Key West on foot?

[cruisinmeme]

Factor in the heat and HUMIDITY....it can be a deal breaker. Have fun.

 

you said it all with this statement. we were there in mid december and was easy to sweat bullets then.

we saw the southermost point while on the open train tour. great to see, but to walk a mile in the heat. it sure seemed longer than a mile, but i guess we were going in circles by the time we got there.

we loved key west and waiting to schedule another cruise to return there. we ate at the cuban resturant and it was so good. el mason de pepe i believe is the name.

[Sargent_Schultz]

It's an easy walk sober - no hills. If you can't walk in a straight line, it could be 3x or more. :cool:

 

We walked all over including the Hemmingway Home

 

http://www.zydecocruiser.com/free_08/mon2.htm

[Name Of The Game]

Where's the closest place to get some good coffee and bakery in the morning?

[deej696]

A previous poster mentioned the cemetery. Its a neat experience, and about midway between Southernmost point and Mallory, a few blocks off Duval. If you're looking for a neat, but free, experience it may be the ticket. Of course, I'm a bit partial, as 7 generations of my family are stacked in one plot there;)

[realjd]

I've been to Key west once, not on a cruise. Even though it's a bit overrated, I'd still recommend seeing the southernmost point. you are going to Key West, why not see it? There are people that do the (rickshaw?) rides. They ride a bike, you sit in the back. It was a good way to see the area, then we got off on Duval and walked around. It's a fun place, hope you have a great time! :D

 

Watch out for those bike taxis. Unlike regular cabs which charge per mile, the bike taxis usually charge per minute. It can get expensive quickly.

 

There are also many places that rent bicycles and scooters for cheap. The scooters are fun and a great way to get around. And unlike many other ports, traffic in Key West is orderly enough that they aren't terribly unsafe.

 

Some more Key West advice: all of the souvenir shops sell the exact same products, except for the ones attached to museums. The "views" from the Garden of Eden bar are... unique. The roof of the La Concha hotel (Crown Plaza) has a public bar that really does have spectacular views of the island for free. Pepe's at Mallory Square has excellent Cuban food in a great location (I highly recommend that place), but El Siboney is a bit more authentic if you're up for a hike. If you like rum, go to The Rum Barrel restaurant next to the Pirate museum and ask the bartender to see their Rum Bible. If you eat there you'll get a great coupon for the museum next door. Be wary of the hand rolled cigars for sale on the street, most aren't very good. And don't expect spectacular beaches; the keys are rocky islands and the most of the few beaches there are man-made.

[Shewuf]

We were on the Conquest in December - the one that sat in Galveston an extra day, waiting for the fog to lift. When we got to Key West, a flash flood hit while we were walking in town. All of the stores, etc., had to sandbag to keep the water from pouring in. All this to say we walked the entire time with water up to our knees, but we laughed and laughed and really had a great time, in spite of the weather - especially at Sloppy Joe's. Key West is walkable, for sure. It's wade-able, too.

[miched]

Google Fantasy Fest Photos. We were in Key West the day after Halloween. We missed the festivities that go on the week before. Their parade makes the Mardi Gras look like a Disney production. Body painted costumes are the norm. They are really clever about how they utilize some of the body parts.

 

It is also neat to see the sunset if you are still there. A lot of interesting and talented performers.

[tiger belle]

we were there in mid december and was easy to sweat bullets then.

 

it's hot and humid even in December?! :eek:

[lillian marie]

If you like to walk it's an easy way to see all of old town. It's a 20-30 min. walk from the cruise dock to the other side of the island. We have been there a lot and spent two weeks in Key West at Christmas visiting friends and family. El Silboney is cheap, great cuban food and the Hemingway House and Lighthouse museums are really interesting. I've been there often in Dec. and the weather has not been that bad, it was great- high 70's-low 80's. If you like to walk just walk around town. Capt. Marios has a good seafood buffet at lunch too and is quite inexpensive for Key West. I did get bit by sand fleas and that's unpleasant, so I'd wear tennis shoes and socks or use bug spray.

[Music City]

I would recommend visiting the Truman Little White House where Harry Truman spent 175 days of his presidency wearing wild Hawaiian shirts, fishing and playing poker (can you imagine the media frenzy if President Bush would have done that?)

 

It's only a couple of blocks from the Westin where the cruise ships usually dock and a very pleasant walk through a lovely neighborhood of homes. I guess some might find it boring, but I love history and I'm from Missouri so Truman is a historical figure that fascinates me.

 

http://www.trumanlittlewhitehouse.com/

[dpkd]

I hadn't given much thought to the heat and humidity.

 

Sarge: Thanks for the photos on Hemingway's house you just saved me $12x4=$48

 

realjd: I'm all about free. Thanks for your tips!

[stones902]

I have never been to Key West and I am wondering how far it is to walk from the port where cruise ships dock, down Duval St to the Southernmost point? Is it relatively easy to get around on foot or would you recommend the trolley?

 

Much like the previous posters, we visited Key West in February with my 84 yr old mother. She is in pretty good shape but still got "gassed" 1/2 way when we stopped and had to take a break. After seeing the Southernmost point, we hired a Rickshaw guy to bring us back into town (which cost me $22 w/ tip). Had it have been my wife and I it would have been no problem. I would say the distance is probably better than a mile maybe closer to 2 ????

[snelsonbrown]

I, like Deej696, am also a many times generation of conchs that reside at the Key West Cementry and it is a very neat place to visit - you will find headstones that has remarks on it such "as I told you I was sick" and her sister's headstone has "I am just checking my eyelids for leaks" and the best one yet is "at least I know where is sleeping tonight".

 

For a great deal on information on Key West, plus coupons AND conch rates on transportation, go to this thread and look for post #5, scroll all the way to the bottom and read all that I have put on there about my hometown of Key West - Now KW is a 2X4 island but yes the humidity is VERY high and YES you will feel a great deal of the heat.

If you will walk down on Whitehead Street which was the area that the pirates of the 1800's took residence at with all the booty loot - Key West was known as Caya Hueso which meant street of bones and as my grandfather explained to me many years ago, it was due to the pirates and their way of living.

Anyhow enjoy!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1119114

[royalcruz]

I think it is longer than a mile each way and it can get very hot. If you are in good or even moderate shape it is very walkable though. Most of the shops, bars and restaurants are along the half of Duval St, that is closest to the ship.

[Silvery Seas Cruiser]

If you simply MUST walk to the Southernmost Point marker, do it first thing off the ship so that you are walking in the "coolest" part of the day. Do not save this hike for noon hours.

 

And if you are doing this walk in July, August or early Spetember, be sure to have a hat and bottled water with you. Key West summer humidity and heat, especially when there is no breeze, can be notoroiosly cruel.

 

Yes, even December can be bad. I have melted there in December, but I have nearly forzen there in December too watching a Christmas boat light parade. So December is unreliable as to weather, but summer months in Key West ARE reliably hot, humid and sticky. Afternoon showers are regular features of the summer.