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Never been to key west...what should i do with my time there?!


CW502
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I am sailing to key west in September but have never been before. I was wondering what I should do while I'm there?

 

What do you like to do? Watersports? Tours? Bars? Food? Shopping? Give us just a little more info and we could better help.

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We were going to do some shopping (I'm going with my girlfriend so we can't skip the shopping) then maybe do some sight seeing.....we are big into history and nature

 

I recommend City View trolleys. They are hop on/off trolleys that provide a historical sightseeing tour. You can walk the shops at the stops and catch the next trolley. For quarky local shopping, hit up the Pelican Poop shop on Simonton St.

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Chill out at Sloppy Joe's and drink margaritas .. see http://www.sloppyjoes.com/ .. enjoy!

 

Chill out anywhere but Sloppy Joes. There are many better places to hang out than the town's biggest "tourist bar".

 

The suggestion for the trolley is good if you haven't been there, good way to see the old neighborhoods and homes and hear some history. Check out the old waterfront, maybe tour the Truman/Southern Whitehouse or Hemingway House. And the Pelican Poop Shop has some nice stuff!

Edited by bouhunter
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I agree with the hop on hop off tour - go have some lunch at Blue Heaven (dine outside, cool atmosphere-I hear it's the best Key Lime Pie, I was too full to try it) or Garbo's Grill (food truck, not fancy, but yummy! get the fish tacos!), and check out Kermit's Key West Key Lime Shoppe - there are samples of everything Key Lime there! If you like pepper jelly on cream cheese as a spread for crackers, try the Key Lime Raspberry Jalapeno Pepper Jelly - mmmmmmmmmm!!

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I second the recommendation for Kermit's. Here's my 5-star review -- http://www.yelp.com/biz/kermits-key-west-key-lime-shoppe-key-west-2#hrid:koQZSrGzxNmqyjo4eTHWpQ

 

Outside, across from Kermit's is a middle area of seating. It's kind of like a courtyard area. From there you'll see a bunch of little shops. One of them is called Key West Pretzel Company. Go there! Soooooo yummy! Ok, here's the review I did for that spot -- http://www.yelp.com/biz/key-west-pretzel-company-key-west-4#hrid:6Nl6s3jgrJA7dcBWaFQHvA

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I second the recommendation for Kermit's. Here's my 5-star review -- http://www.yelp.com/biz/kermits-key-west-key-lime-shoppe-key-west-2#hrid:koQZSrGzxNmqyjo4eTHWpQ

 

Outside, across from Kermit's is a middle area of seating. It's kind of like a courtyard area. From there you'll see a bunch of little shops. One of them is called Key West Pretzel Company. Go there! Soooooo yummy! Ok, here's the review I did for that spot -- http://www.yelp.com/biz/key-west-pretzel-company-key-west-4#hrid:6Nl6s3jgrJA7dcBWaFQHvA

 

If you like old cemeteries, check out the one in Key West -- http://keywest.com/cemetery.html

 

Two excellent suggestions, in my opinion. And from that little courtyard area she talked about, you'll see a very non-descript, plain white building in the corner, right at the water's edge. That is Jimmy Buffet's recording studio.

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Two excellent suggestions, in my opinion. And from that little courtyard area she talked about, you'll see a very non-descript, plain white building in the corner, right at the water's edge. That is Jimmy Buffet's recording studio.

Very cool! I did not know that, and will look for that next time we're in your beautiful neck of the woods!

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If you like history may I suggest the Truman Winter White House, the Hemingway House, The Mel Fisher Sunken Treasure Museum, the Audubon House (said to be haunted), the Ship Wreckers' Historeum, the Key West Light House and Light House Keeper's Cabin, the Key West Cemetery that includes burial places of U.S. sailors killed in the sinking of the Battleship Maine, and my favorite, the Civil War era fort at Fort Zachary Taylor State Park.

 

If you like that sort of thing, a Ghost and Haunted Houses tour might be fun. I haven't done that tour, but Hubby and my son did and thoroughly enjoyed it.

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If you like that sort of thing, a Ghost and Haunted Houses tour might be fun. I haven't done that tour, but Hubby and my son did and thoroughly enjoyed it.

I also recommend the Ghost Tour if the OP is there at night. I've done this tour and it's my all-time favorite. We loooooooooooooove ghost tours (but have yet to do the one in Savannah or Charleston). Most ships don't stay in port long enough in KW though to participate in a nighttime ghost tour, but I could be wrong about their sailing.

Edited by TravlGrl
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I also recommend the Ghost Tour if the OP is there at night. I've done this tour and it's my all-time favorite. We loooooooooooooove ghost tours (but have yet to do the one in Savannah or Charleston). Most ships don't stay in port long enough in KW though to participate in a nighttime ghost tour, but I could be wrong about their sailing.

 

I've heard stories about "Robert", so, I'm scared to go on the ghost tour at night myself!!

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I agree with the hop on hop off tour - go have some lunch at Blue Heaven (dine outside, cool atmosphere-I hear it's the best Key Lime Pie, I was too full to try it) or Garbo's Grill (food truck, not fancy, but yummy! get the fish tacos!), and check out Kermit's Key West Key Lime Shoppe - there are samples of everything Key Lime there! If you like pepper jelly on cream cheese as a spread for crackers, try the Key Lime Raspberry Jalapeno Pepper Jelly - mmmmmmmmmm!!

Blue Heaven gets my vote !!!

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  • 2 weeks later...

We love BG for Key Lime Pie..so much so we are trying to get it shipped up for 40th birthday party for a friend! Jimmy B was in Margaritaville when we were there...just hanging out.

We are going there via cruise in May but we are going to be in port from 7:30-1:30 is anything open that early? Last time I was there we were actually staying there. Two people in our group haven't been there so want to make sure they see/taste some good things!

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  • 4 years later...

I used the free Duval Loop bus to get around. From near Front Street, I explored the Truman Annex area, but didn't actually go into the Truman House. I then caught the Duval Loop bus, went around the whole loop once, then stayed on and got off at the Butterfly Conservatory - small but pretty good if you like that kind of thing (butterflies, some tiny birds, turtles, flamingos, plants). I felt it was reasonably priced, close to Duval Loop, and they give a senior discount if you qualify. Then I got back on the bus and went to the stop closest to the cemetery to find the "I told you I was sick" marker, etc. near the Jewish part of the cemetery. There was a box of maps inside the cemetery to guide me. Make sure you know where entrance is - can find cemetery pretty easily, but only one gate was open, at least when I went. Then I walked back (got lost, got unlost, walked quite a bit) to the cruise dock, passing some restaurants and stores, Mallory Square, etc.

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