So many things beyond Duval Street.

One of the best ways to explore Key West is to hop on the Conch Tour Train or one of the Old Town Trolleys. There is so much history and so much to see on this island that is only two miles by four miles built on a coral reef.
The drivers on both lines were excellent, knowing all about Key West. Louie, our trolley driver was fun giving us history and making us laugh as we took the tour. The trolley has 12 stops and you can get on an off.
Here are some interesting things about Key West.
The Conch Shell is the mascot for the high school Football players are called Conchs and cheerleaders are called Conchettes.
Anyone born here is a Conch.
Baseball is a passion here played twelve months a year. Children start at two years old and play day and night. The high school baseball team has won more state titles in Florida then any other high school. The last championship was in 2007, our Conch Tour Train Driver says they will take the title this year. A little prejudice, his son is on the team.
Key West became wealthy on shipwrecking and salvaging of ships. What is shipwrecking? I had no clue what shipwrecking was, only ship building. When a ship wrecked in the ocean, the people would race to save the people and then salvage the items aboard. The first person who arrived on the scene became the Captain. The items were auctioned off. Before the wrecks would go to Bahamas but then it became law that the wrecks would go to Key West. Key West became the wealthiest city per capita in the United States.
To fully understand this, you should visit the Key West Shipwreck Museum. It’s a treasure and explains shipwrecking past and present. You can climb the replica of the tower where people watched for ships to come in. When a wreck came in they would ring the bell, you get a chance to ring the bell and see one of the most beautiful views of Key West ever.
John Audubon, the naturalist came to the Keys to document the birds and flowers for a month. The Audubon House and Tropical Gardens is dedicated to him and sits on the Geiger property and recreates the feel of a this city in the 1800s during its wealthiest period in history.
A fun place to go to is the Key West Aquarium. Its small but houses many of the ocean and gulf’s living wonders. They had a touching tank where you can pick up a live hermit crab, a starfish and even a conch. It’s fascinating to adults as well as children.