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Gopher Key on Cudjoe Bay! |
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Vacation Rental Description
Great swimming, boating, diving and snorkeling is all around you! A boat launch and concrete dock is on the property along with lush tropical gardens. And just 15 miles from shopping and sightseeing in Key West!
Vacation Rental Amenities
Activities and Attractions
A memorable vacation of a lifetime is right here for you in sunny Florida! Minutes by boat to the best diving and snorkeling in North America! Great sport fishing, boating, sailing, and windsurfing takes place right from our dock! Sightseeing and shopping inVacation Rentals MAKE A RESERVATION
Key West is just 15 miles away! Whether bicycling or swimming, you'll be in awe of the lush tropical gardens and exotic wildlife that surround you. Relax by our oceanfront pool, golf, or take a tour of the pristine wildlife preserve in the backcountry! It's a national treasure! And Bahia Honda - the best beach in the Keys (and many think the world) is just minutes away! After another memorable day in paradise, let the tropical ocean breeze caress you as you sip an afternoon tea or other beverage in our shaded lounge area. It's all within a few minutes of your quiet and comfortable accommodations.
WHY DO PEOPLE COME TO KEY WEST? There is a unique, almost undefinable quality to Key
West that draws people to this isolated community where U.S. 1 terminates.
Part of the attraction may be the fact that this is the end of the
road, the farthest point south on the continental United States. Talk
to people in Mallory Square or over a frosted beer at Sloppy Joe's
or Captain Tony's and you'll begin to sense a thread of continuity
in what they say. To many, Key West represents a form of escape--from
the harsh weather, certainly, but also from the responsibilities of
life. Here can be found the young actress who never quite made it
on Broadway, the portrait artist who wanted to study in Paris, the
land speculator who lost a fortune and the sad-eyed beauty recovering
from a tragic love affair. Key West has also attracted the successful
and the famous: Ernest Hemingway, Tennessee Williams, Philip Caputo,
Winslow Homer, Harry Truman, John Audubon and Frederick Remington,
to name only a few. All of them have left their mark, their imprint,
on this tiny coral island. Their presence is still felt, sometimes
in the tangible form of the homes they lived in, but also in their
writing, their thinking and their artistic expression. One of Hemingway's
primary enthusiasms in Key West was sport fishing, a passion that
is reflected in his writing. He spent weeks on the water with his
cronies, in quest of the ultimate marlin. Key West is still a major
center for deep sea fishing. The waters abound with over 600 varieties
of fish: giant marlin, amberjack, dolphin, kingfish, sailfish and
tarpon.
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AMERICAN'S ONLY CARIBBEAN ISLAND Key West has been called American's only Caribbean Island! It's the southernmost part of the United States and unlike its Caribbean neighbors; it can be reached by car, bus, plane and boat! Key West's airport serves both international and domestic flights. And a high speed catamaran from Miami, cruise ships, and other public and private vessels regularly pull into the docks at Key West. And KeyWest has a temperature that is nearly perfect all year round. The mean temperature varies by only 15 degrees. |
SOME MONEY SAVING IDEAS If you're planning on taking a trip to Key West this summer, here are some hints that will help your wallet: Make sure to keep an eye out for special deals. You can find numerous food and drink deals online or pick up coupons when you get to the island. Many places offer 10 percent off meal tabs or buy-one-get-one-free drink deals. (Some places go as far as to offer complimentary first drinks.) To make the most out of museum and boat tours, go in the morning hours. You'll see a heck of a lot more before noon, when things start getting a little more crowded. It's safe to assume that most people are sleeping or slowly waking up over late breakfasts during the early- to mid-morning hours. When renting scooters, rent them in 24-hour segments. Renting them on a daily basis is cheaper than renting them from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. You'll find that once you turn the scooter in at 5 p.m., you'll want to go to the other end of the island for some reason or another. If you really want to pinch your pennies, rent a bike instead (around $8 for a 24-hour period). This is significantly cheaper and combines a little exercise with your vacation. Stay at a Bed & Breakfast (or a hotel that offers breakfast). Since
the food is a little pricey in Key West, you'll save money by staying
at a B&B, which offers a hearty breakfast as a part of the overall
room rate. |
THE SOUTHERNMOST POINT
This tropical paradise is situated at the southernmost point of the United States, hence it's nickname "The Southernmost Point." It's also commonly referred to as Margaritaville, The Conch Republic and Cayo Hueso. Here's more. The two-by-three-mile island sits right where the Atlantic Ocean meets the Gulf of Mexico and is the last of the chain of islands that extends off the coast of Florida. What island am I writing about? Key West of course! Key West is a fisherman's paradise and a drinker's oasis. (Not to mention, a great place for the stresser's R&R). As soon as you arrive in Key West, the city's "live and let live" attitude will greet you. Thoughts of a 9-5 workweek will vanish as the island's laid-back atmosphere slaps you in the face. Key West officially became a part of Florida in 1826. Over the years, the city has transformed from a shipbuilding mecca to a preservation of the past. Once the main industries moved out of Key West in the 1930s, the island's residents switched their focus to restoring and renovating the city's historic past, which has become one of the major draws to area tourism over the years. Such greats as Ernest Hemingway and Harry Truman strutted their stuff in Key West. In fact, Hemingway wrote a number of his major works while living in Key West, including "For Whom the Bell Tolls." (Other writers that lived in Key West include Tennessee Williams, Wallace Stevens and James Merrill.) Key West has grown immensely over the past five years or so. Once you visit, it becomes evident why. Key West offers so much to do; it's no wonder the city has grown into a vacation hotspot. It's not just an island stop on the way to another island anymore. With the world's third-largest coral reef only seven miles off its coast and the rich history that surrounds this "Island of Bones," Key West has turned into a hub for writers, artists and uptight mainlanders. And, you'll recognize these artists and writers right off the bat. Duvall Street is lined with starving artists - painters and poets. As one whips out his paintbrush, offering an artist's rendition, another barters with you - "a penny for a poem?" You'll more than likely know the tourists when you see them (maybe because you are one), but for the most part, Key Westers will stand out - as they pride themselves on their Bohemian lifestyles. More than once you'll run into a tattooed beatnik, shirtless, en route to one of Key West's many bars. This isn't uncommon (most bars open around 9 a.m.). You'll pass vendors on the streets selling everything from handcrafted necklaces and trinkets to frozen lemonade. This is the Key West lifestyle - one very similar to that of New Orleans. Things to Do Besides water activities, Key West is home to a number of museums and
tropical gardens. The following is a list of notable places to visit
during your stay in the Keys: |
FANTASY FEST
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LOOE KEY NATIONAL MARINE SANCTUARY is
located approximately five nautical miles south of Big Pine Key. Popular
for skin diving, snorkeling, fishing and boating, the sanctuary is considered
by many to be the most spectacular reef in the Lower Keys. The remains
of the H.M.S. Looe which sank in 1744, and for which the sanctuary is
named, still remains on the ocean floor within the sanctuary boundaries.
FLORIDA KEYS Throughout the sanctuary are majestic slopes, ledges and 7000 years of coral growth. A cave is located to the north in 12 feet of water. There are 39 buoys within the sanctuary. Near buoy #17 you will find tall coral formations that allow for good diving. Elkhorn coral is located to the northeast and a massive star coral on a pedestal can be found just south of the eyebolt. FLORIDA KEYS You are sure to see sand patches near buoy #39. If you snorkel south of the buoy you will venture into a coral reef nursery inhabited by young coral recruits, juvenile fish and green conch. It is very important that you not stand or touch in this coral nursery area. FLORIDA KEYS You will find many reputable charter boats as well as private captains to take you on a day of safe boating. For additional information on the Looe Key National Marine Sanctuary call (305)-292-0311 |