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Key West Basics |
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 © istockphoto.com/Spanic |
Key West, the southernmost point in the Continental United States, is an eclectic, funky and fun place to visit. Because of its location between the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean, Key West was once Florida's largest city, where the locals made their livings salvaging ships that sank off its reefs. Today, the city hosts a population of 23,000 souls. The city is a very popular cruise port, with 376 cruise ship visits scheduled during 2010.
The economy of Key West is primarily based on tourism, and secondarily on the US Navy, which maintains the Naval Air Station Key West on Bolsa Chica island.
Owing to the nearby Gulf Stream, Key West enjoys a pleasant mild tropical climate year-round. The city features an average annual temperature of 77° F. November through April is the dry season, while hurricane season stretches from June through November. Direct hurricane strikes have been rare.
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Key West is a unique place. It's a town of character that's full of characters. When the cruise ships arrive, it frequently feels overwhelmed, with the tourists moving slowly down Duval Street, the main drag, trying to take it all in. Given its history, the city is without a doubt worth visiting, and an interesting time can be had by all.
Most of the cruise ships visiting Key West dock at either Pier B or at the Mallory Square dock, which is located in the Old Town section of the city. Some ships will dock at the "Old Mole," which is located in the the Truman Annex; if you're docked here, you will take a 5-minute shuttle ride into the Old Town area.
Key West is a walkable city, and there are a number of places to see and things to do in town. To get your arms around the place, one of the better things to do is to take the narrated hour-long "Conch Train" tour, which begins in Mallory Square and takes you on a winding tour of the city. You may feel ridiculous riding in the cars, but in the end it's worth it. As an alternative, print out the map of the city (in our Key West Maps section) and just start walking. You should also see our Key West On Your Own section for some background on the more rewarding and interesting things to see and do. |
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 © istockphoto.com/LizardinFla
Only 90 Miles to Cuba! |
Key West is on Eastern Time, five hours earlier than Greenwich Mean Time during Standard Time, and six hours later than GMT during Daylight Savings Time.
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English is universally spoken in Key West.
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Currency
The US dollar is the official currency in the United States.
Banks and ATMs
ATMs aren't hard to find in Key West. Most of the resort hotels have ATMs in their lobbies, and you can find other machines in restaurants and stores. In addition, there are several bank branches with ATM machines in the historic area and on the southern end of Duval Street. These include:
- First State Bank has a number of branches conveniently located in the historic area of Key West, including at 444 Whitehead Street, 522 Fleming Street, 832 Caroline Street, 500 Truman Avenue, and 1201 Simonton Street, 1 block east of Duval at Catherine Street.
- Orion Bank, 1075 Duval Street, 2 blocks south of Truman Ave.
- Wells Fargo Bank, 422 Front Street.
- Centennial Bank, 701 Whitehead Street, and 1229 Simonton Street, 1 block east of Duval at Louisa Street.
- Bank of America, 510 Southard Street, at Duval.
To see the locations of the above-mentioned ATMs, see our Key West ATM map.
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 © istockphoto.com/Tyrannosaur |
| Key West enjoys a mild, tropical climate year-round, given its close proximity to the Gulf Stream. During the winter months, cold fronts are moderated by the warm waters of the Florida Straits, and during the summer months, prevailing easterly tradewinds help cool down the summer heat. Key West has an average annual temperature of 77° F.
November to April is the dry season, notable for abundant sunshine and brief (or occasionally heavy) showers caused by cold fronts advancing from the north. The rainy season extends from May through October, and during this period you can expect a brief daily morning shower. Key West is the driest city in Florida, receiving only 39 inches of rain per year.
The water temperature varies from around 70° F in January to 87° F in July.
June through November is hurricane season. Key West has been fortunate, in that it has rarely been hit directly by a hurricane. However, in October 2005 the city incurred an 8 foot storm surge after Hurricane Wilma passed by, causing significant damage to the island.
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Key West Average Temperatures |
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Jan |
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Feb |
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Mar |
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Apr |
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May |
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Jun |
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Jul |
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Aug |
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Sep |
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Oct |
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Nov |
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Dec |
| Avg High - F |
74 |
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75 |
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78 |
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81 |
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85 |
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87 |
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88 |
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88 |
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88 |
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84 |
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80 |
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76 |
| Avg High - C |
23 |
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24 |
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26 |
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27 |
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29 |
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31 |
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31 |
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31 |
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31 |
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29 |
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27 |
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24 |
| Avg Low - F |
65 |
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65 |
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68 |
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72 |
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76 |
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78 |
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78 |
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78 |
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78 |
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75 |
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71 |
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66 |
| Avg Low - C |
18 |
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18 |
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20 |
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22 |
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24 |
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26 |
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26 |
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26 |
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26 |
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24 |
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22 |
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19 |
Key West Average Precipitation |
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Jan |
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Feb |
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Mar |
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Apr |
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May |
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Jun |
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Jul |
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Aug |
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Sep |
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Oct |
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Nov |
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Dec |
| Avg, Inches |
2.2 |
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1.5 |
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1.9 |
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2.1 |
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3.5 |
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4.6 |
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3.3 |
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5.4 |
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5.5 |
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4.3 |
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2.6 |
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2.1 |
| Avg, mm |
56 |
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38 |
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48 |
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53 |
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89 |
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117 |
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84 |
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137 |
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140 |
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109 |
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66 |
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53 |
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 © istockphoto.com/shanehughes |
Internet Cafes
You can find several internet cafes in Key West, including the following fun and convenient stores:
- Crossroads Internet Cafe, 500 Truman Ave., #7, at the corner of Truman and Duval. Relax and surf the Net while drinking your favorite beverage and enjoying some key lime pie. Internet rates are $2 for the first 10 minutes, and $.20 per minute thereafter (essentially $12/hour). Open daily, 8:00 am to 8:00 pm, Sunday through Wednesday, and 8:00 am to 10:00 pm Thursday through Saturday, year round. Phone: (305) 294-9118.
- Sippin' Internet Cafe, 424 Eaton Street. Offers a variety of good coffees, sandwiches and pastries. Internet rates are $10/hour, or $5/hour connecting your own laptop. Open daily, 7:00 am to 11:00 pm, year round. Phone: (305) 293-9444.
- Coffee Plantation, 713 Caroline Street. This popular coffee house focuses on its coffees, and offers free WIFI internet connections for your laptop. Phone: (305) 295-9808.
- Lazy @ Internet Access Cafe, 205 Elizabeth Street, near Mallory Square. Fast internet connections and great views of the harbor. Internet rates are $7.50/hour. Phone: (305) 600-0402.
- Starbucks has a store at 430 Duval St.
To see the locations of Key West's Internet Cafes/Wi-Fi locations, see our Map of Key West Internet Cafes/Wi-Fi locations.
Finding US Newspapers
US newspapers are available throughout the city, including at the two CVS drug stores: in Old Town, at 530 Truman Avenue, and at 2790 N. Roosevelt Blvd., in the Overseas Market; and at the two Walgreens drug stores: at 2805 N. Roosevelt Blvd., in the Overseas Market; and at 527 Duval Street.
Kindle Connectivity
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In Key West, you can download your Kindle newspaper and magazine subscriptions, as well as books and selected blogs, through AT&T's 3-G coverage in the city. |
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 © istockphoto.com/adamdodd |
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Local Holidays & Festivals |
Look for the following local festivals and events taking place in Key West in 2012:
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- 7th Annual Florida Keys Seafood Festival, January 14. This free festival celebrates the area's indigenous seafood and the fishermen who harvest it; it's held at Bayview Park, located at Truman Avenue and Eisenhower Drive.
- Key West Craft Show, January 28 and 29. Features handmade arts and crafts created by over 100 artisans from throughout the U.S.
- Civil War Heritage Festival, February 10 through 12. Here you'll discover Civil War reenactments at Ft. Zachary Taylor State Park.
- Old Island Days Art Festival, February 25 and 26. This is the festival's 47th year, featuring a juried fine art show in Old Town.
- Conch Shell Blowing Contest, March 3, at the Oldest House and Gardens, 322 Duval Street, at 1:30 pm. Register for the "Conch Honk" from 11:30 to 1:00. It's free to register and compete. This is the 50th year of the contest.
- 17th Annual Robert Frost Poetry Festival, mid-April. This five day festival offers poetry readings, workshops, and contests at the Robert Frost Cottage, 410 Caroline St.
- 30th Annual Conch Republic Independence Celebration, April 20 through April 29. Ten days of parades, parties, bacchanalia and and humorous events.
- 17th Annual Taste of Key West, April 23. Local restaurants provide samples of their fare. From 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm, at the Truman Waterfront Pier.
- Key West Songwriters Fest, May 2 to 6. Many noteworthy songwriters from throughout the country offer performances in Key West.
- Independence Day Celebrations, July 4. Fireworks after sunset launched from the White Street pier.
- Hemingway Days Festival, July 19 through 21. Daily events celebrating the literary works and life of Ernest Hemingway. There's also a Hemingway look-alike contest at Sloppy Joes on the 19th.
- Key West Fantasy Fest, October 19 through 28. More Key West bacchanalia, featuring outrageous costumes, parades, parties and competitions. Not generally a kid-friendly event.
- Key West New Year's Eve Celebrations, December 31. You have a choice of witnessing a wench drop at Schooner Wharf, a conch shell drop at Sloppy Joe's Bar, and a drag queen drop on Duval Street, featuring Sushi, a local drag queen celebrity. CNN covers it live.
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 © istockphoto.com/SDdT |
Key West is one of the most popular ports in the Caribbean, and typically included in 7- and 10-day Western Caribbean itineraries. In 2012, Key West will host just over 805,000 cruise ship passengers sailing on 328 ships. If you'd like to see which cruise ships are scheduled to make port in Key West, check out our Key West Cruise Ship Schedule - 2012.
The following cruise lines make port in Key West:
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Carnival |
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Royal Caribbean |
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Celebrity Cruises |
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Holland America |
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Costa Cruises |
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NCL |
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Disney Cruises |
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Regent Cruises |
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MSC Cruises |
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Oceania Cruises |
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Silversea Cruises |
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Hapag-Lloyd |
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Crystal Cruises |
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 © istockphoto.com/madisonwi |
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© 2008-2012 CruisePortInsider.com |
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