Things to do in the Florida Keys!
Things to do in the Florida Keys! – Our road trip to the Florida Keys with our children was bliss. From the party town of Key West to the chilled islands of Marathon and Islamorada, here are the things you shouldn’t miss.
Key West – Things to do in the Florida Keys
Start with a bang at Key West. Our top experiences were…
The Hemingway House
We tempted the kids to the Hemingway House with tales of their resident six-toed cats. Author Earnest Hemingway bought the house in 1931, and lively tour guides tell you tales of his four marriages(!), and how Snowball the first six-toed cat arrived in Key West. [Adults $19, children $7 – check latest prices here.]
Watch the Sun Set
Grab a table at Sunset Pier to savour cocktails, and feast on seafood as the sun sets. Free option – simply stand in Mallory Square to watch the sun go down. Alternativley, book a Sunset Cruise for a grown up option.
Fort Zachary Taylor Park & Beach
Key West doesn’t have many public beaches but this state park combines history with a chilled beach. Approximately $10 got our car/passengers into the park. Explore the fort with its huge cannons and cannonballs, then chill out on the white sand. [Restrooms and a snack bar on site.]
Southernmost Point
Southernmost Point is an iconic point for a holiday snapshot, as the marker highlights the most southern point in the continental USA, ninety miles from Cuba. There’s also a beach nearby and a pier jutting into the sea. We stopped for a cocktail in the sun at Sandy’s Cafe nearby.
Eat, Drink & Shop on Duval Street
Duval Street is the life and soul of the party. Expect affordable clothing stores, iconic bars like Sloppy Joe’s and the Green Parrot, and great food across downtown Key West. Our restaurant highlights included Moondog (near the Hemingway House), Banana Cafe (near Southernmost Point), Sunset Pier (near Mallory Square) and Blue Heaven. If you don’t want to do much research, just hit Duval Street and you’ll be sorted.
Smathers Beach
FREE – For a free public beach, make it Smathers. There’s ample on-street parking too (the machines take cards). Palm trees provide shade. There are kayaks and deck chairs to rent, plus clean restrooms on site.
Key West Hotels
For something downtown consider the Truman Hotel or Palms Hotel. For a resort hotel (with SO many outdoor games) on the east of Key West book the Blue Flamingo – we loved it here. My pal stayed at the adult only NYA Hotel.
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Read a full guide to Key West here.
Stock Island – Things to do in the Florida Keys
Right next to Key West, Stock Island is home to Key West Golf Course, the Key West Botanic Garden and some fantastic restaurants.
Key West Botanic Garden
Key West Botanic Garden was a calming lowkey outing following the boardwalk trails. We saw butterflies, chrysalises, lizards and iguanas. [Adults $15, children free – check latest prices here.]
Stock Island Restaurants
Compared to Key West, dining in Stock Island feels a bit more personal, no queues, and cheaper prices. If you’re staying in a resort hotel in the east of Key West, Stock Island may be very close to home. For Cuban food make it El Sibboney, dine on the signature Hog Fish sandwich at Hog Fish, then grab a table on the water’s edge at the Hurricane Hole for great seafood.
Bahia Honda State Park – Things to do in the Florida Keys
Bahia Honda State Park costs around $8 or $10 to visit by car. We walked the very short Old Bridge Trail. The bridge was built between 1909-1912, and originally crossed the 5055 foot Bahia Honda Channel for the East Coast Railway. Next hit the beach with the handsome bridge in the background. [Need to know – Clean restrooms and easy parking, but do arrive early-ish to avoid queueing cars.]
Drive the Seven Mile Bridge – Things to do in the Florida Keys
This iconic drive is a star moment in your road trip. It’s the only way to cross from Marathon towards to Key West so it’s impossible to miss.
Walk, Cycle or Tourist Train the Old Seven Mile Bridge – Things to do in the Florida Keys
Pigeon Key can be reached under your own steam, but not by car. It’s easy to park nearby and cross the bridge on foot. My dream was to cycle the Old Seven Mile Bridge between Marathon and Pigeon Key. The old bridge is pedestrianised, but welcomes cyclists and a small tourist train. (which sets off from a clearly marked depot in Marathon. Prices currently adult $30, children $25.)
Many hotels offer free bikes, and we rented a junior bike and helmets from Keys Vacation Supply Rentals. At Pigeon Key simply turn around, or pay to visit the island and enjoy the tour (which I thoroughly recommend).
Tour Pigeon Key – Things to do in the Florida Keys
This island is only accessible by bike, tourist train or on foot, crossing the Old Seven Mile Bridge. If you want to understand the Florida Keys you must visit Pigeon Key. A short island tour explains how the keys were linked by train thanks to entrepreneur Henry Flagler in the early 1900s. He connected 126 miles of open water by rail, using the islands as stepping stones. Visitors step inside the original buildings where the workers lived, the pier is stunning, there’s a marine pool housing sharks and fish, plus one cottage sells drinks and snacks. Island access includes tour – Prices currently $15 adults, $12 children.
Marathon – Things to do in the Florida Keys
Hit the beach at Sombrero Beach, hike and admire the wildlife at Crane Point Hammock, visit the Aquarium or drop by the renowned Turtle Hospital.
Marathon Food & Drink
We thoroughly recommend the following. For a meat treat near the Seven Mile Bridge make it Porky’s. For low key seafood, including their signature Lobster Reuben, head to Keys Fisheries, another seafood gem is the Island Fish Company where the kids meals are served on a frisbee they get to take home with them.
Marathon Hotel (Self-Catering)
Marathon makes a great base, roughly halfway along the Keys. We found our bungalow accommodation by the sea, at Seascape Resort & Marina serene. Wonderfully heated outdoor pool, free adult bikes, outdoor grills and kayaks make life a breeze. Our bungalow had a kitchenette so we could self-cater by incorporating the outdoor grills. You can watch the sunset on chairs on the pier, and the kids even saw manatees at the shore. Bliss.
Islamorada – Things to do in the Florida Keys
Visit the Rain Barrel Village & Betsy the Lobster
Betsy the Lobster is a fibreglass creation by sculptor Richard Blaze. At 30 foot high, the towering Florida Spiny Lobster has welcoming visitors to the Rain Barrel Village since 2009. The village offers a mix of gift shops, galleries, crafts, plus food and drink.
Feed the Tarpon at Robbie’s
Brilliant experience! At Robbie’s pay admission of €2.50 to access the pier, a bucket of fish for $5, then terrify yourself feeding the huge tarpon. Great fun, easy parking too.
Key Largo – Things to do in the Florida Keys
We didn’t do much in Key Largo except chill, but I definitely recommend Lazy Lobster as a lunch stop – the lobster roll and Key Lime Pie were lush. And we enjoyed a one night stay in a reasonably priced hotel that boasted its own pool and private beach!
Eat Key Lime Pie right along the Keys
Key West is the home of Key Lime Pie. My favourites were the meringue-topped pie at Moondog and the towering meringue pie at Blue Heaven, which can also be bought over the road at their bar Andy’s Cabana (fyi – Andy’s is cash only.) Kermit’s is synonymous with key lime pie, they also sell a chocolate-covered ice lolly variety.
The pie served at Hogfish on Stock Island delivered. The best budget offering has to be a whole pie from Publix supermarket at $9 (for reference, a slice of Blue Heaven pie is $12 and at Moondog it was $13). We also rated the pie at Midway Cafe in Islamorada, served at an excellent chilled temperature, and the fresh pie with meringue at Lazy Lobster in Key Largo was lush. Just keep trying them till you find your favourite!
En Route to the Florida Keys from Miami
On the drive down from Miami, don’t miss the Everglades Alligator Farm for airboat rides, alligator feeding and a hands on alligator experience, all included in the entry price. We also loved the farm animals and fruit at Robert is Here.
Read our Guide to Marathon in the Florida Keys
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