Fury Girls Shayne, Becky, & Nicole on the Commotion on the Ocean.
A few months ago, I was approached by a gentleman at Cheapflights.com who happened to be a fan of the Fury Girl Blog. As it turned out, he was looking for someone to write an Insiders Guide to Key West for the Cheapflights.com website and thought I’d be the perfect candidate. Needless to say, I was delighted with the opportunity to share my picks on the best things to see and do on the island that I love and call home!
He was particularly interested in Top 5 lists in the following categories: Key West Experiences, Fun Local Customs & Quirks, Hidden Gems Only Locals Would Know, Places for People Watching, and Best Places For a Cocktail. Without further adieu, I’ll give the Fury Girl Blog readers a little sneak peek of my picks!
Top 5 Key West Experiences:
Let’s go parasailing!
- Snorkel the reef (of course!)
- Go parasailing (also, of course!)
- Tour the Hemingway House
- Enjoy margaritas & cheeseburgers in paradise. In the Cheapflights.com article, I mention that a trip to Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville is a must-stop for Parrotheads. However, my favorite burger on the island can be found at Blackfin Bistro–the diablo burger–and my favorite margarita is at Kelly’s, especially at happy hour.
- Sample the key lime pie
Top 5 Fun Local Customs & Quirks:
Photo ops a the Southernmost Buoy.
- Locals are called “Conchs”
- Watch out for Key West’s chickens
- Take advantage of Southernmost Photo Ops, like the Southernmost Buoy and the Mile Marker 0 sign, both on Whitehead Street.
- Sunset Celebrations are every night. Top places to watch are at Mallory Square, rooftop at La Concha, and, of course, on the Commotion on the Ocean!
- Rent a bicycle to see the lay of the land
Top 5 Hidden Gems Only A Local Would Know:
Southernmost House pool.
- Cuban Coffee Queen. We’re big fans of this little coffee & sandwich stand on Margaret Street.
- Southernmost House pool
- Sandbars and mangroves in the backcountry. A great way to experience this is on Fury’s Island Adventure tour.
- Besame Mucho. My absolute favorite boutique on the island!
- Tropic Cinema. My favorite movie theater in the world!
Top 5 Places For People Watching:
Sunsets at Mallory Square.
- The Porch. It’s a great wine and beer bar with an eclectic local crowd.
- The Garden of Eden… You’ve just gotta see for yourself!
- Mallory Square. This is where all of the street performers and artists congregate at sunset.
- Duval Street
- Schooner Wharf. It’s a great outdoor bar with quirky characters at the Historic Seaport.
Top 5 Places For a Cocktail:
Fun times at the Parrot.
- Virgilio’s–hello, Martini Monday!
- point 5. Upstairs at nine one five.
- Blue Heaven. Always a classic.
- Conch Farm. Great happy hour!
- The Green Parrot. Everyone’s favorite bar.
Well, those are my picks. What do you think? Agree? Disagree? Did I leave anything out that you think should have been included? Let us know on Facebook and Twitter. To read the entire original Cheapflights.com Insiders Guide to Key West article, click here.
Shayne Benowitz is a Fury crew member and freelance writer. Contact her at shayne@furykeywest.com. Follow the fun on Twitter @FuryKeyWest and @ShayneBenowitz.
