Key West in January

Seems that the Admiral and I are headed that way for the first week in January. Other than lying on the beach, enjoying the sun and warmth (I hope) and hitting a few (a very few) tourist traps, is there anything interesting to do or see? Any interesting boating stuff, marina walks open to the gawking public, etc?

are you a cigar smoker? Love the shop on Duval not in Malory square, great place to hang out and waste a day....

jlamb15 wrote:
are you a cigar smoker? Love the shop on Duval not in Malory square, great place to hang out and waste a day....

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*Not cigars but cigs. Wife can't stand either.

dwhatty wrote:
Seems that the Admiral and I are headed that way for the first week in January. Other than lying on the beach, enjoying the sun and warmth (I hope) and hitting a few (a very few) tourist traps, is there anything interesting to do or see? Any interesting boating stuff, marina walks open to the gawking public, etc?

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*I was there (Key West) In August. Couldn't find much in the way of decent public beaches. Most of the luxury hotels have them locked up with private access, as were most of the docks.*

As far as hitting a few tourist traps, well, it's like the whole place is a tourist trap.* Great*food, great music, great people watching, lots of junky trinkets, and*a *gazillion t-shirt shops.* At night, Duvall St. is insane. Bring a fat wallet.*

I found it more interesting driving up to the less populated Keys.*Have fun.** KJ**

Key West is interesting. However, I prefer marathon. better beaches, better over all. Kew West has some great food,wife enjoyed sunset. The Hemingway property is interesting as is the Truman "WhiteHouse".

Have fun

John

Love Key West and hope to go there by boat sometime. The Admiral and I were married there 19 years ago beneath the Banyon trees beside the Key West Lighthouse. It is well worth seeing as is the Ernest Hemingway home with the salt water pool. Be sure to check out the Mel Fisher Maritime Museum. Mallory Square is where you go to watch Sunset. The last time on the Island was last Christmas on a cruise and we rented scooters and loved it!

Parked the boat in Boot Key's mooring field (Marathon) & drove a rental car to Key West. Spent the day, took the Conch train tour & walked about a good bit. Thunder stormed for the sunset thing, so we drove back to the boat. Great place to be a tourist & part w/$$'s. Great place for a visit, lots of colorful characters & great scenery. We aren't beach folks, so I can't comment on that facet of our trip. Lots of facinating nooks & crannies to explore by dinghy, tho'. Enjoy your visit, stay warm & send some of those torture notes to the rest of us stuck in the north; You know, the ones that say " cool day here, only got to 75" .
Have a great time, & a great Xmas

For some good cheap amusement, hard to beat the Malory Square Circus. If you have ever seen a lion show at a circus, visualize it with cats. Show is free; tip if you enjoyed it.

*
<h1 class="Light">Key West Carnival With Trained Cats, Mallory Square</h1>

Key West Carnival With Trained Cats, Mallory Square

NO GROOMING ON STAGE!!!

We were married at the Hemingway House with a steel drum player as our "wedding band"!!!...and a Key Lime wedding cake of course!

*

There is a place called the "Garden of Eden" up on top of another bar...3rd floor actually. *There are no signs for it and it is on Duval but I don't know the cross street. *It is "clothing optional" and somewhat interesting. *Go in at your own risk!!!! *


-- Edited by Baker on Friday 2nd of December 2011 11:20:57 AM

baker wrote:
we were married at the hemingway house with a steel drum player as our "wedding band"!!!...and a key lime wedding cake of course!

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*love it!

I haven't been to Key West in almost 30 years. I was unimpressed, the place seemed pretty much dead. But, I was much younger then and although I thought I knew everything I actually knew nothing. Maybe I missed what was going on.

My sister was good friends with one of Mel Fisher's daughters.* My father had a chance to invest in Fisher's treasure hunting operation but declined.* My mother never let's him hear the end of it.

It sure sounds like things have livened up a bit and gotten a lot more interesting.* I've been considering a visit in January or February.* I just might have to make some travel plans.

Thanks for the replies. Sounds like a cross between tacky tourist and not too much going on.

A plus is that our lodging will be free for a week as a sister-in-law and her husband are renting a house.

A so-so is that all my wife's siblings and spouses will be there, plus some nieces and nephews. From past experiences, this good be okay or awful.

Baker wrote:There is a place called the "Garden of Eden" up on top of another bar...3rd floor actually. *There are no signs for it and it is on Duval but I don't know the cross street. *It is "clothing optional" and somewhat interesting. *Go in at your own risk!!!!**

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*Baker,

Is that the same one that the Transvestites hang out in front of?* On the right as you head for the sunset on Duval.

KW can be Heaven or Hell, really depends on what you are looking for.

dwhatty wrote:Thanks for the replies. Sounds like a cross between tacky tourist and not too much going on.

A plus is that our lodging will be free for a week as a sister-in-law and her husband are renting a house.

A so-so is that all my wife's siblings and spouses will be there, plus some nieces and nephews. From past experiences, this good be okay or awful.

Click to expand...

Here is a little off the road place that is outstanding.* The trouble is you won't be able to take a big party.* The place is really small but it is outstanding*.* The bar seats four or five and there are may be ten table if that.* You need reservations.

http://www.7fish.com/?page_id=1

One of the best in town.* If we go no place else we go to the 7 Fish.

JD wrote:Baker wrote:There is a place called the "Garden of Eden" up on top of another bar...3rd floor actually. *There are no signs for it and it is on Duval but I don't know the cross street. *It is "clothing optional" and somewhat interesting. *Go in at your own risk!!!!**

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*Baker,

Is that the same one that the Transvestites hang out in front of?* On the right as you head for the sunset on Duval.

*JD, is that where you got the pink robe with the white fuzzy trim?* It's just to die for.

Moonstruck wrote:JD wrote:Baker wrote:There is a place called the "Garden of Eden" up on top of another bar...3rd floor actually. *There are no signs for it and it is on Duval but I don't know the cross street. *It is "clothing optional" and somewhat interesting. *Go in at your own risk!!!!**

Click to expand...

*Baker,

Is that the same one that the Transvestites hang out in front of?* On the right as you head for the sunset on Duval.

*JD, is that where you got the pink robe with the white fuzzy trim?* It's just to die for.

*No as a matter of fact I got the feather Boa there.*

The damn pink robe was to be red for a Santa coat but the dye just wouldn't take.* Well it won Best Costume any way.* Maybe I should have had my feather Boa on as well.


-- Edited by JD on Friday 2nd of December 2011 05:26:02 PM

"I thought I knew everything I actually knew nothing. Maybe I missed what was going on."

You missed the hotels with the naked guys frolicking in the pool?

In the past decades AIDS wiped out much of the male KW population , tho the Gay LADIES still own/operate many of the shops and resturants .

The real killer came when tour boats decided it was a "stop" , and the many interesting shoppes were replaced with brand name T shirt emporiums.

Nowhere will ever be "like it was" 30-40 years ago, tho KW still is promoted as a Gay Mecca world wide in its tourist advertising.

For us old straight cruisers its still a good stop. Still one magazine shop with a really fine inventory, loads of small places for a nice lunch, and the cat show and sunset cant be beat.

And a very pricy marine area at one hardware store.

If you can still drunk like you did years ago, there are plenty of late evening pubs open to crawl too and from.

FF wrote:

If you can still drunk like you did years ago, there are plenty of late evening pubs open to crawl too and from.

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*I can almost (well, not rreally) drink that way still, but unfortunately bedtime is now 9 pm.

David, there is an occasional weekend that promotes "pride" day as I recall, but it is still fun as heck down there. The smaller the transportation you are on - the easier to get around.

For the last few years we've rented a house on Big Pine Key in February.* My favorite thing to do is to rent a skiff and get out in the back country on the flats.* I like to flyfish, but even if you don't fish it's a great boating experience.* I've heard it described as a graduate course in small boating.* From someone from the Northwest, it's wonderful to be in an area where the deep channels are 6 feet and most of the water is from 1-4 feet deep.* You can see everything on the bottom including turtles, rays, sharks, barracuda, sponges, etc. Don't do it by yourself without a good gps.* I take my portable one with me in case the rental boat doesn't have one.

When the wind comes up and we can't get out on the water, we drive in to Key West.* We rent bikes or scooters and get off of Duvall.* There are great neighborhoods to explore and you can see the whole town from a bike in an afternoon.* Go to Fort Taylor and the downtown cemetery.

For the 9:00 pm bedtime crowd, the Green Parrot Bar is a great place.* It's filled with baby boomers in the late afternoon and early evening, so the band that's playing the 10:00 pm set usually does a "sound check" at 5:30 that's really an early set for the older crowd.

We ate at the Marquesa Restaurant last year and went back again the next night.* It's a small restaurant in the Marquesa Hotel.* It's pricey and you need reservations, but the food last year was phenomenal.

If you have a car, drive back up the islands and explore.* We've gone on a kayaking trip with Big Pine Kayak Adventures.* The guide is a great guy and you get to see the flats and sealife close up.* We have different customers that come to the Keys every year and we treat them to a trip with him.* We've always gotten rave reviews.

Now that you've got me thinking about the Keys, I'm going to have to go get my books and charts and start planning our trip.

Lyle

Key west is always worthwhile THE mooring field is A bit out there but I am heading there tuesday Go for it u wont be sorry

JD wrote:Baker wrote:There is a place called the "Garden of Eden" up on top of another bar...3rd floor actually. *There are no signs for it and it is on Duval but I don't know the cross street. *It is "clothing optional" and somewhat interesting. *Go in at your own risk!!!!**

Click to expand...

*Baker,

Is that the same one that the Transvestites hang out in front of?* On the right as you head for the sunset on Duval.

*Nope....you would never know this place is there unless you know where to look.

They do have a little sign now. The entrance is just a doorway and stairs going up.

Keith wrote:
They do have a little sign now. The entrance is just a doorway and stairs going up.

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Any place that subtle/discrete is probably way too hip for the likes of me.* But I'll wander in anyhow.

For eats there are a ton of places. Here's one we really enjoy.


keywestirish.com

Definitely take the trolley tour and get there early so you can get on and off at the places that interest you. For some more local fare you can go to the No Name Pub. and see the Key deer while you are there.

http://www.nonamepub.com/

sorry for the links having to be cut and paste but for some reason they aren't showing up as clickable links.

*

-- Edited by twiisted71 on Wednesday 7th of December 2011 06:25:50 AM



-- Edited by twiisted71 on Wednesday 7th of December 2011 06:28:21 AM


-- Edited by twiisted71 on Wednesday 7th of December 2011 06:28:51 AM

well. it's confirmed....Im a tacky tourist, trapped......because I love Key West....

Me too!!! I have to say, every time I go I never get the time to stay long enough and always feel the need to have to go back. What for?????....which is basically what the OP is asking.....and my answer is I have no ****in' clue....I just want to back. It is probably a lot like heroin(not that I would know).....it feels good while you are there although you really don't remember what happened but you really want to go back so you can feel that feeling again!!!!!


-- Edited by Baker on Wednesday 7th of December 2011 11:34:32 AM

Well I'm a "three days is enough".* But I love going back.

I*feel the same about NO and the French Quarter.