I will always love key West but I'm sad that it's gotten so popular and crowded and definitely lost its charm. First came in 78 then the last time was about 93. It is no longer the quiet easy vibe of yesterday. The sidewalks are packed with rude people and tons of cheap tshirt places etc makes it seem like any tourist area I'd usually avoid. But key West always holds a special place in my heart . The biggest mistake I believe was letting huge cruise ships dock! Miss the old key West ! read more

Key West ... You complete me. You had me at hello. We're fortunate to have fun, funny friends down here and we honestly enjoy our time hanging around their house chatting as much as our time on the ocean and at the incredible restaurants and watering holes in town. We typically do not drive AT ALL when we are on island and instead burn off just a few of our copiously consumed calories by cycling everywhere. You can do it -- the island's only three miles wide/long. It takes a freaking century to drive down here from MI and the causeways get clogged as #@$& during what the locals call "hell week" from Christmas to NYE. We do it every year nonetheless and love every second of it. #stillhaventlinedupatsoythernmostpoint #whydopeopledothat? read more

I gave Key West 5 Stars it's an amazing place, I would say it's the American Paradise. Very laid back and extremely safe in 3 weeks I didn't see any crime and I left my keys in my van when I laid on the beach. Lots of things to see and everyone was really friendly plus being there on Ducal street during spring break was fun. I could write all day about how nice it is I'll be back. Key West is a must Visit destination read more

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Key West what can say,if you like to drink and spend a lot of money then go. Bars and sovereign shops. Each time you park on the street it's $10. 1st and last time. Live on an island 5 hours North of there, guess I should not leave home when you live in paradise. read more

Key West would be great if the locals were more friendly They all have rude comments. Everything is way to expensive here. Condos for a week are way over priced and don't go if you plan to drink a lot. Drinks prices are insane. We got jack on the rocks...and got charged $3 for rocks lol. They bartender legit said Rocks cost more money than just asking for ice....I just looked at her puzzled. I've never of heard of such a thing. I'll say this again no one is nice around here!!! Just a bunch of angry old farts. read more

My Wife and I were here 35 years ago. My things have changed but not so much. The electricity stays on now. What a great spot. Tropical, warm, and fun. This is a tourist spot but you can find your own Key West. Island life is addictive. You can hit the hot spots or chill out in a tropical cove with no one around. Key West, Lots of different influences here. If you are open minded, you will enjoy the life at this pace. Slow trip down from Miami, My average speed was 38. But who is in a hurry anyway. read more

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Key West is the best vacation destination for as long as I can remember from Spring Break or just a quick get away without blowing the bank. Just lazing around at the beach or roaming around Duval street. There are so many bars and restaurants that with so little time and a lot of places to go it just keeps me coming back. I have never had a bad time here. The locals are really very friendly and funny. They just seem so happy and glad just to be here. Key West has so much history. It is literally about 90 miles away from Cuba. To me this place is a great gem of a get away. read more

I have a "bucket list" of things I want to do and see in my lifetime. Key West is one of them. There is so much to do, restaurants, museums, historic buildings all in a city that is 2 miles wide by 4 miles long. From the touristy attractions such as The Southern Most Point to Mallory Square I don't think you can actually see it all in one trip. (I know I didn't). It is definitely not easy to get to but it is so worth the effort. Take any trolley you want, hop on/hop off is the best way to see this tropical paradise. Yes, it is pricey, but memories that will last a lifetime (you guessed it, are priceless). I can't wait to go back, will have to try to make my stay longer than 3 days. You should all put Key West on your bucket list. You won't be disappointed. read more

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Taking a trip to Key West has to be one of the best decisions I've ever made. I was in desperate need of a mental break and that's exactly what I found! I should note that I stayed with friends during my 10-day stay, so I cannot vouch for any hotels and realize that this gave me a greatly unfair monetary advantage over most tourists in my tax bracket. Not a whole lot here is cheap, but you won't experience too much sticker shock if you prepare well in advance and budget accordingly. And if you're at all airplane and internet savvy, you can snag some great flight prices. I flew ORD to ATL to EYW and back (returning to MDW) for under $300! This city is not particularly large. You can walk most places and bus, bike, drive or cab it to other areas easily. I was pleasantly surprised to find I had bookmarked a ton of sites to see here on Yelp as somewhat of a tourist wishlist and was able to cross the majority of them off (Hemingway Home, Green Parrot, Southernmost Point, 2¢, Strand Theatre, Fort Zachary Beach), even after adding a significant number more after arriving (Blue Heaven, Six-Toed Cat, Public Transportation, Leather Master, Butterfly Conservatory, Stay Fit Studio). I think if I'd put my mind to it I could have knocked them all out, but I decided to relax and save some for next time. And I fully intend for there to be a next time. I managed to find the perfect balance between relaxing and roaming around in Key West. The atmosphere and weather in the spring is quite conducive to being both leisurely and active. There seemed to always be some intriguing sight or sound that caught my attention, and the food was fantastic! If it weren't for the fact that I had a fiancé waiting for me back in the Midwest and that I have no desire to be in hurricane territory, I may never have left! What made this trip the most memorable for me was not only that I got to spend time with some of the truly greatest and most gracious hosts you could hope to have, but also that this vacation provided a bit of everything that I needed. I've been fortunate enough to travel to many European countries and I've driven across a large part of the US, but I never had the opportunity to have a real vacation. This is exactly what this was: vacation, a total checkout from reality. I wasn't tied to a schedule, I pretty much came and went as I pleased, I ate and drank damn near ALL the foods and booze, I didn't have to clear customs, and just about everyone I met spoke fluent English. All these things came together to make this a mind-numbing experience in the absolute best sense of the term. read more

Key West - Public Services & Government Near Me

I love Key West and have been visiting and enjoying it my entire life. I appreciate the wide array of things you can do: * Fishing * Diving * Sightseeing * Ghost Tours * Rich History * Military * Tourists * Old Florida Charm * Dining * Drinking * Fitness * Fun * Sponging Whether walking, biking, riding a scooter (don't HONK!), or riding the Conch Train or a cab, it is easy to get all around and about the island easily. Cabeza OUT! read more

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Other reviewers have probably already pointed out the Southernmost point 90 mile marker and the beaches. I'm here to remind you to go see the Hemingway house. As far as museums go, this is a gem. read more

If you live in South Florida, you must go to Key West sometime. Key West is gorgeous. So many blue skies, sunny days, and this city makes a sweet spot to spend time with family or even a significant other. Rich in history, Key West is a must do, even if all you do is a go on a cruise ship. Usually the cruise ships dock and their attendants take you to Mallory Square. There, you can do ghost tours and the like. If you go via road trip, you can also stop at Mallory Square. That seems to be the main tourist spot. Not a lot of shops, per se, but plenty of places to eat and drink and generally be merry. You can also be adventurous and get in the water. Plenty of boats, fish, and sports. If nothing else, go, so that you can cross it off your bucket list. read more

After living in Florida for over 25 years I finally decided to visit Key West and I was pleasantly surprised! I had heard all the stories about how wild it is, how raunchy the places can be and oh let's not forget all the talk about the Duval crawl. I suppose all these things could be accurate if you planned it that way. Me,. I planned it otherwise. I stayed on the east side since I live by the Gulf I didnt care to see the same view I get at home, I wanted ocean view. Yes, I did venture over to Duval for a little night life, but I had my best times away from the crowds. Everyone I met was very friendly, very accomodating, and always willing to talk. It was a great place to see the touristy sights, spend some down time at the beach and pool bar ( I stayed at Casa Marina-see other review for it) and indulge in some delicious food. If you choose to drink at all the crappy tourist places and eat bar food for your entire stay then you'll be missing out on some quality places and some wonderful times read more

By far one of the best restaurants in Key West! Wine list was fantastic, service was superb, the atmosphere was quaint the food was breathtaking! It was an amazing experience that we will experience many more times!! read more

ATTENTION TOURIST !!!!Please do not waste your time going to KEYWEST You will be disappointed. Most of the residents are assholes and unhelpful. Restaurants and cofee shops dont want you inside. I went to starbuck and they CHARGE ME 1.50 for a cup of tap water.A bottle of water $3.50! Every place we went to had covered outlets. We finally found a local cofee shop to charge our phones, and the guy was staring us all down.Even tho we all purchase food and drinks. 10 min in my friend finished eating and decide to close her eyes for a few minutes and the owner came up to us and told her she was not allowed to 'sleep' when she wasnt, we literally were there no more then 15 min. To use the bathroom anywhere is a joke, you HAVE to purchase something to use the bathroom. THERES nothing to do here, EVERYTHING IS OVER PRICE FOR NO REASONS, EVERYONE IS RUDE and ITS WAY TO HOT TO Explore . DO NOT COME HERE!!!! if I had to describe hell Keywest sums it up!! Espensive, rude, hot asf and full of old grumpy people. read more

This city parking enforcement are robots and write bad parking tickets knowing an out of towner will not dispute it. City has improper parking markings and will write a $50 ticket without a thought. They say "you can take it to court". Duh.. read more

We have been to key west 3 times now and this visit was probably the worst. A lot of the streets were under major construction and extremely rough to ride on especially on a scooter.They target tourist for parking tickets on scooters, parking is a real issue.the food was great wherever we went,things were just very expensive.Signs of the times I guess.Still love the flavor of the place but it will be awhile before we visit again. read more

Fantastic weather, tons of restaurants, come as you are makes a trip to Key West the best! Getting a bit pricy for my taste but it's not stopping me yet! read more

Key West parking enforcement issues unjust $50 parking tickets to out of towners who likely won't return to contest it. Approx. 2 weeks ago I parked on a side street with improper resident only parking signage with no eye level signage. The only no parking indicator was aged/worn paint on the blacktop. It definitely didn't catch my attention while parking. If they wish to dish out expensive tickets, they should properly mark their no parking zones. read more

Key West - Poor no parking sign. - Public Services & Government Near Me

We spent 8 days in key west and it went fast. Key west is a great town with more then just Duval street going for it. The people are extremely nice and the town has a very interesting history. We didn't have a bad meal the whole time we were in key west, Alonzos on the marina is great as is Schooner Wharf also on the marina. I really don't think there's many bad restaurants in key west. The beaches are not white and sandy but put on some water shoes and you'll be fine, Fort Zach was our go to, they have a great snack bar that serves alcohol and it's only $2.50 a person to get in (food is extra) they also rent chairs and umbrellas. Keep in mind key west is not a cheap vacation, so be prepared to sped $100 for dinner for 2. We ubered everywhere it's about $20 to go across the island but make sure you use Uber and Lyft as Uber will rip you off during peak times $30 Uber ride will be $17 with Lyft at 7pm. If you can't have fun in key west you can't have fun anywhere. We will definitely be back read more

We rented an electric golf cart at Conch Electric Cars at the Key West Ferry Terminal for 2 days, but the Key West Express leaves at 5:00 and we had to return the cart at noon, so we asked him how do we work out those other 5 hours, he said, no problem you call us in the morning, and we will charge you a discounted rate of 100.00. We said perfect and when the day came we called them in the morning and the lady said no you need to return the cart at noon or else you get charged 145.00. We explained to her we were given a discounted rate of 100 at the time of rental, she didn't care to hear anything, and chose to charge us for a full extra day instead of giving us the 3 day rental rate. We ended up paying 490.00. I am reporting them to the Better Business Bureau. Thiefs, hope she gets shut down for a month and learn the value of a client. read more

Visiting Key West is a must-do for Floridians, even if it's just to get it off your "list of places to experience" and if you live in South Florida, you have no excuse! While a day trip is definitely possible, you will get more out of your stay if you stay overnight. However, the hotel pricing in the winter and spring is outrageous, so a day trip is in order, unless you feel you can tolerate the high humidity and heat of the summer and spend an entire weekend there (and believe me, the humidity there is worse than in Miami!). Key West is a very laidback "anything goes" kind of town, especially during Halloween and its Fantasy Fest. During the rest of the year, you can walk around in a beach coverup and flip flops and no one will blink an eye. I remember going to dinner in one of these, and surprisingly, I was not turned away from the upscale restaurant. There is a large gay community, people of all ages, and even different nationalities. I was surprised to see so many Cubans here. By the way, people from Key West are either called "conchs" or "parrotheads," in case you hear that term thrown around and wonder what it means. There is something for everyone in Key West, whether you like outdoor activities, partying, or taking in some history. Here is a list of popular attractions that you may decide to enjoy: -Mallory Square, and its popular sunset celebration -Duval Street bar and restaurant district -The Audubon House and Tropical Gardens, which is a museum dedicated to John James Audubon -The Tennessee Williams Theatre -The Key West Botanical Forest and Garden -Nancy Forrester's Secret Garden -The Key West Butterfly and Nature Conservatory -The Mel Fisher Maritime Museum -The Key West Lighthouse -The Ernest Hemingway House, with its world-famous cats -The Harry S. Truman Little White House -Mel Fisher's Maritime Museum -Dry Tortugas National Park -Fort Zachary Taylor beach -U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Ingham Maritime Museum -Walking the streets and observing all the historical buildings, the Key West cemetery, and the bed and breakfasts all over the city -Renting a jetski or riding on a glass-bottom boat -The Oldest House in South Florida -The Southernmost Point -Smathers Beach -Fort East Martello Museum (don't forget to see Robert the doll!) -The Curry Mansion -Scuba diving/snorkeling the many wrecks found here -Getting some authentic key lime pie -Jimmy Buffet's Margaritaville -Visiting the many natural preserves and parks along the way as you drive into the keys -Camping at Bahia Honda Here is a list of popular events, which you may decide to participate in: -Florida Keys Seafood Festival - January -Key West Half Marathon & 5K Run - January -Key West Race Week - international sailing event - January -Key West Literary Seminar - January -Key West Food & Wine Festival - January-February -Kelly McGillis Classic - Flag Football Tournament - February -Key West Fishing Tarpon Season- April-June -Conch Republic Independence Celebration - April 23 -Taste of Key West - April -Red Ribbon Bed Race - April -Key West Songwriters Festival - April / May -Survivors Party - May -Queen Mother Pageant - May -PrideFest - June -Cuban-American Heritage Festival - June -Hemingway Days Festival - July -Key West Lobsterfest - August -WomenFest - September -Bike Week - September -Fantasy Fest - October -Goombay Celebration - October -Robert the Enchanted Doll Day - October 24 -Parrot Heads in Paradise Convention (aka Meeting of the Minds) - Oct. 30 to Nov. 3 (2013) -Boat and Holiday Parade - December Would I consider Key West my favorite city in Florida? No, but I do enjoy the beautiful drive on the seven mile bridge, the water, and the colonial revival buildings, while still feeling like I escaped Miami. read more

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Not my cup of tea, think of Key West as a cruise ship. If you like cruise ships you will like it. But for a day trip try it. You can find amazing food there, and the service people are the best. The hotel we stayed at was great, we were going to stay the week but left after a day and a half. They actually refunded us the unused nights. We took the shuttle from the hotel to tour the docks and get dinner (and no we didn't go to friggin Hemingway's I had a cat with 6 toes been there done that). So the drive to South Beach was awesome! read more

Sorry, but I can't help compare the Key West of 2013 to the Key West I knew back in the 60's and 70's which was a time when Key West really was a Conch Republic and stood for individualism, a live and let live laid back life with outrageously fun parties and good times. Today, that Key West is gone, having pretty much given in to attempts of upgrading gentrification and unabashed commercialism. My first introduction to Key West was Halloween with Key West's best known party, Fantasy Feast. It had a parade which was lead off by 9 topless nuns on roller skates twilling dildoes and vibrators. I thought it was hilarious but some idiots who foolishly brought their children to what was well known to be a strictly adult event didn't. They were offended, began to complain, not only about that but the pot smoking tattooed jugglers on Mallory Square and lack of what they considered "family" fun. Unfortunately, but mostly because there wasn't an big money in the cheap block party type of fun that was once Key West to line the pockets of bigger business, the powers to be took over, dredged the canal for incoming cruise ships with their hordes of "family" or middle class conservative tourists, completely remade Mallory Square into an expensive upscale attraction, gave away Sunset Key in sewage line swap for the Little White House and basically transformed Key West into what it is today; a rather boring exorbitantly high priced upper middle class tourist attraction by day along with a pathetic array of amateur drunken bar hoppers parading around by night. Hence, at least to my mind, what was once one of the most fun places on earth is no more; basically destroyed by commercial greed along with its resultant gentrification. However, though I must look a lot harder to find it, there are still a few surviving places as well a number of real Key West people that will continue keep me being a fan. . read more

Very clean kempt community. Just beware of the smelly rotting sargassum. It's very bad right now. Enjoyed a week, but stayed away from the beaches. read more

Okay, so the summer vacation with my gf and her kids...flew into Ft. Lauderdale, picked up the rental and drove to outside of Miami, where we had an awesome airboat tour of the everglades. This was fun! When finished, we asked how long to drive to Key West...keep in mind we had just flown a five hour red-eye and done a 2 hour boat tour. Everyone says, "it's 140 miles"...everyone. We think, not bad, maybe 2 hours more in the car. Surprise! While it is about 140 miles, no one tells you the speed limit is 45 mph the whole way. State patrol cars line the road, too. The drive from hell ended up taking 4.5 hours. Seriously. A 6 yr old and 10 yr old are not the companions you want for a trip like this. Once we arrived, I did have some fun times, but it is definitely not a destination for young kids. There were so many bars and drag clubs that I would have loved to go to, but no kids...plus, everything is very expensive. I understand it's a vacation town and that's how they make their money, but damn...$4 for a small scoop of ice cream? read more

Really fun place, especially when it is still cold throughout the rest of the US. The night life and casual get away from the uptight main land aspects are probably my favorite. Just a fun and very casual place to visit. read more

Not one hour into key west and we decide to go to our favorite taco place. Garbos grill! Went to park in the lot next store. Parking meter had plastic wrapped around it. Tried to add the app for parking it wouldn't let us down load. So sense it was first day of reopening of the keys we thought it was free. It's like that now in Miami where we live. But I guess key west is trying to screw their guests coming in. Because just walking in within 5 minutes tow truck was there. Heard our car alarm going off. And ran over to it. Guy said $75 and it's yours again. We explained what was going on the guy showed us this little sign which was easily can be over looked. What ever happen to giving tickets?! We felt like we were robbed. And I blame the city of key west! Is this how you plan on getting your money back from closing down because of virus??!! Tow truck company was Arnold Towing! Bunch of crooks! Won't be coming back to the keys for quite awhile after this. We came here to spend on money and give back to the small business owners. But you guys have other things in mind. Plan on spending our money elsewhere. read more

I love to vacation in the keys. It's not really a good place to live because you would have to make too many trips to Miami for anything but it's the spot to vacation for all types. If you love to bar hop and club like me, then you have to go to Duval street. Or if you want to vacation with the family, you can go to many points that are family friendly. I never get tired of coming here...been here fours times already but the best part is spending it with family and the memories we share. read more

I booked a last minute trip for one adult through Expedia in October 2015. I _should_ have looked at the City's events before booking but I ended up in what is called Fantasy Fest. Basically Carnival/Junkanoo/Mardi Gras on steroids. It was SUPER fun though!! I stayed at the Southernmost House. There are several places with "southernmost" in their title. I booked to stay at the pink/blue Victorian on the Atlantic side and ended up in their annex across the street called the Lopez House. It's cute, yellow siding with wrap around porches, a small courtyard and has either 4 or 5 rooms only. I stayed on the first floor. I will post a detailed review of the hotel on their Yelp site. The town is great. It's about 2 miles from the Gulph to the Ocean if you use Duval Street (the main shopping drag) as a measure. Totally walkable if it's not a billion percent humidity. There are other transportation options: you can rent a scooter, a bike or an electric-golf cart deal. There are also Trolley Tours and pedi-bike-cabs. My favorite places were the KW Botanical Gardens, The Green Parrot, Bad Boy Burrito, Higgs Beach, Dog Beach and The Butterfly Museum. read more

key west is something you have to experience to literally experience it. this island doesn't even feel like its apart of the U.S.A. it feels like a tropical get away. I had the privilege of actually driving from Miami down to key west, which was about the best experience you can have, especially if you catch a sunrise or sunset either way. bring a camera and take a lot of photos, as there is a lot of things to see on this small getaway. rent a scooter as well for an even greater experience. read more

Never ever book a tour with Best On Key West booking agent. If a tour is cancelled they will never refund your deposit. I have been given the run around since April and its always one excuse after another. Book with the tour operators directly, like Sebago. I should have booked with Sebago directly in the first place and I would have saved my self a lot of headaches. Sebago refunded my deposit finally even though they didn't have to. Book with a 3rd party at your own risk. read more

Key West was a cool place to visit. I enjoyed the shops, food, water views, tourist attractions and atmosphere. The key lime dishes are delicious! read more

Key West remains a small drinking town with a fishing problem. I have been coming here for about 30 years and it still remains one of my favorite places. The anything goes attitude still remains, but it is being threatened a bit as the town has moved towards being an upscale resort. The Key West of years ago was a place where folks were escaping from the real world. Now the real world is encroaching on the town as more national chains move in and the development has touched every square foot of land. There are now more things to do here, but it is much harder to find a parking space. If it is 5 stars for me now, it was 6 or more stars some years ago. read more

I have to come back to Key West. I asked an old beau to take me somewhere where the water was blue. So he rented a car and here I was... Blue water. The southern most part... Dipping my feet.. Admiring the beach. read more

For the past 14 years we have always stayed at the Hyatt Windward Pointe in Key West, facing the Atlantic Ocean while we are lobstering during the mini-season. This year I was very disappointed because of the housekeeping. We have a 2-bedroom timeshare there but I believe others pay dearly to stay here and should, as we who pay a large annual maintenance fee, expect good housekeeping. There were six of us in the unit (the amount booked) and no linens for the pullout; not enough towels, wash clothes, toilet paper, soap, etc. The kitchen was not stocked with things like cookie sheets and the other items that have previously been there. When I complained to the manager, he blew me off and said no one had ever complained about housekeeping and thought a roll of toilet paper per bathroom (2), a total of 4 for a week, for 6 people was plenty. And he had upgraded to silicon spatulas. I thought managers were supposed to be in customer service, not just tell me I was wrong. I suppose I'm supposed to be rating Key West. Well, it's a 5-star. Just don't stay at the Hyatt Windward Pointe unless you were dumb enough to buy a timeshare there. Even during our weekly cleaning we knew they really didn't clean since the 1 soap wrapper was still in the shower after they came and the screw out of the chair cushion was still on the dirty floor under the dining table. Other that that, Key West is a fun --- and hot --- place. Lobstering is great and also hard work. But fun. read more

Key West is one of those magical places you don't find often. It's the kind of place you search for on vacations, but rarely come across. It's beautiful, remote, peaceful and yet fun. If you're looking for a relaxing and interesting vacation, go to Key West. The drive down the coast alone is beautiful. Highway propped up over turquoise ocean - pelicans and sailboats. Just wonderful. Key West is a place you can go to and really forget about everything - the sunshine and the laid-back atmosphere just help make it really feel like a getaway. read more

Everyone says Key West is like a whole other USA. However, it feels almost like Disneyland, it's got a lot of fanfare and looks very touristy without any of the rides. I thought the keys might be a little more remote, but I was completely wrong. There's Burger King, publix, tj max, Starbucks pretty much anything you would find in a normal US city. I will say the skylines are gorgeous and the drive down is great. However, it's far more of a party town than it is a relaxing getaway. If you're looking for relaxing, invest in a trip to the Caribbean or Mexico. read more

I'm sure some areas of key west are nice. The down town area is a over flowing toilet of tourists. I don't know that you could pack anymore people into a smaller area. My advice ride a bicycle here cause I made the mistake of driving a car. My adventure began by turning down this dark alley way that said Public Parking here. A very tall tan young man sitting in a folding chair eating out of a large Tupperware container flagged me into the parking area. Not sure the real name of this parking garage but I imagine Murder Alley would fit. Anyway after being waved into the pit we head out the young man with a mouth full of food says thurdy five to midnight fore five after midnight.......huh?!? Parking thurty five till midnight forty five after. I said oh we're just running in a store around the corner to which he says ok thurdy five. I'm fine with that but as I hand him two $20's he sucks each fingers grabs the money then digs around till he finds a $5. Nothing like being handed a greasy crushed up $5 and a pink parking stub that he scribbled something on. We rushed to get back as I imagined the wheels were being removed from the car by now. To my surprise the car was untouched. Driving thru down town I have 2 ladies on bikes riding side by side slowly down the center of the street while a guy behind me cusses me and blows his horn. I stop at a red light a sea of people flood into the street, light turns green the sea of humanity has not stopped. Again horn blowing from the guy behind me. As for that marker post at the southern most tip......yea I'm not standing in a huge line to take a photo. read more