Fun Things To Do In Key West With Kids

I love visiting Florida, especially the Florida beaches. But, up until recently, I never had the opportunity to travel to the Florida Keys.

On my first voyage on the Disney Magic, I was thrilled to see that Key West was our last port of call on the four-day journey. Then, several years later, I traveled to Key West on the Virgin Voyages Scarlet Lady.

There’s so much to do in Key West that you could spend more than one day and have a great time. Here are some of the best things to do in Key West with kids, whether you are visiting for just the day, or a longer family vacation.

Things to do in Key West with Kids

Key West is an island accessible by a bridge that is the southernmost city in the continental United States. It’s four miles by about one-two miles and is served by an airport as well as several cruise ports.

The island is surrounded by both the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf Of Mexico. If you don’t have a flight option right into the Key West airport, Miami is about a 3 ½ hour drive and Fort Lauderdale is about a 4 hour drive. Our cruise left and returned to the Miami cruise port.

There are lots of options for getting around the island. If you are arriving via cruise ship, as we did, you’ll find a few kiosks as you exit the ship. Golf cart rentals are offered, as are hop-on hop-off trolley (Old Town Trolley Tours) tickets.

We passed those and headed to the Conch Tour Train. I’d heard great things about the Conch Train Tour and it seemed like a unique way to travel to the most popular attractions.

The Conch Tour Train runs constantly and offers four stops along the 90-minute tour. We used the Conch Tour Train more as transportation to various points on the island rather than a straight tour.

Despite that, we still got quite a bit of interesting island history and information during our ride from our tour guide. Kids will likely love boarding the train because it looks more like an amusement park ride and less like a practical form of transportation.

Tickets start at $42.84 and include a ticket to the Sails to Rails Museum. You can save by purchasing online. You’ll get a discount on a second day on the train if you purchase a two-day ticket.

Southernmost Point

Arguably the most popular photo opportunity, the Southernmost Point marker is a must-see and one of the best things to do in Key West. Go early, because a line forms as tourists want to take their photo by the marker. It’s a popular spot.

In addition to the mile marker, it’s also a gorgeous area on the waterfront as well with turquoise waters. If you take the train, it’s a bit of a walk from one of the stops, so bring comfortable walking shoes.

Ernest Hemingway Home

After visiting the Southernmost Point, we decided to walk a little further to the Ernest Hemingway Home and Museum. While kids may not know much about Ernest Hemingway, they will certainly love the 40-50 six-toed cats that make the house/museum their home.

When I was there, it was cash only, so be sure to bring some with you. Pay at the gate, and you’ll be able to enter the home and writing studio.

Guided tours are offered at no additional cost on a set schedule. We had just missed one and decided to skip it. You can easily walk through the house yourself, reading the exhibits. Kids will likely enjoy seeing all of the cats located throughout the house and property. They are adorable.

Reservations are not offered and you’ll need to purchase your tickets at the gate. They are currently $18 for adults, $7 for kids 6-12, and free for kids 5 and under. Keep in mind that prices are subject to change.

Key West Lighthouse and Keeper’s Quarters

Located near the Ernest Hemingway Home and the Southernmost Point are the Key West Lighthouse and Keeper’s Quarters. This lighthouse originally opened in 1848 with a female keeper. Guests can walk up the 88 stairs to get a fantastic view. While you are there, you can also see exhibits that showcase life as a keeper.

Key West Butterfly and Nature Conservatory

Located on Duval Street is the Butterfly Conservatory, where you can observe and learn about butterflies. Admission is $17.50 for adults and $12.50 for kids aged 4-12. Tickets can be purchased in advance for a small discount.

As you arrive at the conservatory, you’ll be able to see a short movie about butterflies. Then, you can walk through the conservatory to see butterflies and birds – over 50 different species of them! Kids will enjoy seeing them, and since it’s on Duval Street, it’s a convenient location for shops, Key West restaurants, and other attractions.

Fort Zachary Taylor Historic State Park

Fort Zachary Taylor State Park offers a beach as well as tours of the historic, Civil War Fort. It’s on 54 acres and is a great location for a family beach day.

The beach is perfect for snorkeling, swimming, and fishing. Rentals of umbrellas, lounge chairs, rafts, and snorkel equipment are offered. You can see the list of fees here.

In addition to the beach, you can also take a guided tour of the fort.

Key West Aquarium

Located right by the port is the Key West Aquarium, a public aquarium. The aquarium is within walking distance of Duval Street and other attractions, so you can combine your visit to the aquarium with other things to do in Key West.

At the aquarium, you’ll find several interactive exhibits, including touch tanks, a shark exhibit, an alligator exhibit, a jellyfish exhibit, and sea turtles.

Tickets are available both online and in person. You’ll get a slight discount by purchasing online. There are also combo tickets offered that include a visit to the aquarium with a visit to the Shipwreck Treasure Museum.

Public Beaches

In addition to the Fort Zachary Taylor Historic State Park, there are other public Florida beaches in Key West. These beautiful beaches include Dog Beach, Higgs Beach, Rest Beach, Simonton Street Beach, Smathers Beach, and South Beach.

Smathers Beach is one of the largest and most popular. It offers restrooms and shower facilities, as well as free parking and volleyball courts.

In addition to these public beaches, many of the resorts on Key West have private beachfront access. If you want to spend much of your vacation time on the beach, it may be a good idea to look at staying at a resort with a private beach.

Dry Tortugas National Park

Dry Tortugas National Park is located about 70 miles west of Key West. Seven small islands comprise the Dry Tortugas as well as the National Park, but the highlight is Fort Jefferson. In addition to exploring the Fort, there are lots of things to do, including snorkeling, swimming, touring, geocaching, and boating.

You won’t be able to access the Dry Tortugas National Park, but there are several different options to get there. These include the Dry Tortugas ferry, private boat charters, and seaplanes.

Shopping

As a cruise port, you’ll find lots of shopping options on the island. As soon as we walked off the ship, we saw some stores – popular cruise port chains like Cariloha and Del Sol, as well as independent gift shops and boutiques.

Along the bustling Duval Street, nestled among the bars and restaurants, you’ll find larger chains like a Banana Republic Outlet Store and Coach. There’s also Mallory Square, which offers shops like Life is Good, Ron Jon Surf Shop, Crocs, Diamonds International, and Shell Warehouse. Don’t forget to stop for some famous key lime pie.

Key West Cruise Excursions

If you are cruising to Key West, as we did, you’ll also have several excursion options to take. We opted to just get off the ship and take the Conch Train around, but there are some choices offered through the cruise lines.

These will vary based on the cruise line you are on but may include the following: glass-bottom boat tours, bike tours, catamaran sails, snorkel tours, dolphin watches, water sports, and snuba trips. We did have a great day just exploring on our own, but if you’d prefer to do something completely different, you’ll have lots of options.

Note: if your cruise ship arrives at Key West from a foreign port, everyone will have to go through US customs. On our ship, the Disney Magic, customs came on board the ship. We were all given time to visit the theater with our passports – based on the deck our room was on. This all happened pretty early in the morning (our time was at 7:15 am). If that’s the case for your cruise, be prepared for an early morning wake-up.

Hotels in Key West

Planning on staying in Key West? There are plenty of hotels for families, including many with beachfront access. Here are some options (note that we haven’t stayed at these, because we only visited for the day:

• Margaritaville Key West Resort and Marina – this resort, located at the port, offers a pool as well as beach access via their sister resort (a fee applies). It’s best for adults or those traveling with older kids.
• Havana Cabana at Key West – a new resort offering Key West’s largest pool
• Southernmost Beach Resort – this resort, located right near the Southernmost Point, has beachfront access and a pool.
• Hyatt Centric Key West Resort and Spa – this pet-friendly hotel offers a pool and gorgeous views
• Sunset Key Cottages – located just off the coast of Key West, this island hotel is accessible via ferry. It offers a pool and beach as well as programming for tweens and older.

Key West Restaurants

There are so many fabulous and delicious Key West restaurant options, including chain restaurants like the Hard Rock Cafe, as well as independent restaurants.

During our day in Key West, we decided to eat at Sloppy Joes, a casual restaurant with live entertainment and delicious bar food. Other options include:

• Sarabeth’s Keywest
• Caroline’s
• Garbo’s Grill

When booking a Disney Cruise, I recommend booking with Get Away Today. Plus, when you mention Family Travel Magazine, you get an extra $25 on board credit! Give their agents a call at 877-510-2929.

You can book Key West activities here. 

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