KEY WEST, Fla. — A town where ex-smugglers get to be mayor, poets get into bar brawls, and nobody takes themselves too seriously. It’s no wonder that this laid-back, quirky, tropical paradise is one of the country’s top 10 travel destinations.* Each year around three million visit the tiny island to kick off their shoes, dive on the reef, and let the warm Keys breezes gently blow their troubles away. Unfortunately, many spend their hard-earned money without making it past the tourist-traps into the authentic Keys experience.

Now they can. Local, irreverent, humorous, and full of mostly pertinent information, the newly released, full-color Key West & the Lower Keys Travel Guide enlightens and entertains, for those escaping here for a weekend, a lifetime, or simply planning an armchair journey from afar.

“It’s an exceptionally eccentric and absolutely awesome piece of work,” says eco-guide and author Capt. Bill Keogh. Inside, eclectic tales mix with comprehensive information on lodging, restaurants, bars, attractions, snorkeling, drinking customs, fishing, diving, arts, events, shopping, life wisdoms, hard lessons, world peace, marinas, camping, RVing, nature, history, culture, wildlife, dog and kid-friendly places, local dishes, lots of pretty photos, and a Conch pocket translator.

This is the first book from Quixotic Travel Guides, an entirely new breed of guidebook, which combines a comprehensive rundown of essential travel details with storytelling and local insight. “It is an essential guidebook that is actually fun to read,” says Jon Turk, author and National Geographic Adventurer of the Year.

So kick off your shoes, cancel the haircut, mix up a rum-runner, and prepare yourself for an honest, unpredictable voyage on the road less taken, set to the spirit of Key West and the Lower Keys.

Authors Karuna Eberl & Steve Alberts are Keys-based writers and photographers who, like many, came to the Keys on vacation some years ago and never left. Their credits range from National Geographic to allaboutfloridakeys.com. To order books for wholesale, retail or publication review samples, please email karuna@quixotictravelguides.com. See quixotictravelguides.com and wanderingdogcreations.com for more information. ISBN: 978-0-9988589-0-6. Retail: $19.95. Available from many retailers including amazon.com and Apple iBooks.