Anyone have experience in Key West with young children?

[AandBmom]

I'm interested in the following sites for our children (ages 4 and 6). What is my best (and most economical) mode of transportation? Is this easily walkable? Which ones of these sites would you say are more interesting for children? Any idea of cost for each thing? I will look at each of their websites, but if anyone can give me an idea that would be great. Thanks.

 

- wrecker's museum and tower

- Aquarium

- small cemetary just next to El Meson de Pepe on Front Street

- Lighthouse and museum on the right side of Whitehead with great views of Key West from the top

- Butterfly Conservatory

- icecream at Flamingo Crosssing

-Nancy's SecretGarden just off Simonton

- new toy store in the clinton square mall

- Eco-DiscoveryMuseum

- fortZacharyTaylorSatePark

- The PirateSoulMuseum

[imsulin]

I can only tell you about Ft. Zachary Taylor State Park, as I spent the day there on a HAL cruise. I took a taxi. It is a beach area with a snack bar/restrooms (clean), and there is an admission fee, as it is a State Park. I think it was a few dollars, but I was by myself. The "beach" is very hard and rocky compacted sand, and it is difficult to walk on it bare-footed. The water is VERY ROCKY and gets deep quickly...no sandy shallow areas. There are also large rocky outcroppings. I saw a few older kids in the water, but it is extremely difficult to even walk in the water. There are LARGE rocks in the water - not little pebbles. I basically rented a beach chair and read a book. I hadn't brought my aqua shoes, so only dipped in a couple of times to cool off. It's not a beach for little kids, IMO, if they're looking for soft sand and easy water. I think they'd enjoy the Conch Train. Enjoy your cruise!

[Mack2]

I would have loved to do Key West without the kids one day... but the only times I've ever gotten there on a cruise was when we cruised Disney... and the kids were toddlers.

 

Basically, we did the Butterfly Conservatory.

It was before EVERY zoo, park, and Caribbean Island in this hemisphere had one, and it was pretty neat.

 

Today, there's a butterfly thing in New York at the Bronx Zoo, the American Museum of Natural History had one last summer. You can find one in Grand Cayman, St. Maarten, Aruba, and Key West.

 

I remember the Butterfly Conservatory being GREAT for the kids, though... and it's very well done in comparison to other Butterfly Farms we've been to.

[kasil]

A few years ago, my kids and I took a RCI excursion that picked us up at the pier, drove us, in an air conditioned bus, to the butterfly place and then dropped us at the aqurium at the end. I don't remember the cost, but it wasn't much more than separate admission to the two places, and the air conditioning was wonderful and the kids didn't get tired out walking in the heat that they weren't used to. (We're from Michigan; it doesn't get that hot here :rolleyes:) The guide pointed out places of interrest on both parts of the trip. The butterfly place also had a few poison dart frogs (the really bright colored ones) and a short film about the lifecycle of the butterfly. My kids were a little older than yours, but they enjoyed it. I have pictures of the kids with butterflies sitting on their heads and shoulders. You do have to walk through a gift shop to get out, but the staff was very nice and didn't push us to buy anything. The aquarium is small but they have horseshoe crabs and baby nurse sharks that they let people hold. It's nothing compared to the aquaruims in Chicago and Boston, but it made for a great ending to the excursion. After the aquarium, we got key limaide and walked back to the ship.

[HdGDanceMom]

We haved stopped at Key West on several occasions while aboard the Disney Cruise. I can't remember prices off-hand, but its not worth signing up for the tours. This is coming from someone who ALWAYS books the tours from the ships. You don't need to excessively worry about the "gay" surroundings, if you stick to Mallory Square.

 

Get off in Mallory Square, there is a cute little (very little) "mall". Right there is the Wreckers Museum, which they really do a nice job in telling the tale. Immediately across the street is the Aquarium. If you have been to any of the real "Aquariums" such as Baltimore, Atlanta, etc, then this one will greatly disappoint you, but the kids will love it. You can head down the one street, and not come across any of the Nude/Lude/Crude shops and bars. Take the trolley around (I think a PP stated this) and its a really nice tour of the island, including the "Most Southern Point" of the US, etc. Also passes the butterfly museum, and chicken rehab place.

 

Really not a stop for a beach trip. If you are looking for water/sun time, best to stay on the ship by the pool.

 

Hope you have a great time!

[rjm11]

"You don't need to excessively worry about the "gay" surroundings"... I have no idea what this means....

 

BUT- I have been to Key West several times with my kids (ages 4 and 2) and they loved both the butterfly conservatory and the aquarium. The butterfly conservatory is a little ways down... you can walk it in nice weather, or take the conch train... I believe it's hop on/ hop off but I might be wrong. My kids loved this... there are tons of butterflies of course, and also interesting birds, turtles, and frogs. Plus all the flowers... the whole setting is very nice. You can go through as many times as you like. Word of caution about the gift shop though.... as another poster mentioned, you have to walk through it to get out, and it's very tightly packed with VERY breakable things.

 

The aquarium is right by the dock... as mentioned already it's not a full scale aquarium like you'd find in a large city, but is very kid friendly with a large touch tank and open air exhibits. There is an area representing the everglades too with a couple alligators. My kids loved it... a good size for younger kids like yours.

 

Key West has several restaurants close to the cruise docks... lots of places to sit and grab a drink or snack, ice cream, etc.... all in all a very fun place for the whole family. I have never thought it to be seedy in any way (during the day anyway).

 

Enjoy!

[imsulin]

Gay surroundings? Well, everyone was in a pretty good mood. Nude/Lude/Crude? I didn't notice anything that was nude, LEWD, or crude when I was there. Definitely nothing "lude". I went to the Ft. Zachary State Park after I visited the Mel Fisher Museum. (Now, that's really interesting!) I could only afford the price of admission, while drooling over dubloons and emerald necklaces. Great history!

[AandBmom]

I'm not sure what "gay surroundings" means either. Gay as in lame or gay as in homosexual???? Either way we're Canadian, we're pretty much open to anything. As for walking past nudity, etc. we can use it as a teachable moment with our children if need be. Heck we've been to Vegas!

[Mack2]

If you've never been to a Butterfly farm... the Butterfly conservatory may be one of the best chances to catch a photo like this:

(I knew I had a photo online somewhere, this is in Grand Cayman... the Butterfly Conservatory is in a huge hurricane resistant greenhouse, it won't rain on you, and it's temperature controlled)

 

The conservatory also sells mounted butterflies in acrylic display cases.

Every time we've hit Key West (and Puerto Rico), we've gotten one of these displays as a souvenir... the butterfly art makes a nice collection on the wall near the piano.