For couples · Key West · United States
Romantic things to do in Key West
Ideas for a couples' trip, from small moments to a special day out.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Radomianin, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
Key West is a classic couples' escape: adults-only guest houses with tropical gardens, sunset sails and candlelit dinners in open-air courtyards. Winter brings reliable weather, while late spring is quieter and still warm. Couples tend to stay in Old Town and Duval Street.
Key facts
- Romantic ideas
- 6
- Couple-friendly sights
- 4
- Area for couples
- Old Town and Duval Street
- Best months
- May
Romantic ideas
1.Sunset sail on a schooner
Sail along the western shore at sunset with a drink in hand, away from the Mallory Square crowds.
2.Garden dinner in Old Town
Many Old Town restaurants serve dinner in candlelit courtyards under banyan and palm trees.
3.Adults-only guest house
Old Town has many restored conch-house inns with pools and adults-only policies.
4.Sunrise at the Southernmost Point
Come at dawn to have the buoy and the Atlantic view almost to yourselves.
5.Dry Tortugas by seaplane
Fly low over the shallows to Fort Jefferson for a half-day of snorkelling around the fort.
6.Kayaking the backcountry
Paddle through mangrove channels north of the island with a guide, looking for rays and wading birds.
Sights couples love
Waterfront · Old Town and Duval Street
Mallory Square Sunset Celebration
Arrive about 45 minutes before sunset to find a spot on the water's edge and see the performers set up.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Iconic
- After dark
- Couples
- Kids
- Views
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Garden · Old Town and Duval Street
Key West Butterfly and Nature Conservatory
Wear bright colours; butterflies are more likely to land on you.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Kids
- Nature
- Rainy day
- Couples
Waterfront · Historic Seaport
Historic Seaport harbour walk
Look into the water near the fish-cleaning stations, where large tarpon often gather.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Food
- After dark
- Couples
Experience · Historic Seaport
Sunset sail
Choose a traditional schooner for a quieter sail, or a catamaran for more space and a party atmosphere.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Expensive
- Couples
- Views
- After dark
Where couples should stay
$$$$ · Best for first-timers, nightlife, couples and food lovers
Old Town and Duval Street
Duval Street runs about 2 km from the Gulf at Mallory Square to the Atlantic, lined with bars, galleries, T-shirt shops and restaurants; the side streets — Eaton, Caroline, Southard, Fleming — hold restored wooden houses and guest houses with pools. It is the most convenient and the noisiest place to stay.
- Good
- Everything within walking distance; Characterful guest houses; Lively evenings
- Watch out
- Loud at night near the bars; High prices and little parking
- Nearby
- Mallory Square, Hemingway Home, Key West Lighthouse, Southernmost Point
Romantic day trips
- Dry Tortugas National Park (About 2 hours 15 minutes by ferry, 40 minutes by seaplane) — Seven remote islands in turquoise water, dominated by Fort Jefferson, a vast unfinished 19th-century brick fort on Garden Key.
- Looe Key reef (About 40 minutes by car plus a 30-minute boat ride) — A spur-and-groove coral reef in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, often considered one of the best snorkelling and diving sites in the Lower Keys, with shallow coral and abundant fish.
For dinner
Share local specialities such as Key West pink shrimp, Stone crab claws and Hogfish sandwich. Dress is casual almost everywhere; shorts and sandals are fine at dinner.
Questions travellers ask
+Is Key West romantic?
Key West is a classic couples' escape: adults-only guest houses with tropical gardens, sunset sails and candlelit dinners in open-air courtyards. Winter brings reliable weather, while late spring is quieter and still warm.
+What is the most romantic thing to do in Key West?
Sunset sail on a schooner: Sail along the western shore at sunset with a drink in hand, away from the Mallory Square crowds.
+Where should couples stay in Key West?
Old Town and Duval Street: Bars, shops and conch houses along the island's main street.