Attractions

Due to their proximity to the Keys (about 275 miles from Key West; 55 miles from the closest islands to mainland Florida), the islands of the Bahamas have always been a source of influence and immigration for Key West. The islands’ original inhabitants were the Lucayan, Arawakan-speaking Taino peoples; after Columbus made his first New […]

The next beach featured in our series on Key West public beaches is a relatively new addition to the list of Key West beaches. Called Rest Beach or C.B. Harvey by the locals, C.B. Harvey Memorial Rest Beach is named after Cornelius Bradford Harvey, a former Key West mayor and city commissioner. It is a […]

Imagine swimming along with hundreds of beautifully colored tropical fish, gliding in the water just above coral and sponge gardens, and observing a host of underwater marvels. Our snorkeling tour packages give you all this, plus more. No worries if this is your first time snorkeling, we provide one-on-one instruction and personal assistance. We find […]

Dogs will have some fun in the sun here, but be sure to keep a close eye on your pup, as this is a rocky beach. After getting a little exercise on the beach, head over to Louie’s Backyard, which is located next door to the Dog Beach and is a pet-friendly place to grab […]

Who doesn’t love dolphins? But being able to encounter and observe dolphins in the wild is extra special, and has become one of the most popular of all the various tours we offer. Several schools of wild dolphins live and play in the clear blue waters surrounding Key West. These magical creatures cherish the natural […]

Seventy miles west of Key West lies Dry Tortugas National Park: the uninhabited Dry Tortugas islands and Fort Jefferson, a natural wonderland and important historical and cultural site. This group of small keys and semi-submerged sandbars currently includes seven islands and shoals: Garden, Loggerhead, Bush, Long, East, Hospital, and Middle Keys. In centuries past, the […]

For the first stop in our series on Key West public beaches, we visit the southern tip of Key West. Here we find a large, relatively undeveloped, partially forested patch of land surrounding Fort Zachary Taylor, a historic, pre-Civil War brick-built fort that originally sat on an offshore island connected to the mainland by a […]

Next up on our tour of Key West public beaches is Higgs Beach, a true all-in-one beach fun zone. Higgs Beach is the public beach at Clarence Higgs Beach Park, a Monroe County Park. Like Fort Zachary Taylor Beach and Smathers Beach, Higgs Beach stands out among Key West public beaches for offering an exceptional […]

Key West architecture reflects our cultural heritage and natural environment. See America’s largest collection of heritage structures in Old Town Key West. Along with Mallory Square, the Truman Annex, and Fort Zachary Taylor, the historical Key West architecture is a major Old Town tourist attraction. An eclectic mix of over 3,000 wooden buildings dating from about 1886 […]

The Key West Cemetery is a 19-acre (77,000 m2) cemetery at the foot of Solares Hill on the island of Key West, Florida, United States. It is estimated that as many as 100,000 people are buried there, many more than the 30,000 residents who currently live on the island. It is in the northwest section […]

While the very best coral reef snorkeling is found a few miles offshore from Key West proper, or at remote locations like the amazing Dry Tortugas, it is possible to have a great time underwater by snorkeling right from the shore in town. For beginners, snorkeling from shore is an ideal way to warm-up for […]

The Mallory Square Sunset Celebration is one of Key West’s most well-known attractions. Originally begun in the late 1960s as a stoned-out hippie ritual, the gathering of locals and visitors to enjoy the unobstructed sunset view from Mallory Pier is now an island institution that draws thousands every evening. Mallory Square has been a hub […]