Key West International Airport

If you have decided to fly to Key West, then in my opinion, you have made a wise decision.  Driving to Key West can be at best a test of patience.

There are a few things to keep in mind when flying into the Key West International Airport (KWIA).  First, if you are looking for a large, modern airport, then you will not be experiencing that at KWIA.  This does not mean that the airport is not nice, it is.  In a non-extravagant way, it simply serves its purpose which is to bring tourists and residents to the small tropical island of Key West.    .

When approaching and descending into Key West, you will see the beautiful aqua blue waters from above and then the pilot will come onto the intercom, "We are approaching Key West and should be landing within the next five minutes.  The Key West airport has the shortest runway of any commercial airport in the U.S..  We will be coming down quick and braking hard."  At first, you have an "Oh, crap!" moment in your mind but to be honest, the times that I have landed at KWIA, the landings have been good and no problem.  Do not let this change your mind from flying into Key West!

Upon landing, you will descend from the plane onto the runway.  As you walk in the warmth of the tropical air, you will notice the quaintness of Key West International.  In large lettering you will see, "Welcome to the Conch Republic" and an art installation beneath it.  The whole process of walking across the runway and into the small airport gives you the feeling of being somewhere different, somewhere tropical or outside the borders of the United States.

When you gather your bags, go and get a taxi.  As of 2015, the cost for the 5-10 minute ride from the airport to downtown Key West was $16.  With a tip, that makes a $20 journey.   Ask for info about the island and most cabbies are very helpful.

While KWIA may seem small and remote, bear in mind that Pan American World Airways (Pan Am) was actually founded in Key West in 1927.  The original headquarters for Pan Am can be found in downtown KW.  Pan Am which would go on to become a major international airline was founded as an air mail and passenger service for the 90 mile journey between Key West and Havana, Cuba.  Pan Am would grow to be an innovator that would help to shape international air travel.

Two Fun Novels about Key West

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Whether on the flight to Key West or while there, it is nice to have a good book to read.  Two of my favorite fiction novels that have a Key West / South Florida settings are as follows:

The Monarch of Key West by David Paule

The book can be purchased as either a paperback or e-book.  I purchased from Kindle for just over $3.  This book will never be known as a bestseller or be up for nomination for a Pulitzer Prize but it was a fun read and very informative concerning Key West, it's quirkiness and how the island "works". 

Bad Monkey by Carl Hiaasen

I am a big Carl Hiaasen fan and this book was a fun read.  It can be purchased in any form and is a mindless, fun and somewhat irreverent look at the island.  It is a good vacation/holiday read especially if you are in Key West or S. Florida. 

While some of the characters in each of these books may seem a bit outlandish, if you ever spend time in South Florida, you will know that they are not exaggerated. 

Have fun in Key West and hopefully you will enjoy these two books.

The Beaches of Key West

Fort Zachary Taylor Beach

If Gilligan and the Skipper's boat had gone down off the coastline of Key West, odds are that they wouldn't have wound up on a beach.

OK, so the title of this blog is, "The Beaches of Key West".  And the photo to the right, it's a photo of the largest beach on Key West.  That's right, the largest beach on the island.

Isn't Key West a tropical island?  If so, why is this the largest beach?

Key West is part of the third-longest barrier reef in the world and the only living coral reef in the United States.  Looking at Key West on the map, you would expect the waves to come roaring onto the beaches, however, the barrier reef off the coast of Key West does not allow that.  It breaks the large waves before they come to the island.  You will not see Key West advertised as a beach or surfers destination.  If you do, beware!  Key West is basically a large rock and not a sandy destination like the rest of Florida .

The beach in the photo is Fort Zachary Taylor Beach and is located within a state park on the island.  Access to the beach is inexpensive.  There are other small beaches that you will see on your trip from the airport but they are not as impressive as Fort Zachary Taylor Beach.

If you are a first-time visitor to Key West, you need to know what to expect so as not to be disappointed.  Do not let the lack of beaches keep you away.  There are plenty of great pools and much to do   In fact, take advantage of the coral reefs and go snorkeling in the clear water while you are there.  There are excursions right off the coastline and glass bottom boats that help you to be an active part of the coral reef.

The following is a link to a blog, Best Florida Keys Beaches, that describes what they believe to be best beaches on the Florida Keys, including Key West.  Keep in mind that a drive to a beach away from Key West involves renting a car and driving on a two-lane road at 45-55 MPH.  

Have fun! 

Winter In Key West

The leaves outside have turned yellow and red and many have fallen to the ground.  For the past couple of days, rain has drizzled down ushering in a cold front that has dropped the low temperatures into the 30's.  On overcast and rainy days with winter kicking in the door, my mind tends to drift southward.  Key West seems to stay on my  mind.

Winters in my home state of Mississippi are generally mild compared to most of the U.S. however, they would seem harsh in comparison to those of Key West.  Since the time that the U.S. Weather Service has maintained records, the lowest recorded temperature in Key West is 41 degrees F and that was in 1886.   I would imagine that somewhere around 65 degrees, the citizens of Key West break out their sweaters.

Friday evening as I looked at the cold rain falling outside my office window, I checked the temperature in Key West, it was 80 degrees.

The average winter temperatures for Key West are as follows:

November:   80 high / 72 low
December:    76 high / 67 low
January:        74 high / 64 low
February:      76 high / 66 low
March:          78 high / 68 low

Winter has been brutal.  I could live with a little Key West weather!   CURRENT WEATHER IN KEY WEST.

A Nice Little Surprise: Cuban Coffee Queen

               Cuban Coffee Queen, 284 Margaret Street, Key West, FL

It definitely doesn't stand out.  Hidden on the northern side of the island in a small building from another time is the Cuban Coffee Queen.

I never really searched out the Cuban Coffee Queen (CCQ).  It just kind of happened.  As I searched through a couple of apps for restaurants where I had never been, I continued to stumble upon the CCQ as a great place for coffee and sandwiches.  After reading several rave reviews, we decided we'd give it a try.

One evening after sunset, my wife and I walked in the direction of the CCQ and initially failed to find it.  We were looking for a much bigger and more prominent location than what the CCQ actually is.  In the darkness, we finally spotted the tiny rustic building, lights out.  Disappointed, we walked to the window and read the operating hours.  The simplicity and rawness of the building along with the reviews that we had read had us intrigued.  We declared that we would be back.

A couple of mornings later, as we began our morning walk around the island, we made our first stop at the CCQ.  Standing in a short line, we checked out the menu.  I got the hot Cafe con leche while my wife got the iced coffee.  The ice was an espresso ice, a nice touch.

As we strolled the island, we sipped on our coffees and took in the beauty that is Key West.  I am not  a coffee connoisseur but I do know that my coffee was very good.  I also purchased a breakfast sandwich called, the Key Wester.  It is two eggs, American cheese and a choice of ham, bacon, sausage or pork on pressed Cuban bread, and it is very good! I purchased the Key Wester based upon some good reviews from Yelp.  It did not disappoint.

I only have one major regret.  They had a great t-shirt that I wish I had purchased, but I suppose the last thing that I need is another t-shirt.

I would highly recommend a visit to the Cuban Coffee Queen.   You won't be disappointed.

UPDATE:  There is now another location for Cuban Coffee Queen.  The new location is in downtown Key West off of Duval Street near the corner of  Southard.  It is in Key Lime Square, 5 Key Lime Square to be exact.  It is open from 7am to 9pm and there is seating for dine-in.  They also have pick-up and delivery.  For a delivery, call 305-294-7787.

While this original blog was concerning the location pictured above, the Key Lime Square location is the one that I frequented most on my last visit to Key West and is more central to the island just off of Duval.



The original Cuban Coffee Queen is located at: 284 Margaret Street, Key West, FL

A Key West Treat: Chocolate Covered Key Lime Pie On a Stick

Sometimes, over and over, you walk by opportunity and don't even know it's there.

On our first trip to Key West, my wife and I, almost daily walked past Kermit's Key Lime Shoppe on Elizabeth Street on the northern side of the island near the marina and the Hyatt Key West.  The only reason I mention Kermit's is because of their chocolate-dipped key lime pie.  As we walked past Kermit's every day on our morning walk, we mentioned to one another that we thought the chocolate-dipped delight would either be really good or the ruin of a good slice of key lime pie.

Sure, among our wanderings of  Key West, we had made it by the Kermit's on Duval Street and took advantage of sampling some of the cookies and a variety of key lime salsas.  So as not to be total leaches, we even purchased a bottle of  Kermit's Key Lime Juice and a box of Kermit's Key Lime Cooler Cookies which are absolutely delicious (buy one more box than you need!).

But, let me get back to the chocolate-dipped key lime pie on a stick.  On the last day of our trip, we decided to try one just to see what it tasted like.  After one bite, we knew we had made a terrible mistake not coming by before.  First off, key lime pie at Key West always seems better than key lime pie anywhere else, and second, can you think of anything that doesn't taste good dipped in chocolate?  The pie is made, sliced, a stick inserted and dipped in chocolate, and then frozen.  Sound good yet?

According to a sign in the store, Alton Brown of the Food Network picked Kermit's chocolate-dipped key lime pie as one of the Top 10 desserts in America. I won't argue with him.

The whole purpose of this blog is to try and advise you not to make the same mistake that my wife and I made.  Definitely, don't wait until the final hours of the last day to go by and try this award-winning treat.  You will probably find yourself back again for another before your trip is over.

There are other chocolate-covered key lime pies on a stick around Key West and I imagine that they are delicious as well.  One is Key West Key Lime Pie Company, whose website makes me very hungry.   No matter where you buy, just make sure you don't go back to the mainland without trying this chocolaty covered tart dessert on a stick.

The "Gypsy Chickens" Of Key West

As you begin to wander around Key West, you will continuously see roosters and chickens walking around freely.  On my first trip, this struck me as odd but with KW having a Caribbean feel, not necessarily out of the ordinary.

I have heard several versions of why there are chickens roaming free.  The initial version is as follows:  People in earlier times migrated to Key West and because of it's isolation from food sources, they brought their own chickens with them, providing eggs, meat and of course reproduction of the species.  As Key West became more connected to the rest of the world and with the advent of local markets and supermarkets carrying these products, some people quit raising these chickens and they were more or less released.  No longer being fed by their owners, the chickens were able to survive off of the native insects, lizards, scorpions and worms around town. It is said that the chickens have helped to minimize cockroaches in tropical Key West.

A more detailed version that I have heard and read about has to do with cockfighting.  The following from keywestroad-trip blog is as follows:

During the mid-1800's, chickens were big business in Cuba. Breeders purchased varieties of Filipino Fowl from Spain. They created their own breed called 'Cubalaya'. The size and aggressiveness made them perfect for cock fighting.

1940's Key West Cockfight

By 1860, Cubans began to move to Key West during the Ten Years' War and unfortunately brought their love for cock fighting with them. A large amount of Cubans followed, drawn by the cigar industry, bringing their chickens with them. By 1890, more than half of Key West's population was of Cuban  origin. 

Luckily, the southernmost city outlawed cockfighting in 1970's, putting the Cubalaya chickens out of business, and out on the streets of Key West. Domestic chickens on the island were losing their homes at the same time when their owners moved away. Now the roosters & chickens were left to roam free, and nature took its course. So, some forty years later, we now have what we call 'Gypsy Chickens'. Like in the 1970's, they are still protected, and make Key West the truly unique place that it is! 

And while the chickens make Key West a unique place, some of the locals are not as happy with them as this tourist.  Over a period of time, chickens roaming freely and "letting nature take its course" can make for a lot of chickens.  The following is taken from Sarah Goodwin-Nguyen's blog concerning the "gypsy chickens": 

Key West's city government, beset by calls from disgruntled locals, have tried several times to "downsize" the chicken population.  In 2004, the city hired local man, Armando Parra, a barber and self taught bird catcher, to serve as "chicken catcher".  The birds were supposed to be "relocated" to a free range farm in Miami-Dade.  Amid speculation that the birds were secretly being killed, local pro-chicken factions began tampering with traps and Parra was dropped from the city payroll.  In 2008, Assistant City Manager, John Jones, made some comments to the local paper urging fed-up locals to "humanely" break the chickens necks, outraging animal lovers.  

You can't make this stuff up!  Nguyen continues with the current Key West solution to the "Gypsy chicken":

http://www.keywestwildlifecenter.org/chickens.html

The City has formed a symbiotic relationship with the Key West Wildlife Center.  In exchange for financial aid, the KWWC, which aids in the rescue and rehabilitation of local birds and other wildlife, serves as a holding center for "nuisance" Gypsy chickens that have been trapped and brought in (traps can be borrowed from the center for a deposit).  The birds are adopted out to people outside of the Keys, who must sign an agreement stating that the birds are for pets and not meat.  Adopted chickens come with a signed letter from the City Mayor attesting to their authentic breeding as "Key West Gypsy Chickens".

As you can see, the Key West Gypsy Chicken is very much a part of Key West.  A colorful part that sets it apart from other destinations.

HURRICANE IRMA, 9/10/2017 update:  Earlier this morning, Hurricane Irma passed through Key West.  I know there is great concern for the Gypsy Chickens.  The following link shows a very small rescue of some of the chickens that were taken from the island and will be returned. www.miamiherald.com/news/nation-world/national/article171996022.html

**I am an avid tourist of Key West, FL. The purpose of my blog, Southernmost Point, is to give an honest observation from a tourist perspective, not a "Chamber of Commerce", merchants or citizens perspective. I will give honest and helpful information.