Conch Tour vs Trolley Tour?

[iloveokw]

Which one would you recommend? And why? - 1st visit to Key West. Thanks.

[EricaLovesCats]

I have done the Conch Train many times with family and they were really nice, funny, and very informative. All the guides really know their KW knowledge. The tour lasted about 1.5 hours, with a 15 min pit stop at their "depot" which is a gift shop/icecream place. I liked the train because it is open air too, but I guess that wouldn't be good when it is raining!

 

The trolley is not open air, so weather would not factor there. I also see the trolley go out to the other side of the island (near Smathers Beach). The Conch train does not go out that far.

 

I think both are around the same price....

 

Like I said though, I only did the train and I thought it was great.

[Jeano222]

Does anyone know if the Conch train/Trolley stops at any of the key Lime places? I'd love to get a piece of Key Lime pie while there. Two of the places recommended to me were the Blonde Giraffe and the Key Lime Shop.

[EricaLovesCats]

I can only speak for the train, not trolley.

 

The train stops at their depot half-way through the tour. One block up and to the right (from the depot) is a Blond Giraffe.

 

Try the Key Lime pie on a stick. :p

[serene56]

is the train something we can get on and off like the trolley at various stops or do you have to wait and get off at the end.

[tinmanswife]

The trolley has numerous stops and you can get off, go stroll around, and pick up the next one that comes along. They seem to come by every 20-30 minutes. I think it's about $24/pp, but your basically getting a tour at your own pace. You're probably getting the same "tour" as the train, but you can get off and on at numerous places. We enjoyed it.

[mysticalblues]

Hi,

 

I wend on a family cruise a few years ago and honestly, if you are able, walking Key West was great. Our group ranged in age from 24 to 54. Pop in to Irish Kevins. It is a bar that opens to the street. Also try Sloppy Joes. It is also a bar, but also servers food. Both are very friendly places that have live entertainment all day.

[yuccaman]

It's the old "six of one, 1/2 dozen of the other"

[PJNJcruise5]

We were in Key West last week. It's hands down the trolley! You can get on and off at your pace. They give you a map which highlights things to see near the stops. Very informative and funny drivers. You aren't stuck in a tour for an hour if you see something you'd like to stop and take a closer look at. Also, the train didn't look as comfortable. we had nice seats and windows to raise or lower as you wanted.

[SheilaSailAway]

They are both great for different reasons, but if I had to pick...it would be the trolley.:)

[ashlyndalesmommy]

I would definitely do the tour that allows you to get on and off as many times as you wish. That way you control your activities. We had a blast!

[patrice1]

It's the old "six of one, 1/2 dozen of the other"

 

Not really. :rolleyes: The trolley lets you get on & off & explore different areas and get back on later. I would recommend that over the train. When I have guests, I always have them do this tour, the drivers give alot of history.

[Silvery Seas Cruiser]

We often do the Conch Train just for the history and to feel the breeze. We have never done the trolly but might sometime because of the benefit of getting on and off. Also that stop at the gift shop one must endure on the Conch Train is a bother.

 

I wish the Conch Train were more like the one called Red Train in St Augustine which DOES permit on and off stops. I also think one ticket is good for three days and they have a parking lot where you can park your car free, another thing the Key West trolley and Conch Train do not provide.

 

One last hint. Try to avoid the rear-most car of the Conch Train. It is harder to hear the conductor. Also he is talking baout sights you haven't reached yet and you may not know for sure what he is referring to. Also, I got sea sick on that last car one very, very hot August day. Try to sit in the cars nearest to the driver.

[serene56]

howeasy to get on the trolley-- i mean is it crowded and you gotta wait for the next one? will a lot of time be spent waiting for the trolley

[bhopal21]

You shouldn't have any problems since it is low season. I have seen lots of half occupied trolleys and trains lately.

 

Mike:)

[tinmanswife]

We were in Key West last week; no wait at all that I could see. In fact, saw a lot with just one or two waiting for more people. But our ship was the only one there that day and it was raining. There are more than one Trolley and they run continuously. Make sure you get on the Trolley if you want to get on and off, not the Train. Trolley stops at different stops and you just get the next one when you're ready. The train is a continuous tour.

[shark&minnow]

We were there a couple of weeks ago staying at the Double Tree. Our shuttle driver at the hotel drove a trolley for many years and he seemed to know all the train and trolley drivers. He said to take the trolley because of the temperature control. One day of our trip it was horribly hot and humid, another day it was pouring rain...so I guess you need to see how the weather is when you get there.

[snelsonbrown]

What do you really want to know about Key West? What to do, where to go, what to watch out for, are you in for the history of Caya Hueso (keys of bones) AKA Key West? Have you ever checked out the Key West Cemetery? They have tours and believe me very interesting for we had a great deal of "characters" that made Key West.

Were you aware that the Walgreens located on Duval Street was once one of our best movies theatre called the Strand who was always in completion with the Palace which is now San Carlos Museum? What is now Sunset Key started out as the dredging out the channels for ships, then it became Tank Island where the Navy had their supplies and then it became Sunset Key.

We had the Navy there until 1970 when they were moved out and the land sold to which it now has very expensive homes and town houses.

We have always had chickens since the 1800's. They were everywhere regardless of where you traveled in Key West. Blue Heaven had a very questionable background and nope you didn't venture close to it. Key West population were from all over. My hertiage with Key West started there in 1835 with one of grandfather coming from Denmark. His arrival was totally unexpected since he lost his parents when they were "cruising" and attacked by pirates. The main influx of folks were from the Bahamas and Cuba, but we had a great deal of Jewish, Chinese families that also came over about the same time. The history of Key West is extremely interesting. Our beaches have never been anything to brag about although when Smathers Beach opened and the locals only knew it as "the new beach", it had a pier that seemed to go forever, but when one of the late 1940's hurricane took part of it out, it was never replaced. The most popular beach during my parents growing up years was South Beach, but of course as any thing, it lost quite a bite of the property and the beach shrunk to half of what it use to be.

Roosevelt Blvd, at one time, had mangroves on one side and the Gulf on the other side and then on the South side it was all opened to the Atlantic ocean.

Yep it was a paradise once upon a time. Its a memory that we, as conchs, will hold on to for the rest of our lives and we are truly conchs and proud of it.

Thanks for allowing us to share our hometown with you.

Always

Shirley and Norm

2 ol' conchs

[techie23]

Hi,

My wife and I are going to Key West for the 1st time in mid-July. We are considering the conch train and the trolley tour, but we have read some things about the climate control and lack of being able to open the windows fully on the trolley tour. Can anyone please share with us whether the train or trolley has any air conditioning? How about the the windows? The circulation of air is important to us. We know it will be quite hot in July. We are just hoping to be as comfortable as possible.

Thanks!!

[bhopal21]

I don't know where that "temperature control" came from as there is no A/C on the trolley; and yes it is more confined and less breezy than the train.

 

Both are going to be hot in the summer; but you would get much more air circulation on the train.

 

Mike:)

[Mommy oooo]

are there more than one company for the trolley tours?

[bhopal21]

No the same company owns both the Old Town Trolley and the Conch Tour Train and the fare is the same for both.

 

Mike:)

[jeannejj]

Bhopal21, OT-tell me about your beautiful grey. I have 3..........Mandy (11 1/2), Mack (8) and Charlie (6)

 

Sorry to hijack the thread, but couldn't resist......:rolleyes:

[bhopal21]

Zydeco is a 4 year old male that we got through Southeastern Greyhound Adoption. He had a very short racing career; but is a real sweetheart. He is our second greyhound rescue, the first we had for 9 years.

 

Thanks for asking,

 

Mike:)

[laurierocs]

We just got back from KW on Tuesday. We did the trolley, reason being...we could get off the trolley at I believe at least 7 different stops. One stop we did the Hard Rock for souveneirs...one for shopping at Mallory Square...one for the butterfly farm and an ice cream cone. If you book online you can use that pass for one day within the next 30 days, and it's cheaper.