A Day in Key West

We’re staying in Islamorada, but it wouldn’t be a trip to the Keys without visiting Key West. So we made the hour and 45 minute trek down.
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It’s mid-November which is supposed to be off season, but there are people everywhere. Key West is much busier than the previous two times I’ve visited. Perhaps because of the cruise ships that visit the port with 2,000-4,000 descending to the streets daily.

Granted we didn’t get there until almost noon, but traffic was horrendous and finding a parking space on the street was virtually impossible. So we opted for a parking lot, paying almost $20.

Where to Eat Lunch

The Six Toed Cat Restaurant was recommended to us and received good reviews online, so we gave it a try! I got the Lobster BLT … without the bread because it wasn’t gluten free

I didn’t really need the bread anyway because the sandwich was HUGE! We could have totally split one sandwich.
Gary loves omelettes so he ordered the POPEYE with Spinach, onions, tomatoes and feta cheese.
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After our bellies were full, we set out in the blistering heat to walk around and explore Key West. Our first stop was the Ernest Hemingway House because it is right next door.

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The Hemingway Home is on pretty much everyone’s “to-see” list when they go to Key West, so I doubt that I have to convince you, but just in case: It’s well worth the trip! Admission is USD$13 (cash only) and that gives you the options of guided or self-guided tours. There’s no time limit (outside of their operating hours, of course).

This is the house Ernest Hemingway lived (and worked) in for over ten years, and in which he wrote To Have and Have Not.

Apart from Hemingway himself, the home’s other claim to fame are the cats. “Hemingway Cats” (proper name: polydactyl cats), are noted for having six-toed paws.
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I love cats so they are absolutely the stars for me! They have the run of the house and the grounds. I love how they are just so at-home wherever they are.

They even have a cat cemetery with plaques of cats who have gone over the rainbow bridge.
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After our fill of six-toed cats, we headed toward Duval Street and Malory Square taking in the sites and architecture along the way.

Once we got to Duval, we peeked in Sloppy Joes…way too crowded.  You couldn’t even get in.  So we continued to stroll.

Next stop Hog’s Breath.  On one of Gary’s previous trips to Key West he got a Hog’s Breath t-shirt and it has pretty much seen it day.  To say it is well worn would be an understatement. It was crowded as well, but at least we could get in. Gary got to replace his t-shirt with a couple and I bought a t-shirt too

Southernmost Point
Before heading back up to Islamorada, we had to go to the obligatory destination in Key West, the Southernmost Point in the continental U.S. You wouldn’t believe how long the line was to take a photo…yeah… We just hung back in the shade and snapped our photo.

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