Why Visit Key West, Florida
The city of Key West, an island in the Straits of Florida, is the county seat of Monroe County, which includes all of the Florida Keys, and part of the Everglades. Key West, FL was originally named "Cayo Hueso", Spanish for "bone cay," in reference to the belief that the island was previously used as a communal graveyard.
The Best Time to Visit Key West, Florida
Key West, FL experiences a tropical savanna climate. Summers are hot and humid, and winters are cold and dry. The hottest month falls between July and August, with highs averaging around 97°F. The coolest months fall between December and February, with lows averaging at around 65°F.
Hotels in Key West, FL are most expensive between January and March. The cheapest month to visit Key West, FL is in June.
Getting Around Key West, Florida
Key West International Airport (EYW) serves the city of Key West, approx. 2 miles east of downtown Key West. The most convenient way to get to central Key West from Key West International Airport (EYW) is by taxi. Taxis are widely available at the curbside outside of the Arrivals/Bag Claim Area. The journey takes around 5 minutes, and costs between US$10–US$15.
Driving is a popular way of getting to and around Key West, FL. Car rental counters are conveniently located in the Arrivals/Bag Claim Area. Alternatively, Trip.com offers a wide selection of cars to book, with free cancellation and no credit card fees. You can explore car rental options here.
Getting around Key West, FL has been made free and frequent by Duval Loop, the city's free hop-on, hop-off bus service. Visitors can get around Key West, FL conveniently via the pink and blue buses that run every 20–30 minutes, from 08:00–22:00 daily.
Alternatively, Key West Transit provides 5 public bus routes throughout Key West, FL, Stock Island, the Lower Keys, and Marathon, FL. The earliest route begins operations at 05:40, and the last route, and 22:00. Single rides cost between US$2–US$4, day passes cost between US$4–US$8, and fares vary according to transit within the city or through the Keys.
Things to Do in Key West, Florida
Key West is famous for being the southernmost city of Continental United States? A concrete buoy labeled "Southernmost Point Continental U.S.A." sits on the corner of South and Whitehead Street, just 1.4 miles away from downtown Key West. The buoy is closer to Havana in Cuba than it is to Miami in the United States.
Key West, FL was home to prolific American Novelist, Ernest Hemingway, from 1931–1939. It was in his Key West residence, that the author completed the partially autobiographical novel about the First World War, "A Farewell to Arms." Now a museum, the Ernest Hemingway House is open to the public daily, from 09:00–17:00. General admission costs US$16, and includes a 20–30-minute guided tour, including an insight to his writing studio, where many of his classic novels were written.
Fun Fact: The Ernest Hemingway Home and Museum is home to approx. 60 six-toed cats. Hemingway was gifted a white six-toed cat, named Snowball, by a sea-captain, and it is said that all cats on the property are descendants of Snowball.
