History · Key West · United States
7 historic sites to see in Key West
The places that tell the story of how the city came to be.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Marc Averette, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
Start with Ernest Hemingway Home and Museum, Fort Zachary Taylor Historic State Park and Key West Lighthouse and Keeper's Quarters. Together the 7 picks below take roughly 9–10 hours across 4 areas; 1 is free.
Key facts
- Places in this guide
- 7
- Free entry
- 1
- Time to see them all
- 9–10 hours
- Areas
- Old Town and Duval Street, Truman Annex and Bahama Village
Historic sites in Key West
Historic site · Old Town and Duval Street
1.Ernest Hemingway Home and Museum
Guided tours run through the rooms and the writing studio, and the gardens are home to dozens of cats, many of them six-toed descendants, according to the museum, of a cat given to the writer.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Iconic
- History
- Kids
- Architecture
Beach · Truman Annex
2.Fort Zachary Taylor Historic State Park
The fort's casemates hold a collection of Civil War-era cannon.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Low cost
- Kids
- Outdoors
- History
- Nature
Landmark · Bahama Village
3.Key West Lighthouse and Keeper's Quarters
The keeper's quarters museum covers life at the light and the island's shipwreck history.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Low cost
- Views
- Kids
- History
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Historic site · Truman Annex
4.Harry S. Truman Little White House
Guided tours show the original furnishings, Truman's poker table and the room where policy was made in shorts and Hawaiian shirts.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- History
- Rainy day
Historic site · Old Town and Duval Street
5.Key West Cemetery
Its narrow lanes are shaded and quiet.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- History
- Off the beaten path
Museum · Old Town and Duval Street
6.Mel Fisher Maritime Museum
Exhibits also cover the slave ship Henrietta Marie.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- History
- Rainy day
- Kids
Museum · Casa Marina and South Roosevelt
7.Fort East Martello Museum
A Civil War-era brick fort near Smathers Beach, run by the Key West Art and Historical Society, with exhibits on island history, folk art and Robert the Doll, a reputedly haunted doll that draws ghost-story fans.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Rainy day
- Off the beaten path
Grouped by area
| Area | Places | Time needed |
|---|---|---|
| Old Town and Duval Street | Ernest Hemingway Home and Museum, Key West Cemetery and Mel Fisher Maritime Museum | 1 hour + 45 minutes + 1 hour |
| Truman Annex | Fort Zachary Taylor Historic State Park and Harry S. Truman Little White House | Half a day + 1 hour |
| Bahama Village | Key West Lighthouse and Keeper's Quarters | 45 minutes |
| Casa Marina and South Roosevelt | Fort East Martello Museum | 1 hour |
Booking and timing
Of these 7, 1 free, 3 low cost, 3 mid-priced. None needs booking far in advance. The longest visit is Fort Zachary Taylor Historic State Park; group the rest by area to save travel time.
How to fit them into 3 half-days
Grouped by area and kept to about four hours each, so you walk more than you ride.
- Half-day 1 (Old Town and Duval Street): Ernest Hemingway Home and Museum → Key West Cemetery → Mel Fisher Maritime Museum, at least 3 hours.
- Half-day 2 (Truman Annex): Fort Zachary Taylor Historic State Park → Harry S. Truman Little White House, at least 4 hours.
- Half-day 3 (Bahama Village and Casa Marina and South Roosevelt): Key West Lighthouse and Keeper's Quarters → Fort East Martello Museum, at least 2 hours.
The quietest months for queues
- September: highs of 31°C (88°F), about 13 rainy days, very quiet crowds. Peak hurricane season and the quietest month; some businesses close for staff holidays.
- August: highs of 32°C (90°F), about 12 rainy days, quiet crowds. Hot, humid and quiet, with hurricane risk building; prices are among the year's lowest.
- May: highs of 30°C (86°F), about 6 rainy days, moderate crowds. Hot and still mostly dry, with warm water and good diving visibility.
The neighbourhoods they are in
- Old Town and Duval Street — Bars, shops and conch houses along the island's main street
- Truman Annex — Gated former naval quarter by Fort Zachary Taylor and the Little White House
- Bahama Village — Historic Afro-Caribbean quarter of small houses, roosters and casual restaurants
- Casa Marina and South Roosevelt — Atlantic-side resorts along Smathers and Higgs beaches
More of Key West
Questions travellers ask
+Where should I start in Key West?
Ernest Hemingway Home and Museum. Hemingway lived and wrote in this Spanish Colonial stone house on Whitehead Street during the 1930s.
+Which of these are free in Key West?
Key West Cemetery.