My Key West experience:

We were in Key West on the Fascination last week and sorry to say that I was disappointed. We took the ship provided transportation to Duval Street and stayed in that area. We were last there about 15 years ago and it was a quaint and interesting place. Now it is nothing but souvenir stores filled with plastic made in China. It is as vulgar, if not more so then New Orleans. XXX rated T shirts in windows for all to see. Next time I go I will do something to get away from that area to explore the rest of the Key. They had these golf cart type of vehicle for rent and I wish I had done that.

I have been collecting tacky picture frames for a few years and enjoy souvenir shops when I travel but there is NOTHING in the Duval area except these shops, bars, and the usual chain stores that cater to cruise ship passengers. It wasn’t until this trip that I realized that all of my frames were made in China. Every single one. I am changing my hobby and with my next trip (to Alaska in June) I will be shopping for locally made souvenirs.

FWIW You did not have a Key West expirience, you had an upper Duval Street expirience. They are very different animals.

Pjk

Key West has been trying to do something about the reprehensible XXX-rated T-shirts and paraphenalia in Duval store windows. They have tried to persuade store owners to put that junk in the back of the stores.

So far they have had only limited success. Evidently there is no actual written law or city ordinance that makes such displays illegal, even though it is felt that allowing such displays tarnishes the city's image. It might be a "freedom of expression" issue. That merchandise must sell or it wouldn't occupy pride of place in store windows.

Actually for me, Duval Street offers little of interest besides its eating establishments. I prefer Key West's historical sites and love Fort Zachary Taylor State Park. You are smart to get away from Duval Street and discover Key West's other charms. Duval Street is just the Southermost branch of New Orleans Bourbon Street. Duval smells better, though.

Heavy Surf.. Tell Me About The Fort Zachery State Park..

FWIW You did not have a Key West expirience, you had an upper Duval Street expirience. They are very different animals.

 

Pjk

I agree with Peter, in that you did not have a Key West experience at all; but I am sure he meant to say lower Duval Street as that is the area nearest the cruise ships and features most of the seedy businesses and has the stench of stale urine.:)

Had you walked past the 500 block you would have seen a much different picture.

Mike:)

I'm so sorry you didn't have a good experience. We have been there twice on cruise ship stops and also stayed there twice for 7-9 days at a time. You surely need more time for a Key West experience. While we love Duval Street, there is SO much more. Key West offers a lot of beauty and history, if you get past the tourist areas. Hopefully you'll get there again and have a much better time.

Hi,

In order to enjoy KW, get off the ship, put on blinders and walk down Duvall until you get to Fast Buck Freddies. Then take off the blinder, and stroll for the rest of the day. Don't forget to turn right or left and go a block and parallel Duval. You'll either be in little bahamas with the eyebrow houses or in the old garden district with the wonderful conch houses. We avoid the Mallory Square area, except for sunset, and spend most of our time in "lower Duval" or at the seaport in one of the local bars, preferrably the Schooner Warf.

r

I will be much smarter on my next trip to Key West. I look forward to it.

When we stopped at KW this past December, we had our 4 & 2 year old boys with us. It changed our thoughts of "what to do" from past trips, which had been centered around the Duval St bars.

We ended up renting one of those little golf cart cars, drove around a good bit, and we all had a great time. Ended up down at the pier, had lunch & a couple of beers at the Schooner Wharf. It was fantastic. Good food, fun atmosphere. Only problem was the boys flat out wore me out going up & down the sea wall looking at the tarpon & other fish. "Look at THAT one daddy, look there's another one."

I don't know KW all that well but definitely explore around next time. There's some great stuf there that is not on the main drag of Duval.

I'm no prude, but it sure wouldn't bother me if the more adult-themed shirts were inside.

If you have not been to the Mel Fisher museum it is certainly worth the trip. Also, the Hemmingway House and cats. I lived in Key West as a child in the 1940s when the Navy Yard was in full swing. It's still a charming place to visit. I'm glad they are staying true to keeping the houses in their original shape.

Walk the Historic Seaport docks and area,,,,,thats the real key west.

We have to keep our houses just like they were when built, appearance wise anyway. One poor guy installed metal hurricane-resistant windows in his house that appeared to be made of wood and the City made him take them out. I have mixed feelings on that.

The tshirts are indeed illegal if someone takes offense to them, including me. I have been on a crusade to get the damn things in the back of the stores. When have you ever seen somebody wearing one of the sexually disgusting ones? As I am a very big proponent of families visiting my island I have called, written and emailed our Mayor and his cronies to take a walk down Duval for himself. A past Mayor did this with huge success--walked into shops, shook hands and said next time I come back, they're gone or it's $500.00 a day. Guess what...they disappeared! Freedom of speech is one thing but cheap tshirts with the F word all over them is just stupid, and parents think twice about walking Duval, or sometimes trying Key West at all.

This breaks me up--it is such a wonderful place to have children put down the videos and snorkel, learn about treasure, pirates, reefs, hurricanes, fish, sharks, etc by actually being in their environment and seeing these things for real, not just reading about it. Additionally, this may be the last generation who will be able to see through 50 feet of seawater--pollution is coming quickly, and our waters can't take it forever.

After all we're a town of 24,000 with our own babies and children and we raise them to be outstanding men and women (we do not have a homicide department). Violent crime is virtually nonexsitant here. And for the most part they stay here and teach the next generation in schools and out on the ocean. Even petty crime and vandalism in schools is quite low because the teachers are the aunts and uncles of the children!

Sorry, off on a rant. Anyway I am quite mad at this current Mayor for doing little or nothing about these foreign-owned shirt rip-off places, and would ask that you kind visitors run from them. There are a few reputable ones, such as Crazy Shirt, but for the majority they are trash.

I agree 100%.

Maybe if some of you cruise visitors would take the time to let some of our city officials know how you feel about these places it would help.

http://www.keywestcity.com/officials/

Mike:)

We have to keep our houses just like they were when built, appearance wise anyway. One poor guy installed metal hurricane-resistant windows in his house that appeared to be made of wood and the City made him take them out. I have mixed feelings on that.

 

The tshirts are indeed illegal if someone takes offense to them, including me. I have been on a crusade to get the damn things in the back of the stores. When have you ever seen somebody wearing one of the sexually disgusting ones? As I am a very big proponent of families visiting my island I have called, written and emailed our Mayor and his cronies to take a walk down Duval for himself. A past Mayor did this with huge success--walked into shops, shook hands and said next time I come back, they're gone or it's $500.00 a day. Guess what...they disappeared! Freedom of speech is one thing but cheap tshirts with the F word all over them is just stupid, and parents think twice about walking Duval, or sometimes trying Key West at all.

 

This breaks me up--it is such a wonderful place to have children put down the videos and snorkel, learn about treasure, pirates, reefs, hurricanes, fish, sharks, etc by actually being in their environment and seeing these things for real, not just reading about it. Additionally, this may be the last generation who will be able to see through 50 feet of seawater--pollution is coming quickly, and our waters can't take it forever.

 

After all we're a town of 24,000 with our own babies and children and we raise them to be outstanding men and women (we do not have a homicide department). Violent crime is virtually nonexsitant here. And for the most part they stay here and teach the next generation in schools and out on the ocean. Even petty crime and vandalism in schools is quite low because the teachers are the aunts and uncles of the children!

 

Sorry, off on a rant. Anyway I am quite mad at this current Mayor for doing little or nothing about these foreign-owned shirt rip-off places, and would ask that you kind visitors run from them. There are a few reputable ones, such as Crazy Shirt, but for the majority they are trash.

Well said. While we aren't Conches, we visit enough to have friends there and they echo your sentiments. I guess we just hold out that with the cost of living continuing to rise in KW that maybe those t-shirt shops will have to close down (I haven't seen anyone wearing those t-shirts either) and another artist shop can open in their place. KW is a great little island and I have to say, after being there so many times, that we actually stay most of the time off of Duvall and enjoy the hidden treasures the locals have pointed us to (and that I'd rather not discuss here :D ). Planning our next trip down this week!

Randall

I was there on Tuesday and I really liked Key West. We went snorkeling and then walked around Mallory Square for a little bit.

Walk the Historic Seaport docks and area,,,,,thats the real key west.

i agree...we had a great time

I just recently booked a cruise with RCCL, just because they had the only ship going to Key West when I could go. I dont care how commercialized Duval has became, Key West still is by far my favorite port of call. I just love the laid back atmosphere of the island and I would love to spend a week there in the near future just enjoying the city for what it is. I cant imagine having a bad experience there unless your looking for one.

Where did you snorkel in Key West?

If they went out with one of the trips out of Key West to a reef, Danger Charters, Sebago, Fury, Caribbean Spirit (listed under Sunny Days) or Echo II, they would have gone to Sand Key or Eastern Dry Rocks, Cottrell Key, Man or Woman Key, etc. All good places to snorkel, but IMO Sand and Cottrell are the best.

Pjk