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Travel: Key West is a breath of fresh American air - Orange County Register
The island at the tip of the Florida Keys provides a Caribbean vibe while remaining on U.S. soil.
With growing concern over safety in the Caribbean, subtropical Key West is a breath of fresh American air. Unlike the Bahamas, Saint Lucia and Honduras, all of which have been slapped with travel warnings by the U.S. State Department, Key West has a definite Caribbean feel without the level of crime and violence associated with these popular tourist destinations. Plus, no passport is required for U.S. citizens.
As sure as Cuba is a mere 90 miles away, Key West drips less of baseball, hot dogs and apple pie and more of Ernest Hemingway, sport fishing and key lime pie. So tightly woven are these threads of Key West’s fabric, not even catastrophic Hurricane Irma in September 2017 could unravel them. The colorful city fared better than most parts of the Florida Keys, but it still dealt with its share of damage in addition to the loss of electricity and clean water. Just a few days later, however, 23,000 full-time residents resumed the laidback lifestyle they’re known for. This is, after all, where locals waste away nibblin’ on sponge cake and watchin’ the sun bake, to borrow from Jimmy Buffett’s signature song, “Margaritaville,” which was partially written here.
The island at the tip of the Florida Keys provides a Caribbean vibe while remaining on U.S. soil.
With growing concern over safety in the Caribbean, subtropical Key West is a breath of fresh American air. Unlike the Bahamas, Saint Lucia and Honduras, all of which have been slapped with travel warnings by the U.S. State Department, Key West has a definite Caribbean feel without the level of crime and violence associated with these popular tourist destinations. Plus, no passport is required for U.S. citizens.
As sure as Cuba is a mere 90 miles away, Key West drips less of baseball, hot dogs and apple pie and more of Ernest Hemingway, sport fishing and key lime pie. So tightly woven are these threads of Key West’s fabric, not even catastrophic Hurricane Irma in September 2017 could unravel them. The colorful city fared better than most parts of the Florida Keys, but it still dealt with its share of damage in addition to the loss of electricity and clean water. Just a few days later, however, 23,000 full-time residents resumed the laidback lifestyle they’re known for. This is, after all, where locals waste away nibblin’ on sponge cake and watchin’ the sun bake, to borrow from Jimmy Buffett’s signature song, “Margaritaville,” which was partially written here.