Road Tripping South Florida (Part 3)
See part 1 here and part 2 here.

I visited Key West at a fun time, the annual Conch Republic Festival that commemorates Key West's secession from the Union. The event that sparked this began when Border Control set up a roadblock to catch drug smugglers and illegal aliens in Florida City, the last stop before entering the Keys, In March 1982. This affected the Keys' economy, so Key West Mayor Dennis Wardlow tried to get the blocade removed through legal recourse first. When that didn't work, he said, since only nations at war can blockade another country. He then declared, "We secede, we're not going to take it anymore. If you're going to treat us as a foreign country, we'll become a foreign country. We're going to raise our flag and declare war."

Each year, Key West hosts a 10-day festival where I got to see now Prime Minister emeritus Warlow and other figures reenact the events of the secession.

Perry Hotel

Since I arrived late, I checked int the Perry Hotel and had a great night's sleep in my spacious room with a balcony overlooking the waterfront pool and the 288-slip marina, the largest deep-water marina in the Florida Keys.

The hotel is named after Commodore Oliver Perry, known as the father of the United States Navy. His brother, Matthew C. Perry, claimed the Florida Keys as United States territory in 1822. There is a helpful concierge who can book your trolley or tour tickets. You can also rent a bike, scooter or golf cart here.

My dining options here were great they included Matt's Stock Island Kitchen & Bar and the Salty Oyster Bar and Grill The hotel earned a MICHELIN Key in 2024 and is nominated for Best Hotel in the Condé Nast Traveler Readers' Choice Awards for 2025.

Key West Cemetery

I started early and did a drive through the Key West Cemetery. You may not think of a cemetery as a tourist attraction, but Key West Cemetery is. One of the most unusual tombstones is a conch shell, marking the grave of Sir Peter Anderson, who was the Secretary-General of the Conch Republic.

Many of the tombs are engraved with humorous sayings, like the two sisters. One was the town hypochondriac. Her tombstone says, "I told you I was sick." Her sister's reads, "I'm just resting my eyes."

Not only humans, but sometimes their pets are buried here. Elfina the deer's grave is in the Otto family burial ground along with three dogs and Robert Eugene Otto, the owner of Robert the Doll. (more about Robert the Doll later.)

One caution here: do not trust your google direction inside the cemetery. Mine went crazy and was telling me many "turn left on" and then "turn right on" The streets it named were not there.

Hemingway Home and Museum

My next stop was Ernest Hemingway Home and Museum. The home and his office are filled with authentic furnishing used by Hemingway and his second wife, Pauline. Beiong a staunch cat woman, I loved seeing many of the descendants of Hemingway's six-toed white cat, Snow White, given to Hemingway by Captain Dexter. The cat cemetery shows how Hemingway loved and added many more cats to his family. The tombstones show cats are named for movie stars and famous people of the day.

Old Town Trolley

By then I decided I had enough of the traffic and parking problems and boarded the Old Town Trolley. (Be smart and do this first.) It took me to Mallory Square, the heart of the city, and stop one on the tour.

Key West Shipwreck Treasure Museum

Key West Shipwreck Treasure Museum tells the story of the wreckers. These were the sailors that made Key West the richest city in the county in the 1830s by salvaged ships that wrecked on the reef just offshore.

Key West Aquarium

My next stop was also at Mallory Square. The Key West Aquarium, which opened in 1935, was the island's first attraction. I loved seeing the sea life found in the waters off the Keys.

Custom House Museum

Custom House Museum was my next stop. It tells the city's history mainly with art. The architecture is worth a few photos. When it opened in 1891, it served as the island's Custom House, Post Office, Federal Courthouse and 7th District Lighthouse Offices.

Mel Fisher Museum

Just a few blocks from Mallory Square, I found another museum dedicated to an iconic figure in Key West. Mel fisher was the diver who found the Spanish treasure galleon, Nuestra Señora de Atocha, in 1985. Mel Fisher Maritime Museum showcases that and other treasure found by one of America's best-known treasure hunters.

Harry S. Truman's Little White House

Harry S. Truman guided American through one of its most turbulent times, the ending of WWII, beginning of the Civil Rights movement and the Cold war. The decision he had to make about dropping the first atomic bomb and starting the nuclear age was possibly the hardest decision any president made. Touring his Little White House is a trip through those times.

Half Shell Raw Bar

It was time to take a break and have lunch. Chad, from the CVB, met and took me to the Half Shell Raw Bar. It's a great place where locals and visitors alike enjoy the food and old Key West bar atmosphere. I had the sampler with both crab and conch fritters and shrimp and calamari rings. Conch fritters are a must-have dish in Key West.

That afternoon there was a free 43rd Annual Independence Day Ceremony at Mallory Square. I got to hear former Conch Republic Prime Minister Dennis Wardlow tell about the events leading to the secession. The part about Warlow's friend hitting a US Coast Guard officer over the head with a load of stale Cuban bread was hilarious. I also learned the Conch Republic Pledge of Allegiance.

Ghost and Gravestones Tour

I ended the evening with a Ghost and Gravestones tour. It's so fun to ride on the trolly of the doomed. Our guide Mary, told us whenever someone called out to us on the street, "You are doomed!" we all answered in chorus "Yes, we are doomed!"

The tour is fun, not scary, but it tells a lot of true Key West History. We stopped at the Shipwreck and Treasure Museum and went inside where she told of some odd occurrences that happened here when a body was found at the top of the watchtower.

She also told us the story of Robert the Doll. I had written about him in my Finding Florida's Phantoms book but loved hearing her version of the story about the doll who seemed to cause all kinds of terrific experiences to anyone around him.

Fort East Martello Museum

I started out the next day at the Fort East Martello Museum. It's a Civil War fort with interesting exhibits telling the story of Key West. You also get to stroll the grounds of the old fort. More important, it houses Robert the Doll, Key West's most haunted artifact. I took a picture in spite of the placard telling all the ghastly things that might happen if one photographed Robert.

Sails to Rails

I spent the next few hours visiting some of the lesser known museums. These are well worth a visit. Sails to Rails tells the history of the ships and Flagler's railroad.

Key West Butterfly and Nature Conservancy

I visited one of the two nature-related museums, Key West Butterfly and Nature Conservancy is filled with flying jewels. The number and variety of butteflies are amazing. Key West Botanical Gardens showcases some unusual plants, but there are only so many hours in a day.

Key West Firehouse Museum

Key West Firehouse Museum is another fascinating museum that is not as well known but worth a visit. It's housed in a 1907 fire station with antique fire trucks and other historic artifacts.

US Coast Guard Cutter Ingham Maritime Museum

The U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Ingham Maritime Museum is docked at Truman Waterfront Park. The cutter saw action in World War II, Korea, and Vietnam. It's an actual ship and well worth a tour but beware the stairs are steep and best descended like a ladder. If you are there on Thursday, the park hosts Truman Park Farmer's Market.

Conch Train Tour

I took a Conch Train Tour which starts at Mallory Square and took me past all the highlight spots like Sloppy Joe's, The Green Parrot, and Key West Legal Rum. When we passed the Southernmost Point Buoy, it looked like everybody in the world was in line there.

Sunset Cruise

Mary Haban and I on Hindu: Photo credit Mary Haban, Visit Key West

I took a sunset cruise on the Hindu, a 50' wooden schooner built in 1925, which is a smaller vessel. Our group comprised about a dozen people, so it was a more personal tour than the big boats. It was interesting watching Captain Erin and mates, Emma and Jen, raise and lower the sails. We sailed into a terrific sunset while enjoying snacks and wine. 

Battle for the Conch Republic

The highlight of the Conch Republic Festival is a mock battle between the Conch Republic flagship, the schooner Western Union, and other boats and the USCG Cutter Diligence using water hoses and tossing stale bread. I had already begun my other Keys tour, but had to come back for this one.

On land, Commander Scarlett Jay Somers, who was this year's Supreme Commander General of the Conch Republic, presided over the battle on the harbor at Mallory Swuare. She struck a US naval officer across the head with a load of stale Cuban bread. Land-based cannons were mounted in Mallory Square, pointing at the harbor, and fired multiple times.

After the Coast Guard surrendered, participants proceeded to Schooner Wharf Bar for the surrender ceremony. Prime Minister emeritus Dennis Wardlow mentioned that the aid typically provided to a country upon surrender has not yet been received fut while they are still waiting for the US aid package, the barricade in Florida City was removed the next day. Hence their motto, "We seceded where others failed."

Dining in Old Town

Key West has dozens of dining options in Old Town, but one stands out as most authentic. Schooner Wharf Bar is on the dock where you board the Hindu or other cruises. The food is great bar food and there is usually entertainment. Of course, there's Sloppy Joe's made famous by Hemingway.

KeyWest is a world of its own and needs to be on everyone's bucket list.

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