I finally made it to Key West, Florida! I visited the Florida Keys back in summer 2016 and again in summer 2019. Both times, I didn’t make it as far as Key West, the last key in the coral cay archipelago off Southern Florida.
But on a long weekend in late September, Ivana and I made the drive there at the perfect time of day. We avoided all the traffic and spent 3 nights and 3 days exploring the area mainly by bicycle!
From planning the right snorkel trip to booking our accommodation near happening Duval Street, these are my recommendations for having the best time in Key West!
What Is The Best Time To Drive to Key West
Driving to Key West after 8pm at night is less scenic but also less traffic!
Since moving to Miami, I have grown accustomed to what people here mean when they say, "Rush hour is from now until forever." The traffic situation here really is a beast and if you think you're going to tame it—just go home.
At least I now know how to manage the Florida Keys driving time. The best times to drive to Key West are late at night (after 8pm), early in the morning (before 8am), or ideally on a weekday.
Ivana and I departed for Key West at around 8pm on a Saturday night in late September. The ride there was dark—there was no seeing the famous views crossing from island to island. We had to save that for the way back.
We planned to spend 3 nights and 3 days in Key West. Our return trip had us driving on Tuesday in the early afternoon well before evening traffic hit the Miami area. This way we still got to drive the keys by daylight but at a time when most people were not driving North.
These times are not the most common or convenient times. But if you have the flexible schedule or ability to plan it this way—do it! We did and it saved us time and stress and was a gift to having more fun time in the sun!
How To Easily Get Around Key West
You might think I am about to recommend having a car for Key West. On the contrary! My trusty old car stayed parked in complimentary hotel parking during our entire stay!
Some people also recommend renting motorbikes to get around Key West. While this may be fun, it is definitely a more expensive (and I feel more dangerous) option.
Two motorbikes, or "scooters," would have cost us nearly $200 for 2 days. Instead, Ivana and I rented bicycles! We rented 2 bicycles for 2 days from Sunshine Scooters and paid only $36 total!
We had an awesome time getting around Key West by bicycle. We cut the time it takes to walk everywhere down, we were cooled off by the breezy ride everywhere, and we felt like we could go anywhere with our bicycles—even places motorbikes couldn't (like off-road!).
I cannot say enough how perfect bicycles were for our style of exploration!
How (Not) To Snorkel Key West
Not everything worked out as perfectly as our bicycles did.
When in Key West, snorkeling is the thing to do! All of the good snorkeling requires taking a boat out to the reef. So we booked a tour with Fury Water Adventures in advance through Groupon. It cost about $48 per person for an afternoon snorkel.
Unfortunately, the seas were rough that entire weekend. They actually canceled tours the day before and warned through email that it wasn't going to be good on the day we chose.
But we only had the one day to make it happen and we were determined.
The seas were rough getting out to our mooring. Hopping into the water was easy enough but the surface was very turbulent. There were waves crashing all around us, heaving us this way and that.
The reef was visible and clearly would have been active and vibrant on a calm, sunny day. But under these conditions it was not worth it. It was so rough that the ocean bottom and waves were churning up particles that made it even harder to see the reef.
It was incredibly difficult getting back up the huge ladder onto the boat. I'm a great swimmer, very experienced snorkeler and boater, and I had a hard time!
On top of it all, the turbulent seas both on the boat and in the water made Ivana and I feel a bit seasick on the way back! I felt seasick only once before—on the way our to the Great Barrier Reef on very rough Australian waters. It's not a comfortable feeling at all. Ivana and I made the best of it by drinking lots of water, sprawling out, and watching the horizon on the way back.
The point of this story is: Don't go when there's bad weather – it's not worth it!
I will one day return to Key West to try snorkeling again.
Where To Stay In Key West
Ivana and I booked our trip only a couple of weeks before going. So we were limited to only a handful of low-cost options. Nevertheless, we managed to find a place that fit our budget and was situated at the center of all the action on Duval St.
Duval St. is the main strip of bars, restaurants, galleries, and more in Key West. There is tons to see and do, especially for nightlife, if your accommodations are located on or near Duval St.
We stayed at Pegasus International Hotel for about $160 per night. We found it fit our needs perfectly—a comfortable bed and room with en suite bathroom, continental breakfast each morning, and common pool and lounge area overlooking Duval St.
There was nothing particularly noteworthy about this place except that the location fit our needs perfectly. We had access to everything steps away or a short bicycle ride away.
Ivana and I missed the opportunity to stay at Alexander's House—a specifically LGBTQ, upscale guesthouse. They were already booked by the time we looked. I would consider it in the future, except it's 8 blocks away from Duval Street. That's farther than I would recommend after the great experience we had at Pegasus!
What Beach Is Best in Key West
Ivana and I rode our bikes 5 minutes over to Fort Zachary Park beach one day. The was the closest beach and also the most highly recommended to get away from major crowds.
We claimed a picnic table and lied out on the sand in front of it.
We also found a bit of marine life surrounding a big rock formation a short swim out from the beach. The water wasn't super clear at this beach but, in the sunlight, we could observe some nice reef fish around the rock.
The park costs $2.50 per person to enter by bicycle or walking ($7 for 2 people in a vehicle). The cost was very little and was very worth the experience! You only have to pay once and you can come and go all day.
So we actually left and then came back that evening for sunset.
Where To Go For Sunset in Key West
Ivana and I found some food and brought it to Fort Zachary Park. We had a little picnic and watched as the sun set with not too many other people around. We watched boats go by here and slapped the occasional mosquito off our arms.
It was the perfect spot to watch the sunset. But we also found out the park closes at sunset. A ranger in a golf cart pulled up promptly to let us know we had to leave.
He was pretty adamant about picking up quickly and going so we followed other people there and left.
Instead of heading directly back to our hotel, we stopped at another great vantage point for watching the sunset. Next to Truman Waterfront Park is the USCGC Ingham Maritime Museum.
Right next to here, we had a great view of a beautiful pink and purple ending to the sunset we just saw at Fort Zachary.
After this we had fun riding our bicycles around the "Splash Pad" there in the park.
Another great spot to see the sunset is from the popular Mallory Square.
This is where a lot of the tours and charter boats and cruise ships depart. So it's where you will find most tourists go to see the sunset. This is why it's last on my list of suggestions. Luckily (or unluckily?), we got rained on for a bit which helped clear out some of the crowds!
In Conclusion
Ivana and I enjoyed our time in Key West and didn't break the bank doing so. With a little bit of planning ahead at the last minute, we cultivated a really delightful, low-cost experience.
The key to our Key West stay was booking accommodation near Duval street and renting bicycles to get around! But I want to return to try snorkeling when the weather is better.
Next time, I will discuss the quirky and queer cultural side of Key West! Check back in 2 weeks for Key West's drag shows, sexy desserts, and more!
