Find your own way

Morning

Start slow

• Croissants de France

  Grab a croissant, a coffee and take your time.

• Blue Heaven

  Breakfast under the trees. A Key West classic worth experiencing.

• Or don’t go anywhere

  Make a coffee. Walk upstairs. Watch the sunrise from the rooftop.

Arnie’s Key: Southernmost Point? Go early. Really early.

Eat and drink

Places I’ve had good times

• Hogfish Bar & Grill

  Stock Island. Working waterfront. Boats, fishermen, seafood and cold drinks.

• Hurricane Hole

  Casual. Waterfront. Come hungry. Stay awhile.

• The marina bars

  Sometimes you don’t need to go anywhere.

Arnie’s Rule: don’t overthink the drink. Pick a place. Find a seat. Order what feels right. You’re in the Keys.

Music and night

Find one you don’t want to leave

• Schooner Wharf Bar
• Hog’s Breath Saloon
• Sloppy Joe’s
• Green Parrot
• Sunset Pier

Don’t collect bars. Find one you don’t want to leave.

From morning to night

Sunrise and sunset

Sunrise: coffee. Quiet water. No crowds.

Sunset: stay aboard. Watch the Keys change color.

Get out on the water

There is no right way

Sunset sail. Sandbar cruise. Fishing charter. Kayak. Jet ski. Or just a few hours on the water with nowhere particular to go. Pick what feels right.

Arnie’s Key: if you’re going out for sunset, try to catch a schooner.

Do it once

Dry Tortugas

If you have the time, give this one a full day. Head out to Dry Tortugas and Fort Jefferson, by ferry or seaplane. The journey is part of the experience.

Don’t squeeze it between breakfast and happy hour. Give it the day.

Old Town

Follow the wreckers

Long before tourism and Duval Street, fortunes in Key West were made from the sea. During the 19th century, ships came to grief on the reefs around the Florida Keys. Local wreckers raced to stranded vessels, rescued crews, salvaged cargo and brought valuable goods back to Key West.

Now grab a bike and ride through Old Town. Look at the wooden houses, the porches, the shutters, the gardens. And ask yourself: where did all that money go?

Don’t follow a tour. Don’t follow Google Maps. Get lost. Look around. That’s the point.

Duval Street, a friendly warning

Don’t try to walk Duval Street from sunset to sunrise. Many have considered it. Nobody has ever truly won. Tomorrow morning: rooftop coffee. You’ll need it.

Get lost

Grab a bicycle. Take the street you’ve never taken. Stop when something looks interesting. Talk to somebody. Sit somewhere longer than planned. Getting a little lost is kind of the point.

• Higgs Beach: find a palm tree. Lie down underneath it.
• Lagerheads: find a seat at the bar. Order something cold.