"The Key West Historic Preservation Commission won't even let you tear down a chicken coop," said Paulette Alden of Minneapolis, only half joking. Their second home in Key West, Fla., originally part of 1940s Navy housing, was slated to be demolished but ended up being saved by the commission. Alden and her husband, Jeff, bought the 430-square-foot cottage in 2001 on the Internet for $210,000, sight unseen. When Jeff first viewed their purchase, his response was unprintable, but after renovation and space planning, he now describes their one-bedroom, one-bath cottage as "a sports car."
When they arrive at the Key West airport, the Aldens take a cab to the house and spend the rest of their visit carless. They share a pool with five neighboring cottages and are only six blocks from Mallory Square, where locals and tourists gather nightly to watch the sunset.
Paulette, a writer and editor, discovered Key West during a literary seminar there. "I was sitting under the blooms of a Bougainvillea vine in January, thinking, 'This is the place I want to be,'" she said. For rental information, go to www.vrbo.com/31609.
Best part: The relaxed atmosphere, a walkable city, the sensory stimulation of beauty and raunch on Duval Street.
Worst part: Noise. The beaches aren't great except near Fort Zachary.
Favorite activities: Touring the Old Town architecture, having breakfast or lunch at Harpoon Harry's. Going to the Schooner Wharf sandlot bar for live music. People-watching.
Family tradition: Eating fried oysters at the Half Shell Raw Bar.
