Sightseeing in Key West

Key West sightseeing comes in many shapes and sizes. For the hurried or inexperienced, Key West can be little more than a night at the hotel and a stroll down Duval Street. But those who bite that bait miss the real Key West. Key West sightseeing can be an afternoon excursion or a week long journey through the alleys and lanes that dot this tiny island paradise. Dig a little deeper, go beyond the tacky T-shirt shops with naughty and raunchy sayings, the key lime pie emporiums, and the souvenir stores grouped at one end of Duval Street. Get insiders' knowledge of the charming historical rebellious side of Key West that got started when pirates first landed here, continued when smugglers came to town, wreckers landed, and then the military arrived. Key West would be a top tourist destination even without the coral reef just beyond its shores, the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico, and the flats waters all around. Its history is colorfu and full of dangerous characters and all sorts of scamps and wheeler-dealers, original thinkers and artists.

This is a city that three times has threatened to secede from the Union and establish its own republic. It's a city whose former mayor water-skied all the way to Cuba to emphasize the importance of the U.S. Navy's presence. (And whose more recent one faced a federal charge of corruption.) It's a city whose melting-pot character permits a large, liberal base to mingle with crusty natives (called Conchs) to mingle with Miami wheeler-dealers, out-of-work smugglers, and assorted other scallywags. The colorful history and Victorian architecture will provide unlimited sights to see.

Attractions

Museums

Nature Tours

Parks and Beaches

Shopping

Galleries

Key West Sunset

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