The Westin harbor complex, Mole pier, and Mallory Square on the north end of the street comprise foc

Of all Key West tourist attractions, Duval Street ranks near the top of things to experience on a Key West Vacation. Often considered to be the main street of Key West, Duval runs north and south for just over a mile from the Atlantic shoreline in the south to the harbors and cruise ship piers on the Gulf in the north. Named for William Pope Duval, the first territorial governor of Florida, the street is a raucous mix of shopping, bars and restaurants, caribbean sailing cruise vacation and people watching. The location of hang-out watering holes frequented by Hemingway, Jimmy Buffet, and assorted pirates and scalawags going back to the earliest days of the island caribbean sailing cruise vacation settlement, Duval Street has been immortalized in legend, song, books, and movies. Perhaps The Village People said it best in their hit song “Key West”: “…take a walk down Duval Street, you never know who you’ll meet…”
The street captures much of the historical flavor of Key West in its architecture and cultural tone. As a center of Cuban immigration beginning in the late 1860’s, Duval reflects the physical and cultural proximity of Key West to Cuba, 90 miles off shore. The area was once home to many cigar stores, giving Key West the nickname “Cigar City USA”. Another cultural import is Cuban coffee, espresso caribbean sailing cruise vacation made by mixing ground roasted Cuban Coffee beans with a generous dose of raw cane sugar before brewing. The result is a rich, smooth, sweet espresso that can be enjoyed at one of the many pleasant outdoor café’s situated along Duval Street.
The Atlantic Ocean end of Duval is dotted with early Victorian mansions and bungalows now interspersed with large resort hotel complexes. The area is weighted towards the residential rather than the touristy, but the broad sidewalks are still lined with art galleries, bodegas, boutiques, and inns, and they bustle with pedestrian activity. Near the southern end of the street, tourists grab photo opportunities at a large concrete buoy marking the southernmost spot in the continental U.S. (In name only – Ballast caribbean sailing cruise vacation Key, Florida s official southernmost point, lies offshore about 9 miles southwest of Key West.) The historic Southernmost House also sits near the south end of Duval. This restored Victorian caribbean sailing cruise vacation mansion was built in 1896 and frequented by both Harry Truman and author Ernest Hemingway.
The Westin harbor complex, Mole pier, and Mallory Square on the north end of the street comprise focal points for tourists, many of whom disembark from the cruise ships docked there along the Gulf shore. Crowds wander the Duval Street caribbean sailing cruise vacation shops in search of souvenirs and T-shirts, while the streets in the area are clogged with bikes, cars, mopeds, Pedi cabs, trollies, and the Conch Train. The hive of activity gives this end of Duval a very touristy feel.
Historic caribbean sailing cruise vacation Mallory Square forms the center of Key West’s deep water harbor front. Each evening, the square fills with throngs of people who show up to watch the famed Key West sunset. Expect to arrive around two hours before sunset to join hundreds of people, tourists and locals alike, positioned along the water s edge to watch the sun set into the Gulf of Mexico and experience a multicultural happening. Arts and crafts vendors, food carts, psychics, street performers, and an eclectic mix of eccentric individuals turn out for what is called the Key West Sunset Celebration.
There is something for nearly everyone on Duval, from high-end caribbean sailing cruise vacation stores to small independent shops and street vendors, watering holes once frequented by pirates and rum-runners, stylish big city bars, cowboy juke-joints, and even gay cabaret shows for visitors ready to take a walk on the wild side. For those interested in some serious alcohol tourism, the well-known and infamous Duval Street Pub Crawl begins on the lower or south end of Duval St. at the Sunset Pier or the Hogs Breath Saloon. Drinkers then move to Captain Tony s, Cowboy Bills (next door to Tony s), then on to Sloppy Joe s, and 6 or more bars and pubs on or just off Duval Street. This route is also good for hitting raw bars and happy hours to grab discount appetizers and fresh clams and oysters on the half shell.
The Gulf end of Duval Street often rings with a carnival-like atmosphere late into the night and beyond sunrise. Depending on your vacation preferences, this aspect of the street may be an attraction, or a reason to select caribbean sailing cruise vacation accommodations on another part of the island. Either way, a cruise caribbean sailing cruise vacation or two along Duval Street is an essential part of any Key West vacation. Be sure to check the hotel descriptions available on the Hotels Key West booking site, and choose one that suits your needs in terms of proximity to the many attractions along Duval Street.