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Popular State Guides
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Key WestKey West, situated near the southernmost tip of the Florida Keys, is the county seat and the principal city of Monroe County, Florida. Popularly known as the Southernmost City, Key West encompasses the Key West Island, the part of Stock Island north of US-1, Fleming Key, Sigsbee Park, and the Sunset Key. It is located nearly 129 miles (208 km) southwest of Miami and is the prime seaport destination for a number of passenger cruise ships. It offers airline service at the Key West International Airport as well as several hotels and guest houses for lodging. Besides, it also features a number of elegant restaurants that offer visitors a choice of indoor or outdoor dining. Key West is also home to the Naval Air Station Key West, a vital year-round training center for naval aviation, and the Winter White House of President Harry S. Truman. Much of the northwest portion of the island constitutes the Central Business District of the city. The City of Key West can be divided into 4 major areas: Old West, New Town, Casa Marina, and the Mid-Town. Old West, the original Key West neighborhood in the west, comprises the Key West Historic District. The major points of tourist interest in this neighborhood include the Mallory Square, Duval Street, Fort Zachary Taylor Historic State Park, and the Truman Annex. This historic district is best recognized for its magnificent bungalows and mansions, which date from 1886 to 1912. New Town, on the other hand, features a number of shopping centers, residential areas, ball parks, retail malls, and schools. One of the most popular tourist attractions on the Island is the wonderful concrete replica of a buoy that stands at the corner of the Whitehead and South Streets. This point is considered to be the southernmost point of Continental U. S. A. and is the most-frequented and photographed attraction in Key West. Boat excursions and tours, such as the Conch Train tour and the Old Town Trolley Tour, are the best ways to explore the rich history and architecture of Key West. The major tourist attractions in the city include the Sunset Celebrations at the Mallory Square, the Duval Street bar and restaurant district, the Studios of Key West at the historic Armory Building, the Florida Keys Council of the Arts, the Tennessee Williams Theater, the Key West Botanical Forest and Garden, Nancy Forester’s Secret Garden, the Key West Butterfly & Nature Conservatory, the Mel Fisher Maritime Museum, the Key West Historic Seaport at the Key West Bight, and the Key West Lighthouse & Keeper’s Quarters Museum. The island of Key West also hosts a number of annual cultural events, including the Key West Race Week, the Key West Literary Seminar, Pride Fest, Fantasy Fest, Hemmingway Days Festival, and the Boat and Holiday Parade. Key West, home to wonderful resorts, hotels, bars, restaurants, shopping malls, galleries, and museums, is the most-frequented, most happening, and the most-populated place in the Florida Keys. It has a unique charm of its own and is a perfect holiday destination for one and all.
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