Monday, February 28, 2011

A Guide for the "Neophyte Rumstyler" to Key West

     The Neophyte Rumstyler can really get lost in Key West 250 plus bars and countless restaurants.     Upon reaching Key West you have some very hard decisions to make.     If you are driving on to the island, you need to decide whether you are turning left or right.     If you fly in, do I rent a car or take a taxi, or if you boat in, do I tie up in the mooring field and dinghy in or do I get a slip and  live the "marina life"?     All of these before I have to decide on where to eat or where to party.     This can be a pretty difficult time, but after all the tough decisions are made, it is time for the "neophyte" to meet Key West head on.     When you leave your now established "digs" the first place you just have to find is "Duval Street", just like if you go the New Orleans, you have to find Bourbon Street here it is Duval Street.     This Street has two distinct ends, the south end, known as the "quiet end", and the north end where all the raucous action takes place.     If you are into the latter, you go to the 100 to 600 blocks and Duval Street is alive with music, booze and food.


The Bull, Whistle Bar, and Garden of Eden
      Sloppy Joe's, Hog's Breath, Captain Tony's, Rick's, Irish Kevin's, Margaritaville, Cowboy Bill's, etc, etc, etc, are the ones that every "neophyte has heard about and has to hit as soon as they arrive.    There are however several  other fine watering holes on and around Duval Street that you need to search out and explore before you get sucked into a "Duval Crawl Stupor" and forget who and where you are.     Just off Duval is the "Green Parrot", oldest bar in Key West, and probably the one with the best music on a regular basis.     Kelly's Caribbean, on the corner of  Whitehead and Caroline Streets offers great food and one of the best "Happy Hour's".     You've got to try the wings and the micro brew ales.    As you head back down Caroline street to Duval Street you find a curious combination of bars stacked on top of each other.    "The Bull", the street-level bar that features good local music, dancing, and cocktails.     Up you go to the next level where you have the "Whistle Bar", this level has pool tables and verandas that let you watch the craziness of Duval Street from above as you sip your cocktails.     As we climb the stairway to the top we are met head on with the "Garden of Eden",  Key West's famous "Clothing Optional" bar.     This is an open air and really wide open bar that you can dance, be body painted, and in general have  really wild and naked time.

     Old town Key West is very different, but very much the same from the Prohibition Days, or even the crazy 60's, but Key West is still the wide open fun loving town that it always was.    If you are looking for what you really don't know what your looking for, then Key West has it.    The "Sunset Festival" at Malory Square happens 365 days a year at sunset and draws huge crowds daily.    This is the launching pad for the party that runs til 4:00 am. every night.     If you had not guessed by now Key West is a town for the energetic and not for the unmotivated.     You can start your party at 6:30am and the it doesn't have to finish til 4:00 am the next day.      This is a venue for the"professional rumstyler", but the "neophytes" are always welcome.     Key West has so many things to offer that you can live here for years and still are amazed by all the things you discover that you didn't know about.     Come on down and have a little but of fun with us.     ;o)