Go Back  Fodor's Travel Talk Forums > Destinations > United States
Reload this Page >

The Seedy Side of Key West

Search

The Seedy Side of Key West

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Jul 5th, 2014, 04:18 PM
  #1  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Posts: 65
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
The Seedy Side of Key West

Recently returned from a visit to Key West that did not begin auspiciously:

http://polloplayer.wordpress.com/201...y-in-key-west/

I will say, however, that we did end up enjoying ourselves there and despite this rough start I would say it is a must-see when in FL.
katydidnt is offline  
Old Jul 5th, 2014, 04:54 PM
  #2  
 
Join Date: Feb 2011
Posts: 9,171
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
You need me to be your Key West tour guide Katydidnt. That construction has been a pain in the arse for a couple of years now but suppose to be done yesterday. I hope you went to Hemingway's house. I have never set foot inside the Hard Rock in KW. We went to the first one opened in Orlando but that was enough. KW has so many great places to see off of Duval.
flpab is offline  
Old Jul 5th, 2014, 05:14 PM
  #3  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Posts: 65
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Hi flpab,

Well I wish you HAD been our guide - with just a precious two days there we should have spent the first one better. But yes, next day we went to Hemingway House - I will do a post on that next week.

Where do you think the best place to stay in KW is? The Westin was good, I would have loved to stay out on Sunset Key but very expensive and for our first trip there it was better for us to be in town.
katydidnt is offline  
Old Jul 6th, 2014, 07:05 AM
  #4  
 
Join Date: Mar 2004
Posts: 5,544
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
The charm of Key West is in the small inns that are run by the locals... too many people look for key west at the Chain hotels and that has zero ties with Old Town... some of the old can be found at places like www.historickeywestinns.com and at The Gardens Hotel, Marquesa House, but even these properties have modernized...

katydidnt research and ended up falling into the Tourist Trap that is Key West today... only about 20% of the charm of Key West from 25 years ago remains after the big money moved in...

even Sloppy Joes is not the original location, just a commercialized money machine down the street from the tavern that Hemmingway parked at...

In all, the Westin, Hilton, Hyatt and any chain there is NOT anywhere you should stay in Key West... you might as well be at your local mall... try a place like the Chelsea House, where you can get a room overlooking the Nude Sundeck (if they still allow it)...
garyt22 is offline  
Old Jul 6th, 2014, 07:46 AM
  #5  
 
Join Date: Feb 2011
Posts: 9,171
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
We stay on Trumbo point. That huge fly Navy building you see when you come into town is Trumbo. We can stay there, condos or trailers. We are retired Navy and my husband was stationed there in the 80's. We ride our bikes everywhere but have our local stops and over on Truman annex have a beach on the Navy base that has the true southernmost point. I always tell people to stay at Truman annex in a rental but there are some great B&Bs as Gary22 said.
flpab is offline  
Old Jul 6th, 2014, 10:30 AM
  #6  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Posts: 65
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
The Truman Annex area looked very appealing! If we go back I will definitely check on staying there.

I also saw what looked like a large inn on a beach point not far from the Sourthernmost Marker, I believe. I didn't see the name of it but it looked interesting from the outside.
katydidnt is offline  
Old Jul 7th, 2014, 11:56 AM
  #7  
 
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 3,011
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Next time, try The Gardens Hotel. It is just a little bit of Heaven on earth. I recommend you try Michaels, Deuce's Off the Hook Grill, Seven Fish or Sarabeths. All great places to dine.
charsuzan is offline  
Old Jul 26th, 2014, 10:56 AM
  #8  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Posts: 65
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
charsuzan - looked up the Gardens Hotel and it does indeed look like the place to stay! Thanks for the tip!
katydidnt is offline  
Old Jul 26th, 2014, 01:46 PM
  #9  
 
Join Date: Dec 2005
Posts: 10,169
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Garyt22 says it all. If you want to stay at the Gardens, book early!
Ackislander is offline  
Old Jul 26th, 2014, 05:57 PM
  #10  
 
Join Date: Jun 2012
Posts: 208
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
We stayed at the Mermaid and Alligator B&B and it was the highlight of our trip
Magpies is offline  
Old Jul 31st, 2014, 06:01 AM
  #11  
 
Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 1,773
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I see nothing seedy about Key West in your trip report.
JoJoSiestaKey is offline  
Old Jul 31st, 2014, 10:05 AM
  #12  
 
Join Date: Oct 2006
Posts: 36,842
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I loved your comment that the only class you saw on Duval was the gay bars. There's a reason for that. (And yes, before I get slammed let me say my tongue is firmly in my cheek -- although there is a bit of wisdom in my comment). Most gays love to feel that we're classier than most straights. In Key West the straights tend to make that a pretty simple goal!
NeoPatrick is offline  
Old Jul 31st, 2014, 05:03 PM
  #13  
 
Join Date: Mar 2004
Posts: 5,544
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Patrick... we can let you have that one... this time...

My favorite drag show of all time was some years ago at LaTiDah on Duval... so many of the walk in tourist crowd had no idea what they were in for... and got "thoroughly entertained"...
garyt22 is offline  
Old Sep 28th, 2014, 03:25 PM
  #14  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Posts: 65
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
NeoPatrick - touche!
katydidnt is offline  
Old Sep 28th, 2014, 06:54 PM
  #15  
 
Join Date: Sep 2010
Posts: 42,630
Likes: 0
Received 3 Likes on 3 Posts
I gather you missed the weekend nights when all those upper class people from Miami head down for the weekend and "drag Duval" in their pickup trucks.
Dukey1 is offline  
Old Sep 29th, 2014, 04:53 AM
  #16  
 
Join Date: Oct 2006
Posts: 36,842
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Dukey, thanks for providing a good example of what I meant about making the goal pretty simple.
NeoPatrick is offline  
Related Topics
Thread
Original Poster
Forum
Replies
Last Post
Leonora
United States
23
Dec 3rd, 2008 11:34 AM
Heavens
United States
14
Mar 18th, 2005 05:27 AM
EmilySD
United States
15
Oct 18th, 2003 05:33 PM
Ginger
United States
11
Sep 18th, 2002 05:25 PM
Cornelia
United States
6
May 4th, 2002 07:49 AM

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is On
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are On



Contact Us - Manage Preferences - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information -