Key West Florida?

Key West is a sunny fun happy place. My advise, wear what the locals wear. That means, if it 75F outside, where long pants because they think its "cold". You'll get better service if you appear to be a local. A good time to go is in the summer because all the tourists leave for cooler parts.

As for the drive, its four long boring hours. With a max speed limit of 55 and an average of 35.

My experiences of being there: I loved it. The food was great. There was lots to do. The people are nice. And the beach was heavenly.

 

Yuck, did enjoy the chickens running around. They like to eat your left over chicken (No lie).

As a Florida resident and have been all my life, any well known area has been destroyed by visitors. Mostly from people coming in and just trashing the place. But there is a few beaches (I assume this is why your going to Miami/Keys) that are post card perfect, make friends with a local.

 

Key West is a great place. It is a long drive from Miami, but it is a pretty drive. Be sure to see Hemmingway's house and the sunset at Mallory Dock.

 

The seven mile bridge provides a very scenic route.

Other than that, Key West isn't anything memorable. I had fun there doing jet ski's, sunfish, and snorkeling, but the location itself is meh.

 

September, the end of hurricane season and the hottest weather of all. You'll love it.

Key West's main shopping street is Duval Street. Its a bit like Bourbon.

 

I've only been during spring break, which meant having a numb face for 5 days and walking around everywhere with a 64oz bubba keg full of Don-Q, water, and Coolade mix. I have no idea the name of the hotel we all stayed at, but it was right across from the "beach." From pictures of all of us out, it looks like we had a lot of fun on Duval Street

That said, everything in the keys is laid back. No one is in a rush to get anything done...

 

There are no truly nice beaches on Key West proper.
The drive from Miami is long, but impressive. The history of what seems like an insane idea to make an overland connection is interesting.
Duval is Bourbon Street with less history.
Nice view from the lighthouse.
You can do the must do touristy land marks of the southernmost buoy and the U.S. 1 end sign.
We took a seaplane out to Fort Jefferson At the Dry Tortugas for a day of exploring and snorkeling. Expensive, but the view from the air on the low flight is amazing.
Sunset at Mallory is a spectacle, albeit a touristy one.

Enjoy.

OBTW, remember September is the height of Atlantic hurricane season.

 

I love Key West and the rest of the Florida Keys as well. I wish I could move down there.

The best time in Key West is Fantasy Fest at Halloween. It's like Mardi Gras with fewer rednecks.

 

I know this is an old thread, but if you live down this way its worth reviving.
Key West and the rest of the Keys are great.
We have been a few times and wonder why it took so long to get down that way.
Its a 7 hour drive for us straight down 95, but worth every minute of it.
The Florida Keys are more than just Key West, Marathon is sport fishing paradise and the diving and boating are top notch.
It sucks that crappy towns like Lauderdale and Miami are between the keys and us, otherwise I would move south in a heart beat.
Anyone else wanna talk Parrot head, get on and lets hear your best Keys story.

 

I've liked it. Sun, sand, snorkeling, unique atmosphere, have some Stone Crab claws.