What to See
8 highlights📍 Tap the pin for directions
Mallory Square Sunset Celebration
Every evening, buskers, jugglers, and food carts gather on the waterfront for a nightly sunset festival that's been running for decades. Arrive 45 minutes before sunset to get a spot near the water and catch the street performers warming up the crowd. Free to attend, though performers pass a hat.
Duval Street
The mile-long main drag ("The Duval Crawl") runs from the Gulf to the Atlantic and is packed with bars, live music, and open-air watering holes like Sloppy Joe's and the Bull & Whistle. Fun once, but go early evening before it turns into a rowdy bachelor-party scene after midnight.
Ernest Hemingway House & Museum
Hemingway wrote many of his best-known works here in the 1930s. The grounds are home to 40-plus polydactyl (six-toed) cats descended from his original cat, Snow White. Buy timed tickets online to skip the line — it gets crowded by mid-morning.
Southernmost Point Buoy
The red-and-black concrete buoy marking the southernmost point in the continental US is one of the most photographed spots in Florida. Expect a line for photos — go at sunrise if you want it without the crowd (and the street vendors nearby).
Snorkeling & Diving the Reef
Key West sits a few miles from the only living coral barrier reef in the continental US. Half-day catamaran snorkel trips run from the Historic Seaport and typically include gear, a second stop, and rum punch. Certified divers can book two-tank trips to wrecks like the Vandenberg.
Historic Seaport & Harbor Walk
The working waterfront around Key West Bight has seafood shacks, charter boats, and a much calmer vibe than Duval Street. Good spot for a sunset dinner without the Mallory Square crowds.
Key West Butterfly & Nature Conservatory
A glass-enclosed tropical habitat with hundreds of free-flying butterflies, right near the Southernmost Point. A relaxed, air-conditioned break from the heat that works well with kids.
Fort Zachary Taylor State Park
The best beach actually in Key West (most "beaches" downtown are small and man-made). A Civil War-era fort, decent snorkeling near the rocks, and far fewer crowds than the town center. Small entrance fee per vehicle.