This is a vacation we have been looking forward to for several years. We came to Key West for one day on a cruise and fell in love with the laid back island feel. Since that time we have wanted to return, but never been able to book into a resort that we really wanted to stay at for an entire week. This year, very much by luck, we were not only able to book in the Ocean Key Resort, but we have a Penthouse unit.

The penthouse consists of 900 square feet in the lay out of a one bedroom apartment. You will be able to see the pictures which is a better description than I could ever write, but I'll jut add that  a single person or a married couple could live here with no problem! It is great for up to 4-people on a vacation.

As you look through the Key West pages you will notice that we have had a good time on this trip. Key West has many beautiful things to enjoy. We decided to come here after a day visit on a cruise. That's kind of like deciding to go back to eat at a restaurant after meeting a friend there for appetizers.

There are no nice beaches in Key West, and that includes the famous Smather's Beach. It appears to be a very pretty beach, but the water is nasty and the air in that part of Key West smells (I'm not sure what the source of the smell is, but I sure hope it isn't the water).

The worst thing about Key West is the Bourbon Street atmosphere of the entire city. I didn't remember this adult stigma that should have been quite clear in my memories from our trip several years ago. I wonder if Key West has changed that much since our last visit here.

Duval Street is a collection of very adult oriented places of business. Many of the shops sell nasty themed shirts and drug paraphernalia. Starting at about 5:00 people hand out cards requesting your business in the strip clubs, and people stand in the street hollering: "Naked Ladies, beautiful Naked Ladies". I must give the criers credit as they did stop when they saw families walking near them.

In order to get to Cheeseburger Key West or the Hard Rock Cafe, or many other nice places, you have to pass through the areas with the smut. Sorry but that is not the scene that we desire on vacation.

I'm glad we came here because we did get to do some nice things, but our future vacations will be in much more family oriented locations. There are too many great things about this place to have never come back here. Much of the scenery is beautiful, the Sunset Celebration is fun, and there are several educational things that we have enjoyed.

One last note about Key West. I would say that about 20% of the shops on Duval Street are going out of business as I write this. Many others are having major inventory reducation sales. In talking to some of the locals I found out that this is legit, and not just signs they put up to get you in the door.

Perhaps it is the subject matter of the things they sell that is causing them this financial decline?!?! I notice that the majority of the stores that sell "nice" things are doing fine! The "nice" restaurants are packed! Perhaps someone needs to restructure the concepts of the businesses that sell primarily "adult oriented" products. Sooner or later they will realize that the people walking out of the bars will laugh at the t-shirts inteh window, but few of them will actually stop to buy one!  

Below are pages from some of the good things about Key West. I hope you enjoy them!