I like most places for a while, except Beijing because when I was there the year before the Olympics, there was no sky. Day in, day out, look up: smog, haze, greyness. I began coughing within a day of landing. I thought I had a cold, then I realized it was the pollution. Sad, because it's such an amazing place in so many ways. I've been back to a lot of places and would go back to in a heartbeat if there was time: San Francisco, Santa Fe, Paris, London, Haifa, Hawaii, Jerusalem, Athens, Rome, NYC, LA, Boston. I like going places where I have friends or cousins, people I love and long to see. But I confess, for many reasons I feel most happy and comfortable in Key West, FL.
What is it about Key West? I hear from many people that it's an amazing place and I've never really gotten a good answer as to why. I know Hemingway was a fan, right?
Thanks Swag and BlackBird for that vote of confidence for KW. Here's the thing: it's an island about a mile long. To the north is the Gulf of Mexico, to the south is the Atlantic. It IS very relaxed. You can cycle everywhere you need to go. So it's small, but has an intensely educated, cultural atmosphere. Educated pirates. There's writers, awesome music, theatre, seafood fresh from the ocean, diving, and chickens running around. The first thing you notice though is the quality of the light. Important for me, is that while it's Caribbean, I feel safe there. I've been to a Caribbean vacation resorts where all along the beach are guntowers.I'd describe it as Florida-meets-Cuba-meets-Spring Break
Yes there's the Springbreakitude of it, if you hang around on Duval Street.
As Swag said below, it's extremely laid back, and the weather is amazing. I only spent one day/night there, but I'm determined to go back and really cut loose. I'd describe it as Florida-meets-Cuba-meets-Spring Break, all wrapped into one. Also amazing is doing the drive from Ft. Lauderdale across all of the Keys and bridges, you basically drive off the edge of America, into the ocean, and finally land a stone's throw from handrolled cigars and mojitos. Oh, and the haunted Robert The Doll was also a major drawcard for me, but then again I really dig the paranormal.