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…
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 rooms and gardens are open to the public, enabling visitors to step back in time to Hemingway's most productive period, and to enjoy the lush garden where more than 40 cats have taken up residence. The cats themselves have an interesting back-story. Hemingway owned a cat with extra toes and almost all the cats that now live at the house have this genetic trait; some of them are said to be direct descendants of the original pet. Entertaining guided tours are offered and there's a bookstore and gift shop where visitors can buy their own Hemingway souvenirs.
Website www.hemingwayhome.com
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…
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 now a popular tourist attraction. Visitors can climb the 86-foot (26m) high tower to marvel at the spectacular view. The clapboard bungalow that was the keeper's quarters has been restored and maintained as a museum, providing a glimpse of life in Key West in the 19th century and into the bygone profession of lighthouse keeping.
Website www.kwahs.org/visit/lighthouse-keepers-quarters/
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.…
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. The conservatory is home to nearly 60 species of butterfly and 20 different species of birds, all contained in climate-controlled glass habitats with waterfalls, streams, and hundreds of flowering plants. In the Learning Center, visitors can explore the butterfly anatomy, physiology, lifecycle, feeding, and migratory world of the Monarch, and get an up-close view of the caterpillars. There's also a gallery showcasing butterfly art and a gift shop selling souvenirs.
Website www.keywestbutterfly.com
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 …
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 ornithologist John James Audubon, who visited the Florida Keys in 1832 and completed drawings of 18 previously undiscovered birds in the gardens of this house. Audubon House has been furnished in the typical style of a prosperous Key West home of its era. Audio tours are available and, in addition to exploring the house, visitors can enjoy wandering through the gardens, which are planted with orchids, bromeliads and other tropical plants.