a challenge in terms of the number of available spaces, and the size of spaces, so smaller cars are popular selections.

By bus

• Public buses: the Lower Keys Shuttle operated by Key West Transit provides 9 daily trips between MM 0 in Key West and MM 53.5 (Sadowski & US Hwy 1) in Marathon Key. Cost is $4 for the Lower Keys Shuttle. At MM50 (at Sombrero Beach Rd), you transfer to Miami-Dade bus route 301 Dade/Monroe Express for onward service to Florida City (via MM 74 in Islamorada; MM 87 in Tavernier; and MM 98 in Key Largo). The Dade/Monroe bus operates 10 times daily between 7:30am and 11:00pm from Marathon and more frequent from Islamorada. In Florida City transfer to the #38 bus (Busway/Max)to the Dadeland South Metrorail Station where you catch the Metrorail train into Miami. The Dade/Monroe express costs $2.65 each way. Official Key West page on cross keys transit options

By sea

• Private Boaters Experienced boaters can navigate to Key West along the Atlantic side of the Keys or by traveling on the Gulf of Mexico side. The first part of the trip takes you through the specially-marked Intracoastal Waterway. After Long Key, however, international markers apply. Consult the appropriate Coast Pilot and Light List manuals. Numerous marinas are waiting to entertain you, but you should make reservations ahead. If sailing in from foreign ports in the Caribbean be sure to contact US Customs & Border Protection to determine where to sail into prior to travel. Their Key West office is at 301 Simonton St, Simonton & Caroline St in downtown.
• Cruise Ships In 1969 the Port of Key West received its first regularly scheduled cruise ship. The three docking facilities -- Mallory Square Dock, Pier B (privately owned by Westin), and the Navy Mole -- service over half a million passengers a year. A schedule indicating when a particular cruise ship will be calling on Key West is available at the Port Office and online. See the online docking calendar or the respective website of a particular cruise line.

Since the re-establishment of US-Cuban relations at the end of 2014 and the easing of travel sanctions between the two countries there have not been any establishment of, or plans for regular ferry services between Key West and Cuba. Private mariners will still need a license from the Office of Foreign Asset Control (OFAC) to be able to sail their own vessels to Cuba. Please check with U.S. Customs & Border Protection as to where to sail into from foreign ports and regarding the rules for travel by private vessel or aircraft between the Florida Keys and Cuba.

By car

The Overseas Highway terminates in Key West, and links all the towns in the Keys with mainland Florida and links into the US Interstate network. Driving to Key West is straightforward (3 1/2 hours from Miami) and scenic with ocean vistas but driving around town is difficult and parking is expensive.

From Miami International Airport: Take LeJeune Road south to 836 West. Follow the Florida Turnpike south toward Key West. The Turnpike ends at US 1 in Florida City. Follow U.S. 1 south as far as it goes and you will be in Key West.

From Ft. Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport: Exit the airport and follow the signs for 595 West. Take 595 to the Florida Turnpike and follow the signs for the Florida Keys and Key WEST.

From the north: take the Florida Turnpike south and follow the signs for Homestead and Key West. The Florida Turnpike ends at US 1 in Florida City.Follow U.S. 1 south into the Florida Keys.

From Florida's West Coast: take 1-75 Alligator Alley east to the Miami exit, and south to the Turnpike Extension.

Get around

With many narrow and one-way streets, driving Key West is difficult and parking is expensive. Many visitors choose to rent motor scooters, bicycles, golf carts, explore on foot or use public transportation. When renting a golf cart keep in mind that you have to find parking for this vehicle as well. Scooters and bikes can normally be parked on the sidewalk right outside your destination.

The tourist area in Key West is Duval Street. Key West Transit offers a fairly comprehensive bus system for local travel in and around Key West and up to MM 53 on Marathon Key in the Lower Keys. For taxi you may contact One Key West at +1 305-295-5555 to arrange for a pick-up or a ride share service such as Uber or Lyft.

Taxis and ride share services are plentiful and affordable.

If you plan to rent a car be aware that the Enterprise and Alamo desks are not located at the airport. You have to call the shuttle bus and wait for 12 minutes to catch a ride to the Truman Ave location. Budget is the only car rental agency in Key West that does not charge additional fees (usually $10/day from anyone else) for a second driver. Renting a car is more necessary if you plan to travel extensively or point to point in different parts of the Florida Keys then if you're staying exclusively on Key West where you won't need a car at all. If your lodgings are in Old Town you can more easily walk or bike to all the attractions.

Go next

• Access to Dry Tortugas National Park is only by private boat or with the services of a tour operator.
• Travel to Cuba is only possible by private aircraft or private boat as no ferries to/from Cuba are available. See the Americans in Cuba article to learn about travel restrictions to Cuba.
• The only way out by land is back toward Miami. On the way up the road you can visit Big Pine Key, Marathon, Islamorada, and Key Largo.