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KEY WEST

A 3-by-5 mile Island with historic homes, quaint restaurants and "local's bars", Key West, Florida offers a treat for the tired masses that flock here to relax and explore the weird, wild and wonderful sites that make it unique. Key West's 'live and let live' attitude is rooted in a twisted, varied and often puzzling history. Originally called "Cayo Hueso" - Island of Bones - one can only conclude that Key West was once perhaps a burial ground for the Caloosa Indians, but no one has yet found any bones. Ponce de Leon claimed Key West for Spain in 1513, but it came under British rule in 1763. Key West officially became a city and a part of Florida in 1826. Key West is one of America's true architectural and botanical treasures. On even the tiniest lanes, the locals have faithfully restored old wooden homes and adorned them with lush tropical trees and flowers. The historic Bahama Village neighborhood, which was settled in the 19th Century by Bahamian immigrants, was one of Hemingway’s favorite places to visit - coming here to mix with the hard-working locals at boxing matches and arm-wrestling contests. In this city of fascinating contrasts, you could easily find yourself wanting to let go of mainland hassles permanently.

Activities: At the end of the Florida Keys Overseas Highway (US 1), discover a city where real estate titles date back to the Kings of Spain. Stroll the palm-lined streets and discover gingerbread mansions, tin-roofed conch houses, the John Audubon House and Ernest Hemingway's home. Walk in the footsteps of Thomas Edison, Lou Gehrig, Harry Truman, and Tennessee Williams. Enjoy boating, fishing and dolphin tours. Discover one of the most beautiful sites in Key West: the sunsets. Local's and tourists alike take the stroll down Duval Street to Mallory Square to the Sunset Celebration. There you'll find live entertainers performing music, magic, tight rope walking and other fun and zany antics.