PicturedFrom Key West's Fantasyfest 2004, over Halloween week.
Key West never fails to fascinate, tantalize, and rejuvenate, all simultaneously. Key West is among Florida's most quirky, beguiling, and arguably most satisfying communities. My late January 2005 visit found Key West as warm and welcoming as ever. The gay and lesbian visitor will still find a variety of accommodations, restaurants, nightlife, and day activities to keep one sated and satisfied. I hear of changes: more condos, fewer LGBT guesthouses, but Key West just keeps truckin' along like Ole Man River.
Still lots to offer
Key West intrigues because it offers so much. Located, out to sea, some 100 miles southwest off the Florida mainland, Key West is one of Florida's few all-year-round venues. Receiving less rainfall than much of Florida and having the state's warmest winter clime, Key West benefits by some sea-breeze relief even in summer. While Key West is an island, the coral reefs surrounding the island make it difficult to create wave action. Hence, beaches are just OK and not with great allure.
For its size, Key West has one of the greatest concentrations of historic houses, museums, and such cultural entities as theater, symphony, film, cabaret, fine arts, and even horticulture. Then there is that ever-fascinating 'conch' style architecture. The Old Town area, containing most of the places of interest, is so compact that a car is superfluous. In fact, walking and bicycling are the best ways of getting around. There are still a great variety of accommodations attractive to gays and lesbians. And the nightlife still sizzles.
One place to get oriented is the Gay and Lesbian Community Center. Here is an excellent non-commercial venue to get acquainted with Key West's gay scene. There is a library and Internet café on-site, plus the Hal Walsh Archives, which document and preserve Key West's gay heritage. Southern Exposure is the LGBT periodical and Web site that gives a great deal of low-down on what's going on in Key West.
You can also do some vacation 'research' at the Key West Island Book Store, or check out Flaming Maggie's Book Store, ( and coffee bar and art gallery ) , which contains mostly gay and lesbian, bisexual, and transgender literature.
Touring around
Key West is well known for the Conch trolley bus tours. LGBT folk have their own trolley bus tour. The Gay Trolley tours are a great way to sightsee in Key West with a LGBT perspective. You just hop the rainbow trolley at the Atlantic Shores Resort any Saturday beginning at 11 a.m. for a 70-minute tour. If you are sufficiently moved, coax the driver to belt out 'The Trolley Song' a la Judy Garland. Just kidding.
Sharon Wells' Walking & Biking Guide to Historic Key West includes a gay trek to some 29 points of interest. Included are the former residences of Tennessee Williams and James Kirkwood, notable bars, and the White Street Pier with the AIDS Memorial. Each place has a useful description. This very thorough, free guide is available along with 14 other well-researched self-guided tours in Key West. You will find the guide in such places as the Key West Island Book Store and Sharon Wells' own KW Light Gallery, both on Fleming Street. With a minimum of participants, Ms. Wells also offers a bike tour of the gay trek.
One of Key West's newer attractions is the Key West Butterfly and Nature Conservatory. Well, yes, you do commune with butterflies. Nature lovers will be awed by Nancy Forrester's Secret Garden, a lush plus rainforest smack dab in the heart of Old Town Key West. Do you have a thing for orchids? You're in luck. The Orchid Lady will take you through an orchid odyssey. And Harry S. Truman's Little White House offers a self-guided botanical tour. Frost-free Key West is virtually tropical, so lots of unusual and fantastic flora grows here profusely.
Try to sample some of Key West's large selection of historic homes and museums. Harry S. Truman's Little White House takes you back to the 1940s, and even includes the famed photo of actress Lauren Bacall atop piano, while the President is tickling the ivories. The Custom House has some excellent historic and art exhibits. And there are a plethora of historic homes such as Hemingway House, Donkey Milk House, Curry House, and the Audubon House where history, venerable home furnishings, and character mesh.
Within Old Town, steer off Duval Street, the main drag. Then venture down such side streets as Eaton, Fleming for ooh-ing and ahh-ing the charming conch-style architecture. ( One way of describing the 'conch' style is an amalgamation of tropical Bahamas and prim New England styles, which actually work. )
Great nightlife
And oh, the nightlife! The golden triangle of the 700 and 800 block of Duval Street still hosts Aqua—the big dance bar; 801 Bourbon Bar, with drag shows par excellence; Bourbon Street Pub, with male dancers; and Kwest Men, featuring male strip shows. Add to the mix Pearl's Patio Bar for Women, a poolside bar for women located at Pearl's guesthouse on United Street. And let us not forget the Atlantic Shores Resort with the Sunday tea dances and weekly movies, located on South Street. The Atlantic Shores pool is still a very popular daytime gathering place.
Acclaimed cabaret artist Bobby Nesbitt, advises he is playing piano Wednesday afternoons at Kwest, performing his array of signature show tunes. He also is performing often at La Te Da in the piano bar and appearing in the show 'Broadway 3 Way, A Musical Ménage a Trois' upstairs in La Te Da's Cabaret.
Great places to stay—and eat
Leading gay male accommodations still going strong include Equator Resort, Big Ruby's Guest House, Coconut Grove Guest House, Oasis Guest House, and Coral Tree Inn. For mixed gay and lesbian, Alexander's Guest House and Fleur de Key figure prominently. For women, Pearl's Rainbow is the place. All-welcome places include Herron House, and the Blue Parrott. If you like 'em larger and more commercial, the Hyatt and the Pier House might be your cup of tea.
Key West offers a great assortment of restaurants, featuring many cuisines—from steak houses, seafood, Italian, sushi, comfort food, etc. Fine restaurants include Camille's, Alice's Key West, Mangia Mangia Pasta Cafe, La Trattoria, El Siboney, La Te Da-the Ocean Grill, and the Deli.
In the Old Town, try the Caribbean-style food at Blue Heaven. ( Bahama Village is filled with Afro-Caribbean and Afro-American heritage. )
However, much or little you want to sate your senses, Key West always comes through.
Key West Resources:
Sharon Wells' Walking and Biking Guide www.seekeywest.com
Gay Trolley Tours, 305-294-4603, gaykeywestfl.com/trolleytour
Southern Exposure www.gaykeywest.net
Gay & Lesbian Visitor Info Center www.gaykeywestfl.com
Gay and Lesbian Community Center Key West, 513 Truman Avenue, www.glcckeywest.org
Aqua, 711 Duval Street, www.aquakeywest.com
801 Bourbon Bar, 801 Duval Street, www.801bourbon.com
Bourbon St. Pub, 724 Duval Street, www.bourbonstpub.com
Kwest Men, 705 Duval Street
Pearl's Patio for Women, 525 United Street, www.pearlsrainbow.com
Flaming Maggie's Book Store, Key West's alternative bookstore, 830 Fleming Street, www.flamingmaggies.com
Key West Art and Historical Society, 281 Front Street, Key West, FL 33040, ( 305 ) 295-6616, ext. 29.
La Te Da, Crystal Room Cabaret, 1125 Duval Street, www.lateda.com
Key West Butterfly & Nature Conservatory, 1316 Duval Street, www.keywestbutterfly.com
Nancy Forrest's Secret Garden, One Free School Lane, www.keywestsecretgarden.com
Orchid Tour with the Orchid Lady, 877-747-2718, www.eorchidlady.com
Harry S. Truman Little White House, 111 Front St., www.TrumanLittleWhiteHouse.com
Your Travel Writer: Richard S. Klein is a travel consultant with Aqua Terra Travel, Inc., 65 E. Wacker Place, Chicago IL 60601. Aqua Terra Travel is owned by Cynthia A, Marquard. Cynthia and Richard can be reached at 312-787-2400. www.aquaterratravel.com .
