Need ideas on what to do our first time in Key West??

[tooninsurance]

Thanks Peter for all the help and web sites. Hope you guys have fun on the scooters. Sounds like we all are going to have a great day in the keys.

[rabelgirls]

Thanks for the great ideas. I am taking my DD who will be 8 on her first cruise in September and we will be stopping in Key West. It has been 10 years since I last went to Key West, and it was also on a cruise and we bought a snorkle excursion through the ship and we didn't even dock at the right place for us to be able to snorkle where we were supposed to go snorkling. It was awful. We spent most of the day trying to find the beach where we were to be snorkling. I want to do something that I will remember. I love the trolley ride idea and seeing the light house. I don't remember the light house from my first trip.

Also, tell me more about the Kinos sandals. I have never heard of them.

[bhopal21]

Here are their products from the website:

 

http://www.kinosandals.com/sandals.html

 

Mike:)

[Cruise Girl Forever]

Thanks for the great ideas. I am taking my DD who will be 8 on her first cruise in September and we will be stopping in Key West. It has been 10 years since I last went to Key West, and it was also on a cruise and we bought a snorkle excursion through the ship and we didn't even dock at the right place for us to be able to snorkle where we were supposed to go snorkling. It was awful. We spent most of the day trying to find the beach where we were to be snorkling. I want to do something that I will remember. I love the trolley ride idea and seeing the light house. I don't remember the light house from my first trip.

 

Also, tell me more about the Kinos sandals. I have never heard of them.

 

Kino sandals are made on site out of leather. I had read alot about them on the boards which is why I stopped there. They do not have an arch

support, but are padded.. I was surprised that something that cost $10 could be so comfortable..There are several styles to choose from and each style comes in a variety of colors. They come in whole sizes. The ones I purchased were adjustable across the foot and at the ankle. I saw pocketbooks and other leather goods there, but had to head back to the ship so I did not check them out.

[loveysbydesign]

Can anyone recommend a cheap excursion at Key West for 1st timers with kids age 10, 6 and almost 2?? Or should we just walk around...and if so what should we do...we're there from 11:30-7:30 in the beginning of june.

[RandMcnally]

Thanks for the great information. What is the difference in the trolley tour and the conch train tour? Thanks.

 

The trolley and the train are very similar indeed and are owned by the same company. They BOTH offer a 90 minute tour if you choose not to step out anywhere. But the train stays just in the old town area where the trolley circles the entire island. Granted the trolley takes you past the shopping plazas on the way but the view of the ocean along South Roosevelt Blvd. (by the airport) is spectacular. Another thing to consider is weather. The train is completely open-air whereas the trolleys have either plastic windows that rolled down or real glass windows that roll up.

[peter_krynicki]

Can anyone recommend a cheap excursion at Key West for 1st timers with kids age 10, 6 and almost 2?? Or should we just walk around...and if so what should we do...we're there from 11:30-7:30 in the beginning of june.

 

The problem might be the 6 yo. I thinnk a 10 yo could walk for a while and you'll be carrying the almost 2 yo.

 

You can immeditaly walk to your right as you leave the ship and walk along a section of the harbor to see the sail boats and private motor cruisers there. As you come back walk off the docks and onto Front Street. Across the street from the Rooftop Cafe at 308 Front is a small square where you can look at postcards, small souvenirs, caps, etc, then walk through it to the Wreckers Museum, the sponge museum, etc. along there. If you continue along you come to Duval but to your left is the sunset pier at the Ocean Key Resort. You can walk out there to get a nice view of the harbor and any of the sailboats that might be going out for a snorkel or day sail. All of this would be about a mile and then you'd be on Duval.

 

Will you have lunch in Key West or maybe a dinner.

 

Pjk

[punky04]

How far is the southernmost point from the where the ships dock? Is it within walking distance? And, how about the lighthouse?

 

Thanks for your answers - first time visit to Key West.

[peter_krynicki]

How far is the southernmost point from the where the ships dock? Is it within walking distance? And, how about the lighthouse?

 

Thanks for your answers - first time visit to Key West.

 

You can walk off the docks and Mallory Square and across Front Street where Whitehead Street begins. The lighthouse and museum is across from Hemingway's House at 907 Whitehead, (approximatelt at Olivia Street) then the Southernmost Point is another seven blocks. Simonton, Duval, and Whitehead are all roughly 16 short blocks long and are listed as 1.25 miles. And the northern end of Duval is usually shady.

 

Pjk

[punky04]

You can walk off the docks and Mallory Square and across Front Street where Whitehead Street begins. The lighthouse and museum is across from Hemingway's House at 907 Whitehead, (approximatelt at Olivia Street) then the Southernmost Point is another seven blocks. Simonton, Duval, and Whitehead are all roughly 16 short blocks long and are listed as 1.25 miles. And the northern end of Duval is usually shady.

 

Pjk

 

Thank you so very much for your information.

[WarmWaters]

We enjoyed strolling through the natural sea sponge shop and the shell shop - just across from each other. Both were very enjoyable. Its close to the pier where our ship docked. And close to Mallory Square as well.

 

There are some beautiful old homes near the Truman buildings on your way from the ship to the most Southern point, a beautiful few streets in Key West.

 

The evening when we left Key West, we had some very good Key Lime pie at the buffet onboard RCL's Majesty of the Seas.

[peter_krynicki]

We enjoyed strolling through the natural sea sponge shop and the shell shop - just across from each other. Both were very enjoyable. Its close to the pier where our ship docked. And close to Mallory Square as well.

 

These shops and a few more are at the base of the tower of the Wrecker's Museum which is an easy landmark to spot. This is the museum from the veranda of the Rooftop Cafe (a nice place for breakfast) and the shops are just on the other side. This would be facing the docks.

 

 

And this small shopping area is just across the street, Front Street, from the rooftop cafe.

 

 

I usually buy a bunch of post cards here. And that was my table for a breakfast one year.

 

Pjk

[turtleherder]

Thanks for all the responses on what to see at Key West. We will be stopping there for one of our ports and look forward to using all of the helpfull insights of what to see.

[PamIam]

We stopped on a cruise a year ago...and loved it so much....we spent a week there last July. The Trolley Tour is nice for an orientation because you can hop on and off unlike the Conch train Tour (like for getting that photo of the Southernmost Point). Mallory Square is a must for sunset celebration and Sloppy Joes for a Rumrunner. The Hemingway House is really interesting to go through -even our 2 teens enjoyed it. If your there at night the haunted tours were fun....ask about Robby the Doll eerie:eek:. Fort Zach was nicer than Symrna sp Beach ...aqua blue water...but need water shoes. Syrmna was very seaweedy....piles washed up on shore. If you have time ...we love the daytrip to Fort Jefferson (nat'l park)....it's a civil war fort that had Dr. Mudd prisoner for treating John Wilkes Boothe. It has great snorkeling along the moat wall and on the way you pass where they are still dredging the wreck of the Atocha. It's on the Dry Tortugas and water is aqua blue there....it takes a few hours to get there. But don't go there if the seas are rough it could be miserable if your prone to seasickness.

Hope this helps. We fell in love with the quirkiness of Keywest...LOVE IT!

[emmaco]

Hi,

WE're going to key West next month and was wondering if any one was on the "Taste of Key West" that Carnival offers.

[Melann616]

I thnk we have decided to walk, and here is what we thought of doing. We dock at pier B, walk down Whitehead st so we can see what there is to see on the way to the Hemmingway house and the lighthouse, we won't be doing tours unless we decide on the lighthouse for the view. and then to the southernmost point. But we also want to go to a beach, I was thinking Fort Zach beach, how far is it from the southern most point? And then walk from there back up Duval. And we also want to hit Kinos sandals, whats the best route? Any other suggestions or ideas??:)

[jeffbrig]

You'll find that Whitehead St is a pretty quiet street, mostly residences/guesthouses, with a few restaurants sprinkled in. If you prefer to see the shops, bars, restaurants etc., stick to Duval instead.

 

Fort Zach will be NW of the southernmost point. Probably your best bet, as it's only a little out of your way heading back north. Your other option is higgs beach, ~6 blocks east from the S point.

[Melann616]

I think I had already talked myself into walking down Duval, I've seen on other posts that most shops don't open until 10:00 or so, is this true? We will be there at 7:30 so walking down Duval will give us a look and idea at what we want to stop at on the way back. What about South beach? I thought we could take a look at it first, I've heard it's small. But then if we choose we can go over to Fort Zach beach for a bit, before heading back up Duval.

 

What about lunch, I've read several posts. My mom isn't one to try new things, so I'm not sure where the best place would be. I've heard people talk about Blue Heaven but I kinda wanted something on Duval. What about Sloppy Joes?? What exactly is a Rum Runner?

[jeffbrig]

Yeah, 7:30 may a little early for everything to be open on Duval

 

I'm not sure what you're thinking of when you say south beach. There's a resort with a small beach right there at the end of Duval, but it's fenced, so I assume it's for guests only, not a public area.

 

A rum runner is a red (cherry? strawberry?, can't remember) frozen drink with rum.

[Melann616]

Thanks for the info. I was on another pos that was talkin about a beach they called south beach near the southernmost point. Zac beach sounds good to me.

 

Thanks again for all you're help!

[bhopal21]

South Beach is tiny and located at the end of Duval St. adjacent to the Southernmost House property.

 

Fort Zachary Taylor on the other hand is much nicer and larger.

 

Mike:)

[millineumwoman]

okay it is my daughters and mine first time in key west on this cruise and I have been putting together a little fun scavenger hunt for her and i of places to see in key west. would appreciate anything else but give me the aswers too. as we are walking around key west. oh and she is 20.

take pics with u and/or just the place/thing.

 

1. "I told you I was sick"

2. This Buoy is as far south as you can get in the states

3."Eden" has a beautiful "garden"

4. A sloppy burger was named after this place

5."at least I know where he is sleeping tonight"

6. "call me for dinner"

7. find the bound woman

8.sunny, little boy, little derry, elfina are man's best friend and such a deer.

9. eat one of these as this yummy thing is named after this city.

10.this shell has a fritter that a lot of visitors like

11. Robert is such a doll, try taking his pic and see what happens

12. This drink has a vill named after it. it is also by a famous buffet singer/writer.

13. What is a pirates soul? is it shiny and real?

14. at this square you will be at the endo of the rainbow.

15. Malory is such a square. That is fun to juggle or escape some chains.

16. Papa's 6 toe cats will greet you at his h ome. a famous writer of farewell to arms.

17. Believe it or not you are in keywest florida.

[brobrosmom]

Kino sandals are made on site out of leather. I had read alot about them on the boards which is why I stopped there. They do not have an arch

support, but are padded.. I was surprised that something that cost $10 could be so comfortable..There are several styles to choose from and each style comes in a variety of colors. They come in whole sizes. The ones I purchased were adjustable across the foot and at the ankle. I saw pocketbooks and other leather goods there, but had to head back to the ship so I did not check them out.

 

 

These sandals are awesome and very comfy. I was very sad when my dog ate them. :(