Key West. Good life!

Key West. You’ve always seen in movies how Americans retire to Florida, to the warmth, to the good life, and to live in peace. Key West is just one of these fantastic sites but not just anyone can retire here. It is not a cheap place at all and it is difficult to find a house where you can spend your old age in a perpetual summer. Here, too, the US Navy has an extremely important base, so it is not at all strange to see military sailors on the street dressed in their famous white clothes.

The southernmost place in continental America. Or the closest place in America to Cuba. Or the place in America that looks like the Caribbean. These are only three descriptions of this series of islands – that’s what it is. A line of islands in a straight line ending in Key West. Islands connected by a highway almost as famous as Route 66. Highway 1 US. And it has this name because they also had to start somewhere with the counting and they thought that this place is the most suitable.

There are countless bridges that cross the sea and the highway passes through small and chic towns to get there. The road is absolutely wonderful and worth every moment spent there. It’s about 260 miles from Miami to “the end” of America, and there’s only this road to get there. The rich obviously don’t use it. They have helicopters, planes… Havana is closer to Key West than Miami, being only 160 km above sea level. 13 minutes by plane or 2 days by rubber boat if you are Cuban and flee the country. The nearest point in Cuba is only 145 km or 90 nautical miles away. There is also a famous spot in Key West where pictures are taken.

It’s one of the most beautiful roads I’ve ever traveled. Every bridge you cross, longer or shorter, the towns, the shops on the side, the mailboxes decorated in every way possible, the old bridge broken by the waters that sometimes accompanies you, the water on both sides, the wonderful neighborhoods of the small bays. There are a lot of things that steal your eye and the almost three hours of travel seem less to you.

The city of Key West is not very large in population. There are about 27,000 inhabitants. Locals. But it is stretched and it is difficult to walk to visit it unless you are staying there for a few days. Especially since there are a lot of places to visit. We took two bikes for $15 + $ 2 fees each and rode everywhere. It’s a cool option.

The funniest thing about Key West is the roosters and chickens roaming the city. They are not someone’s property. They’re like pigeons, so to speak. They roam around the streets in groups and I’ve seen them fight more than once. What are they fighting over? Over the territory, power … they are simply roosters and jump to scandal. I don’t know but there are extremely many, everywhere and super funny.

It is a quiet and peaceful town in the absence of tourists but full of life when they appear. There are lots of bars with live music and no windows in the center. Tourists buy and buy from beer to the famous lemon pie and pro-Trump T-shirts. There are wooden houses with a level or two in the American colonial style of the nineteenth century and tropical vegetation everywhere.

Cozy beaches, Hemingway’s museum house, President Truman’s second White House, museums, and the tower from where you can admire the city.

Hemingway’s house

The famous writer, Nobel laureate, and Pulitzer Prize winner, lived here for only about 8-9 years but owned the house until his death. Today it is a museum and it is across the road from the Key West Lighthouse on the way to the beach.

It’s a colonial-style house, with one floor, full of cats, a beautiful swimming pool, and lots of paintings and objects that belonged to the great writer.

If you want to pay a visit, the price of a ticket is $13 / adult and $6 for children over 5 years old.

It is open daily, including public holidays, from 9 am to 5 pm. In Ernest Hemingway’s house, you will also get acquainted with the approximately 50 6-fingered cats, descendants of a feline that Ernest called Snow White and received from the captain of a ship.

The house, built in 1851, was one of the first on the island to be equipped with indoor plumbing and the first on the island to have an upstairs bathroom with running water, powered by a rainwater cistern on the roof. And in the 1930s, it was the first swimming pool in Key West.

Key West White House

Another must-see place in Key West is the house where President Truman lived for a long time during his tenure. It was renamed the Florida White House. It was then used as a holiday home by several presidents. Eisenhower, Kennedy and Carter stayed here and led the USA from a chill and relaxed place. It’s like a vacation home for American presidents. An official one. Today it is a museum, it is visited by tourists and one of the ladies at the entrance is called Elena and she has Romanian origins.

The beaches of Key West

Because we rode bikes, we had the opportunity to see some beaches. Extra fine sand, super warm and shallow water, clear and wonderful. They are not huge but they are beautiful and worth taking a bath at, at least once.

We found 2 in Key West: one at Zachary Taylor Fort (w. paid access) and Smather’s Beach (free access). But people come here for excursions in the area with various boats for snorkeling, diving, fishing, or simply a beautiful day at sea.

There are plenty of things to do in Key West, but the most fun way to experience the historic city is to rent a scooter and explore the city’s beach roads and shops, with the sun on your face and the wind in your hair. A leisurely bike ride also gives you a similar effect with lower speed. As I mentioned above, we chose the bikes and we were not sorry. Some places to stay in Key West include The Eden House, Orchid Key Inn, and Almond Tree Inn.

I had a great time in this wonderful place and hope to return next year to see more places in Florida. Key West captivated me with its streets full of tall palm trees and small, pastel houses with great desserts, beautiful beaches, and unforgettable sunsets.