Whether you are fishing in Key West on the flats or offshore, diving a wreck or snorkeling North America's only living reef, planning a wedding sunset cruise to watch our famous Key West sunset, or paddling the backcountry in a kayak, you will find it all here. If you are up for adventure and history the Dry Tortugas National Park should be in your plans while visiting Key West, and there are plenty of sightseeing opportunities by land and by charterboat around our tiny tropical island of Key West, Florida.

Helpful Key West travel websites:

Monroe County Tourist Development Website offers information on the Florida Keys & Key West including accommodations, travel, news, destination weddings, things to do and see and festivals.

Visit their website at: www.fla-keys.com

Key West Chamber of Commerce website offers information on chamber members and thier website links. The Key West Chamber is located in downtown Key West near the Key West Aquarium.

Visit their website at: www.keywestchamber.org

Driving Directions to Key West
Take the Florida Turnpike south to Exit 4 - Homestead/Key West. This is the Turnpike Extension that will connect you to Route US 1 in Florida City, which takes you through the Keys to Key West at the very end of US 1.

Speed limits throughout the Florida Keys are strictly enforced. Please be especially careful through the Big Pine Key area as this is a Key Deer Refuge. Speed limits are reduced in this area.

Things to do in Key West for the whole family. Enjoy many museums and attractions around the island including the Ernest Hemingway home and museum, Key West Lighthouse, Key West Aquarium, Mel Fisher Maritime Museum and Shipwreck Historium. Visit Mallory Square and see artist perform nightly at sunset or peruse the sponge market and some of our other downtown Key West shops. Other guided tours include a bike tour of the island and a ghost tour.

Visit the Dry Tortugas and Fort Jefferson
Seventy miles west of Key West is a group of islands called the Dry Tortugas. It consists of seven islands, one of which stands Fort Jefferson. This fort was constructed in the mid 1800's of brick and is America's largest coastal fort. It was originally constructed to protect the shipping lanes into the Gulf of Mexico but was never actually used as a fort. Rather it was used as a prison during the Civil War.

The fort is a beautiful place to visit. Most charter services provide lunch and snorkel equipment. Transportation to the Dry Tortugas by boat is an all day event on a comfortable catamaran that takes 2 1/2 hours to get to the Fort. After a guided tour, guests are welcome to snorkel the Fort's moat wall where there are beautiful coral formations and many different tropical fish to view. Other forms of transportation are by seaplane and will get you to and from the Fort.