Key West is America's southernmost city — where the land meets the sea. Long an artist's haven, it has attracted some of the top names in writing and the arts. It's rich in old-world charm, steeped in the lore of island people, and endowed with an exciting history of rum runners, pirate ships, and Civil War intrigue. Although Key West is a hip place with sidewalk cafés, museums, and historic old homes, it's also a center for fishing and shrimping. Key West is truly a city of contrasts of old and new.