Things to do in Key West for families

With all of its bars, festivals, and nightlife, Key West is usually thought of more as a Florida destination for grown-ups. Key West has more bars per capita than any other town in America, and the shenanigans that happen on Duval Street after dark are the stuff of bar crawling legends.
Key West is no doubt a great place for adult getaways, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t a good place to visit with your family too. Water sports, boating, fishing, and lots of history are waiting for you at this quirky little island at the end of the world.

Here are fifteen of the best things to do in Key West for families visiting this quirky little island at the end of the world.

Mallory Square at Sunset

The Mallory Square Sunset Celebration is one of Key West’s favorite traditions. Every night before sunset a crowd gathers at Mallory Square to cheer the sunset among a festive crowd of colorful characters. This nightly party has become world-famous and draws a big crowd of colorful characters. Come out in the early evening and give yourself plenty of time to grab a drink, something to eat, and check out the street performers, magicians, fortune tellers, local musicians, artists, and food vendors who make this a one-of-kind experience. The Mallory Square Sunset Celebration might just be the one “can’t miss” quintessential Key West experience.

Southernmost Point

Yeah, visiting the Southernmost Point marker in Key West is cliche and touristy, but it’s also one of those things that you kind of need to see when your here. The famous marker is located at the corner of Whitehead Street and South Street. That’s just over a half of a mile or so from the downtown area where all the bars are and most of the tourists hang out. Just a couple of things to know though. The Southernmost Point marker is actually a pretty busy photo spot where long lines of people will gather to have their picture taken there for their Instagram feed. So your expectation might not match reality.

Also, it’s not the “real” southernmost point. Wait, what? All of those tourists are being duped? Yeah, kind of. The real southernmost point of Key West sits on the end of a little point called Whitehead Spit that’s about 900 feet further south, and about a half-mile from that marker that all the tourists are flocking to. It’s right at about 24.544324, -81.804972. The problem is that Whitehead Spit is on U.S. Navy property, so it isn’t accessible to the public. Ok, so that must mean that that the marker is the southernmost point that people can go stand at, right? Sorry, but still nope. The southernmost point that’s still accessible to civilians is a pile of rocks on the beach at Fort Zachary Taylor Historic State Park at 24°32’42.2″N 81°48’34.5″W. There’s no marker and it’s kind of a Key West secret, but this point on the beach is actually about 500 feet farther south than the marker.
I suppose the famous marker might be there to mark Key West in general as the southernmost point? Or just a spot that’s easier to reach and put up a tourist attraction than a spot on the beach. Either way, the southernmost point will always be one of those things to do in Key West for families just because it’s that must-have photo op to share with your friends. They don’t really need to know it’s not the real southernmost point, do they?

Price: Free

Located at the corner of Whitehead Street and South Street

Key West Butterfly & Nature Conservancy

Right around the corner and a short walk from the Southernmost Point marker, you’ll find the Key West Butterfly & Nature Conservancy. This popular attraction is always a hit with butterfly and bird lovers who come here to walk among the hundreds of fluttering butterflies and birds that make this place their home. The experience begins with a 15-minute film that describes the interesting life cycle and some facts about butterflies to get you ready for the rest of the conservancy. The Learning Center will teach you and your family all about the world of butterflies, including a chance to see live caterpillars feeding and getting ready to go through their metamorphosis.

After you’ve seen the Learning Center, take a casual stroll through the glass-enclosed, air-conditioned habitat to see the collection of tropical plants and tropical birds like flamingos and parrots, among a lush setting of trees and waterfalls. The Key West Butterfly & Nature Conservancy was given a TripAdvisor “Travelers Choice” award in 2020, making it one of the best things to do in Key West for families.

Price: $15 for adults, $11 for kids 4-12, kids under 3 are free

1316 Duval St
Key West, FL
https://www.keywestbutterfly.com

Fort Zachary Taylor Historic State Park

Come visit Florida’s southernmost state park and take a tour of Civil War era fortress that offers a unique glimpse into Florida’s early history. Here you can explore the grounds of the fort, see the cannons that once defended it, and learn about the fort’s construction. From the top of the fort, you’ll get a spectacular view of the Gulf of Mexico and the world-famous sunset. The park is also available for private parties, weddings, and stuff like that.

The fort may be the big draw, but coming here also gets you access to what’s probably the best beach in Key West. This is a great place to make a day out of and is a pretty great two-fer attraction at a really affordable price. We love cheap stuff that the entire family can enjoy in Key West. The beach that’s just south of the fort is also technically further south than that “Southernmost Point” buoy, so a trip here gives you some bragging rights over those other people who didn’t bother to explore Key West beyond Duval Street.

Price: $ 4.50 for a one-person vehicle. $7 for two people. .50 cents for each additional person

601 Howard England Way
Key West, FL
http://www.fortzacharytaylor.com/

Key West Lighthouse

Everybody loves a lighthouse, and Key West’s is right smack dab in the middle of town, giving those who climb to the top a spectacular 360-degree view of the entire island. Opening back in 1848, the Key West Lighthouse is over 170 years old! It’s 88 steps to the top, where you can see over 15 miles out to sea. The view up here is especially breathtaking at sunset.

The Lighthouse is under the care of the Key West Art & Historical Society whose mission is to preserve Key West’s unique history and culture. They also offer a chance to visit a Fort East Martello, the Custom House, and the Tennesse Williams house.

Price: $17 for adults, $8 for kids to 18, military and under 7 are free. Admission includes the lighthouse museum and keeper’s quarters. It’s a little cheaper too if you buy your tickets online.

38 Whitehead St
Key West, FL
https://www.kwahs.org/

Ernest Hemingway Home & Museum

One of America’s most legendary writers, Earnest Hemingway famously lived in Key West for over ten years. His home has since become one of the most visited attractions on the island and a must-see for many literary fans who make a visit here a pilgrimage. Today you can take a guided tour of the home, learn some history about Hemingway’s time here, and see the famous six-toed cats. There are over forty of the famous felines roaming the property that are all descendants of Hemingway’s original cat, Snow White.

Price: $16 for adults, $6 for kids 6-12yo. Children under 5 are free.

907 Whitehead Street
Key West, FL
https://www.hemingwayhome.com

Key West Beaches

Despite it being a tropical island out in the Gulf of Mexico, Key West isn’t really the beach town you might think it is. The geology of the Florida Keys isn’t really favorable to forming a natural beach. The Keys are mostly exposed coral, mangrove sandbars, and islands of exposed limestone, so the beaches on Key West are mostly manmade and need to be replenished occasionally The beaches of Key West might not rank among the best in Florida, but that doesn’t mean you can’t find a nice stretch of sunny sand to enjoy.

Most of the beaches in Key West are on the southern shore of the island. That’s where you’ll find Rest Beach, Higgs Beach, Smathers Beach, and Fort Zachary Taylor State Park Beach. The latter is actually further south than the Southernmost Point buoy. Most beaches are free too making it one of the more affordable things to do in Key West for families. Grab lunch, maybe a fishing rod, and enjoy the sun!

Price: Free

Key West Aquarium

The Key West Aquarium is right in Mallory Square so it’s a perfect location right in the middle of all the action where you’ll probably be anyway. The Key West Aquarium is a place to see and learn about all the underwater residents of the Florida Keys like sharks, jellyfish, stingrays, moray eels, and a huge variety of tropical fish. And since it’s still Florida, there are even a few alligators and other reptiles here. Your kids will love the hands-on, interactive exhibits like the touch tanks and animal feedings.

The Key West Aquarium isn’t very big, and a lot of online reviews say that it’s kind of expensive for what you get. Some of the other public aquariums that you might have visited are a lot bigger and a lot newer, but there’s a bit of history here since it’s one of the oldest public aquariums in Florida. It was originally constructed as the world’s first open-air aquarium. It’s pretty small, but it’s still usually a hit with animal-loving kids. It’s one of the most kid-friendly things to do in Key West for families.

Price: $17 for 12 and up, $11 for kids 4 to 11, and under 4 are free. Tickets are a little bit cheaper if your order ahead online.

1 Whitehead St
Key West, FL
https://www.keywestaquarium.com

Florida Keys Eco-Discovery Center

This free attraction is another one of our favorite things to do in Key West for families. Come and explore over 6,000 square feet of interactive exhibits that will teach you and your family all about the unique ecosystem of the Florida Keys. You’ll learn about the plants, animals, and geology that make the Keys so special. This discovery center also has a 2,500-gallon coral reef aquarium, and a mock-up of Aquarius, the world’s only undersea laboratory for you to explore.

The Florida Keys Eco-Discovery Center is jointly operated by the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, NOAA, the South Florida Water Management District, Everglades and Dry Tortugas National Parks, and the National Wildlife Refuges of the Florida Keys. It’s a legit science center and free to visit! Donations are encouraged to help support their mission, or you can always help out by picking something up at the gift shop.

If you’re visiting with smaller kids, you might want to stop and cool off at Truman Waterfront Park just across the street. It’s a free splash park that smaller kids will love that’s also right next to the USCGC Ingham Maritime Museum.

Price: Free!

35 East Quay Road
Key West, FL
https://floridakeys.noaa.gov/eco_discovery.html

Key West Conch Tour Train

The World Famous Conch Tour Train is another one of those classic little Key West attractions that has been doing its thing for decades. This train tour has been giving sightseeing tours of Key West since 1958 and is still one of the most popular things to do in Key West. Tours are 75 minutes long and will take you on one big loop around Old Town Key West to over 100 points of interest and famous sights like the Hemingway House, the Lighthouse, and the Southernmost Point.

The tour begins and ends at Mallory Square, but it’s a “Hop On/Hop Off” tour with three stops along the way. You can get out, explore the area, and then hop back on the next train to continue the tour. Admission gets you full use of the train for one 24 hour period, and also includes admission to the Sails to Rails Museum, a new museum dedicated to the colorful history of Key West.

Price: $47.45 for adults, $21.13 for kids 4 to 12, and under 4 are free.
Don’t pay full price though. Deals are available online!

The main pick-up/drop-off is near Mallory Square, with stops around town.
https://www.conchtourtrain.com

Edward B. Knight Pier

Formerly known as the White Street Pier, this long concrete pier juts out over 950 feet into the Atlantic Ocean from Key West’s southern shoreline. It’s a great place to watch the sunrise if you’re a morning person, and still a great place to sit back and look at the ocean any other time of day. From here you can often see dolphins, lots of fish under the pier, and the occasional manatee if you’re lucky. This bicycle and the dog-friendly pier is a great place to do some fishing too for shorebound anglers. The pier was renamed in 2016 in honor of Edward B. Knight, a pillar of the Key West community since the 1950s. Locals might still call this pier the White Street Pier, so don’t be confused if you hear people refer to it like that.

Price: Free
At the southern end of White St, Key West, FL

The Key West Shell Warehouse

The Key West Shell Warehouse is a gift shop near Mallory Square with one of the biggest selections of seashells, sharks teeth, gator heads, fossils, and coral you’ll find just about anywhere. It’s a very “Key Westy” kind of experience to pop in here while exploring the town to browse through all the unique stuff and maybe take home a unique souvenir that’s not another t-shirt or shot glass.
But of course, they still have those if that’s what you’re into. This place has seashells galore, but they also have lots of nautical-themed decorative items, local artwork, jewelry, and Key West Christmas ornaments. This is a pretty cool store to visit and take everything in while you’re around Mallory Square.

Price: It’s basically just a gift shop, so it’s free to come in and browse.

400 Wall St
Key West, FL

Key West Shipwreck Treasure Museum

The Key West Shipwreck Treasure Museum will transport you and your family back to 1856 Key West, “The Era of Wreckers,” when wrecking was a major industry in the Florida Keys. Wrecking is basically the practice of going out and salvaging any valuables and cargo that can be found in a nearby shipwreck, and business was booming in the 19th century! Key West’s nearby reefs and shoals, combined with being near a busy shipping route made these some of the most profitable waters in the world for wreckers. Wrecking was so profitable that Key West was once the richest city per capita in the United States. It could even be said that it was the industry that this town was founded on. Eventually, a series of lighthouses would be built in the Keys and that slowly put an end to this industry.

Today you can learn all about Key West’s shipwrecking history at this fun and kid-friendly museum. The museum combines live actors, films, displays, interactive exhibits, and even has a 65-foot observation tower you can climb. This museum has been awarded a TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence, making it one of the best, and most unique, things to do in Key West for families.

Price: $16 for adults, $10 for kids 4 to 12, under 4 are free

1 Whitehead St, Key West, FL 
https://www.keywestshipwreck.com

Key West Snorkeling Trips

The Florida Reef that runs along the Florida Keys is the only living coral barrier reef in the United States, and is the third-largest coral barrier reef system in the world! These reefs attract scuba divers to Key West from all around the globe, and it would be a bummer to come down here and not experience this natural wonder. If you’re here with your family, it might not be feasible to take everybody scuba diving since you all need to be certified, and you might have smaller kids. But you can still get out there after strapping on some fins and mask for a great family adventure.

There are a bunch of Key West snorkeling trip providers on the island that will take you by boat to some of the best spots. Many of these combine snorkeling with sightseeing and dolphin watching. Snorkeling (or scuba if you can) is probably our number one “must do” thing here that doesn’t involve watching the sunset at Mallory Square while surrounded by fire-eating jugglers. Snorkeling down here is one of our favorite things to do in Key West for families because it’s easy to learn, lots of fun, and your kids will love it. This will be one of those highlights of the trip they’ll keep talking about for a long time.

Price: Varies depending on what’s all included but prices tend to start at around $45 per person and go up from there.

Key West Mangrove Kayak Eco Tour

Watersports are always going to be one of the things to do in Key West for families, and kayaking gives you and your family a great way to spend a relaxing but adventurous day on the water. There are a lot of different kayak outfitters and rental places on the island if you want to go at your own pace, but a guided eco-tour is a great way to get connected to the Keys. These tours usually last about two hours and will take you into the mangrove forests for a little bit of backcountry paddling surrounded by natural beauty. The tours are led by experienced nature guides, and they even plan the route so that you’re always paddling downwind. This is a great way to get introduced to kayaking for first-timers too.

Price: $65 per adult, and $50 for kids 12 and under

Geiger Key Marina at the very east end of Geiger Key (the island just to the east of Key West)
https://keywestecotours.com

Have you been to Key West and have one of your own recommendation of things to do in Key West for families? Let us know in the comments! We want to hear about them!