Does everyone trolley or can you just walk around Key West?

[funhouse8]

I was wondering if we could just stroll around Key West on our own or is the Trolley really needed? There are 6 of us and I have already spent enough money on this cruise. LOL My kids are older, no babies here, We aren't in port all that long. 7-2 so we were just going to look around the stores and take a hike to the tip. What do you think? Do I really need the Trolley?

[Lightsluvr]

Plan what you want to see, and hit the pavement...It is really fun to stroll around Key West, watch the street performers, enjoy the shops, look for the chickens. Don't miss Mallory Square at sunset.

 

LL

[bouhunter]

You will be just fine walking.

 

Since they're there from 7-2, it will be hard for them to be at Mallory for sunset.:D I've noticed a lot of cruises stop and leave early like that. It's a shame, as Key West is a great place to be in the afternoon and evening too:rolleyes:

[funhouse8]

You will be just fine walking.

 

Since they're there from 7-2, it will be hard for them to be at Mallory for sunset.:D I've noticed a lot of cruises stop and leave early like that. It's a shame, as Key West is a great place to be in the afternoon and evening too:rolleyes:

 

Thanks for your reply. I wish we were here for the sunset but I guess we have to plan our next cruise better. LOL

[MuffyKismet]

WE live in SW Florida and go to Key West often (as my husband is retired Navy, so we stay at the condos on base right there in Key West). Infact we are going again january 6th and will be there again with our older kids on the Imagination. 7a-2p is a rotten time to be in Key West , nothing is open that early. I suggest, take your time getting up on the ship, eat a good relaxing breakfast and then stroll off the ship around 10 or 10:30 and make your way down the main street and stop in the shops, there are alot of intresting shops to browse. some really great artist shops, great for browsing. We don't care for Jimmy Buffets Margaritaville in key West but their gift shop is a fun place to look. I you want you would have plenty of time to do the early morning parisailing, that is alot of fun and our kids have done in 2 X already. Mallory square comes alive in the evening, so you miss all that. Personally I think it is a silly port to go into from 7a-2p........just a bad time for that port since alot of things don't start coming alive until 11 am or so.

 

Well I hate to be so glum about this port, but I don't want to sugar coat it. Key West is a blast, that is why we go so often , just not from 7a-2p!!

 

If you get a chance to go into "Irish Kevin's" right on Duval, there is usually fun people hanging out there.............I suggest just strolling aorund and taking pics.

 

If your not with teenagers then going to the Hemmingway house is great, intresting. the Trolley tour is a good idea because it takes you everywhere and you get to see ALOT of Key West , rather then just Duval Street. Depends on your pocket book. Dog and Cats and chickens are everywhere........kinda neat!! Enjoy!

[funhouse8]

WE live in SW Florida and go to Key West often (as my husband is retired Navy, so we stay at the condos on base right there in Key West). Infact we are going again january 6th and will be there again with our older kids on the Imagination. 7a-2p is a rotten time to be in Key West , nothing is open that early. I suggest, take your time getting up on the ship, eat a good relaxing breakfast and then stroll off the ship around 10 or 10:30 and make your way down the main street and stop in the shops, there are alot of intresting shops to browse. some really great artist shops, great for browsing. We don't care for Jimmy Buffets Margaritaville in key West but their gift shop is a fun place to look. I you want you would have plenty of time to do the early morning parisailing, that is alot of fun and our kids have done in 2 X already. Mallory square comes alive in the evening, so you miss all that. Personally I think it is a silly port to go into from 7a-2p........just a bad time for that port since alot of things don't start coming alive until 11 am or so.

 

Well I hate to be so glum about this port, but I don't want to sugar coat it. Key West is a blast, that is why we go so often , just not from 7a-2p!!

 

If you get a chance to go into "Irish Kevin's" right on Duval, there is usually fun people hanging out there.............I suggest just strolling aorund and taking pics.

 

If your not with teenagers then going to the Hemmingway house is great, intresting. the Trolley tour is a good idea because it takes you everywhere and you get to see ALOT of Key West , rather then just Duval Street. Depends on your pocket book. Dog and Cats and chickens are everywhere........kinda neat!! Enjoy!

 

Great advice one more question.......How far is the walk to the southern most point? Forgot the name. LOL Do you sugguest we do this walk first before the stores open and then make our way back? Thanks, Gina

[Aquahound]

Great advice one more question.......How far is the walk to the southern most point? Forgot the name. LOL Do you sugguest we do this walk first before the stores open and then make our way back? Thanks, Gina

 

It is a 1.5 mile walk to the S.P. straight down Whitehead St. from the pier. It's worth it. Along the way, you'll pass Truman's Little Whitehouse, Hemmingway House, Key West Lighthouse, the courthouse, and several little shops, restaurants, and bars. From the S.P., you can walk down South St. to the Southernmost House, then up Duval St. Duval parallels Whitehead and will take you back to the pier area with countless shops, etc.

I'm a local here, so feel free to ask more questions. Enjoy your stay. But, I do agree 7-2 is crappy!

[BananaAnna]

I'll be in KW soon and had wondered the same thing - if there was an economical way to get around. I have to stress - I HAVE NOT TRIED THIS IN KW YET - but it looks like you can buy a one-day-pass on the city bus for $3 per person that would give you hop-on-hop-off privileges. I've been checking out www.keywestcity.com and it looks like taking the the blue route would let you get an overview of Key West. You could hop off the bus whenever it struck your fancy and walk around or back to the ship or retrace to areas that caught your eye. This is what I'll likely do, but again, I personally haven't tried it yet. In some cities, I've caught a bus to the furtherest point I wanted to visit, then just walked, meanderingly, back to where I needed to end up. Note: if you want to get a day-pass, you usually have to specify that before you give them the money.

[Tigers2]

It is a 1.5 mile walk to the S.P. straight down Whitehead St. from the pier. It's worth it. Along the way, you'll pass Truman's Little Whitehouse, Hemmingway House, Key West Lighthouse, the courthouse, and several little shops, restaurants, and bars. From the S.P., you can walk down South St. to the Southernmost House, then up Duval St. Duval parallels Whitehead and will take you back to the pier area with countless shops, etc.

I'm a local here, so feel free to ask more questions. Enjoy your stay. But, I do agree 7-2 is crappy!

 

 

We're debating how to see KW (walking, bus or trolley??)

It's our first visit to KW and want to see the highlights.

 

Thanks!

[bhopal21]

We're debating how to see KW (walking, bus or trolley??)

It's our first visit to KW and want to see the highlights.

 

Since you said the above, I would recommend The Conch Tour Train. It will give you a complete narrated overview of the island in 90 minutes.

 

The trolley does much the same; but with all the stopping and getting on and off can take much longer.

 

Enjoy your visit!

 

Mike:)

[NEW 2 CRUISIN]

Take the Trolley!

 

It does all the same stuff the Conch Train does, but it allows on and off privileges at every stop! The Conch Train does not!

 

Why spend time walking around looking for stuff when the Trolley will take you right to it?!?!

 

No matter what anyone says, 7-2 is plenty of time to see Key West, do some shopping, eat lunch, buy some Key Lime Pie, and move on to your next port!

 

HAVE FUN!

 

:)

[Eileen G]

For anyone thinking of riding the public bus. The buses only run every hour and are rarely on time. Each route is also reversed so you catch one color one direction another color the other. You can find the bus schedule on line but it's difficult to read if you print it. You can call the phone number on it and request them to send you one in the mail.

Another good thing to do in Key West is go to the La Concha Hotel 430 Duval St. and ride the elevator to the roof top bar. The bar will not be open but you can still get a great view from up there and there are places to sit if you want to rest weary feet. It's a great place to take pictures.

[c&d]

Help

 

Since I am travelling with a person with disabilities. The best option for me to enjoy my visit to key west Strees free would be the Conch Tour? I am hoping to avoid taking a wheel chair provided the walk is not too far from ship to where ever you pick up trolly or what ever you take on this excurssion.

 

Am I correct in my thinking?

[sanditoes4]

We walked!!! Had a super fun day!!! I had my shopping freaky sister with me and we made it from one side of the island to the other and back in time!!! I really wanted to get to the southern most point and we did, plus we stopped in what seemed like EVERY shop on the way.....we didn't have much time to spare at the end but we had enough time!!!!!

 

Walk you'll see the real Key West this way!!!

[kcmom]

We have the same 7 - 2 time frame. I'll be there with two teenage boys. Is there a place open for breakfast that would be fun for us? I don't mind at all not eating breakfast on the ship.

 

We thought that we would get right off, eat somewhere, head to the Southern Point and then just shop/look. Is the butterfly museum worth it? Will we see it as we walk? My older one is a history buff, so Hemingway's House might be good too. Is this "doable" in our time frame?

[ParrotRob]

We have the same 7 - 2 time frame. I'll be there with two teenage boys. Is there a place open for breakfast that would be fun for us? I don't mind at all not eating breakfast on the ship.

 

We thought that we would get right off, eat somewhere, head to the Southern Point and then just shop/look. Is the butterfly museum worth it? Will we see it as we walk? My older one is a history buff, so Hemingway's House might be good too. Is this "doable" in our time frame?

 

If you want to eat breakfast out, do NOT miss Richard's very good pancakes (banana, preferably) at Blue Heaven in Bahama Village. They open at 8, so by the time you get off the ship and walk there, they'll be open. From there, it's a short walk to the Hemingway House and another short walk from there to the butterfly museum and the southernmost point.

 

Go to this link here: http://travel.yahoo.com/p-map-191501909-map_of_key_west_fl-i then click on restaurants - Blue Heaven is #1 on the list, then click on "Things to Do" to see where Hemingway's is in relation. The butterfly museum is a block up and a block over from the Southernmost Point.

[Aquahound]

If you want to eat breakfast out, do NOT miss Richard's very good pancakes (banana, preferably) at Blue Heaven in Bahama Village.

 

Bingo! I couldn't agree more! ;)

[kcmom]

Thank you so much! We'll be off by 8 and will take your advice and head to Blue Heaven. :)

 

kcmom

[ParrotRob]

Thank you so much! We'll be off by 8 and will take your advice and head to Blue Heaven. :)

 

kcmom

 

You won't regret it :p

 

Just head straight down either Duval or Whitehead (or Simonton for that matter) and hang a right on Angela. If you somehow manage to get lost (you won't), just ask anyone that looks semi-local. Anyone who has spent any time in Key West will know exactly where to point you. Enjoy and make sure you report back afterward!

[firefly333]

Ill be there April 10th from 3 pm to midnight coming off the Rhapsody out of Galveston.

 

Can someone tell me a little more about this trolly? Its free or you signed up for a trolly tour? We are not drinkers, well my sister cannot drink due to medication and she is slightly handicapped so 1.5 miles each way would be too much for her to walk I know it now.

 

Iv been wondering what we are going to do in Key West until Midnight if we are not drinkers. Iv been before with drinking friends and been to Jimmy Buffet's and watched the sunset, just never with someone who cant drink and we dont want to spend oddles of money on cover charges.

 

Ill keep reading but any information anyone can post would be appreciated.

[bthom70]

We're going be in Key West on Apr 25 from 9am-4pm on the Splendor on our TransAtlantic to Barcelona

This is our 2nd attempt to get to Key West, last years Rhapsody cruise was ruined by a storm so we ended up in Belize and Costa Maya

 

Looks like we have alot of walking to do in KW.

Our only plans, walk, get key lime pie on a stick at the Blond Giraffe, find conch fritters and maybe a few drinks before 4pm.

[bthom70]

double post

[Robin G]

Thanks for all the great info. Can anyone tell me how far of a walk it is from the pier to Richards. We'll be there in July and I'm sure it'll be one hot one!!

 

Thanks.

 

Robin

[Aquahound]

Can anyone tell me how far of a walk it is from the pier to Richards.

 

Richard makes the pancakes. The name of the joint is Blue Heaven. Roughly guessing, I'd say 3/4 mile. The island is 1.5 miles wide and Angela St. is about in the middle between the pier and the Southernmost Point.

[bhopal21]

Actually Ricky's Blue Heaven is located on Petronia at the intersection of Thomas.:) So stay on Duval for one additional block and then turn right and it will be on your right.

 

Mike:)