I’m thinking of moving there (I’m in the hotel industry) and although I’ve been there several times and loved it I’d like to hear an insider’s perspective.
Key West
by Anonymous | reply 18 | February 22, 2019 12:53 PM |
I cannot imagine living there.
All tourist places are horrible to live in. And Key West is overrun with cruise ship trash.
by Anonymous | reply 1 | February 21, 2019 6:45 PM |
It seems really scary if a hurricane is headed your way. But I think I would love to live there, if I had the money.
by Anonymous | reply 2 | February 21, 2019 6:47 PM |
Almost bought a place in Keywest. Glad we did not. Moved to SouthWest Florida instead...because..
Hurricanes can take your house. Kinda pricey. Not much beach sand. Nothing to do except party and drink 24/7.
by Anonymous | reply 3 | February 21, 2019 6:59 PM |
[R1] I'm stopping over there on a cruise. Nice to know I can be complete trash!
by Anonymous | reply 4 | February 21, 2019 7:03 PM |
Agree that it's overrun with cruise ship trash. Before the cruise ships, it was gay and quirky with good restaurants. Now it's filled with tacky tshirt shops, cheap fast food and scooters.
by Anonymous | reply 5 | February 21, 2019 7:03 PM |
It is up to you to find things you can do. There is honestly many things to do if you look. We all have to look for our own hobbies and friends wherever we live.
by Anonymous | reply 6 | February 21, 2019 7:03 PM |
Even if there are no good beaches, it is mainly beautiful.
by Anonymous | reply 7 | February 21, 2019 7:05 PM |
I would definitely become an alcoholic if I lived there.
by Anonymous | reply 8 | February 21, 2019 7:19 PM |
It's great, though surprisingly Republican (there's a big Trump base in the Keys). It's expensive and everything moves on island time. More and more it's overrun by cruise ship trash. But there's still a lot of unique stuff down there. Every three or four years, you have to run for your life.
by Anonymous | reply 9 | February 21, 2019 7:24 PM |
I've been going there since I was a kid, and sometimes think about moving there as well. It's a very small town, although very charming. Hurricane season is a thing. I don't know. I go back and forth on this thought myself, OP.
by Anonymous | reply 10 | February 21, 2019 8:56 PM |
Beautiful drive down from Miami!
by Anonymous | reply 11 | February 21, 2019 9:01 PM |
It's too small and too far away from civilization (assuming anything in Florida can be classified that way.) But if you want to get away (and stay away) from it all, it's perfect.
by Anonymous | reply 12 | February 21, 2019 9:45 PM |
it was great in the 70 s and 80 s as a gay mecca but began to slide..........it sits at about an elevation of 4 or 5 ft and eventually will be submerged. So in my opinion fron a climate change refugeee perspective its not a good choice. There arent many sand beaches. The restaurants are way above average in my opinion.
I was there the last time for a full week in september and it was just hotter than holy hell. And Sept is not the hottest month. I was bored after a couple of days. We would go out and eat at 11 00 pm and take a cab because it was so hot you would just be soaked with sweat if you walked more than a block.
Its still got a funky vibe but unless you are happily hooked up in a long term relationship and dont have to work for a living, and can afford to lose your house to climate change, I would think twice about it.
by Anonymous | reply 13 | February 21, 2019 10:10 PM |
It is hetero hell now. Never again.
by Anonymous | reply 14 | February 21, 2019 10:13 PM |
Is he still married to Kim Kardashian?
by Anonymous | reply 15 | February 21, 2019 10:25 PM |
I hope you're over 50. There is not much of a social scene for young people.
by Anonymous | reply 16 | February 21, 2019 10:28 PM |
I lived there from 2004-2007.
This is where I learned that a tourist economy is not for me.
Even the smallest threat of a hurricane would leave the island empty for a couple of weeks, and that was just the threat. Add in a close hit and your pockets are emptied in no time.
I really don't recommend it, if you are in the tourist industry. You have just a few months in the winter to make all the money you'll require for the rest of the year. People will tell you that special events and cruise ship shoppers will float you through the year, but that is NOT true. Cruise ship people spend very very little money on the island, and special events are subject to overwhelming bad weather forecasts.
Your main tourists are from the mainland of Florida, Ohio and Michigan. Everybody cancels travel plans with even a whiff of bad weather.
I hope this helps, OP.
by Anonymous | reply 17 | February 21, 2019 10:29 PM |
OP here - the rental prices are insane unless you go to Newtown which I’ve driven through and it’s nasty. It seems the only way to live there is to be wealthy and buy a house in the historic district and only live there in the winter.
by Anonymous | reply 18 | February 22, 2019 12:53 PM |