Key West and Florida Keys

What to do in Key West and Florida Keys

Conch Train Tour

Key West's most popular and famous attraction for more than 25 years, this well-narrated 1+ hour ride covers more than 60 intriguing and historic sites, acquainting you with the layout of the island. Of course, the Conch Train itself is a Key West hallmark!.

Old Town Trolley

Don't just visit Key West - relive it! As you sit back in the authentic trolleys, entertaining guides take you on a historical tour to a time when Key West was a bustling sea town on the farthest frontier of a young America.

Key West Aquarium

The island's first attraction, the aquarium began as an open-air site in 1934. It has since grown to twice its original size, where you discover the undersea world with expert guides explain the mysteries of the waters surrounding the Florida Keys. The touch tank and daily shark and turtle feedings give visitors a rare chance to interact with these primal beasties.

Key West Shipwreck Historeum

Relive the great days of 19th-century wrecking in Key West as you learn about the industry that made this the richest city in 1830s US. The Historeum combines actors, films, laser technology, and the actual artifacts from the recently rediscovered vessel Isaac Allerton, which sank in 1856.

Schooner Cruise

Sail into history aboard the 130-foot Schooner Western Union from 1939 - the last tall ship built in Key West. Her varnished mahogany, solid masts, halyards, and sails billowing in the tropical breezes will take you on an unforgettable journey into the sunset.

Ernest Hemingway Home

This fun, quirky tour takes you through the rooms and gardens where the legendary Nobel Prize winner penned some of his novels. Poppa is no longer in Key West to share clever conversation, but you can mingle with the generations of his cats that inherited this National Historic Landmark!.

Mel Fisher Maritime Heritage Society Museum

On display is some of the eye-popping booty from local treasure hunter Mel Fisher's richest find, the Spanish Armada galleon Nuestra Señora de Atocha, sunk by a hurricane in the 16th century. Some precious items like pieces of eight - plain or worked into jewelry - are for sale in this Key West exhibit, as are newly minted items made from bars of silver found on the ship!.

Snorkel and Scuba Dive

The entire coast of the Florida Keys is a designated National Marine Sanctuary, ensuring the protection of the crystal clear waters and abundant marine life. There are many places to take the plunge, but John Pennekamp State Park in Key Largo is a world-famous, great place to start!.

Sunset Celebration

Every night, locals and tourists gather at Mallory Square to view the glory of a Key West sunset. That celestial show alone is enough to bring people back day after day and year after year, but there is also man-made entertainment like bands, magicians, tight-rope walkers, other assorted zany antics, and lots of munchies and cold drinks.

Fish Off the Old Bridge

Beside its new concrete counterpart, the old Seven Mile Bridge jets out of Marathon Key and into the sea. It's become a makeshift, giant pier, inviting anglers and strolling nature lovers to enjoy one of the Florida Keys' best visual treats. Bring your camera to capture this blue-green panorama of gulf and ocean, dotted with lobster traps and sailboats.

Eco-Tour of the Lignumvitae Key State Botanical Site The Spanish attributed magical qualities to the hard and heavy wood for which this key is named. The lignumvitae tree, which takes thousands of years to grow on fossilized coral rock, once thrived but now has almost entirely disappeared due to modern-day development. This 280-acre island is its last bastion, and private or charter boats are allowed on the island, but a Park ranger must be notified and present to meet you at the dock.