Guide to the Cruise Port of Key West, Florida

Table Of Content

• Hemingway's Home and other museums
• Key West Museums
• Key West Restaurants
• Fairbanks Aurora Borealis Tours: A Complete Guide to Viewing the Northern Lights in Alaska
• Key West tours, shore excursions,
• Margaritaville at Sea ship MAS Islander to be homeported in Florida (Tampa) starting June 2024
• Ernest Hemingway’s House

Browse through souvenir kiosks and local art galleries showcasing Key West treasures. Bike and golf cart rentals are popular for cruising the island at a relaxed pace. The main difference between the two is the trolley will take you around the island while the train stays in Old Town. Another great option to travel around Key West is the Old Town Trolley, Key West’s hop-on hop-off trolley. The trolley allows you to explore at your own pace, jumping on and off at any of the 13 stops. Stop in to meet the shop owners and you will learn a lot about Key West.

Hemingway's Home and other museums

Riding the Conch Tour Train or Old Town Trolley makes navigating Key West easy and fun. You can sit back, relax, and take in the island’s charm without having to worry about driving or parking. They are a hassle-free way to hit all the highlights at your own leisure.

Key West Museums

Cruise ship passengers have a bounty of Key West tours to choose from — starting with a single tour lasting 90 minutes, and ranging up to 4 hours on our water sports combo package. By carefully planning your visit to the Key West cruise port, you can ensure a smooth and enjoyable experience from start to finish. Despite its development, Key West cruise port retains a sense of the island’s historical charm and significance.

Key West Restaurants

Discover where cruise ships dock, how to get to town, Atlantis, Paradise Island, Cabbage and Junkanoo beaches and how to explore it all on your own. Nighttime kayak excursions are available for the adventurous, but for those traveling with children, a boat trip out to the sandbars is worth it. With crystal clear, yet shallow waters, the sandbars are perfect for youngsters looking to frolic in the waves safely with fewer crowds than the beaches. Included in the 3-hour sandbar hopping tours out to the Snipe Point are an inflatable dock, masks with snorkels, water toys, and a stocked cooler with drinks.

Fairbanks Aurora Borealis Tours: A Complete Guide to Viewing the Northern Lights in Alaska

Although most luxury cruise lines include shore excursions with the cruise fare, Regent, Seabourn and Silversea offer unique and diverse explorations ashore in Key West. Regent lists 11 port excursions, and Silversea offers 3 excursions. The good news is that on the larger beaches you will find all sorts of watersports, renting of chairs, umbrellas, kayaks, paddle-boards.

Missing Carnival cruise passenger's last known whereabouts revealed as search intensifies off Florida coast - Fox News

Missing Carnival cruise passenger's last known whereabouts revealed as search intensifies off Florida coast.

Posted: Tue, 05 Sep 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]

You should also take time to visit the Presidential gift shop on the premise. Walk aboard and take the excellently laid out self-guided tour with pre-recorded information. Today, the Key West Lighthouse Museum features exhibits on Key West’s maritime past history. Climb the 88 steps to the top balcony for sweeping views of Key West Harbor. The views are especially stunning at sunset when the skies erupt in color.

The highlight of Mallory Square is undoubtedly the breathtaking sunset views over the Gulf of Mexico. As the sun sets, join the people gathered around the waterfront to witness the sky turn into a canvas of vibrant colors. Major cruise lines sailing to Key West Florida include Royal Caribbean International, Norwegian Cruise Line, Holland America Line, MSC Cruises, Celebrity Cruises, and Virgin Voyages. The best time to travel to Key West is during the dry season from November to April when the weather is cooler and there is less chance of rain. In this guide, I’ll provide you with practical information on the Key West cruise terminal and share with you the 10 best things to do in Key West port.

Margaritaville at Sea ship MAS Islander to be homeported in Florida (Tampa) starting June 2024

This will give you a better perspective as to how soldiers in the Keyes defended our country. We also like to take our snorkel gear into this park as the beach area offers a good place for snorkeling. A small entrance fee is charged for all parties entering the park, and we have walked here on several visits.

Ernest Hemingway’s House

This funky island has captured the hearts of renowned writers like Tennessee Williams and Ernest Hemingway. With its vibrant Caribbean charm, Key West is a must-visit port of call. Here are my top recommendations for visiting Florida’s Key West cruise port. The port and its facilities are designed to be accessible, ensuring that everyone, including passengers with mobility challenges, can enjoy their visit. Additionally, for those disembarking at the Navy Outer Mole pier, a Conch Train and trolley service is available to transport visitors to the town. Around 11 miles off the coast of the Yucatan peninsula, Cozumel is the largest island in Mexico and one the most popular cruise ship port in the Caribbean.

We like the free bus route as a convenient way to get around the town in relative comfort. If you’re wanting something a bit more memorable, there are a couple of options for guided tours that will take you to the sites and give you the background. No matter the reason, Key West offers a convenient — and free — bus route that makes a loop around the western half of the island. So you can ride it from the cruise ship and get to all the famous landmarks like the Hemingway House, the Southernmost Point and more. Truman visited Florida 11 times and used to reside in this little white house.

Fort Zachary Taylor Historic State Park is always at the top of our list of things to do when we are in Key West Cruise Port. A little fun fact is that this state park is the southernmost in the continental United States. History enthusiasts will appreciate that Fort Taylor predates the Civil War and is a National Historic Monument.

The island can be navigated on foot or bicycle, but the Conch Tour Train makes a full loop of the Old Town area. Hop on and off to see sights such as the lighthouse, shipwreck museum, an aquarium and Truman's Little White House, the winter home for the country's 33rd president. Shoppers can find designer clothes and specialty items in boutiques along Duval Street, while literary lovers will want to visit the house where Ernest Hemingway lived and wrote for more than 10 years. Food tours offer a taste of fish tacos, rum cocktails and Key lime pie.

There are many art galleries at your disposal, whether you intend to buy or just be inspired. Streets like Duval, showcase plenty of mind-bogglingly beautiful art. Being a signature dessert for Key West, Florida, is a taste you don’t want to miss! Your sweet tooth is in for a treat with this pie that contains limes, a graham cracker crust, and other secret ingredients.