Choose wisely. Connect locally.Add your business 
Key West sits at the end of the Overseas Highway, the southernmost city in the continental United States and closer to Cuba than to Miami. Its past runs through shipwreck salvaging, cigar making and naval operations, and its tropical climate, wooden conch houses and easygoing attitude have long drawn writers, artists and free spirits.
Each evening, crowds gather at Mallory Square for the sunset celebration, with street performers and food carts along the water. Duval Street crosses the island past bars and shops. Ernest Hemingway lived and wrote in a Spanish Colonial house now open as a museum, home to many six-toed cats, and the Key West Lighthouse stands across the street. The Harry S. Truman Little White House served as the president's winter retreat. Visitors line up for photos at the Southernmost Point buoy and wander among the aboveground graves of Key West Cemetery. The Butterfly and Nature Conservatory fills a glass-domed garden, and Fort Zachary Taylor Historic State Park pairs a Civil War-era fort with the island's best beach. Ferries and seaplanes reach Dry Tortugas National Park and Fort Jefferson, while charters head out to the reef for snorkeling, diving and sailing.
Key West suits couples, divers and travelers seeking a relaxed island mood. Summer and fall are humid and fall within hurricane season. The drive down through the Keys is part of the experience.
WiserMap travel guideKey West Florida Mallory Square Sunsets and Key Lime PiePlan a Key West trip: Mallory Square sunsets, the Hemingway Home, Fort Zachary Taylor, Dry Tortugas, Duval Street, key lime pie and the best time to go.Read the guide
A waterfront square in Old Town where crowds gather every evening for the Sunset Celebration, with street performers, jugglers, musicians and food carts along the dock as the sun sets over the Gulf. It starts about two hours before sunset. Bring small bills to tip the performers.
Key West's main street runs from the Gulf of Mexico to the Atlantic, lined with bars, restaurants, galleries and shops. Famous stops include Sloppy Joe's and the Green Parrot Bar nearby. It is busiest at night, and walking or cycling is easier than driving, as parking downtown is limited.
A lighthouse built in 1848 across from the Hemingway Home, with 88 steps to a viewing gallery and wide views over Old Town and the sea. The keeper's quarters hold a small museum about lighthouse life. It is run by the Key West Art and Historical Society, and the climb takes little time.
The striped concrete buoy at Whitehead and South Streets marks the southernmost point of the continental United States, and the line for photos can be long. The Key West Cemetery in Old Town has above-ground tombs and humorous epitaphs, and free self-guided walking maps are available.
The Spanish Colonial house where Ernest Hemingway lived and wrote in the 1930s, with his writing studio and a swimming pool in lush gardens. About 60 cats live on the grounds, many with six toes. Guided tours run often, and the house is a short walk from Duval Street.
The house where President Harry Truman spent many working vacations, now a museum with original furniture and stories of the presidents who stayed here. Guided tours run about 45 minutes. The gardens around it are free to walk, and it sits in the Truman Annex near Mallory Square.
A museum of shipwreck treasure from the Spanish galleons Nuestra Senora de Atocha and Santa Margarita, sunk off the Keys in 1622, with gold, silver coins and emeralds. Exhibits also cover the slave ship Henrietta Marie. It is near Mallory Square and is a good choice on a rainy day.
A glass dome on Duval Street filled with hundreds of tropical butterflies, birds and flowering plants. A short film and exhibit explain the butterfly life cycle. It is a calm break from the busy street and suits families. Wear bright colors, and the butterflies may land on you.
A Civil War-era brick fort with guided tours and a collection of cannons, next to one of the best beaches in Key West. The beach is rocky, so water shoes help, and snorkeling over the rocks is good. Shaded picnic areas sit under pine trees, and a park entry fee is charged.
Key West's longest public beach, on the south side of the island along South Roosevelt Boulevard, with palm trees, volleyball nets and water sports rentals. It has a sandy shore and calm, shallow water. Parking is along the road, and food trucks are often found near the beach.
A remote park about 70 miles west of Key West, reached by the Yankee Freedom ferry or seaplane. It centers on Fort Jefferson, a huge 19th century brick fort, with clear water for snorkeling and many seabirds. Book well in advance, as ferry and seaplane seats are limited.
A popular reef about seven miles southwest of Key West, marked by the Sand Key Lighthouse, part of the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. Snorkel and dive boats visit daily to see corals, tropical fish and sometimes turtles. Use reef-safe sunscreen, and choose calm days for clearer water.
No reviews yet. Been to Key West? Be the first to share your experience.
Share what you loved, what to skip and tips for other travelers.
Log in to write a reviewBeen to Key West? Add your best shots to the gallery.
Log in to add photosPhoto: andrea.anzi, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0
Photo: Julian Lupyan, Wikimedia Commons, CC0
Photo: Andreas Lamecker, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.5
Photo: Acroterion, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Bubba73, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Radomianin, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: C Watts, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
Photo: U.S. Department of Transportation, Wikimedia Commons, Public domain
Photo: U.S. National Park Service, Wikimedia Commons, Public domain
Photo: United States Department of Transportation, Wikimedia Commons, Public domain
Photo: Daniel Schwen, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Ebyabe, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Averette, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0
Photo: Acroterion, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: CedarBendDrive from USA, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Cristo Vlahos, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Planet Labs, Inc., Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Pietro Valocchi, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0
Photo: Bubba73, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Unknown authorUnknown author or not provided, Wikimedia Commons, Public domain
Photo: Hugodesouza1984, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Sharon Hahn Darlin, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Sharon Hahn Darlin, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Sharon Hahn Darlin, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Florida Keys History Center-Monroe County Public L, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
Photo: P. Hughes, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Acroterion, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Acroterion, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Rino Minutoli, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0
Photo: Sharon Hahn Darlin, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Unknown authorUnknown author or not provided, Wikimedia Commons, Public domain
Photo: Elisa.rolle, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Elisa.rolle, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Bubba73, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Bubba73, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Bubba73, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Anita Walz, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: w_lemay, Wikimedia Commons, CC0
Photo: Averette, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: C Watts, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Ebyabe, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Ebyabe, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Joe Parks from Berkeley, CA, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
Photo: CedarBendDrive from USA, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Martin E. Walder, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Martin E. Walder, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Gillfoto from Juneau, Alaska, United States, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: RuggyBearLA, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
Photo: RuggyBearLA, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
Photo: RuggyBearLA, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Juliancolton, Wikimedia Commons, Public domain
Photo: Joe Parks from Berkeley, CA, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Unknown authorUnknown author or not provided, Wikimedia Commons, Public domain
Photo: Joe Parks from Berkeley, CA, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Department of the Interior. National Business Center. Administrative Operations , Wikimedia Commons, Public domain
Photo: RuggyBearLA, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
Photo: RuggyBearLA, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Miscellaneous Items in High Demand, PPOC, Library of Congress, Wikimedia Commons, Public domain
Photo: Eltonatlarge, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
