City guides
United States of America
Florida
Things to do in Key West
Key West is the most scenic and intriguing of the Florida Keys, where travellers will find dozens of water-based activities along with some wonderful cultural and educational sightseeing. The island's famously warm beaches and eccentric, free-spirited locals (known as Conchs) are unforgettable, and the classical Caribbean homes are eminently charming, making for the perfect tropical getaway.
Travellers can look forward to snorkelling trips in crystal-clear, azure waters, and exploring a reef that's teeming with around 500 species of fish and 55 varieties of colourful coral. It's absolutely worth visiting the restaurants, bars, art galleries and souvenir shops along Duval Street, and experiencing a glorious Key West sunset from Mallory Square is a must. Mallory Square is also the locale for a free, nightly arts festival that starts about two hours before sunset.
The Florida Keys chain has other islets that lie just beyond Key West and are perfect for a day trip. Key Largo is known as one of the best places to go scuba-diving; children can enjoy up-close interactions with marine life at the Dolphin Research Center and Turtle Hospital in Marathon.
Ernest Hemingway Home and Museum
In the heart of Key West's old town is the house where Nobel Prize winner Ernest Hemingway, one of America's most respected authors, lived and wrote for more than 10 years. The roo…
Key West Lighthouse Museum
The landmark beacon of the Key West Lighthouse was built in 1848 to warn ships of the hazardous reefs lying off the lower Keys. Having been taken out of commission in 1969, it's no…
Butterfly Conservatory
The Key West Butterfly Conservatory is like a trip through paradise, as visitors walk through a tropical wonderland filled with free-flying butterflies and brightly coloured birds.…
Audubon House and Tropical Gardens
The restored homestead of Audubon and Tropical Gardens was originally built in the 1840s by Captain John Geiger, a harbour pilot and wrecker. It now contains the works of renowned …
