Key West, FL is one of the USA’s most unique towns and well worth a day exploring with kids. Situated on the very tip of Florida’s famed Keys, Key West blends Caribbean island, old South, and Spanish vibes all together. Plan your perfect day in Key West with kids by starting here.
How to get to Key West
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Flying into Miami International Airport or Fort Lauderdale International Airport are great options, although Miami will put you a little closer to the Keys. There’s also an airport in Key West, which is small, but efficient. We love to use Kayak to scout out the best flight deals. It’s easy to check for the cheapest and best timing across airlines this way.
The drive from Miami or Fort Lauderdale is lengthy, but amazing. It’s an iconic U.S. drive for a reason, so consider making a day of your journey and planning stops along the way to really enjoy it. You can read more about some of our favorite stops in South Florida and in the Lower Keys.
Coming into Miami or Fort Lauderdale airports will require a rental car to complete the journey. If you’re staying in Key West proper for your entire trip, you can get around by bike or on foot, but if you want to explore into other Keys, you’ll want a car. You can also use Kayak to compare rental cars for your group size. We booked through Alamo and their online check-in option made the pick up process so easy.
Things to do in Key West with Kids:
Choose and order this list of things to do as it suits your family. Or, if you’re lucky enough to have more than one day, spread them out and linger.
Play in Fort Zachary Taylor State Park
Spend an hour or two in this lovely little state park, home of Key West’s best sand beach. Climb the rocks, play in the surf, enjoy snacks in the shade at one of the many picnic tables, explore the fort. It’s the kind of place that you COULD spend a whole day, but you can also get the feel for it in a shorter time. Admission is rolling, but cost around $10 for our car and group of 4.
Breakfast/Brunch/Lunch at a Key West legend
Spoiled for choice on this one, as Key West has so many famous restaurants and bars, each with a unique personality. We loved Blue Heaven, known for its quirky decor, roaming Key West chickens (our kids LOVED), and eggs Benedict creations. This makes it the perfect spot to grab a meal in the morning or lunch hours. Highly recommend dining out at least once during your day in Key West, as this is a real food town with lots of interesting things to share.
Stroll the Key West historic sites
Walk the town (it isn’t that big) and check out the charming and historic architecture. The houses are fronted by beautiful porches, with palm trees tucked into courtyards that will make you want to move right in. Stroll by Hemingway’s house, the Key West Lighthouse and of course, the famous Duval Street. While you won’t be doing much of the Duval Crawl (making stops at every bar along the street) with kids, it’s still a real sight, with live music pumping into the streets thanks to the open air nature of the city. Spot the rooms lined with dollar bills and take in the atmosphere. Hit up the Southernmost Point (the iconic buoy marking the southernmost point in the continental U.S.) for a quintessential photo.
Get out on a boat and on to the water
There are so many options here, but it’s well worth it to find the right one for your family and get out into the ocean surrounding Key West. We took a four hour personal boat charter from Island to Island Charters and were able to make it all the way out to Boca Grande Key in the Key West National Wildlife Refuge. You can spot manatees, sea turtles, sharks and dolphins if you’re lucky, and enjoy learning about the important ecosystem from a knowledgeable captain.
There are also options to include water sports, through something like Sunset Watersports, where you can book day trips that include jet skis, snorkeling, kayaking and water park play for kids.
If you can swing an extra day, or if it’s your family’s bigger interest, consider the day trip out to Dry Tortugas National Park. There’s only one boat that services the island, with one trip made each day and it was simply sold out for our entire trip (and the couple of months surrounding it). If this is important to you, I’d book well in advance. It’s pricey, so we would have chosen between it and the boat charter mentioned above. Take warning that the crossing can be choppy, so if you’re prone to seasickness, plan accordingly.
Relax at the pool
If you’re lodging in Key West overnight, the chances are high that you have a pool on your property. If you do, it’s always a good idea to take advantage, even if just for a short time. Most pools are salt water and heated, so even in winter it’s fun to take a quick dip. There’s nothing my kids love more than an hour to play in the pool, so fit it in if you can!
Sunset in Mallory Square
The sunset at Mallory Square gets a lot of hype, but there’s good reason for that. It is honestly a Key West culture all its own, filled with some truly fun street theater and musical performers, fascinating people watching and, of course, the beauty of a sunset in the islands. Set up a good hour before the sunset and observe all the happenings. Our kids were so happy watching the entertainers until the sun actually went down.
Try all the key lime pies
Key lime pie is a delightful treat to be found all over the Keys. There are options at pretty much every restaurant in the city, so maybe trying all of them is not quite possible. We made it our mission to try as many as we could in a short period of time and rate them. It was fun and got us in the Key West spirit every time.
Highly recommend our personal favorite, the delicious key lime pie at Moondog Cafe on Whitehead Street. Besides great pies, there are also a variety of baked goods, food and drinks that will suit the whole crew. Bonus points for the great atmosphere.
We also loved picking up quick and easy frozen, chocolate-dipped key lime pies at Kermit’s Key Lime Shoppe on Duval Street. This is also a great place to pick up a key lime-style treat for anyone back home.
Blue Heaven (mentioned above) is famous for its mile high meringue, which we also gave a shot after our lunch there.
What’s your favorite Key West key lime pie? Let us know in the comments and check out our other posts on South Florida!
