Key West
Everything you need to know before you go.
Key West feels like a small island town where the past lives side by side with the present. The Old Town area around Duval Street is the most walkable, with pastel houses and narrow lanes that lead to the water. Just a short walk south you’ll find Bahama Village, a neighborhood that still carries the rhythm of the Bahamian immigrants who built much of the island’s early culture. Prices for a night in a boutique guesthouse in Old Town run $150-$200, while a modest inn in Bahama Village can be found for $100-$130. Meals at casual spots on Duval average $12-$18 for a plate of conch fritters or a grouper sandwich, and a dinner at a waterfront restaurant can hit $35-$55 per person.
If you love seafood, try the key lime pie at a bakery on Whitehead Street, it’s usually $6-$9 per slice, and the flavor is as bright as the sunsets you’ll watch from Mallory Square. The Ernest Hemingway Home and Museum is a ; admission is $14 for adults, and the historic Fort Zachary Taylor park costs $6 for entry. A sunset drink at the iconic Southernmost Point Buoy costs about $12 for a cocktail, and you can explore the lighthouse for $8. All of these experiences keep the pace relaxed, so you can wander at your own speed without feeling rushed.
Sightseeing
Ernest Hemingway House - Tour the home where Hemingway lived and wrote for ten years, complete with his famous six‑toed cats. $14, 1.5h
Harry S. Truman Little White House - Visit the historic retreat that served as a presidential getaway and still hosts government officials. $15, 1.5h
Key West Lighthouse - Climb the 65‑foot tower for panoramic island views and a glimpse of maritime history. $10, 1h
Southernmost Point - Stand at the iconic buoy marking the claimed southernmost point of the continental US. $0, 0.5h
Outdoor Nature
Fort Zachary Taylor - Explore the 1866 fort, nature trails, and beach within a historic coastal park. $2-4, 2h
McCoy Indigenous Park - Relax in a small park honoring the island’s original Native American heritage. $0, 1h
Wildlife Rescue of the Florida Keys - Observe healing animals up close at the rescue center’s public viewing area. $0, 1h
Cultural
Key West Art and Historical Society Museum - Browse Civil War relics, folk art, and the famed Ghosts of East Martello. $9, 1.5h
Key West City Cemetery - Wander among above‑ground tombs adorned with quirky epitaphs reflecting the island’s diverse heritage. $0, 0.5h
Key West AIDS Memorial - Reflect at the beachside granite memorial inscribed with names of local AIDS victims. $0, 0.5h
To reach Key West most travelers fly into Key West International (EYW). The airport sits on S Roosevelt Blvd about 3.9 miles southeast of downtown. From the terminal a taxi or rideshare will drop you in the Old Town area for roughly $15‑$20 and the trip takes 10‑15 minutes. If you prefer a bus, the Lower Keys Shuttle stops at the airport and rides to downtown for $4; the ride lasts about 15 minutes.
If you are coming from a larger hub you will often find cheaper fares at Miami International (MIA) or Fort Lauderdale International (FLL). From those airports you can rent a car and drive the Overseas Highway (US Hwy 1) to Key West. The drive is roughly 4 hours and you will spend about $50‑$70 on gas plus $5‑$10 in tolls. The route takes you past the historic Southernmost Point buoy and through the historic Old Town district.
Greyhound operates a bus from the airport to Miami twice a day; the one‑way fare starts at $30 and the travel time is about 4.5 hours. Miami Info Tours runs a shuttle from a stop at 908 Caroline St (across from the Flagler Street Museum) to Key West; rates start at $69 round‑trip and the bus drops you near the historic seaport. Keys Shuttle also offers door‑to‑door service from Miami and Fort Lauderdale airports; typical round‑trip fares are around $70.
There is no train that goes to Key West. The closest rail service is the Metrorail in Miami, but you still need a bus or car to finish the journey.
Typical flight costs from major US cities are about $350‑$550 round‑trip from New York, $300‑$480 from Chicago, $250‑$420 from Atlanta, and $280‑$460 from Dallas. Prices rise in peak season and drop in late summer.
Once you are in Key West you will want to stay in the Old Town neighborhood; it is walkable and close to the Ernest Hemingway Home and the historic seaport. For a meal try the conch fritters at Blue Heaven; they cost $8‑$12. A plate of shrimp tacos at the Conch Republic Seafood Company runs $10‑$15. A dinner of fresh grouper at the Columbia Kitchen is usually $25‑$35.
Key West’s weather splits cleanly into a dry stretch and a wet stretch.
Peak season runs from November through April. The air stays dry, sunshine dominates, and daytime highs hover in the mid‑70s to low‑80s. Nights are cool enough for a light sweater. Because the weather is most reliable, hotels in the Old Town Historic District fill fast and rates climb to $150‑$250 a night for a mid‑range room. Dinner at a waterfront spot on Duval Street often runs $25‑$40 per entree, and a cocktail on Mallory Square can be $8‑$12.
The sweet‑spot for value and comfort is late April to early June, and again in late September to early November. Temperatures then sit in the high 70s to low 80s during the day, with evenings dropping into the low 70s. Rain chances are still modest, and you’ll find hotel rooms in Old Town averaging $110‑$150 a night. Meals at casual cafés serving conch fritters or key lime pie stay around $10‑$15, while a nice dinner at a local seafood joint stays under $35.
Avoid the heart of hurricane season, roughly mid‑August through early October. Humidity spikes, afternoon thunderstorms become frequent, and the heat index can push past 100 °F. Prices dip a bit, but the risk of a storm makes it less appealing.
Major events that can shape your timing:
- Hemingway Days in early July draws literary fans and fills the town with activities centered around the Ernest Hemingway Home and Museum.
- The Key West Literary Seminar runs in early November, attracting authors and scholars.
- Fantasy Fest, a week‑long costume celebration, takes place in late October and draws huge crowds to the streets around Duval.
- The Goombay Festival in October showcases Caribbean culture with music, food and dance in the historic district.
If you love sunshine and don’t mind paying a little more, aim for late December to early January. If you prefer milder crowds and lower rates, target late April or early May, or the window from late September to early November. In all cases, pack light layers, sunscreen and a rain jacket for the occasional shower.