Key West travel guide

Key West Vacation: Fishing Adventures and More

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Most people know that Key West is a tropical paradise, but there’s more to this beautiful city than you might think. First, there’s the obvious appeal of the beach and the ocean. The weather is gorgeous twelve months out of the year and the fishing charters in Key West are second to none.

There’s also the world famous Key West vibe. It’s the laid-back, bohemian way of life that’s made Key West such a popular destination for artists and writers over the years. And this is just the beginning. Intriguing, beautiful, and always more than a little off-kilter, Key West is a vacation spot you just won’t want to miss. Read on to discover just a sampling of the city’s many charms. Get ready for your Key West Vacation.

Key West Basics

The eight square miles of Key West make up the southernmost city in the continental United States. It’s been home to rebellious types for two hundred years and welcomes radical thinking even today. Nowhere in the world will you find a city that simultaneously provokes and relaxes you quite like Key West.

key west travel guide

Key West’s location contributes a great deal to its fascination and cultural appeal. Though technically part of the United States, Key West is actually closer to Cuba than it is to Miami. This amounts to an alluring collision of cultures and lends the city an eclectic and uniquely cosmopolitan feel.

As you can probably see, the essence of Key West is something that’s difficult to describe in mere words. It’s something you just have to experience to understand. But in the meantime, let’s have a look at some of the most intriguing portals you can find on a Key West Vacation.

Fishing Charters on a Key West Vacation

Like we’ve already said, Key West is inseparable from the oceans that surrounds it. Key West is unparalleled when it comes to exotic fishing adventures. Its waters are teeming with hundreds of incredible species of exotic fish, each with its own distinctive appeal. No matter what kind of fishing experience you’re after, the incredible guides in Key West will deliver it and then some.

key west travel guide

Imagine yourself targeting amberjack, shark, and barracuda among the many famous shipwrecks that litter the ocean floor around Key West. Or maybe you’d prefer the breathtaking natural beauty of fishing the Great Florida Reef, where you could go after anything from table fish like snapper and grouper to ferocious fighters like the sailfish or the African pompano.

Either way, the great fishing charters in Key West have you covered. And it doesn’t matter how much experience you and your party have either– Key West is full of fishing experts and the perfect guide is just a click away.

The Alluring Contradictions of Key West

Key West is a slippery city. The word that comes to mind is kaleidoscopic. One minute, you’re drenched in the beautiful yellow sun atop one of the incredible fishing charters in Key West, the next you’re up to your ears in the sophistication of literary festivals and art galleries.

key west travel guide

In fact, you never know what you’ll end up getting into a Key West vacation. There’s a looseness about the city, a sense of intrigue and freedom that visitors carry back home long after they’ve left. So even though we’re about to present some intriguing suggestions, always remember that it’s perfectly okay to let your instincts be your true guide.

What to Do in Key West

Again, words can’t possibly do Key West the justice it deserves, but here are 10 suggestions to get your Key West vacation juices flowing:

  1. Take in the nightlife of Duval Street in Old Town for an evening
  2. Take a day trip to Dry Tortugas National Park
  3. Visit the Ernest Hemingway Home and Museum
  4. Get an up-close look at the underwater world of Key West with a snorkeling or glass-bottom boat expedition
  5. Check out the nightly spectacle you’ll find on Mallory Square
  6. Ride a seaplane to historic Fort Jefferson
  7. Get familiar with the ocean’s smartest mammal during a dolphin encounter
  8. Check out the essence of the city’s quirkiness at the Key West Cemetery
  9. Get political with an afternoon at Harry S Truman’s Little White House
  10. Take a peek at the morbid side of Key West history at Captain Tony’s Saloon

Hopefully, the ideas we’ve presented here have primed you for an incredible Key West vacation. But it’s important to remember that you could be dropped anywhere in Key West and still be able to sniff out an adventure. The suggestions we’ve provided here are merely a blueprint. You can plan all you want, but Key West is a city that will end up taking you where it wants you to go anyway.  All you’ll need to do is pay attention.

More things to do on a Key West Vacation