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Rockhounding in Key West is a special trip because there is not a helluva lot of rockhounding to be done in Key West! We did find one crystal and mineral store, took pictures of the finest pieces which were NFS (Not for Sale) alas, but the store did have those trophy pieces worthy of the visit, and photos. The store is called The Crystal Menagerie, and it is very easy to find.

Now for natural rockhounding we did go to the big park, the Zachary Taylor Fort and Beach Park. The shells that wash up are pretty common and standard. There are also no outcrops that we discovered, and we walked, nearly the entire island.

So for a trip to Key West, I recommend making your focus the sun, the sea air, the great drinks, and the historic significance of the area. President Truman’s “Little White House” is a historic treat. I consider myself learned in US History, but the significance of Key West from Truman to Clinton was a surprise to me.

Key West has some magnificent old homes for touring, full of original antiques, history and interesting docents, so I highly recommend those tours as diversions to get you out of the sun if it’s unbearable, or out of the rain if a tropical depression is roaring.

A pleasant surprise was that you can walk around with your drinks. So it’s like New Orleans that way, but there is not even the restriction to keep your drink in a plastic cup. So have fun bar hopping in Key West and start each morning with a bloody morning.

The only point I would caution against, is flying into Miami or Ft. Lauderdale, as we did, and driving down Route 1. It is not the romantic drive you expect. If you get behind a garbage truck, you are slowing down to 20 MPH, and you are behind a garbage truck. Even though you cross over the famous 7 Mile Bridge, the extra time it takes to drive is not worth the time you could otherwise be spending in Key West. So fly into Key West Airport, and you can leave your chisel, pick-axe and rockhounding preparedness kit at home this trip!



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