Whether you’re looking for a romantic getaway or a fun–filled family vacation, Key West has something for everyone. Key West’s unique culture is a mix of Caribbean, Cuban, and American influences. The city is famous for its iconic sunsets, breathtaking views, and lush tropical gardens.

Flying from Miami to Key West takes around one hour, but to me driving from Miami to Key West on the Overseas Highway is one of the most scenic drives in the world and a true adventure.

As this was our day trip we had to keep driving, but it’s worth of spending a few nights in different places along this route, explore and enjoy the stay.

The island of Key West is about 4 miles (6 kilometers) long and 1 mile (2 km) wide, with a total land area of 4.2 square miles (11 km2), therefore there was no need for a car. After we found the car parking spot we walked down the main street to find out touristic points or landmarks to be visited.

Key West Lighthouse

The first Key West lighthouse was a 65–foot (20 m) tower completed in 1825. It had 15 lamps in 15–inch (380 mm) reflectors. The Great Havana Hurricane of 1846 destroyed the lighthouse and 14 people who had sought refuge in the lighthouse tower. The new tower for the Key West Light was completed in 1848.

Today, visitors can walk up the 88 steps to the top of the light as well as explore the belongings and photographs of the Keepers and their families who lived a now obsolete, yet never forgotten, way of life."

The Hemingway Home and Museum

The Ernest Hemingway House was the residence of American writer Ernest Hemingway in the 1930s. Due to its association with Hemingway, the property is the most popular tourist attraction in Key West. It is also famous for its large population of so–called Hemingway cats, many of which are polydactyl.

The residence was constructed in 1851 in a French Colonial style by a wealthy marine architect and salvager Asa Tift. From 1931 to 1939, the house was inhabited by Hemingway and his wife Pauline Pfeiffer. They restored the decaying property and made several additions.

During his time at the home, Hemingway wrote some of his best–received works, including the non-fiction work Green Hills of Africa (1935), the 1936 short stories “The Snows of Kilimanjaro” and “The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber”, and the novels To Have and Have Not (1937) and Islands in the Stream (1970).

The bike tour around Key West

We rented bikes for the rest of the day and have made a small bike tour around the city. In Key West there has been a huge, concrete buoy that is said to mark the Southernmost Point of the continental United States. From there, Cuba is only about 90 miles away. Here are some of our memories.

And for the end a few more facts about Key West:

♦ It was originally called “Bone Island”

♦ Locals are called “Conchs”

♦ The island’s roosters and hens caused a “Chicken War”

♦ It’s closer to Havana than it is to Miami.