Key West

Ships usually berth at Mallory Square or Truman Annex (Pier B.), both a short walk from Old Town; Duval Street is only 2 blocks away. Others use Outer Mole Pier, or Navy Mole, on the town outskirts, where trolleys take passengers off the base into Old Town. Anchored ships tender into Old Town harbour.

Town taxis use meters, though in this compact town nearly everything is walkable unless you are heading to the beach.

View the webcam.

Bring a printable map.

Dock abbreviations: M Mallory Square, B Pier B, OM Outer Mole.

At the Florida Keys’ tip, at the end of US Highway 1, Key West is the USA’s southernmost city. Enjoying a spectacular sunset and al fresco seafood at one of its roughly 250 restaurants is only one of its pleasures.

This historic island city is packed with sights and has a lively community, including a substantial gay population. Its maritime and naval heritage comes from its Caribbean gateway position between the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico, close to Cuba. Also called the “Conch Republic”, Key West has a Caribbean character, with palms, tropical flowers and pastel colonial “gingerbread” houses in its old quarter.

Ernest Hemingway, Tennessee Williams and Harry Truman were among the greats drawn by Key West’s relaxed mood, colourful neighbourhoods, famous bars and restaurants, offshore fishing and vibrant night scene. The city also stages countless festivals, parades and pageants, with busy theatre and heritage museums.

Key West streets teem with life: buskers entertain people at pavement cafes and shops, while visitors go to The Bight, the old harbour, to arrange fishing, snorkelling and diving trips.

Sunset is traditionally marked by drinks and cheer at Mallory Dock before nightlife starts among the many venues of Bahama Village, settled by Bahamian immigrants in the 19th century, and along Duval Street.

There is never a need for a dull Key West moment; the problem is running out of time for every attraction, excursion, tour, walk, experience and event on offer. Try dolphin swimming, an Old Town lantern-led ghost tour, tall-ship sunset sailing, the “southernmost city scavenger hunt” or Conch Tour Train’s 400 years of history. Visit a butterfly conservatory, aquarium and a variety of interesting heritage museums, then of course there are many more pleasures and attractions to discover…

At Audubon House & Tropical Gardens, the maritime-pilot and master-wrecker world of mid-19th century Key West comes back to life in a visit to the Audubon House and Tropical Gardens.

Custom House once held the island customs office, postal service and district courts. This four-story architectural marvel was built as Key West trade routes and maritime industries increased wealth and population. The imposing building is an excellent example of Richardsonian Romanesque architecture typical for Federal building projects near the end of the 19th century.

Hemingway Home is where Ernest Hemingway lived and wrote for more than ten years. The turquoise water around the tiny island offered solace and physical challenge; visit the rooms and gardens from this Nobel Prize winner’s most productive writing period.

Driving is difficult in Key West and parking costs a lot, so many visitors use scooters, bicycles, golf carts or walk.

Fort Zachary Taylor State Park has the nearest beach, about a 20 minute walk.

From January 2, 2025, Key West’s free Duval Loop bus was suspended and replaced with the app-based “Key West Rides” on-demand programme.

Shopping and bar-hopping are perhaps the Cruise Port’s two leading activities, but Conch Tour Train and Old Town trolley also give excellent narrated city overviews.

Dolphin Research Center is a Florida Keys highlight, offering close encounters with plentiful friendly dolphins. Visitors can join half-day educational programmes, walking tours and a “dolphin encounter” with 20 minutes of structured swimming alongside resident Atlantic bottlenose dolphins. Address: 58901 Overseas Highway, Grassy Key.

Key West is a shoppers’ Mecca for the unique, exceptional and even outrageous.

Key West uses the United States dollar (symbol: $), the official U.S. currency. ATMs are everywhere.

Major cards including Visa and MasterCard are broadly accepted, even for transactions worth only a few dollars, and in some cases they may be the only way to make a transaction. Overseas visitors should remember that prices appear lower because taxes and gratuities are seldom included.

State sales tax runs from 2.9% to nearly 10% of price, with 4-6% standard. Except for gasoline and, in most states, alcoholic beverages consumed on-premises, tax is almost never displayed and is added at payment.

Tipping in America is widely used and expected. Although Americans debate correct rates and who deserves a tip, generally accepted standard rates are:

• Full-service restaurants: 15-20%. This can be a wait(ress)’s only income; leave cash or add it to the credit-card slip. Few restaurants add service charge, so decide any extra tip and check your bill.
• Taxi drivers, hairdressers and other personal services: 10-15%.
• Bartenders: $1 for an inexpensive drink or 15% of total.
• Bellhops: $1-2 each bag, with $3-5 minimum regardless.
• Hotel doorman: $1 per bag when helping and $1 for arranging a cab.
• Tour guides: according to length, size and quality; half-day or shorter tours $5-10 per person, longer tours $10-20 per person.
• Private car and limousine drivers: 15-20%.
• Hotel housekeeping: $1-2 per day on long stays or $5 minimum for very short stays, optional.
• Food delivery: allow $2-5, including for pizza, and possibly more on very large orders.

The federal U.S. has no official language, but English is overwhelmingly the daily standard. Several states have made English official. Spanish is also official and widely spoken in New Mexico; French is official in Louisiana and Hawaiian in Hawaii, though neither is used as much as English and their status is mainly historic.

For any emergency in Key West, dial 911.

Large metropolitan areas such as New York and Los Angeles often have supermarkets and drugstores open 24 hours per day, 7 days per week. Most department stores, shopping centres and large retailers trade 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday-Saturday, then shorter Sunday hours, usually 11 a.m. or noon to 5 or 6 p.m. They often remain open on holidays except the biggest, including Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day, when stores generally close.