Stress doesn't have a chance to survive. You forget the rat race. The whole wild and wacky scene is there to entertain you. You can shop until you drop. Every restaurant and outdoor cafe is lively and full.
People stand outside and look in, listening to bands and performers.
It's a most interesting Key West peculiarity. It dissolves the barriers between the inside and the outside and transforms everyone into a participant at one big island party. People watching is a major sport. Anything goes, from the chic and trendy to the zany and outrageous. You will see a wide variety of types and characters, among them quite a few ruggedly handsome Hemingway copies.