The Official Tourism Council Web Site for the Florida Keys! Key Largo, Islamorada, Marathon, Lower Keys, Key West

he arts abound in Key West, whether you’re in the audience at the theater or concert, or eager to acquire new cultural skills.

Interested in writing or art? Awaken your creativity during workshops taught by acclaimed professional artists, authors and educators at The Studios of Key West.

The nonprofit Studios of Key West was established in 2006 to support artists’ creative development and cultural experiences. Its campus and art studio space are at 600 White St. in a historic former armory.

Workshops range from one day to one week. Subjects include narrative nonfiction, poetry techniques, fiction writing, plein-air painting, portraits, watercolor, digital portrait photography, collage, mixed media, plein-air poetry and writing culinary memoirs.

Tuition ranges from $65 to $650 per person depending on workshop length and subject.

The Studios of Key West also offers a full calendar of lectures, art exhibits, readings and presentations.

For a complete event schedule, go to tskw.org.

The Key West Symphony, celebrating its 10th season in 2008, invites music lovers to attend the stellar season’s final concert weekend. The orchestra is to perform Friday and Saturday evenings, April 4-5, with pianist Andreas Klein.

For each concert weekend, the symphony’s nationally recognized conductor and musical director Sebrina Maria Alfonso brings together a core group of professional symphonic musicians from around the country. She supplements them with other leading musicians and soloists who enhance each concert program.

Concerts take place at 8 p.m. at the Tennessee Williams Theatre, 5901 W. College Road at the Florida Keys Community College.

Tickets range from $32 to $75 per person and are available at keystix.com or by calling (305) 296-1520. For more information, explore keywestsymphony.com.

outhernmost Hotel & Resorts, four unique properties on the Atlantic side of Key West’s historic Old Town, recently became the Southernmost Hotel Collection.

The collection includes the 19-room La Mer Hotel & Dewey House, 508 South St., a AAA Four Diamond bed-and-breakfast in a pair of beachfront historic homes; Southernmost Hotel, 1319 Duval St., with 127 guest rooms, and Southernmost on the Beach, 508 South St., with a private Atlantic pier and 47 guestrooms. Southernmost on the Beach is undergoing a multimillion-dollar expansion to add 80 luxurious guestrooms measuring more than 400 square feet each.

Amenities include three swimming pools, a tiki bar, a full-service concierge and the new Southernmost Beach Café, offering open-air oceanfront dining for breakfast, lunch, dinner and cocktails.

For more information and reservations, visit southernmostresorts.com.

ey West’s historic Casa Marina Resort & Beach Club, located on a private Atlantic Ocean beach at 1500 Reynolds St., has completed a $43 million renovation. Facets include a full redesign of the lobby, pools, terrace and Keys ballroom, and a comprehensive renovation of the 311 guestrooms and suites.

The spacious lobby opens onto a stunning outdoor “water walk” that incorporates shallow water features and royal palms and leads to 1,100 feet of private beach.

Other highlights include twin tropical swimming pools, 11,000 square feet of event space and 12 meeting/event rooms with flexible floor plans.

The Casa Marina is part of the LXR Luxury Resorts collection, which is a member and major sponsor of the International Gay & Lesbian Travel Association.

For more details, go to casamarinaresort.com.

oconut Grove Guest House, an all-male property at 815 and 817 Fleming St., has completed a $1.5 million, nine-month renovation project. Rooms now feature flat-screen televisions, refrigerators and coffee makers, wall safes and exquisite bathrooms with granite counters.

The property’s amenities include a heated pool, Jacuzzi and inviting outdoor lounging areas.

Coconut Grove is one of a complex of gay resorts owned by Hobart Resorts that also includes Oasis Guest House and Coral Tree Inn.

Guests can enjoy a daily complimentary breakfast, 3 p.m. poolside cocktails and 6 p.m. hot hors d’oeuvres at the Oasis.

For more information, see coconutgrovekeywest.com.