Key West in Florida is associated with the words rest, relaxation, history, and romance. Key West Florida is full of history such as the San Carlos Institute, La Concha Hotel, The Hard Rock Cafe Restaurant, and the Southernmost Point in the United States of America.

The San Carlos Institute is an example of Cuban History in Key West as well as the history of Cuba.

It was one of the places where the Apostle of Cuban Independence Jose Marti visited in order to raise money for the freedom of Cuba from Spanish Colonialism. The San Carlos Institute was once the Cuban Consulate in Key West until diplomatic relations between the USA and Cuba were suspended in 1961.

During the period between 1961 to 1992, the San Carlos Institute like most of Key West Florida until its rebirth in the 1990’s fell into decay and disrepair. Eventually a group of Cuban Exiles purchased the building and rededicated it as a museum after a long and painful reconstruction. The San Carlos Institute has a theatre where Cuban artists can perfom or where movies about Cuba are played. There are areas where photos of Cuba are present as well as an exhibition of stamps issued around the world dedicated to Jose Marti.

La Concha Hotel was another tourist attraction that went through the same fate.

La Concha Hotel was one of the grand hotels of Key West and was founded in the 1920’s. During its first gold era, the hotel was the place where Ernest Hemmingway would write his books and meet with Tennessee Williams and other authors to discuss the problems of the world. It was a hotel where many of the Hollywood Stars would go and visit. After the death of Ernest Hemmingway in 1961, La Concha went through a bleak period in which it was an abandoned building filled with homeless people.

Eventually, La Concha Hotel was bought by a group of businessmen who pained to see such a historical monument go to waste. It was restored to its former glamour in 1986 and is now listed as a Historical Monument by the National Register. La Concha Hotel is currently owned and operated under the Crowne Plaza name.

The lobby is filled with furniture that harks to an earlier era. The restuarant serves a breakfast buffet that is cooked naturally. There is also an elevator which takes people to the roof so that they could see the sunset. The sunset in Key West is something that must be seen since it is spectacular.

The Southermost Point of the United States of America is a marker which shows the actual location of the southernmost point. At night, people can see glimmers of Cuba.

The Hard Rock Cafe in Key West is located in what was once a mansion of one of the magnates of the island. It is a place where food and rock are mixed together. The shirt worn by Jimmy Buffett in his concerts is present as well as a tribute to the singer who struggled in the area during the 1960’s and 1970’s before his album «Changes in Latitude Changes In Attitude album was released in 1977.

The best food in the Hard Rock Cafe in Key West is the Steak, Mashed Potatoes, and Vegetables. While waiting for their food, people are invited to visit the souvenir shop to buy Hard Rock Cafe Souvenirs or to visit the building and see records of the Beatles and the Rolling Stones hanging on the walls.

The building that houses the Whistle Bar and The Bull is one of the few bars with live singers. One singer was doing her interpretation of Tracy Chapman’s music and received a recording contract on the spot. Sloppy Joes is another restaurant where people who want to look like Ernest Hemmingway enter a contest to win the prize of best resemblance.

It appears that Key West Florida has a lot to offer but people should go to savor it. It is not the same as reading about it.