Key West

Where ships dock

Easy walk to town from Pier B or Mallory Square; the Outer Mole is farther, with shuttles.

• Pier B (privately owned)
• Mallory Square Dock (city-owned)
• Navy Mole, also called the Outer Mole (Navy-owned)

Best time to go

December to April is the drier season; June to October is the wet season, with most rain from showers and thunderstorms.

Winter averages run about 15°F cooler than summer, and the surrounding warm water takes the edge off cold fronts.

How far from the pier

One way. Short call OK means 20 minutes or less.

• Dry Tortugas (Fort Jefferson), by ferry from Key WestFerry135 min

Ship tour or go independent?

Going on your own is straightforward. Key West is one of the easiest places in the Keys to see without a car, the city's Key West Rides shuttle covers the island, and walking, biking, pedicabs, taxis and rideshare are all popular. Trolley tours, the Conch Train and morning snorkel trips can be booked through the ship or directly. Dry Tortugas is the one trip where timing is tight.

• The Dry Tortugas ferry day runs from a 7 a.m. check-in to a 5:15 p.m. return, which doesn't fit most port calls. The half-day seaplane is the realistic option.
• Dry Tortugas has no food or water, so bring your own (the ferry includes lunch). Seas can be rough.
• The Duval Loop bus was suspended in January 2026. Key West Rides, an app-booked shuttle at $2 a ride, now serves its stops.
• City buses can run late in the busy season because of traffic.
• If your ship docks at the Outer Mole rather than Pier B or Mallory, plan on a shuttle to reach Duval Street.

Getting around

Rideshare available

• WalkPier B and Mallory Square are an easy walk from town, and Key West, especially Old Town, is one of the easiest places in the Keys to see without a car.
• Shuttle$2 per rideKey West Rides is the city's app-booked shared shuttle (Key West Rides app). It covers Key West and Stock Island 6 a.m.–8 p.m. daily, except Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day, and now serves the old Duval Loop stops. Pay by card or cash through Token Transit.
• Bus$4 one way (Keys); $12 one-day Super PassCity routes run across Key West and Stock Island, and Keys routes such as the Lower Keys Shuttle go farther up the Keys. The fleet includes 20 wheelchair-accessible buses.
• TaxiTaxis and pedicabs are popular; the county tourism office lists local taxi companies. No official fare table was found, so agree on the price before you ride.
• RideshareThe county tourism office lists rideshare as a popular way to get around Key West.

The Florida Keys tourism office lists rideshare among the popular ways to get around Key West.

Money, tipping & phones

Money

US dollars. Card payments work at attractions, though some add a fee (the Hemingway Home adds 3% on card and mobile payments).

Must-sees

• Mallory SquareWalkableThe plaza at the end of Old Town, home to Mel Fisher's Maritime Museum, the Key West Aquarium and the nightly Sunset Celebration.
• Truman Little White HouseWalkableFlorida's only presidential museum, in Truman's former winter home on Front Street. Visits are by guided tour.
• Ernest Hemingway Home & MuseumWalkableThe 1850s house where Hemingway lived from 1931 to 1939, with short guided tours and resident cats, some descended from his six-toed cat.
• Key West Lighthouse & Keeper's QuartersWalkableClimb 88 steps to the top of the lighthouse, which opened in 1848, then see the keepers' house museum.
• Southernmost Point buoyWalkableThe buoy marking the southernmost point of the continental US. A temporary one stands at 1499 Duval Street during repairs.
• Fort Zachary Taylor Historic State ParkWalkableA historic fort with guides, plus what the park calls Key West's favorite beach for swimming and snorkeling.
• Dry Tortugas National ParkRide neededRemote islands and Fort Jefferson, almost 70 miles west, with no road access: you go by ferry, seaplane or boat. A half-day seaplane trip is the version that fits most port calls.

Free & cheap near the pier

• Mallory SquareThe plaza at the end of Old Town has shops, galleries and food vendors. The nightly Sunset Celebration starts about two hours before sunset.
• Southernmost Point buoyThe city's concrete buoy marks the southernmost point of the continental US, 90 miles from Cuba. Since September 2025 a temporary buoy has stood at 1499 Duval Street during seawall and road repairs.
• City beachesThe city lists several beaches, including Higgs Beach, Smathers Beach, South Beach and Simonton Street Beach.
• Fort Zachary Taylor on foot$2.50 walk-in or bikeWalk or bike in to the state park's fort and beach. Open 8 a.m. to sundown; the fort closes at 5 p.m.
• Key West Rides shuttle$2 per rideThe city's on-demand shuttle covers the island, including the old Duval Loop stops.

Eat like a local

• Key lime pieThe Keys' signature dessert, named Florida's official pie by the state legislature in 2006.
• Fresh local fishCatch of the day at dockside seafood shacks and raw bars. Lionfish, an invasive species with no natural reef predators, is on some menus too.
• Key West pink shrimp and fish dipTwo local seafood staples you'll see on menus around town.
• Cuban coffee and Cuban platesCuban coffee is part of the local food scene, along with dishes like fried plantains and lime-marinated pork.

Rainy-day backups

• Truman Little White HousePresident Truman's winter home at 111 Front Street, seen on guided tours daily, 9:30 a.m.–5 p.m.
• Ernest Hemingway Home & MuseumGuided tours of 20–30 minutes start every 15 minutes, 9 a.m.–5 p.m. daily. Tickets are sold only at the main gate.
• Key West Lighthouse & Keeper's QuartersA maritime history museum around the lighthouse that opened in 1848. Open 10 a.m.–5 p.m., last entry 4:30 p.m.
• Mel Fisher's Maritime MuseumShipwreck treasure museum at 200 Greene Street, open daily 10 a.m.–4 p.m. The Key West Aquarium is also at Mallory Square.
• Eco-Discovery Center (closed)NOAA's reef and sanctuary exhibit hall on the Truman Annex waterfront is temporarily closed for roof repairs, with no reopening date. A virtual tour is online.

Safety & scams

• Check the National Weather Service Key West office for rip current statements and small craft advisories before you swim or take a boat trip.
• Higher tides can flood low-lying streets with salt water; the NWS issues coastal flood statements when that happens.
• If a hurricane threatens, the county tourism council and Monroe County Emergency Management help visitors leave the Keys safely. You can sign up for Alert!Monroe emergency alerts.
• At Dry Tortugas you must bring your own food and water, and conditions are primitive. Be ready for rough seas.
• Sea turtles nest on Key West's Atlantic beaches from March through October. Leave nests and hatchlings alone.

From official government and port sources. Check the latest advisory before you travel.

Accessibility

At the pier

Ships dock, so there is no tender. The city's port page gives no step-free or wheelchair details for the piers.

• The city bus fleet includes 20 wheelchair-accessible buses. On Key West Rides, tap the wheelchair icon in the app before you request a ride.
• The city transit department also lists a paratransit service.
• The Key West Lighthouse property is fully ADA accessible except the 88-step tower.
• The Truman Little White House asks visitors who need accommodations to tell staff ahead of time; a tour script is available on request.