The unique confluence of history, climate, natural beauty, cultural diversity, architecture and unabashed romantic appeal cloak the island of Key West in mystery. It is a mystery that captivates the human soul, stealing it away from the hassles of the modern-day world. Residents and visitors to Key West actively participate in sightseeing, outdoor and maritime activities, and shopping by day, then yield to the transition toward evening, when flame swallowers, tightrope walkers and shopping-cart balancers strive to show up a more captivating performer - the fiery sun settling into the Gulf of Mexico. Located closer to Cuba than to Miami, Key West is Florida's independent and irreverent southwestern subtropical paradise. The island's balmy climate, historic structures and anything-goes ambiance have long provided a tropical refuge for writers, artists and free-spirited folks yearning for a place to unravel the mind, body and soul. Ernest Hemingway, Tennessee Williams, Elizabeth Bishop, Robert Frost and Jimmy Buffett are just a few of the famous who discovered solace and inspiration here. So too did Bahamian wreckers, commercial fishermen, spongers and Cuban cigar makers. Key West's Bahamian and Cuban heritage is evidenced throughout the island in restaurants and cigar shops, museums and accommodations. For intimate lodging, the island provides a bounty of bed and breakfasts with architectural qualities evoking eras past, while lavish resorts offer modern services and amenities amid grander surroundings. Visitors to Key West can pet a shark, tour a cemetery, visit Hemingway's former home and experience the riches of a spectacular salvage expedition. Island beaches offer ample sunning and watersports opportunities, while beneath the surrounding turquoise and cobalt waters, historic shipwrecks, a living coral reef and myriad marine plants and animals entice those eager to explore.

For anglers, billfish beyond the reef and permit and tarpon on the flats are just a few of the local game fish that offer spirited and sometimes acrobatic displays of strength.

At night, the stars illuminate assorted entertainment opportunities, including jazz clubs, piano bars, dance clubs, drag shows and saloons. Theatrical stagings at three area playhouses feature Broadway-quality performances November through May.

The island is accessible via Key West International Airport, which is serviced by American Eagle, Delta Connection/ASA, USAir Express, Cape Air and Continental Connection. Key West also is accessible by flying into Miami International Airport and driving down the Overseas Highway from the mainland. For more information on Key West, write to the Key West Chamber of Commerce at 402 Wall St., Key West FL, 33040 or call (800) LAST-KEY.

THINGS TO SEE AND DO IN KEY WEST The Key West Aquarium, 1 Whitehead St., (305) 296-2051, www.keywestaquarium.com. Showcasing the diverse marine life that inhabit the waters of Key West, the aquarium offers guided tours, a touch tank and daily fish feedings. The Key West Butterfly & Nature Conservatory, 1316 Duval St., (305) 296-2988, www.wingsofimagination.com. One of only three major butterfly facilities in Florida, the conservatory features a 5,000-square-foot glass-domed tropical butterfly habitat. Visitors can observe between 750 and 1,200 butterflies from 30 to 50 species in the habitat, as well as learn about butterflies' role in the natural world and watching them hatch in a special metamorphosis chamber. Audubon House & Tropical Gardens, 205 Whitehead St., (305) 294-2116, www.audubonhouse.com. This restored historic home contains original Audubon engravings from 1832, when the artist and ornithologist visited Key West and sketched 18 new species for his "Birds of America" folio. Bahama Village, Petronia Street. Revitalized neighborhood showcasing Key West's Caribbean heritage through a Bahamian marketplace, shops, ethnic restaurants and galleries.

The Conch Tour Train, 501 Front St., (305) 294-5161, and Old Town Trolley Tours, (305) 296-6688, Mallory Square. Both tour operations offer guided and informative expeditions throughout Key West, departing every half hour. Curry Mansion, 511 Caroline St., (305) 294-5349, www.currymansion.com. An elaborate Victorian structure built on the site of the homestead of Florida's first millionaire. Curry Mansion now serves as a historic house museum showcasing an era of elegance. An inn is situated on the property; the structure is on the National Register of Historic Places. East Martello Museum & Gallery, 3501 South Roosevelt Blvd., (305) 296-3913, www.kwah.com. This historic military fort is filled with unique artifacts and memorabilia, along with the works of renowned local artists Mario Sanchez and Stanley Papio. Flagler Station Over-Sea Railway Historeum, 901 Caroline St., (305) 295-3562. Artifacts, historic film footage and still photographs commemorate Henry Flagler's construction of "the railroad that went to sea." An engineering marvel completed in 1912, the railroad connected Key West with the mainland for the first time. Fort Jefferson, Dry Tortugas National Park, www.fortjefferson.com. This Civil War-era fort is the largest masonry structure in the Western Hemisphere. Its most famous prisoner was Dr. Samuel Mudd, incarcerated for providing medical assistance to President Abraham Lincoln's assassin. Fort Jefferson is accessible via the Dry Tortugas National Park ferry and by seaplane. Fort Zachary Taylor State Historic Site, Enter through Truman Annex on Southard Street, (305) 292-6713. Constructed between 1845 and 1866, this fort remained in Union hands throughout the Civil War and was later used during the Spanish-American War. The fort's collection of Civil War cannons is the largest in America. Harry S Truman Little White House, 111 Front St., (305) 294-9911, www.trumanlittlewhitehouse.com. The late United States president's former tropical retreat, with family quarters, poker porch, living and dining rooms open to the public. Prior to the Bay of Pigs invasion, President John F. Kennedy held a summit meeting here; photographs of Kennedy and Dwight Eisenhower also are displayed.

The Ernest Hemingway Home & Museum, 907 Whitehead St., (305) 294-1136, www.hemingwayhome.com. The late author's home and second-story writing studio. While living here, Hemingway wrote some of his most notable works - including "To Have and Have Not," which is set in Key West. Historic Seaport at Key West Bight, from Greene to Grinnell streets at the north end of the island. Some 100 land- and sea-based waterfront businesses bring Key West's seafaring heritage to life. Along a half-mile harbor walk are shops, restaurants, bars and a 156-slip working marina that is home to tall ships, ferries and catamarans which provide dive, snorkel and sunset cruises. The Key West Cemetery. Look for creative headstones that read, "I Told You I Was Sick" and "Devoted Fan of Julio Iglesias." The cemetery also contains the resting place of Hemingway's friend and fishing captain, "Sloppy Joe" Russell, and sparring partner Kermit "Shine" Forbes. Another plot pays homage to the sailors killed in the explosion of the U.S.S. Maine. Key West Golf Club, mile marker (MM) 5 bayside, Stock Island, (305) 294-5232. The Florida Keys' only public 18-hole golf course, Key West Golf Club maintains a clubhouse and a pro shop that offers lessons. The Key West Lighthouse Museum, 938 Whitehead St., www.kwahs.com. Erected in 1847, the lighthouse guided mariners until it was decommissioned in 1969. Both the keeper's quarters and the lighthouse itself have been restored. Visitors may walk 88 steps to the top for a wonderful view of the city. Lofton B. Sands African-Bahamian Museum and Resource Center, 324 Truman Ave., (305) 295-7337. Located in Key West's historic Bahama Village, this museum spotlights the island's African-Bahamian history through a rich collection of photographs, correspondence, vintage clothing and memorabilia. Mallory Square, Mallory Pier. Street performers take center stage here each evening as visitors flock to Key West's internationally renowned sunset celebration. Mel Fisher Maritime Museum, 200 Greene St., (305) 294-2633, www.melfisher.org. This museum showcases the richest single collection of 17th-century maritime and shipwreck antiquities in the Western Hemisphere - including the treasure of the Nuestra Se�ora de Atocha.

Nancy Forrester's Secret Garden, 1 Free School Lane., (305) 294-0015. Self-guided tours are offered through this lush rainforest habitat. Palms, orchids, rare and indigenous plants, and exotic tropical birds are among the attractions. The San Carlos Institute, 516 Duval St., (305) 294-3887. Founded in 1871 to preserve Cuban culture and promote the freedom of Cuba, the San Carlos functioned as a school and cultural center. In a historic 1892 speech from the building's balcony, Cuban patriot Jose Marti united the Cuban exile community and launched his drive for Cuba's independence. Today the museum is an affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution, with a library, art gallery, theater and school classes centering around Cuban history and the Spanish language. The Southernmost House, 1400 Duval St., (305) 296-3141, www.themansionkeywest.com. Built in 1896 overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, the house epitomizes the grandeur of the island city's historic heyday. The public rooms feature an extraordinary array of political and literary memorabilia - including letters handwritten by Ernest Hemingway - collected by the house's owner. The Southernmost Point, Whitehead and South streets. A larger-than-life buoy marks the southernmost spot in the continental United States - only 90 miles from Cuba. It's the setting for a Kodak moment for virtually every visitor to Key West. Turtle Kraals Museum, 200 Margaret St., (305) 294-0209. People can learn about turtles and their preservation, and Key West's turtling industry, at this unique museum in the island city's Historic Seaport. Visitors also can view a display of turtle shells and sea turtle products, and learn about the modern-day perils turtles face. The Oldest House/Wrecker's Museum, 322 Duval St., (305) 294-9502. Said to be the oldest structure in Key West, this 1829 home - formerly inhabited by Captain Francis Watlington and his nine daughters - is furnished with artifacts and antiques recalling Key West's rich wrecking heritage. Included among them are the official rules of the wrecking industry and a wreckers' black list. Tennessee Williams Theatre, 5901 W. College Road, MM 5 bayside, Stock Island, (305) 296-1520, www.tennesseewilliamstheatre.com. Named for the playwright who made his home in Key West for decades, the 480-seat theater is located on the campus of the Florida Keys Community College. Its offerings include locally produced and traveling stage productions as well as concerts by the Key West Symphony Orchestra.

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