THE KEYS WITHOUT A CAR

Petra Shepherd joined Travel Channel for its launch back in 1994. She looks after our research and works on all original productions. Petra's one of the most recognisable faces in the travel industry and when she's not on the canapé circuit promoting the channel, she spends every free moment travelling. She's visited over 70 countries and prefers back packing to 5 * luxury, unless of course it's in the name of research!

America, home of the automobile! "You'll need a car," they said. "You'll never be able explore The Keys without one," they said. Well, I set about proving them all wrong. Here's how I managed to navigate the Florida Keys minus my own set of wheels.

The geographical tail of the US, the Florida Keys are indeed the end of the road. Flying is an option but I was on a budget. You can of course hire a car from Miami and drive straight down to Key West along Overseas Highway US 1 but then you'll need to turn round and drive the same way back. By road, there's only one way in and out of The Keys. It's very straightforward but for someone who after 3 attempts and 150 lessons only just passed her driving test, finding my way out of Miami airport would be difficult enough. And I wanted to set off on a journey without repeating any part of my route.

I left Fort Myers with a happy solution to the no driving rule. Fort Myers is the main city along Florida's South West Coast and is packed with historic sites, fine old homes and museums. A fast speed ferry operates to Key West. With 7,200 horsepower, Atlanticat is the fastest, most powerful ferry ever to operate in Southwest Florida. This catamaran can reach Key West in 3 ½ hours, knocking hours off the driving time and drops you right on the edge of Key West's Old Town. In fact the majority of people on board were day-trippers, allowing plenty of time for a Conch Tram Tour, lunch and then back to Fort Myers.

Key West has got to be one of the only parts of America you don't need a car to explore. Barely 4 miles long by 2 miles wide, it attracts over a million tourists a year and packs more captivating attractions into one small space than any other area in Florida. The Conch Train, an open-air tram that rambles through Key West, offers a good way of getting your bearings as well as picking up some entertaining facts about the island. It departs daily from Mallory Square, every 30 minutes between 0900 and 1630, and the tour lasts 90 minutes. After this, I'd recommend you hire a bicycle. It's almost impossible to get lost and by bike is a great way to explore.

If there's one complaint about Key West, it's the lack of beaches. However, exploring on my bicycle I stumbled across the Fort Zachary Taylor State Park on the southwestern side of the island. This Historic State Park has a very good beach with the deepest, clearest water on the island, great for swimming. My bicycle explorations also brought me to the Southernmost Point in the continental USA. There's an official marker on the corner of South and Whitehead Streets and along with hundreds of other photo-seeking tourists, I had to have my photo taken. You've got to be able to prove 'I was there' after all. Not yet as well known and Key West's newest attraction is the Butterfly and Nature Conservatory, a magnificent 13,000 square foot facility with a 5,000 square foot glass enclosed exotic butterfly habitat. It's located on Upper Duval Street, a block from the Southernmost House and it's well worth seeing.

Much has been written about Key West's reputation as a leading resort for party-animals from all over the world. However, there's more to Key West than the bars and clubs along Duval Street, the main tourist artery and home to the ubiquitous t-shirt shops. For example, you can go deep-sea fishing or visit the island's one must-see sight, Hemingway House. Taking the no driving rule even further I decided to head for the water and a sea kayak tour. The Conch Republic Kayak Company offers backcountry mangrove tours and evening paddles where you're able to watch Key West's breathtaking sunsets. Sea kayaking is easy, family friendly and fun.

Also on the water, another way of watching the sun go blazing down into the Gulf of Mexico is on a sunset cruise. There are a couple of tall ships moored up in the historic seaport. My choice was the impressive schooner, The America, an exact reproduction of the most famous international racing yacht of all time. At 150 feet, it is the largest and most splendid ship in the local fleet. A sunset sail starts at 4:30 pm with 2 hours on the water to enjoy the complimentary drinks and a snack platter of cold cuts, cheeses, fruits and vegetables. Some ships provide a light snack with a seasonal twist, for example the 130-foot schooner Western Union where guests are treated to a hot cup of conch chowder. The tall wooden masts secure the billowing sails in the breeze and the boats are very stable. There's little chance of getting seasick and the crews are welcoming and happy to oblige guests who want get involved and help hoist the sails.

A sunset sail costs around US$75 for adults and US$25 for children but with the complimentary drinks and snacks, the former including as much champagne, beer or wine as you want, it's well worth it. It's also a great way of meeting people. Fuelled with free booze. I soon had lots of new friends all keen to repeat the adventure. For many it was the highlight of their trip to Key West.

Key West's nightlife is legendary; drinking is an institution immortalized in Jimmy Buffet's song 'Margaritaville'. However, you're either a lark or an owl and being the former, I missed out on the pub-crawls, the infamous "Duval Crawl", and the wide variety of bars and clubs. There's one to suit every taste. Still, there's always time to eat and in America they eat early. Even though Key West's cuisine often takes a back seat to drinking, you'll find plenty of culinary delights here and of course, fresh fish. The best place to tuck into some traditional fare is Mangoes on Duval Street. This is one of the top restaurants in the States. It delivers upscale, creative Florida cooking with a sprinkling of Caribbean influence. Very few dishes typify the taste of Key West as much as Key Lime pie. Island shops abound with Key Lime products - soaps, shampoos, sauces, marinades, and candy to name just a few - as well as recipes for making the pie at home. The pies have a unique, uber tart flavour and are not to everybody's taste. However, there's no shortage of places to try one. I recommend The Blond Giraffe Café. It was awarded "Best Key Lime Pie" in a local bake-off a couple of years ago.

There are all sorts of accommodation possibilities to opt for from camping and basic motels to big chain luxury resorts and the super luxurious Hilton Sunset Key Guest Cottages on their own private island. However, if you want to be in the heart of things, the atmospheric old guesthouses and B & Bs in Key West's old town are hard to beat. Many only have a few rooms, the swimming pools where available are tiny, but you compromise on this for location and history. One of my favourites is The Blue Parrott Inn, located in the heart of historic Old Town, Key West. Originally built in 1884, the Inn has been beautifully restored, with 9 guest rooms, each of which has its own distinctive décor. My room, called Bamboo, was clean and simple with white walls showcasing the bamboo ceiling and whicker furniture. Rates start from US$80 in low season to US$120 in high season.

Leaving Key West and minus a car, I travelled on the not-so-glamorous Greyhound Bus to a destination equally non-glamorous, Key Largo. But if you love diving, this is the place for you. If not, I'd skip it and spend more time in Key West, heading directly back to Miami instead. The Greyhound was cheap and convenient, picking me up from the heart of Old Town Key West and a few hours later dropping me off, outside my resort in Key Largo. The Bayside Resort is close to John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park where it's easy to organise a diving trip. Non-divers like myself can still hitch up with a dive boat for a spot of snorkelling. However, the easiest way to see the reef is through a glass bottomed boat where you can try and spot some of the 55 different species of coral or 550 species of fish.

By taking Greyhound buses and with plenty of things to do and explore by foot or by bicycle in Key West, the Florida Keys offers the ideal American destination for the non-driver. I proved the naysayers wrong, and after all, with The Keys' laid back lifestyle, who wants to be stressed out by driving?

Key West is one of the US' best-known destinations for gay holidaymakers. To find out more about gay Key West check out GARETH DAVIS' feature.

FOR MORE INFORMATION.

To find out more about the Florida Keys & Key West visit:
www.fla-keys.com

To find out more about Atlanticat visit:
www.keywestshuttle.com

To find out more about the Conch Republic Kayaking Company visit:
www.kayakkeywest.com

To find out more about the Blue Parrot Inn visit:
www.blueparrotinn.com

To find out more about the Bayside Resort visit:
www.baysideresort.us

To find out more about the Amoray Dive Resort visit:
www.amoray.com

I'd also like to know what you think of Key West and the Florida Keys. If you have any comments, please DROP ME A LINE

July 2005