🏖️ What to Do · Key West, FL Attractions
Things to Do in Key West, FL
59 real, currently-operating attractions across every category — historic sites, snorkeling and diving, sunset sails, and Dry Tortugas day trips — so you can plan around what you actually want to see instead of scrolling a generic list.
🌅 Sunsets & Snorkeling
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🌺 Nature & Gardens
🤿 Water Activities
⛵ Boat Tours
🏖️ Beaches
🎸 Nightlife
🍹 Culinary
🎡 Family Fun
🎣 Fishing
🚤 Day Trips
🛍️ Shopping
📍 Landmarks
FAQ
Key West packs an outsized amount of history and adventure into a tiny four-square-mile island — Ernest Hemingway’s home, Harry Truman’s winter White House, and the wreck-diving legacy of Mel Fisher’s treasure hunts all sit within walking distance of Duval Street’s nightly Mallory Square sunset celebration. Beyond Old Town, the coral reef just offshore makes Key West one of the best snorkeling and diving bases in the continental U.S., and the remote Dry Tortugas National Park is a bucket-list day trip by ferry or seaplane. We checked each attraction directly against its own official site and current open status rather than a generic aggregator list.
12 Things to Do
Ernest Hemingway Home & Museum
Hemingway’s 1851 estate, now a museum famous for its six-toed cats.
Harry S. Truman Little White House
The former winter White House where Truman conducted presidential business, preserved as a museum.
Key West Lighthouse & Keeper’s Quarters Museum
An 1848 lighthouse you can climb for panoramic island views.
Fort East Martello Museum & Gardens
A Civil War-era fort turned quirky museum, home to the haunted doll known as Robert.
Key West Museum of Art & History at the Custom House
1891 Custom House building showcasing local art and maritime history.
Check Key West Museum of Art & History at the Custom House →
Key West Shipwreck Museum & Treasures
Interactive museum on the 1856 wrecking industry with a climbable lookout tower.
Mel Fisher Maritime Museum
Displays treasure recovered from the 1622 Spanish shipwreck Nuestra Senora de Atocha.
Audubon House & Tropical Gardens
19th-century sea captain’s home with lush gardens and Audubon-related art.
San Carlos Institute
Historic Cuban heritage center and theater founded in 1871.
Oldest House Museum & Garden
Key West’s oldest surviving residence, dating to around 1829.
Fort Zachary Taylor Historic State Park
Civil War fort and popular beach/snorkeling spot on the island’s southwest tip.
Key West Historic Cemetery
Quirky, above-ground 19th-century cemetery known for its offbeat epitaphs.
5 Things to Do
Key West Butterfly & Nature Conservatory
Climate-controlled glass conservatory with hundreds of free-flying butterflies.
Key West Tropical Forest & Botanical Garden
The southernmost botanical garden in the continental U.S.
Key West Garden Club at West Martello Tower
Garden club and rose gardens set inside a Civil War-era fort near Higgs Beach.
Nancy Forrester’s Secret Garden
A dense tropical garden and bird sanctuary tucked into Old Town.
Reef Relief Environmental Center
Free marine-conservation education center focused on protecting the coral reef.
8 Things to Do
Lost Reef Adventures
5-star PADI dive shop running daily snorkeling and scuba trips to the reef.
SNUBA of Key West
Hybrid snorkel/scuba experience requiring no certification.
Dive Key West
Long-running PADI dive center offering reef and wreck dives.
Fury Water Adventures
Major operator combining snorkeling, watersports and sightseeing cruises.
Sebago Watersports
Sailing, snorkeling and sunset cruise operator based at the Historic Seaport.
Sunset Watersports Key West
Jet ski tours, parasailing and snorkeling based at Smathers Beach.
Lazy Dog Adventures
Kayak and paddleboard eco-tours through the mangroves.
Danger Charters
Combination sailing, snorkeling and kayak eco-adventure trips.
4 Things to Do
Schooner America 2.0
Elegant replica schooner offering day sails and champagne sunset cruises.
Schooner Jolly II Rover
Tall-ship pirate schooner offering sunset and day sails from the Historic Seaport.
Fury Glass Bottom Boat
Glass-bottom boat tours over the reef.
Mallory Square Sunset Celebration
Nightly waterfront festival of street performers, artisans and the sunset, running since 1984.
3 Things to Do
Fort Zachary Taylor Beach
Widely regarded as the best beach in Key West, with calm water and reef snorkeling.
Smathers Beach
The island’s longest sandy beach, popular for watersports and volleyball.
Higgs Beach
Family-friendly beach with a fishing pier, near West Martello Tower.
7 Things to Do
Sloppy Joe’s Bar
Hemingway’s former hangout, now a famous live-music bar on Duval Street.
Captain Tony’s Saloon
Original site of Sloppy Joe’s in a former ice house.
Green Parrot Bar
Iconic dive bar and music venue operating since 1890.
Hog’s Breath Saloon
Waterfront bar and grill with live music, near Mallory Square.
Bull & Whistle Bar
Three-story bar complex with a rooftop bar known as the Garden of Eden.
Blue Heaven
Bahama Village restaurant famous for key lime pie, roaming chickens, and live music.
5 Things to Do
Key West First Legal Rum Distillery
Working rum distillery and tasting room.
Waterfront Brewery
Craft brewery and restaurant at the Historic Seaport.
Cayo Hueso Brewing
Craft brewery on Stock Island, just outside downtown Key West.
Kermit’s Key West Key Lime Shoppe
Famous key lime pie shop and bakery.
Fausto’s Food Palace
Historic local grocery and gourmet market since 1926.
5 Things to Do
Key West Aquarium
Open since the 1930s, with touch tanks and shark feedings.
Old Town Trolley Tours
Hop-on/hop-off narrated trolley tour of the island.
Conch Tour Train
Narrated open-air train tours of Key West since 1958.
Ghosts & Gravestones Key West
Family-oriented haunted history walking and trolley tour.
The Studios of Key West
Nonprofit arts center with galleries, classes and events.
3 Things to Do
Key West Pro Guides
Offshore and backcountry fishing charter service.
Key West Bait & Tackle
Tackle shop and charter booking hub at the Historic Seaport.
Key West Saltwater Angler
Large fishing outfitter and charter-boat booking service.
3 Things to Do
Dry Tortugas National Park
Remote island park with Fort Jefferson, accessible only by boat or seaplane.
Yankee Freedom III
The official high-speed ferry service to Dry Tortugas National Park.
Key West Seaplane Adventures
Seaplane flights to Dry Tortugas National Park.
2 Things to Do
2 Things to Do
Southernmost Point Buoy
The famous concrete buoy marking the southernmost point in the continental U.S.
Key West Historic Seaport
Working waterfront harbor district hub for boat tours, restaurants and shops.
Planning Tips for This Area
- Book Dry Tortugas National Park well in advance. The Yankee Freedom III ferry and seaplane flights both have limited daily capacity and regularly sell out in high season.
- Arrive early for the Mallory Square Sunset Celebration. It’s free, but the best spots for street performers and the sunset itself fill in an hour or more beforehand.
- The reef is a protected marine sanctuary. Touching coral or wildlife is illegal and can carry real fines — stick with a reputable snorkeling or diving operator that briefs you on the rules.
- Key West’s attraction lineup changes fairly often. Every attraction above was checked for current operating status, but confirm hours directly before a special trip.
How do I get to Dry Tortugas National Park?
The park is only accessible by boat or seaplane — the official Yankee Freedom III ferry takes about 2.5 hours each way, while Key West Seaplane Adventures offers a faster half-day or full-day flight option.
Is the Mallory Square Sunset Celebration free?
Yes — it’s a free nightly gathering of street performers and artisans watching the sunset together, though individual vendors and performers do collect tips.
Do I need a car to see Key West’s attractions?
Most Old Town attractions are walkable or a short bike ride apart; a car is really only useful for day trips off the island or reaching Stock Island attractions like Hogfish Bar & Grill.
How does NME choose which attractions to feature?
We verify each attraction directly against its own official site and current open status rather than relying on aggregator lists, and we exclude anything we can’t confirm is still open. Read more on our methodology page.
Know an Attraction We Missed?
If you know a great thing to do in Key West we’re missing, email us and we’ll take a look.
Heading to Key West?
See the full trip guide — where to stay and where to eat, organized the same way, by category.
