6 Best Bars In Key West

Above, Sloppy Joe's Bar is number one on the list. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Back in 2019, the Cuba cruise I was on stopped for a few hours in Key West, Florida. I had a great time there. I toured the Shipwreck Museum and the Hemingway House. I also mangaged to shop at a great cigar shop and have a couple of margaritas at an outdoor bar.

Above, yours truly enjoying a margarita at El Meson de Pepe.

The Infatuation has posted an article listing the six best bars in Key West.

They begin it with:

If finding a great bar in Key West seems daunting, it’s only because the island can feel like one never-ending bar. On seemingly every block, you’ll find chairs with waterfront views, stools within earshot of someone strumming an acoustic guitar, and places that claim to have hosted Ernest Hemingway. The good news is that there aren’t any bad choices when going out in Key West. Just keep your drink orders simple, because cutting-edge cocktails aren’t really a thing here. And know that Duval Street, often called Key West’s Bourbon Street, is where you’ll find the most (and rowdiest) bars. 

If the thought of taking shots with wandering bachelor parties makes you shudder, though, this guide has plenty of options off Duval, with all the Jimmy Buffett vibes that made you book a room here in the first place. And when you get hungry, check out our guide to the best restaurants in Key West.

 Sloppy Joe's Bar is number one on the list. Strangely, there's also a Sloppy Joe's Bar in Havana, Cuba.

To read more, go here.

Ernest Hemingway's Florida

Above, Sloppy Joe's Bar, Ernest Hemingway's favorite Key West watering hole. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

During our stop in Key West, Florida during our cruise to Cuba, I went to the Hemingway House to see where Ernest Hemingway lived in the late 1930s.

I also toured Key West aboard a trolley bus that meandered around the town. Some of the places we drove past, such as Sloppy Joe's, are Hemingway-related.

Above, Hemingway House in Key West. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

InsideHook has an article on some of the haunts in Florida Hemingway used to frequent.

They begin it with:

Sparse of prose and generous with Martinis, Ernest Hemingway was nothing if not a literary and lifestyle legend. The iconic writer’s alpha male appeal has paved the way for no shortage of stories about his exploits — some canonical, like the three-month safari that resulted in a lion as a trophy, and others anecdotal, like his claim that he liberated the Ritz bar in Paris from the Nazis, or that he contributed to the invention of the Bloody Mary.

Hemingway lived just shy of 62 years, and he crammed more than most into those six decades. After his military service, he embarked on four marriages and countless adventures, from Paris to Madrid, Havana to Key West. And there’s nowhere quite like Miami to live large in his image.

To read more, go here. 

Climbing The Key West Lighthouse

Above, the Key West Lighthouse from the Hemingway House. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

When I toured Key West, Florida four years ago this coming April, I was on the top balcony of the Hemingway House and spotted the Key West Lighthouse nearby.

From the balcony, I took the above photo of the lighthouse.

Since then I found that a view of the lighthouse was shown in the 1989 James Bond movie, Licence To Kill with a similar view as my photo's.

TheTravel posted an article on visiting the Key West Lighthouse (which I should have done, but didn't).

They begin with:

The stunning views from the top of the Key West Lighthouse are a sight to behold. With a climb of 88 iron steps, visitors find themselves perched atop the 18th-century structure, taking in the expansive, sweeping views of the surrounding area. Initially built in 1847, this lighthouse served as a beacon of safety for countless ships entering the port, warning them away from hazardous reefs. Today, adventurous travelers can take on the challenge of scaling this historic structure to experience a bird's eye view of Key West like no other.

The observation platform offers an unparalleled view of the town's famous sunsets, making it the perfect spot to catch the sun as it disappears below the horizon. For more than 100 years, lighthouse keepers kept watch from the top of this tower, ensuring the safety of sailors and the preservation of the historic structure. Now, visitors worldwide can follow in their footsteps and experience the thrill of climbing to the top of this iconic Key West landmark.

To read more, go here. 

10 Unique Key West Tours

Above, an example of Key West architecture. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

During our April 2019 Royal Caribbean cruise to Havana, Cuba, we made a stop in Key West, Florida for a few hours. 

We had enough time to explore Key West with a trolley that stopped at major points of interest. I stopped at the Hemingway House and took a tour of Ernest Hemingway's home, office and grounds. I also stopped at the Key West Shipwreck Treasures Museum.

There are other ways of exploring Key West and TheTravel has ten recommended tours for consideration.

They begin with:

Key West is closer to Cuba than the rest of Florida, so visiting there makes the rest of the country seem a million miles away. The island's boisterous history, colorful culture, and laid-back attitude give it a Caribbean feel. With a vibrant nightlife, tasty seafood, and plenty of outdoor activities, Key West offers all the trappings of an island paradise while still being conveniently located on American soil. With a plethora of activities to enjoy, such as kayaking, snorkeling, exploring nearby coral reefs, and going on a boat tour, it's easy to see why Key West is so appealing. Here are 10 tours worth doing in Key West.

To read more, go here. 

10 Things To Do In Key West

Above, after our ship arrived in Key West. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Three years ago, I took a cruise down to Havana, Cuba with a friend.

Along the way, we had a stop-over at Key West, Florida for a few hours. I enjoyed the stop as I visited the former home of author Ernest Hemingway, the Shipwreck Museum and wandered around town. I wanted to go back to Key West the following year, but the pandemic put a nix on that.

TheTravel posted an article on ten things to do while in Key West.  

They begin with:

Well known for its serene aquamarine waters, captivating sunsets, and a laid-back ambiance, Key West, located in South Florida, is an exact definition of paradise. This inviting spot is an ideal island getaway. From water sports activities such as snorkeling to wandering the appealing streets, this slice of heaven has no shortage of things for visitors to engage in and create unforgettable memories.

Here are the 10 best things in Key West.

To see what they are, go here. 

10 Things To Do In Key West In One Day

Above, number 7 on the list, exploring the Key West Lighthouse. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

During our cruise to Havana, Cuba three years ago (has it really been that long ago?), our ship stopped at Key West, Florida for a few hours of exploring the town.

Thankfully, part of our cruise package included trolley transportation to take us to different attractions. I visited the Hemingway House, the Shipwreck Museum, had margaritas at a bar, went to Cigar City USA cigar shop and wandered around other shops. 

TheTravel has posted a list of things one can do in Key West in one day.

They begin with:

The Key West is one of the most wish-listed destinations in Florida, and it's easy to see why. Beautiful beaches, Bahamas-style vibes, and incredible food await eager travelers, and the Florida Keys are more than willing to deliver the perfect vacation. Key West, in particular, can be explored in one day - if a visitor knows exactly where they should be spending their time. For anyone who only has 24 hours to visit Key West, here are some must-do things that can be done in one day.

To read more, go here. 

Key West Day Trip Tour Ideas

Above, the  Key West Lighthouse and Keeper’s Quarters Museum from the Hemingway House. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Three years ago (it hardly seems that long ago), I took a cruise down to Havana, Cuba from Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Along the way, the ship stopped for a few hours in Key West.

I didn't take any town tours with the exception of using one of Key West's trollies to get to places in town such as the Hemingway House, Shipwreck Museum and other areas. The trolly was part of our cruise package.

The Miami Herald has an article on day trip tour ideas in Key West.

They begin with:

So you’ve made it to Key West on your cruise or arrived for a day trip and have a limited amount of time to explore this tiny tropical island before you pull out for your next stop.

You’ve got options. 

Take a trip on the water to catch some sun and ocean breezes. See some history. Tour museums. Visit some butterflies. 

You can always just grab a cocktail and wander the Duval Sreet corridor and side streets downtown soaking up the sun, sights and shops. 

But for the more adventurous, here’s a list of the best things to do in Key West so you don’t miss the boat.

To read more, go here.

Key West Makes Tripadvisor's Top Ten List

Above, author Ernest Hemingway's office in Key West. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Tripadvisor has put out their top ten list of U.S. destinations.

Annually, Tripadvisor puts out their Travelers' Choice Awards. This is for 2022.

CBS Miami reported:

MIAMI (CBSMiami/CNN) – Congratulations to Miami Beach and Key West. They’ve made Tripadvisor’s Travelers’ Choice Awards for 2022 for two of the best destinations in the U.S.

Las Vegas came in at number one, followed by Hawaii’s Oahu and Maui.

Key West was listed as America’s fourth most favorite city to visit. Miami Beach came in eighth.

Other cities in the top 10 were New York City, New Orleans, Nashville, Savannah, and Sedona, Arizona.

To read more, go here.

Top 10 Places To Visit In The Florida Keys

Above, one of many cats who reside at the Hemingway Home in Key West. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Before the pandemic began, I was seriously planning a return trip to Key West, Florida. I had visited Key West the year prior during a cruise down to Havana, Cuba.

Those plans were scrapped, thanks to the pandemic, but there is a new article by Travel Off Path on the top 10 places to visit in the Florida Keys.

They begin it with:

The Florida Keys are a collection of islands just off the coast of Florida. The islands making up this group range from larger, inhabited ones, to hundreds of smaller, uninhabited lands. Here are the top 10 places to visit on these beautiful islands! 

To see what the top 10 places to visit are, go here. 

 

Travel To See Bond Movie Locations

Above, MI6 boss M confronts Bond at this spot at Hemingway House in
 Key West, Florida in Licence To Kill (1989). Photo by Armand Vaquer.

One of my favorite movie franchises (since 1963 when my parents took me to see a double bill of Dr. No and From Russia With Love) has been the James Bond series.

Over the years, exotic locations were used in the movies and many fans love to travel to see them. I've seen some of the ones used in Diamonds Are Forever in Las Vegas, one in Tokyo used in You Only Live Twice and, most recently, one used in Licence To Kill in Key West.

CNET has an article listing some of them.

It begins with:

It's been a tough year for 007 fans. First scheduled for a release in March 2020 but delayed repeatedly by the coronavirus pandemic, No Time to Die is now set to premiere Oct. 8. The next James Bond installment will be the 25th film in the 007 franchise and the fifth and final (so he says) starring Daniel Craig as the British secret agent. 

Like every Bond movie, No Time to Die will span the globe, showing viewers not just London, but also far-flung locations like Italy, Jamaica, Norway and Scotland. From Dr. No to Spectre, each Bond flick is enough to give you the serious travel bug, even if you can't afford the luxury hotels someone on a government payroll seems to be able to manage. 

As a Bond fan, I try to seek out sights shown in the series when I travel. Here are a few incredible places I've been so far and one I can't wait to to see in person. Keep them in mind for when you can freely travel the world again -- many borders are still closed, but that should change soon -- and hope that the businesses I mention will still be open. 

A word of warning, though: Abundant spoilers below.

To read more, go here. 

James Bond and Hemingway House

Above, Timothy Dalton and Robert Brown (right) at Hemingway House.

For the first time in about three years, I watched the second James Bond movie starring Timothy Dalton, Licence To Kill (1989). I think I last watched it while in Mammoth Lakes, California during my Owens Valley trip.

For starters, I find it hard to believe that this year marks 30 years since Licence To Kill was made and released. Time sure does fly! (Note: it is the English spelling of the word licence. We usually spell it as license.)

During my recent cruise to Key West, Florida and Havana, Cuba, we stopped in Key West for the day to wander around and explore the town and to shop and eat. One place I toured was Hemingway House, where writer Ernest Hemingway lived and worked.

During the tour, it was pointed out by our tour guide that the second floor balcony was featured in Licence To Kill during the scene of the confrontation between James Bond (Dalton) and M (Robert Brown).

Before arriving at the corner on the balcony, the camera focused on the Key West Lighthouse where an armed man stood.

With those shots in mind, I photographed the balcony corner and the lighthouse.

Below are screen shots of those Licence To Kill "landmarks" and photographs of them as they are today.

The Hemingway House Balcony with actor Robert Brown from Licence To Kill:

The same spot taken in April:

Next, the Key West Lighthouse from Licence To Kill:

The Key West Lighthouse in April (note the different paint job and the screen removed):

There were other shots of Hemingway House in the movie as were of Key West. From what I was able to see from the movie, Key West hasn't changed all that much in 30 years.

Above, the cat cemetery at Hemingway House. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

No doubt, the Hemingway House cats shown in the movie are now resting at the cat cemetery on the property. I likely saw their descendants during my April visit.

Cuba Cruise Random Shots

Above, a tour train outside of the Shipwreck Museum in Key West. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Ever since I received my first camera (an Imperial Lark) at age 9, I have been an admitted shutterbug.

The recent cruise from Fort Lauderdale, Florida to Key West to Havana, Cuba afforded plenty of "photo ops" for me. And I definitely took advantage of them.

I mainly used my Canon Rebel T5i, but I also used my Samsung Galaxy S9.

Here's some photos I took during the trip (randoms):

Above, the morning moon shot with the S9. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, our deck (Deck 7). Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, our stateroom window view. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, the morning sky at sea. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, the top deck above the pools. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, the Florida coast at the horizon. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, Casino Royale in the Majesty of the Seas. I made $40 here. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, goods for sale on board the ship. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, the singer giving me a nice pose. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, a sunrise at sea. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above and below, Majesty of the Seas at Key West. Photos by Armand Vaquer.

Above, the Key West Lighthouse. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, Hemingway House kitties getting treats. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, a Key West Trolly. This is what we rode in. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, a Key West restaurant's Cuba display. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, "007" moored at Key West. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, breakfast about to be served at the Windjammer Marketplace. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, tracking our cruise course. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, a vintage Chevrolet in Havana. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, heading out of Havana Port. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Cuba Cruise Done

Above, yours truly after we arrived in Havana Harbor.

The cruise is now over. We got back to Fort Lauderdale this morning after sailing all the way from Havana, Cuba.

The only photos I can post at present are ones from my cell phone. For some odd reason, I didn't pack the cable that transfers photos from my Canon camera to the computer.

My initial impressions.

Above, Cigar City USA in Key West. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Key West was a fun place. I enjoyed wandering around the town and had a great conversation on cigars and cigar store Indians with Mark Cesani, manager of Cigar City USA. Then, next door to Cigar City, I had a couple of margaritas at the El Meson de Pepe. Cesani said I got a good deal ($450) on my cigar store Indian. His cost $3,000.

I did take a tour of the Hemingway Home and the Shipwreck Museum while in Key West.

Above, your truly at the El Meson de
Pepe restaurant and bar in Key West.

The next day we headed off to Havana, Cuba. I was not surprised to see a drab place. The buildings in the city don't look like they've been cleaned, painted or had any kind of maintenance for years. Our tour guide said that they haven't been maintained really since the collapse of the Soviet Union and the "money spigot" to Cuba dried up.

Above, the package containing 6 Montecristo No. 2 cigars. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, the bottle of Cuban rum I bought. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

It was interesting seeing the old 1950s cars on the streets, many of which I haven't seen since I was a kid.

We did stop at the El Morro Castle to do some cigar and run shopping before heading to a flea market and our ship.

Above, one of the nightly entertainers by the glass elevators. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The Cuban people were nice and friendly towards us, which is not surprising since our beef is with their communist government and not with them.

Majesty of the Seas, our cruise ship of Royal Caribbean, was a decent and comfortable ship. It is about 28 years old. The staff were quite friendly and efficient. The food was excellent and we had some good entertainment. I would take another cruise with them again.

Above, the grand finale to last night's show in the ship's theater. Photo by Armand Vaquer.