Key West

If you're visiting the Florida Keys, it's a must to see the wonderful historic district and lively waterfront of Key West, just 45 miles south of Marathon.

Come for the fantastic nightlife, and also for many great attractions:

• Ernest Hemingway Home and Museum - listed as a Registered National Historic Landmark, this late Nobel Prize winner's home and gardens have been well-preserved.
• Fort East Martello Museum and Gardens - this fort was built during the era of the Civil War to take after the Italian Martello watchtowers. Never completed, it is now a wonderful staple in this museum.
• Heritage House Museum & Robert Frost Cottage - come see the original furnishings, rare antiques and artifacts collected by this well-known Key West family.
• Key West Museum of Art & History at the Custom House - holds the key to the cultural history of Key West.
• Key West Cemetery - besides taking in the history and culture of the Keys and the United States, this cemetery in the center of Old Town is one of the many eccentric places that make the Florida Keys so intriguing.
• Lighthouse and Keeper's Quarters Museum - this lighthouse museum holds the marine history of the Florida Keys, and an insight into the lighthouse keepers and their families.
• Mallory Square - a bustling center where street artists and performers provide the entertainment while you shop and dine. Every night there are celebrations during sunset.
• Our Lady of Lourdes Shrine - a shrine in memory of the Lady of Lourdes that protects the residents of Key West from hurricanes. Fun note: ever since the shrine was created, Key West has been safe from hurricanes.
• Southernmost Point - this massive buoy highlights the southernmost point of the continental United States, which is 90 miles from Cuba.
• St. Paul's Church - celebrated for its stunning stained glass windows, which are insured by Lloyds of London, this is the oldest church in the Florida Keys.