Key West Marks Hurricane Irma Anniversary With Travel Accolade

KEY WEST, FL — While Monday marked the first-year anniversary of Hurricane Irma, one of the hardest hit areas recently earned a tourism accolade from TripAdvisor.

"Key West is one of America’s top destinations for travel experiences, as voted by TripAdvisor travelers," declared the world’s largest provider of bookable tours and activities.

The home of America's southernmost point for the 48 contiguous U.S. states, ranked third on TripAdvisor's top places for travelers to do local tours, activities and experiences based on the combined average destination ratings and reviews for bookable experiences on the tourism website.

The tourism industry in the Keys has been deeply affected by Hurricane Irma, which packed 130 mph winds when it made landfall on Cudjoe Key and continued through the Keys as a major hurricane, according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Signs of damage were still apparent on a recent visit to Key West though throngs of tourists were also evident as people lined up to take photos at America's southernmost point and at landmarks like the Ernest Hemingway Home and Museum. The city's wild chickens also seemed to be once again thriving in the Florida sunshine.

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TripAdvisor pointed to three tours in particular in naming Key West to its top U.S. destinations:

• Sunset Sail in Key West with Cocktails and Hors D'oeuvres
• Small Group Kayak and Snorkel Eco Tour
• Parasailing in Key West

Key West ranked third behind Kauai, Hawaii and Sedona, Arizona. Phoenix ranked fourth followed by Kohala Coast, Hawaii. Portland, Oregon ranked sixth followed by Charleston, South Carolina; Orlando; Seattle and Maui, Hawaii.

The wild chickens of Key West were soaking up the Florida sunshine on a recent visit to the downtown area. Photo by Paul Scicchitano.