Free Stuff to do at Key West

Since we live in Florida, we drive to Key West a couple times a year. We will be on the Oasis on 5/4 which stops there, first time i'll be there by boat.

So for everyone stopping there, here are a few *FREE* things to do, that will pretty much take up the whole time you are there, its all walkable, i've done them many times myself and with my family.

First a few things about Key West.

There are 2 main streets, Duval and Whitehead. you don't want to venture further east than Whitehead. Not that it isn't safe, but you want to avoid it, thats the border of the "slum" area, but Whitehead is ok, a lot of tourist stuff is there. Duval is the main tourist street. (they run parallel to each other).

If you get tired of walking, you will see these "Pedi-cabs" all over, they will try to charge you by the minute.. rip off… but you can negotiate.. offer $10-$20 or so to take you to a fixed place (depending where you are on duval), they can negotiate and many will, otherwise walk it. I suggest walking, its only about a 20-30 min walk from one end of duval to the other.

The boat will dock just outside of Mallory Square. Unfortunately, we won't be there at night which is too bad, mallory square at night is the main reason to go to Key West, the street performers are awesome.

But here is some free stuff i suggest doing, and how to get there, I'm going in order of whats closest to the ship area, so you want to go in this order. Google search the places, and do a maps on them to see where they are.

1) Key West Sculpture Garden at Mallory Square - Free

This is a little area with all statues of famous key west people, easy to blow an hour here, very interesting and historical. Same area as the ship.

2) Florida Keys Eco Center - Free

This is an indoor museum near the ship of all the sea life and stuff.. Air Conditioned and they show a movie every 1/2 hour or so that is really interesting. Definately worth a stop.

3) The Start of US 1 - Free.

This is another famous landmark for those of us that are from the east coast.. the start of Route 1. To get here, go down Duval St, and turn right on Fleming St to Whitehead. That Intersection is it.. one side is "The End" (south), and the other is "The Start", there is a pole there, take pics… This is hard to find if you don't know where it is.

4) Walk all the way to the end of Whitehead. you are at the "Southernmost Point of the US". Take Pictures.

5) Go west back to Duval, you are at "South Beach"

Great restaurant on the beach, the beach faces south, so there are usually very few waves, and the water temperature is pretty high, and its really shallow.. great for kids.. you walk 200 yards out and you might be up to your waist. Water temp probably close to 90 degrees. Lots of seaweed.. (you don't go to key west for the beaches).

6) Walk all the way back to ship on Duval. There is a Circle K (a convenience store like 7-11) on the right, you can get soda for $1-2, hotdogs etc.. just like 7-11, cheap junk food, but load up there, every other place is overpriced. While coming back, you will find stores that sell shirts and stuff for like $5.. buy them there.

7) If you still have time, investigate around Mallory Square, lots of neat stuff there too.

Follow these steps, and by the time you're done, the ship will be ready to leave.

Oasis does not go to Key West.

Checked the 5/4 sailing and 5/5'you will be in Nassau, Bahamas.

I don't think the Oasis will even fit in the channel at Key West.

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oops...

Im going on a carnival cruise the week after the Oasis, which Does stop there.

I thought i was on the carnival board...

arrg. ill leave it anyway, im sure something stops there...

Since we live in Florida, we drive to Key West a couple times a year. We will be on the Imagination on 5/20 which stops there, first time i'll be there by boat.

So for everyone stopping there, here are a few *FREE* things to do, that will pretty much take up the whole time you are there, its all walkable, i've done them many times myself and with my family.

First a few things about Key West.

There are 2 main streets, Duval and Whitehead. you don't want to venture further east than Whitehead. Not that it isn't safe, but you want to avoid it, thats the border of the "slum" area, but Whitehead is ok, a lot of tourist stuff is there. Duval is the main tourist street. (they run parallel to each other).

If you get tired of walking, you will see these "Pedi-cabs" all over, they will try to charge you by the minute.. rip off… but you can negotiate.. offer $10-$20 or so to take you to a fixed place (depending where you are on duval), they can negotiate and many will, otherwise walk it. I suggest walking, its only about a 20-30 min walk from one end of duval to the other.

The boat will dock just outside of Mallory Square. Unfortunately, we won't be there at night which is too bad, mallory square at night is the main reason to go to Key West, the street performers are awesome.

But here is some free stuff i suggest doing, and how to get there, I'm going in order of whats closest to the ship area, so you want to go in this order. Google search the places, and do a maps on them to see where they are.

Stuff to Do

========

1) Key West Sculpture Garden at Mallory Square - Free

This is a little area with all statues of famous key west people, easy to blow an hour here, very interesting and historical. Same area as the ship.

2) Florida Keys Eco Center - Free

This is an indoor museum near the ship of all the sea life and stuff.. Air Conditioned and they show a movie every 1/2 hour or so that is really interesting. Definately worth a stop.

3) The Start of US 1 - Free.

This is another famous landmark for those of us that are from the east coast.. the start of Route 1. To get here, go down Duval St, and turn right on Fleming St to Whitehead. That Intersection is it.. one side is "The End" (south), and the other is "The Start", there is a pole there, take pics… This is hard to find if you don't know where it is.

4) Walk all the way to the end of Whitehead. you are at the "Southernmost Point of the US". Take Pictures.

5) Go west back to Duval, you are at "South Beach"

Great restaurant on the beach, the beach faces south, so there are usually very few waves, and the water temperature is pretty high, and its really shallow.. great for kids.. you walk 200 yards out and you might be up to your waist. Water temp probably close to 90 degrees. Lots of seaweed.. (you don't go to key west for the beaches).

6) Walk all the way back to ship on Duval. There is a Circle K (a convenience store like 7-11) on the right, you can get soda for $1-2, hotdogs etc.. just like 7-11, cheap junk food, but load up there, every other place is overpriced. While coming back, you will find stores that sell shirts and stuff for like $5.. buy them there.

7) If you still have time, investigate around Mallory Square, lots of neat stuff there too.

Follow these steps, and by the time you're done, the ship will be ready to leave.

You can walk to the library and get 30 minutes of free internet time, though its off the main drag you mention.

If no one is waiting you can have another 30 minutes.

I walked to the souternmost rock, no cost and came back and peeked into the yard to see Hemingway's cats. One was out. I didnt care about the house... and you can walk in as far as the place to pay. there was some kind of structure almost across the street that was free and interesting, maybe a church, I cant remember.

I used to live in Boca, so I had been to Key West driving a few times before going by ship lately.

oops...

 

Im going on a carnival cruise the week after the Oasis, which Does stop there.

 

I thought i was on the carnival board...

 

arrg. ill leave it anyway, im sure something stops there...

Hey - still great information! We were in Key West last week (on a Celebrity ship) and we stumbled across the Sculpture Garden...very interesting!!! We enjoyed that!

hot sauce tasting at peppers :D

Thanks for the tips! We are going to Key West in 2 different sailings this summer and I will definitely try these on day 1. We are planning on parasailing, so we can do that the following week on our second leg of the b2b.

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I think you forgot the number 1 free thing to do in Key West:

People watch.

Cheers,

Koohiichan

im posting so I can find this again before our cruise!!!

Although this is a free things to do thread for Key West, you can't pass up Key Lime Pie!!!! We had one sent back to my inlaws.

Lots of art galleries and shops along Duval also.

A wonderful place with free admission is West Martello tower at 1100 Atlantoc avenue Not many people go there. The tour shuttle driver had not even heard of it It is an old fort that was taken over by the Key West Garden club. We (a couple of seniors) were able to walk to it. There are different gardens in and around the fort. You can also go into the office area to see what is left of the old fort. There is one peace garden where you can sit and look out over the ocean. Next to the fort is the cemetery and memorial to the slaves brought on the ships from Africa. It is very touching

Thank you so much ! This is great information !

oops...

 

Im going on a carnival cruise the week after the Oasis, which Does stop there.

 

I thought i was on the carnival board...

 

arrg. ill leave it anyway, im sure something stops there...

Majesty stops there on her 4day cruise.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

We've never been to Key West but have enjoyed your facts and interesting places to go when we finally get there. :)

My wife and I recently drove down to Key West. We went out walking and came across the Cemetary. We didn't go in but it was a pretty interesting sight to see.

yes, the key west cemetery is also a good stop, its alittle north of the ship.

some of the tombstones are funny, here is a link

http://keywest.com/cemetery.html

I would do it between #1 and #2 on my list, its a little out of the way (maybe 3-4 blocks), but still a reasonable distance for walking.

Ill also add that if you walk all the way down whitehead first, you will go by alot of other historically significant stops (that arent free, but you can look), like the Truman White house, Hemingway house, the lighthouse etc.

In fact, i would do that, walk all the way down whitehead to southern point, then come back VIA Duval.

OP, I'm guessing you meant don't venture further west than Whitehead? Duval is to the east.

Also there's the roof top bar on the hotel on Duvall Street. It closes at dark.

OP, I'm guessing you meant don't venture further west than Whitehead? Duval is to the east.

correct.. sorry, Key West is backwards than most of florida.. the ocean is north and south instead of east, so its confusing..

I think on #5 i said west to Duval, but its east to duval..

like i said, google maps is your friend. double check.

I just skip breakfast on the ship and head down to the boat docks ;) .

If you have been there you will know ;) where the locals eat breakfast.

correct.. sorry, Key West is backwards than most of florida.. the ocean is north and south instead of east, so its confusing..

 

I think on #5 i said west to Duval, but its east to duval..

 

like i said, google maps is your friend. double check.

I still would take money off ship and spend some, maybe at a bar....:)

yes, the key west cemetery is also a good stop, its alittle north of the ship.

 

some of the tombstones are funny, here is a link

 

http://keywest.com/cemetery.html

 

I would do it between #1 and #2 on my list, its a little out of the way (maybe 3-4 blocks), but still a reasonable distance for walking.

 

 

Ill also add that if you walk all the way down whitehead first, you will go by alot of other historically significant stops (that arent free, but you can look), like the Truman White house, Hemingway house, the lighthouse etc.

 

In fact, i would do that, walk all the way down whitehead to southern point, then come back VIA Duval.

I would second the cemetary recommendation. I have a strange fascination with cemeteries and found this one while my wife and were walking the area. We spent several hours just walking and looking at the different markers and crypts.

Thanks for the info on Key West. We'll be looking to cruise there on the Grandeur sometime in the future.