Key West
Key West treats sunset as a civic event: Mallory Square fills nightly with jugglers, conch-shell hornists and a crowd that applauds when the sun hits the Gulf of Mexico.
- Best forCouples · Road-trippers · Nightlife
- In October28°C · 15 rainy days
- Ideal stay2-3 nights
- Approx. flying time~5h from Los Angeles
- CurrencyUSDUS dollar
- LanguageEnglish
- Local time05:245h behind the UK
- PlugsType A / BBring an adapter
- Drive on theRightOpposite to the UK
- Dialling code+1
Why go
The last of the Florida Keys is a small, low, tropical island of clapboard houses, tin roofs and shaded verandas, closer to Havana than to Miami and rather pleased about it. Duval Street runs the length of it with bars, drag shows and t-shirt shops. One street back, the Old Town is quiet and green, full of cats, wooden shutters and gardens gone happily feral.
Two or three nights covers it, usually at the end of the drive down the Overseas Highway from Miami, which is half the appeal. Sunset organises the evening and the water organises the day, whether that is snorkelling on the reef, fishing or kayaking the mangroves. Hurricane season runs June to November, and winter is the busy, expensive, reliably fine stretch. Anyone hoping for broad sandy beaches will be disappointed.
- Ideal stay
- 2-3 nights
- The vibe
- Sunburnt, boozy, cheerfully eccentric
From our guides
It's the least private proposal spot on this list and easily the most fun. For a quieter angle, book the sunset sail on a schooner out of the historic seaport — champagne included, tightrope walkers optional. March and April bring the clearest skies of the year.
Featured in Ten dreamy sunset spots made for a proposal
Things to do
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Mallory Square sunset
The nightly celebration of the sun going down, with street performers, food carts and applause at the end. Arrive an hour ahead for a spot at the railing.
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The Overseas Highway
The drive down from the mainland crosses dozens of bridges, including the Seven Mile Bridge, with open water on both sides for most of the way.
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Hemingway Home
The writer's Spanish colonial house and garden, still occupied by dozens of six-toed cats descended from the ones he kept.
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Dry Tortugas National Park
A ferry or seaplane runs about 110 kilometres west to an enormous nineteenth-century brick fort ringed by clear water and easy snorkelling. A long day, worth it.
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Key lime pie
The local dessert is everywhere and varies wildly in quality. The proper version is pale yellow on a crumb crust, never green.
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Fort Zachary Taylor beach
The island's main swimming beach sits inside a state park at the southwestern tip, with shade, snorkelling off the rocks and a clear view west.
Getting there
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Fly to
Key West (EYW)
The airport is on the doorstep.
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Then
To Key West
Key West International (EYW) sits on the island itself, about ten minutes by taxi from Old Town. Many visitors instead drive down the Overseas Highway from Miami, a scenic three and a half to four hours.
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On the ground
Getting around
Old Town is small and flat, so walking and cycling cover almost everything; a bicycle or scooter is the local default and a shuttle bus loops the island.
Public transport: A local bus circles the island and links the Keys, and within Old Town you rarely need any transport at all.
Flights
Los Angeles Key West, Florida, USA
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Roughly 5h in the air from Los Angeles (LAX), estimated from the distance — check for a direct route. Pick a month to see every available flight with live prices.
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Flight times are estimates; prices open on Google Flights.
When to go
Daytime highs run from about 23°C in January to 30°C in August. Driest in February and March; wettest in September, with rain on about 17 days.
The year at a glance — pick a month for detail
October28° · rain 15 daysWarm and often wet.
Monthly figures averaged from daily records for 2020–2024 at this location (ERA5 reanalysis). Highlighted months are warm and mostly dry — January to April. Live conditions from MET Norway, CC BY 4.0.
Where to stay
Restored conch-house guesthouses, small boutique inns and adults-only bed and breakfasts in Old Town, with the chain hotels and resorts pushed out to New Town.
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Best base overall
Old Town
The historic grid of clapboard houses between Duval Street and the seaport, where everything worth seeing is walkable and you can leave the car parked. Expect noise drifting from Duval most nights.
Find stays in Old Town -
Best for couples
Truman Annex
A gated former naval district at the island's western tip, all shaded lanes and white porches, a two-minute walk from Mallory Square yet oddly silent. Mostly holiday rentals rather than hotels.
Find stays in Truman Annex -
Best for nightlife
Duval Street, north end
Bars, live music and the sunset crowd are all within staggering distance, which is precisely the point. Rooms above the strip are loud until the small hours, so pack earplugs.
Find stays in Duval Street, north end -
Best value
New Town and North Roosevelt Boulevard
Chain hotels along the highway strip near the airport cost far less than anything in Old Town. You will need the bus, a bike or a car to reach the interesting half of the island.
Find stays in New Town and North Roosevelt Boulevard
Worth knowing before you book: Prices spike hard for Fantasy Fest in late October, the winter high season and lobster mini-season, with minimum stays over holidays. Book several months ahead for March and April.
Search everything else in Key West by budget. These are indicative budget bands in GBP per night for two people, not live quotes or guarantees of hotel type. Check your dates, guests, taxes and final price on Booking.com.
Good to know
- Getting there
- It is about four hours' drive from Miami on a single road, and there is a small airport. Traffic on the Keys is slow with no alternative route.
- Timing
- December to April is dry and busy. Hurricane season runs June to November, and late summer is hot and heavily humid.
- Parking
- Old Town parking is scarce and expensive. If you drive down, leave the car at your accommodation and walk or cycle.
- Sun and sea
- The sun is fierce and the reef is fragile. Use mineral sunscreen and never stand on coral.
- Book ahead
- Rooms are limited on a small island and prices climb hard in winter and around events. Book months in advance for high season.
Further afield
Havana
Cuba · 168km away →
Miami
Florida, USA · 211km away →
Universal Orlando
Florida, USA · 434km away →
Volcano Bay
Orlando, USA · 436km away →
Cancún & Tulum
Mexico · 638km away →
Cozumel
Mexico · 697km away →Elsewhere in the USA
Related articles
Quick answers
When is the best time to visit Key West?
For warm, mostly dry days, January to April. That means highs of 20–34°C with rain on six days a month or fewer. Daytime highs run from about 23°C in January to 30°C in August. Driest in February and March; wettest in September, with rain on about 17 days.
How long should I spend in Key West?
Our suggestion: 2-3 nights.
How do I get to Key West?
Key West International (EYW) sits on the island itself, about ten minutes by taxi from Old Town. Many visitors instead drive down the Overseas Highway from Miami, a scenic three and a half to four hours.
Do I need a car in Key West?
No. A local bus circles the island and links the Keys, and within Old Town you rarely need any transport at all.
What currency and language are used in Key West?
Currency: US dollar (USD). Language: English. Plugs: type A and B.
Who is Key West best for?
Best for couples, road-trippers and nightlife. In a phrase: sunburnt, boozy, cheerfully eccentric.