Cape west coordinates. What hotels in Key West have nice views? Gay bars and clubs

Key West is a popular beach resort and the capital of the Florida Keys archipelago, located on the island of the same name. A real tropical paradise, where even on the harsh police cars it is written that they are guarding its gates - "protecting paradise".

Cruise ships with tourists come here almost around the clock. But most, of course, arrive by land. Whom you will not meet in this city! And poor students, and sedate pensioners, and the Princess of Monaco, and even Madonna herself, who loves to visit this island city very much.

A bit of history

Once upon a time, Key West was an incredibly wealthy city: the locals lived by collecting stocks of sunken ships washed ashore after shipwrecks. That was in 1889, and in 1930 Key West was declared bankrupt. But those days are long gone, and now the inhabitants of the city live only on the money that tourists leave here. The latter, it must be said, are not stingy, and they pay round sums for a vacation in a paradise.

Popular hotels in Key West

Weather in Key West

Attractions and attractions in Key West

The city has an incredible number of art galleries. The most famous and visited is considered to be rather prosaically named Key West gallery. Here you can find the works of many famous authors, as well as those who are just starting their career.

The city has an incredible number of art galleries.

And in the city, chickens are especially respected. There are also quite a few of them here, and they all roam freely around the city. Chickens know perfectly well where they are supposed to cross the road, and they do it very carefully. Well, drivers just stop their cars and wait until all the birds that want to finish crossing the street.

But still, the most famous landmark of the city is the buoy model, which is built of cement. This buoy reads in large letters: "Republic of Conch/ Cuba 90 Miles/ Southernmost Point of the Continental USA/ Key West, Florida/ Where the Sunsets." Before the buoy, there was a sign, but it was very often stolen by tourists, so the city authorities decided to write these words significant for the city on a cement buoy, which no one will be able to budge.

Museums in Key West

The most popular museum in the city has a much more romantic name than the gallery - the Shipwreck Museum. At first glance, the original wooden building can be called a museum only with a big stretch.

The most popular museum in the city has a much more romantic name than the gallery - the Shipwreck Museum.

Here the actors of the local theater, dressed in costumes of the 19th century, play real sea battles in front of the audience. And on the very roof of the museum is installed observation deck, which at one time every day the inhabitants of the city climbed in turn and looked at the ocean, expecting a shipwreck. When it finally happened, the one who looked at the site shouted at the top of his lungs that the ship was sinking, and that it was time to go rob it. Raspberries, not life!

Fort Zachary Taylor

Another great place in the city is the Fort Zachary-Taylor National Historical Park. Here you can see the real ghosts of pirates, who, like all pirates, are arguing about who owns the chest with gold.

Hemingway house

It is impossible to visit Key West and not visit the famous writer Ernest Hemingway - the most famous resident of the city, and of the entire archipelago. He came here out of curiosity, but stayed to live, having bought a small house with a garden.

An incredibly large number of cats live in the city. There are about four animals for every inhabitant of Key West. By the way, there is another interesting story about these tailed ones. Once upon a time, Hemingway was presented with an amazing six-toed kitten, who, since 1935, led the pedigree of the famous six-toed cats. Six or even seven fingers on two or all four paws is not a breed or a disease, but a gene mutation. Descendants of Snowball, donated to Hemingway, the main hosts in the house-museum of the writer. Today, more than 40 cats live here: lying on the beds, accompanying curious tourists. And behind the house is a real six-fingered cat cemetery.

Key West is also the center of sexual minorities. Here you can often meet homosexual couples, and no one pays any attention to them. Everyone treats it as something that is also part of the city.

What are the residents doing here? Practically, nothing. They spend the whole day loitering around the city, lounging and having fun. That is why it seems that time in Key West has stopped and just stands still. And the people who live here are incredibly slow. Therefore, one should not be surprised that a tourist will have to wait for his order in a cafe or restaurant not for 5 minutes, but for half an hour, and sometimes even more.

Key West webcams online provide an opportunity to make a virtual trip to this city on the island of the same name in the Florida Keys archipelago, and the administrative center of Monroe County in the USA. See the weather and attractions on Key West with the help of webcams in real time.

Key West is a unique place that is the center of attraction for countless tourists. Here you can endlessly look at the local landscapes, which fascinate with their beauty and harmony, numerous sights that differ in their orientation, as well as make excursions to the most non-trivial and remote corners of the island.

Climate in Key West

The weather on the island is pure bliss. If you look at the history of meteorological observations in real time, it is impossible to find a single day when the temperature would fall below zero. This is a real nonsense for the US. Summer here is very long and hot, because the air temperature often warms up to 30-35 degrees above zero. Winter is short and without surprises: during the day the temperature reaches 20 degrees Celsius, at night it drops to 15-16 degrees.

Attractions and recreation in Key West

Today, Key West is a favorite destination for many world stars. For example, this island city was chosen by Madonna, who likes to retire here from the bustle of the city of large American cities. Therefore, a trip here will give many pleasant moments and acquaintances.
Duval Street is the main promenade of the city, where life does not stop even at night. Sloppy Joe's is one of the most famous attractions on this street. This bar has gained its popularity today for the reason that it was here that Ernest Hemingway himself sat. On the territory of Duval Street, you can become a member of the so-called Duval Crawl - an event that will allow city guests to go through many bars and restaurants, enjoying local cuisine and strong drinks as long as they are healthy.
The Ernest Hemingway Museum is an attraction for those visitors to the city who appreciate traditional tourism. Here you can go back several centuries, when the famous Hemingway lived. The museum complex is a two-story building, made in the colonial style. You can see on the territory of the museum and six-fingered cats, which are descendants of "Snowball" - the writer's favorite cat.
Dry Tortugas National Park is one of the most famous national parks, which is located some distance from Key West. Here you can endlessly enjoy the local landscapes and beauties, because it was here that civilization could not destroy the amazing natural world, full of harmony and comfort.

Beaches in Key West

Smathers Beach is one of the most famous beaches in the city. This place will be an ideal choice for a quiet and measured family vacation, as all the necessary infrastructure is provided within walking distance (toilets, showers, sun loungers and umbrellas, changing places, restaurants and cafes). There is also an area for snorkeling, windsurfing and parasailing.
Higgs Beach is a beach that will delight you with white sand. The beach area is clean and equipped, which will allow you to spend time comfortably and naturally. Fans of active games can show their skills on the sports grounds that are organized for this. In addition, according to reviews of real tourists, it is here that the most beautiful sunset on the entire island.
South Beach - a beach that is famous for the fact that it is here that a buoy is installed - the southernmost point in the United States. The beach is covered with sand, but the entrance to the water is difficult, as the bottom is covered with stones. Clients of hotels located in the coastal zone have the opportunity to go down the stairs to the Atlantic from the pier, avoiding such troubles.

Key West webcams online will give you the chance to watch the events taking place in this incredible city in real time.

Key West is a tropical paradise, a popular beach resort and the most fun city in the Florida Keys. Here you can relax and feel the spirit of old Florida.

Key West is an island city in Florida, photo dorinser-2

The city of Key West (Key West) is called a "tropical paradise", the tourist Mecca of the United States. It is the extreme southern point of continental America. It is located in the state of Florida - on the small island of Key West, which is part of the coral archipelago of the Florida Keys.

This piece of land is connected to the mainland by the 188 km long Overseas Highway, laid along islands and overwater flyovers. The length of the main bridge of the route is 11 km.

An airport has been built in the city. Cruise ships call at the port of Key West. Residents work mainly in the tourism sector. Fishermen, artists, bohemians live here.

The climate is tropical, there is never snow and frost.

sights

Ernest Hemingway's house

Small White House of Harry Truman

Shipwreck Museum

Sloppy Joe's Bar

Fort Zachary Taylor

The southernmost point of the USA, photo teekay72

The main city attraction is a tricolor cement buoy, a symbol of the extreme southern position of the city, installed in 1983. The concrete structure is inscribed: “Republic of Conques. 90 miles to Cuba. The southernmost point of the continental USA. Key West, Florida. Where the sunset is. This is a memorial to an event in 1982: the mayor then staged a political action, declaring the Florida Keys "the independent Republic of Conch" for a few minutes.

Old city

Old Town Key West, photo teekay72

Key West has its own Old Town - a tourist part with historic houses. The oldest building has survived since 1829.

Key West Lighthouse

A lighthouse (Key West lighthouse) has been preserved in the Old Town. It serves as an observation platform, and the building was built in 1848. For a long time, its caretaker was a local resident - Barbara Mabriti.

Small White House of Harry Truman

Small "White House" (Harry S. Truman Little White House) - the former home of the commandant of the US naval base, and later the winter residence of President Truman and other American presidents. Today there is a museum and weddings are held there.

Ernest Hemingway's house

Ernest Hemingway House, photo by Andreas Lamecker

The pride of the city is the house of Ernest Hemingway (Ernest Hemingway House), declared a historical monument. In 1931, the writer visited the island, he liked the abandoned building of the XIX century. Ernest bought the building and settled in it.

Today, tourists visit Hemingway's house, filled with personal belongings and books of the writer, inspect the studio, the "haunted balcony", the "birdhouse" study, the tropical garden, the swimming pool. The writer's passion was cats: about fifty of them live at the museum. Once Ernest was presented with an unusual six-toed kitten. Cat Snowball lived a long time, left offspring. Since then, many cats with dewclaws have lived in the city.

Sloppy Joe's Bar

Sloppy Joe's Bar

The writer loved Sloppy Joe's Bar. Today, the walls of the institution are hung with photographs of Ernest, many drinks and dishes are named after him. The main "exhibit" is a stuffed animal of a huge fish caught by Hemingway.

Aquarium, photo by Joe Parks

The City Aquarium is not an ordinary oceanarium with fish behind thick glass, but a contact marine zoo. You can watch the feeding of the inhabitants, touch the hands of safe animals.

Art Gallery

The city has many museums, galleries of various subjects. The most famous is the Key West Gallery. Here you will find the works of famous masters and discover new names. You can buy your favorite paintings.

Customs house-museum

Custom House Museum, photo by dorinser

The Custom House Museum is popular with tourists. The red Romanesque building was built in 1891 for the customs office. It features round arches and a sloping roof. Today it is the Museum of Art & History, which will give you a real picture of life on Key West in the past. The Custom House Museum regularly hosts exhibitions of contemporary artists.

Shipwreck Museum

Shipwreck Museum (Key West Shipwreck Museum), photo by Jim Rhodes

The Key West Shipwreck Museum is the most visited institution in Key West. The exposition is dedicated to the heyday - a glorious time when ships were destroyed on the coastal reefs, and the inhabitants successfully hunted by looting. The museum interestingly combines an artifact, acting art and films about real events.

A bit of history

Since ancient times, the island belonged to the Calusa tribe. In 1513, it was first visited by the adelantado conquistador Ponce de Leon, and then the Spaniards tried to establish their power for centuries. For a long time, the island was inhabited only by fishermen, sea robbers, marauders. It was not until 1822 that permanent settlements appeared.

In 1896, Key West received city status. He grew up, got rich; open cigar factories. The year 1912 was marked by a historic event: the Maritime Railway was laid from the mainland to the island. It was destroyed by the "Storm of the Century" - a terrible hurricane in 1935.

At the Hemingway Festival, photo by Andy Newman

Holidays and competitions at the resort are held every month. The main city event is the festival dedicated to Hemingway (Hemingway Days Festival). It is arranged in July.

Fort Zachary Taylor

At the southern tip of Key West is Fort Zachary Taylor Historic State Park, a national monument and 87-hectare historical park. It was built in 1845–66. and until 1968 served as a military facility, and then was given to tourists. There is a beach on the territory of the park, you can go diving, go fishing from the dam, walk along the sea in a kayak. Historical re-enactments of the American Civil War are held annually in the park. During Halloween, Zachary Taylor turns into a "ghost fort".

Dry Tortugas

120 km to the west, on an archipelago of 7 coral reefs and the shallows surrounding them, is another Florida national park - Dry Tortugas National Park with Fort Jefferson, one of the largest coastal forts in the United States.

The Spaniards, who first saw these places, exclaimed: “Oh, Florida!” (Oh bloom!) Legend has it that this is how the state got its name.

Once in Florida, very often you want to exclaim after the pioneers: Oh, what beaches! Oh what parks! Oh what museums!

There are so many interesting places that it is simply impossible to cover everything in one article. Therefore, we will only talk about Key West, one of the islands of the Florida Keys archipelago (Florida Keys), located in the south of Florida.

The Florida Keys are connected to the Florida Peninsula by the unique Overseas Highway. It is 113 miles (approximately 180 kilometers) long and is one of the longest highways in the world connecting the islands to the mainland.

It was built on the site of an old railroad built in 1912 by millionaire Henry Morrison Flagler. Its length was 160 kilometers - a figure unthinkable at that time, especially considering that most of the road was built over water.

The railway was built for 7 years; it claimed the lives of 700 people and cost $50 million. But it operated for only 23 years - a terrible hurricane on Labor Day in 1935 almost destroyed it ...

Then, instead of the railway, a highway with 42 bridges was laid, one of which is a local landmark. Its length is 7 miles (approximately 11 kilometers), it is called the "Seven Mile Bridge" - "Seven Mile Bridge", and its photo can be seen in almost any tourist brochure.

Our path lies on the island of Key West. This is the final, southernmost point of the United States, mile zero of the Overseas Highway. There is even a special red-black-yellow buoy, which says: "The southernmost point of the continental United States. 90 miles to Cuba."

Key West is very small - only 3.2 by 6.4 kilometers, but it fully confirms the Russian proverb: the spool is small, but expensive.

This island has a rich history. Many famous people of America lived and worked here, Presidents Truman, Eisenhower and Kennedy came here to relax (by the way, the presidential residence here is called the "Little White House"), the island even has its own airport. They also say that the weather is always good here, the most beautiful sunset and that this place is the dream of any tourist... But first things first.

Island of Bones

The Spanish conquistador Juan Ponce de Leon discovered these islands. This happened on May 13, 1513. The island that is now called Key West, he called "Cayo Hueso" - "Isle of Bones". The fact is that the Calusa Indian tribe lived here, and the whole island was strewn with bones (although the Spaniards did not specify whose exactly ...).

Subsequently, in the XVIII century, the name of the island turned into Key West, and it has nothing to do with the English word "West" - "West". And the word "key" in the name of these islands comes from the Spanish word "cayo" "small island", and not from the English word "key" - "key", as it might seem.

For almost 300 years, only fishermen, pirates, turtle hunters, and marauders lived here - treasure seekers on sunken ships. Shipwrecks happened quite often here, and looting was a very profitable business. After the war of independence, the islands went to Spain, and in 1815 they were presented (!) For unknown merits to the soldier Juan Pablo Salas, who in 1822 sold the island of Key West to a certain John Simonton in one of the bars in Havana for only 2000 dollars!

This Simonton quickly realized that he could get rich by dividing the island into plots and selling them off. This is how the first permanent settlement appeared on the island.

The city began to grow rapidly and by 1890 became the richest in Florida with the highest per capita income in the country.

There were more than 160 cigar factories, more than 90% of sea sponges were mined, a huge turtle processing plant was built (by the way, hunting for turtles was officially banned only in the 70s of the XX century!).

In addition, there were already trams in Key West at that time, there was an opera house, there were several banks, and some of them still exist in the same places. And the city of Miami at that time was a tiny, poor fishing village.

City of Artists and Writers

Key West is often referred to as heaven on earth, and of course, such a place could not fail to attract many famous Americans. John James Audabon, Ernest Hemingway, Robert Frost, John Dos Passos, Tennessee Williams and many other famous and not so famous writers, poets and artists lived and worked here at different times.

There are a huge number of art galleries and small exhibition halls where you can buy both real works of art and inexpensive paintings by local artists.

The city is divided into two parts Old Town and New Town, Old Town and New Town.

Of course, the Old Town is of the greatest interest for tourists. It is easy to get around on foot in just a few hours. In general, I would advise you to walk everywhere here, since you can lose more than one hour in search of parking for your car. In extreme cases, you can always catch a taxi - it will not cost very much, but where else in the world can you ride in a pink taxi ?!

There are a lot of museums here - both literary, and memorial, and historical... Eyes just run up. And we must not forget about the beaches, fishing. Time seems to slow down here, and you don’t want to rush anywhere. I must say that the locals are very leisurely, and do not be surprised if you are served for a long time in a restaurant - it is simply not customary to rush here.

So, if you are limited in time and do not want to run from one museum to another, then I would advise you to limit yourself to just a few.

Of course, it is impossible not to visit the famous Aquarium. It was built in 1934 and is said to be the world's first open-air aquarium.

Maybe, of course, it is not the largest in America, but it attracts thousands of tourists with its unusual shark and huge sea turtle feeding show. And here you can touch various underwater creatures with your hands, see barracudas, eels, sea bass - and you can’t list them all.

Sharks and turtles are fed 4 times a day, the feeding time is written on numerous signs, so it’s easy to guess to see the Aquarium and watch the shark or turtle lunch.

And after the Aquarium, you can go fishing, since the choice here is almost unlimited, and try to catch swordfish or barracuda. Local fishermen claim that even sharks come across, but this is a rarity.

If you catch some unusual fish, then for a fee they can make you a stuffed animal, but it will cost quite a lot, and it is not known how such a souvenir will be treated at customs ...

Further, our path lies in the Shipwreck Museum. Here, actors dressed in 19th-century costumes act out for visitors the scenes of the death of the Isaac Allerton, which sank off the coast of Key West in 1856.

And then you can climb to the observation platform, from where a fantastic view of the ocean and the Gulf of Mexico opens from a height of 20 meters. And who knows, maybe you are lucky and you will see some sunken ship at the bottom of the sea?

Visiting Hemingway

You can't come to Key West and not visit Hemingway. Perhaps he was and still is the most famous inhabitant of this island. He first came here on the advice of his friend John Dos Passos in 1920, and this place fascinated him so much that in 1931 Hemingway bought a house with a large garden here.

In this house were written "For Whom the Bell Tolls", "The Snows of Kilimanjaro", "Farewell to Arms!" and much more.

It was interesting to find out exactly how Hemingway wrote. The fact is that he was a rather idle person, he was terribly fond of fishing, after which he was not averse to spending several hours in a bar with friends, and did not really like to sit at a desk. To discipline himself, he set a certain standard - to write 600 words a day, after which he could do whatever his heart desires.

And Hemingway came up with the following: in the courtyard of the house, he built an unusual structure - a sort of "birdhouse", in which he arranged his office. The only way to get there is by a very narrow ladder.

Such an architectural solution is explained simply: only an absolutely sober person could pass through it, while a tipsy person simply could not climb here! Now, of course, this ladder is no longer there ...

And in the house itself, a lot of things that belonged to "Papa", as everyone here calls him, have been preserved.

The guides will take you through all the rooms, show you many photographs of the writer himself, his wives, friends, relatives, be sure to bring you to the cat figurine - a gift from the great Picasso, tell you how the Hemingway couple made a huge "multi-sleeping" bed with the help of iron gates (the gates were used instead of backs!).

And then you will be led to a local attraction - the pool.
This is Key West's first outdoor pool. It was built by Hemingway's wife Paulina. They say that when the writer found out that this construction cost him 20 thousand dollars (huge money at that time!), He allegedly took a one-cent coin from his pocket and threw it into the cement that had not yet hardened with the words: "On this pool I spent all the money, to the last cent!" I don’t know if this is true or fiction, but there really is a coin there.

Another attraction of the museum is cats. Yes, yes, lots of cats! Well, where else in the world can you find a museum in which cats are almost the main owners?

About 50 cats now live in Hemingway's house - the descendants of those who lived here under "Papa".

Hemingway was a passionate fisherman and no less passionate "cat person", and at home he kept an unusual breed of so-called six-toed cats - "six toed cats", which he brought from Europe.

It was believed that these cats bring good luck to fishermen, and there are no problems with the "use" of the catch - to feed 80 cats, you will need more than one kilogram of fish!

These cats are extraordinary. They have six, and sometimes seven fingers on their front and hind legs! And they are very different colors from black to snow-white, from spotted to Siamese.

And they also have very interesting names - not some banal American Murkas or Vaskas, but, for example, Marilyn Monroe or Winston Churchill ... Hemingway laid the foundation for this tradition, and now museum attendants are racking their brains every time, coming up with a name for newborn kitten...

Cats can be found everywhere here: in the house, in the garden, on all the benches and tables, near the drinking fountain, which Hemingway made especially for them. In several places there are huge bowls of dry food, next to which you will probably see some Greta Garbo just having lunch ... And not far from the exit is a cat cemetery where cats have been buried since the 30s, and on each gravestone is engraved the name and dates of the life of the deceased ...

After the museum, I advise you to go to Sloppy Joe's bar. This is "Dad's" favorite bar, and this place I would call the "small branch" of the museum.

Here you can see a stuffed fish that Hemingway caught, his photographs. The menu features various of the writer's favorite foods and drinks, some of which are named as such: "Hemingway's favorite double hamburger," for example.

Well, if you are lucky and you find yourself here in mid-July, during the so-called "Sloppy Joe's Hemingway" - this is a doubles competition, very popular here, you can even drink a mug of ice beer in the company of an almost real "Hemingway".

Festivals and holidays

In general, I must say that in Key West they love and know how to have fun. Every month, various competitions and festivals are held here, so the chance to get to some kind of celebration is very high - this is the Robert Frost festival, and the theater festival, and all kinds of music holidays ... In a word, there would be a desire to celebrate, but you can always find a reason .

One such event is the "sunset festival" held in Mallory Square. Locals, speaking about it, "accidentally" forget to mention that this festival is daily. And we were terribly in a hurry to the embankment, afraid to be late ... And only then we realized that after all, sunset happens every day!

Every day, hundreds of people come to the embankment to watch the sunset. Various street musicians, clowns, artists, souvenir dealers gather here, you can also try local exotic dishes and drinks. Well, after watching the sunset, go to some small restaurant or cafe, or just take a walk around the city.

By the way, do not be surprised by the huge number of homosexual couples. The fact is that Key West is one of the centers of America's sexual minorities, so there are a lot of hotels, shops, clubs and bars over which a rainbow flag flutters - the official flag of homosexuals and lesbians.

Our trip to Key West is coming to an end. But, having been here at least once, I want to come back again. The people in Key West are friendly and welcoming, the ocean is warm and gentle, the beaches are wonderful, the food is delicious and varied... What else do you need to be happy? I just want to say: Key West is a heavenly delight!

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