Top Things to Do in Key West — 2026

For most visitors it's a reef snorkeling trip — Key West sits beside the only living coral barrier reef in the continental US, and a half-day catamaran or boat trip out to it is the signature experience. Close behind is a sunset sail, a Key West institution best seen from the water, and an after-dark ghost tour of Old Town, since the island is one of the most haunted in the country. If you'd rather stay dry, a glass-bottom boat shows you the reef from above, and a trolley or tour-train loop is the easy way to see the whole island in a few hours.

Two main ways. To get in the water, a half-day snorkeling trip runs out to the reef six or seven miles offshore, where the warm, clear, shallow water makes it easy for first-timers and strong swimmers alike; many trips pair the snorkel with a sail or add gear and drinks. To stay dry, a glass-bottom boat runs the same reef with the coral and fish framed under your feet. Morning trips usually have the calmest water and best visibility, and reef-safe sunscreen is the rule out there.

They're small-group and story-driven, working the historic core after dark on foot or by narrated trolley — the lantern-lit lanes off Duval, the 19th-century sea-captains' houses, the old cemetery, and the island's famous Robert the Doll, the reputedly cursed sailor's doll now kept at the Fort East Martello museum. Key West has a genuine haunted reputation, so there's real island history under the stories. Because the guide makes the tour, read recent reviews before booking; they run year-round and are busiest around Halloween and Fantasy Fest.

Old Town is compact and flat, so you have easy options. A hop-on-hop-off trolley or an open-air tour-train loop narrates the island's history and links the landmarks — the Southernmost Point, the Hemingway home, Mallory Square — and the ticket is usually good all day. To go at your own pace, Old Town is one of the most walkable and bike-friendly towns anywhere, and a guided walking or bike tour gets you into the conch houses and back streets the loops skip.

Both, but you book them directly. The Dry Tortugas and Fort Jefferson are a full-day trip about 70 miles west, reached by the official Yankee Freedom ferry or by seaplane — reserve with the operator well ahead, as space is limited. The Ernest Hemingway Home is a self-ticketed attraction in Old Town that you pay for at the door; a walking or trolley tour will take you past it and supply the history, but the house admission is its own. We don't resell either — they're operator-direct.