Travel

Travel Reports

Key West

Delightful wooden buildings and a Caribbean climate proclaim Key West a jewel.

Key West suckles at the southernmost teat of mainland USA. Located at the tip of the Keys island chain, stretching 160-miles down from Miami its closest neighbour is Cuba!

It grew rich on the sponge, cigar, and wrecking industries before declaring bankruptcy in the 1930s, and was then saved by the tourist dollar when the sponge ran dry. Its early prosperity created a wealth of history and ornate architecture. The delightful wooden structures – quaint and beautiful, preserved in white emulsion – plus its Caribbean climate proclaim this place a jewel. Add to that the official motto ‘One Human Family’ that promotes acceptance over tolerance of its diverse gay and lesbian community, and you have one hell of a destination in which to party and relax, publicly and unashamedly.

After a 9-hour flight from the UK, the prospect of a further 3-hour drive could be properly daunting. If you’ve arrived at night, consider a domestic flight to KW airport, but do drive the return leg (hire cars can be dropped at either end) to take in the beautiful, expansive shallow sands and turquoise ocean scenery that laps either side of the road. Diving and deep-sea fishing operations line the coastal road (this is home to America’s only living coral reef, and is reputedly the sports-fishing capital of the World), separated by the inevitable fast-food troughs. There are boards proudly proclaiming this to be the Mosquito Coast, but this ever-present problem drifting down from the Everglades is tackled with poisons that induce insect dysentery; literally, eat, shit, and die.

You’ll drift into nostalgic reverie when you slip into Old Town Key West, where uniformly antique properties rarely fetch less than $1 million. The residents are justly proud of one of the most robust, ingrained gay communities in the world, and its particular planning laws ensure its spick and span appearance never weathers. To get a true sense of the community spirit, hop on the 75-minute Gay Trolley Tour that runs every Saturday. Intentionally silly and gay, it’s also very informative, providing intel on the AIDS memorial (where 70s porn star Casey Donovan, who settled here, is listed under his real name, Cal Culver), Ernest Hemingway’s house, the Elizabeth Taylor connection, and more. The only gay and lesbian historic trolley tour in the nation, it also highlights the bizarre, pokes fun at the few straight people it encounters en-route, and even reveals the sexual peccadilloes of the tour guide/driver and his cornered acquaintances – by loud-speaker from a windowless trolley!

Accommodation ranges from dependable hotel chains, to the earthier gay, clothing-optional guest houses; resplendent wooden edifices on tree-lined avenues, minutes away from Duval Street. Duval, the main drag, joins the Atlantic Ocean to the Gulf of Mexico, and was famously linked during Pride festivities in 2003 with a 1.25-mile Rainbow flag (disallowed by the Guinness Book of Records for not being a recognised banner). I stayed at the Island House on Fleming Street. Turning one corner, it’s a 10-minute sticky saunter in a straight line from the gay clubs, bars, and restaurants on Duval. With luxurious, air-conditioned rooms, a proper modern gymnasium, heated pool, sauna, steamroom, in and outdoor Jacuzzis, and even a porn room, it provides for even those few out-of-season days when the warm tropical rain is merciless.

I went to celebrate Pridefest 2005 which ran from June 4th to 12th, with a range of events including charity fundraisers, a Leather Ball, drag shows, gay games…and finally the march itself, lit by rainbow-coloured spotlights emblazoned across the sky. It had a local flavour; less a spectacle for the tourist than a local celebration, which is just as it should be – homely and communal.

Eating in Key West is not what you would expect of America. Order a steak and it comes garnished and pretty, almost French. Don’t expect the elbow to the hoof on a yard-long plate. Local delicacies include dolphin (or Mahi-Mahi, not to be confused with flipper-esque porpoise), conch fritters (which come in a range of batters, some hard, crunching like a Mercury Amalgam Dental Filling), grits (a southern corn-based unsweetened porridge – okay, it’s an enigma more than a delicacy) Key lime pie, and sweet, sweet prawns. Some places well worth a visit include the award-winning Square One in Duval Square, for that special treat. Cocktails are served to the accompaniment of a grand piano. Alice’s is another class choice on Duval, as is Alice herself. For breakfast try Pepe’s café by the Historic Seaport; established in 1909 it’s KW’s oldest café. An omelette here borders on the sumptuous, containing enough filling to be more realistically named a pastie. Another great place with great food and local character is Ricky’s Blue Heaven, where a plate of three(!) delicious pecan pancakes with maple syrup defeated me.

The ubiquitous tourist attractions include an aquarium, a pirate museum by Mallory Square (which is itself an attraction at night, filled with street entertainers and market stalls, and a great place to catch the sunset); the KW Butterfly & Nature Conservatory (it has to be said: the same the world over, but the gift shop here is sublime). Moving further afield, if your budget allows, is the beautiful Dry Tortugas National Park. A high-speed 100-foot catamaran leaves daily at 8am (returning at 5.30pm) from the Seaport, taking you 68-miles west to Dry Tortugas (tortugas meaning turtle, and the remote island having no fresh water), site of the incomplete, but largest masonry structure in the Western hemisphere, Fort Jefferson. Tropical fish, and the occasional turtle, can be seen without entering the water from the moat walls, but snorkelling gear is provided.

After a long day, how best to relax? Choices include cabaret at La Te Da, a piano bar with an upstairs theatre. Grab a beer at any of the bars on Duval, such as 801 Bourbon, complete with gyrating bar-dancers begging dollar-bill tips into their undies; close by, Kwest, in a similar vein, only the dancers go that little bit further. There’s also the club, Aqua, which seems popular with the straight crowd that feeds on our more outré nuances.

As a resort you won’t find a less threatening place. We’re so much in evidence here you actually feel justified, even obliged to check out the straight guys. As the Village People sang, ‘Go West…’

BA flies direct to Miami. Call 0870 850 9850 or visit www.ba.com

Island House, Key West
001 305 294 6284 or visit www.islandhousekeywest.com

For more information about the Florida Keys please visit www.fla-keys.com or wwwgaykeywestfl.com or call the Gay & Lesbian Community Center on 001 305 292 3223

Alice’s Restaurant, www.aliceskeywest.com 001 305 292-5733

Mangoes, www.mangoeskeywest.com 001 305 292 4606 or

Ricky’s Blue Heaven, www.blueheavenkw.com 001 305 296 8666 or

Gay Trolley Tour leaves from Simonton Street opposite the Atlantic Shores Resort at 11am Saturday.

Square One restaurant, 1075 Duval Street at Duval Square. 001 305 296-4300

Pepe’s Café, 806 Caroline Street

La Te Da, 1125 Duval Street

Dry Tortugas National Park, www.yankeefreedom.com or 001 800 634 0939