We have always walked by the Custom House in Key West and I always thought it looked like a cool building, but we never got around to actually going inside until this past visit. It’s definitely worth the effort! The Custom House is home to the Key West Museum of Art & History, which contains a treasure trove of fascinating exhibits and artifacts that include Ernest Hemingway, Henry Flagler’s Overseas Railway, the USS Maine, the great folk art of Mario Sanchez and much more. Don’t miss it!
Henry Flagler
Bahia Honda State Park
After years of driving past Bahia Honda State Park on the way to Key West, we finally budgeted some time to stop for an hour or so and wander around. It’s a very cool place, especially if you have any interest in Florida history. For example, the highlight of our visit was standing atop the Bahia Honda Rail Bridge (a remnant of Henry Flagler’s Florida East Coast Railway) for a magnificent view of the entire state park and surrounding waters. It also seems like an ideal spot for camping, swimming, picnicking or just relaxing on the beach. We’ll definitely be back soon!
Seven Mile Bridge
An engineering masterpiece, the Seven Mile Bridge (which is actually 6.79 miles long) was constructed between 1979 and 1982 on the Overseas Highway at a cost of $45 million and serves to connect the Middle Keys (Marathon) to the Lower Keys (Little Duck Key). Each April, the bridge is closed for a couple of hours for the Seven Mile Bridge Run, an annual event that began in 1982. Movies filmed over the years in the vicinity of the bridge include True Lies, 2 Fast 2 Furious, Licence to Kill, Criss Cross and Up Close & Personal. Outlaw country music singer David Allan Coe wrote a song titled “Seven Mile Bridge.” The bridge, which replaced a much narrower roadway built atop the remains of Henry Flagler’s railroad bridge, can reportedly withstand winds of up to 200 miles per hour.
Wandering Florida 