Key West is my hometown and I grew up there so I have a love/hate relationship with the island. The weather is amazing, the waters are warm and inviting, and the downtown area is full of life. But it is also a tiny island and offers locals very little to do, shopping options are limited, most people you met are tourists, and that life downtown is all bars. The town is absolute heaven for tourists but the relationship can be different for locals.
Growing up here was a challenge since it offers almost nothing for local kids to do. We had no skate parks, no shopping malls, no bowling alleys, or anything else you figure you would want as a teenager. So we did what all kids do in small towns, get into trouble. If the whole island is full of tourists drinking at bars what do you think our main goal was? Heck I spent my summers in high school sneaking into the fancy hotel pools and using their services like I was a guest. My buddies and I would spend all day at the pool and then hit on the tourist girls there with their families. Mostly with success I might add.
Most tourists come here and escape their lives back home. Many will spend their whole vacation pretty tipsy walking around downtown without a care in the world. Fantasy Fest is a prime example of letting loose. We have tourists from all over the world go absolutely crazy the weeks prior to Halloween, and I do mean absolutely crazy. Trust me I have seen it all. It is these same tourists that love the idea of living here. They assume life will be drinking the sunshine all day and permanent vacation. To some with enough money already I guess it can be…
But like I said before its not all bad. The island has a wonderful open-minded culture, fabulous weather, and really is a tropical paradise. Our winters last only a few weeks and the coldest it ever gets is about 60F (15C). The warmth and relaxation leads to what we call “island time” where things happen, just very slowly. It’s almost impossible to get road rage here, and commutes to work can be done by bike no matter where you live on the island. With Internet shopping now we also now have the ability to buy anything you would ever want from home. Before you needed to drive 4 hours one-way to Miami to the nearest shopping mall.
Key West is a fabulous place to visit as a tourist. Everything is new and exciting for you and with your limited time here you never have to worry about the other limitations of island life. When visiting I highly recommend you try to go light on the drinking. You are in a tropical island paradise its best to keep a mindset that will allow you to appreciate your surroundings. I also recommend that you spend at least a day out on the water. Take a Jet Ski tour, go fishing, or diving, or snorkeling, or take a sunset cruise. We have a ton of options at every budget to let you enjoy the tropical water that surrounds us. Take advantage of this! Telling your friends and family back home about the dolphins you saw or the amazing jet ski tour you had is way better than telling them how many shots you took at Sloppy Joes. Enjoy your time here and try to live the island life while you can.
