Key West
Key West is the southernmost point in the United States. Known as the "Conch Republic," Key West is famous for being the favorite haunt of artists, celebrities, presidents, and literary heroes such as Ernest Hemingway (Florida Keys and Key West Tourism Association, 2005). Yet the Florida Keys and Key West only became a fixture for visitors after an economic and social revival in the 1980s. The destination appears as the tenth most visited port in the world (Wild and Dearing, 2004a). The Keys' literary reference points, such as the homes of Ernest Hemingway and Tennessee Williams and former president Harry Truman's "Little White House," are high on the list of attractions; passengers may also go shopping or even go deep sea fishing in the Gulf of Mexico.