Things to Do in Key West with Kids

Key West as a Kid-Friendly Destination

Living in Key West with two young kids, we often do and are happy to share our local knowledge with friends, family, visitors and guests. We are personally exploring the island as a family so below is our first hand experience, we also like to support businesses that we believe in and all the recommendations below are genuine. As alwasy if you have any questions, feel free to ask via email, phone, or chat!

Is Key West Kid-Friendly?

Absolutely! While Key West is famous for many things like its bars and Ernest Hemingway, there’s so much more to the island. Key West offers great weather, safe and walkable urban areas, and a unique ecosystem dominated by coral reefs, shallow seagrass meadows and mangrove islands full of wildlife. So Whether you’re looking for outdoor adventures, cultural experiences, or just hanging by the pool, there’s something for everyone. As you read below you will notice some themes like bike around and take your time! Explore the island with your kids on “island time” and you’ll have a fantastic experience that will keep you coming back year after year.

As I write this, my kids left the house to head to Gladiators for ice cream, then are meeting friends at Truman Waterfront. Here are some kid-approved activities in town:

Top Things to Do in Key West with Kids

Top Things to Do in Key West with Kids

Truman Waterfront

Splash Pad and Playground: Cool off at the splash pad. Have a picnic in the well-kept grass. Climb around the jungle gym. On Thursdays, there is a great local Farmers Market that starts at 2 PM.

USCGC Ingham Maritime Museum: Take a walking tour of this amazing Coast Guard ship, loaded with interesting items and rooms for kids to explore.

Eco-Discovery Center: Loaded with information and free to enter! It’s located next to Truman Waterfront and has been newly renovated with impressive upgrades.

Fun Things to Do in Key West: Snorkeling Tours

Honest Eco Tours: Not to be too self promotional, but we built our eco tour business with like minded families in mind! We operate small group boat tours which is always better, and offer snorkeling, kayaking, and dolphin watching, providing a fun and educational family experience where the focus is on fun, quality nature experiences as opposed to the all you can drink booze cruise party boats.

Best Snorkeling Spots for Kids in Key West

Snorkeling off the beach at Fort Zachary Taylor is enjoyable especially when to water is calm and clear, but a boat tour to the backcountry sponge gardens, or patch reefs consistently offers a much better experience. Smaller boats can access spots like Lone Tree, Man Heads, or Crescent Moon, ideal for beginners. Make sure to buy a glass mask with a silicone skirt for your kids, or rent one from Sea, Key West.

For a personalized and custom experience, check out our Key West sandbar charter, which combines snorkeling and serene sandbar relaxation for an unforgettable adventure.

Kid-Friendly Beaches in the Florida Keys

Fort Zachary Taylor Historic State Park

A natural coral rock beach. Bring sandals as the beach is rocky. The park offers shaded areas, picnic tables, grills, and a historic fort. This is our favorite weekend spot. Grill on the well-maintained charcoal grills, pack a picnic or grab food from the food booth. Explore the historic fort and the short paths around the park.

Other Kid-Friendly Beaches

• Higgs Beach: Features two playgrounds and shallow water with nice sand. Features a playground and shallow water with nice sand. Anila (our 10 year old) recommends it for golden hour and sunset. You might bump into us there during the summer. 
• Smathers Beach: Shallow waters, easy parking, and a great spot for sunset. During the day, there are ice cream and coffee trucks. The wide sidewalk is perfect for biking or rollerblading.

Kid-Friendly Cultural and Historical Sites

Nancy Forrester’s Secret Garden

Nancy rescues parrots in a beautiful garden setting. Call ahead for tours our kids have been loving Nancy’s Garden for years. This is one of those things that is so authentic you would think you needed to know someone to get to experience it! Visit nancyforrester.com.

Hemingway House

My kids prefer to skip the tour and just walk the grounds looking for the six-toed cats. I’m happy to do this as well. It’s not necessary to drag the kids through each room of the Hemingway House listening to a tour guide. They want to find the cats! You can still walk the grounds and the house without the tour. I love the Hemingway House and recommend it to friends and family, but it’s up to each kid if they find it interesting. Visit hemingwayhome.com.

West Martello Tower

The kids enjoy throwing coins in the fountain, ringing the bell, and playing hide and seek in this maze of a garden. The Key West Garden Club features a butterfly garden. This is a pretty spot to wander around, right by Higgs Beach and White Street Pier, so you can wrap all these attractions into one outing. Visit keywestgardenclub.com.

White Street Pier

A beautiful place to watch the sunrise and let kids run around. It’s also a great spot for fishing, rollerblading, and kid foot scooter riding.

Mallory Square Sunset Celebration

Enjoy street performers, local vendors, and a vibrant atmosphere every night of the year. Our kids ask to go here on Saturday nights for Cuban music and salsa dancing at El Meson de Pepe, then they watch each performer they have seen many times before but it’s always exciting to see a grown man jump through a hoop of fire.

Go For a Bike Ride and explore town!

Biking around Key West with kids is always fun. Drivers are used to sharing the roads, but always wear helmets and be safe! We recommend renting bicycles before you arrive. You can have them dropped off at your guest house. We like WeCycle and Eaton Street Bikes for good bikes and great people. Bike through the historical Key West cemetery and spot tons of iguanas. From the cemetery, head to William Bill Butler Park. It’s a simple park but fun to bike through. Then head down Whitehead Street to find amazing trees like kapoks, banyans, and poincianas. Check out shops along the way, then bike down Petronia Street into Bahama Village. Stop for lunch or keep going to Truman Waterfront to bike along the seawall.

Tips for Enjoying Key West with Kids

Allow time for kids to explore the beaches or town on foot or bike. The water is calm and warm, perfect for kids to experience the ocean. We asked our son Darwin (7 years old) for his advice for kids coming to Key West, and he said, “Go out snorkeling.” Keep it simple and relax without an overly scheduled agenda. Pack sunshirts, fruit, and water, and they’ll love it.

Up the Keys

• Grimal Grove: Check out all the amazing fruit at this local fruit farm.
• Turtle Hospital: Educational tours and lots of turtles. Visit turtlehospital.org.
• Bahia Honda State Park: A fun beach and kayaking spot.
• Sombrero Beach: A great beach with a playground.

Key West Kid-Friendly Resorts and Hotels

Key West Kid-Friendly Resorts

• The Marker: Located next to the Honest Eco boats, with two pools, a bar, and a restaurant. You won’t spend a lot of time in your room, so location is always a big consideration if you ask us. Plus a good pool to eat up that hour before bed time is very nice.

Key West Kid-Friendly Hotels: Budget-Friendly Options

• Wicker Guesthouse: As you have probably discovered, there aren’t really “budget” options to stay in Key West, it’s one of the side effects of being on a small island. However, for a great value, I would recommend Wicker Guesthouse. It is owned and Managed by our friend Heather at Key West Historic Inns, and this friendly spot in Old Town offers a nice pool and great location. Visit keywestinns.com.

Best Time to Visit Key West with Kids

It might sound crazy, but Summer and Spring Break are the best times to visit with kids due to the warm and calm weather, perfect for water activities like snorkeling, dolphin watching, kayaking and swimming. Just make sure to have plenty of water and good times await. The winter is obviously good because you are escaping the cold, and we can have very warm weather in the winter, but it can also be chillier with weather in the seventies and windy! Drink water and enjoy a summer trip in Key West, you can’t go wrong.

Kid-Friendly Restaurants in Key West

Breakfast:

• The Creperie on Petronia: A favorite for sweet or savory crepes.
• Date and Thyme: Organic cafe with great breakfast bagels.
• Old Town Bakery: Very good croissant sandwiches and fresh OJ.

Lunch:

• Date and Thyme: Awesome organic menu with grab-and-go options.
• Green Pineapple: Great organic options.
• B.O.’s Fish Wagon: Must-visit for great fish sandwiches and fries.
• Eaton Street Seafood Market: Amazing fresh fish options.

Dinner:

• Salute’s on the Beach: Great location and atmosphere next to Higgs Beach, with live music and fire dancers on Sundays. Kids can run around and play at the beach, and the shallow water is safe for wading.
• Mangia Mangia: Family-friendly with homemade pasta.
• Bangkok Happy Bowl: A new favorite with live music and great owners.
• Moondogs: Great outdoor seating and desserts because they have an amazing bakery inside the restaurant. 

Best Places for Ice Cream and Treats in Key West

• Gladiators for Ice Cream: Homemade ice cream by an older couple, next to Mallory Square. Our kids’ favorite.
• Kermit’s Key Lime Pie: Billy’s vote for the best Key Lime Pie in town. Kermit is a local character and very nice.
• Glazed: Best donuts in town, owned by a nice family in town. They also serve Red Buoy coffee, a local roasting company.

Key West with Toddlers: Best Attractions and Tips

Once again, our number one tip would be to rent a bike that the toddler can join you on. They love being able to look at all the new sites and sounds that they will experience. For them, it’s like a helicopter tour of the island! Some of the bike rental places even have “box bikes” where the kids can hang out in the front, these are nice because it is a little easier to talk to them and answer questions. For destinations, the below spots are great for toddlers.

Truman Waterfront: Splash pad, playground, and green space.
Higgs Beach: Sandy beach and playground.

Summary of the Best Kid-Friendly Activities in Key West

Key West is a fantastic family destination with numerous kid-friendly activities. To Make unforgettable memories we’d recommend the mentality of less is more! Pack some food and hit the beach and bikes. For getting on the water we recommend small group boats (like us!) so please consider booking a tour with Honest Eco Tours for an family friendly eco-tour that was created by Biologists!