What to do when before the trolley is in operation?

[keychee]

I was wondering if its worth purchasing Hop on/Hop off trolley tickets if our boat docks at 7:30 am but the trolley is not in operation until 9am? The victory is only there until 1pm, so we want to make the most out of our time there as its our first time and a highly anticipated stop :-)

TIA!

[peter_krynicki]

How ever you disembark you can pick up Whitehead Street and walk up it to see a few things - the Audubon House, the Green Parrot bar, the Mile 0 Marker, the Hemingway house, the lighthouse, and onwards to the southernmost point. It's just over a mile. From there you can walk one block over on South street to pick up Duval and come back, check, for example, the Butterfly Conservatory.

 

If you need a stop on the way up Whitehead, make a left onto Eaton for a coffee and donuts here ---> . http://www.glazeddonuts.com/

 

I wouldn't bother or wait for the trolley on such a short visit unless you feel you cannot walk, with stops two miles.

 

Pjk

[keychee]

How ever you disembark you can pick up Whitehead Street and walk up it to see a few things - the Audubon House, the Green Parrot bar, the Mile 0 Marker, the Hemingway house, the lighthouse, and onwards to the southernmost point. It's just over a mile. From there you can walk one block over on South street to pick up Duval and come back, check, for example, the Butterfly Conservatory.

 

If you need a stop on the way up Whitehead, make a left onto Eaton for a coffee and donuts here ---> . http://www.glazeddonuts.com/

 

I wouldn't bother or wait for the trolley on such a short visit unless you feel you cannot walk, with stops two miles.

 

Pjk

 

I just want to make sure I understand you correctly. Your basically saying Key West is essentially two miles long so we should skip the trolley tour all together, right?

[peter_krynicki]

That entire loop would be between two and two and a half miles. Key West is approximately 1.25 X 4 miles with Duval, Simonton, and Whitehead on the 1.25 length. If you do that walk one very good detour would be right from Whitehead onto Petronia. There's a few shops and restaurants along there, the best to browse in is Besame Mucho.

 

Pjk

[keywester33]

The trolley is more than transportation. It is also a tour if you’re interested in that, and includes more than the Old Town tourism area. The trolley may be worth it to you if you want to see the whole 4x2 mile island or hear a commentary about the island and our history. Personally, with only a few hours in port, I would not take the trolley and focus on the Old Town Historic District. If you want a tour, the Conch Train is probably a better option as it stays mostly in Old Town and is a shorter tour with fewer stops.

 

Without knowing any of your interests, it’s hard to recommend specifics, but a few hours can be easily used up walking around Old Town, browsing a few shops, touring a historic home or museum, and sampling some of our local seafood.

[bhopal21]

The trolley is more than transportation. It is also a tour if you’re interested in that, and includes more than the Old Town tourism area. The trolley may be worth it to you if you want to see the whole 4x2 mile island or hear a commentary about the island and our history. Personally, with only a few hours in port, I would not take the trolley and focus on the Old Town Historic District. If you want a tour, the Conch Train is probably a better option as it stays mostly in Old Town and is a shorter tour with fewer stops.

 

Without knowing any of your interests, it’s hard to recommend specifics, but a few hours can be easily used up walking around Old Town, browsing a few shops, touring a historic home or museum, and sampling some of our local seafood.

 

I agree with the above completely.

 

Mike:)

[keychee]

Thanks everyone!

Hubby and I are foodies and since it’s our first time in KW we just want to see a bit of everything and enjoy some of the must haves, key lime pie, conch, etc. It’s a surprise for him so he doesn’t know anything about it. We aren’t history buffs but just want to get a good feel for KW for the limited time we are there.

[Herfnerd]

The entire loop for OTT takes roughly 90 minutes and is a nice way to get an overall view of KW but we've never visited on a cruise - we usually stay for a week or a long weekend.

 

With your short amount of time, I agree that you might be better off walking - it normally takes us ~20 minutes to walk from upper Duval to Mallory Square.

[peter_krynicki]

If you were to walk up, away from the docks, there are three particularly interesting cross streets to explore. Making a left on Front, the first of the three you come to, will take you past Island Dogs, then another left on the first street that you come to which will take you to the small beach at Simonton for great views. Maybe you'll see the tiki bar boat. Continuing on Front will take you to the beginning of the Key West Bight, to the right, but walking around as far as you can go to the left would take you to places many people are unaware of.

 

Caroline Street, all the way from the Whitehead side to the other, will take you from the new First Flight (formerly Kelly's) Garbo's B.O.'s Fishwagon, and Pepe's, then, again, onto the Bight.

 

And Petronia to the right off Whitehead for shops and restaurants, the more well-known being Blue Heaven, but for a treat, a savory crepe at La Creperie.

 

Pjk

[keychee]

Thank you both for this!

 

 

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