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Florida Today attended Fantasy Fest 2009 to experience this riske event and share our experience here on Florida Space Coast Today! First this is definitely not a family event where you want to bring your children.

Fantasy Fest 2009 Body Painting

Taking a Road Trip from the Florida Space Coast from Brevard County down to Key West will take you around 5 hours. Follow I-95 down just south of Vero Beach and exit to jump onto the Florida Turn Pike. You can relax and stay on it till it dumps you out past Miami with all of it’s traffic.

Next you will drive over some beautiful scenery with water until you hang a sharp right and begin your journey on the Keys in a South West direction. Be sure to follow the speed limit or else!

Stopped at Bar On The Way to Fantasy Fest 2009

Key Largo is where you begin and you must visit the Bar on the right side where Humphrey Bogart filmed the movie, ”Key Largo” at. Have the batteries in your camera charged and ready to go.

Although you may want to drive and stay in Key West itself, we decided to stay in Marathon, Florida at a resort and enjoy some relaxation during the day. Driving by car from there to Key West is a little over an hour during the day with a speed limit from 45 to 55 mph, yet at night it drops to 35 mph in many places, so it takes about 15 minutes longer for the return trip at night.

Again I cannot say this enough, have a designated driver for a safe trip. If you feel that you must drink during the Fantasy Fest event, please stay in Key West.

Join Florida Space Coast Today At Fantasy Fest Next Year

Back in the day Duval Street from one end to the other ( 1 mile) was a party zone, but today it has been turned into a block party type atmosphere on one end. Many events and parties are held each of the ten night event, yet you can have just as much fun in the streets taking and posing for pictures with friends or others that you just meet there!

There are many parking garages close to Sloppy Joe’s Famous bar that will run you $20 on up per night. This is a perfect location to get as close as you can to Sloppy Joe’s on Duval Street.

Sloppy Joe's on Duval Street

You can carry your drink on Duval Street without fear of the police checking it in a regular cup, but it must be plastic…glass not allowed.

First time and you do not know what to expect by picking out a sexy costume to wear. Let me share this one tip, you will feel more uncomfortable wearing regular clothes walking Duval Street than just throwing on a G-string with stockings. Men and women are strutting around in just body paint along…all ages and shapes!

First timers on this road trip can leave their costumes in your vehicle and check out Duval Street during Fantasy Fest. Then you can walk back to your vehicle to change to take part to make you feel more comfortable.

Plenty of food vendors on the street to keep you from going hungry while waiting in long lines. Drinks are expensive, so bring your alchole with you, but several rules here.

Fantasy Fest Rules For Bringing Alcohol

• Plastic bottles with the top not broken, otherwise considered open container in your car.
• Be sure keep small amount, otherwise you will be just throwing it away. Once it has been opened you must throw it away before driving your car when you leave.
• Designated driver, if you get pulled over…the police will check you will a breathe analyzer and arrest you (you will spend $10,000 for a DUI, not worth it).

Make your reservations now for next year and plan a safe trip to keep the memories enjoyable! Oh, almost forgot about the last night of Fantasy Fest and the parade. Avoid this at all costs, not worth it.

There are so many newbies that drive into Key West just to attend the lastnight for the parade. The streets are uncomfortably packed, too many people that do not know how to control their drinking properly and the traffic is bumper to bumper the next day attempting to head back home. We always leave and drive back home the morning of the parade and it is clear sailing north bound!