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Major city · United States

Key West

Give Key West 2–3 nights on foot in Old Town; skip the rental car, and treat the drive down US-1 as the trip, not the transfer.

Weather
see forecast
Currency
USD
Best months
Dec–Apr (dry, sunny, busiest)
avoid Jun–Oct (wet season, heat, hurricane risk)
Airports
EYW · MIA
Nights
2–3
Not field-verifiedbasic guide
Print / PDF guide
3 pages, for the metro and roaming-off days
Map
Google Maps Apple Maps Street View
Rules in force · 7Crossing between the US, Canada and Mexico by land needs …Cannabis is legal in Canada and in many US states, but ta…
  • North America ↗Crossing between the US, Canada and Mexico by land needs your passport even on a day trip; rental cars need the company's written permission to cross, and most US and Canadian rental insurance stops at the Mexican border.
  • North America ↗Cannabis is legal in Canada and in many US states, but taking any amount across the US, Canadian or Mexican border is a federal crime — including edibles and vapes.
  • North America ↗The busiest US and Canadian national parks need timed-entry, campsite or lodge reservations in summer; release dates are months ahead.
  • United States ↗Check whether you need an ESTA (Visa Waiver Program) or a visa on the official CBP and State Department sites; apply only through esta.cbp.dhs.gov, not third-party sites, and allow time before you book.
  • United States ↗Several popular national parks use timed-entry or vehicle reservations in peak season; check each park's page on nps.gov and book on recreation.gov before fixing your dates.
  • United States ↗Medical care is very expensive for visitors; buy travel insurance with high medical cover before you fly.
  • United States ↗Tipping is expected: about 15–20% at sit-down restaurants and bars, and a tip for taxis, hotel staff and guides.

Key West is a small, walkable island city at the end of the Overseas Highway — the southernmost city in the continental US, about 3.5 hours by car from Miami. Old Town holds the sights, bars and guesthouses within roughly a 25-minute walk end to end. It is expensive and busy in winter, hot and wet in summer, and best done without a car.

Essentials

Quick answers and what things cost

Quick answers

The questions people ask first about Key West, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.

Cost cheat-sheet

2026 desk estimate · check

Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.

  • Coffee$4–7
  • Sit-down mealSit-down dinner, mid-rangeTipping 18–22% expected.$25–45 per person
  • Street or quick mealConch fritters or a sandwich$12–20
  • Beerdraught at a Duval bar / six-pack at a store$7–10$12–18
  • Museum or sight ticketHemingway House entryabout $18 (check)
  • Budget bedHostel bed, a night, per personUS$60
  • Mid-range bedGuesthouse or hotel double room, a night, per roomUS$320
  • High-end bedGuesthouse or hotel double room, a night, per roomUS$650

A day, not counting the bed: Budget US$120 · Mid US$220 · High US$400

Prices in local money; change the currency in the header to see yours next to them. Every price and the budget calculator →

Decide

What it is known for, and when the weather works

At a glance

What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.

Duval StreetErnest Hemingway HouseMallory Square sunsetSouthernmost Point buoyConch Republic
Airports
EYW Key West International Airport (About 4 mi / 6 km east of downtown on S Roosevelt Blvd; taxi or rideshare to Old Town, roughly 10–15 min.) · MIA Miami International Airport (Fly here and drive or take a shuttle down US-1; about 3.5–4.5 h door to door.)

Weather and climate

Forecast from Open-Meteo · averages rounded

Key West: next 7 days

Loading forecast…

Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.

Air quality

Loading…

Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.

Jan

24°C

19°C

6 rd

Feb

25°C

19°C

5 rd

Mar

27°C

21°C

5 rd

Apr

28°C

23°C

5 rd

May

30°C

24°C

7 rd

Jun

32°C

26°C

11 rd

Jul

32°C

27°C

12 rd

Aug

33°C

27°C

14 rd

Sep

32°C

26°C

16 rd

Oct

30°C

24°C

12 rd

Nov

27°C

22°C

7 rd

Dec

25°C

20°C

6 rd

High / low °C · rd = rain days

Arrive & move

Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in

Getting around

Walk or bike. Old Town is flat and compact; most visitors never need a car, and parking is scarce and costly. Key West Transit buses cover the island and the Lower Keys; taxis and rideshare (Uber, Lyft) are plentiful. Bikes and scooters rent widely and can park at the kerb.

See & do

Day-trips, door to door

Day-trips

Door-to-door, not ride time

Big Pine Key

go

Door to door: About 45 min

Drive US-1 north about 30 mi / 48 km

National Key Deer Refuge; slow down for deer on the road.

Marathon

go

Door to door: About 1 h

Drive US-1 north about 50 mi / 80 km

Sombrero Beach, Turtle Hospital, Seven Mile Bridge views.

Islamorada

go

Door to door: About 1 h 30 min

Drive US-1 north about 75 mi / 120 km

Sportfishing and Robbie's tarpon feed; a long day from Key West.

Key Largo

overnight

Door to door: About 2 h

Drive US-1 north about 100 mi / 160 km

Too far for a return day; sleep over on the way to or from Miami.

Stock Island

go

Door to door: About 15 min

Drive or bike US-1 north about 5 mi / 8 km

Working marina, cheaper eats and beds just off the island.

Duck Key

caution

Door to door: About 1 h 15 min

Drive US-1 north about 60 mi / 97 km

Mostly a resort island; little to see without a booking.

Eat & sleep

Which area to sleep in

Where to sleep

Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.

Old Town

Duval Street, Hemingway House and the waterfront on foot; guesthouses and small hotels, highest prices.

Truman Annex / Fort Zachary Taylor area

Quieter, near the fort and beach; 10–15 min walk to Duval.

New Town / Roosevelt Blvd

Chain motels and cheaper rooms near the airport; you will want a bike or bus to reach Old Town.

Stock Island

One island up US-1, 10–15 min drive; cheaper beds, needs a car or taxi.

Practical

What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card

Cost per day

2026 estimate, excluding the bed unless stated
Budget
$120–180 excl. bed
Mid
$200–320 excl. bed
High
$350+ excl. bed

Trip budget

2026 estimate · converts to your currency
Guesthouse or hotel double room1 × 3 nights × US$320US$960
Food, local transport, entries2 × 3 days × US$220US$1,320
Taxi or rideshare EYW to Old Town, both ways2 × US$60 · checkUS$120
Bike rental, one day2 × US$25 · checkUS$50
eSIM, about a week of data2 × US$20US$40
Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurgeUS$249
Trip total≈ US$457 per person per day, bed includedUS$2,739

2026 estimate in US dollars; flights excluded. Your choices stay in this browser.

Prices of common things

Coffee$4–7
Slice of key lime pie$7–12
Conch fritters or a sandwich$12–20
Beer: draught at a Duval bar / six-pack at a store$7–10 / $12–18
Sit-down dinner, mid-rangeTipping 18–22% expected.$25–45 per person
Hemingway House entryabout $18 (check)
Fort Zachary Taylor state park entryabout $7 per vehicle (check)

2026 estimate; check locally.

Watch out

Safety

Key West is a safe, walkable small city; the real risks are heat and humidity in summer, drinking on Duval Street, and hurricane season Jun–Nov. Keep to lit streets at night and watch your tab in bars.
  • Hurricane season runs Jun–Nov; check forecasts and know your airline's change policy before a summer trip.
  • Summer heat index often tops 38°C with high humidity — plan sights for early morning.
  • Duval Street bars can be loud and heavy on drinking; watch your drink and your tab.
  • Parking in Old Town is limited and expensive; a rental car is a liability if you stay put.
  • Winter (Dec–Apr) is peak season: rooms and flights sell out and prices spike around holidays.

Emergency numbers

Police, fire, ambulance
911

Pocket card

One page · print or save as PDF

Fill in, then print or save as PDF

Stays in this browser only; nothing is sent anywhere.

Key WestKey West

Pocket card · Voykit

My bed tonight

—

—

—

To this address, pleaseTo this address, please

Emergency

  • Police, fire, ambulance911

Embassy

No embassies in Key West; consulates are in Miami. US visitors: your home country's nearest consulate is likely Miami.

My embassy: —

Fare anchors (2026 estimate)

  • Taxi or rideshare EYW → Old Town: about $25–40, 10–15 min (check)
  • Key West Transit bus ride: about $2–4 (check)
  • Keys Shuttle, Miami airport → Key West: about $100+ one way, 4–5 h (check)

Say or show

  • Thank you — Thank you
  • How much is it? — How much is it?
  • Can I pay by card? — Can I pay by card?
  • Where is the toilet? — Where is the toilet?
  • One beer, please — One beer, please
  • Is this seat taken? — Is this seat taken?

US emergency number is 911 everywhere; no tipping in the UK sense — 18–22% at sit-down restaurants is expected.

Deep dive

What this guide covers so far, and its sources

Not a trip line yet

This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for Key West. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.

What we know, and what is coming

On this page

  1. Best months: Dec–Apr (dry, sunny, busiest) · avoid Jun–Oct (wet season, heat, hurricane risk) · month by month →
  2. 2 airports and 4 areas to sleep in
  3. Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
  4. Cost per day in 3 bands
  5. 6 day-trips, door to door
  6. 5 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers

Coming as the guide grows

  1. Airport-to-bed contract for EYW: taxi and rideshare times field-checked, plus the Miami drive fallback.
  2. Four walking clusters with rescue anchors: Duval Street, the Hemingway House and lighthouse, Mallory Square and the waterfront, Fort Zachary Taylor.
  3. Place pages with verified cutoffs (Hemingway House, Truman Little White House, Fort Zachary Taylor, lighthouse) and eat pages with last orders.
  4. Hurricane and peak-season fixtures so gates A–D can go green.

Meanwhile

Back to United States

Sources