See all about the incredible Key West Island with our complete travel guide. Key West is located in South Florida, near Miami, and is one of the most beautiful and impressive places to visit. We will give you all the tips, talk about the best beaches, how to get there and everything you need to know about one of the main vacation destinations for Americans. If you have the opportunity, be sure to visit this island paradise in South Florida, which is truly beautiful!
After reading this article, check out our tips about how to save a lot of money on your trip to Orlando and how to save a lot of money on your trip to Miami. They are the most accessed articles on our blog and will help you with all the trip planning. There are several unmissable tips that will save you A LOT of cash and set up your entire trip to Orlando or Miami.
Why should I know Key West?
Key West is an island that is part of the famous Florida Keys, which is a set of paradise islands in South Florida. There are several small islands, which are connected by giant bridges, and Key West is the last and largest of them all (but it’s still a small town).
How to get to Key West?
Key West Island is one of the best beaches in Florida, and the road trip from Miami to Key West is considered one of the most beautiful trips in the world. Located a 3-hour drive from Miami, the entire trip is made on bridges that connect one island to the other. The view is surreal, and it is worth having that experience. You can do a day trip or book a hotel to spend the night – something we recommend, as the visit is incredible.
What to do in Key West?
Key West has a super pleasant tropical climate, a very rich cultural history and many natural beauties. It was voted one of the best places in the world to watch the sunset, so plan to be on the beach in the late afternoon. Here are some options for what to know on this island:
1) Dry Tortugas National Park
Key West has many beaches and nature parks to visit during the day. An incredible and worthwhile place is Dry Tortugas National Park. It is a natural park that is close to the island and it is a really beautiful place. Surrounded by walls, Dry Tortugas National Park was a fort in the past and has a beautiful beach with crystal clear waters, great for diving and watching fish of various species.
2) Key West beaches
The best thing to do in Key West is to discover its incredible beaches and spend the day relaxing on them. One of the main tourist attractions of this city is the Four Keys, which is nothing more than an archipelago with 1,700 islands! With a clear sea, it’s ideal for diving. You can choose from several beaches: Fort Zachary Taylor (which is considered the most beautiful and allows diving), South Beach, Higg’s or Smathers.
3) Key West Mallory Square
Key West’s Mallory Square offers a sunset celebration every night. Sunset Celebration, as it is called there, or sunset at Mallory Square in Key West, is one of the most romantic programs to do in Miami. The most different groups come together to admire this spectacle, which is considered by many one of the most beautiful in the world. You can observe the change of colors in the sky, and you can take different photos at different times.
A good tip is to get full battery on your camera and cell phone that day, because the photos look beautiful and are sure one of the best of the entire trip. In addition to the sunset, see also the artists who perform in the square and the various stalls of food and crafts that are there.
4) Hemingway House and Key West Museums
Once in Key West, you can visit the house where the brilliant writer Ernest Hemingway lived from 1931 to 1940. It can be visited daily, from 9 am to 5 pm, and is a colonial-style house. It was where the renowned author wrote many of his works. The house has become a museum that displays Hemingway objects, and it is worth going. In addition to it, Key West has several other options for what to do that are worth exploring. There is the Lighthouse Museum, which is a lighthouse by which, if you go up the 88 steps, you will have a beautiful panoramic view of the sea and the city.
Another incredible museum is the Mel Fisher’s Maritime Museum in Key West, a museum dedicated to Mel Fisher, a famous treasure hunter. Here you will be able to see sea treasures that were rescued after shipwrecks and impressive 17th century Spanish gold objects taken from the seabed. Finally, our museum tip is the Key West Museum of Art & History, which is the city’s art and history museum. It is worth going to see another side of the city and how it came to be what it is today, in a didactic and curious way.
5) Key West neighborhoods and streets
Key West’s hyper-charming neighborhoods, the central region of the destination, is super quiet for a stroll and where you can come across Bahama Market, a beautiful craft fair. There’s also Duval Street, which is Key West’s main street, and really worth the visit – most of Key West’s restaurants are there, as well as many bars and shops. This street runs from one end of the city to the other, so it takes you from the Gulf of Mexico to the Atlantic.
6) Milestone of 90 miles to Cuba in Key West
A very famous place in Key West is the monument that marks the land point of the United States and Florida, which is the closest one to Cuba. Many people go there just to take a picture next to the landmark. This point is only 90 miles away from Cuba, and besides being very important geographically, it also has a beautiful view of the sea and the beach, which yields beautiful photos.
7) What to do at night in Key West?
Key West does not have a very busy nightlife or many options for bars and places to go out at night. The most lively region at night is Duval Street, the main street in the city, and it is there that all the city’s commerce is concentrated, with shops for shopping, restaurants and bars. Duval Street is home to Hard Rock Café and Sloopy Joe’s, which is a super lively bar. A good option to enjoy the night is walk by that street and entering in as many bars as you want, to get to know as much as possible.
Where to eat in Key West?
Another important part of your trip planning is knowing which are the best restaurants on Key West island in Florida. You will notice that Key West restaurants have a philosophy of having a healthy and homemade menu. We indicate Nina One Five, which is on Duval Street and has a very varied menu, and Ambrosia Sushi, ideal for Japanese food lovers.
Where to stay in Key West?
Knowing where to stay in Key West is one of the most important parts of your trip. To choose, it is worth knowing that the island is divided into three regions: Old Town, which has a northern and a southern part, Mid Town and New Town. Each of them has its specificity, but as the island is not so big, it is super possible to stay in any of them. New Town is the most distant part of the attractions, where you can’t do much on foot; and Mid Town is a more residential neighborhood. Most tourists stay in Old Town, so this is the best part of staying in Key West.
How to find hotels with incredible prices in Key West?
A great tip to find good hotels, with incredible prices, in the region you want and save a lot on accommodation, is to use this Hotel Search Engine in Key West. We always use it, as it is the largest hotel booking site in the world. Not to mention that it has all the hotels in Miami, Orlando and the world in his searches, with unbeatable prices due to the strong negotiation they do. And there you can check the opinion of other tourists who have already stayed in hotels, which helps a lot when evaluating each one.
This search engine has a very strong partnership with the establishments and they offer free cancellation in almost all hotels. This is great, because the factor that will save you the most in hosting is the advance. The sooner you make the reservation, the cheaper you pay. So, you can book your hotel now, to guarantee the lowest price, and if you find a better one afterwards (or just don’t want to stay in it), just cancel for free.
Tips to make the most of your trip to Florida
Now that you’ve seen everything about Key West complete travel guide, a great tip that makes the difference on your trip is to rent a car. Florida parks, beaches and outlets are very far apart, which is why the tourists always choose to rent a car there. With a car, you will be able to enjoy your trip even more, visiting everywhere and shopping with peace of mind. If you want, see our article how to find cheap car rentals in USA, where we give you all the information that you need to know about this subject, with tips about how to find unique prices using comparators. It ‘s much cheaper than people think, and it is worth it – you can even explore near cities by car!
How can I use my phone in Orlando and Miami?
Being able to use your cell phone on your trip is something extremely useful. With it working, you can search about all the spots, access the discount coupons and park apps, check the weather and even use the GPS, saving the rent of this equipment for the car. Besides, of course, being connected to the various social networks!
We have selected the best tips about how to use your phone in USA, where we indicate the cheapest way to use it all day long and anywhere in the entire country. With the mobile internet, you can search everything about Key West complete travel guide!
Don’t forget about the Travel Insurance!
A very important tip is to have an International Travel Insurance before traveling to Florida. No one should travel without it, so you can avoid major problems abroad! It ends up being cheaper than people think, and in our article of International Travel Insurance for USA you check everything you need to know about it: which are the best insurance companies, and tips for hiring excellent coverage for a lower price, saving a lot.
Must-see articles from Orlando and Miami:
- Best things to do in Orlando: must-see places and sights in Orlando.
- Where to stay in Orlando: best areas to stay in Orlando.
- Orlando’s Best Parks: all the main parks in Orlando.
- Best things to do in Miami: must-see places and sights in Miami.
- Where to stay in Miami: best areas to stay in Miami.
