Literature Lesson: Hemingway in Key West, Florida

Docked at the furthest of the Florida Key Islands, we finally made it to Key West.  Key West has a reputation for attracting artists, including the famous American novelist and journalist Ernest Hemingway.  I traveled to Florida many times, but never that far south.  We took the Key West Conch Train for the transportation purpose of getting to the Hemingway House.  We visited during the summer and the sweltering heat surrounded us.  Bring water, sunglasses, and cash – the museum entrance only takes cash.  It takes patience while the train fills up and starts moving.

Patricia Schultz’s book 1,000 Places To See Before You Die recognizes Hemingway’s Home & Museum as a key attraction, “Visitors interested in the real deal can tour the house and studio where Hemingway completed A Farewell to Arms and For Whom the Bell Tolls.  Many of his possessions are on display, presided over by some 60 polydactyl (many-toed) cats, about the same number that Hemingway kept on the property between 1931 and 1939.”

We found the Hemingway Cats immediately.  They roam the grounds and don’t seem bothered by the many tourists, even people like me taking photos of their toes.  We also found the cats in the house, seemingly posing on a bed. 

The tour guide keeps the tour family-friendly, but our guide definitely told some jokes aimed at the adult visitor group.  You’ll learn about Hemingway’s wife Pauline who also lived at the house and you’ll hear about other women too.  The guide did a great job explaining the history and how it connected to the items in each room.  Typewriters and photographs made you think of both his career and his adventures.  After touring inside the house, we saw the famous expensive in-ground pool.  Look for the penny embedded in the cement.

The visit inspired me to learn more about Hemingway’s life.  I like Ken Burn’s documentaries, so I looked forward to the release of “Hemingway” show in 2021.  The six-hour series gave more depth and interesting stories.

If you want to learn about Hemingway’s earlier life, visit his birthplace in Oak Park, Illinois.

Hemingway’s Home & Museum in Key West tickets cost approximately $17 for adults and $7 for kids.  Tours offered everyday and last approximately 30 minutes. 

Hemingway’s Birthplace tickets cost approximately $20 for adults and $18 for youth.  Tours last approximately 50 minutes.