Florida Keys

Artsits, intellectuals and free-spirited island life

Popular plate: Named for the mini limes that grow in the Keys, key lime pie is a must.
Word to the wise: The only road into The Keys is mostly two-lane causing frequent traffic jams in high season.

Noteworthy for: A good excuse to travel down is for the annual Fantasy Fest in October; Key West's very own carnival.
For centuries, artists, intellectuals, rum-runners, hippies, and independent free spirits have wandered down to the Keys to live a boho lifestyle. Part of the wider Miami-Dade County area, this strand of 400 islands is spread out over some 120 miles in the Atlantic Ocean.

It takes three and a half hours to drive from Miami city to the last key, Key West, but the journey is half the fun. Numerous bars, beaches, and natural points of interest beckon along the scenic Overseas Highway. But the real highlight is the touristy, but utterly charming and kitsch, Key West - the adopted home of Tennessee Williams and Ernest Hemingway (you can still check out Hemingway's house at 907 Whitehead Street).

Stroll down Duval Street, which extends from the Gulf of Mexico at the north end to the Atlantic Ocean at the south end, the main street of Key West’s Old Town. Check out the tacky t-shirt shops and chic boutiques, and then take in the sunset at Mallory Square, which sits at the very edge of the Gulf.