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Fun in Key West Podcast

Fun in Key West Podcast

By: Michele O'Connor
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Summary

 🌴 Welcome to the Fun in Key West Podcast! 🌴 Get ready to dive into all things Key West—the southernmost island where the sunsets are breathtaking, the food is unforgettable, and the drinks are always cold! 🍹 In this podcast, we bring you insider tips on: ✅ The best places to eat (yes, there will be conch fritters 🥥). ✅ Where to drink and enjoy the island's famous cocktails 🍸. ✅ The coolest spots to stay, from cozy inns to luxury getaways 🏝️. ✅ And so much more—from quirky local events to can't-miss festivals! 🎉 We'll also keep you up to date on the latest happenings around the island and occasionally chat with special guests who know Key West like the back of their sandy hand. 🐚 Whether you're planning your first trip, a frequent visitor, or just daydreaming about island life, this podcast is your ultimate guide to enjoying paradise. 🎙️ New episodes every wek—so don't forget to subscribe! Hit the like button if you're as obsessed with Key West as we are, and share the island love with your friends! 💌 Connect with us! 👉 Website: www.FunInKeyWest.com 👉 Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter for even more island vibes. 🌊 So grab your flip-flops, pour yourself a cold drink, and escape to the island state of mind with the Fun in Key West Podcast! #FunInKeyWest #KeyWestPodcast #IslandLifeVibesFun In Key West 2025 Social Sciences Travel Writing & Commentary
Episodes
  • Key West's Hidden WWII Submarine Base, Sonar School, and the Truman Annex

    Key West's Hidden WWII Submarine Base, Sonar School, and the Truman Annex
    Apr 26 2026
    Fun Fact Friday: Key West's Hidden WWII Submarine Base, Sonar School, and the Truman Annex Host Michele O'Connor introduces a "Fun Fact Friday" episode focused on Historic Marker #57 near the Outer Mole and the US Coast Guard Cutter Ingham Museum area, explaining how today's calm Truman Annex was once a major WWII submarine hub. She describes the site's evolution from the 1845 Fort Zachary Taylor Army installation to Navy control, the construction of five metal finger docks for submarines, and Key West's wartime role countering German U-boats that sank thousands of ships, including nearly 50 off Florida in 1942. Key West submarines escorted supply convoys and helped support the Pacific War, while the Fleet Sonar School relocated there in 1940, training thousands in sonar. The base was designated in 1946, became obsolete with nuclear submarines, and was decommissioned in 1974, later transforming into today's parks, amphitheater, cruise-ship pier, and tourist area. 00:00 Welcome to Fun in Key West 01:26 Episode teaser WWII waters 02:50 Fun Fact Friday kickoff 03:51 Marker 57 location today 05:17 Base origins and docks 07:12 U-boats off Florida 08:42 Key West wartime missions 10:08 Sonar school revolution 11:22 Decommission to Truman Annex 13:09 Questions and reflections 14:29 Live comments and travel tips 17:25 Final recap and subscribe
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    19 mins
  • Mile Marker Zero: William McKeen on Key West's Wild 1970s Creative Scene

    Mile Marker Zero: William McKeen on Key West's Wild 1970s Creative Scene
    Apr 18 2026
    Mile Marker Zero: William McKeen on Key West's Wild 1970s Creative Scene Host Michele O'Connor introduces the Fun in Key West podcast and welcomes William McKeen, Boston University journalism professor and author of Mile Marker Zero, to discuss 1970s Key West and the artists, writers, musicians, and actors drawn to its cheap, funky, under-the-radar culture. McKeen explains his drive as a lifelong storyteller, how Tom Corcoran (author of The Mango Opera) inspired and enabled the book after sharing a final Hunter S. Thompson message about documenting the "missing" Key West years, and why Corcoran became the narrative gateway linking figures like Thomas McGuane, Jim Harrison, Russell Chatham, Jimmy Buffett. They discuss balancing revelry with serious creative work, editing out some raunchier material (with extras on McKeen's website), Key West's sensory pull and rising costs, and the book's themes of friendship, survival, and tragedy, including Corcoran's missing wife. 00:00 Welcome to Fun in Key West 01:26 Episode teaser and guest 02:12 Podcast theme and intro 03:10 Meet author William McKean 04:40 Addicted to storytelling 07:24 Hunter Thompson voicemail 10:45 Writing Mile Marker Zero 11:59 Keeping the art focus 14:57 Why Key West drew artists 17:49 Then vs now costs 22:29 Structuring the big cast 26:17 Cut scenes and bonus tales 28:23 Wild stories reaction 28:49 Wild Key West Tales 29:36 Why Editors Matter 32:04 Sex Drugs and Context 33:24 Keeping Key West Lit 35:34 Writing With Senses 38:25 Friendship and Survival 41:34 Paradise With a Price 45:39 Can Creativity Return 48:11 Coffee Dinner and Favorites 50:52 Key West State of Mind 53:27 Final Thanks and Signoff https://www.williammckeen.com/ https://funinkeywest.com/fun-in-key-west-book-club/
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    55 mins
  • Mouth-Numbing Relaxation Without the Hangover (with Kalm with Kava CEO Morgan Smith)

    Mouth-Numbing Relaxation Without the Hangover (with Kalm with Kava CEO Morgan Smith)
    Apr 18 2026
    Mouth-Numbing Relaxation Without the Hangover (with Kalm with Kava CEO Morgan Smith) Host Michele O'Connor introduces the Fun in Key West podcast as an insider guide to Key West food, drinks, events, and local guests, then interviews Morgan Smith, CEO of Kalm with Kava, about kava as a non-alcoholic alternative. Morgan shares how, after negative experiences with benzodiazepines and avoiding dependency, he found kava's relaxing, euphoric effects without hangovers or physical addiction and later took over his late friend Mike's kava company, expanding a Hawaii farm from 100 to about 15,000 plants. They explain kava's 3,000-year South Pacific cultural role, preparation as a root tea, expected mouth numbness and relaxation from key kavalactones, differences among noble vs "two-day" kavas, sourcing by region (Vanuatu, Fiji, Tonga/Hawaii), bar ordering basics, ethical sourcing, market demand, and beginner advice to start with a sampler pack. 00:00 Welcome to Key West 01:26 Meet Morgan and Kava 05:19 Morgan's Origin Story 11:11 What Kava Actually Is 15:22 How It Feels 17:10 First Time Tips 19:37 Kava vs Alcohol 23:12 What Kava Is Not 26:40 Noble vs Two Day 29:24 Nighttime Kava Choices 30:40 Kava Cultures Compared 32:55 Farming Cycles and Shortages 34:14 Island Mindset on Money 36:53 Why Kava Demand Surged 38:58 Ethical Sourcing Matters 41:20 Beginner Kava Roadmap 43:38 Ordering at Kava Bars 45:33 Kava History and Migration 49:18 Botany and Plant Varieties 52:01 Personal Wind Down Ritual 52:59 Hawaiian Harvest Plans 54:38 Alternatives and Farewell 57:24 Final Wrap and Subscribe https://kalmwithkava.com/
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    58 mins
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