Simply Elevate November 2014 | Page 24

Key West, Fl We took a family trip to one of the most famous places in Florida...Key West. Getting to Key West is just about as much fun as being in the place it’s self. In order to get there you have to drive over the Seven Mile Bridge. There is nothing but ocean under you and it can be a little unnerving. While in Key West we were able to see a lot of very interesting things and eat some great food. Key West is really a very small area, we were able to walk most of it from our hotel. During the day we wondered through endless tourist shops where you could buy just about anything related to Key West and if it wasn’t related it was stamped “Key West”. There are also boat rides, fishing trips and snorkeling trips you can take, but if you want to stay on land there are several land mark that are pretty impressive. The Southernmost point bouy is an easy walk and a great sight to see. The Southernmost point buoy is an anchored concrete buoy in Key West marking one of the extreme points of the United States. 24 www.simplyelevate.com Key West Lighthouse Museum is also a must see but if you are afraid of heights I would suggest that you keep your feet on the ground.The lighthouse was built in 1847 and it was built to replace the one the was destroyed the previous year by a hurricane. We climbed the 88 steps to the balcony where we were able to see all of Key West, the ocean and just how far down the ground was. I was able to take amazing pictures from the balcony. Both my son and I said that going up was a lot easier than coming down. The famous Duval Street is a downtown commercial zoned street in Key West that runs north and south from the Gulf of Mexico to the Atlantic Ocean. From shore to shore it is just over a mile long, easily walked. In the evening street performers gather along the piers and provide all kinds of entertainment. There were fire dancers, guys who could make balloons into just about anything, jugglers, people with parrots who for a few dollars would let Article and photos by: Danta Simonsen you take pictures with the parrot and bag pipe players. You could walk from person to person for the whole evening and not get bored. As the sun sets the boats, yachts, and catamarans start their parade. The sun sets behind them and if you are lucky you will see a very orange sunset with the silhouette of a large sail boat. It makes a beautiful picture! While in Key West you must have Key Lime Pie. There are several little shops with anything and everything key lime, there is even key lime beer. (for adults only) Being so close to the ocean gives you the opportunity to eat some great seafood, which we did. There are several restaurants that have been rated 5 stars unfortunately we did not stay long enough to eat at them all. Listen, if it is cold where you are and you need a little vacation Key West is not a bad spot to land.