Attractions

Every afternoon, as if pulled by some invisible magnet, residents and visitors are drawn to Mallory Square at the northern terminus of Key West’s famous Duval Street to pay homage to the setting sun. It has been so for decades; Tennessee Williams is said to have been the first to toast the sunset at Mallory Square, with gin and tonic firmly in hand. Ernest Hemingway and John Audubon both expounded upon the island’s spectacular sunsets.

Unicyclist ends his act by juggling flaming torches

Today the sunsets are just as gorgeous as ever but the celebration is no longer the soul-soothing, spiritual event it once was. In the late 1960’s, hippies in search of paradise descended upon Key West. They too flocked to Mallory Square to witness the sunset, usually high on LSD or some other mind altering drug. Read More »

by Barbara Ann Weibel at Hole In The Donut Travels

Every July the ghost of Ernest Hemingway appears in Key West, Florida. Or perhaps I should say “ghosts.” Walk down Duval Street or pop into Sloppy Joe’s Bar (Hemingway’s favorite Key West haunt) and you’ll spot dozens of Hemingways. They’re not really ghosts, though. These look-alikes descend upon the tiny island each summer to compete in Sloppy Joe’s Annual Papa Look-Alike Contest, one of many events that honor Ernest Hemingway’s work as an author and sportsman each year on the anniversary of his birthday.

At first blush, the festivities appear to be an excuse for hoisting beers and general tomfoolery. In a nod to one of Hemingway’s favorite bar pastimes, contestants arm wrestle one another. Others “race” wooden bulls on wheels around the block in mock tribute to Hemingway’s beloved Running of the Bulls in Pamplona, Spain. The crowd is no less enthusiastic than if the bulls were real, following the Papas around the block and screaming their support.

Contestants pose for pictures with wooden bulls

The "Running of the Bulls" - Key West style

During the main event, each contestant gets a few minutes in the spotlight when he mounts the stage inside Sloppy Joes and does his best Hemingway impersonation. In last year’s competition more that 141 look-alikes took the stage, with thirteen contestants from Thursday night and twelve from Friday night going on to the final round. Some Papas have been trying to win this contest for so long they have developed a following; placard-carrying supporters crowd around the stage and chant in unison for their candidate, each group trying to out-yell the others. After the finals, the party spills out into the Street Fair on Duval for more food, drinks, and entertainment.

Supporters wave posters and scream in support of their favorite Papa

Although there is no lack of alcohol and tomfoolery during the three-day event, at its heart the Ernest Hemingway Look-Alike Contest is a philanthropic effort. The Look-A-Like Society, composed of contest winners from all previous years, is a nonprofit group with educational and environmental concerns. Each year the festival raises thousands of dollars for a scholarship fund to assist local youths who would not otherwise be able to attend college.

The 29th Annual Papa Look-Alike Contest, scheduled for July 23-26, 2009, will once again be held at Sloppy Joe’s Bar, located at 201 Duval Street, in the heart of Old Town, Key West.

Photos courtesy of Barbara Weibel

by Barbara Ann Weibel at Hole In The Donut Travels

Key West has always attracted characters. From early settlers who salvaged goods off sunken vessels to present day drifters who exist on tips from their nightly acrobatic and juggling performances at the Sunset Celebration, this tiny island seems to welcome all manner of souls. While this wealth of local color ensures Key West will always be a popular tourist destination (where else can you see a half naked man riding down the main drag on a motorcycle, with a cat sitting on his head?) it has another effect: Key West has attracted some of the world’s greatest writers.

With no slight intended to Robert Frost, Tennessee Williams, Thornton Wilder, Gloria Swanson, or Sally Rand – all famous authors who lived or spent time in Key West – Ernest Hemingway was undoubtedly the island’s most famous resident writer. Hemingway ended up in Key West by accident. During a trip between Cuba and the U.S., he stopped in Key West to pick up a new Ford Roadster that his wife’s wealthy uncle had purchased for them. The car had not yet arrived and the Ford dealership insisted the couple stay in the apartment above the showroom while waiting for it. By the time the Roadster arrived, Key West had charmed Ernest.

Ernest Hemingway historic house and museum, Key West

The Hemingways purchased a home and settled into island life. Ernest spent mornings writing and afternoons at Sloppy Joe’s Saloon, chumming it up with the locals. Evenings, he retired to his private studio above the old coach house to record the stories he’d heard while perched on his favorite bar stool. From from wealthy merchants to down-on-their-luck fishermen and wreckers, Hemingways books are filled with Key West characters. His contentment was so great in Key West that more than half of his published novels were written during the ten years he resided on the island.

Hemingway's master suite is furnished in the heavy Spanish mediterranean furniture he so loved

Today the historic residence has been converted into the Ernest Hemingway Home and Museum. The house and grounds provide a fascinating glimpse into the life of the author – visitors are allowed to wander through rooms filled with his collection of hand-carved Spanish furniture, peer into the studio where he wrote “For Whom The Bell Tolls,” and roam perfectly manicured yards in search of one of the six-toed cats descended from a single six-toed feline gifted to Hemingway by a local sea captain.

Hemingway's studio, where he wrote more than half of his published novels

Hemingway’s House is located at 907 Whitehead Street, in the center of Old Town Key West. Admission is $12 for adults and $6 for children (under six free).

Photos courtesy of Barbara Weibel

by Barbara Ann Weibel at Hole In The Donut Travels

A piece of history sailed into in Key West two weeks ago. The USS Vandenberg arrived from its previous berth in Norfolk, VA, where it had been one of 25 ships in the “Ghost Fleet” since being decommissioned in 1986. Now, rather than rusting away or being cut up for scrap, the WWII troop carrier will serve one final mission: it will be scuttled six miles offshore, where it will become the world’s second-largest artificial reef.

The USS Vandenberg will be scuttled six miles offshore in 140 feet of water, where it will become the second largest artificial reef in the world

Key West boat captain Joe Weatherby conceived the idea for the project 13 years ago and began searching for a mothballed ship that would be suitable, eventually selecting the Vandenberg because of its interesting structure, military history, and massive size. For years he navigated myriad state and federal regulations in his attempt to bring the ship to Key West while the price tag grew into the millions. Prospects looked bleak until a boat yard filed a lien against the ship for unpaid cleaning and decontamination, forcing it to be sold at federal auction. First State Bank of the Florida Keys came to the rescue last December with a winning bid of $1.35 million.

Severely rusting and listing, the ship had to be towed the 1100 miles from its previous anchorage in Norfolk, VA

The Vandenberg was towed 1,100 miles from Norfolk to Key West, where it was tied up to Truman Annex harbor. I was among the onlookers who arrived for a final glimpse of the hulking ship before it disappears forever beneath 140 feet of water. Like me, most wanted to snap photos and hold them for posterity, awaiting a time when a ghostly underwater outline of the artificial reef can be compared to the ship prior to sinking. Others had more personal reasons to see the Vandenberg. I spoke to one man whose best friend had served on board the ship during World War II, when it was called the Gen. Henry Taylor. His friend described cramped quarters with bunk beds stacked seven high.

A crew is currently removing contaminants from the vessel and placing charges to create 47 holes in order to flood the ship. Because its top will be just 40 feet beneath the surface of the water, the wreck will be ideal for diving, snorkeling and even glass-bottom boat tours. Scuttling is expected to be completed prior to the start of hurricane season on June 1, 2009.

Photos courtesy of Barbara Weibel

by Barbara Ann Weibel at Hole In The Donut Travel

I’ve been visiting Key West for years. Like most people, I did all the normal tourist things on my first few visits. I walked from the Gulf of Mexico to the Atlantic along Duval Street; stopped into Sloppy Joe’s bar to soak up the atmosphere Hemingway so loved; set foot on the southernmost point in the US. and tried to make out Cuba, just 90 miles away; spent an afternoon the Butterfly and Nature Conservatory; toured Hemingway’s house; climbed 88 steps to the top of the Key West Lighthouse for a bird’s eye view of the island; took the Conch Tour Train to learn some local lore; wandered around the historic Seaport district; and attended the daily ‘Sunset’ celebration at Mallory Square.

While all of the above are worthwhile and certainly should be done at least once, over the years I have discovered many other things to do that are just as fascinating as the hyped activities. The following is my list of the top ten Key West attractions that you probably never heard about but are absolutely worth a visit:

Little White House at Truman Annex

Little White House at Truman Annex

Historical photo of Truman family at Little White House, 1948

Eisenhower had Camp David and George Bush has Kennebunkport, but when President Harry Truman wanted to relax he came to Key West. Truman spent 11 working vacations in Key West, staying at a sprawling white clapboard house on the south side of town that eventually became known as the Little White House. The restored home, now a living museum, offers a fascinating glimpse into history beginning in 1890, when it initially served as the command headquarters of the naval station during the Spanish American War, through the World War I and World War II years.

Florida Keys Eco-Discovery Center

Florida Keys Eco-Discovery Center in Truman Annex, Key West

This relatively new educational facility has more than 6,400 square feet of exhibits, including a 74-seat movie theater, which screens an excellent 20-minute film on the underwater ecosystems of the Keys. Other displays include an interactive map of the Keys that shows the location of shipwrecks, coral reefs, and historic forts; a replica of the Aquarius underwater laboratory; an underwater video camera that allows guests to observe coral spawning, assess damage from a boat grounding or monitor the health of a coral reef; and a baby conch farm. Admission is free!

Heritage House Museum & Robert Frost Cottage

Heritage House Museum and Robert Frost Cottage

Hemingway wasn’t the only writer to fall in love with Key West. Tennessee Williams, Thornton Wilder, Gloria Swanson, Sally Rand, and Robert Frost are among the more famous literary figures that have been drawn to its shores. Robert Frost spent many winters in a cottage in the garden at what is now the Heritage House Museum. Visitors can sit in the same flowering tropical garden and listen to recordings of Robert Frost reading his poetry.

Mel Fisher Maritime Heritage Museum

Mel Fisher Maritime Museum

Treasure hunter Mel Fisher, ever the eternal optimist, arose each morning declaring, “Today is the day.” His perseverance paid off when, after 18 years of searching, he discovered the wreck of the Spanish galleon Atocha in 1985. The Mel Fisher Maritime Heritage Museum displays many of the items from the Atocha, including ropes of pure gold and fist-sized emeralds, as well as artifacts from numerous other salvaged shipwrecks around the world.

Key West Cemetery

This intriguing graveyard is tucked into a quiet residential neighborhood on the west side of Old Town. Established in 1847 following the disastrous hurricane of October 11, 1846, its headstones read like a historical who’s who of Conchs. The wealthy and prominent ordered fancy stone monuments to mark their graves, while those of modest means placed grave markers of brick, cement or tile. Symbols on the graves provide insight into a person’s career, family life, participation in the community, and personal sentiments. The Historic Florida Keys Foundation has produced a Key West Cemetery Map & Self-Guided Tour that is an invaluable source of information for a walking tour of the site.

Fort East Martello Museum

Fort Martello and Tower East

Within the restored fort, displays chronicle the economic ups and downs of Key West

The displays at Fort Martello Tower East, one of three historic forts in the Key West, tell of the industries that alternately made Key West the richest city in Florida (shipwrecking, cigar making) and the poorest (sponge harvesting). The three story brick citadel in the center of the restored fort holds a collection of sculptures by Stanley Papio, known locally as “the dynamic junkman.” Papio welded together scrap metal from junk autos, appliances, beds and other discarded iron and steel to create his unique sculptures, which often represented actual people, animals or objects, and then displayed them in his front yard. Since his death, Papio’s pieces have become recognized as culturally important American artworks.

Fort West Martello Gardens

Lush tropical gardens at Fort Martello West are a lovely place for quiet reflection

The interior Citadel, surrounded by tropical plantings

Originally meant to be a twin to East Martello, this fort was never completed. By 1949, the dilapidated structure was an eyesore and would have been razed but for the intervention of the Key West Garden Club. Although still undergoing restoration, the West Martello Tower is now one of Key West’s most beautiful sites. Stroll past native and exotic trees and plants, including blooming orchids and bromeliads, all of which have been creatively planted around the original vaulted brick ceilings, partially completed central Citadel, and gun mounts. And since this fort is located in the center of Higgs Beach, it provides a cool, shady escape from the mid-day heat. Admission is free, although donations for the ongoing restoration are gladly accepted.

Fort Jefferson and the Dry Tortugas

Aerial view of Garden Key, largest of the seven Dry Tortugas Islands. Photo courtesy of National Park Service.

Yet another in the series of forts that were originally constructed to protect against piracy, Fort Jefferson is located 68 miles west of Key West, on Garden Key, one of the seven coral reef islands that make up Dry Tortugas National Park. Fast ferries provide access to this remote site, leaving daily from Key West’s historic Seaport. Once on the island, visitors are free to wander the grounds of the fort and lighthouse, take a 45-minute tour of the facility provided by the Park Service, or hit the stunning beach, where snorkeling in the crystal clear waters is a favorite activity.

Audubon House & Tropical Gardens

Audubon House houses 28 original bird sketches by the famous naturalist

Named for John James Audubon, world renown ornithologist, this house was the first ever to be restored in Key West. During his visit to Key West in 1832, Audubon drew 18 new birds for his “Birds of America” folio. It is believed that many of those drawings were conceived in the Audubon House garden. In addition to displaying 28 first edition Audubon works, the The 19th-century home contains furnishings that would have been found in a prosperous Key West home during the 1800’s.

Pan American Airlines Original Headquarters

Sign tells brief history of the original headquarters of Pan Am Airways

Original headquarters of Pan American Airways is now Kelly's Restaurant, which offers delicious alfresco dining

Aviation buffs will want to visit the original home of Pan Am airlines. Although the building now houses Kelly’s Bar & Restaurant (started by the actress Kelly McGillis), numerous Pan Am artifacts are scattered around in display cases and the owners have been true to the airline theme. The bar is shaped like an airplane wing and ceiling fans look like the rotary engines of an airplane. Coops hanging over the bar are the original ones that held homing pigeons that were released when the plane reached its final destination, signaling the folks back home that it had landed safely. As an added bonus, the food at Kelly’s is fabulous, so it is a great mid-day break from touring, or end-of-the-day final pit stop.

Key West is a fun-filled destination where history mingles with revelry. Every time I think I have seen everything it has to offer, it surprises me with another intriguing discovery.

Photos not otherwise credited courtesy of Barbara Weibel

by Barbara Ann Weibel at Hole In The Donut

Narrow paths wind through lush tropical understory growth

For 40 years, Nancy Forrester has been tending this garden and inviting the public to share in her love of plants and animals. Tucked away at the end of tiny Freeschool Lane, Nancy Forrester’s Secret Garden sits in the center of some of the densest development in the country.

That this priceless parcel has escaped development is nothing less than a miracle. Developers regularly salivate over the property, certain that it could be turned into nine upscale vacation homes. But Nancy vowed that would never happen. When the Forrester family acquired the land in 1969, it was used primarily as a dumping ground. Nancy immediately began cleaning it up and planting a variety of tropical plants around the site’s existing 50 trees.

Nancy gets some "sugar" from one of the many tropical birds that inhabit live n the grounds

Step into this oasis today and the side-by-side buildings of Old Town disappear, hidden from view by a tropical rainforest full of orchids, Bromeliads, ferns, and more than 150 species of palms. Along the path, squawking parrots, macaws, and cockatoos perch in cages, competing for attention. The birds were added some years ago, when Nancy became aware that exotic birds all over the country needed rescuing. She began taking them in, creating a Parrot Rescue Preserve to care for them and place them in new homes.

Unfortunately, the garden may be too much of a secret. Its location at the end of an inconspicuous alleyway makes it difficult to find, and since the bulk of the funds required to run the garden are provided by Nancy personally, there is little money to advertise. Even the modest $10 entrance fee collected at the gate on the “honor system” does little to defray costs. Realizing she could no longer afford to personally shoulder the expenses, Nancy transferred stewardship of the garden to the Mana Project, a non-profit 501(c)3 organization created specifically for this task.

For her 70th birthday last year, Nancy requested donations to continue the legacy of the garden. So far, the donations have been few and the fate of the garden is uncertain. At the moment, however, Nancy continues to run the day-to-day operations under the auspices of the Mana Project, hoping for a miracle that will save it for future generations. So far, Nancy is hanging in there. I, for one, fervently hope that the squawks of the macaws will never be replaced by the roar of the bulldozer.

Entrance to the garden is via tiny Freeschool Lane, not much more than a dirt path hidden in the center of Old Town

To learn more, watch the three part video series about the Mana Project that was produced by GoodTube.

Whether planning to visit Key west for a week, a weekend, or just a day trip, visitors will discover hundreds of fun things to do on this funky isle that marks the southernmost spot in the U.S.

Photos courtesy of Barbara Weibel

by Barbara Ann Weibel of Hole In The Donut

Although one of the rules at the Key West Butterfly and Naure Conservatory is to not touch the butterflies, if you stand very still, moths and butterflies of all sizes, shapes and colors will land on your head, shoulders, and arms and cling to your clothes.

Visitors can identify between 50 and 60 species of butterflies on any given day in the Conservatory, and over the year, approximately 75 species are represented. The butterflies come from farms in the tropics, where they are bred in captivity. On the farms, the eggs are hatched and the caterpillars fed until they pupate into a chrysalis. The chrysalises are then shipped to the Butterfly conservatory and placed in an incubator that sits behind a glass wall, allowing visitors to watch as mature butterflies emerge from their chrysalises and spread their colorful wings to dry.

After a short rest the new butterflies are released into the main Conservatory, a climate-controlled, glass-enclosed habitat that looks like a giant greenhouse. Inside a tropical paradise awaits: lush tropical plants surround a creek that is home to box turtles, and a variety of colorful birds flit from tree branches to feeders, sharing the ripe fruit that is set out as food for the butterflies.

In the morning you may see many butterflies feeding or basking in the sun. Later in the day some butterflies, like the Owls, become active while others start to roost. The Owl butterflies are the largest in the Conservatory, with a wingspan of up to eleven inches wide. On the other end of the spectrum, determined viewers can often spot the Oak Leaf Miner, a tiny moth with a wingspan of less than a quarter of an inch. And since most butterflies live an average of only ten days, every visit to the butterfly house is a new experience.

In addition to the Butterfly and Nature Conservancy, Key West offers a multitude of interesting activities and attractions for the Florida visitor.

Photos courtesy of Barbara Ann Weibel