![]() ![]() Greenwood at the relatively modest 1829 Bahamian-style, wood-framed house with a dormer roof and raised porch on the main drag, Duval Street. “Now they remember us for our vulgar T-shirts and our cheap beer.” “One hundred years later, Key West was so poor, people forgot that,” said Thomas Greenwood, the curator at the Oldest House Museum and Garden (admission $10), noting that Key West was also the first city to declare bankruptcy in the Depression. Historic wealth and ‘vulgar T-shirts’Īmid the simpler homes lie impressive mansions - many of them converted to bed and breakfasts or museums - that provide a key clue to the island’s past: In the 1830’s, Key West was the richest city per capita in the United States. Most often, I stuck to lightly trafficked residential routes, pedalling past Conch shacks with profuse greenery and brightly painted hurricane shutters that provided a dazzling D.I.Y. Thanks to the company’s contactless delivery service, I found the locked bike parked at NYAH’s racks before I arrived and would leave it in the same place upon departure for pickup.Ī popular way to get around the island, biking beats walking for speed and range, and avoids the frustration in this no-street-parking place of having to try to park a car in packed lots or on restricted streets. I had arranged to rent a single-speed cruiser through Eaton Bikes, which offers a 10 percent discount on advance reservations made online (the two-day rental cost $28.80). ![]() and I’d head out by 8 a.m., we rarely overlapped during my two-night stay.Įarly morning was my favorite time to cycle around Key West. Fortunately, since she’d come home at 5 a.m. In this case, the only other woman sharing the no-frills room had strewed her clothes across all four bunks and explained that she was binge partying after a breakup. Unless you’re reserving a private room with family or friends, staying at a hostel risks mystery roommates. It was a compelling offer, especially since the hostel - a series of connected cottages - maintains courtyard pools, includes breakfast (covered by the roughly $10 a night resort fee) and is centrally located in Old Town. At NYAH - short for Not Your Average Hotel - a bed in a quad dorm room with a private bathroom was going for $100 a night. In October, a relatively quiet month to visit Key West, bargain accommodations were running about $175 a night and up. “You’ll see how we do things a little differently.” Rooms and bikes for rent She shared her tips for favorite places - many of which I visited - and introduced me to other passionate Conchs who make the place unique. Over a San Pellegrino ($2.95) at the Funky Rooster Coffee House and Wine Bar in Old Town, where a “pet bar,” or water bowl on the porch, had a sign reading “Dogs and chickens drink for free,” Ms. So, could I, a thrifty traveler, still enjoy it? Real estate prices soared and with Florida’s open tourism policy, the hotel business boomed. Renowned for stray chickens in the roads, bender-encouraging dive bars and the laid-back “Margaritaville” lifestyle popularized by Jimmy Buffett, Key West has long attracted a bohemian blend of artists, musicians, conservationists and dropouts to the end-of-the-road tropics at the southernmost tip of the United States.ĭuring the pandemic, the island became a different sort of haven, beckoning an influx of newcomers seeking an outdoor lifestyle. She and I met on a previous visit and I think of her as representing what’s best about Key West: the people. That’s how you knew there was a new Conch born.”Ī second-generation Conch, Kristi Ann Mills - known locally as Mermaid Kristi Ann - runs the annual Key West Mermaid Festival. “We had a tradition a long time ago where, when a baby was born - because, back then, your baby was born at home - you would put a stick in the yard and put a conch shell on it. ![]() Three hours into my latest visit to Key West, Fla., I listened as a mermaid explained why islanders are called “Conchs.” ![]()
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