Key West, Florida is the end of the road, quite literally! Welcome to mile marker 0 of the federal highway US-1. Being the end of the road certainly has its advantages though. Key West enjoys tropical weather year-round, warm waters, rich history, and exotic location which have made it world famous. Its tropical charm and laid-back way of life have attracted visitors from all over and even lured quite a few of them to make the island their permanent home. Who knows what you will take away from your island visit but I am certainly going to try and make your visit a great one. So, lets get started with our top things to do in key west, Florida!
Leave.
- That’s right the best thing you can do in key west is to leave key west! All joking aside, what I mean by that is to get off the island and into the amazing waters around key west. While the island has it charms there is a lot more ocean than there is island, so it goes without saying that there is a lot you can do out in the waters off of key west. There are activities for all ages and abilities. What you chose to do is really up to you, your budget, and ability. For the more casual there are Sunset Sails, where you can wine and dine the evening away, there are Dolphin tours that will take you just off the island to find some of the friendly aquatic locals we are known for. For the more adventurous there are around-the-island jet ski tours, snorkeling trips, dive boats, and world-famous waters for fishing. I can guarantee that a day out on the water will be more memorable than any museum tour you would have done.
Duval Street.
- In Old Town the life blood of key west and its economy is Duval Street. This is where everything happens for good and bad. Running from north to south across the island you actually walk ocean to ocean just by following this one road. Along the way you will find countless shops, bars, activities, and everything else in between. I recommend you walk the whole length for the full experience. At one end you have the southernmost house, southernmost beach, and the famous key west butterfly conservatory. At the other end you have the famous Malory Square, the Key West Aquarium, and tons of other shops and experiences. Your really can’t just stick to one side or the other. The great thing is that it is less than an hour to walk end to end. If you are unable to walk don’t worry there are plenty of cycle taxies willing to take you along the way.
The Historic Seaport.
- In Old Town east of Duval along the water side you can find Key West’s Historic Seaport. Way back in the day this is where the fishing and shrimping boats used to dock. It was the rough and tumble part of the island. It also used to be home to tons people for a good while. The docks were full of liveaboard sail boats and there was a dockside grocery store. Now a days its all-new shops and great dining options. Several of the islands most famous restaurants were along these waters. I always recommend the historic seaport because it has the “feel” of key west. Walking along the wooden docks, seeing all the boats, smelling the water around you, open air seaside dining. This is what you think of when you think tropical island. You can watch the charter boats dock and feed their cleaning scraps to the massive dock side Tarpon and Seagulls. There are plenty of amazing food options that cover all budgets, bars with live music, and relaxing bars with clam water views along the docks. This is where you want come if you really want to feel like you are in Key West.
Eat Something New and Local.
- You have come all the way to Key West and traveled hundreds of miles at great expense, don’t just eat what you could eat at home. Key West has hundreds of dining options, all budgets, all styles. But what you want to focus on is what can I only get here? Have you tried Conch Fritters? They are the islands national dish if it had one. Served all around the island with various styles and sauces it’s kind of like a hushpuppy with tiny bits of conch meat in it, and it’s amazing. How about Cuban food? Key West is only 90 miles to Cuba, its closer to Cuba than it is to Miami! Sure, you might be able to find this back home but certainly not like this. There are several Cuban restaurants around the island and they are all very good so you can’t go wrong. Still not convinced? Its time to get into key west’s local seafood! Unless you are from Maine, I know you can’t just get lobsters out of the water at home. Key West’s waters are full of life, and full of flavor. Restaurants in town will have local stone crab claws, fresh catch of the day right off the boat, cook your own catch, fresh key west pink shrimp caught locally, this list is endless. The best thing is that all of these can be found at every budget all across the island, grab a small basket of conch fritters for $10 and walk Duval with them or get a Cuban Mix sandwich from a tiny hole in the wall road side. You don’t have to break the budget to eat local in key west.
Malory Square and Sunset Celebration
- Malory Square is full of attractions, shopping and events. If there was a ‘hub’ of the island this is it. Both the Conch Tour Train and the Old Town Trolley that do island tours have Malory Square as a main stop. Its location is central to a lot of the islands most famous attractions. Just a few minutes’ walk to the Mel Fisher Treasure Museum, The Harry Truman Little White House, Historic Seaport, its even home to the Key West Aquarium, and the start or end of Duval Street. At some point on your trip you will end up here one way or another. But what its really famous for is the nightly Sunset Celebration. Every evening the empty space behind Malory Square comes to life with performers, shops, food, and artists. This is because this seaside part of Malory Square has the best view of the world-famous sunsets’ that the island offers. Over the years the sunset crowds turned into business for the locals and now it’s a huge event and something to behold. Where else could you take in the sunset, wearing a palm leaf hat, drinking from of fresh coconut, watch a man juggle knifes, see fire breathing tightrope walkers, and shop for souvenirs at the same time. It is an insane experience and certainly one to remember and the best part is that is happens every night so you can’t miss it.
Embrace Island Life and Slow Down.
- While the streets are full of shops and the bars are full of parties that’s not what brings people back to key west time and time again. The island isn’t world famous for just having lots of bars. One of the best things you can do on the island is simply rent a bike and pedal around the quite back streets of Old Town. Check out the tropical plants and flowers, see the architecture, find that little off the main street café that will be your favorite place to visit. Take a sunset cruise, or just chill at a waterside bar and watch sunset from land, there is no rush here. No numbers to crunch no emails to get back to. Embrace the island and have a slow dinner or sip that margarita just a little slower than usual. So instead of rushing from museum to museum or bar to bar, try to live like a local for a little while. Who cares if you have a long seaside dinner or a quite walk down the tree lined back streets? Its these kinds of experiences that make people come back to the island time and time again. Live the local lifestyle for a day or two and see why so many tourists end up becoming residents.
I hope this list helps a little on your next trip to Key West. I didn’t want to go into exact details and say you had to eat here or you had to see this one attraction. Everyone is different and everyone wants a different vacation. It doesn’t help to say ‘Hey you have to visit Mel Fishers!’ because to some people that just isn’t interesting. I am not paid by any tour operator so I won’t say any one boat trip is better than another. It also gives you the chance to try out a different place on your next trip to the island. But, I will use this last bit to name drop a few of my favorite places though. For Conch Fritters try the little shack in Mallory Square, for Cuban Food check out El Siboney, for local seaside dining check out Hogfish Bar and Grill on Stock Island, for a casual Cuban Mix check out Sandy’s Café or the Cuban Coffee Queen. Where ever you end up eating and whatever you end up doing you are sure to have a great time. Don’t just listen to TripAdvisor and do a little boring check list vacation make the island yours and find your own path that fits the trip you want to have. It’s your vacation after all now is the time to make the most of it.
