Key West

Island history, sunsets and tropical flavours

Recommended stay: 3–4 days
Best time to visit: November to April
Airports: EYW

Key West at a glance

Key West is a compact island city of historic houses, sunset gatherings, literary history and Caribbean-influenced food.

Quick information

Recommended stay3–4 days

Best time to visitNovember to April

AirportsEYW

Budget travelUSD 80–120 / person / day

Dry season runs November to April; temperatures stay in the low-to-mid 20s and humidity drops. June to November is hurricane season: heat and tropical storms are possible. The island fills quickly in winter high season; reserve accommodation early.

Plan your visit

Airport to centre

Airport rail connection

Allow approximately 30–90 minutes; check live conditions.

Check the current operator fare.Transport

Must-see sights

Mallory Square

Duval Street

Southernmost Point

Sights

One-day itinerary

Morning: Start at the Southernmost Point buoy on South Street, then walk Duval Street before the day-trippers arrive.
Lunch: Conch chowder and a Cuban sandwich at a café in Bahama Village on Petronia Street.
Afternoon: Tour the Ernest Hemingway Home and Museum on Whitehead Street and meet its famous six-toed cats.
Evening: Join the nightly sunset celebration at Mallory Square with street performers and the light fading over the Gulf of Mexico.

Itineraries

Best areas to stay

Old Town
The historic centre of the island; Victorian wooden houses, Duval Street bars, restaurants and galleries. Most accommodation is in restored guesthouses. Rates are higher, particularly December to April.
Best for
First visits, Duval Street and walking distance to everything
Truman Annex
A gated residential area on the western tip of Old Town, close to the best swimming beach. Quieter than Duval Street but walkable to most sights.
Best for
A quieter stay near Fort Zachary Taylor and the Truman Little White House
Bahama Village
Historic African-Bahamian neighbourhood south of Duval Street. Smaller guesthouses with a more residential feel than the main tourist strip.
Best for
A neighbourhood stay with a more local character
Historic Seaport
The working harbour on the north side of Old Town; charter boats, restaurants and a waterfront boardwalk. Quieter than Duval Street at night.
Best for
Harbour views and early-morning fishing-boat atmosphere
New Town
The area east of White Street with chain hotels, supermarkets and a less scenic but more affordable stay. Short taxi or bike ride to Old Town.
Best for
Lower rates and practical amenities near the airport

Approximate budget

Budget
USD 80–120
per day, per person
Hostel or campground. Self-catering from Publix on Kennedy Drive. Free attractions: Southernmost Point, Mallory Square sunset, Fort Zachary Taylor beach (day-use fee applies for the park).
Mid-range
USD 150–280
per day, per person
Guesthouse in Old Town. Mix of casual restaurants and a waterfront dinner. Main paid sights (Hemingway Home, Lighthouse) combined in one day.
Upscale
USD 350+
per day, per person
Boutique hotel or resort. Waterfront dining and a full Dry Tortugas day by seaplane.

Airports

EYW
Key West International Airport
25 km from city centre

Airport to city transport

OptionTimePrice

EYW

Airport rail connectionEYWUse official airport information and allow for traffic or weather.
Allow approximately 30–90 minutes; check live conditions.
Check the current operator fare.
Details
Use official airport information and allow for traffic or weather.
Airport bus or coachEYWUse official airport information and allow for traffic or weather.
Allow approximately 30–90 minutes; check live conditions.
Check the current operator fare.
Details
Use official airport information and allow for traffic or weather.
Official taxi rankEYWUse official airport information and allow for traffic or weather.
Allow approximately 30–90 minutes; check live conditions.
Check the current operator fare.
Details
Use official airport information and allow for traffic or weather.
Pre-booked private transferEYWUse official airport information and allow for traffic or weather.
Allow approximately 30–90 minutes; check live conditions.
Check the current operator fare.
Details
Use official airport information and allow for traffic or weather.

Getting around

OptionTimePrice

WalkingKey West is flat and compact; Duval Street runs the full width of the island in under 20 minutes on foot.
Most Old Town sights are within 15 minutes on foot
Free
Details
Key West is flat and compact; Duval Street runs the full width of the island in under 20 minutes on foot.
Bicycle or scooter rentalRental shops operate on Duval Street and near the seaport. The island is 6.5 km long; cycling reaches Fort Zachary Taylor or the Atlantic-side beaches quickly.
Practical across the whole island
Rental rate
Details
Rental shops operate on Duval Street and near the seaport. The island is 6.5 km long; cycling reaches Fort Zachary Taylor or the Atlantic-side beaches quickly.
Key West Transit busThe Divi bus serves regular routes. More useful for New Town errands than for sightseeing.
Covers Old Town and New Town routes
Fare at kwtransit.com
Details
The Divi bus serves regular routes. More useful for New Town errands than for sightseeing.

Top sights

Mallory Square
The nightly sunset celebration pier at the west end of Front Street. Street performers, artisan vendors and the whole city gather as the sun drops into the Gulf of Mexico. Arrive at least 30 minutes before sunset for a good spot.
Duval Street
The main street of Key West, running 2.5 km from the Gulf to the Atlantic. Restaurants, bars, galleries and guesthouses line both sides. Early morning is quieter; evenings are busy.
Southernmost Point
The buoy marker at the corner of South and Whitehead Streets, 90 miles from Cuba, marking the southernmost point of the continental United States. The queue for photos is shorter at sunrise.
Hemingway Home and Museum
Ernest Hemingway's coral-stone house on Whitehead Street, built in 1851. Guided tours cover the rooms, writing studio and garden. The resident six-toed cats are descendants of the writer's own Snowball.
Key West Lighthouse
The 1848 lighthouse on Whitehead Street, next to the Hemingway Home. Eighty-eight steps lead to the top for 360-degree views over Old Town, the Atlantic and the Gulf of Mexico.
Truman Little White House
President Harry Truman's winter retreat at Truman Annex, used on 11 presidential vacations. Guided tours show the original furnishings and explain Cold War decisions made here.
Fort Zachary Taylor Historic State Park
Fort Zachary Taylor
The best swimming beach in Key West, sheltered by the walls of the Civil War fort at the island's western tip. Entry covers the beach and the fort itself, with a self-guided tour through the artefacts.
Key West Butterfly Conservatory
A climate-controlled glass enclosure at the southern end of Duval Street where tropical butterflies from around the world land on flowers and water features. Also home to flamingos and exotic birds.
Historic Seaport
The working harbour and boardwalk on the north side of Old Town, with charter fishing boats and sunset cruises departing from the docks. Restaurants and bars line the waterfront along Greene Street.
Key West Cemetery
A 19-acre cemetery on Angela Street established in 1847 after a hurricane swept the original burial ground. Elaborate Victorian monuments and some of the most widely quoted humorous epitaphs in the United States.

Places to visit near Key West

Travel times are approximate and depend on traffic and timetables.

Day trip
Dry Tortugas National Park
Dry Tortugas
Distance
113 km west by sea
Travel time
2 hours 30 minutes by ferry; 35 minutes by seaplane
Best transport
Yankee Freedom III ferry or seaplane charter; reserve weeks ahead in high season
Fort Jefferson, a massive hexagonal Civil War fortress on a remote coral island surrounded by clear shallow water. Exceptional snorkelling on the moat reef. Camping is possible with advance reservation.
Snorkelling, history and a remote island
Full day
- Fort Jefferson fortifications
- Coral reef snorkelling
Day trip
Bahia Honda State Park
Bahia Honda
Distance
60 km north-east via US-1
Travel time
55 minutes by car
Best transport
Rental car; no direct bus to the park
One of the best natural beaches in the Florida Keys, with fine white sand and shallow warm water. The ruins of the old Flagler Railroad bridge are visible from the sand.
A natural beach day in the Lower Keys
Half or full day
- Sandspur Beach
- Old Bahia Honda Bridge ruins
Day trip
Big Pine Key
Distance
50 km north-east via US-1
Travel time
45 minutes by car
Best transport
Rental car; US-1 is the only road through the Lower Keys
Home to the National Key Deer Refuge; the tiny endangered Key deer wander freely along roads and through residential gardens. Slow speeds are required throughout the refuge.
Wildlife and a quiet Lower Keys drive
Half day
- Key deer spotting
- Blue Hole freshwater lake
Day trip
Marathon
Distance
80 km north-east via US-1
Travel time
1 hour 10 minutes by car
Best transport
Rental car
The central hub of the Florida Keys with Sombrero Beach, which has calmer swimming than Key West. The Dolphin Research Center offers interactive programmes rather than performances.
A mid-Keys beach day
Full day
- Sombrero Beach
- Dolphin Research Center
Day trip
Lower Keys
Distance
15–60 km north-east via US-1
Travel time
15–55 minutes by car
Best transport
Rental car; US-1 is the only road
Sugarloaf Key, Cudjoe Key and Summerland Key lie between Key West and Bahia Honda. Quieter than Key West with kayaking outfitters and dive trips near Looe Key Reef.
Kayaking, diving and a quiet drive
Half or full day
- Looe Key Reef snorkelling
- Kayaking through mangroves

Found this guide helpful? Buy us a coffee and help us keep our travel information independent and up to date.

☕ Buy us a coffee

Key West at a glance

Quick information

Plan your visit

Airport to centre

Must-see sights

One-day itinerary

Best areas to stay

Old Town

Truman Annex

Bahama Village

Historic Seaport

New Town

Approximate budget