key west florida ~ #flkeys

Welcome to Key West, Florida ~ this week’s stop on our Florida Keys road trip series 🙂 .

Since we’re visiting the southernmost city in the continental USA, I thought it fitting to start at the Southernmost Point! We did a bunch of things during our Key West visit and I’ve posted several in detail ~ Fort Jefferson, Old Town Manor, Hemingway House, and Mel Fisher’s Museum. This week’s post is a local color photo tour from our ramblings out and about, so I’m going to let the photos tell the story ~~~

Can’t resist a chance to walk a dock and look at boats! Especially at Charter Boat Row! No fishing or diving this trip, but it was great just to walk and look at boats 🙂

And then from boats to beaches ~ Smathers Beach, on the southern shore and nearly 2 miles long. Grab a chair and enjoy the view 🙂

Saw this flag tied to palm near a beachgoer ~ pretty much sums it up, don’tcha think?

Another Key West destination ~ Blue Heaven ~ was closed for vacation {the nerve, needing vacation!} while we were there, but we did stop in when they were setting up for a benefit party.

I’ve had brunch here every Key West visit, except this one. We did sit at the bar, share some beverages and the bartender gave us some great advice on neighboring restaurants 🙂 .

Continuing on our walk about, we spotted this AMAZING banyan tree. All I could think about was the Buffett lyric ~~~

Living out this easy life below the banyan trees
Smoothing off the rougher edges of the culture clash
We got a style, we got a look
We got that old panache

And of course Key West is famous for its unique characters. I didn’t get a photo of Darth Vader and his day-glo banjo on Duval Street, or any of the other head-swiveling sights {you have to see the street scene in person to do it justice!}, but even the everyday locals are memorable. I loved this gentleman’s style, spotted while waiting at a cross walk. Party on ~~~

And then there are these locals. Chickens abound! Busy hens and LOUD roosters, who apparently have their own timing for daybreak ~ at 2:00 in the afternoon!

So here we are at Mile Marker Zero. Is this the End of the road of just the Beginning?

And no visit to Key West is complete without sunset at Mallory Square. They call them “golden sunsets” for a reason!

The sunset goes through some BEAUTIFUL color changes. If you can pull yourself away from the nature show, the people watching is a whole different show!

So here is my last shot from the sunset and the Key West local color photo tour. Oh, you may want to check out the Islamorada local color photo tour too!

We’ll continue sailing on through our Florida Keys road trip series for a few more weeks. Hope you stay along with us for the journey ~~~